Lowcountry Weekly June 7 – June 20

cover notes

The painting on our cover is "The Grand Dame" by Denise Liotta DeMarzo, from her exhibit Come

to the Table, opening this month at the Art League Gallery on Hilton Head. For more information see our story on page 11.

June 7 – June 20, 2023

Publisher: Jeff Evans — Jeff@LCWeekly.com

Editor: Margaret Evans — Editor@LCWeekly.com

Marketing Director: Amanda Hanna — 843-343-8483 or Amanda@LCWeekly.com

Advertising Sales: Hope Falls — 757-274-7184 or Ads.TheIslandNews@Gmail.com

Sandy Schepis — 678-641-4495 or SandySchepis@Gmail.com

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

Letters to the Editor, comments or suggestions can be addressed to: Lowcountry Weekly

106 West Street Extension, Beaufort, SC 29902 Call: 843-986-9059 or Email: editor@lcweekly.com

LLowcountry 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.

Another Graduation Address RANTS & RAVES

It’s been a while since I wrote a graduation column. Seven years, to be exact. I reread that old one recently and I thought it held up pretty well. I almost recycled it, in fact, but then found myself itching to write a new one. I guess you could call it the seven-year itch. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

So, to all you graduates out there, whose institutions steadfastly and wisely continue to withhold my invitation to be your commencement speaker, I offer the following unsolicited advice.

First, let’s get one thing out of the way. I don’t know what your career should be. I didn’t know what my career should be when I was your age, either. I’m in awe of people who set professional goals as children and pursue them relentlessly with no looking back. If you’re one of those magical super-humans, carry on and Godspeed! You don’t need my help.

To the rest of you, I wish I could just trot out that old cliche, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” It’s true – most cliches are true – but it’s not that helpful at this point in your young life. It’s hard enough to figure out what you love, much less get somebody to pay you a living wage to do it. But eventually you will need to get a job, and it’s quite possible that it won’t be your dream job. In fact, you might not like it at all. But life is long, and the world is changing fast, so you probably won’t be

stuck in that job you don’t like forever. It’s quite possible, in fact, that A.I. will soon swipe that job you don’t like right out from under your nose. Keep the faith!

(Insert laughter here. I’m kidding. Sort of. The point is that I have no decent career advice. Consult a professional.)

Find your thing. Your thing doesn’t have to be your job. I repeat: Your thing doesn’t have to be your job. Your thing is your joy. Maybe it’s photography. Or music. Or cooking. Or NASCAR. If you live long enough, you’ll probably have lots of things. I have, and I do. I am currently in search of a new thing, and the search, itself, is a thing –and its own kind of joy. Kids, search for your thing, find it, and nurture it.

Learn to listen, and listen to learn. When you’re in a private conversation. When you’re in a group. When you’re on social media. Listen to what people are saying – not what you imagine they’re saying, not what you expect them to say, but what they’re actually saying. Listen to understand, not to respond. Far too many people are busy thinking up a snappy retort when what they should be doing is listening. To apply this advice to the ever-expanding realm of social media, you need only read closely – and curiously – then think before you type. I recently heard an ethics professor on a podcast say, “I always instruct my students to approach a text with the greatest sense of justice possible – even

charity. I instruct them to construe what they’re reading in its highest possible form before they respond to it.” Yes! Do that.

Grow things. Gardeners are the happiest people I know. You may not have the time or energy to keep a garden, but you really should think about growing things. Flowers in a window box. Tomatoes in a pot. A fern hanging over your porch. I aspire to having a garden, myself, but have thus far been too lazy to learn about the soil in my yard. But I do grow things, and it makes me happy. I know I’d be happier still if I had a garden. I hope to one day. #goals

Pay attention to birds. Yes, birds. You don’t have to be obsessed with them – like I am – but you should really start noticing them, and sooner than later. I didn’t start paying attention to birds ‘til I was in my 40s, but you don’t have to wait that long to enhance your life exponentially. I’m telling you – watch birds. Once you start seeing them – really seeing them – you will start to see everything else, and appreciate everything else, on a much deeper level. This is a profound truth that can’t be explained, only be experienced. You don’t have to wait ‘til middle age to experience it, but most of us are too busy and self-absorbed ‘til then to do it. Trust me, I’m offering you a life hack here. Notice birds.

Sing in a choir. If I could give only one piece of advice that would change the world if taken en masse, that advice wouldn’t be “recycle” or “respect pronouns” or “pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” That advice would be “sing in a choir.” If we all started our day with choral singing, the world would be a better place. Period. Choral singing changes you – mind, body, and soul. It raises you up. It requires discipline and humility, deep breathing and good posture, listening and blending and feeling and harmonizing – all on a voluntary basis. For your efforts, you become part of something greater than yourself. Greater than the sum of its parts, even. You get to create beauty. You actually get to become beauty. And you get to do it with other crazy, imperfect, messed-up people like yourself. It’s a bonding exercise in a world of increasing isolation and alienation. Take my word for it. Join a choir.

Don’t join a gang. Street or otherwise. It’s highly unlikely anybody reading this twee column is on the verge of joining a street gang, but those aren’t the only gangs doing real damage out there. Don’t join an internet

Margaret Evans

gang. Don’t jump on social media with a bunch of like-minded folks and gang up on a fellow human, possibly wrecking his life. Don’t even verbally “rumble” with another cyber gang if you can help it. You weren’t a bully on the playground, were you? You wouldn’t get together with your pals today and heckle people on the street, would you? Well, you shouldn’t do it on social media, either. Joining an internet gang, much like joining a choir, is a bonding experience, and that’s one reason people do it. But being cruel is never cool, even if your cause is righteous. In fact, when you’re not righteous, you undermine your cause. There are better ways to promote your position without shredding our social fabric, which has already worn dangerously thin. “All the other kids are doing it” has never been a good excuse for bad behavior. Your mama taught you better. I’m running out of space, so I’ll finish with bullet points:

Value what’s real. With the rise of tribe-driven news, social media filters, normalized cosmetic surgery, and – of course –Artificial Intelligence, “real” will become much harder to distinguish – or even find – in your lifetime. Treasure it when you see it. Read books. Full length books written by humans, not A.I. (And good luck telling the difference!)

Find some great podcasts. They make house cleaning much more tolerable. Fall in love with walking. Your body was made for it, and it’s a fitness routine you can do any time, anywhere, with no special equipment. It makes you feel good. And you’ll see birds. Be kind. This phrase has become a hackneyed bumper sticker slogan, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Treat every person you encounter as someone worthy of care and respect – not just because they are, but because that’s how we grow good people. Just like plants and animals, humans thrive under care and respect. And better people make a better world. If you really want to change the world, be kind. It all starts there.

Margaret Evans is the editor of Lowcountry Weekly. She has been writing her award winning column, Rants & Raves, for over 20 years.

Biennale 2023 Winners Announced

Art League of Hilton Head awarded 13 prizes at the awards reception of the 2023 Biennale, 28th National Juried Art Exhibition on Friday evening, May 19. Over $5,000 in cash prizes were awarded. 100 artists, from 25 states, were accepted to participate from over 600 entries, from 35 states. The exhibit runs through June 17 at Art League Gallery located inside the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina.

On Saturday, May 20, many patrons and artists returned to Art League Gallery to attend a "Critic's Coffee" where judge, Aline Ordman, discussed her selection process and judging criteria and offered commentary on some of the winning artwork.

Art League of Hilton Head presents the 2023 Biennale, 28th National Juried Art Exhibition now – June 17, 2023. Art League Gallery is open every day: Monday - Saturday

10 am – 4 pm, Sunday 12 – 4 pm, and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance.

Art League of Hilton Head Gallery located mid-island, inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843.681.5060, www.artleaguehhi.org

Just

Requiem by Arena Shawn, First Prize – right

Chartine Pathways by Christine Alfery, Second Prize – below right

Another Workday by Marilee Klosterman, Third Prize – below

McKenzie Thompson Wins Ann Head Literary Prize

As creators and sponsors of the annual Ann Head Literary Prize for Short Story Fiction, the family of Ann Head is pleased to announce the winner of the fourth annual award is Beaufort High School graduating senior McKenzie “Mickie” Thompson.

Thompson’s prize-winning story, “Wrong Side of Slumber,” is a tale that invokes the mystery of sisterhood. While her younger sister lies deep in a coma, older sister Fallon searches for a way to communicate with her. In Fallon’s dreams, a childhood invention the sisters shared, a floppy eared stuffed rabbit, Mr. Lucky, appears to risk the blandishments and the threats of the death inspired night-hunter, Mother Owl. The competition judges found the imaginative leap—to rally the tropes of childhood stories to illuminate the scariest moments of adulthood—a stunning approach to portray both the enduring bond of sisters and the continuing influence of childhood fantasies as we face the crises of being an adult.

Throughout high school, Thompson has been involved in several clubs and extracurricular activities, including the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization). She will be attending USC Beaufort with the goal of earning a master’s degree in biology and entering the field of wildlife rehabilitation and conservation. Despite pursuing a career in the sciences, McKenzie also

remains passionate about her art and writing, and she fully intends to continue her creative, artistic pursuits as well.

Thompson will receive a cash prize of $500 and her name will be engraved on the Ann Head Literary Prize plaque to be permanently displayed at Beaufort High School. She will also be honored at the Pat Conroy Literary Center where she will be given the opportunity to read from her story.

The finalist for this year’s Ann Head Literary Prize is last year’s prize winner, Christine Conte. Her story, “A Haunted Housewarming,” assembled many of the familiar clichés of haunted houses that we all know too well, and then lightly, inventively turned them upside down and inside out as a new homeowner discovers that his haunted house is, at the very least, a house without a well-worn welcome mat. Conte’s story offered a clever take on notions of home and the connections that bind us to one another.

Conte is also a graduating senior at Beaufort High School, where she has been active in National Honor Society, Key Club International, and Chess Club, as well as running cross country and track. She will be attending the University of Central Florida in Orlando this fall, majoring in aerospace engineering, and looking forward to a bright future in the space industry.

The Ann Head Literary Prize judges extend heartfelt congratulations to Mickie and Chris for their remarkably well-crafted, creative, and enjoyable short stories!

The winning stories were chosen from short stories written by students at Beaufort High School and submitted for consideration. The high caliber of the stories made the decision of the judges, all family members of Ann Head, extremely difficult, although highly enjoyable. The family is grateful for the enthusiastic support of the Beaufort High School English Department

and its chair, Wendy LaCombe, as well as for the support and partnership in this endeavor of Jonathan Haupt, executive director of the Pat Conroy Literary Center.

The family of Ann Head congratulates each of the students who submitted a story for the competition this year. They are writers all, and they have proved that they can each craft an original short story. Keep it up, writers of Beaufort High School! Who knows how many more future Pat Conroys Beaufort High might foster?

About Ann Head: Writer Ann Head, the pen name of Anne Wales Christensen Head Morse (1915–1968), was the granddaughter of Abbie Holmes Christensen, who came to Beaufort during the Civil War to educate the recently freed enslaved populations of the Sea Islands. Moving back and forth between Boston and Beaufort, Ann carried on the family tradition of bucking traditions and creating new literary forms. Ann was Pat Conroy’s first

creative writing teacher at Beaufort High School and became Conroy’s mentor, confidante, and friend. She was a central figure in Beaufort’s midcentury literary scene, befriending many of the famous authors who wintered in Beaufort, including Samuel Hopkins Adams (whom she considered her mentor), Somerset Maugham, John Marquand, and Katherine and E. B. White among others.

Ann published over fifty short stories and serials in the major national magazines of her day, with many of her stories set in a small town just like Beaufort. She wrote of divorce, snobbery, affairs both emotional and sexual, prejudice, death, and out-of-wedlock childbirth, championing the non-typical heroines of the magazines that eagerly accepted her work. In addition, she authored four novels which were published internationally, most notably Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones, a compelling story of teen pregnancy which was on school reading lists for 50 years and is credited with helping create the Young Adult novel genre.

Ann died suddenly in 1968, at the age of 52, cutting short a vibrant life and promising literary career. The Life of Ann Head was chronicled by her daughter, Nancy Thode, in a lecture originally presented at the Beaufort County Library and now available on YouTube at https://tinyurl.com/annheadpresentation. To learn more about Ann Head, please visit her entry on Wikipedia. Her stories and books are available locally at the main branch of the Beaufort County Library.

EXCERPT FROM (WINNER) “WRONG SIDE OF SLUMBER”

BY

MCKENZIE THOMPSON

She needed a new pair of shoes, she thought. The sneakers she wore were old and pinched her toes. The laces were frayed, and the soles were coming loose. However, the main reason she needed new shoes was because red was no longer her favorite color. In fact, she hated it.

It’s funny. Out of everything that happened, she remembers that thought the clearest. She could recall the moment perfectly as if she were seeing it projected on a movie screen in front of her.

Two months, eight days, sixteen hours, forty-five minutes and 26, 27, 28 seconds ago she was sitting in a hospital waiting room. It was the height of summer and the miserable temperature pervaded into the dark of night. The heat made her sweaty

McKenzie, 'Mickie' Thompson (center), with teacher Wendy LaCombe and Jonathan Haupt from the Pat Conroy Literary Center

Beaufort Art Association is now offering discounted memberships to new applicants under 40. Contact us today to learn more.

skin stick to her chair. She remembered staring down and barely recognizing her own hands clasped in her lap. She focused instead on her red—too red, blood red— sneakers. She needed new shoes.

She couldn’t remember when her parents had joined her at the hospital, but she did remember her mom hugging her so tightly that her arms felt more like pythons than appendages.

She couldn’t remember how long they had been sitting in that brightly lit limbo, but she could remember how stifling and hot the air was as she forced herself to breathe in and out, and in and out, and in and out.

She couldn’t remember if she had ever felt more lifeless and emptier than she did in that moment, and yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t forget the sound of her sister’s body as it collided with the bumper of that stupid, stupid truck.

It’s funny what details the brain latches onto. . . .

EXCERPT FROM (FINALIST) “A HAUNTED HOUSEWARMING”

BY CHRISTINE CONTE

I sat on the couch in front of the television, only partially listening to whatever was happening on screen, as they discussed something about a series of murders happening right here in Manchester. Despite

the ungodly hour, I was awake and working. I was on the hunt for a new house. People say that lawyers are the devil, but I disagree; I think he’s a realtor. They sold me the house as a “steal,” a “hidden gem” ready for the taking. It was a two-story with a basement, three bathrooms, three bedrooms, a great kitchen, and a ton of living space for only £100,000. However, he neglected to inform me of the ghosts that live here.

At first it was just a bit odd: a door left open here, a flickering light there, sometimes it was a bit too cold, but it quickly began to escalate. Within a month, doors slammed shut behind me or opened with loud creaks. I would see undead figures in the corner of flickering rooms, and it would get so cold I could see my breath. As I laid in bed at night, I would hear footsteps in the hallway, dragging something heavy behind them. A ghostly version of me with pitch black eyes and red tears streaming down his face appeared in mirrors, always lurking.

The worst thing about the house is that it’s not even dangerous, it’s just really annoying. I had to buy child locks for my cabinets and bookshelves to keep the ghosts from throwing things—and now I can’t open them. The children's laughter I hear in the hallways just creeps me out. None of these ghosts do anything worthwhile. They don’t even pay rent, they just stand there menacingly. I’m sick of it! I’ve been looking at houses for two weeks now and at this point I’ll take just about anything.

I’m trying to read about a house in Oxford, but the power keeps coming in and out. Unbelievable. A loud banging starts at the front door, shaking the house. . . .

It’s been nearly ten minutes and I’ve had enough. I get up and march towards the door when the window shatters, spraying glass all around the room. A large hand reaches in towards the handle and unlocks the door. It slowly opens with a creak, the moonlight illuminating a massive shadow like silhouette in the door frame. The figure takes a step forward and reveals the face of a man. He ducks through the door, giving a sly grin. As I’m standing there petrified, he closes the door slowly and steadily raises his hand. He reveals a glittering ax with red splatters on it. It was him. The murderer from the news. . . .

Design a Bike Rack, Win Cash Prizes!

The Freedman Arts District is thrilled to announce its latest initiative, the Bike Rack Design Contest, inviting artists from all backgrounds to submit their unique designs for a chance to win one of four cash prizes worth $500 each. This exciting competition aims to bring together creativity, functionality, and public art to enhance our vibrant community.

The Bike Rack Design Contest encourages artists, art students, art classes, design professionals, and individuals with a passion for art and design to unleash their imagination and create stunning bicycle racks that will add an element of beauty and functionality to our city streets.

"We believe that public art has the power to transform spaces and enrich the lives of our community. With this contest, we aim to promote artistic expression while providing a practical solution to enhance our bicycling infrastructure," said Stacy Applegate, Executive Director for the Freedman Arts District.

The contest welcomes submissions from all artists, regardless of their level of expertise. Participants are encouraged to think outside the box and infuse their designs with creativity and a sense of fun functionality. Whether you're an experienced designer or a budding artist, your unique perspective is highly valued.

Submissions will be accepted until July 30, 2023. The judging panel, comprised of USCB staff, Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail, Beaufort Memorial Hospital, City of Beaufort Representative(s), Freedman Arts District Board Member(s), Beaufort/Port Royal/Sea Islands CVB and other partner representatives, will review each design for creativity, aesthetics, and feasibility for fabrication and installation. Each rack should exhibit original creative intent, while also considering the practical aspects of construction and durability.

"We are looking for designs that push the boundaries of traditional bicycle rack aesthetics. We want to see designs that inspire and engage the community, making bicycling a more delightful and convenient experience," added Stacy.

Winners of the Bike Rack Design Contest will not only receive a cash prize of $500 but will also have the opportunity to be publicly recognized for their artistic contribution. The winning designs will be fabricated and installed at various locations around the Beaufort/Port Royal areas, showcasing the talent and vision of the artists.

For detailed guidelines, criteria, and

submission instructions, interested participants are encouraged to visit the official contest website at www.freedmanarts district.org/bike-rack-contest

The Freedman Arts District invites everyone with a passion for art and design to participate in this exciting contest. Let your creativity flow and leave a lasting mark on our city's landscape through functional and artistic bicycle rack designs. About the Freedman Arts District: The Freedman Arts District is dedicated to promoting and celebrating the arts. The District aims to foster creativity, support local artists, and engage the public in unique cultural experiences. For more information, visit www.freedmanartsdistrict.org

Ann Head award finalist Christine Conte

What’s Your Hurry?

Iwas in a hurry about many things when I was young, but looking like an older schoolteacher was not one of them. When your teenage boyfriend says you look like TV teacher Helen Crump, it can cause a young lady to get mighty perturbed. When it happens the second time many years later, an older, wiser lady slows down and pauses to enjoy the flattery of being compared to actor Aneta Corsaut.

“What’s your hurry?” is a central theme of one of my favorite childhood television programs. The Andy Griffith Show, set in the fictitious southern town of Mayberry, starred Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors, and Corsaut. Beyond the series’ overarching theme of gentle-paced small-town life, the show went so far as to dedicate an entire 1963 episode, “The Sermon for Today,” to the worthwhile message of slowing down and taking it easy.

Many of us find our journey to the Lowcountry includes a search for a similar, more peaceful, relaxed pace of life. What is it that attracts us and makes this place so peaceful? One such element is the beloved southern porch. Our people come from all walks and many diverse places to claim a perch on the porch of the Lowcountry. Porches are so signature to Lowcountry living that removing them might put Southern Living magazine out of business in a jiffy. It

certainly would have taken a breath of fresh air out of Mayberry. The town of Walterboro, now recently famous for its hospitality during one of the most famous murder trials in the nation, is the self-proclaimed “front porch of the Lowcountry.” What is it about porches?

In addition to the beauty and breeze these outdoor rooms offer, porches unite people and nature in a divine design of interconnectedness. Each evening when my husband and I relax on our front porch under the fans overlooking the salt marsh, our neighbors stroll by and stop at the fence for a chat. Children careen by on their bikes. Families walking their dogs stop to catch up on the latest news of the day. We exchange laughs, mourn shared tragedies, and meet new neighbors. In fact, some of the neighbors who passed our porch met, formed relationships, and married. You can imagine why our neighborhood conducts the popular social activity of porch parties, which often have a waiting list. From our porch, we meet people whose paths we would not otherwise cross through our routines, social activities, work, and community groups.

Porches connect our public and private lives safely yet engagingly, inviting us to live inside-out in the public realm. The interconnectedness offered by porches makes for closer-knit communities that look out for one another. It also benefits our well-being.

Research shows that neighborhoods with porches are safer because neighbors notice changes to the norm and tend to report them. This holistic approach to neighborhood design is a feature of the placemaking movement and new urbanism planning, which are people-centric approaches to designing towns and public places.

Understanding the value porches add to our residential areas means we can apply that wisdom to other community spaces. In neighborhoods and streets without porches, people tend to walk faster with their heads down, trying to hurry through. The idea of a functional porch design can take many forms.

The Brattle Book Shop on West Street in Boston is famous for its outdoor library, which functions like its porch, in a vacant alley space next to its brick-and-mortar store. It is a delightful experience to browse books in the open air. When people visibly gather in public spaces like this, it attracts others to do the same and makes a place feel safe. During the COVID pandemic, we witnessed more restaurants offer outdoor sidewalk dining experiences. This practice offers a friendly porch-style gathering space and makes the street feel safer, more walkable, and more friendly, attracting more people. This type of placemaking results in people slowing down, strolling leisurely, and more mindfully experiencing the street. They will likely stay

WHOLLY HOLISTICS

by Cindy Bledsoe

longer, visit more merchants, and report a happier experience. The well-being of the mom-and-pop establishments we cherish depends upon this type of foot traffic to survive and thrive. When we study thriving places that offer these elements, people are observed expressing affection more openly by holding hands and sitting closer on benches than in struggling downtowns and public spaces. Can this porch approach really impact our human well-being as well?

The holistic nature of porches, a signature of Lowcountry living, means we relax more in the elements of nature. Porches give us meditation spaces to reflect on what matters most to us. Nature becomes the stage demanding our attention rather than the television, phone, or computer. Porch life invites us to commune with nature, recognize our symbiotic connection, and co-create our best selves. Peacefulness, calmness, and relaxation become more easily attainable on porches, directly impacting our happiness and well-being. On porches, we permit ourselves just to be here now. When we do this in community with our neighbors, we embrace the interconnectedness nature exhibits to thrive more fully in health and wholeness.

The next time you pass your neighbor’s porch, do not hesitate to slow down for a moment, even if for a brief hello. You may be surprised by what you discover, laugh about, reconnect over, feel gratitude for, or perhaps overhear. If so, do tell! Porches can be the bridges we desperately need to connect, especially in challenging times. Whether relaxing on the porch, walking, or riding by, I promise you will never be the same for having experienced the power of the pause.

It took me decades to embrace becoming Helen Crump, but now I find myself blissfully engaging in Lowcountry porch life and, yes, to my great surprise, occasionally being an actor and teacher. If you pass our porch, I promise we will wave and probably invite you to sit awhile. Slow down. What’s your hurry?

Cindy Bledsoe is a futurist, educator, actor, and integrative wellness master teacher who studies harmony for human potential. She works across multiple sectors to connect the genius in people for social impact. Her community involvement includes curriculum development for OLLI, The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at USCB.

Return of the Dragons

DragonBoat Beaufort, the local cancer survivor/supporter organization, is pleased to announce that Dragons will once again invade Beaufort on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at Henry C. Chambers Park in downtown Beaufort, South Carolina. Over the last few years, the event has become increasingly popular among locals and out-of-towners alike. The 2022 Dragonboat Race Day drew over 600 paddlers, 30 teams and thousands of spectators to the Beaufort seawall. The event raised $55,000 for the organization’s Outreach Program which helps cancer patients who live, work or receive treatment in Beaufort County with needs that are typically not met through traditional means. Funds raised during Race Day go directly to support DragonBoat Beaufort’s Cancer Outreach Mission.

This will be the 10th annual event for the non-profit organization.

Anyone can form a dragonboat team to compete at Dragonboat Race Day 2023. A dragonboat team consists of 20 paddlers,

Balanced Government Under God

A couple months ago, as I looked at the election results for the United States Congress, I found myself staring at the line across my computer screen dividing an almost equal amount of blue and red. The dividing line seemed to shout, “We are a divided nation with no hope!”

But as I studied the line, what I noticed reminded me of something on the playground where I played as a child –the seesaw! When I would sit on one end of it and a friend would take the other end, there was often a need to adjust our positions. One of us would move farther back while the other moved closer to the middle until we found a balance.

That is such an important quality. We need balance in our lives, in our relationships, our economy, and our government. And while finding balance in the government might sound difficult, I’ve found that it helps to identify balance and equality as St. Paul described it: “Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal,” (II Corinthians 8:13, 14, New Living Translation).

I’ve also thought about what’s most important in any election is getting a deeper understanding of the identity of its nation.

Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of The Christian Science Monitor, wrote in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection

our community, and

world? Learn more about

2 alternates (recommended) and one drummer. All teams will be trained how to safely and successfully paddle a dragonboat

in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love” (p. 477) Spirit, Principle, and Love are names for God. Knowing what God is and recognizing that we are His reflection, we can better understand how to govern ourselves and find a balance that respects and blesses all. We find the government of man through understanding that we all truly coexist in the kingdom of heaven, where the government of God produces and sustains harmony.

with experienced coaches and boat steerers prior to DragonBoat Race Day. In the past, teams have included civic clubs, churches, community neighborhoods, military, local businesses, cancer survivors, schools, and hospitals. There is also a Senior Division limited to paddlers 50 years or older and a Men’s Division.

On Race Day, teams will paddle in three races (weather permitting) competing for medals. There will be awards for Best Tee Shirt Design, Best Tent Decoration, Best Team Spirit, Best Dressed Drummer, Most Money Raised by a Drummer on Race Day, Fastest Overall Team, Fastest Local Team, Top Fund-Raising Team and Top Fund-Raising Individual.

For more information, please visit www.dragonboat-raceday.com . High resolution photos are available from Greg Rawls at rawls110@gmail.com

A CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE

laws: “Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’” (Deuteronomy 4:6, New Living Translation).

As we achieve this understanding of the real jurisdiction in which we coexist, we can’t help but participate in life in ways that build up, instead of tear apart, individually demonstrating wisdom, equality, compassion, generosity. This includes the willingness to forgive others on a daily basis.

As I prayed about government recently, I realized I could either agree with negative arguments of division, or I could continue to roll up my sleeves, both spiritually and practically, to take a stand for righteous government, informed by the sense of God’s universally just government, which gives freedom and opportunity to all His children.

As I began to identify my own nation through this more spiritual lens, I saw some similarity between working toward a balanced government, and the task set before the children of Israel when Moses encouraged them to enter their new country with wisdom and understanding. They weren’t there just to occupy the land – they were entrusted with obeying God’s laws and demonstrating their spiritual integrity so that neighboring nations would also learn of and appreciate this way of life. Moses said of these God-inspired

Not only were these moral laws the foundation for governing the children of Israel, but they have guided future governments throughout the centuries as well. They were established as a means of keeping all people working together and living inharmony, governed by God. These spiritual laws form an unbreakable bond between God and His creation. Our part is to acknowledge and trust this relationship, follow God’s guidance, and express His qualities in ways that promote balance, stability, and productivity, both individually and collectively.

Practicing this higher standard of living, we become more intuitive to recognize God’s all-inclusive, all-pervasive, spiritual peace, in which perfect balance is maintained. We recognize everyone as His creation, embraced in spiritual perfection. We discern God’s love for all humanity and acknowledge each individual’s ability to express the natural tendency toward God-given qualities such as compassion, equality, honesty, and justice.

Just as my friends and I found a balance on the seesaw, we can adjust our stance and agree to trust God to guide voters and those elected to act in ways that keep our country balanced and prosperous.

By Kathy Chicoine

Paid Advertorial by The Christian Science Society of Beaufort

Getting Lucky on Hilton Head

Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar and Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen

Every now and then, we like to stretch our legs (and taste buds) into southern Beaufort County for a change of scenery. Although there are plenty of places to explore in Bluffton, sometimes the call of Hilton Head is too great, and we find ourselves there on an empty stomach. Aren’t we lucky that now David and Carrie Leffew and the Leffew Restaurant Group are giving us two great options with Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar along William Hilton Parkway between Palmetto Dunes and Shipyard and the newly opened Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen a few miles north near Folly Field Beach.

And he didn’t want to see his legacy end. Enter the Leffew Restaurant Group, who, with decades of hospitality industry experience, wanted to keep his local and seasonal approach alive. And luckily, the name.

Today, Lucky Rooster is as fabulous as ever. Relaxed and approachable, the dining room is the perfect combination of rustic and elegant, with a convivial bar and spacious dining room. In 2022, they added an outdoor heated patio and bar, which has proven very popular.

menu, including devilishly good deviled eggs with smoked seafood, tomato and bacon; breaded chicken livers over toasted brioche

THE LOWCOUNTRY DISH

Cele & Lynn Seldon

Let’s start with a little background. When we first found our way to Beaufort in the mid-2010s, our long-time tourism buddy, Charlie Clark, with the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce (thankfully) introduced us to Lucky Rooster. Owned then by chef/owner Clayton Rollison, it became one of our favorite Hilton Head destinations. An American bistro with a touch of Southern soul, we couldn’t get enough of his pimento mac & cheese, fried chicken, Hamachi tartare with beets and Asian pear, and, especially, his insanely delicious fried chicken skins that were a bar snack secret and served up in a perfectly greasy brown paper bag. We still dream (and drool!) about them. Amidst the pandemic, Rollison shuttered Lucky Rooster and ultimately decided it was time to move on. However, he had built a reputation for Lucky Rooster as one of Hilton Head’s most progressive places to eat.

Taking their drinks as seriously as they do their food with a daily happy hour from 4:006:00pm, the cocktail list offers up the classics along with seasonal concoctions like When Life Gives You Lemons with house infused blueberry basil vodka, blueberry liquor and lemonade, Lucky Mule with bitter orange vodka, blood orange juice and ginger beer, and My Raspberry Beret with local Hilton Head Bulrush Gin, raspberry liquor, fresh lemon and bubbles. They also serve a great selection of local and visiting drafts on tap, a wine list curated to pair with the chef’s cuisine and a Happy Hour snack menu with whimsical tastes like bread cheese with honey and walnuts and a Cajun shrimp martini.

In keeping with the original vision of Lucky Rooster, the menu is a cornucopia of fresh ingredients sourced from local and regional farmers and purveyors — as well as our local waters—and crafted into refined comfort food. We’ve been known to make a meal out of their shareable

bread with a caramelized onion and apple demi-glace; to-die-for pimento cheese fries with duck fat fried potatoes, pimento cheese, bacon crumbles, a fried egg and house made ranch dressing; a Lowcountry charcuterie board and a trifecta of peel-and-eat shrimp, barbecue-spiced mussels and grilled oysters.

You can also make a meal out of their tasty first course options like lamp lollipops (isn’t everything better when they call it a lollipop?), crab cakes and creative salads like watermelon and ricotta, roasted beet, and a classic Shrimp Louie salad, all available with a host of proteins to make it a dinner salad.

Entrees have something for everyone — from a souped-up surf & turf with a blue cheese crusted filet topped with fried oysters (only in the Lowcountry, baby!); seared salmon

with lobster bacon rice; grilled fish banh mi; their take on shrimp and grits with seared scallops and sweet Georgia shrimp over Charleston Red risotto with andouille sausage, asparagus tips and seasonal mushrooms all slathered in a crawfish cognac cream sauce (yum!); and Southern specialties like their

off-the-charts fried chicken, grilled pork chops with grits and collards, and, of course, the Lucky Burger, featuring two smash burgers, onion and bacon BBQ jam, and pimento cheese served with duck fat fries and roasted tomato aioli. Are you feeling lucky yet?

And don’t forget brunch—with mouthwatering weekend winners like chicken + waffles, Buffalo chicken Benedict with poached eggs and Roquefort cheese over biscuits, brioche French toast with berry compote, a Lucky cheesesteak and, wait for it,

Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar on William Hilton Parkway. Photos courtesy Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar and Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen

Lucky Beach Fish Tacos

Lucky Rooster Lamb Lollipops

Lucky Rooster Charcuterie

a collard green melt with collards, white American cheese, house made 1000 island dressing on a toasted brioche and served with duck fat fries and tomato aioli (sign us up!).

With all the success that Lucky Rooster has had, it’s no surprise that they are continuing their lucky streak with a second location. Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen opened to rave reviews over Memorial Day weekend. The fun, fresh and funky younger sister of Lucky Rooster,

With 250 seats inside and out, a massive open-air bar serving bright, tropical cocktails (the creative frozen drinks like You’re Bananas and Lava Flow are perfect on a hot, summer day, as are their margaritas and specialty cocktails), ice-cold beers and a curated wine list, a firepit, and a live music venue, Lucky Beach is a great addition to the Folly Field neighborhood and beaches area of northern Hilton Head Island. There’s also a dedicated take-out window that’s open early to late for take-away breakfast and coffee drinks, along with creative grab-and-go foods

and soft-serve ice cream until the wee hours. With the extensive Hilton Head pedestrian and biking pathways nearby (and convenient bicycle parking on site) and a robust online ordering system, it’s a perfect place to pick up breakfast, lunch or dinner and take it to the beach.

The all-day menu runs through lunch and dinner, and features big, fun, shared appetizers to get the party started like crab bread, smoked fish dip and ceviche served up with colorful tortilla chips and The Cheese Stick, a funky mozzarella cheese stick that’s on steroids. Refreshing entrée salads like a BBQ chicken salad and the Lucky Beach cobb salad offer up light meals that scream Lowcountry. For heartier appetites, there’s the classic beach burger, a Southern burger with pimento cheese and grilled red onion, fish tacos, Lucky’s famed fried chicken, and more. Sides are a highlight with southern specialties like a mile high baked mac & cheese, corn pudding and cherry tomato crisp, bless their hearts. Save room for dessert because Lucky Beach’s oversized confections are to die for. Don’t miss the Nutter Butter nanner pudding or the carrot cake waffle, a la mode, natch.

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.

Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar

841 William Hilton Parkway Hilton Head Island • 843-715-3215

Dinner, Tues-Sun, 5:00-9:00pm Sunday Brunch, 10:30am-3:00pm Happy Hour, Tues-Sun, 4:00-6:00pm

Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen is a beachy family-friendly restaurant serving modern American classics with a Caribbean-inspired décor and vibe. According David, “Lucky Beach is every day versus the special occasion of Lucky Rooster. It’s casual, fresh, fun and vibrant.”

We knew we were lucky when we discovered Beaufort. Now our luck has doubled with Lucky Rooster and Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen.

Lucky

14 Folly Field Road Hilton Head Island • 843-628-0481 www.luckybeachhhi.com Daily, 11:00am-11:00pm

Lucky Beach Carrot Cake Waffle

Lucky Beach Southern Burger

Lucky Beach Open Air Bar & Patio

Charcuterie Board

Lucky Rooster Watermelon & Ricotta Salad

Mexican Night

It's gotten almost comical. Friends who come to our house for dinner or a party know not to dare eat anything until I've taken a photograph. I even carry my cell phone in the pocket of my chef's coat at catering events to snap quick pictures of the food we're serving before it's scarfed up by hungry party guests. I believe that you eat with your eyes before you taste with your mouth. It's so much fun to try new recipes and test new ideas. It's just hard to keep up with them all. A photo food diary is a great way to categorize recipes and remember menus. It's too easy to get in a rut and keep repeating the same dishes over and over again. I love it when I come across a recipe or photo of a tasty dish that I had forgotten about. Which brings me back to this week's recipes – I had almost forgotten about these three recipes until I looked back at some of my old blogs. Not only are they quick and easy, they're also delicious and perfect for a weeknight dinner. For more delicious menu ideas (with photos!) please visit the recipe page on my website at www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. Happy Cooking!

together until meat is browned. Remove from grease and drain on paper towels. In a bowl, combine meat mixture with refried beans and taco seasoning. Spoon mixture into pre-baked pie crust. Top with shredded cheese. Bake in a

By Debbi Covington

QUESO FUNDITO WITH CHORIZO

Delicious and EASY!

16 ounces Mexican melting cheese (or Velveeta queso blanco)

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles or diced jalapenos

6 ounces Spanish chorizo links, casings removed, diced into ½ -inch pieces ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed

Diced tomatoes

Tortilla chips

Place cheese in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir until just melted; remove from heat. Add chiles and chorizo; stir to combine well. Pour cheese mixture into a prepared casserole dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until queso is bubbly. Garnish with chopped cilantro and diced tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 6 to 8.

TACO PIE

Great for a weeknight dinner!

1 deep-dish frozen pie crust, thawed

½ cup diced green pepper

½ cup diced onion

1 pound ground sirloin (or ground beef)

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican blend)

Diced tomato

Chopped green onion

Sliced black olives

Chopped fresh cilantro

Sour cream

Prick bottom and sides of pie crust with the tines of a fork. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until lightly browned; remove from oven until ready to use. In a large saute pan, cook green pep-per, onion and ground sirloin

preheated 350 degree oven until cheese is melted and taco pie is heated through, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with tomato, green onion, black olives and

cilantro. Serve with sour cream on the side. Serves 6 to 8.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITAS

Perfect for a summer holiday!

2 cups ruby red grapefruit juice

½ cup fresh lime juice

½ cup triple sec

1 cup silver tequila

4 cups crushed ice

Kosher salt

Lime wedges

In a pitcher, combine grapefruit juice with lime juice, triple sec and tequila. Mix well. Serve over crushed ice. Salt rims of glasses and garnish with fresh lime wedges. Serves 4.

The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@ cateringbydebbicovington.com

Return to Sullivan’s Island

With her debut novel ‘My Magnolia Summer,’ Victoria Benton Frank does her mother proud

By Margaret Evans

Victoria Benton Frank doesn’t mind if you call her debut novel “chick lit” or a “beach read.” In fact, she’d be honored. Her mother, Dorothea Benton Frank, embraced those labels with gusto and great success, writing 20 NY Times bestsellers before her death four years ago at the age of 67.

“Charleston born Maggie Adams (born Magnolia after the fairest summer flower) is chasing her New York City dream of being a chef. Sure, she misses her family and the balmy beach weather back home on Sullivan’s Island, but she’s inches away from her big break working at Bar JP, one of NYC’s most popular restaurants, and semi happily involved in a romantic relationship with Ronny, a fickle, but handsome and talented chef she works with. The stars seemed aligned in her favor, until a phone call from her sister Violet changes everything.

“Gran, the treasured matriarch, has fallen into a coma after a car accident caused by Maggie’s troubled mother, Lily. Maggie rushes home to be by her side and soon finds herself playing catch-up on all the family drama that her New York life has shielded her from. The Magic Lantern, the restaurant owned and run by generations of women in her family, is being run into the ground by her mom’s new boyfriend Buster, and her sister seems headed for an epic breakup.”

Come on. You know you’re dying to find out what happens next!

Author Victoria Benton Frank

At 37, Victoria is getting a significant jump on her mom, who didn’t publish her first book until she was almost 50. In Victoria’s debut, My Magnolia Summer, she takes her readers to Sullivan’s Island, the setting – and title – of her mother’s first novel. Literary bigwigs are lining up to praise My Magnolia Summer.

Adriana Triagiani says, “Southern fiction has a fresh, fabulous voice in Victoria Benton Frank who owns summer with her delicious debut novel.” Patti Callahan Henry calls the book “mesmerizing . . . a powerful debut . . . enchanting, hilarious, insightful.” Ann Patchett says Victoria has proven herself “the rightful heir to the crown of summertime storytellers.”

Indeed, My Magnolia Summer checks all the boxes of great summertime storytelling. Here’s the setup:

A graduate of the College of Charleston and the French Culinary Institute, Victoria worked as a chef in New York in her 20s, then later married one. She says she always knew she was a storyteller, but not necessarily a writer.

“I think every artist – every creative person – is a storyteller of sorts,” she says. “First, I did it through dance. Then, for a while, it was acting. Then I was a chef. I think I was always just trying to find my creative niche. My mom always thought I’d be a writer –she told me I would be – but I didn’t see it. This book is about fighting your own destiny – I didn’t mean it to be, but that’s what happened – and I think I was fighting my own destiny back then.”

After a good bit of prodding from Mom (known to friends and fans alike as “Dottie”), Victoria finally decided to give writing a try. She almost saw it as an experiment. “I honestly didn’t expect anything to happen. I couldn’t imagine anybody would want to

read a book written by me. I had no idea what I was doing.”

It took Victoria seven years to write My Magnolia Summer. To say that a lot happened during that time, to slow things down, would be a gross understatement.

“I got married. I had a baby. I got pregnant with another baby. Then my mom died.”

It happened very quickly. Dottie Frank was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome around Memorial Day of 2019, and by Labor Day, she was gone. Mother and daughter were quite close, and Victoria is grateful to this day that she’d already started the book before her mother’s death.

“She got to read a little of it,” says Victoria. “And she was just really encouraging. She’d say, ‘You’re so good! You’re better than me!’ It meant so much to her that I had my own voice. That I was writing my own book, living my own life – not some version of hers.”

“She was my biggest advocate, my strongest support, my best friend,” continues Victoria, then adds, laughing, “And her last words to me, on her deathbed, were ‘Finish your f’ing book.’”

Despite her mother’s characteristically spirited encouragement, it’s her editor at HarperCollins, Carrie Feron, whom Victoria credits with truly igniting her passion for writing.

“Working with a great editor is like being an athlete with an Olympic coach,” she says of Feron, who was also Dottie’s longtime editor. “Before I started with Carrie, writing was arduous for me. Working with her, I fell in love with it. Pages just started pouring out of me. I was always a storyteller, but I wasn’t an author until I met Carrie.”

So, back to this “chick lit/beach read” business? Victoria swears she’s fine with those descriptors. More than fine.

“I think women tell the best stories,” she says. “You know how the most important piece of furniture in the house is the kitchen table? Well, the most important storytellers are women! And who doesn’t love a beach read? Hey, I just want this book to leave you happy, hungry, and laughing. I don’t want to screw with your mind. This is NOT The Shining. I’m not Stephen King.”

Victoria has clearly inherited her mother’s delightful wit and irreverence, but that’s not all. Along with being “chick lit” and a “beach read,” her novel is also what you might call a “page turner.” It really moves and engages every step of the way. Victoria credits her editor, who taught her so much about structure and perspective and character, but also her own choice of subject matter.

“You know how they always say, ‘Write the book you want to read.?’ Well, I was missing my Ya-Ya Sisterhoods and Fried Green Tomatoes and such. I wanted to read a good Southern story about strong women and family ties and love of place. And so I wrote one.”

And now she’s hard at work on Book 2 of what she envisions as a series of novels about the florally-named Adams women of Sullivan’s Island. This book will revolve around Magnolia’s sister, Violet.

Inevitable comparisons notwithstanding, Victoria says she doesn’t feel any pressure to fill her mother’s formidable shoes. “Nobody can ever fill those Manolo Blahniks,” she laughs. “But hey, I’ll do my own thing. Maybe I’ll wear Jimmy Choo’s.”

Victoria Benton Frank will talk and sign books during a reception at the Beaufort Bookstore on Wednesday, June 21, from 5 – 6:30 pm. The public is welcome. 2127 Boundary Street, Beaufort.

Women in Philanthropy – Building on 20 Years of Giving

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s greatest strength is building relationships with those making a positive difference in the region - nonprofits, community organizations, donors and giving circles.

A giving circle is defined as “a form of participatory philanthropy by a group of individuals who form a voluntary association to donate their money or time. The group then decides how to allocate these resources to charitable organizations or community projects.”

In 2003, Community Foundation of the Lowcountry created a giving circle known as Women in Philanthropy (WIP). At that time, women’s giving circles were fairly new and the Community Foundation’s goal was to create a women-only group that would exercise the power of collective giving and be the decision makers for the grants awarded. The seven original WIP members were selected as Advisory Board members and set the group on a course of making a difference in the Lowcountry. The first grants awarded by WIP took place in 2006, with a total of $6,000 awarded to two nonprofits.

Twenty years after its inception, Women in Philanthropy is thriving. In April, WIP held a festive, well-attended 20th Anniversary Celebration at Coastal Discovery Museum. At its 2023 Spring Luncheon in May, WIP awarded an all-time high of $124,375 to six grant recipients: Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA); Beaufort County School District; Beaufort

Memorial Hospital Foundation; Bluffton Jasper County Volunteers in Medicine (VIM); Lowcountry Autism Foundation; and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Lowcountry. The theme for this year’s grants was “Strengthening Mental Health Services for Children and Young Adults Through Age 21.”

In addition to grantmaking, Women in Philanthropy members host social events, support the arts by attending plays and exhibitions, and participate in Grants-in-Action outings.

Women in Philanthropy has built an endowment of more than $1.3 million, and has the privilege to make

grants from the Dr. Juliann Bluitt Foster Memorial Fund. Dr. Foster, a WIP member for 12 years who passed away in 2019, left a generous bequest to support WIP’s future grantmaking efforts.

To date, WIP has awarded over $920,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Beaufort County. In 2023, WIP reached the 100 total grants awarded milestone and next year will reach the $1 million milestone in grant funds awarded!

To make all of this happen, WIP has a dedicated Advisory Board, several committees, and the support and encouragement provided by Community Foundation of the Lowcountry staff.

Women in Philanthropy has consistently grown year over year, and new members are always welcome. To learn more about Women in Philanthropy, visit cf-lowcountry.org/giving-circles /women-in-philanthropy-wip or contact Lisa at 843-681-9100.

In Defense of Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce fell out of favor with the hoi polloi with the introduction of leafy lettuce and imports of varieties such as radicchio, arugula, mache and their like. The wedge of iceberg lettuce with Thousand Island dressing disappeared almost overnight from menus and dining room tables. No great loss, I admit.

It didn’t take long for “gourmet” cooks to remove it from their shopping lists, replacing it with the more trendy Spring Mix or some with exotic names, and on the rare occasion when they would fall from grace and sneak a head into the house, you may be sure it was hidden in the back of the crisper. In the supermarket trolley, it was hidden from sight under organic granola, freshly squeezed orange juice (not from concentrate) and imported baby squash.

One simply didn’t buy iceberg lettuce. Well, one didn’t admit to it.

On the other hand, you simply can’t make a good tomato sandwich without iceberg lettuce. All the others are wimpy substitutes. Who can forget the crunch of iceberg lettuce paired with tomatoes so ripe the juice would run down to your elbows?

I freely admit that I no longer use Wonder Bread (a whole loaf can be compressed into a ball the size of a walnut), but otherwise, I don’t mess around with a tomato sandwich. Neither should you. Good bread, iceberg lettuce, vine ripened tomatoes, Hellman’s Mayonnaise and lots of salt and pepper. ‘Nuff said.

But some of our favorite foods are coming back into fashion. Recently, I provided my dinner guests with a lighted tea candle, a bamboo skewer and a plate full of marsh-

mallows, graham crackers and a Hershey bar. They toasted skewered marshmallows over the tea light and made a sandwich of the marshmallows and a piece of Hershey Bar between graham crackers. They were enchanted with a childhood “make your own” for dessert.

Are you old enough to remember Victory Gardens? The shortages of WW2 and for several years thereafter made them quite prevalent in American backyards. Even the pickiest youngsters developed a taste for strong tasting vegetables such as radishes, bell peppers, etc. because they had helped grow them in their own backyard.

School gardens have become quite common, thanks to the many grants which are available, and to the volunteers who provide guidance.

Curiously enough, inflation and the rising cost of living have encouraged more home

vegetable gardening. Fruiting and flowering plants such as tomatoes, peppers, okra and so many others have found new homes in flower beds, providing bright spots of color as well nourishment. Even a sunny balcony is likely to have a vegetable or two planted in a beautiful container meant for flowers.

I rely on the Port Royal Farmers’ Market for most of my vegetables, but I still go to the supermarket for iceberg lettuce. The farmers around here seem to have forgotten how to grow it!

So all you au courant cooks out there, loosen up. After all, iceberg lettuce is sooo retro!

By Sandra Educate

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."

Hilton Head Chamber Music Institute

The fifth annual Hilton Head Chamber Music Institute, an educational program of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, will be held June 7 to June 17, 2023, at SoundWaves. Sixteen high school string musicians from seven different states will participate in four quartets.

The public is invited to the following free concerts:

• Solo Recital Concert, Sunday, June 11, 4pm

Seabrook Retirement Community, 300 Woodhaven Dr., Hilton Head

• Solo Master Class, Monday, June 12, 3pm

Soundwaves, 7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head

• Quarter Master Class, Tuesday, June 13, 6:30pm

Campbell Chapel AME Church, 26 Boundary Street, Bluffton

• Quarter Master Class, Wednesday, June 14, 6:30pm

Soundwaves, 7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head

• Quartet Concerts, Friday, June 16, 7pm & Saturday, June 17, at 11:30am

Soundwaves, 7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head

• Faculty Concert, Saturday, June 10, 7pm

SoundWaves, 7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head Tickets for this concert can be purchased for $25.00.

There will also be community outreach concerts at Memory Matters, the Hilton Head Library, and three retirement communities.

For more information, please email Judy. chambermusic@gmail.com or 843-363-2718.

Broadway Comes to the Lowcountry

Join the Beaufort History Museum as singers from one of the world's – and America's –best known theatrical venues perform a medley of songs from some of Broadway's biggest hits with a historical theme. Song selection will consist of Americana music and hits from such well-known productions as "Hamilton," "1776," "Porgy and Bess," "The Civil War,” and “Ragtime.”

The group will be led by Beaufort resident, Lenora Eve, whose family's roots trace back many generations in Beaufort’s soil. She holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in music and vocal performance and is currently the Executive Artistic Director at Opera Breve in New York City, where she is a vocal instructor and accompanist/coach.

Lenora has sung nationally and internationally in operatic and musical theater roles, including eight roles with Amato Opera in New York City; Broadway national tour of “The Sound of Music” with Richard Chamberlain; and “State Fair” with John Davidson. In addition, she was in the International Tour of “The Sound of Music” with Marie Osmond traveling to Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul, Korea. One of her most memorable moments remains performance as the alto soloist in Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass at Carnegie Hall in New York.

After traveling internationally for several years in musical events, Lenora relocated to New York City where she has been a director of numerous operas and musical productions. Lenora is an established and acclaimed teacher and coach. Her vocal

studio boasts an eclectic variety of students, including those from the world of Broadway and opera--several of whom you will see and hear perform at this event.

“Broadway Comes to the Lowcountry” will take place at USCB Center for the Arts on Saturday, June 24. Admission price for those with an active Museum membership and their guests will be $35. Registration and ticketing for all others will begin June 10th, at a cost of $40. Online registration and ticketing is required. Seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Visit https://beauforthistorymuseum.wildapricot.org to reserve yours.

Lenora Eve

Classifieds Classifieds

TO RENT or OWN

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.

IN SEARCH OF

WANTED!!! Comics, movie/ tv/ and music memorabilia, books, magazines, manga, toys, old stuff, coins, playboys, collections of most anything. Fair negotiating. 410-980-6523

CLASSES & SEMINARS

STAINED GLASS CLASSES IN BEAUFORT! Four hour suncatcher workshop with everything included. $175/student. (508) 280-9792

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

the National Fastdance Association member. For info visit www.beaufortshagclub.com

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

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.

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 History 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

INTERESTED IN HEALTHY EATING? Second Helpings, 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.

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 & WORKSHOPS 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

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

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

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 VOLUN-

TEERS - 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.

Closing Gate Panic

Leave it to the Germans to capture a whole thing about life transitions in one word. The idea of leaving the workforce and entering a new phase of retirement life brings excitement and can trigger feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. In Germany, this feeling of urgency is known as Torschlusspanik or "closing gate panic."

The term, Torschlusspanik originates from medieval times when gates of walled cities were closed at night for safety purposes, leaving those who arrived late stuck outside the city walls. The German word describes the urgent fear and panic of not making it to the other side in time.

My husband says the term describes how he feels about traveling since losing dear friends who were healthy, active, and kind and still lost the cruel health roulette.

I’ve talked to others who experienced it in mid-life as they transitioned between careers or relationships and remember students who experienced it in grad school as they hurried toward their new professions before wasting any more time in academia. It’s that feeling that you must get to all the places you want to go and reach all the goals you want to achieve before they slip past your outstretched hands.

I wonder if it’s wired into our DNA. For my five-year old grandson, it looks like he’s already trying to impose order upon his desires.

For nearly a week before he arrived for a Beaufort visit, he was anxious that I might recall all the things he wanted to do here and in the exact order he wanted to do them. He called me on Facetime, to make sure I was paying attention while he dictated his to-do list:

The downtown Waterfront playground, Pigeon Point playground, climb to the top of the observation tower at the Sands in Port Royal, visit the alligators at Port Royal Sound Wildlife Refuge, go to Hunting Island, order ice cream from Stellers and pizza from the Hearth and go on bike rides -in between all the things.

In his child-like version of “Torschlusspanik, my boy asked me to make sure the basketball court was assembled, and his favorite popsicles were hidden deep in the freezer under a bag of vegetables, so his grandfather didn’t find them before he arrived.

Once his “plan” was agreed upon, he relaxed and went back to “counting sleeps” before the trek to Beaufort began.

While contemplating his mini version of gate-closing panic, it occurred to me that it starts early. The intense need to maximize the minutes before all the minutes are gone and it’s time to load up the car to return home.

I can spot closing-gate panic in others, but I don’t feel it so much myself. The whole “bucket list” scenario springs from the self-imposed urge to mark off a list before “kicking the bucket.”

So, I try not to get too bogged down in that. And yet, there is an almost primitive feeling of worrying about time rushing by in this stage of life. It’s not nearly as important to me that I see an elephant in its natural habitat or view the Acropolis or experience Hamilton on Broadway as it is that I have the health and means to plan and execute such monumental moments.

It feels like I am more of a small goals kind of person that derives small pleasures from nearly mundane moments.

Some of my small goals include reading the literature I somehow missed along the way, but it’s balanced with a newfound, Did Not Finish policy in which I give myself permission to stop reading a book that fails to inform, entertain, or delight. I can watch one lame episode of a popular Netflix series and decide there are better ways to fill an evening. I am beyond thrilled when the painted bunting couple visit my bird feeder but don’t feel the need for a competitive list of birds to see before I die.

I love to lose track of time using YouTube tutorials on beginning watercolor painting, but don’t dream of selling a painting or having a show.

I love making banana pudding from my go-to Paula Deen recipe but don’t feel compelled to excel at actual cooking.

I really want to get stronger and be more fit but am so content to walk/run and listen to a good book on tape that it’s hard to find the energy to do better.

My husband likes to achieve things and his travel list is grouped by places we need to travel to while we still have our health and energy. I’m happy to go along for the ride but I don’t feel as rushed about it as he does. If I don’t get to see my elephants, then my painted buntings, Beaufort dolphins and Port Royal gators are a source of delight that fills and thrills me.

When you love and lose friends before

their time, it becomes a cumulative sense of loss. I want my friend to have her beloved husband at her side for one more sunset, one more anniversary and even one more shared laugh. The longing I feel about my friends who have died too soon is more about missing them and less about stirring up things I must accomplish before my time is up.

I say that, and yet I want to see what my characters do in the book I’m not yet writing or how I run in a 5K I’ve not yet trained for. I want all the time in the world to hide popsicles and visit playgrounds and meet not yet born grandchildren. I want endless romps on the beach with my granddog Happy, another mother’s and father’s day with my parents and years and years to watch my three beautiful grandnieces grow up into the strong women they are destined to become. I want my two-year old grandson to always call me “My Mimi,” even when he’s old enough to be

By Carolyn Mason

embarrassed by the endearment. I want to see our country unite over something that’s not a tragedy but is the shared joy of freedom and opportunity for everyone.

I know the gate will eventually close, but I’m not worried about reaching for it with empty hands. I’d rather leap over it or duck under it or maybe even just gently close it behind me.

I hope that’s not too little to ask.

Carolyn Mason is a freelance writer who writes about everything from long haul trucking to how to retire gracefully. She and her husband Jeff live on Lady’s Island and have embraced the delights of the Lowcountry lifestyle.