The image on our cover is "Full Bloom" by Anne M. Kennedy, one of the Beaufort Art Association's featured artists for May and June. The exhibit, Of Earth and Fire, also features potter Traci L. Walter. For more information visit www.beaufortartassociation.com
May 10 – May 23, 2023
Publisher: Jeff Evans — Jeff@LCWeekly.com
Editor: Margaret Evans — Editor@LCWeekly.com
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Art Director: Lydia Inglett
Layout & Design: Amalgamated Sprinkleworks
Contributing Writers: Vivian Bikulege, Katherine Tandy Brown, Debbi Covington, Sandra Educate, Carolyn Mason, Laura Lee Rose, Cele & Lynn Seldon, and Sutty Suddeth
What’s Happening Calendar: Staff – Editor@LCWeekly.com
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Lowcountry Weekly
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Lowcountry Weekly is published every other Wednesday and distributed throughout Beaufort County at various restaurants, retail locations, hotels and visitor’s centers. The entire contents of Lowcountry Weekly is copyrighted 2023 by P. Podd Press, LLC. No part may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions expected to be returned.
One of my mother’s oldest friends died yesterday, out of the blue. It’s a regular occurrence these days, and Mom’s taking it in stride.
But she’s wondering what will happen to the garden her friend had been faithfully keeping for years outside the Episcopal church they both attend in Alabama.
Or, I should say “attended.” Mom’s friend won’t be back, and Mom hasn’t been to church in person since before Covid. She enjoys watching online, and at 84 – with my dad gone and a skittish dog who doesn’t like being home alone – it’s just easier for her. But she misses singing in the choir.
We were discussing all this over the phone during our weekly “wine chat,” a longstanding tradition that typically happens on Sunday evening. Mom had just learned about her friend’s death, and I’d just been part of a memorial service for a friend of my own, a member of the choir I sing with here in Beaufort, at First Presbyterian.
So that got us talking about funerals. Again. It’s an ongoing topic of conversation for us, not just because Mom keeps losing friends and going to funerals, but because she’s trying to orchestrate her own.
“I’ve got all my funeral stuff spread out on the dining room table,” she told me, “But I just keep putting it off because I’m
obsessed with making sour dough bread. It’s all I want to do anymore.”
Despite being a lifelong culinary savant, my mother has somehow only recently been initiated into the mysteries of sour dough.
“I’m having so much fun!” she told me, describing her adventures in starter-tending.
“It’s like a science project!”
She knew she was talking to the wrong daughter – the oldest of four, I am the only domestic dud in the litter, and the least scientific, too – so the conversation quickly returned to funerals. Mom is trying to stage-manage hers in advance to make things easier on us girls when the time comes – something she’s been doing for well over half a century now. (Making things easier on us girls, that is.)
For starters, she’s picking the hymns. So far, she’s narrowed it down to about 50 of her favorites.
“You know, Mom,” I told her, “You’re gonna have to cut a few of those.” We agreed that some of them could be coming-andgoing music played by the organist, but that many of them really needed to be sung.
To underscore this necessity, we started singing them. Singing hymns together is something we often do during our Sunday wine chats, while comparing notes on the music, sermons, and other liturgical flourishes at our respective churches that morning.
(Mom finds the Episcopal service superior to all others. She’s a bit of a snob about it, but I don’t begrudge her that. She was a Methodist all her life, until recently, and she feels like she’s gotten an upgrade. The Episcopalians are just fancier than the rest of us Protestants. It’s a fact.)
Mom and I both prefer the older hymns, especially the high church, Anglican numbers – your Holy, Holy, Holies, Mighty Fortresses, and so on and so forth. But the “old time religion” hymns are good, too –your Blessed Assurances, Old Rugged Crosses, etc. (We sometimes call those “Baptist hymns.”) We’re also quite fond –though a bit embarrassed about it – of some of the schmaltzy-folky songs that came out of the Catholic church in the 60s and 70s. “I Am the Bread of Life,” “Here I Am, Lord,” etc. etc.
You see the challenge. We love them all.
(And at this point, I should probably make a formal apology to my neighbors. Did I mention I typically sit outside on my patio for these wine chat/sing-alongs, weather permitting?)
“You could always tell the priest that you want your funeral to consist of just an hour of hymn singing, full stop,” I suggested. (Note to anybody who cares: I would love a funeral like that.)
“Oh, no! I’ve been working on my readings, too,” she said. “That’s almost as hard as choosing the hymns!”
And then we were off on the topic of scripture. So many chewy passages to choose from. Such rich, wonderful imagery! People mounting up with wings like eagles . . . running without being weary . . . lying down in green pastures . . . dwelling in the house of the Lord forever . . .
Who doesn’t love that stuff?
At some point, I wondered if we were having way too much fun for two people planning a funeral – one of them, her own. The wine probably had something to do with it. Our cups ranneth over.
“Mom, this funeral’s gonna be a blast!” I said. “The only bad part about it is that you won’t be there. Well, I mean, you’ll be there – but you’ll be ‘Immortal, Invisible.’” (That’s one of the hymns on Mom’s list.) “Great for you, but not so for great for us.”
“I hope I’ll be immortal and invisible –not just invisible,” Mom replied. And we laughed. We agreed a long time ago that
while we both live in “the sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life,” we also recognize that “certain hope” is an oxymoron. We surely and certainly hope there’s an afterlife, but we don’t know there’s an afterlife. And we’re kind of okay with that. Because if there’s not, we’ll never know that, either.
Lest you mistake my mother for some saintly, celestial creature – thinking of nothing but scripture and hymns and sour dough bread – I can assure you she is also working diligently on the talking points for her eulogy. The list of worldly accomplishments may be longer than the list of hymns.
Mom and I have been doing our Sunday wine chat for at least 20 years now, ever since I moved into my house in Pigeon Point. Before that . . . well, I honestly can’t remember.
We didn’t always sing hymns and discuss Bible verses. Back in the day, we mainly gossiped about hometown folks and talked politics. We still do the former, but we hardly ever do the latter anymore.
These days, I mostly talk politics with my daughter. She calls me from Clemson almost daily, and it’s a thrill to pick her brain. A Poli Sci major with a minor in Russian Studies, she understands more about the war in Ukraine – its myriad causes and complexities – than anybody I know, including the newscasters, podcasters and other pundits in my life. Suddenly, my little girl is an informed adult and a formidable thinker. It kind of snuck up on me, and frankly, it’s a bit disconcerting.
But she hasn’t changed entirely, thank goodness. We had our own wine chat yesterday – she’s 21 now – and all she wanted to talk about was the new Harry Styles video, the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, and who wore what to the Met Gala.
That’s the girl I raised.
Happy Mother’s Day, y’all. It’s good to be a mother and a daughter.
John Kenney captures a colorful expression of the Bluffton State of Mind in “May River Magic,” the May featured artist exhibit at The Society of Bluffton Artists gallery in Old Town Bluffton. The oil painting exhibit is running through May 28.
Kenney’s work is characterized by a wide range of expression and bold use of color. Kenney was Influenced by ionic pop culture artist Andy Warhol, who was friends with Kenney’s mentor, as well as the industrial cityscape of his native Pittsburgh. Kenney’s skills utilizing light, tone, color and form were refined by his studies with Rick Weaver in Charlottesville, Virginia. Kenney works in oil and focuses on figure, still life and the everyday.
“Art allows you to look at the world around us differently,” said Kenney. “The relationship between shape, line, color and
tone come to life and are constantly changed by light. My oil paintings are about the manipulation of light and geometric shapes. The direction and intensity of light controls the image and the texture.”
Oil painting is about the manipulation of light and geometric shapes. Kenney strives to create a mood for the viewer, whether as an abstraction or as modern impressionism. His works are in private collections throughout the Southeast and Midwest He is an award-winning
artist and exhibits in Virginia and South Carolina. He and his wife currently reside in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Kenney was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1950 and discovered his interest in painting while attending Washington & Jefferson College.
SOBA is the heart of the flourishing art hub in Old Town Bluffton’s historic district at the corner of Church and Calhoun streets. As a non-profit art organization, SOBA offers regular art classes, featured artist shows, exhibitions, scholarships, outreach programs and more. The gallery is open from 10am - 5pm Monday through Saturday, and 11am - 3pm. on Sundays. Please visit www.sobagallery.com for a complete calendar of events and other information or call 843-757-6586.
In our lives, where do we confuse faith with fear? I’m not referring to fear-based religious points-of-view nor fear-mongering politics for the purpose of control. No, my intent is to root out where such pitfalls, among other, more elaborate traps we ensnare ourselves in, have their genesis. “The needs of the many, must outweigh the needs of the few, or, the one.” (Captain Spock)
Now we’re going to “rock down to electric avenue.” Apologies for the earworm of this god-awful song, but I intend to leave an impression. I know some of you may love the song, but when I consider myself possessing zero musical abilities, doing just about as well with that repetitive P.O.S., I dub a song crappy. Granted, I’d take Eddy Grant over the Spice Girls, Macarena, 867-5309, or KISS any day, but I digress. Back to my point, we’re all made up of
electricity and electrical signals. This is not mysticism, it’s science. People like me generally call it an aura, however. If you don’t care about the science or don’t believe it, was Steph Curry not electrifying in Game 7 in Sacramento leaving the Kings with no electricity to “light the Beam”? Can her touch not elicit electrical thrills? Can their rhetoric not galvanize and electrify a community?
It's not a matter of understanding, it’s a matter of whether we move from the concept phase to the empathetic, “I’ve been there” phase. We want you to be true to yourself when you tell another, “I feel ya, bud . . . ” What’s the difference? You tell me. Are you more confused than a woodpecker with a headache about now? I get it, I really do. “I feel ya, bud . . . ” I just wonder within myself and inside of my readers, by extension, if we think we get a concept, when really, we just understand it.
Is the most intense battle what we know versus what we feel? “If understanding is required in order to see, then you only see what you understand. Perhaps you only see what you understand until seeing is the only understanding there is.” –Matt Khan.
“Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets and then teams up with three strangers to kill again.” That was a TV Guide description of The Wizard of Oz back in the day. Can’t really connect the dots until you look back, can you? Looking back, in the context of what we’re discussing in this venue, is not about wallowing in the past, it’s about using your past for the common good. “In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.” (Andrea Dykstra) A teachable moment or two, upon reflection, can be the conduit to healing the now.
While we’re talking about confusion, where do we conflate (self) discipline with bullying? Or perhaps healing with ignoring? Is balance in life a mirage? Many speak of and chase a work/life balance, for example. I feel this type of balance is fool’s gold. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, but consider that a more fulfilling, less nebulous approach is to seek emotional balance.
How is that done? Well, first off, just as we should treat everyone with respect, can we not try respecting all emotions the same? An
WHOLLY HOLISTICS
by Sutty Suddeth
emotion shouldn’t be negated just because it has a negative charge. Ooh, that’s a good one, Sutty, but you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry. True, but when has turning a blind eye to such things ever worked out in the long run? Manifesting becomes foolhardy when intentions are blurred by false assumptions. And there it is. Pretending envy and spite and gluttony and sloth doesn’t exist doesn’t mean they don’t exist. If that doesn’t make you happy and joyful and serene, I don’t know what will.
All that said, please keep in mind a practical application of what has so far been a concept. Diseases have their own electrical signatures. It’s what lurks below the surface that entices me. I want to get it. I want you to get it too. I want you to be tied in like shoe laces. While probing yourself in new and incisive ways, seek, ask, and pray for guidance for new gridwork. You won’t know until you ask. Don’t forget to be as patient with yourself as you would a child learning to walk.
I wouldn’t want to disappoint, so time for a little mysticism. The other day before writing this column, I had the vision of a manta ray during my morning meditation. I usually take note of such observations and eventually Googled manta ray totems. “Manta reminds us to keep our course in life at the forefront of our mind. We manifest by sticking to our true North. Most predators see the sheer size of Manta and think twice. Should one attack, nature has given Manta fast healing tissue that regenerates within weeks; this identifies Manta as a hallmark for renewal and wellbeing.”
Like the manta ray filtering the entire ocean through its maw, you’re now charged with noticing what electrifies your essence, regardless of polarity. While we can’t have the testimonial without the test, we can treat ourselves with largesse along the way.
The year: 1987. The setting: The Rocks of Fripp Island, SC. Sutty first answers the siren call of writing. In the years and publications since, the destination has been Divinely timed, while being Divinely unknown. A reformed Reiki Master of more than a dozen years, an emotional energetic alchemist, as well as a student in various energetic modalities. My favorite Buddha quote is, “Everything in moderation, even moderation.” Visit Home / Chris Suddeth (journoportfolio.com) for more info.
The Home Depot Foundation teamed up with LowCountry Habitat for Humanity and other regional organizations to serve local families through a large community service day at the Coastal Discovery Museum on April 25.
More than 300 volunteers led by Team Depot framed the interior and exterior walls of Habitat’s next three homes in Northern Beaufort County, which will allow these deserving families to move into their homes sooner than originally planned.
Within 4 hours, C-suite Executives from Home Depot’s major suppliers built 67 walls, two sheds and five picnic tables. The groups were led by LowCountry Habitat volunteers, Sophie Ashley, Jim Burden, Tim Holt, Sally Mayse, and Peter Pearks.
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center is pleased to announce that Battery Creek High School senior Darby Kinsey has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Center’s Future Educator Scholarship, a $5,000 award.
Kinsey is a member of Beaufort County’s teacher cadet program and she was recently selected as a South Carolina Teaching Fellow.
A dual enrollment student at the Technical College of the Lowcountry, Kinsey will earn her Associate’s Degree before she graduates from high school in June. She will continue her studies toward her Education degree at Charleston Southern University this fall.
A group of current and former educators served as the Conroy Center’s scholarship selection committee. They were unanimous and enthusiastic in their selection of Kinsey as the scholarship awardee. Two of the committee members, both Beaufort County School District teacher mentors, offered these
appraisals of Kinsey for public announcement:
“Darby is committed, goal-driven, and confident that she will succeed in her chosen career path. She is looking forward to a bright and successful teaching career, working for and with her students and contributing to their personal and educational growth,” said Celeste Prince-Brown, who was also a Beaufort High School student of Pat Conroy’s.
Joseph Taylor praised, “The moment Darby sat down with the scholarship committee for her interview, she exuded confidence. She is a young woman who has known that she wanted to be a teacher since the age of four. Now, fourteen years later, she is getting ready to receive her diploma from Battery Creek High School and also her Associate’s Degree from TCL. When you consider what she has achieved in the past four years while working and taking both high school and college courses, it's really quite extraordinary. Future students and
I’ve sometimes wondered how we can heal spiritually when things like conflict and stress can be such big distractions. What was it that enabled Christ Jesus and others in the Bible to see through the noise of everyday life in order to heal?
Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8), which “The Message” paraphrase of the Bible renders as, “You’re blessed when you get your inside world – your mind and heart – put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.”
For me, getting into my “inside world” means praying. And seeing God in the outside world indicates realizing the results of my prayers. But how do we find that quiet inside world when the distractions of the outside world are swirling around, seeming to cause worry, stress, and conflict?
Christian Science teaches that there is a spiritual law of divine Love. Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science, wrote, “Jesus aided in reconciling man to God by giving man a truer sense of Love, the divine Principle of Jesus’ teachings, and this truer sense of Love redeems man from the law of matter, sin, and death by the law of Spirit, –the law of divine Love” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 19).
I’ve found it especially helpful to center my prayers
around the concept of God as Love. And because this Love is God, it is the most spiritual Love one could ever feel – it is perfect Love. I’ve often reasoned this way: Love created you and me and everyone. So how would it be possible for something created by Love to experience something unlike Love – for example, stress? Wouldn’t that be a contradiction? Can the ultimate Love allow any discord? Where could stress possibly fit into a life created by and governed by Love?
teaching colleagues will benefit from having Darby Kinsey in their lives. As a teacher at BCHS told me recently, ‘Darby is the real deal!’ I have no doubt about that.”
In addition to the cash award, Kinsey will be paired with a teaching mentor through the Conroy Center to serve as an additional resource for her through her degree program and her entrance into her teaching life.
Established to encourage and support high school seniors with a declared intent to pursue a career in education, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Future Educator Scholarship honors the teaching legacy of the late Pat Conroy (1945 – 2016), acclaimed bestselling author of The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, and more. The inaugural scholarship is funded through the generosity of former educators. To learn more about the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, please visit www.patconroyliterarycenter.org
including a very chatty passenger next to me. Emotions were running high, but amid the chatter, I quietly turned to God in prayer. I prayed to know that everything was being guided perfectly by God and that nothing could separate any of us from God’s care or from the spiritual law of divine Love, which includes harmony in all things, even in seemingly uncontrollable situations.
It is these types of ideas that give me a better sense of who I am and a concrete way to overcome the noise – the stress and conflict that can seem to be part of everyday life –and really pray. I find I can do this when I recognize our inseparability from God. Science and Health says: “Let us rid ourselves of the belief that man is separated from God, and obey only the divine Principle, Life and Love. Here is the great point of departure for all true spiritual growth” (p. 91).
Once when I was traveling to a meeting, my flight was delayed due to a mechanical issue. What was supposed to be a quick fix turned into a much longer wait than I’d anticipated, and it seemed unlikely that I would be able to make my connecting flight.
After we took off, I discovered I was surrounded by others talking and fretting about missing their connections,
Not only did my prayers help to calm me, but a calm seemed to settle over everyone on that flight. Once we landed, the flight attendant began calling out connecting gates, and there was a mutual agreement by everyone on the plane to let those making connections get off first. There was also a tangible air of compassion, politeness, and respect being expressed as passengers helped each other leave as quickly as possible. A flight attendant told me that my connecting flight was waiting to take off until I got there. I easily made it to the gate and arrived safely at my destination.
When we recognize God as our entirely spiritual creator, who is the ultimate definition of Love, and we understand our relationship to that Love, we find our own inner peace as well as ways to extend that peace to others.
By Diahana Barnes
With another Cinco de Mayo in the books, we thought it was time to write about one of the Beaufort area’s top Mexican restaurants—well, actually two of them, since La Nopalera has two tasty locations (dare we say dos?).
other days a year to eat at great area Mexican restaurants like La Nopalera.
While we often choose to fix a Mexican meal and maybe a Michelada or three on Cinco de Mayo, we rarely eat out on a day when many Mexican restaurants are packed with those looking to eat, drink, and be very merry for the holiday that commemorates the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over the Second French Empire at the 1862 Battle of Puebla. Generally celebrated more in America than Mexico as a commemoration of Mexican-American history and culture, we typically choose the other 364
We’re a bit biased when it comes to La Nopalera, in that our great neighbors across the street know the owner and his family quite well and one of our neighbors’ daughters even rooms with the owner’s daughters at USC in Columbia. Plus, it helps that their bustling Ribaut Road location is less than two miles from our houses. Heck, La Nopalera’s other hopping location on Lady’s Island (Sams Point Road) is just four miles door-todoor, when we often combine lunch with stops at Publix, Old Timey Meats, Grayco, or Bill’s Liquors.
Biases aside, we love heading to both locations for a huge number of tasty menu possibilities, great vibes, and consistently friendly and helpful service (especially when it comes to “translating” a few unfamiliar ordering options). That “number” reference means that their glossy two-sided menu features a whopping choice of more than 125 different food orders possibilities (yeap, we counted), including appetizers, dips, soups,
salads, fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, steaks, chicken, seafood, pork, vegetarian, mixed plates and combinations, plus more than a dozen tasty sides. Whew!
Both La Nopalera restaurants are owned and operated by Abraham Cruz. He opened their Ribaut Road location in August of 1998, making it a quarter century and counting come late-summer, which is really saying something in the restaurant biz. Abraham opened their Lady’s Island hotspot in September,
2016. With a hands-on approach that leads to great staff in the kitchens and out on the floors of the restaurants, La Nopalera fans like us can always count on a great experience at both of his restaurants.
That said, the Ribaut Road location is a bit more rustic (in a good way), while the Lady’s Island La Nopalera is more modern and also features a nice patio out back. Generally speaking, we tend to head to our neighborhood location on Ribaut for dinner, saving the
Sams Point Road option for lunch (or even late-morning brunch).
The menus are exactly the same at both restaurants and it would be impossible to address even a medium-sized helping of the tasty choices. Instead, we’ll just list a few of our faves, as well as those of our neighbors, their daughters, and even Abraham’s Gamecock daughter: queso and queso with chorizo; their quesadilla apps; chicken tortilla
plates and combination dinners; and so much more. Whew!
When asked, Abraham reports that their fajita nachos, chimichangas, California burritos, any of sizzling fajitas, and margaritas (natch) remain some of the most popular choices at both restaurants. He says his favorites include their tasty street tacos and the Molcajete (see below). And, with cactus appearing on the menu several times, it only seems appropriate that Abraham reports that ‘nopalera’ means ‘prickly pear,’ which is featured at the top of the menu.
We’re a bit embarrassed to report we’re not guacamole fans, but everyone says their fresh guac made tableside is excellent. There’s also aforementioned Molcajete on the menu, which is a large hot stone bowl filled with steak, chicken, shrimp, and salsa, topped with cactus, scallion, Oaxaca cheese, and fresh jalapeños. We plan to try it next time we’re there with our neighbors or other friends.
The menu also features a separate “Lunch” offering with great pricing, which is available from 11am to 3pm Monday through Saturday. There are several combos,
including the Speedy Gonzales, with a taco, enchilada, and a choice of rice and beans, as well as many egg-based dishes that are perfect for a late brunch (did someone say Huevos Rancheros?). We also understand our esteemed Lowcountry Weekly editor is a big fan of Lunch #3, which is two tiny taco salads (crispy fried tortillas topped with beef, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and guac), plus a cheese quesadilla.
Any time of day, the portions are typically huge, and we love heading home with La Nopalera leftovers. That said, the dessert list is short, but very sweet. The choices include Sopapillas, Churros, Flan, and Fried Ice Cream.
Both restaurants feature full-service bars, including a great draft beer selection (with 16 and 32-ounce pours, plus pitchers). They even make a mean Michelada for fans of the concoction (like us), as well several other ‘bebidas’ (think Tequila Mules, Palomas, Mojitos, and more). Our neighbors also love La Nopalera’s “original” margaritas on the rocks or frozen, which are available in various sizes, including pitchers. There are also special hand-crafted margaritas employing various tequilas, fruits, and more, as well as an extensive tequila list. Abraham says daily specials on margaritas and draft beers are very popular with regulars.
As mentioned, the service is friendly and efficient, and the food comes out quickly and piping hot. If there’s a short wait for a table (like, say, on Cinco de Mayo), an oh-so-bueno cold beverage and a basket of chips and house made salsa isn’t a hardship. And, it’s worth the wait when it comes to saying, “Si!” to two of the area’s best Mexican restaurants.
Beaufort-based travel journalists Lynn and Cele Seldon (www. seldonink.com) often cover culinary travel around the world, and Lowcountry Weekly recently lured them to write a monthly feature covering the local food scene. This will include articles about restaurants, chefs, food-focused stores, farms, farmers, farmers markets, and more. They welcome suggestions for topics.
soup; the fajita and shrimp taco salads; nachos (they have 11 options!); Nopalera
Fajitas (steak, chicken, shrimp, and chorizo); Shrimp Fajita Quesadilla; Enchiladas
Parmesanas (with a unique creamy parmesan mushroom sauce featured elsewhere on the menu); more than a dozen different tacos possibilities on corn or flour tortillas (ask about the grilled cactus tacos); Burritos del Mar, with grilled tilapia and shrimp); Veggie Chimichanga; more than 30 varied mixed
We Southerners revere our mothers. Since 1912, the second Sunday in May has been set aside to commemorate motherhood. The mid-spring celebration comes when days are long, gardens are lush with flowers and the promise of summer is in the air. This meal is for the very special women in our lives, created from the heart to be served with love. Cooler morning temperatures have been an inspiration for al fresco dining. These recipes are perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch on the porch. Jumbo lump crab meat, fresh tomatoes and crispy bacon give a new twist to an old favorite. Your mom will love the zing of freshly squeezed lemon in the hollandaise sauce for the Crab Benedict. Take advantage of the ripe spring berries to make Berry Parfaits. Granola offers an added crunch. If your mom is a coffee drinker, Plantation Coffee is wonderful any time of the year. All of these dishes are easy to prepare so that you’ll be able to spend some quality time with your Mama on her special day. Happy Mother’s Day! (Thank you to my friends who continue to help me Celebrate Everything! Photography by Susan DeLoach. Tablescape by Plum Productions.)
This easy step-by-step recipe yields a creamy hollandaise sauce with a bright lemony zing. Put the sauce to good use over scrumptious layers of toasted English muffins, tomatoes, lump crab meat, bacon and poached eggs for
a new twist on a classic brunch favorite.
4 English muffins, split, lightly buttered and toasted
1 large tomato, cut into 8 slices
1 pound lump crab meat, picked free of shells
8 slices bacon, cooked Diced tomato, to garnish
For the hollandaise sauce:
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup butter, melted Pinch cayenne
Pinch salt
For the poached eggs:
6 cups water
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
8 large eggs
To make the hollandaise sauce: Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over simmering water (or in a double boiler); continue to whisk rapidly. (Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble.) Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to serve. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water
before serving. To poach the eggs: Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a low simmer in a medium saucepan. Break an egg into a small ramekin and gently slide the egg into the water. Break another egg in the same ramekin and while the water returns to a simmer, gently slide the second egg into the water, Repeat. Let eggs simmer until they are set; about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate. To plate: Top a toasted English muffin half with a slice of tomato. Add about 1/3 cup lump crab meat and a piece of bacon. Top with a poached egg. Spoon the hollandaise over the egg and garnish with diced tomatoes. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Greek yogurt is creamier than regular yogurt. It’s high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 (16-ounce) container Greek vanilla-flavored yogurt
2 cups granola with nuts
By Debbi CovingtonGently combine berries in a bowl. In parfait glasses, layer 2 tablespoons fruit mixture, 2 tablespoons yogurt and 2 tablespoons granola. Repeat; ending with granola on top. Serves 6.
Brandy and Kahlua make this a fine morning coffee cocktail to wake you up!
6 cups hot coffee
¾ cup Kahlua
½ cup brandy
Whipped cream
Cinnamon, ground
Blend the coffee and liqueurs together and pour into 8 mugs. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serves 6.
David Martin, owner of Hilton Head’s Piggly Wiggly grocery store, was announced as the inaugural Joan and Wade Webster Community Impact Award winner at Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s Annual Community Meeting on March 29.
The event took place at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina and was near capacity, with over 300 people in attendance.
Community Foundation Board of Directors chair Jackie Rosswurm, along with Joan and Wade Webster (longtime supporters of the Community Foundation) presented the award to David. David gave a heartfelt speech, which referenced the charitable work of his late father Gene.
David, who has resided on Hilton Head Island since 1969, has been a giving member of the community for decades. David’s nomination for the award focused on his important work with Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy
Youth (LCAHY). The mission of LCAHY is “to bring together all sectors of our community to identify and implement strategies that promote positive youth development by addressing substance use/abuse and related risk behaviors.” Two LCAHY initiatives that David led were cited in the presentation: Banning the sale of tobacco products in Piggly Wiggly and the establishment of the “We I.D. the LCAHY Way” training program that educates local businesses about underage drinking laws and their consequences.
David received a crystal memento along with a $10,000 grant to distribute to nonprofit organization based in the Community Foundation’s four-county service area of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper Counties. David chose the following local organizations to receive funds from the grant: Child Abuse Prevention Association of Beaufort (CAPA); Deep Well Project; Hilton Head Island High School Booster Club; LCAHY; Sandalwood Food Pantry; Volunteers in Medicine (VIM); and You Are Not Alone (YANA) Club.
The award was the culmination of a memorable evening, which included moving and inspiring speeches by Nazli Flores, a Krum Scholar and first-generation college graduate; Lesley Gilbert, Women in Philanthropy chair; and keynote speaker Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. To learn more about Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, please visit cf-lowcountry.org or call 843-681-9100.
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host a public launch event for Jacquelyn Markham’s new collection of poetry, Rainbow Warrior, on Thursday, May 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 601 Bladen St., in downtown Beaufort. No advance registration required. Books will be available for sale and signing. Refreshments will be provided. The author will give a reading from her new book at 6:30 p.m.
they are destroying it. Drawing from indigenous lore, and imagining the voices of the people directly affected, Markham—as though herself listening to the spirit of the sea in a spiral shell, as though heartfully calling on sky power—expresses outrage and terror in the dark necessary reminder that warfare’s bombs and greed’s oil drilling have poisoned our Earth. 'I plunge into the water trying/yet I wonder will we survive?' epitomizes the spirit of this strong sequence compelling in silent reading and superbly ready to be performed aloud by many voices." – Katharyn Howd Machan, author of Dark Side of the Spoon and other collections
Rod MacDonald will perform at Music on Malphrus, 110 Malphrus Road, in Bluffton, SC, on Saturday, June 10, at 7:00 pm. General Admission is $25. Doors open at 6:15 pm.
"Jacquelyn Markham’s dedication of Rainbow Warrior to Rachel Carson prepares us for the power of this collection. Each of the ten poems gives us not only an insightful appreciation of nature but an awareness of its fragility in the lives of humans who too often view themselves as 'gods' in relation to it, enjoying what they will without understanding
Dr. Jacquelyn Markham has loved poetry since wandering through the meadow along a mint-lined brook as a child in rural Michigan. She has written poetry for nearly as long, so as a freshman in college, she decided to make a career of it. After earning her bachelor’s degree in English, she earned a master’s and a doctorate in English and Creative Writing from Florida State University. Author of two chapbooks and a personal mythology, Peering Into the Iris: An Ancestral Journey, she has published nationally and internationally in literary journals, magazines, and anthologies, including Archive: South Carolina Poetry Since 2005, Adrienne Rich: A Tribute Anthology, Anthology of Appalachian Writers, Lullwater Review, Hawaii Pacific Review, The High Window, and Woman and Earth, among others. Markham enjoyed a rich academic career from which she retired as a full professor. She currently mentors poets and writers, making her home in Beaufort. To learn more about the Pat Conroy Literary Center, please visit www.patconroy literarycenter.org
Rod MacDonald rose to prominence in NYC’s Greenwich Village in the 1980s, where he headlined Village clubs and co-founded the Greenwich Village Folk Festival. A recording and touring artist since 1983, he has performed in The Philadelphia, Winnipeg, Florida, Kerrville, South Florida, Port Fairy (Australia), Trowbridge (UK), Friuli (Italy) Folk festivals. With 11 cds and 100 performances annually throughout North America and Europe, he continues to dazzle audiences with his passionate singing and thought-provoking writing. His songs have been recorded by Shawn Colvin, Jonathan Edwards, Dave Van Ronk, Happy Traum, David Rowe, Four Bitchin’ Babes, Garnet Rogers, Joe Jencks, and many other singers. His latest CD, Later That Night, reached #3 nationally on the Roots Music Folk charts in February 2015, with the song “Raven” at #1.
MacDonald has appeared on stage with fellow artists, including Pete Seeger, Peter Yarrow, Odetta, Tom Paxton, the Violent Femmes, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Dave Van Ronk, Emmylou Harris, Richie Havens, Ani DiFranco, Tom Chapin, Jack Hardy and David Massengill. He has performed at festivals in Philadelphia, Winnipeg, Florida, South Florida, Riverhawk, Boston, Kerrville,
Greenwich Village, Falcon Ridge, New Bedford Summerfest, Port Fairy (Australia) and Trowbridge (UK), and on the radio program Mountain Stage. He was reportedly the first American singer to tour the newly independent Czech Republic in 1991, and has made 40 tours in Europe since 1985, nearly all of them with NYC bassist Mark Dann. http://www.rodmacdonald.net/
For more information about Music on Malphrus, call 843-837-3330 or visit www.uulowcountry.org
615 BROAD RIVER ROAD, SHELL POINT – Rare opportunity! Mini estate w/ 8.48 acres & endless uses. This 1,982 SqFt, 4BR/2BA ranch boasts oak hardwood floors through out, updated kitchen, custom built-ins, fireplace, irrigation system plus many other features. Two car garage & horse barn offer plenty of storage. Come find your piece of heaven among the beautiful live oaks. $975,000. Contact Brian Harrelson 843-812-8985 or Brian@HarrelsonRealEstate.com
There’s almost nothing that gardeners like more than free plants. And chances are pretty good that your own garden is a great source for them. My most rewarding gardening chore is in the springtime when I divide and transplant clumps of bulbs and perennials.
Most of them benefit from being divided every few years, anyway. They tend to get really crowded and flowering slows down. Some will even tell you when they want to be divided. As the clump grows larger, the center becomes barren, and you have a donut shaped clump. At this point, dig up the clump and discard the barren center, and separate the donut into as many plants as you like. Naturally, the larger the piece you transplant, the sooner you’ll have a nice display of flowers.
I’ve mentioned in previous columns that plants have memories. They remember whether or not they’re mature and plant divisions don’t need the year or two to flower as do most perennials grown from seeds.
Don’t bother to save seeds from hybrid plants – they don’t come ‘true’ from seeds. Dividing and taking cuttings are the only ways you can successfully propagate them. Division is far more successful than cuttings; at least for me.
Agapanthus divisions are easy to make, but they do take a couple of years to settle in and bloom. They like to be root bound and that takes a while. Daylilies have similar root structure and are just as easy to divide. In fact, it’s really hard to kill a daylily! I made some divisions several years ago, but was too tired to transplant them that day, so I put
them in the back of my garden shed where I forgot about them. I found them who knows how many years later, but they didn’t look all that dried out, so I planted them anyway. They forgave my neglect and have bloomed every year since.
A word about daylilies. They come in dormant, semi-dormant and evergreen varieties. Down here our winters are mild (usually), so the dormant and semi-dormant varieties don’t get the winter rest they need and don’t really thrive. Evergreens are the best, but semi-dormant will usually do OK. Unfortunately, plant labels don’t tell you which they are, so if you’re shopping, take out your phone and look up the cultivar name at the American Daylily Society website https://daylilies.org/DaylilyDB/ and it will tell you. Just FYI, there are more than 80,000 registered daylily cultivars, and hundreds more every year!
Most bulbs will provide offsets, or baby bulbs, which are attached to the mother bulb. Gently pull the baby bulb away from mama, making sure that there is some basal plate at the bottom of the baby. If the baby bulb is really small, just put them both back in the ground until next year.
If you have a stout heart, you can actually cut bulbs into halves or quarters, making sure that each piece has some of the basal plate. The new roots will grow from there. Dust the cut edges with cinnamon before replanting. It’s a great fungicide and the aroma will make you want to go inside and bake cookies.
Amaryllis bulbs respond well to this treatment. Good thing, too, since they are
usually quite expensive. The after Christmas sales are good times to stock up, even if the selection is limited. These bulbs are large enough to withstand being out of the ground for much longer than other bulbs.
Lily bulbs are different. They are much like artichokes, with each ‘leaf’ having the ability to become a new lily. Just peel off a few leaves and put them in a baggie with some moist potting soil. In a few weeks, they will have produced roots along the base of the leaf and can be potted up. They produce offsets, too. They don’t have a protective coating like tulips and amaryllis and they don’t ever go completely dormant, so they don’t last as long out of the soil as others do.
Most perennials simply clump up, with roots that are intertwined. You can often just cut off a section of the plant with a sharp spade without digging it up. Ornamental grasses have those kind of roots, as do asters and many other perennials.
If a friend offers you a free plant, make sure that it really is a plant you want, and not one that’s a thug which will take over your garden (possibly the reason your friend has so many to give away?). I accepted a Clerandron bungei (Cashmere Bouquet or Glory Bower) and have lived to regret it. I mean really, really regret it.
Some shrubs can send out ‘runners’, which will often take root, and these can be
By Sandra Educatesevered from the mother plant. If you have a shrub that’s hard to find and you want another, you can usually ground layer it. That is, take a long, pliable branch, scrape a bit of bark from it and lay it in a trench, covering it with soil and something heavy to keep it in place. After a few weeks, it can be cut from the mother plant and transplanted. Not exactly dividing, but kinda’ sorta’. And it’s still a free plant.
Just think what all those free plants already in your garden would be worth if you had to buy them.
You’re welcome.
Gardening Tip. Before you begin gardening, and even before you put on your garden gloves, scratch your fingernails across a bar of soap. Makes cleaning your nails so much easier!
Sandra Educate is active in the local Master Gardeners Association and the Beaufort Garden Club, and she produces the annual Lunch and Learn series at the Port Royal Farmers Market. She loves strange and unusual plants and hates weeds. Sandra won’t give away her age, but takes her inspiration from Thomas Jefferson, who said, "though an old man, I am but a young gardener."
ITALY: Tuscany townhouse for rent by the week in historic UNESCO village. Sleeps 4, large furnished garden, easy walk to shops and excellent restaurants. www.cozyholidayrentals. com or 401-862-2377.
FURNISHED LUXURY APT In the heart of downtown Beaufort. 2BR, 2BA, W/D, Housewares. Please call 843-812-4229.
WANTED!!! Comics, movie/ tv/ and music memorabilia, books, magazines, manga, toys, old stuff, coins, playboys, collections of most anything. Fair negotiating. 410-980-6523
BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY ONGOING
PROGRAMS & CLASSES Knitting/Crochet Club 1st Tuesdays @ 2:30; Line Dance Class 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 3:30; Basic Computer Skills Class Wednesdays @ 9; Hoopla Class 2nd Mondays @ 10 and 4th Wednesdays @ 4; Escape Quest Games daily during library hours; Dungeon & Dragons Teen Club Mondays @ 4; Teen Art Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Anime Club 2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Gaming Club 1st & 3rd Wednesdays @ 4
FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCES The Hilton Head Carolina Shag Club hosts Friday dances from 6-9:30 pm at Dolphin Head Golf Club, 59 High Bluff Rd, Hilton Head Plantation. Open to the public. Shag, ballroom, swing, country, or line. Singles welcome. Cash bar and light dinners available. $5 floor fee. HHICSC also teaches beginner Shag lessons Tuesday nights. www.hiltonheadshagclub.com , or www.facebook.com/HHICSC
ART LEAGUE OF HH CLASSES & WORK-
SHOPS With over 25 local professional art educators, and guests from around the world, Art League of Hilton Head offers classes and workshops in all media for all levels of students. Visit www.artleaguehhi.org or email academy@artleaguehhi.org for more info.
POTTERY CLASSES IN BEAUFORT McSweeney Clay Studio is offering morning, afternoon and evening classes for children and adults. Pottery dates and parties available as well. Classes are on going. Beginner or advanced welcome. mcsweeneyclaystudio.com or call 843-694-2049.
LOWCOUNTRY SHAGGERS Mondays at the Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 6-9pm. Carolina Shag Lessons with Tommy & Sheri O'Brien and others. Occasional Ballroom Dance and once a month a Line Dance is taught. Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced lessons. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com or lowcountryshaggers@aol.com
WEDNESDAYS, BEAUFORT SHAG CLUB founded '02, meets Wed evenings at AMVETS on Ribaut Rd., Port Royal. Free lessons to members. The club is an ACSC, SOS, and the National Fastdance Association member. For info visit www.beaufortshagclub.com
EVERY 2ND TUESDAY, SHARING HEARTS SUPPORT GROUP Come tell your 10-minute story of a life lesson or healing message using your own creative expression through song, poetry, reading, art or verbal storytelling. Come away with an uplifting sense of support and connections or to just listen. To register leave voice mail with name, and phone number at 843-525-6115 or email reneesutton@healthierhealing.com. Notification will be done of any location change. Free. 2201 Boundary St. #208, Beaufort.
CARIS HEALTHCARE: WE HONOR VETERANS Hospice Program. You a Vet with a little time to share with other Vets with limited time? The We Honor Veterans program seeks volunteers who are Vets to offer a listening ear for our Veteran patients. Volunteers also participate in our Pinning Ceremonies for Veteran patients. Contact 843-473-3939 or smilliken@carishealthcare.com
SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: Non-denominational meditation, silent prayer and healing group forming in the Beaufort area. All are welcome. No previous meditation experience needed. Please call Michael at 843-489-8525
HABITAT RESTORE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
We're looking for volunteers for cashiers, sales floor associates, donation processing, donor data entry, and donor ambassadors. Interested? Go to lowcountryhabitat.org/volunteer or call 843-525-0055.
KARAOKE AT THE MOOSE Sing with us Thursday evenings at The Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 7:30-10:30pm. Brought to you by #top6entertainment Mardi & Dennis Topcik. The Moose is a family friendly place and Thursdays are also Pizza Night!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Calhoun Station Thrift Store in Bluffton. All funds generated are returned to other nonprofits in the community. Store is open Wed & Sat 10am to 1pm and located at 77 Pritchard St. Volunteers can stop by store or contact Cate Taylor, 843-310-0594 or catetaylor@frontier.com
MAYE RIVER QUILTERS meets 1st Saturday of Every Month, at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way, Hardeeville. Members meet at 9:30am for social exchange. The meeting starts at 10 am. We welcome new members. Please call 843-707-6034.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort, 1810 Ribaut Road. Looking for committed volunteers for clothes sorting, pantry help, front desk help and Mobile Meals drivers. We are open M-F from 9:30-12:30, Mobile Meals delivers to home bound seniors 5 days/ week, routes takes about 30-45 mins. Email Lori at helpbeaufort@gmail.com, or call 843-524-1223, or stop in and fill out an application.
PORT ROYAL MUSEUM is open Thursday through Sunday at 1634 Paris Ave., from 10 - 3 or upon request. Free admission! Call 843-524-4333 or email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com to request a special opening.
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP - First Thursday of the month at Beaufort Memorial LifeFit Wellness Center, from 1:30-2:45pm, 900 Ribaut Rd. Beaufort. We are individuals with Parkinson’s care partners of those with Parkinson’s, and individuals or companies providing products or services for Parkinson’s patients. For more info: Rick Ostrander at pdawaresc@ gmail.com or Facebook at Parkinson’s Support Group Of Beaufort SC Port Royal & Lady’s Island.
TOUR HISTORIC FORT FREMONT—-Travel to the 1800's and the Spanish American War. From 10:00 am until 2:00 pm every Friday and every Saturday from 10:00 until 4:00pm at the Fort Fremont Histo-
Merchandise · Employment
Automobiles · Motorcycles
$25 Up to 25 Words
Boats
Pets
$35 Up to 25 Words with a Photo
ry Center at the Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land's End Road, St. Helena Island is open. Docent-led tours are every Saturday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Visitors to Fort Fremont can learn about the fort's history by reading interpretive panels, taking a self-guided tour with a smart phone, visiting the history center exhibit hall, or attending a docent-led tour of the property. The Preserve is open to the public Monday through Sunday from dawn to dusk. For more Information visit www.forttremont.org or contact Passive Parks manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@bcgov.net
US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, Flotilla 07-10-01, Port Royal Sound, a uniformed, all volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard. We conduct safety patrols, assist search & rescue, teach boat safety, conduct free vessel safety checks and other boating activities. Monthly meetings are open to all and held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the Port Royal Sound Foundation classroom at 7pm. For info call Flotilla Commander Pattie McGowan (706-6336192) and visit us on Facebook - USCGA Beaufort.
BEAUFORT TOASTMASTERS CLUB meets from 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm the first & third Tuesday, in the Beaufort College Building, Rm. 103 (USC-Beaufort Campus), 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. To learn more visit www.beauforttoastmastersclub.org
FREE ACUPUNCTURE FOR VETERANS – Veterans, Active Duty, Transition. Their Families and First Responders are Eligible. First & Third Wednesday 4 - 6pm. Walk In Clinic. No Need to Pre-Register or Call. Nourishing Health Acupuncture and Herbs Clinic. 1214 Prince Street, Downtown Beaufort
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for a few hours each week at St. Francis Thrift Shop. Open Tuesday thru Saturday. Call 843-689-6563 or come in to speak with Mr. Hal. Definitely shop.
COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE Safe & effective centuries old healing system treats and prevents a wide range of health-related conditions. Experience individualized treatment in a peaceful group setting. Sliding scale fee. Beaufort Acupuncture, 12 Fairfield Rd, 5B, Lady’s Island. For info and to schedule: (843) 694-0050 or www.BeaufortAcupuncture.com
SECOND HELPINGS seeking Day Captains and other volunteers to crew our trucks distributing food to local charities. Flexible schedule at your convenience. Email officeadmin@secondhelpingslc.org
AGAPE HOSPICE seeks volunteers to spend time bringing joy to our patients and families during a difficult time. Activities include playing music, baking, arts and crafts, pet therapy, manicures, listening to stories, holding hands, etc. Provide companionship to the elderly who often feel lonely and unappreciated. Contact Ashlee Powers at 843-592-8453 or apowers@agapehospice.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort. Come join the team providing food, mobile meals, clothing and emergency financial assistance to those in need in our community. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-12:30. 2 Ice House Rd., Beaufort. Call or email Jennifer 843-524-1223 or info@helpofbeaufort.org
TIDEWATER HOSPICE SUPPORT GROUP: Last Wed. and Thurs. of the month. Weds. 10-11am at Sun City; Thurs. 12-1pm Brookdale Hilton Head Ct., Hilton Head; for those who provide physical, emotional or practical support to a family member or friend. Jodi Johnson, LMSW. Bereavement Group: 5-6 pm., Thursdays, 10 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Suite A, Bluffton; for those who have experienced a loss and would like support and info associated with grief and bereavement. Corrie VanDyke, LMSW or Marie James, MA. 843-757-9388
INTERESTED IN HEALTHY EATING? Second Help-
ings, of Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties, seeks committee members and chairperson for Healthy Food Program. Funding available to procure fresh produce and protein for the 60 food pantries and soup kitchens served by Second Helpings. Contact Exec. Dir. Lili Coleman, 843-689-3616 or execdirector@secondhelpingslc.org
BORN TO READ working for early childhood literacy, needs volunteers to deliver books and materials to new mothers at Coastal Community Hosp., HH Hosp., and BMH. Visits are from 10am – noon. More info at borntoread.org or call 843-379-3350.
ALZHEIMER’S FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER
BEAUFORT, Support Groups: Caregiver - Weds., 12:30pm, Senior Services of Beaufort, 1408 Paris Ave., Port Royal; Living with Alzheimer's - for those in very early stages - Mondays 1pm, Parsons Parlor, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret, Beaufort. Respite Programs: Social Day Program- 10am-1:45pm
$40 Day Fee, Mon. at Cornerstone Christian Church, 2301 First Blvd., Beaufort, Weds. & Friday at Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; In Home - Respite Aides available for 2 hr. minimum, $12$24. Early Memory Loss: Maintain Your Brain - 2nd & 4th Thursday, 10-11:30am, $10/person, $15 couple, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; Memory Screenings available call 843-5219190, free; Purple Haven Project - Educate local establishment staff to better interact with a person with Alzheimer's call 843-521-9190.
THRESHOLD SINGERS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY A choir to ease and comfort people at bedside by offering gentle voices and sacred songs, with sincere kindness. Two to four singers go to bedside when asked and sing a cappella and in harmony. Practice at St. John's Lutheran Church the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month from 2:30-4:00 pm. Our songs are our gift of service for no charge. Call Pat Keown at 843-476-6073 to either join or ask us to sing for a loved one.
THE LITERACY CENTER is seeking volunteers to tutor adults in reading, writing, math and ESL. Students hope to acquire skills to pursue life goals, support families, and contribute to our community. Daytime and evenings in Bluffton and HHI. Call 843815-6616 (Bluffton); 843-681-6655 (HHI). No teaching, tutoring or other language knowledge necessary. www.theliteracycenter.org
THE SANDALWOOD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY. Volunteer-based, non-profit provides groceries, clothing and basic needs items to ANYONE in need. Open Tues & Fri 11:30am-1pm at 114 Beach City Rd., Hilton Head. Donations of food and funds needed. For info: Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson at 843715-3583 or email sandalwoodpantry@gmail.com
PARRIS ISLAND MUSEUM. The legacy of the Marine Corps and the history of the Port Royal region. Thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials illustrate the stories in exhibit galleries from Native American to modern Marines. FREE admission. Mon-Sat 10am4:30pm and 8am on Family Graduation Days. Closed all Federal Holidays. Info at parrisislandmuseum.org or 843-228-2166.
MEDICAL SERVICES OF AMERICA SEEKS VOLUNTEERS - Volunteers needed for companionship or skills like yard work, music, and crafts to patients and their families or assist in the office with admin tasks. Volunteers needed in Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties. For info contact 843-322-0063.
CHRIST CENTERED RECOVERY MEETINGS Join Shell Point Baptist Church Saturdays for “Celebrate Recovery”, addressing life’s problems and looking to scripture for solutions. Meal at 6pm; Praise and Worship at 6:30pm followed by Small Groups at 7:15pm. 871 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Info at 843-592-1046.
Iwent to DePauw University because I thought it was cool. In ninth grade a friend’s parents, whose older son attended, took me to Parents Weekend—brilliant fall day, leaves turning, students throwing Frisbees, trim-ankled women displaying perfect teeth. I thought, “This is the place for me!” That was pretty much how it worked.
Most others attended DePauw for betterthought-out reasons. The school had a reputation for producing business leaders. Many majored in economics and, during their senior year, juggled job offers from big corporations.
My older brother had suggested I start with an English major because, he said, “Lots of babes take English classes,” but I soon realized that these courses required more reading than my intended approach called for. Then, during spring break, hoping I would find my calling in corporate management, my Dad arranged for me to meet with a guy in charge of a local manufacturing operation. Dressed in a navy suit and seated behind a desk larger than our family’s dining-room table, the man spoke of a lifestyle I wasn’t familiar with. Better still, he held out a job for me on graduation. “You show me A’s in economics from DePauw,” he told me, “and I’ll show you a path toward a nice career.” Having little else going, I returned to school, intent on starting my economics major.
Already I had heard the accepted wisdom: “Take Editha for ECON 101!” Editha Hadcock was a matronly professor whose professional contribution was a 1931 study of labor conditions in Rhode Island cotton mills, but among DePauw students, in 1963, she was known as the easiest “A” on campus. So, no fool, I signed up for Editha’s Intro. course and went home to spend summer days digging up city streets and nights hanging out with a high-school junior who had nice legs and an alluring gap between her incisors.
When I returned to school in the fall, news wasn’t good. Over the summer, Editha had died. No one knew how or why. A few days before classes began, administrators had arranged for a former professor from Purdue to teach Editha’s classes. “This could be a setback,” a wise upperclassman allowed.
The new professor, quickly known to all as “Monty,” was a strange human. He wore a green suit with a narrow tie encircling his thin neck, thick glasses, and cheap shoes.
His ears stood out and his lips got in the way of his forming words. Worst of all, he could not make sense of the simplest concepts. After the first day of class, a friend said, “We’re going to have to know the textbook cold to get through this baby.” Relying on the textbook rather than lecture materials had been a tactic I’d used before, in a psychology class where lectures were worthless. I’d only ended up with a C, but that was because I’d waited until the night before the exam to read 600 pages and had dozed off between chapters on the id and the ego. This time I’d plan more carefully.
Economics textbooks are notoriously expensive, so I was happy to find a used copy, $10 rather than $30. I snapped it up and headed back to the fraternity for lunch and frivolity.
Monty’s classes turned out to be as bad as feared. In the middle of one, when everyone was particularly lost, a feisty woman simply got up, said, “I’ve had all I can take,” and walked out. Monty blathered on, unfazed.
When mid-term approached, Monty announced our first exam, to cover “all lectures and Chapter Ten in your textbook.” So I spent hours slowly reading Chapter Ten on The Federal Reserve System. I ended up understanding it from its board of governors down to its latest discount rate.
In the exam, Monty handed out a thick, stapled package of paper: ten multiple-choice questions, each a page long and so complex that it was hopeless to spend time reading carefully. Each had four responses to choose from, and I couldn’t make sense out of those, either. I circled a random ten responses, handed in my exam, and walked home in more of a daze than usual.
Back in my fraternity, my friends in the class gathered to talk. “Man,” said one, “those questions on the GNP were a bitch, weren’t they?”
GNP?” I asked.
“Yeah, Chapter Ten, GNP,” one said.
I asked to see his textbook. Sure enough, Chapter Ten in the new edition was “The Gross National Product.” I showed him mine, “The Federal Reserve System.”
“Whoa, bad luck, man,” my friend said. “Better go tell Monty.”
Well, I sure as hell wasn’t going to go tell Monty. I didn’t talk to professors, especially not this one. So I damned the luck, realized my career in corporate management was doomed, and wondered how quickly I might get drafted if I flunked out.
At the next class meeting, Monty handed back the exams. “Class,” he said (best as we could understand), “I have been giving examinations like this for a long time, and this is the first time a person has ever received a perfect score. “Mr. Wright, would you please rise and be recognized?”
I wobbled to my feet, dumbfounded. A few students made weak clapping sounds, but I could see justifiable looks of anger. I sat back down and vowed not to tell others my used-textbook saga.
Better still, after class, Monty asked to speak privately and told me that he was exempting me from exams through the rest of the semester. I would get an “A” in Economics 101. He shook my hand and I dashed off.
I took all of this as a sign from heaven that economics was not for me. I ended up majoring in history, pulling more B’s than A’s, but doing well enough to get into graduate school. Once there, when I was needing to fulfill an African Studies minor, my advisor
By Donald Wrighttold me, “Don’t miss Sara Berry’s ‘African Economics’ course. She’s huge in the field, it will look good on your record, and understanding African economies is essential.”
“Fat chance!” I said to myself, and enrolled in “African Political Systems.” It wasn’t a good class, but I got through it and moved on.
Donald Wright retired from SUNY-Cortland after 31 years as a professor of African history. He has authored of half a dozen books, held Fulbright, Rockefeller Foundation, and NEH Fellowships, and lectured in South Africa, China, and cruises along Africa's Atlantic coast. He lives with his wife, Doris, in Beaufort.
Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island. (843) 838-9300. thefoolishfrog.com
Luther’s Rare & Well Done, 910 Bay Street. (843) 521-1888 or www.luthersrareandwelldone.com
Q on Bay, 822 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 524-7771 or www.qonbay.com
Rosie O’Gradys Irish Pub, in Beaufort Town Center. Irish American Sports Pub & Eatery. C'mon down! Rock & Roll Lunch. Wednesday, Friday & Saturday - Karaoke at 10pm. (843) 3797676 or Rosie's on Facebook.
Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 3793474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com
Big Bamboo, Coligny Plaza. (843) 686-3443 or www.bigbamboocafe.com
Captain Woody’s, 6 Target Rd., Hilton Head or 17 State of Mind St., Bluffton. www.captainwoodys.com
The Jazz Corner, Village at Wexf1ord, Hilton Head. Sundays - Deas Guyz; Mondays - A Journey
Through Jazz with The Martin Lesch Band; Tuesdays - Fat Tuesdays: A Swingin' Celebration of New Orleans and Beyond; Thursdays - Lavon Stevens with Louise Spencer. 5/10 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parler, 5/12 & 5/13 Champain Fulton, 5/17 Bobby Ryder, 5/19 & 5/20 Cellist Shana Tucker, 5/24 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parler, 5/27 & 5/28 Noel Freidline & Maria Howell - A Little Help from my Friends: A Jazz Celebration of the Beatles. (843) 842-8620 or www.TheJazzCorner.com
Omni Hilton Head Ocean Front in Palmetto Dunes. Buoy Bar - HH Prime - (843) 842-8000 or www.omnihotels.com
The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston. 5/11 The Breakfast Club - 80's Tribute, 5/12 Intergalactic Dance Party, 5/13 Saosin; Asteroid, 5/14 Tallah; Julia Legare & Snargle, 5/18 Boogie T.Rio, 5/19 Start Making Sense - Talking Heads tribute, 5/20 Sueco, 5/26 The Midnight City, 5/27 The Elements. (843) 408-1599 or www.musicfarm.com
The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. Sundays - The Motown Throwdown, Mondays
- Slim & Friends; Tuesdays - Fusion Jonez, Wednesdays - Grateful Dead Wednesday with The Reckoning; Thursdays - iLLA ZiLLA. 5/10
Eggy, 5/11 Shot Thru The Heart - Bon Jovi tribute, 5/12 Perpetual Groove, 5/13 Strap on Face; Funk 15, 5/14 Dopapod; The Talismen, 5/17 Maxwells Silver Jammer - Jam Beatles tribute, 5/18 Late Night Radio; Michal Menert, 5/19 Karl Denson's Tiny Universe; Ivan Nevelle, 5/20 Of Good Nature; Pierce Edens, 5/24 Nattali Rize; Minori, 5/25 Matthew Logan Vasquez; Danny Golden; Mechanical River, 5/26 Brandon 'Taz' Niederauer; The Shady Recruits, 5/27 Thee Hot Girl Hoedown - April B & the Cool perform
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, 5/28 The Fritz.
(843) 571-4343 or www.charlestonpourhouse.com
Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms. 5/11 Dallas Baker; Railroad Earth, 5/12 Bunpin' Uglies; Monsoon & Operation
Irie, 5/13 The Blue Dogs; Junco Partner, 5/17 Grace Potter; Junco Partner, 5/18 Grace Potter; Broken Speakers, 5/19 Whiskey Run; Chris Lane, 5/20 Dave Landeo; The Delta Circus - Stones tribute, 5/21 David Nail, 5/25 Futurebirds; Leon III; Fo Daniels, 5/26 Futurebirds; Leon III; Flat Spell, 5/27 Rock the 90's; High Society, 5/28 FlashMob; Rumors. (843) 886-8596 or www.the-windjammer.com
Now – 6/30, Of Earth & Fire, an exhibit of work by Anne M. Kennedy and Traci L. Walter at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery. 913 Bay Street, Beaufort.
5/16 – 6/17, Biennale – National Juried Art Exhibit at Art League Gallery. Awards Reception Fri 5/19, 5-7pm. Critics Coffee Sat 5/20, 10am-noon. Inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5060, www.artleaguehhi.org
Thur 5/18, Book Launch for Jacquelyn Markham’s new collection of poetry, Rainbow Warrior, at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen Street in downtown Beaufort. From 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Markham will give a reading at 6:30 pm. Refreshments provided. No registration required. www.patconroyliterarycenter.org
Thur 5/11, Clover Choraliers Concert. This award-winning high school choir – 110 voices strong – will perform a FREE concert at 6pm at First Presbyterian Church, corner of North and Church Streets, in downtown Beaufort. The public is encouraged to attend!
Now – 5/8. Memory Matters Online Auction, Benefitting people and families living with Alzheimer’s and related dementia. www.mymemorymatters.org
Saturdays Now – 6/24, Lunch and Learn Gardening Series at the Port Royal Farmers Market, starting at noon. Free and open to the public, around the Gazebo. Bring a folding chair! Sponsored by the Lowcountry Master Gardeners Association.
Fri 5/12, Lowcountry Gullah Foundation Annual Fundraiser at the USCB Hilton Head Campus. An intimate evening of Gullah culture, storytelling, dinner, and a silent auction. Nationally known Master Gullah Storyteller, Sista Patt will speak. Contact gullahland@gmail.com or 843715-3506 for more information.
Sat 5/13, 2023 Cornhole for Charity Tourna-
ment sponsored by the Hilton Head Kiwanis Club. 2-6 pm at Lincoln & South Brewing Company, 138 Island Drive on Hilton Head. More information at www.hiltonheadkiwanis.com
Fri 5/19, Beaufort Drum Circle will meet at 6:30 pm in Waterfront Park, downtown Beaufort. Bring a chair – and a drum if you have one! If not, there will be extras on hand. Discover the therapeutic benefits of community drumming!
Sat 6/3, Inaugural Beaufort Housing Symposium, sponsored by LowCountry Habitat for Humanity. Panels, workshops, heirs property clinic, and more. This all-day event begins with a panel discussion from 9 – 10 am. Building 12 at Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort. For more information, email susan@lowcountryhabitat.org or call 843-522-3500.
First Saturday of Each Month, Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud at Port Royal Farmers Market. DAYLO students and other volunteers will read to young children between 9am and noon. Children are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animal.
Tuesdays, Tours of Hunting Island sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For info call the Nature Center at 843-838-7437. Tours free are and park entry fees apply.
Second Friday, Beaufort Drum Circle 2nd Friday of every month. 6:30 – 8 pm at the Gazebo in Waterfront Park. Eric Roy is the facilitator. Sessions with 15-20 minutes of instruction on djembe playing and a selected traditional rhythm & accompaniment for participants. Time for spontaneous group drumming. All welcome. No experience necessary. Bring a drum, if you have one, a chair, and desire for fun. The Drum Circle has extra instruments anyone can use. For info visit the Drum Circle Facebook page.
Third Thursday, TECHconnect is a monthly networking event for professionals working in and around technology. Come and join on the for the conversation at BASEcamp 500 Carteret 5:307:30pm. 843-470-3506. www.beaufortdigital.com
Thursdays, History Tours of Fort Mitchell by the Heritage Library, 10am. $12/Adult $7/Child. 843-686-6560
Editors Note: Events listed here may be subject to postponement or cancellation. Please check for further information.
Now – 5/28, ‘Company’ at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina on Hilton Head. Stephen Sondheim’s groundbreaking modern musical is a mature, intelligent and wildly funny look at relationships, directed by Russell Garrett. Tickets available at www.artshhi.com
Now – 5/13, The Gently Surreal Art of John K. Crum at Art League Gallery inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5060.
Now – 5/28, May River Magic, an exhibit of oil paintings by John Kenney at the Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery in Old T own Bluffton. www.sobagallery.com 843-757-6586
FOR THE BEAUFORT RIVER AT WATERFRONT PARK
