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Currents South Carolina

A PUBLICATION OF MPD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

Oasis A Hammock Coast

Vibrant Brookgreen Gardens features sculptures, plants and animals Page 6 PHOTO BY CHERÉ COEN

The Bracelets That Italy Can’t Get Enough Of Own the jewelry that’s the toast of Italy

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“The renown of Italy’s jewelry, with its sensual beauty and extraordinary craftsmanship, is founded on the goldsmithing skills passed down through generations.” – The New York Times

guess I was a little bored. For the past hour, I’d been on the phone with Daniele, the head of my office in Italy, reviewing our latest purchases of Italian gold, Murano glass and Italian-made shoes and handbags. “Daniele,” I said, “What is the hottest jewelry in Italy right now?” His reply? Woven gold bracelets studded with gems. He texted me some photos and I knew immediately that this was jewelry that Raffinato just had to have.

R    ’ LARGEST   -  Presenting the Italiano Fantasia Bracelets, two designs that are prime examples of Italy’s finest artisanship. Each of these bracelets includes more than 20 brilliant cut gems of DiamondAura®, our Ultimate Diamond Alternative®, in a setting finished with 18 karat Italian gold. What is DiamondAura®? Why, it’s a sparkling marvel that rivals even the finest diamonds (D Flawless) with its transparent color and clarity: The book “Jewelry and Gems: The Buying Guide,” praised the technique used in our diamond alternative: “The best diamond simulation to date, and even some jewelers have mistaken these stones for mined diamonds,” it raved.

The best part about these bracelets? The price. Because of our longstanding connections in Arezzo, the mecca of Italian goldsmithing, we can offer both bracelets together for just $99, a fraction of the price you’ll pay anywhere else for similar jewelry. Order today. These bracelets are one of our hottest sellers this year, and with disruptions in the supply chain, we can only guarantee that we have 1,273 861 of these bracelets on hand for this ad. Make the next gift you give your loved one a trip to Italy with the Italiano Fantasia Bracelets, stunning accessories that are sure to turn heads. Jewelry Specifications: • Made in Arezzo, Italy. 18k gold finish • DiamondAura®, the Ultimate Diamond Alternative® • Fit wrists up to 7 ¼" Italiano Fantasia Bracelet Collection A. X Bracelet (¼ ctw) $399 $59* + S&P Save $340 B. Woven Bracelet (⅓ ctw) $299 $59* + S&P Save $240 Set of Both $698 $99* + S&P Save $599 *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

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Christmas Before Amazon MPD Electric Cooperative mpd.coop OFFICE LOCATIONS 1301 E. Pocket Road P.O. Box 100561 Florence, SC 29502 843-665-4070 676 Highway 9 E. P.O. Box 1057 Bennettsville, SC 29512 843-479-3855

REPORT POWER OUTAGES 866-747-0060

OFFICE HOURS 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

PRESIDENT/CEO

William L. Fleming Jr.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

John Alford Melvin Carabo Preston Gainey James Goodson Eddie Gordon David Howell Sam P. “Bo” McInnis Jr., Chairman Robert Norton Hamer Parnell Jeff Quick, Secretary Janelle Sauls LaShon Sellers, Vice Chairman Charles R. “Ricky” Smith Don Teal Patricia Ann Toney Lee C. White

CO-OP NEWS EDITORS Katie W. Wilcox, CCC kwilcox@mpd.coop Matt Haynie mhaynie@mpd.coop

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to serve the energy needs of our members today and in the future at the lowest cost consistent with sound economic principles and management. MPD Electric Cooperative Inc. is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

There was a time when Christmas shopping didn’t involve clicking “Add to Cart,” tracking a package or wondering why the gifts you ordered wound up at the neighbor’s house. Instead, it meant circling toys in a thick Christmas catalog, making a trip downtown and hoping the store still had that one special gift in stock. Remember the excitement of the Sears Wish Book or the JCPenney Christmas catalog? Children could spend hours turning the pages, carefully circling their favorites, leaving the catalog in a not-so-subtle spot for Mom and Dad to find, or writing a letter to Santa about their finds. By December, those pages were often dog-eared, worn thin and covered in enough circles to require a second mortgage. For adults, Christmas shopping was practically an Olympic sport. Downtown streets were decorated with lights, store windows displayed their holiday best and familiar shopkeepers greeted customers by name. Finding the perfect gift sometimes required visiting several stores, fighting for a parking space and standing in a checkout line that seemed to stretch into the next county. And somehow, everyone survived without free, two-day shipping. And who could forget Christmas morning? There was always at least one toy that required assembly, usually with instructions that made absolutely no sense. Batteries were never included, and Dad inevitably had to desperately search the junk drawer or pull used batteries from the TV remote. Meanwhile, Mom reminded everyone not to tear up the wrapping paper, and somebody took pictures with a camera that wouldn’t reveal the results until weeks later when the film was finally developed. Today, technology has certainly made the holidays easier. We can shop in our pajamas from the couch, send mass-delivered Christmas greetings with a tap and have gifts delivered to our doorsteps. We can even track Santa’s journey around the world. Judging by some delivery updates, Santa still has the more reliable transportation system. While modern conveniences are wonderful, there’s something special about remembering when Christmas required a little more planning, patience and anticipation. Perhaps the real magic of those Christmases wasn’t found in the catalogs, department stores or perfectly wrapped packages. It was in the shared excitement of waiting, spending time together and the memories—and disasters—that still make us smile decades later. Amazon may have changed how we shop for the gifts we give one another, but thankfully, it hasn’t changed what makes Christmas special: Christ and the gift received more than 2,000 years ago. On behalf of the MPD Electric Board of Trustees and employees, we wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. HAMER PARNELL Trustee

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

November/December 2026 Vol. 8, No. 12

Table of Contents

CEO Michael Shepard SENIOR VP OF CONTENT Leon Espinoza EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Chasity Anderson, CCC DEPUTY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Noble Sprayberry SENIOR EDITOR Jennifer Paton, CCC LEAD CONTENT EDITOR Victoria Hampton, CCC ASSISTANT EDITORS David Herder, CCC; Sable Riley, CCC; Nina Todea, CCC ASSOCIATE EDITOR Valeri Saldanha Rosa PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER Elizabeth Beatty SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR Alyssa McDougle

South Carolina Currents (issue 89) is published monthly, except in December, by Pioneer Utility Resources, 5625 NE Elam Young Pkwy. Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Preferred periodical postage permit number 23830 paid at Hillsboro, Oregon 97123 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: South Carolina Currents, 5625 NE Elam Young Pkwy. Ste. 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Subscription price of $9.89 per year includes postage. HOW TO CONTACT CURRENTS Have a problem receiving your edition of South Carolina Currents? Utility members should contact MPD Electric Cooperative. Reprint permission: Direct all requests to Pioneer Utility Resources. MANUSCRIPTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS Please do not send unsolicited materials. If interested in writing for South Carolina Currents, query first. Include a selfaddressed stamped envelope for writers’ guidelines. Address requests and queries to Pioneer Utility Resources.

Page 12

The Best Dishes of 2026

Gastronomically speaking, it was a very good year

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Willie Wiredhand is the longtime mascot and spokesplug of electric cooperatives around the United States. He was adopted in 1951 by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Here’s your task: Willie is hidden somewhere in every issue of Currents. See if you can find this friendly face among the news and stories as you read!

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

Page 34

Y’all Aboard

South Carolina Railroad Museum is worth the stop

DEPARTMENTS Where in the Community? | Recipes | Photo Tips | Homesteading

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Oasis

A Hammock Coast

Vibrant Brookgreen Gardens features sculptures, plants and animals By Cheré Coen Acclaimed sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington needed a more accommodating climate than New York City when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the early 20th century. She found a private oasis south of Myrtle Beach, property that once consisted of four plantations and stretched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Waccamaw River. It was here in Murrells Inlet that she and her husband, industrialist Archer Huntington, planned to build a winter home to help Anna recover. Instead, they started a new enterprise. In 1932, the couple opened Brookgreen 6

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

Gardens, a landscaped piece of their property where they collected, displayed and exhibited American figurative sculpture, plants and animals of the Southeast. Because of its dedication to sculpture, Brookgreen became the country’s first public sculpture garden. At first, board members and the organization’s office operated out of New York City, but in the 1950s, the operations moved South. Brookgreen has been clocking awards ever since as a national landmark. “Archer was rich, but Anna was very successful,” says Lauren Joseph, Brookgreen’s vice president of marketing. “She was talented, a very smart businesswoman. She knew how to market her art.”

“Diana of the Chase” by Anna Hyatt Huntington is the focal point of a Brookgreen Gardens fountain. PHOTO BY CHERÉ COEN

Anna not only survived tuberculosis— she thrived, continuing her art well into her 90s. She passed away in 1973. “She was still sculpting up until the last,” Lauren says. “She was an amazing lady.” Today, the award-winning 9,127-acre Brookgreen Gardens contains natural areas and cultured gardens, including the Live Oak Allée with its centuries-old trees planted in the 1700s, the Butterfly Garden, the Brenda W. Rosen Carolina Terrace Garden, which offers an array of perennials, roses, shrubs and mature trees, and the Palmetto Garden, named for the sabal palmetto, South Carolina’s state tree. There’s a sculpture garden, arboretum, artenhanced fountains and more, plus the

gardens offer events year-round. Also on the Brookgreen property is the Lowcountry Zoo, one of five institutions in South Carolina accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. New this year is the Purdy Welcome Center and Conservatory Gardens, which is filled with plants and doubles as a hall for events. “It changes the face of the entrance when you come into the gardens,” Lauren says of the Purdy Center. A Showcase of Artists and Plants On any given day, visitors may enjoy a wide variety of artwork in the gardens, sculptures that accent the plants that bloom throughout the year and native trees that tower over the pieces. Brookgreen’s collection includes about 2,000 art pieces from more than 400 American artists. Some of the most famous pieces include works by Daniel Chester French, who designed the figure of Abraham Lincoln on his chair that centers the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. “Dionysus,” a gilt bronze sculpture created by artist Edward Francis McCartan in 1936, is located in Brookgreen’s sculpture garden. Gleb W. Derujinsky produced the dramatic movement of two figures in “Ecstasy,” a piece commissioned in 1954 by the Huntingtons for Brookgreen Gardens. “There are a lot of historically significant sculptures that are part of the collection,” Lauren says. “It’s a changing sculpture garden.” Dating as far back as the 1800s, the garden features American artists, including many pieces created by Anna. “It is amazing the breadth of artists we have here at Brookgreen Gardens,” Lauren says. “You come here and see the artists who are at the Metropolitan and other major museums.” Lowcountry Zoo Visitors may spot wildlife while perusing the gardens, such as wild turkeys, squirrels and eagles—possibly even an alligator. But to see a wider variety of native species,

A wall of orchids greets visitors to the newly opened Purdy Welcome Center and Conservatory Gardens. PHOTO COURTESY OF BROOKGREEN GARDENS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Live Oak Allée, colorful fall flowers, the “Fountain of the Muses” statue by Carl Milles, excursions on a pontoon boat, the new Purdy Welcome Center and Conservatory Gardens are all part of what visitors can discover at Brookgreen Gardens.

“FOUNTAIN OF THE MUSES” PHOTO BY CHERÉ COEN; ALL OTHERS COURTESY OF BROOKGREEN GARDENS

stop by the Lowcountry Zoo. All native zoo residents were either bred and raised in captivity or joined the facility due to an injury that left them unable to survive in the wild. One species that’s in dire need of preservation is the red wolf. Four red wolves are housed at Brookgreen, part of a program coordinated with other zoos, according to Lauren. “Red wolves are the most endangered canis species in the world,” she says. “We have two breeding pairs, but no pups yet. We’re thrilled to have this habitat for them. Hopefully soon we will have some pups.” The zoo is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Brookgreen Gardens Events Visitors may enjoy the gardens on their own or choose a guided tour. Lectures, bird walks, concerts and watercolor workshops, among other events, happen throughout the year and art exhibits rotate. 8

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

The summer brought back “Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith,” which showcases his vibrant glass sculptures that are illuminated at night, part of the “Summer Light: Art by Night” series. “Summer Light is a little more artistic, a little more quiet,” Lauren says. In the fall, Brookgreen offers a hay maze, scarecrows, pumpkins and food trucks for its Harvest Home Weekend. Brookgreen’s largest fundraiser is Nights of a Thousand Candles, when visitors can enjoy the gardens in the evening while sipping cider and listening to holiday music among more than 2,700 handlit candles and millions of sparkling lights. The annual event begins Nov. 27 and runs through Jan. 3, 2027. Tickets go on sale in August and sell out quickly, Lauren says. “It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year,” she says. “It’s one of the things that keeps us running.”

Brookgreen also offers a variety of excursions, from tours of the gardens and an exploration of ancient cemeteries to a creek excursion, a 45-minute cruise on a 48-foot pontoon boat where visitors can spot alligators and other creatures. If You Go Brookgreen Gardens is at 1931 Brookgreen Drive in Murrells Inlet on South Carolina’s Hammock Coast. The property is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Dining options include The Courtyard Cafe in the Lowcountry Center and The Old Kitchen at the end of Live Oak Allée. The restaurants are open daily for lunch and midday refreshments.  For more information, call 843-235-6000 or visit brookgreen.org.

Nights of a Thousand Candles

Brookgreen Gardens’ Nights of a Thousand Candles returns this month and runs through early January. PHOTO COURTESY OF AUSTIN BOND PHOTOGRAPHY

Brookgreen Gardens’ popular holiday event, Nights of a Thousand Candles, featuring more than 2,700 hand-lit candles and millions of sparkling lights, takes place on select nights between November and January.

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Named the Best Christmas Lights in South Carolina by Travel + Leisure magazine, the annual fundraising event includes live holiday music, seasonal food and beverages and a nightly tree lighting in the arboretum. Nights of a Thousand Candles takes place from 4-9 p.m. on the following dates: Nov. 2729; Dec. 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 29-31; and Jan. 1-3. Tickets are $35 for adult members and $15 for children ages 4 to 12. Nonmember tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for children ages 4 to 12. Tickets can be bought at Brookgreen Gardens’ official website, brookgreen.org, and its ticketing partner, Leap Event Technology, leapevents.com. Guests may also add the Sparkle & Fun Package to their visit, which includes a glass of wine or cider and a pair of holographic glasses that create colorful effects around the surrounding lights. For more information on Nights of a Thousand Candles, visit brookgreen.org/events/nights-thousand-candles. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

Where in the

Community? Every month, MPD Electric Cooperative features a new, recognizable spot from somewhere in the Pee Dee. Check out next month’s page for the answer.

Just outside McColl remains what is left of the historic Robert Fletcher Memorial School, which was open from 1920 to 1985. The massive brick building was named for Pvt. Robert Fletcher, a local farmer and soldier who died in World War I. His father and uncle established the school—a place where rural students received academic and agricultural education for generations—in his memory. A separate teacherage next to the school housed educators and boarding students. Locals have long shared stories of strange sounds and an eerie feeling inside the building, including a portrait with eyes that seemed to follow those who went inside. However interesting, this place is best viewed from a distance, as it is completely caved in, unsafe and roped off with a “No Trespassing” sign.

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

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AFFORD THE EXTRAORDINARY

Juicy and fresh, the burgers at Bill's Grill in Patrick are unpretentious and delicious.

The Best Dishes of 2026

Gastronomically speaking, it was a very good year Story and photos by Libby Wiersema With another year of memorable meals in the rearview mirror, it is time to pay homage to the best of the best in 2026. Here are some of the most delicious, and sometimes just plain interesting dishes, I enjoyed across the state. From the rustic to the masterfully executed to the sinfully decadent to the simply delicious, from local treasures to travel discoveries to beloved dishes from now-defunct kitchens, these are the dishes I can’t stop thinking about: • Ricotta pancakes with lemon curd 12

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

and blueberry compote from Winna’s Kitchen in Myrtle Beach. • Fried chicken dinner from Rudy Royale in Charleston. • Gazpacho from Tiny Paris Carolina in Newberry. • “Whirly Ding” chicken salad plate and hand-dipped milkshake from Sumter Cut-Rate. (RIP) • Chili cheeseburger from Bill’s Grill in Patrick. • Cheeseburger with onion rings from Heavy’s in Charleston. • Fish and chips from CODFather in North Charleston. (RIP)

• Grits bowl from Carolina Lunch in Hartsville.

• Smoked brisket enchiladas from Rancho Lewis in Charleston.

• Pit-smoked pork steak from Elliott’s BBQ Lounge.

• Root Vegetable Sformato from Cane Pazzo in Hanahan.

• Artichoke sandwich from Berkeley’s in Charleston.

• Mortadella and soppressata sandwich from The Pass in Charleston.

• Clam bellies from Jones Oyster Company in Greenville.

• World Famous Cornbread from

Libby's Second-Act Holiday Waffles 2 cups cornbread dressing 1 egg 3 tablespoons chicken broth 2 tablespoons gravy 2 cups shredded chicken or turkey Vegetables, optional Gravy for drizzling Cranberry sauce

Crumble dressing in a mixing bowl. Add egg, broth and 2 tablespoons of gravy. Mix well. If needed, add a bit more broth until you reach a thick, pancake-batter-like consistency. Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions. Coat generously with cooking spray. Add one large ladle of cornbread dressing mixture. Close the lid. Gently warm the gravy for drizzling, poultry and vegetables one at a time in the microwave. When the waffle is golden brown and crispy at the edges, carefully transfer to a plate. Top with any leftover vegetables; drain first, if necessary. Add a mound of shredded chicken or turkey. Drizzle with

gravy and dollop with cranberry sauce. Before eating, snap a pic of your leftovers in their new starring role.

Jackrabbit Filly in North Charleston.

• Congee from Sum Bar in Greenville.

• Fried catfish from Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston. (RIP)

• The Godfather sandwich from Positano Deli in Florence.

• Chicken Bog Hand Pies from Victor’s in Florence.

• Roasted beet and goat cheese salad

from Carolina Cheese & Provisions in Conway. • Oyster Rockefeller with watercress topping from Sean Brock at Florence Wine and Food Festival. • Carolina Gold rice focaccia from Duane Copeland of Teresofia Bakery in Bluffton at Florence Wine and Food Festival. • Turkey Stuff ’N Waffle from Metro Diner in Columbia.

ABOVE: Crispy and savory waffles give new life to leftover chicken, dressing, gravy and cranberry sauce. RIGHT: Golden brown holiday stuffing waffles are the perfect foundation for holiday leftovers.

As you can see, it was a rich year that delivered a lot of culinary pleasure and personal kitchen inspiration. In that vein, I have been thinking a lot about that savory Metro Diner waffle. I decided I'm going to serve an eviction notice to all the holiday leftovers squatting in the refrigerator and give them a bold, new life. Here, I call up those Tupperware hermits with my holiday turkey-anddressing waffle adaptation. It is a good way to use up leftover turkey or chicken, cornbread dressing and those remaining dollops of gravy and cranberry sauce that were just too tasty to toss. Free up even more space by adding any side-dish stragglers—green beans, mashed potatoes, squash casserole, asparagus,

green peas—to your waffle. Heat your waffle iron and conjure up your ghosts of holidays past from the refrigerator. While you are at it, start thinking about your own 2026 favorites and those dishes you would like to experience in 2027. Drop me a line so I can try them, too. Here’s to good food, gracious tables and another year of delicious memories. n

Libby Wiersema writes about dining, food trends and the state’s culinary history for Discover South Carolina as well as other print and online media. Contact her at libbyscarolinaspoon@gmail.com, on Libby’s Carolina Spoon Facebook page at facebook.com/SClibby.1111 or on Instagram @libbyscarolinaspoon. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

THE GREAT PICTURE HUNT

iPhone XR 4.2mm lens ISO: 80 f/1.8 at 1/121

BugsA and Butt erfl ies time to get close

Story and photo by Dave LaBelle

The old adage says sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. We are so preoccupied sometimes with our busy lives and the big picture that we end up missing small, valuable details that give our lives much-needed flavor. A note scribbled on a bench, an unlikely flower climbing through a crack in a sidewalk or a small creature—such as a ladybug or butterfly—can catch our attention and stop us in our tracks. On my way to a morning budget meeting and carrying only my cellphone—I live 2 blocks from the newspaper office—I spotted these crazy-looking eyes on the window of a nearby business. I recognized the creature as a large moth. I stopped to admire its beauty and design and to make several pictures with my iPhone. I learned later it was a polyphemus moth, with a wingspan of 4 to 6 inches. The pattern of the eyespots on its wings looks like the face of a great horned owl, something its predators find frightening. Capturing these small but important details can be challenging. However, because my iPhone focuses at a minimum of 3 inches, it was perfect for capturing this resting creature.

Reader Challenge

Macro photography is a fascinating proposition and something easy to get addicted to. Seeing and capturing details such as an ant’s jaws can be scary but inviting. In past years, I attached my camera lens to a microscope to capture such magnification. I was zealously experimental in my younger years, whereas now I focus more on moments and storytelling. If you find macro photography compelling and want to get even closer, many smartphone models have macro features, often on Pro phone models. Many cameras also have a macro setting. To use your phone’s macro setting, place your phone close to your subject, and it should automatically adjust. If you’re unsure if your phone shoots macro, just corral someone younger to help. You can also look for add-on lenses and accessories from third-party vendors. 

Photographer, author and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century, sharing photo tips and life perspectives with readers. For more of his writing, visit davidlabelle.com and his blog at bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.

Slow down, observe, listen, stop and appreciate the small storytelling details that enrich your life. These can be found in your home or in nature. Whether you use a cellphone or a DSLR (35mm digital camera), get close and see if you can capture a storytelling picture. Email your best image—just one—with caption information and an explanation of how it affects you to gph@pioneer.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels. 14

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

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10/7/26 2:27 PM

Faith Frost IN THE

Southern gardeners use winter as a season of patience, pruning and trust By Vikki Moran

When much of the Southern garden retreats, the camellia steps forward. The camellia is unusual because winter is not simply something it survives—winter is an integral part of its flowering progression. In South Carolina, camellias flower from winter into spring, with sasanquas generally leading the show in fall and early winter, followed by japonicas. During a freeze, something remarkable happens. Clemson Extension Horticulturist Amanda McNulty says unopened camellia japonica buds are protected by the calyx surrounding them. A tightly closed bud that hasn't yet shown color can often survive freezing temperatures unharmed. An open flower may succumb to the cold, while protected buds remain on the same plant, waiting to open weeks later. There may be no better illustration of faith in the frost. One flower can be lost without the flowering being over.

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY MADISON

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

Laying Down Roots Camellias are not native to South Carolina, yet they have become so thoroughly associated with the Southern landscape that it is easy to forget they began their journey thousands of miles away. French botanist and

nurseryman André Michaux established a botanical garden near Charleston in 1786 and introduced camellias to South Carolina. That year, he gave specimens to Henry Middleton for Middleton Place. More than two centuries later, winter visitors can still see historic camellias at Middleton Place, including Reine des Fleurs, or “Queen of Flowers.” A plant that began half a world away has become part of South Carolina’s landscape, gardening traditions and history. Travel northwest through the state and the story continues at the South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson. The garden itself essentially grew around camellias. In the late 1950s, a camellia collection was moved onto an abandoned cotton terrace that had been used as Clemson University’s trash dump. That collection eventually became the heart of what is now the South Carolina Botanical Garden. A discarded piece of land. Camellias. Patience. And eventually a botanical garden. Perhaps that is another kind of faith in what a garden can become. Winter Kitchen Gardens South Carolina’s winter garden is not only ornamental. Leave the camellia blossoms and look toward the vegetable garden, and frost tells a different story. Consider the collard. Mature collard plants can withstand frost and light to medium freezes. Generations of Southern gardeners and cooks have also insisted greens taste better after a frost. Clemson notes cold weather can make collards sweeter. Sometimes the gardener’s job isn’t to fight winter. It is to understand it. Cold plays yet another role with one of South Carolina’s favorite fruits. A bare blueberry bush may look as though it is doing absolutely nothing. It isn’t. Blueberries are among the plants that require winter chilling. During dormancy, what looks like inactivity is part of the plant’s preparation for another growing season. The blueberry bush may appear to be doing nothing. In reality, it is keeping count. One way to understand the difference is through chill hours. Clemson describes

chill hours as the cold a plant accumulates during dormancy, commonly measured using temperatures between approximately 32 and 45 degrees. South Carolina’s Lower State generally receives 400 to 800 chill hours, while the Upper State generally receives 800 to 1,000. Even within those regions, elevation, bodies of water, cities and other microclimates can change what an individual garden experiences. Without sufficient chill hours, blueberries can experience delayed or poor leafing, reduced flowering and disappointing fruit production. Rabbiteye blueberries are particularly well suited to South Carolina and can be grown through much of the state. Different cultivars have different chilling requirements, so choosing the right variety for the right part of South Carolina matters. Pruning With Purpose Blueberries also demonstrate why winter pruning requires knowledge rather than simply a pair of pruning shears. They produce fruit from buds on one-year-old wood. Young plants need little pruning, while mature bushes benefit from selectively removing older wood to encourage new growth and let light into the plant. The lesson isn’t simply to prune. It is about knowing what you are cutting and why. Dogwoods and redbuds form their flower buds before winter. Prune at the wrong time, and a gardener may cut away the flowers expected in spring. Crape myrtles are different. They bloom on new growth, so winter pruning does not sacrifice the coming summer’s flowers. Even then, pruning should be purposeful rather than severe simply for the sake of cutting. Camellias require relatively little pruning beyond removing damaged branches and unattractive long shoots. Dead and weak stems can be removed at any time, while Clemson advises that more severe cutting back can safely be done from around Valentine’s Day through May 1. Of course, patience doesn’t mean neglect. Every Southern gardener knows the ritual that begins when the weather

forecast includes the word freeze. What needs to be covered? What should be brought inside? What can handle the cold without any help? Row covers and cold frames can protect plants and extend South Carolina’s growing season. Hardy vegetables, such as collards, kale, mustard greens, spinach and Swiss chard, can often keep producing into winter, depending on location and weather severity. The gardener watches the forecast and makes choices. Faith in the frost isn’t blind faith. It comes from experience—knowing when nature needs a helping hand and when the best thing a gardener can do is leave things alone. Location, Location, Location Winter gardening isn’t the same throughout the state, either. A gardener in the Lowcountry experiences a very different winter from someone tending to a garden in the Upstate. Moving from the coast through the Midlands and Piedmont toward the mountains is almost a journey through different versions of a Southern winter. It's tempting to think of gardening as beginning in spring, but South Carolina makes that hard to believe. Even a dormant garden is doing something. Even the arrival of spring doesn’t necessarily mean the waiting is over. In western South Carolina, the danger of frost can sometimes linger into early May. The calendar may announce a new season before the garden is quite ready to agree. That is why gardeners develop such faith in winter. They have seen what happens next. While many may look at bare branches and cold soil and see an empty garden, the experienced gardener knows better. Beneath the soil, behind the calyx and along seemingly lifeless branches, another season is already being prepared. Gardeners can prune thoughtfully, protect selectively, tend the soil and pay attention. There are things the gardener cannot hurry. Sometimes gardening is science. Sometimes it is experience, and sometimes it simply requires trust in what we cannot yet see—which we do well in the South. That is faith in the frost.  NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

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N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

What’s Uranium Glass?

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY АНДРЕЙ ХОМИЧ

You’ve probably seen uranium glass even if you don’t know it. It’s that ubiquitous pale yellow-green candy dish on a shelf at your grandmother’s house. It doesn’t look like much at first glance, but flip on a blacklight, and it bursts into an otherworldly neon glow. This is uranium glass, possibly the most radioactive thing you’ll ever own on purpose. If you’d like to own a piece, stop by just about any flea market. Usually there’s a vendor settled into a folding chair, a cardboard box full of murky green tumblers at their feet and a collector crouched nearby, waving a little purple flashlight like a magic wand. When the beam lands on the right piece, the glass lights up like a glow stick. German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth first identified uranium in 1789 and named it after the newly discovered planet Uranus. At the time, no one was thinking about atoms or nuclear reactors. They were simply fascinated by color. Uranium compounds made fantastic pigments, giving glass and ceramic glazes hues from canary yellow to bright lime green. By the 1830s, glassmakers in what is now the Czech Republic had turned this colorful discovery into an art form. Josef Riedel, one of the region’s legendary glassmakers, is often credited as the first major producer. He’s even said to have named two of his signature colors after his wife, Anna: Annagelb and Annagrün or Anna yellow and Anna green. Glass historians still debate that story, since the names appear in older recipes. Regardless, the glass was a sensation. By the 1840s, glassworks across Europe were making their own versions, and soon American factories were producing uranium-tinted vases, perfume bottles, goblets and lampshades. The name we use today showed up a bit later. In the 1920s and 1930s, someone noticed this oily yellow-green glass looked a lot like a jar of petroleum jelly, and the nickname Vaseline glass caught on.

Purists insist the term applies only to transparent glass in that signature pale yellow-green shade. The opaque, creamy yellow pieces are called custard glass, and the uranium-laced tableware from the 1930s often overlaps with what’s known as Depression glass. Collectors have strong opinions about these distinctions, so tread lightly. Everything changed during World War II. By 1943, the U.S. government had restricted uranium use for the Manhattan Project, and American glassmakers lost their favorite colorant almost overnight. Those restrictions stayed in place until 1958. When they were finally lifted, the industry bounced back using depleted uranium, and by some estimates, more than 4 million decorative pieces were made in the following 20 years. So, is it dangerous? For the most part, no. A Geiger counter will click near a piece of uranium glass, but the radiation is very weak, and experts say the risk from collecting or handling it is extremely low. The real concern is about getting uranium inside your body, so most collectors keep these old pieces off the dinner table and avoid grinding or chipping them. Today, a few makers like Mosser Glass and Gibson Glass still produce uranium glass, and collectors are always on the hunt at estate sales and thrift stores. The appeal is part history, part beauty and part pure party-trick fun. 

Ed Salley is MPD’s IT guy. Ed not only knows a lot about technology, but he knows a lot about everything. Send your question to asked@mpd.coop, and it may be featured in next month’s Ask Ed column.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

Gather ’Round the Pot BRING THE LOWCOUNTRY TO THE TABLE Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

½ cup vegetable oil ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 large onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 2 celery stalks, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced 1 pound okra, sliced 6 cups shrimp or seafood stock 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

Recipes by Gertrude Treadaway ADOBE STOCK AIGENERATED PHOTO BY THE LITTLE HUT

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined ½ pound lump crabmeat Salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste Hot sauce, to taste Cooked white rice, for serving Sliced green onions, for serving

Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the roux is the color of milk chocolate. Add onion, bell pepper and celery. Stir well. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Add garlic. Cook for 30 seconds. Add sausage and okra. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Slowly stir in the stock, then add the tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Skim any oil from the top. Add shrimp and crab. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and curled. Remove bay leaves. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Ladle over rice and garnish with green onions.

Winter Lowcountry Boil

4 ears corn, halved 4 quarts water 2 pounds shell-on large ¼ cup Old Bay or crab boil shrimp seasoning Melted butter, for serving 2 lemons, halved Cocktail sauce, for serving 1 large onion, quartered 1½ pounds small red potatoes Hot sauce, for serving 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces

In a large stockpot, bring water, seasoning, lemons (squeezed in, then dropped in), and onion to a boil. Add potatoes. Boil for 12 minutes. Add sausage and corn. Boil for another 8 minutes. Add shrimp. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until pink. Turn off the heat. Let sit for 2 minutes. Drain before serving with melted butter and sauces.

Shrimp and Sausage Chicken Bog 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs 1 large onion, chopped 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups long-grain white rice

1 pound smoked sausage, sliced 4 tablespoons butter 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined Sliced green onions

Place chicken, onion, salt and pepper in a large pot with enough water to cover. Simmer for 45 minutes until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving broth. Shred meat, discarding skin and bones. Measure 4 cups of broth into the pot. Bring to a boil. Add rice, sausage and butter. Cover. Cook on low for 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender. Nestle shrimp on top of rice. Cover. Steam 5 minutes until pink. Fold in shredded chicken, stirring gently. Bog should be moist but not soupy. Garnish with green onions.

Oyster Stew

4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons minced shallot 1 celery stalk, finely diced 1 pint shucked oysters, with their liquid 2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Pinch of cayenne Salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste Oyster crackers Chopped parsley

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook shallot and celery until soft, about 4 minutes. Add oysters and their liquid. Cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, just until edges curl. Pour in milk and cream. Heat slowly until steaming hot. Do not boil, or it may curdle and toughen the oysters. Season with Worcestershire, cayenne, salt and pepper. Serve immediately with crackers, and top with parsley.

Bacon and Shrimp With Stone-Ground Grits 6 cups water or chicken stock 1 teaspoon salt 1½ cups stone-ground grits 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped 1½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 cup chicken stock Juice of 1 lemon 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded 4 scallions, sliced Hot sauce

Bring the water or stock and salt to a boil. Whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low, and cook 40 to 50 minutes, stirring often, until creamy. Add more liquid if they get too thick. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove it, leaving about 2 tablespoons of drippings. Saute shrimp in drippings for 2 minutes per side, until just pink. Remove and set aside. Add garlic to the skillet for 30 seconds, then whisk in flour. Add stock and lemon juice. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Return shrimp and bacon to the pan with scallions. Stir butter and cheese into grits. Spoon the shrimp and gravy over the top. Sprinkle with hot sauce, to taste.

She-Crab Soup

4 tablespoons butter ½ cup finely diced yellow onion ¼ cup finely diced celery ¼ cup all-purpose flour 3 cups whole milk 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup seafood stock or bottled clam juice ¼ teaspoon ground mace

½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells ¼ cup crab roe (see note) 3 tablespoons dry sherry, plus extra Salt, to taste White pepper, to taste Chopped chives

Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook onion and celery until soft, about 5 minutes, without browning. Stir in flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, cream and stock. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened. Do not let the soup boil. Stir in mace and Old Bay, then fold in the crab and crab roe. Heat through for 5 minutes. Add sherry, then season with salt and white pepper. Serve hot, garnished with chives and a little extra sherry at the table. Note: Traditional recipes use crab roe. If you can’t find it, crumble 2 hard-boiled egg yolks into the soup for a similar richness. Do you want to see your favorite meal in print? Submit your recipe to recipes@marlboro.coop.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

The Highest Slopes in Ski, snowboard and tube your way through the North Carolina mountains By Cheré Coen North Carolina is home to the highest ski areas and the largest snow tubing venues on the East Coast, with three ski resorts within 50 miles of each other. It’s easy to see why it’s considered the Ski Capital of the South, as each ski resort offers unique experiences. Appalachian Ski Mountain is known for its French-Swiss Ski College, and Beech Mountain is the highest ski area east of the Rockies. Challenging trails await skiers who take the slopes at Sugar Mountain. And don’t let the weather fool you. All ski resorts receive adequate snow from late November through March, with snow from snowmakers added when nature fails to deliver. Appalachian Ski Mountain Boone and Blowing Rock’s hometown ski area will give experienced skiers a run for their money, but it’s also a great resort for beginners, with two dedicated beginner areas served by lifts, plus additional easy terrain accessible by a quad chairlift. The French-Swiss Ski College offers a variety of ski and snowboard lessons, from adults learning the sport or needing a refresher course to the SkiWee program for children. Season: Nov. 20, 2026, to March 14, 2027 Runs: The resort features 13 runs, including four terrain parks, expert terrain on Upper Big Appal, Hard Core and Thin Slice and intermediate terrain on Lower Big Appal and Orchard Run. The longest run is 2,640 feet. Base features: Appalachian features a

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

lodge with dining, ski rentals and a fullservice ski shop. Other sports: Appalachian Ice Arena offers day and night ice skating and is the only North Carolina ski-area rink maintained by a Zamboni. Special events: The resort offers the region’s only late-night skiing and riding through its Midnight Blast program. There’s more: French Olympic gold medalist skier Jean Claude Killy came to the French-Swiss Ski College in 1972. The school has taught more than 1 million people since its inception. Website: appskimtn.com Sugar Mountain Resort Sugar Mountain Resort in Banner Elk is North Carolina’s largest snow sports area, with 125 skiable acres, 20 runs, six lifts and a 1,200-foot elevation difference from summit to lodge. Group lessons for skiers and snowboarders are available for ages 8 and older. Season: November to March Runs: The resort’s 20 runs include beginner, intermediate and expert terrain, including a separate Easy Street beginner area. Intermediate routes include North Ridge, Switchback, Big Birch and Big Red, but Tom Terrific, Boulder Dash and the expert-only Whoop-de-Do at the summit will entice only the hardy. Base features: Sugar Mountain’s central lodge houses dining options, a lounge, ski rentals and the Winter Sports Shop. Other sports: The resort also features snow tubing with a Magic Carpet lift, ice

skating on a 10,000-square-foot refrigerated rink, and guided snowshoe hikes for adults and children. Special events: December’s Sugarfest is a weekend of holiday fun, followed by a special New Year’s Eve celebration. There’s more: Skiers can view Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell at the summit. Website: skisugar.com Beech Mountain Resort Visitors to Beech Mountain will be impressed by the elevation—5,506 feet at the summit. In summer, the resort is known for Mile High Yoga, with incredible views of the North Carolina mountains. In winter, reaching the summit is the beginning of a breathtaking run down the mountain on 17 trails across 95 skiable acres. Season: Nov. 21, 2026, to March 2027 Runs: The resort has six chairlifts, three surface lifts and an 830-foot vertical drop. West Bowl offers an intermediate route down the back side of the mountain, intermediate skiers can explore Upper and Lower Shawneehaw and Robbins’ Run, while Southern Star and White Lightning offer steeper expert terrain. Base features: At the summit, the lift-access-only Skybar serves food and beverages, while the base area features an alpine-style village with dining and shops, including the craft brews of Beech Mountain Brewing Co., one of the only

es in the East

Beech Mountain is a mile high—5,506 feet at the summit. PHOTO BY KRISTIAN JACKSON NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

ABOVE: Cataloochee Ski Area offers skiing and snowboarding from around November to March. PHOTO COURTESY OF CATALOOCHEE SKI AREA

RIGHT: Kids 12 and under may sled down Sledding Hill within the town of Beech Mountain. PHOTO BY KRISTIAN JACKSON

American breweries owned and operated by a ski resort. Other sports: The resort offers snowboarding, ice skating and tubing. In town, Sledding Hill is for ages 12 and under; plastic sleds are required. The Buckeye Recreation Center lets visitors check out free snowshoes for trails or a canoe for paddling the lake. For those who wish to get out of the cold, the center offers tennis, pickleball and a kids’ indoor playroom. Special events: Cosmic Snow Tubing offers evening sessions with lights and music. There’s more: Professional Ski Instructors of America teach an adaptive ski program. Website: beechmountainresort.com Cataloochee Ski Area In Maggie Valley and a short drive from Greenville, Cataloochee offers skiing and snowboarding activities. North Carolina’s first ski area rises to an elevation of 5,400 feet at its summit. Amenities include dining, full-service rentals, a gear shop and remote parking shuttle service. Season: Opening dates are weatherdependent, so they’re announced 24 to 72 hours beforehand. The aim is to open the season by mid-November. Follow 24

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

mountain stats at cataloochee.com. Runs: The resort includes 50 acres of skiable terrain with 18 slopes and trails. There are eight beginner, seven intermediate and three advanced-to-expert trails, with the longest run at 3,500 feet. Base features: A cafeteria that operates the same hours as the ski area serves a variety of casual fare. Other sports: The nearby six-run Tube World offers tubing fun and includes a Wee Bowl Snowplay Area. Special events: The area offers interscholastic and NASTAR recreational race programs. There’s more: The ski area also includes an adaptive ski program for adults and children with disabilities. Website: cataloochee.com

Hatley Pointe The new resort in the shadow of Big Bald Mountain labels itself a skiing community. It is about an hour north of Asheville. Season: December to March Runs: The resort offers 54 acres of skiable terrain with 21 slopes and trails—four beginner, 11 intermediate and six advanced. The longest run is 3,700 feet, and peak elevation is 4,700 feet. Hatley Pointe offers both private and group lessons. Base features: Several dining options are on-site, from the more upscale Smoke & Timber to Neapolitan-style pizza at Peaks & Pies. There’s also the Bru Haus bar. Other sports: Many of the trails are lit at night for night skiing. There’s more: The slopeside valet will store skis. Website: hatleypointe.com

Hatley Pointe Mountain Resort includes 54 acres of skiable terrain, with 21 slopes and trails. PHOTO COURTESY OF HATLEY POINTE MOUNTAIN RESORT

ABOVE AND LEFT: Snow tubing is a blast at Beech Mountain. PHOTO BY KRISTIAN JACKSON

Sugar Mountain Resort is North Carolina’s largest snow-sports area. PHOTO COURTESY OF SUGAR MOUNTAIN RESORT

Ski Sapphire Valley Something for everyone is what you’ll find at Ski Sapphire Valley in Sapphire, between Brevard and the Highlands above the Georgia-South Carolina border. There’s snow skiing—including Friday Night Lights—snowboarding, snow tubing, ice skating, special events and accommodations at Sapphire Valley Resort and others. Season: November to March Runs: Two trails on 8 acres of skiable terrain, one beginner and one intermediate. The longest run is 1,600 feet. Base features: Sapphire Valley Resort offers a variety of dining options and attractions. Other sports: Ski Sapphire includes a 500-foot Frozen Falls Tube Park. Special events: The ski resort hosts the Great Outhouse Races every February.

There’s more: In October and February or March, a unique bear appears along the Rhodes Big View, the overlook between Highlands and Cashiers on Highway 64. This natural phenomenon, known as the Shadow of the Bear, occurs at sunset when a shadow resembling a bear appears along the valley floor before Whiteside Mountain. Website: skisapphirevalley.com Tubing Hawksnest Snow Tubing in Seven Devils east of Banner Elk offers more than 30 tube lanes from 400 to 1,000 feet long for a fun roll down the mountain. Moving carpets bring tubers back to the top, allowing them to save energy for more runs. Hawksnest is one of the largest tubing parks on the East

Coast and, in addition to heart-racing tubing trails, boasts one of the longest zipline in the eastern United States. Visit hawksnesttubing.com for more information. For more adrenaline, head to Jonas Ridge Snow Tubing Park south of Banner Elk, which has carved 400-foot-steep runs through the hillsides. Jonas Ridge also features conveyors to bring tubers back to the top, plus a viewing area for parents and other non-tubing enthusiasts to keep a watchful eye. For information, visit jonasridgesnowtube.com. Moonshine Mountain in Hendersonville near Asheville features 500 feet of steep tubing runs and food trucks for sustenance. It’s open on weekends and weekdays during the holidays. Visit themoonshinemountain.com for details. About 20 minutes north of Asheville, Zip N Slip in Mars Hill is a long-standing, family-owned snow tubing adventure with several snow tubing lanes, lighted slopes at night, conveyors to bring you back to the top and a heated observation room. For information, visit zipnslip.com. If You Go For more information on skiing in North Carolina, visit visitnc.com/list/ hit-slopes-winter-sports-resorts. To check ski conditions and obtain information on winter sports, visit the North Carolina Ski Areas Association at goskinc.com.  NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

&Fun

Festivals MULTIPLE DATES

Pee Dee IceCats

Your local ice hockey team is back at the Florence Center through spring. Find the full schedule of events at peedeeicecats.com. 3300 W. Radio Drive, Florence

NOV. 7

SC Pecan Music and Food Festival This exciting one-day festival delights residents and visitors with food, music and fun. The festival wouldn’t be complete without its annual Run Like a Nut race. For a full schedule of events, visit scpecanfestival.com. Downtown Florence ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY CHERYL CASEY

NOV. 7

Scarecrow Festival This event has local vendors, music, dance and activities for children. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN LIBRARY 203 Fayetteville Ave., Bennettsville

NOV. 11

City of Dillon Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony The parade will begin at South Plaza, travel west along Main Street, and conclude at the Dillon County Veterans Square. The ceremony follows the parade at 401 W. Main St. 10:30 a.m. DILLON COUNTY VETERANS SQUARE 26

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

 NOV. 11 City of Dillon Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony

NOV. 20-22

NOV. 21

NOV. 26

Jingle Bell Market

Cruisin’ Into Christmas

One Table Florence

Bring the family along for a festive weekend filled with unique shopping, local vendors, handcrafted treasures, delicious treats and plenty of Christmas cheer. FLORENCE CENTER 3300 W. Radio Drive

Christmas on Main presents Cruisin’ Into Christmas, featuring a car show, vendors, an art show, performances, and Santa and Mrs. Claus. The evening Christmas parade begins at dusk. Noon to 5 p.m. 110 W. Main St., Lamar

The fourth annual One Table Florence Thanksgiving Celebration is a cherished community tradition that brings people from all walks of life together to share one table and one Thanksgiving meal as a united community. This event is free for everyone and is a chance to celebrate gratitude, togetherness and community spirit. Bring family and friends to celebrate the holiday together. Noon to 2 p.m. TIMROD PARK 558 Spruce St., Florence

NOV. 21

Family Movie Watch “Free Birds” with the family, including snacks and juice. 10:30 a.m. to noon TIMMONSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY 298 W. Smith St.

NOV. 21

Twilight and Tinsel Holiday Marketplace

An evening of crafts, carols and photos with Santa. 4-7 p.m. FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE 112 S. Railroad Ave., Dillon

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY RUSLAN

 DEC. 45 AND 17 The Nutcracker Ballet

NOV. 28-DEC. 23

Lights 4 Paws

This drive-thru light show benefits the Florence Area Humane Society. 5:30-8:30 p.m. LYNCHES RIVER COUNTY PARK 5094 County Park Road, Coward

DEC. 3

City of Dillon Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting The event starts at 4:30 p.m. with the parade along Main Street. Enjoy a tree lighting at 6 p.m. with hot cocoa, a visit with Santa and live music. 4:30-7 p.m. Dillon

DEC. 4-31

Music and Light Show In its eighth year, this has become a family favorite. Parking is available in the City of Florence parking garage. 5:30-10 p.m. 100 S. Dargan St., Florence

DEC. 4

DEC. 12

Downtown Christmas Magic

Darlington Christmas Parade and Festival

Enjoy hot cocoa, marshmallow roasting, decorated storefronts, crafts and games, and a meet-andgreet with Santa. 5:30-8:30 p.m. 100 S. Dargan St., Florence

Parade begins at 2 p.m., followed by the festival and the night ends with a movie at 5 p.m. Downtown Darlington

DEC. 4-5

The Nutcracker Ballet, Presented by South Carolina Dance Theatre Take the family for a night at the ballet. Tickets are available at fmupac.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday 201 S. Dargan St., Florence

DEC. 6

Darlington Kiwanis Carolighting Enjoy this tradition of the lighting of the Christmas tree. 5-6 p.m. DARLINGTON PUBLIC SQUARE

DEC. 17

The Nutcracker Ballet, Presented by South Carolina Ballet Take the family for a night at the ballet. Tickets are available at fmupac.org. 7 p.m. 201 S. Dargan St., Florence

DEC. 17

Christmas Extravaganza Don’t miss this joyful evening of music, stories and holiday cheer. For more information or to buy tickets, visit florencelittletheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. FLORENCE LITTLE THEATRE 417 S. Dargan St.

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Family Movie Watch “The Muppet Christmas Carol” with snacks and juice. 10:30 a.m. to noon TIMMONSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY 298 W. Smith St.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

Winter Bloomers Flowering houseplants bring color indoors in the darkest months By Jodi Helmer In the middle of a cold, dark winter, a spring-blooming garden feels like a distant dream. Most houseplants also slip into a dormant period when the daylight dwindles, but some do the opposite, bursting into bloom in the middle of winter. Flowering houseplants add a punch

of color to your home, according to Holly Beaumier, owner of Growing Hobby, a specialty plant shop at the Pee Dee State Farmers Market. “Plants bring a cheery feeling,” she says. “It’s not as easy to get plants to flower indoors, but there are some plants that are from the Southern Hemisphere that are used to flowering at this time of the year. You can take advantage of that by bringing those types of plants into your house.” Here are seven houseplants that bloom in the winter. Kalanchoe A winter standout, kalanchoe is a succulent herb native to Madagascar. It produces clusters of small flowers in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink or white that bloom in January and February and last up to eight weeks. Choose a spot with bright light and let the soil dry slightly between waterings.

Place an orchid in bright, indirect light to encourage winter blooms. ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY ARI

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

Bromeliads Bromeliads are part of the pineapple family. There are more than 2,500 species, and their color comes from bracts—leaflike structures that surround small, short-lived blooms that can last for months. That longevity makes bromeliads a low-stress way to add sustained color indoors. These tropical plants do best in tropical and subtropical climates. You can move them outdoors during the summer. They thrive in high humidity and periods of rainfall.

Kohleria The tropical plants are prolific bloomers, producing small, colorful, tubular flowers in a range of hues. Holly loves the Dark Velvet variety for its dark leaves and bright orange flowers, which create dramatic contrast. “It’s a steady bloomer, so it blooms all year long,” she says. Choose a spot with bright light, keep it watered—but not too much—and watch it grow. As it gets leggy, Holly advises, “you can just cut off a piece and put it on the soil, and it’ll grow a new plant.” Orchids Although orchids are often considered difficult to grow, Holly recommends them to novices because they are among the easiest bloomers indoors. Success with orchids comes down to light and restraint. Let orchids dry out completely between waterings, then water thoroughly. Holly recommends bright, indirect light, noting that “an east-facing window is great for them. That’s all they need, and they just bloom.” Holiday Cactus True to their name, holiday cacti bloom during fall and winter celebrations. The pink, red, white or bicolored flowers depend on environmental cues to bloom. When days shorten and temperatures cool slightly, the plants respond with showy flowers. A genus of succulent plants native to Southeast Brazil, holiday cacti adapt well to home environments. These longlived houseplants can live for more than 100 years. Amaryllis The winter-blooming bulb delivers some of the most dramatic indoor blooms. Amaryllis produces oversized, trumpetshaped flowers on sturdy, leafless stems.

A holiday cactus adds color and a festive feel to a home during cold seasons. ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY NADIN333

It grows best in bright light and average room temperatures and needs minimal watering until new growth emerges. Amaryllis is commonly sold as dormant bulbs designed for winter forcing and has become a seasonal staple for bringing bold color indoors during the darkest months. Paperwhite Narcissus Paperwhite narcissus bulbs symbolize hope, renewal and new beginnings. They are among the simplest winter-blooming bulbs to grow indoors. Unlike other spring bulbs, paperwhite narcissus don’t require a cold period to flower, making them ideal for indoor forcing. Given bright light and regular moisture, paperwhites produce clusters of small, fragrant white flowers in midwinter. Cooler indoor temperatures

can extend bloom time, letting the display last longer. Although winter-blooming houseplants vary widely, most have a few things in common, including a need for bright light and warmer temperatures. Fertilizer can help, too. Holly suggests choosing a fertilizer with a higher proportion of phosphorus—the middle number in a fertilizer formula—to promote flowering. When houseplants bloom, they do more than brighten a room. They can shift how a season feels. While snow and bare branches dominate outdoors, these plants quietly push out buds and flowers, offering an accessible way to stay connected to growth year-round. “There’s a special feeling you get whenever you have a plant and all of a sudden it’s blooming,” Holly says. “You just want to enjoy it and show it off.” 

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

A Guide to

Setting the Perfect Thanksgiving Table Thanksgiving is about gathering around the table, sharing a good meal and making memories with the people we love. While a beautifully set table can make the day feel extra special, it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Whether you’re setting the table for four or welcoming a house full of family, a few simple layers can turn an ordinary table into a warm and inviting place to gather. The best part is that you probably already have most of what you need.

Start with a Clean Slate Before bringing out the dishes, clear the table and give it a good cleaning. Then decide if you want to use a tablecloth, runner or leave the tabletop bare. A simple linen or cotton runner can add charm while still showing off a beautiful wood table. For a more traditional look, use a tablecloth and layer a runner down the center. Don’t worry about everything matching perfectly. Mixing family heirlooms, everyday dishes and thrifted finds can give the table personality.

Knives and spoons go to the right. Place the dinner fork closest to the plate, with smaller salad forks on the outside if needed. The knives go to the right side of the plate with the blade facing inward, then spoons next to the knives. Above the knife you’ll place the wine glasses or other glassware for water.

Add a Little Nature Thanksgiving is the perfect excuse to bring the outdoors in. Instead of a formal floral arrangement, consider using things gathered from your own yard. Pinecones, magnolia leaves, branches, dried grasses, acorns and colorful leaves can become a part of a natural centerpiece. Place greenery loosely down the center of the table, then tuck in pumpkins, gourds, fruits or pinecones among the leaves. Remember to keep centerpieces low enough that guests can easily see across the table.

Build from the Bottom Up Think of each place setting as a series of layers. Start off with a placemat if you’re using one. Place the dinner plate in the center, then add a salad or appetizer plate on top if your meal calls for one. A folded napkin can sit to the left of the plate or directly on top. For a more decorative touch, tie the napkin with twine and add a small pinecone, sprig of rosemary, dried flower or colorful leaf.

Make Everyone Feel Welcome For an extra personal touch, write each guest’s name on a small piece of cardstock, kraft paper tag or even a leaf. Tuck it beneath the napkin or place it beside the plate. Place cards aren’t just for formal dinners. They can also make a large gathering easier by taking out the guesswork and helping everyone know where to sit. If place cards aren’t your thing, you can add a special touch such as a tiny pumpkin. Or perhaps a handmade favor that can double as decor and a thoughtful gift which guests can take home with them.

Placement Here’s a run-through of how silverware should be placed. Forks go on the left.

Mix Old and New Some of the prettiest Thanksgiving tables are the ones with a story behind them.

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

Bring out Grandma’s china. Mix vintage glasses with everyday plates. Use an old pitcher as a vase or a wooden cutting board beneath a serving dish. These little touches are what make a table feel collected rather than staged. Finish with Candlelight Candlelight can completely change the atmosphere. Use taper candles for a vintage feel, and tuck small votives or even batteryoperated candles among the greenery. Choose unscented candles so they don’t compete with the aroma of the meal. Then take a step back and admire your beautiful Thanksgiving tablescape. 

Brandi Faulk and her family are excited to share their homesteading journey with MPD Electric Cooperative members. Their home, built in 1895, is a former railway hotel and farmhouse in Chesterfield County. Search “faulkfamilyfarmhouse” to see more photos of their experiences on Instagram.

ADOBE STOCK PHOTOS BY ARTSYS AND POULSEN

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

Noble Mick’s Single Serve Cocktails, $2.95 The holiday season just got a lot more spirited thanks to Noble Mick’s. Their convenient single-serve cocktails make it easy to enjoy bar-worthy flavor without the fuss of measuring or the use of bulky blenders and cocktail shakers. Simply add water, your favorite spirit and mix for an effortless craft cocktail anywhere, anytime. Packed with flavor and ready for your next happy hour, Noble Mick’s has something for every kind of cocktail lover. For fall and winter entertaining, seasonal flavors bring a festive flair. Try cozying up with a maple old fashioned, cranberry moscow mule, hot toddy, pumpkin spice chai or peppermint espresso martini. Or sip on your favorite classics, including margaritas, palomas and cosmopolitans. However, the fun doesn’t stop there. Treat yourself to one of Noble Mick’s boozy shakes or frozen cocktails, or pick up one of their sampler packs to taste your way through all the flavors. They also offer mocktails for those who prefer a spiritfree sip. These craft cocktail mixes make a fun little surprise tucked into a Christmas stocking, gift basket or hostess gift. Whether you are planning a holiday get-together, a quiet night by the fire or stocking up for last-minute guests, Noble Mick’s makes a gift worth raising a glass to. No bartender required. NobleMicks.com

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

Spa Gift Box, $65

Turn bath time into a farmhouse retreat with Milk Reclamation Barn’s spa set. Thoughtfully packed with vintageinspired bath and body essentials, this handcrafted collection is perfect for anyone who could use a little extra pampering. The gift box comes with a milk bath for a relaxing soak, tallow lotion to nourish and moisturize skin, a sisal terry cloth for exfoliation and an apothecary soap bar. All are available in your favorite fragrance. The collection also includes one of the signature soy wax candles, which comes in inviting scents, including linen, cereal milk, whiskey oak and

wildflower thyme. Together these pieces turn an ordinary bath into a cozy little retreat. Draw a warm bath, light the candle, lather up with the soap and finish with a little lotion for a simple ritual that encourages you to unwind, recharge and enjoy a moment of pure relaxation. There is also plenty more to explore from Milk Reclamation Barn. Don’t forget to browse its collection of wax melts, air fresheners, lip balms and other apothecary products to fill your home with cozy farmhouse charm. MilkBarnCandles.com

Hammond’s Marshmallows, $14 (Pack of 2 Bags) Take your hot chocolate up a notch this holiday season with Hammond’s handmade marshmallows. These fluffy treats come in flavors that go far beyond the ordinary marshmallow, including vanilla bean, peppermint, cinnamon churro, maple, birthday cake, strawberry creme and s’mores. There’s a Hammond’s marshmallow for every season. Drop one or two into a cup of hot cocoa, sandwich them between graham crackers and chocolate for an elevated s’more or keep a bag on hand for snacking whenever your sweet tooth strikes.

If you’re shopping for more than marshmallows, Hammond’s Candies offers plenty of other delicious sweets: specialty chocolates, lollipops, candy canes, popcorn, taffy, snack mixes, brittle and cocoa. Whether you’re filling a holiday stocking, building a gift basket or simply looking for something sweet to snack on, Hammond’s Candies is your one-stop candy shop that’s been serving the United States proudly since 1920. HammondsCandies.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

Y’alL AboArD

South Carolina Railroad Museum is worth the stop By Judy Garrison Museums exhaust me. Not all of them, but most. I don’t relish roaming halls covered with paintings and artifacts to which I share no personal connection. However, if that connection exists, I’m all in. During my recent visit to Paris, there was no way I was going to miss da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” at the Louvre. Since my elementary school days, I remember this mysterious woman with the crooked smile. This visit was nonnegotiable. Unfortunately, thousands of tourists had heard the same story. The combination of their selfie sticks and lack of social etiquette ruined my museum moment of pausing 34

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

and pondering that smile. Taking our docent-allotted three-second pass-by, we chalked it up to the unfortunate reality of overtourism and the painting’s popularity. Disappointed, my husband and I wandered into the adjacent Apollo Gallery where we eyed the lovely sapphire tiara of Empress Eugenie of France. Turns out, we were some of the last guests to see the jewels before the infamous jewel heist. I guess disappointment does have its spoils. My husband, Len, is rarely the one to suggest we spend a day at a museum. However, there is one day when he did. Driving toward Winnsboro, Len spied a train

ADOBE STOCK ILLUSTRATION BY MST

locomotive on the roadside. Then, more came into view—multiple cars, a caboose and a sign that read South Carolina Railroad Museum. His fascination with trains began as a child when his father gave him and his brother an American Flyer S-Gauge, depicting each element to scale. For his 8th birthday, he and his friends celebrated aboard the local train with a steam engine leading the way. Mesmerized by the fact that burning fuel to boil water could create enough energy to power the monstrous beast, he was hooked for life. So, a visit to this museum was no-brainer. He pulled in. Welcome to the Museum Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the South Carolina Railroad Museum assembles rolling stock from various agencies. The museum makes cars accessible to the public, and many are outfitted with their original stories. The collection includes a variety of freight and passenger cars: a Hampton & Branchville No. 44 Baldwin locomotive and tender; a 1924 Southern Railway dining car; a Seaboard Air Line business car; a Southern Railway Pullman sleeping car; a post office car; a baggage car; and transfer cabooses. Some cars remain stationary as museum pieces, and a few are used to transport passengers for short seasonal excursions. The amazing slice of the story is that whether it be a paint job, maintenance or structural repair, some form of restoration is needed on most of the cars at the museum. The staff—including those who do the repair and restoration work, the guides and hosts—are volunteers. As is customary, a museum visit ends channeling visitors through the tiny gift shop. Here, small-scale model trains and equipment are on display. The train-themed gifts fill shelves and present something for every young conductor, and there’s even vintage rail spikes, which I quickly bought to use as pegs for my utility room. This is a fun stop after the tour, but the museum’s true treasures are the cars and the guides. Hop Aboard the Train Tour Arriving late for the group tour, we quietly slipped in the back. A young man, dressed in conductor blue, ushered everyone from one car to the next, explaining its purpose, how it was used when fully functional and how the museum celebrates its history. The sleeping car depicted travelers heading off for an adventure, suitcases spilling out on bunk beds as the young ones dressed for bed and, once ready, climbed the bunk ladder. In the adjoining room was a double bed, covered with a white textured bedspread. A

pressed gentlemen’s suit hung on the wall. The dining car tables were draped with white tablecloths, ready for service. “You have all your ice boxes, your pantries, storage,” the guide says. “And over here, a fourrange gas burning stove and oven. Believe it or not, they did cook three-course meals on this car. The dining car staff was very resilient and made good use of the space. You’ve even got the window to pass food” to the diners. A slim hallway with its original ceramic floor tile and walls of rich brown wood guided passengers from car to car. The storage car held large trunks to be unloaded at the owners’ final destinations. And the coach car featured row after row of seats for those whose journies would only take them as far as the next station. Farther down the line, the postal car told one of the most interesting stories. “This is the railway post office car, or RPO,” the guide says, pointing to the hooks on either side of the large sliding doors where mailbags hung. “The mail handlers would be at those doors,” he continues. “Sometimes, if he was quick enough and agile enough, he would work the hook to catch the bag while dropping the other one out at the same time.” In awe, we listened to the guide speak of

FROM TOP: Cubbies were used to sort mail in the post office car. Visitors walk through the cars. Volunteer Chris Kovacs explains the history of the line. OPPOSITE: Chris stands next to the No. 44 steam locomotive. PHOTOS BY LEN GARRISON, SEEING SOUTHERN

postal workers sorting through mail and preparing it to be dropped at the next station along the line. “Over the longest time, the mail contract for passenger trains is what kept them profitable,” the guide says. “They didn’t make a lot of money selling general tickets. In the 1960s, as cars and airplanes took everything over, the postal service revoked the mail contract for the railroads, so passenger trains were essentially worthless.” From car to car, the guide introduced visitors to how trains made America work. Then, he pointed out the window to another car. “That’s the one you came to see,” he says. “It’s the pony car for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Greatest Show on Earth. We also have three dormitory cars from the red circus train in our collection.” As the tour came to an end, visitors lingered to see the circus train, the 1975 Chessie caboose and the 1940s Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive, the 1950s Montreal passenger cars and others that stood stationary. Questions were posed to the tour guide, and he answered each one with poise and passion. Walking through decades of history, the only thing more inspirational than the cars themselves was the young guide who narrated each step we took. A Passion for Trains Chris Kovacs, an active member of the United States Air Force and a museum volunteer, spends his free time sharing his love and knowledge of trains with strangers who have the same enthusiasm. “I was fascinated with every mode of transportation,” Chris says. “Every boy goes through that kind of phase. You’re interested in everything— planes, trains, automobiles, ships, anything that moves. For one reason or another, trains stuck. “When I was 2 years old, my parents took me

on my first train ride on the New York and Lake Erie Railroad. At that same time, ‘Shining Time Station’ was on PBS, and they had ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ episodes. I grew up with Ringo Starr and George Carlin as my narrators. That’s not a bad gig.” Fascinated with the mechanics of steam engines with the rods and wheels moving in circular motions, Chris wanted to know how everything worked. The motion was mind-boggling. His curiosity led him to find out everything he could about real trains. Each year, Trains Magazine published a special issue that chronicled where the different tourist railroads and museums were in the United States. His parents told Chris to cut out that section of the magazine and give it to them so they could plan the family vacation. “In 2005, we moved to Delaware after my dad got a job in Philadelphia,” Chris says. “It was there that I found the Wilmington and Western Railroad. They had a steam and dieselpowered line that ran through the Red Clay Valley just outside of downtown Wilmington. I met the executive director of the railroad at the time, David Ludlow, and he said that when I turn 16, I could become a volunteer with them. So, I decided I would throw my hat in the ring.” At 15, he volunteered with the Wilmington and Western and was a trainman for nine years, basically an onboard car host. “I was the onboard narrator—the voice from above, as I call it—relaying the history of the railroad and the surroundings as we made our journeys,” he says. Although these cars are stationary, they once traveled from destination to destination, and people who love trains also love stations. Some of the best stations were usually the biggest, Chris says. “They’re a grand statement of the railroad,” he says. “For instance, New York City had two

FROM LEFT: The baggage car holds trunks and large luggage. The museum also has a pony car from the Barnum and Bailey Circus. The dining car where passengers could relax with conversation and a meal. The working kitchen with a pass-through window for service. The sleeping car displays traditional bunk beds. PHOTOS BY LEN GARRISON, SEEING SOUTHERN

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

stations—Grand Central Terminal, which was built for the New York Central Railroad, and Pennsylvania Station, built for the Pennsylvania Railroad. “It’s a tragedy what happened to the original Pennsylvania Station,” Chris continues. “It originally had a beautiful head house, and everything was designed by McKim Mead and White. They tore it down in the early 1960s because they wanted to build Madison Square Garden. The railroad sold the air rights to where their station head house was to the developers of Madison Square Garden. The New York Times lamented the loss of the structure, calling Madison Square Garden ‘tin can architecture for a tin-horn culture.’ “And, the New York Central was ready to do the same thing. Then, with passenger traffic dying off, they figured, why take care of this? Once a grandiose station, they were going to plonk a huge office tower on top of the thing. But Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis stepped in and started a movement to save Grand Central, which made its way up to the city, and they started the preservation landmark law so Grand Central can never be torn down. They put the structure through a great restoration in the ’80s and ’90s, and it’s as vibrant as it ever was.” Chris’ knowledge of decades of details, replying to a variety of questions without hesitation, intrigued everyone. His passion and knowledge of trains at such a young age was unexpected, yet signaled the beginning of a new generation’s interest in this important slice of Americana. Plus with renewed interest in train travel across the United States, everything about its history and workings has sparked a curiosity that prompts travelers to experience its timeless journey. Be Part of the Museum’s Legacy Hours later, after multiple train tales of endurance and strength, we realized this experience was well worth the detour. With a guide invested in the story, history comes to life, instilling in those

who listen an imperative to learn more. Every volunteer we met during our visit expressed the joy of their volunteer service. Although the tour is free, purchases at the gift shop—as well as tickets for special events—help fund on-site projects like maintenance of stock and rails. All volunteers undergo training and follow the same procedures as mainline operating railroads, and they are always inviting train lovers to be part of the museum family. Seasonal excursions along the 5-mile Rockton Rion and Western Railroad include the Bunny Eggpress, Pumpkin Patch Express and the BBQ Dinner Train, which sells out quickly. “Every trip is different,” Chris says. “Despite it being the same route, there’s always going to be something that comes up that you never expected, or you have a great day with so many people coming out to ride the train. You feel like you’re the greatest thing in the world.” The museum is in the memory-making business. Whether through a ride on the rails or a walk through the stock, the South Carolina Railroad Museum maintains the preservation of the railroad’s storyline. Chris’ favorite part of volunteering at the museum is “being a vessel to not only interpret history, but make history, too.” “That’s pretty much what railroad preservation is all about,” he says. “We have a job to interpret and tell our own version of the railroad story. If you took away railroads, a vital chapter in the American story would be lost. It’s our job to interpret that history and keep it alive for future generations.”  For more information about the South Carolina Railroad Museum Gallery and Ticket Office, visit scrm.org. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Admission is free.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026

Prepare Your Home for Tips to prioritize

WINTER Winters in South Carolina may be milder than seen elsewhere, but colder temperatures can still affect your home, energy use and electrical safety. A little preparation now can help keep your family comfortable, improve efficiency and prevent problems when temperatures drop. At MPD Electric Cooperative, we know every home is different. Whether you’re making simple improvements or larger efficiency upgrades, these tips can help you prepare for winter and keep you and your family safe. Check Your Heating System Before cold weather arrives, make sure your heating system is ready. Check your furnace filter and replace or clean it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. A dirty filter can restrict airflow and make your system work harder. If you have a heat pump, keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, weeds, dirt and other debris so air can flow freely. If your heating system hasn’t been serviced recently, consider having it inspected by a qualified professional. Regular maintenance can help identify problems before they become an emergency. Seal Drafts Drafts can make your heating system work harder and increase energy use. Check around exterior doors and windows for gaps or noticeable drafts. Weatherstripping can help seal doors and windows, while caulk can seal smaller cracks. Window coverings can help, too. Open curtains and blinds on sunny days to take advantage of natural warmth, then close them at night to help reduce heat loss. Use Your Thermostat Wisely Set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature and avoid unnecessarily high settings. Adjusting the temperature while you’re sleeping or away from home may help reduce energy use. A programmable or smart thermostat can make adjustments easier by following your household’s schedule.

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2026

safety, comfort and efficiency

If you use a heat pump, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Large temperature adjustments can sometimes cause supplemental electric heat to operate, which may increase energy use. Use Space Heaters Safely Space heaters can provide supplemental warmth but require extra care. Since they can be expensive to operate, space heaters should only be used to provide supplemental heat and should never be relied on for whole-home heating. Keep heaters on a hard, level surface and at least 3 feet away from furniture, bedding, curtains, clothing and other items that can burn. Plug them directly into a wall outlet and avoid extension cords or power strips unless specifically approved by the manufacturer. Never leave a space heater running unattended or while sleeping. Turn it off when you leave the room. If an outlet becomes hot, discolored or damaged, stop using it and have it inspected by a qualified professional. Don’t Overload Your Electrical System Winter can mean more electrical equipment running at the same time, including space heaters, electric blankets, holiday lights and appliances. Avoid overloading outlets and power strips. Inspect cords for fraying, cracking or other damage. If a circuit breaker repeatedly trips when using an appliance, don’t keep resetting it. Repeated trips may indicate an overloaded circuit or another electrical problem. Fireplace and Woodstove Safety If you use a fireplace or woodstove, have chimneys and flues inspected and cleaned as recommended. Soot buildup can increase the risk of a chimney fire. Keep furniture, blankets and decorations away from heating equipment, and use a sturdy screen around an open fireplace to contain sparks and embers. Never use an oven or stovetop to heat your home. These

Prepare for an Outage Strong winds and winter weather can sometimes affect electric service. Keep flashlights, batteries and emergency supplies in an easy-to-find location. Charge your cellphone and portable battery packs when severe weather is expected. If you rely on electricity for medical equipment, have a backup plan and discuss options with your medical provider. Generator Safety Is Critical Never operate a portable generator inside your home, garage, shed or any enclosed space. Generators produce carbon monoxide, an odorless and potentially deadly gas. Operate generators outdoors in a well-ventilated area away from doors, windows and vents. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use properly rated cords and equipment. Never connect a portable generator directly into your home’s electrical system unless appropriate transfer equipment has been professionally installed. Improper connections can cause dangerous backfeeding that can seriously injure utility workers who may be working on the power lines.

to involve expensive projects. Check your heating system, replace filters, seal drafts and make sure electrical equipment is in good condition. Then prepare for the possibility of an outage. Know where your emergency supplies are, keep important devices charged and review your household’s emergency plan. For MPD Electric members, preparing for winter is about more than staying comfortable. It’s about using electricity wisely, protecting your family and being ready for the unexpected. For additional energy-saving resources, electrical safety information and outage updates, visit MPD Electric at mpd.coop and follow MPD Electric on social media. 

ADOBE STOCK PHOTOS BY ELENA, AN AMANITA

appliances are not designed for heating and can create serious fire and carbon monoxide hazards.

Stay Safe Around Power Lines Strong winds can bring tree limbs and debris into contact with power lines. If you see a downed line, stay away and keep children and pets away from the area. Never assume a power line is safe because it isn’t sparking or making noise. Treat every power line as energized. Never touch a downed line or anything in contact with it. Report the hazard to emergency services. If trees and vegetation are growing near power lines, don’t attempt to trim them yourself. Contact a qualified professional. A Little Preparation Goes a Long Way Winter preparation doesn’t have

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