South Carolina Living September 2021 by South Carolina Living

FALL &R WINTEEL TRAV E ISSU

CHANGEOUT

Go wild Explore the pristine beauty of Botany Bay

SC SCE NE

SEPTEMBER 2021

WIRE celebrates 40 years SC RECIPE

A taste of Tex-Mex SC STORIE S

Keeping the faith

Battery Power for the Great American Outdoors ƒ STARTING AT

199

THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS VOLUME 75 • NUMBER 9 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240)

Read in more than 600,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033 Tel: (803) 926‑3175 Fax: (803) 796‑6064 Email: letters@scliving.coop EDITOR

Keith Phillips Tel: (803) 739‑3040 Email: Keith.Phillips@ecsc.org

2021 |sept FALL &R WINTEEL TRAV E ISSU

21 Botany Bay

in a day

FIELD EDITOR

Explore one of South Carolina’s truly wild places at Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area.

Josh Crotzer

PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Travis Ward

ART DIRECTOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER

The Knight family from James Island enjoys catchand-release fishing at Jason’s Lake in Botany Bay.

Camille Stewart PRODUCTION

Andrew Chapman WEB EDITOR

Chase Toler

COPY EDITORS

Trevor Bauknight, Jennifer Jas, Jim Poindexter CONTRIBUTORS

Michael Banks, Mike Couick, Hastings Hensel, Jan A. Igoe, L.A. Jackson, Patrick Keegan, Sydney Patterson, Belinda Smith-Sullivan, Brad Thiessen

4 CO-OP NEWS

Updates from your cooperative

6 AGENDA

The much-anticipated arrival of electric pickup trucks and truck-like SUVs is just down the road.

8 DIALOGUE Meeting people’s needs where they are

PUBLISHER

Lou Green

ADVERTISING

Not all co-op first responders wear hard hats. For the women of WIRE, putting others first is second nature.

Mary Watts Tel: (803) 739‑5074 Email: ads@scliving.coop NATIONAL REPRESENTATION

American MainStreet Publications Tel: (512) 441‑5200 Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication. If you encounter a difficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor. ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send to your

local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above. Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing offices.

is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-profit electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s — and America’s — largest utility network.

10 ENERGY Q&A Drilling down on cordless tools 12 SC SCENE A legacy of service

Women Involved in Rural Electrification (WIRE) celebrates 40 years of empowering co-op communities.

14 SC STORIES Keeping the faith

When God calls you to preach, you preach. The Rev. Charles Jackson looks back on five decades of ministry at West Columbia’s Brookland Baptist Church.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

$8 nonmembers

$5.72 members,

16 RECIPE Tex-Mex cuisine

Rustle up some authentic Southwestern cuisine right in your own kitchen—no chuck wagon required.

18 GARDENER Dividing bearded irises

Bearded irises add colorful blooming spunk to your landscape. Here’s how to keep them going strong.

Member of the AMP network reaching more than 9 million homes and businesses

34 36 38

FALL &R WINTE L TRAVE ISSUE

MARKETPLACE CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Go wild

HUMOR ME

Refrigerator buyers, start your engines

Shopping for a major home appliance? Read this first. FRO M TO P: M IC SM ITH; JOSH P. CROT ZER; I U LI I A N EDRYGA I LOVA

Explore the pristine beauty of Botany Bay

SC SCE NE

WIRE celebrates 40 years SEPTEMBER 2021

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS:

Consider investing in cordless power tools before you start that next home improvement project.

SC RECIPE

A taste of Tex-Mex SC STORIE S

Keeping the faith

Let your imagination and spirit of adventure run wild in the coastal wilderness of Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area. Photo by Mic Smith.

TES L A

SC | agenda Nice truck! of all kinds c ontinue to capture the interest of American drivers, the much-anticipated arrival of electric pickup trucks and truck-like SUVs is just down the road. Ford’s electric F-150 Lightning is scheduled to arrive in spring 2022, starting under $40,000 for the commercial trim package (230-mile-range model). A 300-plus-mile battery is an option, and all models are four-wheel drive with respectable towing and payload capacities. The Lightning is also equipped to provide 9.6 kilowatts of home backup power or portable power for a job site; it’s one reason the company declared this new model their best truck to date—not best electric vehicle, but best truck, period. Tesla has more than a million preorders for their new Cybertruck, which will likely arrive in 2022. The 250-mile-range twowheel-drive model starts under $40,000 and steps up to $50,000 for the 300-mile-range, four-wheel-drive model. Tesla plans to offer a 500-plus-mile-range version for $70,000 that can tow more than 14,000 pounds. GMC has announced a late 2021 release of an electric Hummer with 1,000 horsepower and additional features for off-road performance. Rivian, a startup backed by

RI V I A N

AS ELECTRIC VEHICLES

FORD

ALL-ELECTRIC Clockwise from left: Ford’s F-150 Lightning can provide portable power to a job site and extra cargo capacity where the internal combustion engine used to go; Tesla has more than one million drivers waiting on delivery of the Cybertruck in early 2022; backed by Ford and Amazon, Rivian plans to roll out the R1T pickup later this year.

billions of dollars from Ford and Amazon, is planning to unveil their R1T electric pickup later this year with the R1S SUV to follow. Crossover SUVs (sometime called CUVs) are one of the most popular types of vehicles, and a number of manufacturers say they’ll have electric models available soon. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is available now with a range up to 305 miles, starting at $45,000. Volkswagen’s ID.4 starts at $40,000 and is available with all-wheel-drive options. Electric trucks and SUVs are a natural extension of the EV market. The vehicles benefit from the inherent advantages of an electric drive train, including a low center of gravity and the instant torque and superior traction control of electric motors, which can increase off-road capabilities. —PATRICK KEEGAN AND BRAD THIESSEN

ONLY ON SCLiving.coop Register to win

No matter where your travels take you this fall, some extra spending money will help make the journey more enjoyable. Sign up today for our September Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes and a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. We’ll draw the name of one lucky reader from all eligible entries received by Sept. 30. Register today at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply.

Cooling and heating your home makes up the largest portion of monthly energy bills. Regular equipment maintenance combined with recommended insulation, air sealing and thermostat settings can save about 30% on your energy bills while helping our environment. SOURCE: ENERGY.GOV

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

GONE FISHIN’

The Vektor Fish & Game Forecast provides feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour. Minor peaks, ½ hour before and after. Minor

AM Major

Minor

PM Major

SEPTEMBER 16 2:37 10:07 11:07 5:37 17 3:52 11:07 11:22 6:07 18 4:52 11:37 11:52 6:22 19 — 5:37 6:52 12:22 20 — 6:22 7:07 12:52 21 12:52 6:52 7:22 1:07 22 7:37 1:22 1:37 7:37 23 8:22 1:52 2:07 7:52 24 9:07 2:37 2:22 8:07 25 9:52 3:07 2:37 8:07 26 11:07 3:52 2:37 8:22 27 — 4:37 — 8:07 28 — 5:52 — 6:07 29 — 7:22 — 5:07 30 — 8:37 11:07 5:07

OCTOBER 1 2:22 9:37 11:07 5:07 2 3:37 10:22 11:22 5:22 3 4:37 11:07 11:37 5:37 4 5:22 11:37 12:07 6:07 5 — 6:07 12:22 12:37 6 — 7:07 12:52 6:37 7 7:52 1:07 1:37 7:07 8 8:52 1:52 2:07 7:22 9 9:52 2:37 2:52 7:52 10 11:07 3:22 3:37 8:22 11 — 4:22 1:07 8:37 12 — 5:37 — 3:07 13 — 7:22 12:37 4:07 14 — 8:52 10:22 4:37 15 2:52 9:52 10:52 4:52

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SC dialogue

Meeting people’s needs where they are FIRST RESPONDERS ACT QUICKLY AND SELFLESSLY

MIKE COUICK

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

For 40 years, S.C. WIRE has come to the aid of people in need, and they stand ready to do it again and again.

in responding to the urgent needs of their neighbors. These men and women—whether they wear a badge, carry a hose or drive an ambulance— are whom we depend upon in our most desperate moments. In the electric cooperative world, we view our lineworkers as first responders. Their jobs often require them to leave their homes in the middle of the night to restore power or work long hours in harsh conditions to rebuild lines taken down by a severe storm. But there is another group I liken to first responders. For 40 years, S.C. WIRE (Women Involved in Rural Electrification) has come to the aid of people in need, and they stand ready to do it again and again. Founded in 1981 as a nonprofit organization and the charitable arm of many local electric cooperatives, the organization includes co-op members, employees, wives of employees, co-op retirees, trustees and wives of trustees. Turn to Page 12 for the story of WIRE’s long history of helping South Carolina families and communities. Some of the group’s most durable projects are the ones in which someone calls and says, “We’ve got a problem, and we need your help.” That happened in 2012 when then-Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell contacted the electric cooperatives and asked for help. A long-term care facility was being closed for health and safety reasons, forcing the displacement of its elderly residents to other facilities across the state. These senior citizens were given black garbage bags to pack up their belongings—clothes, toothbrushes, Bibles and family pictures. As they waited for transportation to their next destination, the makeshift luggage was left in a hallway. That day happened to be trash day. By an unfortunate mistake, all of the residents’ possessions, their memories and personal items that helped them maintain their dignity, were thrown away. The bags were at a landfill before anyone noticed. In response, WIRE members from across the state got together and packed 50 duffel bags with more than two dozen personal items like soaps, shampoos and toothbrushes for the residents. They couldn’t replace the most valuable things they’d

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

lost, but they did restore some of that dignity and, in doing so, established a new project called “Co-op Closet.” Since then, WIRE members “value shop” for those personal supplies, including blankets, clothes and toiletries. Each spring, they gather to pack another 50 duffel bags for the S.C. Department on Aging. Now, whenever residents in need must move to another care facility, they are provided one of these duffel bags. In 2017, the women of WIRE took on a similar project they call “Kids Closet,” which works with the state Department of Education to help alleviate a growing problem in our state. Throughout South Carolina, thousands of teens are without a permanent or stable place to live. They often attend their high schools and middle schools without the benefit of the basic essentials their classmates take for granted. WIRE chapters from across the state gather annually to assemble drawstring backpacks filled with soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, feminine hygiene products and laundry detergent. The Department of Education then discretely distributes the bags to youth in need, allowing students to tend to their personal needs no matter where they sleep at night. In recent years, the students who participated in the Cooperative Youth Summit also helped assemble the backpacks during their visit to Columbia. These are just two examples of WIRE meeting the needs of South Carolinians where they are at different ends of the generational spectrum. The chapters at many electric cooperatives across the state also respond to local needs with cannedgoods drives for food banks, meal deliveries to shut-ins and fundraisers for neighbors with unexpected medical bills—just to mention a few of their initiatives. I’m thankful our people are brave enough to protect us from danger and skilled enough to rescue us from disasters. I’m also grateful for WIRE, and all the groups like them, that respond to calls of need from whomever they come.

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SC energy Q&A

Drilling down on cordless tools BY PATRICK KEEGAN AND BRAD THIESSEN

on how to dispose of these batteries properly. We also recommend cordless power tools for a variety of other tasks around the house and in the yard. At the top of our list: String trimmer A string trimmer is a quick way to trim weeds and grass near If you and your walls, bricks and rocks. If spouse enjoy tackyour family uses an old gas ling home projects, trimmer around the yard, it’s rechargeable cordless tools time for a change. Two-stroke are an excellent investment, engines pollute the air and especially when going cordRechargeable tools have a safety advantage in that they help avoid the risk of a require regular maintenance. less gives you greater flexcut cord, which can bring a shocking end to a home project. Electric trimmers are more ibility. A drill, for example, energy efficient and quieter. is something you will move You can find a variety of models between around with and often use outside, so As one of the most-used $50 and $150, and it’s worth paying a a cordless model is much more convepower tools, a power drill little more to get a highly rated model nient. On the other hand, a table saw that will last longer. doesn’t need to be moved repeatedly should be everyone’s first during a home project. Leaf blower Do yourself (and your As one of the most-used power tools, neighbors!) a favor by upgrading to cordless tool. a power drill should be everyone’s first a cordless leaf blower, which is more cordless tool. Using a corded drill can energy efficient, much quieter and less expensive, but they’re gaining popularmean constantly moving the cord around ity because they hold a charge longer. polluting than gas-powered models. furniture, other tools or your own feet, They also have a longer life, but they still Flashlight LED technology is which can be dangerous. Cordless drills degrade over time and may need to be amazing—today’s LED flashlights can are easy to use, and the technology has replaced in about three years. Lithiumproduce 20 times as much light as the improved so they have more power and ion batteries should not be disposed with old incandescent ones. And they come in hold a charge longer. Light-duty drills are trash because they are a fire hazard and a variety of options, from tiny keychain smaller and less powerful, but easy to contain toxic chemicals. Your local waste lights to headlamps to waterproof spotuse for smaller projects. disposal service can provide information lights. A flashlight can usually give better Quality cordless tools are usually light than a cell phone, especially if less expensive if you buy them as part you’re working in a tight space like under of a set instead of one tool at a time. a sink. A flashlight often comes as part And since each line of tools uses a of a cordless tool set, or you can buy a unique battery, you can’t mix and match single unit that recharges using a USB between brands. It may cost less in the port on a charger, a USB wall socket or a long run to buy a cordless starter kit mobile phone battery. with a few helpful tools and a few extra We hope this information helps you batteries, then add tools to the set as choose the right cordless tools for your needed. project. It’s worth buying a reputable brand of cordless tools so you can be confident Send questions to Energy Q&A, South Carolina you will be able to find replacement batLiving, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC A rechargeable flashlight can bring full light into 29033, or email energyqa@scliving.coop. teries. Lithium-ion batteries are more small spaces.

We are about to begin a major home improvement project and are thinking it’s time to get some good recharge‑ able power tools. Is the extra cost of cordless worth the investment?

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O F S Y E C R A VICE G E L A ITS IMPACT IS AS CLOSE AS YOUR HOME Women Involved in Rural wife, Jenny Ballard, provided the nourishand as far-reaching as Washington, D.C. Its for it to flourish. The Ballards were Electrification celebrates ment projects have benefitted terminally ill chilalready known as a philanthropic power 40 years of empowering couple from a prior stint with ECSC in the dren, families in crisis, homebound elderly early 1970s. Upon their return, they immeand many others in between. Its existence co‑op communities has provided opportunities for women and diately encouraged community outreach proven the value of female leaders in the from the women’s group. BY JOSH P. CROTZER cooperative movement. “He and Jenny thrived on projects that For 40 years, Women Involved in Rural Electrification helped others,” recounts Judy Weaver, a member of the ECSC (WIRE) has been supporting South Carolina electric cooperastaff at the time. “They wanted all the cooperatives and partives, their members and the communities they serve. ticularly the women to be involved in things like that.” The seeds of the organization were planted by an out– After formally organizing in March 1981, WIRE got its going general manager of the Electric Cooperatives of South name and apropos acronym from a submission contest in Carolina (ECSC), Bob Bennett, who directed the association South Carolina Living magazine. Submitted by Blue Ridge from 1950–1980. According to Ann Wasson, whose husband, Electric member Lisa Harrison, the name perfectly depicted David, is CEO of Laurens Electric, Bennett wanted a group of the organization’s objective to connect South Carolina coopfemale representatives from each cooperative to spread the eratives to their communities through outreach, information cooperative message in their communities. and grassroots advocacy. “It brought us all together in a way that we recognized who With a name, a logo and bylaws in place by the end of we are as a cooperative family,” says Wasson, the organization’s the first year, WIRE soon began fundraising with quilt, bake first president. “It gave us an opportunity to have a voice.” and craft sales. Some of those funds helped sponsor a new If Bennett did the sowing to sprout the new organization, scholarship for one of South Carolina’s Youth Tourists. That his successor at the statewide association, Al Ballard, and his scholarship—now named the Jenny Ballard Opportunity

p The money raised by Jan Bonnette and other WIRE members from selling Best of Cook’s Corner at fairs and festivals across the state allowed the organization to support education programs, food banks and tornado victims. u WIRE volunteers Angie Bonnette Lindsey, Jan

Bonnette, and Christa Davis work a bank of phones set up at the ECSC headquarters in Cayce for the Palmetto Project, which raised $300,000 for 1989 Hurricane Hugo victims in rural parts of the state.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

JOS H P. CRO T ZER

p Berkeley Electric staff member Patrice Simmons joined other WIRE members on a visit to a local longterm care facility. They brought gifts and sang carols to Frank Crawford and his fellow residents. t WIRE members pack duffel bags with essential

items. The bags are delivered to the S.C. Department on Aging for displaced residents of nursing homes.

which allowed for more involvement from coopScholarship—would evolve to provide financial support for women returning to college. erative members and a greater impact in those South Carolina One of the most successful early WIRE projects communities. was a cookbook featuring member recipes that had “The statewide chapter of WIRE gave strength been published in South Carolina Living. Under the to the local cooperatives to begin their own direction of WIRE president Joan Bruce of Coastal chapter,” Bonnette contends. “Those chapters not Women Involved in Rural Electrification Electric, Best of Cook’s Corner sold 12,500 copies, only did a lot of good in their communities; they leading to the publication of two additional volumes. also created a lot of women leaders.” The nearly $40,000 raised from the cookbook sales allowed Jan Baxter, who retired in 2015 as Palmetto Electric’s WIRE to make an impact across the state. The organization manager of economic development, served as president of sponsored the Governor’s Statewide Rural Development the statewide organization and led one of the first local WIRE Leaders School and the S.C. Food Resources Conference. WIRE chapters. She says her gender was not a professional obstacle also assisted tornado victims, the state literacy program, at Palmetto Electric, but her experience with WIRE provided children’s hospitals and food banks. necessary credibility in her community. Following the success of the cookbooks, WIRE commis“When I took over economic development, I was the only woman in those rooms,” says Baxter. “But they knew about sioned South Carolina artist and Denmark native Jim Harrison WIRE and what we were doing in the community. It absoto commemorate the 50th anniversary of rural electrification with a distinctive farmhouse scene. Sales of those prints lutely was beneficial to me in that role.” raised over $62,000. Although Palmetto Electric’s local chapter was one of In addition to the fundraising and service projects, WIRE the first and fastest to grow—it currently boasts over 200 established itself as a strong grassroots advocacy organization. members—it is certainly not the only one still thriving. WIRE members wrote letters to South Carolina’s congressioChapters at cooperatives across the state are helping their neighbors with college scholarships, donations to local charnal delegation, encouraging their support of crucial issues impacting electric cooperatives and their members. ities and volunteer initiatives. They provide emergency “At the beginning, we fought the stigma of being the assistance to families suffering after house fires or other organization that put pretty flowers on the table,” says Jan catastrophes. Bonnette, an employee of Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative The same can be said about the statewide WIRE organiand a past president of WIRE. “But we proved ourselves to be zation, which has carried out the legacy of a commitment a substantial part of cooperatives, and that political advocacy to community. In addition to the Jenny Ballard Opportunity was a big factor in changing that perception.” Scholarship, WIRE members annually pack bags of personal It didn’t hurt that they were also being noticed beyond hygiene items for homeless teens. They also provide essential the state’s borders. WIRE won three national cooperative products for displaced residents at the state’s long-term care honors in its first seven years of existence. The successes facilities. led to increased membership in the statewide organization “We’re people helping people,” says Peggy Dantzler, ECSC’s and the birth of local chapters throughout the state. During vice president of safety and loss control and the statewide her tenure as president from 1984–85, Bonnette visited local WIRE liaison. “It’s all about service to our co-ops, service to our cooperatives, encouraging them to start their own chapters, members and service to whomever you are trying to help.” SCLIVING.COOP | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC stories

Keeping the faith

The Rev. Charles Jackson He recently celebrated 50 years as pastor of Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia. PATH NOT TAKEN: After graduating from Benedict College with a degree in mathematics, Jackson received a full scholarship to medical school. “I love the sciences,” he says, but a college minister steered him to Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, where he received his Master of Divinity. ALL IN THE FAMILY: Jackson’s son, the Rev. Charles Jackson Jr., is pastor of the New Laurel Street Baptist Church in Columbia. WORDS TO LIVE BY: “I’m happier and more excited in pastoral ministry than I’ve ever been,” Jackson says, even after five decades in the pulpit. “Much of that can be attributed to young pastors. They’ve kept me vibrant and relevant.” FAVORITE SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 3:5–6. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” CLAIM TO FAME:

It’s fitting that one of the Rev. Charles Jackson’s favorite Bible stories is about the boy who gives his lunch of a few fishes and slices of bread to Jesus Christ, who multiplies the offering and feeds thousands. Ever since he was a child, Jackson has been preaching the Gospel to South Carolinians and relying on God to do the rest—like building West Columbia’s Brookland Baptist Church into one of the Midlands’ largest. Jackson got his start presiding over funerals for his neighbors’ dogs and cats. He preached his first sermon when he was just 9 years old. He was licensed to preach a year later and became the pastor at Brookland at 18. “I didn’t choose it. It chose me,” Jackson says of his desire to preach. “Maybe, like Jeremiah, God called me from my mother’s womb.” Jackson’s personal faith journey has not been without challenges. His mother, Ezella Rumph Jackson, died of cancer when he was 16, and her death caused him to question his faith. “I couldn’t understand why God would take my mother, a devout Christian,” he says. “That was very painful. God disappointed me greatly.” He renewed his faith by studying the Book of Job. “Even though Job wrestled and struggled with the inexplicable mystery of God, he never gave up,” Jackson says. “Because he did not give up on God, God did not give up on him.” As he looks back on five decades of ministry, Jackson believes God kept him in West Columbia to raise the next generation of believers and build bridges between those of different races and beliefs. “We have to transcend these barriers that divide us,” Jackson recently told an assembly of 75 high school students representing S.C. electric cooperatives. “And we can do that through love.” —MICHAEL BANKS PHOTO BY MILTON MORRIS

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

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SC recipe

BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

SHRIMP CHILAQUILES SERVES 4

Tex-Mex nificantly dishes differ sig peica ex n cuisine, es from authentic M s. ient Yellow mes to the ingred will cially when it co ingredients you d cumin are not tos rri bu s, cheese, beef an co shell ta oking, and hard e Th . ns io nt find in Mexican co ve ex rein very much Tex-M ed nn ca d and nachos are an ans eat flour, black be list continues: wh x-Mex is quick Te . an xic Te finitely tomatoes are de en to es from the kitch and easy and go ort time. table in a very sh

This Tex-Mex version of migas (crushed tortillas scrambled with eggs, tomatoes, chilis and onions) is made from tortillas briefly simmered in a sauce and topped with cheese, crema and sometimes meat or fish. 12 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into quarters Canola oil Kosher salt 1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined ½ tablespoon ancho chili powder Kosher salt 2½ cups green chili salsa (or red salsa, if preferred) ½ cup queso fresco 1 avocado, diced ¼ cup cilantro leaves, packed

G I N A MOO RE

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat oil over mediumhigh heat. Fry tortilla wedges, working in batches, until lightly browned, about 1½ minutes per side. Quickly remove to drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and let cool. Toss shrimp with ancho chili powder and salt. Arrange half of chips in a large cast-iron skillet and pour ½ cup salsa over chips. Top with remaining chips and 2 cups of salsa. Cover skillet with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove skillet from oven and increase temperature to broil. Remove foil from skillet and arrange shrimp on top of tortilla mixture. Return skillet to oven and broil until shrimp turn pink, 3–5 minutes. Top with queso fresco, avocado and cilantro.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

TEXAS MARGARITAS MAKES ONE MARGARITA

Traditional Mexican margaritas are made with only three ingredients: tequila, lime juice and triple sec. Texas Margaritas include orange juice and sometimes Grand Marnier. 1 ½ ounces tequila (your favorite brand) 1 ½ ounces triple sec 1 ounce lime juice, fresh-squeezed 1 ounce orange juice, fresh-squeezed 1 lime wedge Kosher salt, for rimming Additional lime wedges, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and orange juice. Shake rigorously until shaker is cold. Run the lime wedge around the rim of the glass, then dip the glass rim in salt. Strain the chilled margarita mixture into the glass. Serve with lime wedge over additional ice cubes, if desired. NON-ALCOHOLIC MARGARITAS MAKES 4

½ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice ½ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (or orange juice if preferred) ¼ cup agave nectar (or simple sugar) Club soda Lime wedges

In a small pitcher, mix lime juice, lemon juice and agave nectar. Divide among four glasses filled with ice and top off with club soda. Garnish with lime wedges.

SERVES 8

Chili, as we have come to know and enjoy it, is an American dish with roots in San Antonio, Texas, and cannot be found in Mexico. The uniqueness of Texas chili is that it is made with chunks of beef (not ground), lots of dried, spicy peppers and does not contain beans or tomatoes. Texas chili will be a much thicker consistency than regular chili—more like a stew. 8 dried guajillo chilis, stems and seeds removed 1 dried arbole chili, stems and seeds removed 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds 5 cups beef stock 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed 4 pounds boneless chuck roast, excess fat removed, cut into 1½-inch cubes 2 onions, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons oregano 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon cayenne Kosher salt 1 ½ ounces Mexican chocolate Cheddar cheese, for garnish Sliced jalapenos, for garnish (or sliced scallions)

In a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, toast the chilis, cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups beef stock and simmer for 10 minutes until chilis soften. Cool slightly and add to the bowl of a food processer. Add chipotle peppers and adobo sauce and blend until smooth. Set aside. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil. Brown meat on all sides, working in batches. Remove from pot and keep warm. Add onions and jalapenos to pot and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Pour in remaining stock and stir, scraping bits off bottom of pot. Add beef back to the pot along with the pureed dried chili mixture. Add vinegar, sugar, paprika, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and chocolate. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Serve garnished with cheese and jalapeno slices.

I U LI I A N EDRYGA I LOVA

K A REN H ERM A N N

TEXAS-STYLE CHILI

CHICKEN FAJITAS

ROASTED SALSA ASADA

SERVES 6

MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS

Fajitas originated in West Texas, where Mexican workers were ofttimes paid with meat as partial payment for their services. They subsequently marinated the meat, grilled it, and served it on tortillas.

Salsa asada is simply salsa in which the vegetables are first roasted. Roasting brings out and intensifies the natural flavor of the vegetables.

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless Fajita seasoning 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 yellow onion, sliced 3 bell peppers, cored, seeded and thinly sliced Juice of ½ lime Corn tortillas (or flour) Sour cream Salsa asada (see recipe right) Avocado slices

4 Roma tomatoes, halved 1 small white onion, halved 2 large garlic cloves, with husk 1 large jalapeno pepper, halved with stems and seeds removed* 1 teaspoon kosher salt Juice of one lime 1 chipotle pepper 2 teaspoons adobo sauce 1 handful fresh cilantro

Season chicken generously with fajita seasoning and press into the meat. In a cast-iron skillet or grill pan, heat oil over medium heat. Sear chicken until temperature reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 5–7 minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute onion and peppers 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently. Slice chicken into thin strips and add back into the skillet with the vegetables. Squeeze lime juice over everything and stir together. Serve immediately with tortillas, sour cream, salsa and avocado slices.

Preheat oven broiler. On a large sheet pan lined with foil, arrange tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves and jalapeno, skin side up. Broil until skins are charred, 5–8 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Remove husk from garlic. Place in the bowl of a food processor and add salt, lime juice, chili, adobo sauce and cilantro. Pulse until desired consistency. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week. *For a spicier salsa, do not remove seeds from jalapeno pepper.

SCLIVING.COOP | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC gardener

Dividing bearded irises

SEPTEMBER IN THE GARDEN n Houseplants that have vacationed outside this summer should be brought indoors before nighttime temperatures dip into the 50s. Before moving them, check their leaves carefully for bugs and (especially) insect eggs—both problems waiting to happen inside this winter.

BY L.A. JACKSON

n Tumblin’ autumn leaves are pretty, but they can sure make a big mess in your water garden. An easy way to keep them out of a small backyard pond is to cover the surface with hardware cloth and then use a leaf blower to swoosh fallen foliage off the barrier once or twice a week.

WHETHER LOOKED UPON AS VISUAL

L . A . JACKSO N

Early autumn is the prime time to divide herbaceous peonies such as this pretty Fairfield selection.

TIP OF THE MONTH Early fall is a good time to divide herbaceous (not tree) peonies. Wait until their leaves begin to die back and then carefully dig up the peony tubers. Wash the tubers and use a sharp knife to separate them. For faster maturing divisions, make sure each one cut out has at least four or five pink, bullet-shaped “eyes,” which are potential stems-to-be. Established peonies can put on strong flower shows for 10 years or more before declining in performance. Still, they resent being yanked out of the ground— usually displaying such displeasure by blooming sparsely, if at all, the year after transplanting.

workhorses or fabulous floozies in the summer landscape, bearded irises (Iris germanica) do, indeed, have the colorful blooming spunk to light up a summer garden. However, after a few years of dependable displays, established bearded iris beds can begin to fizzle in the flower power department. What’s wrong? Too little fertilizer? Too dry? Too wet? Try too mature. As with all plants, happy, healthy bearded irises will grow and expand their root bases. This is desirable, of course, but can lead to overcrowding, which will hinder bloom production. The easiest solution is to simply divide bearded irises. Usually done about every four years, it gives you a chance to not only revive these beauties but also share some with gardening friends. And guess what? This month is a good time to do the deed, so roll up those sleeves and get to work! To begin, dig up the iris bed, which is easy because most of it will be close to the soil’s surface. Then, after carefully raising the rhizomes from their underworld lair, wash them and gently pull or, if necessary, cut apart, being careful not to wreck too many roots. Now, hold out your ring finger and compare it to each rhizome, looking for ones that are about as wide with leaf

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

L . A . JACKSO N

Bearded irises like Blue Sapphire can be divided in September for better bloom shows in the future.

blades and roots attached. They have the most potential for strong bloom production. Slightly larger rhizomes will also work, but big ol’ chubby ones are usually past their prime when it comes to delivering impressive flower displays. Rhizomes that are discolored, full of holes or squishy should be discarded. Before replanting, snip the leaf blades back to about six inches long and also cut away any lingering flower stalks. Then, run off to find a sunny garden spot that has well-draining, heavily amended soil. Rhizomes should be planted about a foot apart horizontal to the soil’s surface and just barely below ground— going any deeper could ding future flower production. Set the ’zomes on small mounds of dirt and spread their roots downward into the soil. Since transplanted bearded irises will be working hard to become established this fall, help them along by watering occasionally if the rains don’t cooperate. Next growing season is a transition period, meaning their bloom shows will probably sputter, but be patient, and you will be rewarded with reinvigorated displays in the years to come. L.A. JACKSON is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.

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4th & 5th Grade Students Write and illustrate a story for a chance to win!

Teachers, showcase your students’ knowledge of electricity in South Carolina by applying skills in creative writing, social studies and art.

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FALL &R WINTEEL TRAV E ISSU

B O TA N Y BAY I N A DAY BY HASTINGS HENSEL | PHOTOS BY MIC SMITH

he dirt road leading into Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area has to be the most photographed road in all of South Carolina. It’s a tunnel of moss-bearded live oaks that, when the sun hits them, splotch eggshell patterns of shadow and light onto the ground. You can’t help but stop the car and snap the camera. But if you turn around and venture no further, you’d be missing out on something equally as spectacular and beautiful—more than 4,000 acres of wildlife management area open to the public for free. You can enjoy the views whether you come for bicycling, horseback riding, birdwatching,

Explore an ecological and historical gem in Edisto Island

SCLIVING.COOP | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

beachcombing, car-touring, fishing or old-fashioned nature strolling. “All wildlife management areas are here to manage wildlife. The human aspect is something we incorporate secondary to the way we manage the property,” says Daniel Barrineau, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources biologist in charge of managing Botany Bay. “First and foremost, we have to keep it in the natural state and let the public come and enjoy it for what it is.” Although all tours of Botany Bay are self-guided— a terrific socially distanced activity in which you sign in at the kiosk and drive around with a yellow parking pass—Barrineau and Bess Kellett, volunteer coordinator of the property, have agreed to meet me one morning to show me around. Our first stop is a building known as “the icehouse,” one of the only COOL START The icehouse two surviving buildings from when the property was serves as a gateway into the divided between two cotton plantations named Bleak property’s history and ecology. Hall and Sea Cloud. Like almost everything at Botany Bay, the icehouse serves as a kind of gateway into the property’s rich blend of history and ecology. The foundation is tabby—a mixture of limestone shells, water and sand (“the concrete of the day,” Kellett calls it)—and was designed to keep cool the giant chunks of ice that were brought down from New England. “If you had ice back then,” Barrineau says, “you were somebody.” And these somebodies, the Townsend family that owned the plantations, reputedly grew, using slave labor, the finest cotton fibers in the world—a premier long staple Sea Island cotton that was revered by inspectors. However, it wasn’t until one Dr. James Greenway purchased the property in the 1930s that the name changed to what it is today. According to Kellett, Greenway had been to the famous Botany Bay near Sydney, Australia, and he decided that Bleak Hall as a name was, well, too bleak. The alliterative and pleasant-sounding Botany Bay is a much more suitable designation for a place with such a diverse mix of habitats: maritime forest, pine-oak forest, barrier islands, salt marsh and beach, and such

“ First and foremost, we have to keep it in the natural state and let the public come and enjoy it for what it is.” —DANIEL BARRINEAU, SCDNR BIOLOGIST (ABOVE)

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

a diverse mix of animal species: songbirds, shorebirds, raptors, doves, bobcats, deer, coyotes, quail, turkeys, rabbits and recently introduced fox squirrels. After the icehouse, we drive to Jason’s Lake, stopping atop a human-made dam. In the 1960s, Dr. Greenway sold Botany Bay to hotel magnate John Meyer, a recreational sportsman who willed the property to the state upon his and his wife’s deaths. “To think,” Kellett says, “this could have been Hilton Head or a golf course or something.” “That’s the neat thing about the A.C.E. Basin,” Barrineau adds, referring to the 350,000 acres of estuary created from the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers, of which Botany Bay is a part. “The fact there is so much protected property, we have this here, instead of golf courses and hotels.” These days, Jason’s Lake is open for adult-youth catch-and-release fishing on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. There’s plenty of fish to be caught—redfish, flounder, drum, trout and croakers—and you can launch a nonmotorized boat, like a canoe or kayak, as long as you don’t bring it on a trailer. Our final stop of the day is the property’s most famous location, the major reason why over 70,000 visitors a year come to Botany Bay—the beach. To get there, you SCLIVING.COOP | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

VIEW FROM ABOVE Charleston residents Ellison Thomas, left, and Olivia Bueno take a break in a massive live oak.

GIMME SHELL-TER Bess Kellett, volunteer coordinator for Botany Bay, shows how oyster shells were used in building the icehouse.

“ It’s nice to know it’s being preserved—that no condos are going to be built on it, that the wildlife has a home, and that we can make a difference. Everybody that goes out there gets more out of it than they give.” —BUD SKIDMORE, BOTANY BAY VOLUNTEER

have to walk a half-mile along a boardwalk through the marsh and pass through two hummock islands, but then you arrive at what has been described as a “beachcomber’s paradise.” Although you cannot collect shells or driftwood, this boneyard beach (called so because of wind- and tide-worn “bones” of fallen trees) is captivating. “It’s beautiful,” says Denese Brunson, a Berkeley Electric Cooperative member from Goose Creek who is visiting Botany Bay for the first time with her husband, Stephen. They like to take daytrips to various South Carolina landmarks, and they both agree on one thing: “It’s one of the most exciting places in the state.” Kellett and Barrineau love to hear such praise. Together with around 90 volunteers affectionately known as “grunts,” the Botany Bay staff spend every Tuesday (when Botany Bay is closed to the public) working on repairs and upkeep. They might repair bird boxes, clean up trash, fix roads, build new kiosks and tag butterflies. GET THERE “I’ve been volunteering out there since the day they opened Follow SC-174 to Botany Bay Road in Edisto Island. it,” says Bud Skidmore, a longtime volunteer and native ADMISSION: Free. The area is open for general Edistonian. “It’s a very important part of this island, and it’s nice public visitation during daylight hours (a half-hour to know it’s being preserved—that no condos are going to be before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset). The area built on it, that the wildlife has a home, and that we can make is closed on Tuesdays and for scheduled special a difference. Everybody that goes out there gets more out of it hunts. than they give.” THE RULES: All visitors are required to obtain a dayuse pass at the kiosk located at the main gate off of Finally, Kellett walks me out to something the untrained eye Botany Bay Road. Fig Island is closed to all public might miss. It’s a shell mound ring estimated to be 4,300 years access. Jason’s Lake is open for adult-youth catchold. Kellett tells me that an archaic people, here before even and-release fishing Friday through Sunday. bows and arrows, had a true commerce area on this beach. To protect the natural integrity of Botany Bay: They ate and drank here, and for reasons not fully known, they • No horses or dogs are allowed on the beach. made precise ceremonial rings out of their oyster shells. • No alcohol is allowed inside the wildlife It is immensely profound to see something that has survived management area. • No metal detectors are allowed. for more than four millennia, and you can’t help but think of all • No drones are allowed. the time that has passed—the people, the animals, the weather • No shells, artifacts, driftwood or items can be that have shaped, and been shaped by, this landscape. removed from the property grounds, including the “You can get hung up on the word ‘preserve,’” Barrineau beach. says. “But, obviously, we’re not trying to preserve exactly what’s DETAILS: For more information, contact here. It’s an ever-changing environment. Aesthetics are a big (843) 869-2713 or visit edistobeach.com/botany-bay. thing, but making sure the habitat is here is what’s critical.” 24

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

FA L L & W I N T E R T R AV E L G U I D E

WILLKOMMEN ZUM The 42nd Annual

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October 15-17, 2021

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SCLIVING.COOP | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

DiscoverAikenCounty.com

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Step back In Time

Come experience the cultural history, folklife and unique people that make Pickens County such a special place to visit. • October 15th-16th Ghost Stories, Storytelling Festival & Liar’s Competition • November 19th-20th Native American Celebration-Selugadu • December 18th Celtic Christmas & Market • February 19th, 2022 Deep Winter Blues • March 19th, 2022 Kid’s Fest!!! *Partially funded by ATAX dollars, South Carolina Arts Commission & South Arts

HagoodMillHistoricSite.com SCLIVING.COOP | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

Fold over so “A” meets “B”

5 5 CHAPTER

CHAPTER

Fold over so “A” meets “B”

5 5 5 5 CHAPTER

CHAPTER

She thought, who needs another meaningless gift

when a holiday at the coast wasn’t just a great deal, but it had a novelty that would never wear off?

Worth The Drive Think you know Hickory, North Carolina? Think again.

C R Y S TA LC OA S T N C . O R G

Hickory’s uniquely local vibe of craftsmanship and connectedness is what makes it a welcoming place for residents and visitors alike. In Hickory, the good life isn’t just about having a lot to do – it’s about how to experience it.

 Mas Amor Cantina

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Happy hours on rooftop bars and along the Ale Trail. Celebrated farm-to table dining. Historic tours and island beaches. With no two getaways alike, choose to stray off course.

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 Riverbend Park

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SCLIVING.COOP | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC calendar SEPT 15–OCT 31

Upstate SE P T E M BE R

16–19 Euphoria, downtown,

Greenville. (864) 617‑0231 or info@euphoriagreenville.com. 18 Radiant, Twichell Auditorium at Converse College, Spartanburg. (864) 948‑9020 or music@spartanarts.org. 19–Oct. 31 Disciples Pumpkin Patch, Disciples United Methodist Church, Greenville. (864) 297‑0382 or mydisciples@att.net. 21–25 South Carolina Foothills Heritage Fair, The FARM Center, Seneca. (864) 723‑0698 or melinda.scfhf@gmail.com. 25 Harvest Day Festival, downtown, Inman. (864) 472‑3654. 26 Return to the Green, Fluor Field, Greenville. (864) 525‑8319. 30–Oct. 2 Albino Skunk Music Festival, Skunk Farm, Greer. info@albinoskunk.com. O C TO B E R

1 Cheeky, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 948‑9020 or music@spartanarts.org. 1–2 Greer Arts & Eats Festival, downtown and Greer City Park, Greer. (864) 877‑3131 or info@greerchamber.com. 2 Ridge Runner Corvettes Car Show, Trailblazer Park, Travelers Rest. (309) 721‑1319 or dave.smits@live.com. 2 Lake Jocassee Paddle Splash, Devils Fork State Park, Salem. friendsofjocassee@gmail.com. 2 Spartanburg International Festival & Avenue of Nations, Barnet Park, Spartanburg. (864) 596‑2000. 5–10 Orangeburg County Fair, Orangeburg Fairgrounds, Orangeburg. (803) 534‑0358 or orangeburgfair@gmail.com. 7–10 Fall for Greenville, downtown, Greenville. (864) 235‑5525. 9 Spartanburg Soaring!, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 278‑9678 or jbarksdale@spartanarts.org. 10 Amazing Road Rally, secret race/scavenger hunt course, Spartanburg. (864) 562‑2278 or marisa.cecil@charleslea.org. 11–17 Piedmont Interstate Fair, Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds, Spartanburg. (864) 582‑7042 or piedmontinterstatefair@att.net. 16 Central Railroad Festival, downtown, Central. (864) 654‑1200 or info@centralrrfestival.com.

SCLiving.coop/calendar Our mobile-friendly site lists even more festivals, shows and events. You’ll also find instructions on submitting your event. Please confirm information with the hosting event before attending. 16 Sam Bush Band, Twichell Auditorium at Converse College, Spartanburg. (864) 948‑9020 or music@spartanarts.org. 16 Train Day at the Depot, Hub City Railroad Museum, Spartanburg. (864) 430‑6585 or dwinans4739@charter.net. 23 Dancing with the Carolina Stars, Greenville Convention Center, Greenville. (864) 467‑3660 or dwcs@senioraction.org. 23 Disciples Fall Bazaar, Disciples United Methodist Church, Greenville. (864) 297‑0382 or disciplesumcbazaar@gmail.com. 30–31 Magical, Twichell Auditorium at Converse College, Spartanburg. (864) 948‑9020 or music@spartanarts.org. O NG O ING

Wednesdays through Sept. 29

Greenville Heritage Sound Check Concert Series, Peace Center Amphitheatre, Greenville. Third Thursdays ArtWalk, downtown cultural district, Spartanburg. (864) 542‑2787.

Midlands S E PTE MB E R

16 Medicinal Plant: Blackberry,

Battle of Rivers Bridge State Historic Site, Ehrhardt. (803) 267‑3675 or riversbridge@scprt.com. 17–18 St. Anne International Festival, St. Anne Catholic Church, Rock Hill. (803) 792‑1442. 18 Jubilee: Festival of Black History and Culture, Mann-Simons Site, Columbia. (803) 252‑1770, ext. 36. 18 Williston Crafts & Vendor Event, Town Park Baseball Field, Williston. (803) 300‑0404. 23–25 Raylrode Daze Festivul, downtown, Branchville. (803) 829‑3754 or carriej658@gmail.com. 24 Rock 4 Recovery with Edwin McCain, Icehouse Amphitheater, Lexington. rrobertson@lradac.org. 25 Holistic Wellness Fair, H.O. Weeks Center, Aiken. admin@holisticwellnessfair.org. 25 Take a Child Outside, Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329‑2121.

25–26 Columbia 2021 Stamp and Postcard Show, Spring Valley High School, Columbia. mapostmus@yahoo.com. 26 Coffee & Cake, Battle of Rivers Bridge State Historic Site, Ehrhardt. (803) 267‑3675 or riversbridge@scprt.com. OCTOBER

Second Saturdays The

Edgefield Market, Oakley Park Museum and other venues, Edgefield. (870) 703‑0778 or edgefieldmarket@gmail.com.

Lowcountry SEPTEMBER

14–18 Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival, various venues, Festival, downtown, Winnsboro. Hilton Head. (843) 301‑9256 or (803) 635‑4242 or susanyenner@ info@hiltonheadwineandfood.com. fairfieldcountychamber.com. 16–26 Society of Stranders Fall 2 eSTEAM Sumter, Main Migration, Ocean Drive Beach and Street, Sumter. (803) 418‑0709 or Golf Resort, North Myrtle Beach. info@esteamsumter.com. (803) 984‑4144. 2 Newberry Oktoberfest, 18 Aynor Harvest Hoe‑Down downtown, Newberry. (803) 321‑1015. Festival, Aynor Town Park, Aynor. (843) 358‑1074 or 2 Piedmont Pottery & Pickin’, info@aynorhoedown.com. Historic Brattonsville, McConnells. (803) 684‑2327. 18 Beach Sweep, Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach. (843) 238‑0874. 2–3 Indian Land Fall Festival, McClancy Corporate 18 Crowfieldfest, Middleton Park, Headquarters, Indian Land. Goose Creek. (843) 573‑4758, ext. 101, info@indianlandfallfestival.com. or events@crowfieldhoa.net. 6–9 United States Disc Golf 18 Jazz on Broadway starring Championship, Winthrop Coliseum, Manny Houston, Charleston Music Rock Hill. (803) 366‑5028. Hall, Charleston. (843) 641‑0011 or jazz@charlestonjazz.com. 9 Fall Festival: Taste of the South, Philadelphia United Methodist Church, 18 Lowcountry Splash, Patriots Fort Mill. (803) 548‑0102. Point Naval & Maritime Museum, 9 Summerton Duckfest, downtown, Mount Pleasant. (843) 642‑9232. Summerton. (803) 410‑1067 or 24–26 Atalaya Arts and Crafts duckfestfun@gmail.com. Festival, Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet. (803) 734‑0767. 11–17 Arkhaios Film Festival, virtual event, based in Columbia. 25 Cooper River Bridge info@arkhaiosfilmfestival.org. Run, Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, Charleston. (843) 856‑1949 or 13–24 South Carolina info@bridgerun.com. State Fair, State Fairgrounds, Columbia. (803) 799‑3387 or 25 Irish Italian International geninfo@scstatefair.org. Festival, Main Street, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280‑5570 or 16 Harvest on the Homestead, recreation@nmb.us. Historic Brattonsville, McConnells. (803) 684‑2327. 26 Summerville Italian Feast, 23 A Second Chance Animal Shelter Hutchinson Square, Summerville. summervilleitalianfeast@gmail.com. Charity Golf Classic, The Players Course at Wyboo Golf Club, Manning. (803) 460‑0878 or asheltercc@ftc-i.net. OCTOBER 1–2 Gopher Hill Festival, 23 2021 Walk for Life and downtown, Ridgeland. Famously Hot Pink Half (843) 258‑4008. Marathon and 5K, Segra Park, 2 Goose Creek Fall Festival, Columbia. (803) 434‑2898 or Marguerite H. Brown Municipal Center, walkforlife@prismahealth.org. Goose Creek. (843) 569‑4242 or acarter@cityofgoosecreek.com. ONGOING Saturdays until Oct. 2 Fairfield 2 Isle of Palms Connector Run and Farmers and Artisans Market, Walk for the Child, intersection of J.C. downtown, Winnsboro. (803) 369‑1078 Long Boulevard and Palm Boulevard, or fairfieldfarmersandartisansmkt@ Isle of Palms. (843) 886‑8294 or gmail.com. illusionsltd@comcast.net. 1–2 Rock Around the Clock

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

2 Virtual Performance: Jazz on Broadway starring Manny Houston, virtual event, based in Charleston. (843) 641‑0011 or jazz@charlestonjazz.com. 2 Wild Side, Kaminski House, Georgetown. (843) 527‑0078 or alison@scelp.org. 7–9, 13–16, 21–23 Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art, The Reserve Golf Club, Pawleys Island. (843) 626‑8911 or info@pawleysmusic.com. 8–10 Charleston Greek Festival, The Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, Charleston. (843) 577‑2063 or info@charlestongreekfestival.com. 8–10 Flowertown Festival, downtown, Summerville. (843) 871‑9622 ext.102, or kimh@summervilleymca.org. 9 Charleston Beer Fest, Riverfront Park, North Charleston. maryann@theeventcooperative.com. 9 Kingstree Pig Pickin’ Festival, downtown, Kingstree. (843) 372‑8846. 9 Panting for Paws 5K, Fitness World Gym, Darlington. (843) 598‑1532 or lisalavega@hotmail.com. 9–10 Little River ShrimpFest, Historic Little River Waterfront, Little River. (843) 249‑6604 or info@littleriverchamber.org. 16 The Art of Indigo Dyeing Fall Session, Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, Ridgeland. (843) 284‑9227 or info@morrisheritagecenter.org. 16 Loris Bog-Off Festival, downtown, Loris. (843) 756‑6030 or lorischamberofcommerce@gmail.com. 23 Groovin’ High: A Tribute to Dizzy Gillespie, featuring Jon Faddis, Charleston Music Hall, Charleston. (843) 641‑0011 or jazz@charlestonjazz.com. ONGOING

Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 30 St. Phillips Island

Excursion, Pier Nature Center at Hunting Island State Park, Hunting Island. (843) 838‑2011. Wednesdays Arts & Crafts Market, Bay Creek Park, Edisto Island. (843) 869‑3867. Wednesdays, Oct. 13–Nov. 3

Master Garden Series, various locations, Charleston. (843) 405‑1050. Thursdays, Oct. 7–Nov. 4 Master Architecture Series, multiple historic homes, Charleston. (843) 405‑1050. First Thursdays through December First Thursdays Gullah

Spirituals (part of the Festival of Houses and Gardens Live Like a Local event series), Unitarian Church, Charleston. (843) 722‑3405 or (843) 723‑1623.

Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 8– Nov. 6 Piazzas and Gardens

Tours, Old Historic District, Charleston. (843) 405‑1050.

SC humor me

Refrigerator buyers, start your engines BY JAN A. IGOE

You’ve probably noticed that everyone north of Virginia is moving here, so home prices are skyrocketing. I want to be ready just in case some homeless New Yorker comes knocking. A realtor friend suggested (strongly) that my “vintage” kitchen needs sprucing up. If it weren’t for the coffeepot, I wouldn’t need a kitchen, but buyers are fussy. They aren’t olive green, but my appliances aren’t gracing the cover of House Beautiful, either. The small, stingy fridge was manufactured in ancient times when they were expected to outlive elephants. No ice maker. No filtered water. Basically, it’s a chilly box with a vegetable drawer. Today’s home buyers expect 36-inch monsters with lots of fancy doors, preferably French. It was summer sale time, so I went hunting. My old box barely qualifies as a fridge these days. When these new refrigerator doors swing open, it’s like opening night on Broadway and your potato salad is the star of the show. Once you experience that thrill, you’ll never be able to store pickles in a no-frills rectangle again. Of course, every fridge in my price range was out of stock. I was ready to quit when I spotted a lonely Whirlpool on sale at half-price with every tantalizing feature imaginable. It was gorgeous but marred by a microscopic dent. No one who keeps 37 magnets on her fridge is going to let that stop her. It was love at first sight, so I raced to the sales associate to claim it. Her: “You’ll have to get it off the floor immediately.” Me: “I’d like it delivered.” 38

When these new refrigerator doors swing open, it’s like opening night on Broadway and your potato salad is the star of the show. Her: “We don’t deliver damaged goods. Cash and carry, only. Bring your truck.” Me: “Well, let me pay for it …” Her: “No payment until your truck is parked outside, ready to go. Store policy.” Me: “Dumb store policy.” I offered to strap it on my back and drag it home, but they wanted a truck at the front entrance before cash changed hands. Something seemed off, so I checked with another associate and two different managers, begging them to take my money, my firstborn, and maybe a dog, but no. “It’s store policy.”

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2021 | SCLIVING.COOP

Tropical Storm Elsa was hitting the beach about the same time I went searching for movers. It probably took me 30 calls to find one. Truck drivers are reluctant to deliver refrigerators when roads are flooding, but one finally took pity on me. We hurried back to the store to bring my fridge home, but the price tag was gone. A “Sold” sticker had taken its place. I was devastated. And upset. My inner volcano erupted, spewing molten lava in every direction. People were fleeing like I was Sissy Spacek destroying the prom in Carrie. Whether you live in the Pee Dee or upstate, you probably heard me. “Let’s see the truck that’s moving that fridge,” I yelled. The associate seemed bewildered. “What truck?” she asked. “We deliver.” None of the reasons they refused to do that for me made any sense, so I treated several managers to Hurricane Jan. My mover even chimed in. I made a lot of noise that I’m not proud of. Justified, yes. Proud, no. Back at home, sipping coffee in my vintage kitchen and watching the “other” storm, I couldn’t look my old, reliable fridge in the icebox. It couldn’t possibly know that I’d strayed, but I swear it seemed colder. JAN A. IGOE advises anyone shopping for major appliances to bring a truck and a couple of powerlifters along in case you find a good deal. Theoretically, you could also whack the one you like with a hammer. (Just kidding.) Join us at HumorMe@SCLiving.coop any time.

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