Azalea Magazine Fall 2011 by AZALEA Magazine

THE TALES OF A HAUNTED SUMMERVILLE

FREE ~ FALL 2011

Mode r n Living in the Old South ~ Summe r villeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magazine

the beautiful mind of

FERN MICHAELS NY Times Best Selling Author Opens Up About Her Family, Books and the South Plus: Lowcountry Coastal Birding / New Column: Patchwork Of The South A Family Of Coffee Roasters / The Collins Welcome Us Into Their Home Horses & Hollywood / Mary Alice Monroe: The Literary Note

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/ CONTENTS

7 Editor’s Letter 10 Contributors 10 Letters

13 SOUTHERN LIFE 13 Southern Spotlight - Family 14 Southern Spotlight - Design 16 Southern Spotlight - Industry

21 Patchwork Of The South by Michelle Lewis 24 Southern Spotlight - Author 27 The Literary Note by Mary Alice Monroe 30 Taste

BEYOND BUTTER: Local Chefs Offer A Twist On The Biscuit

38 Faith DADDY DATES How to ensure that my little girl doesn’t fall in love with a loser by Will Browning

45 SOUTHERN STYLE 45 CALLING ON THE COLLINS’

Our new mayor and his wife show us around their Sumter Ave. home

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Researchers have identified 19 different types of smiles. We think they missed one...

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/ FEATURES

54 Wild Wings

Ponds and swamps near Summerville are alive with an array of coastal bird species

62 The Mane Character

The story of how a Carolina cowboy blended horses & Hollywood by Jenny Fisher

68 Haunted Summerville

80 Seasonal Calendar 83 Kid’s Meal Deals

76 The Beautiful Mind Of Fern Michaels

84-85 For the Cause

Tales of mysteries and the unexplained stories collected by Katie DePoppe

NY Times Bestselling Author Opens Up About Her Books, Family & the South by Katie DePoppe

Summerville DREAM’s Red, White and Blue on the Green

88 Last Call

ON THE COVER: NY Times Best Selling Author Fern Michaels at her Summerville Home / Photography by Dottie Langley Rizzo AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ EDITOR’S LETTER

Wisdom From An Old Dog I recently lost a dog. It was a lot harder than I would have ever expected. I have always been an animal person, an animal person that thinks animals should be treated like animals. I am not going to dress up my pet for a day of shopping. I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with that, but I’m not the type to stroll down Main Street with my a dog in a sweater vest. A few weeks ago Ruby, our boxer-bulldog mix woke us up in the middle of the night. She had fallen off of the couch. Her breathing was labored and she was unable to stand. She had had a seizure. We took her to the emergency vet and the diagnosis was not good. We decided it was time to let her go. We had found Ruby at the SPCA. She was full of heart worms and a was breed prone to have joint problems, but I couldn’t leave without her. She turned out to be the most gentle, loving pet I have ever had, but she was still a pet. She wasn’t allowed on the bed, and there were no lunch dates for me and my dog. Suddenly, I find myself in a small exam room with my pet of ten years on a gurney, unable to move. We have to say our goodbyes. My wife and kids hug her for a while, staining her coat with tears. I’m the man, the one who needs to be strong for my emotionally sensitive family. We make our way towards the door, when Ruby musters up enough strength to lift her head. She turns and looks me straight in the eye. I feel a lump welling up in my throat. This cannot be happening. She’s a dog. A wonderful dog, but still a dog. I send my family off to the car and shut the door behind them. As I run my hand down her back I lose it. I not talking about “sad movie” tears here, I am sobbing like a baby. Then it hits me. Ruby was more than just a dog, she was part of the family. A few days after we put Ruby down. We added a new member to the family. Bunny is a one and a half pound Yorkie that has brought us a lot of laughter during a tough time. I will probably never invest in a wardrobe for my dog, but at least I now understand why some people do [my wife already has]. Now that I’ve poured my heart out about losing my dog, what does this really have to do with anything? With Azalea Magazine? With Summerville or the Lowcountry? One of the things I’ve learned through publishing Azalea is that life is special. The simple things are special. The things that we take forgranted. We feature stories about people who live their lives to the fullest. People who follow their dreams. We partner with businesses and shop owners who work hard and are helping shape our culture. Maybe you have a dream of writing a novel. Maybe there is a little shop downtown that you love, but haven’t had time to stop by in a while. Maybe you just need to carve out some more time with your family. You’ve heard the saying, “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” Stop for a second and take inventory. Life is a special thing. And it’s even better when you’re clear on what it is that you have, while you have it.

Will Rizzo Editor-In-Chief AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Will Rizzo Co-Publisher and Editor will@azaleamag.com Dottie Langley Rizzo Co-Publisher and Managing Editor dottie@azaleamag.com Sales Representative Jenefer Hinson jenefer@azaleamag.com 843.729.9669

ISSUES WINTER Dec.-Feb. SPRING March-May SUMMER June-Aug. FALL Sept.-Nov.

Azalea Magazine 119 W. Luke Avenue Summerville, SC 29483 info@azaleamag.com www.azaleamag.com

Grab A Copy We can be found at many locations throughout the area. Visit www.azaleamag.com for a complete list.

Subscribe *Available for $13.99 a year (4 Issues). Visit azaleamag.com for details.

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ CONTRIBUTORS

Mary Alice Monroe / author Mary Alice Monroe is an award-winning and bestselling author known for writing novels that explore compelling parallels between nature and human nature.

Katie DePoppe / writer Katie DePoppe is an awardwinning freelance writer. She lives in historic Summerville with her husband Ryan, their son Maxwell, and their three dogs--Oliver, Atticus, and Poe. katie.depoppe@gmail.com

Jenny Fisher / writer

Dottie Rizzo / photographer Dottie Langley Rizzo, a lifelong Summervillian and Greenwave alum, lives with her husband Will, and her children Paris and Davison. dottie@azaleamag.com

Michelle Lewis / writer Michelle is a mother of two. Currently pursuing a career in children’s literature, she has learned that being called childish may not be such a bad thing after all.

Jenny Fisher is an awardwinning journalist formerly seen on Channel 2 (NBC). She is the “mom” of three furry kids, one dog and two cats, all of which were shelter animals. When she’s not covered in fur, she enjoys meeting and writing about interesting people...and of course, animals!

Will Browning / writer and pastor Will is the Teaching Pastor at a new modern church in Summerville, The Journey Church. He is the father of three kids and is married to his college sweetheart, Tarah. Will is an avid sports fan, a voracious reader, and a coach for young leaders. willsjourney@gmail.com

/ LETTERS COVER TO COVER Just saw your magazine at my in-law’s house the other day! I sat and read the entire magazine from cover to cover. GREAT JOB! -Melissa Hudson Wagner Summerville MY COPY I picked up my copy at First National Bank today. I really enjoy the magazine, great job! - Gary Eaton Summerville

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

SOUTHERN LIVING IN SUMMERVILLE! I wanted to write a note expressing my love of Summerville and the Azalea Magazine! My dear friend, Diane Jernigan, has been sending your magazine to me in Arizona ever since it was first published. I love looking through the pages and reading the articles. Thank you for a magazine that transports me to Southern living in Summerville! - Debbi Steinberg Arizona

CREATIVE VISION We are excited for the new website and the latest edition of the magazine. This husband wife team are amazing. The balance of great photography with creative vision creates an asset to the Summerville area. -Brad Mallett Summerville

/ LETTERS

ENJOYED THE ARTICLE Just thought I would drop you a note. I read your article in your magazine about B&O Surfboards and your personal experience with surfing. I thoroughly enjoyed the article. I am also an avid fisherman, so the article on kayak fishing also caught my attention as well as the blog on your website “The Redfish Chronicles.” Keep your nose out of the water and watch out for drop-ins. - Rick Dunbar Summerville

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PRAISE FOR DEPOPPE Azalea, I was fortunate to have been, still am, one of the four researchers working to bring The Citadel flag, Big Red, home to South Carolina. Reading the magnificent article Mrs. DePoppe wrote was a joy–she wrote a compelling piece in a short space, and had everything factually correct!! For what it is worth, my compliments and congratulations to a journalist who took pride in writing the narrative. She reflects great credit upon herself and Azalea Magazine. - Ted “Tex” Curtis Hilton Head, SC

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AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

RECOVER THE FLAG I am a Citadel Graduate and I just read your wonderful article about Big Red!!! I was a member of the Citadel Historical Council and helped write the Big Red Report and others to recover the flag from Iowa. I am mentioned in the article and would love a few copies of the article. - Andrew Kullberg Canyon Lake, TX WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We welcome your letters and comments. Email letters to info@ azaleamag.com. Emails should include full contact info. We reserve the right to edit letters for legibility and length.

LIFE S O U T H E R N

SOUTHERNSPOTLIGHT The Messervy Boys (Family)

A Summerville Tradition And it comes with a free lollipop

This summer, the Messervy family continued a family tradition as they documented the first hair cut of James “Hoby” Messervy III, son of James “JJ” Messervy Jr. and Beth Messervy. “JJ found the picture of his first hair cut at Simmons Barber Shop, and we’re going to try and recreate it,” wrote Beth. The Messervy boys have been patrons of Simmons Barber Shop for literally generations. JJ’s father had his hair cut there for the first time in 1949 at the age of three. Dr. Tom Messervy, JJ’s grandfather, was also a frequent customer. Mr. Lacy Simmons opened Simmons Barber Shop in 1950. For the last 61years, the tradition has continued with Romie and J.L., Lacy’s sons, running the place. ( J.L. has worked part-time at the shop since 1950.) Romie took over full-time in 1965, four years after the building that houses the shop on North Main Street was constructed. Top: JJ Messervy’s first hair cut, December 1982. Top row, left to right: Charles Thomas (maternal grandfather), James Messervy, Dr. Tom Messervy (paternal grandfather) Bottom: James “JJ” Messervy Jr. Middle: Hoby Messervy’s first hair cut, June 2011. Top row, left to right: Perry Green (maternal grandfather), James “JJ” Messervy Jr., James Messervy (paternal grandfather) Bottom: James “Hoby” Messervy III Bottom: Hoby Messervy enjoys his first hair cut at the still-steady hands of Romie Simmons. If you would like to share your own Summerville family traditions or memories, please email will@azaleamag.com. Publication is based on space constraints. We cannot guarantee all stories will be published.

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Spotlight

Furniture Designer Jason Elam with a few of his original pieces.

SOUTHERNSPOTLIGHT Jason Elam (Furniture Designer)

Designer Steel Local designer is bringing steel in vouge by Koryn Van Dyke

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

When I met Jason Elam he was standing by his truck in a pair of solid boots, Levi’s, and a white t-shirt. He shook my hand firmly and looked me in the eye with the kind of hospitality you only find from a Southern country-boy. After working as a steelworker for ten years, Elam decided to brave the competitive world of design. This career shift started at the request of his mom who wanted some original furniture pieces with a modern esthetic. As his popularity grew, Elam moved his focus to designing furniture full time. He now has pieces in nearly all of the Stella Nova salons and is busy creating custom pieces for other clients. Jason has not embarked on this journey alone. His wife has been there to support him from the start. When asked how to spell his wife’s name he lifted his right hand. I could see ADRIENNE tattooed across his wrist. With his tight-knit foundation Elam has been able to explore his style and grow as an artist over the past three years.

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If asked, Elam would deny his status as an artist. However, he creates everything from his own personal inspiration. “I look at other designer’s work for inspiration, but I never copy,” Elam says. “Every piece is one of a kind.” One piece that stands out is a white powder-coated couch. “There is no fluff to this piece” Elam says. “It’s cold steel.” When his mom saw it she had to have it, and for quite a steal. “I couldn’t charge my mama,” Elam says with a slight grin. “I gave her hell growing up. She raised three boys and I’ll do whatever I can for her.” Jason Elam is an up-and-coming furniture designer and a true southern gentleman, with great deal of respect for his community, his wife, and of course, his mama. You can f ind Elam originals at his website: rockysteel.com AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Spotlight

This Page: The Mallett family their cherished coffee roaster Opposite Page: Brad shows the effort that goes into a great cup of coffee

SOUTHERNSPOTLIGHT Coastal Coffee (Industry)

Fresh Roast

A family brings their passion for life and good coffee down South

by Koryn Van Dyke

Brad and Jacki Mallett uprooted their family of six from New York and moved to Summerville to set up Coastal Coffee Roasters, with their goal being to roast the best coffee 18

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

possible. As Brad sees it, “life is too short to drink a bad cup of coffee.” When I arrived at Coastal Coffee Roasters wholesale house, I found

Photo by Chrys Rynearson Photo by Chrys Rynearson

Turn the heads of neighbors and small woodland animals.

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AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Spotlight Brad buzzing around giving a tour in his unique passionate style. His hands talked with his mouth as he explained the roasting process and showed a visitor their variety of beans. The green beans from places like Peru and El Salvador are all single-source and will soon go through the roaster, creating a wonderful bag of coffee. Brad believes in the excellence of what he and his family are doing. He has a special way of infecting others with his passion. As I waited for Brad’s wife, Jacki, to arrive I sipped on a cold pressed iced coffee. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted. CCR’s cold pressed coffee goes through a 24 hour brewing process. One sip left my tough fully engaged with the swirling flavors of the beans and the country they came from.There was no need to add any sugar. The chocolate notes combined with superb freshness created a cup of coffee with no bitterness. Jacki arrived as I was discovering all of this. She told me of her love for the area, even the humidity. “Summerville is a smalltown that has everything,” she says. Jacki spoke of the family’s dream of opening a café that would offer locals a place to enjoy each other’s company as well as the highest quality products. Her personal vision is to help support female farmers. She and Brad try to stay as close to the coffee producers as possible so that the money goes to the community and not to some

middleman. Their passion for community goes to the very core of who they are and affects each decision they make. They moved down last July and turned down offers for locations until they found one in the heart of Summerville. Throughout the week they sell coffee beans, cups of coffee, iced coffee, and mochaccinos made with rich organic chocolate milk. If you stop by the wholesale house you will feel welcomed by Brad and Jacki or possibly their helpful children Richard, Rachel, and Ryan. From painting to roasting and selling coffee, the kids help out in every way possible. Their business is truly a family affair. When Brad finished up with the other visitor he sat on the armrest beside Jacki and put his hand around her shoulder. Their bond was evident as they spoke of their shared belief that everything happens for a reason. They shared stories of chance meetings with people that opened doors and created new opportunities. The Mallett’s dream for the future of the business are continually changing, but their commitment to Summerville is secure. A Their wholesale space is located on 108 East 3rd North Street. Coastal Coffee Roaster Beans are also served in Summerville at Single Smile Café, The Perfect Wife, Summerville’s Famer’s Market and in Charleston at the Remedy Market and Kudu Café and are available for purchase at Mr. K’s Piggly Wiggly.0

•Football fever brings thousands out to root for the Green Wave, Patriots, Swamp Foxes, and Panthers. •The Flowertown Players offer performances of the adult musical The Rocky Horror Show at The James Dean Theater on S. Main Street this October. •The Farmers’ Market is a popular gathering spot for local produce, baked goods and jellies and jams on Saturday mornings. Located in the parking lot of First Citizens Bank behind Town Hall. •The Summerville Community Orchestra will perform at a 10th Anniversary 9/11 Memorial Concert at Summerville Baptist Church on Sept. 10th honoring our first responders. •Come see our “Scarecrows on the Square” Oct. 22 through Nov. 5.

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

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/ PATCHWORK OF THE SOUTH by Michelle Lewis

In The Hands Of Summerville Sometimes Life Calls For A Leap Of Faith

Tent. Check. Peanut butter. Check. Lighter. Check. The car was packed with a week’s worth of clothes and ten tons of hope. I didn’t know where I would sleep, but I knew where to shower. After driving nearly four hours I finally reached the outer edge of Summerville. The sky was still slightly aglow. That gave me enough time to search out a place to spend the night. Finding a trail through the woods, I trespassed onto the paper company’s property. I held my breath and said a silent prayer while mud pulled at my tires. Please don’t let me get stuck here. I certainly didn’t want any glitches before my first day of work. I drove down the two-path road until I felt safely tucked away, hidden from prying eyes. I grabbed my blanket. Shut off the headlights. I can do this. But as the darkness deepened, so too did my fear. Even though the doors were locked, I couldn’t quite bring myself to close my eyes. What if someone found me? No one would even hear me scream. Feeling entirely too vulnerable, I turned the key and drove into town. I needed a place with street lamps.

I needed to find the light. Perhaps it’s a bit unusual to go to such desperate lengths to acquire a new life. But desperate is exactly what I was. During the past year, I had watched aghast as my life fell into shambles around my feet. Divorce was followed by several months of unemployment. Humiliated, dismayed and frightened, I soon found myself running on fumes. Yet in the midst of turmoil I clung to the knowledge that I would find a way to rebuild. I began plotting my escape. Snatching up my rose-colored glasses I glued them to my face. There was no way I’d entertain the notion of failure. Inch by inch I made my way toward freedom. Toward joy. Toward the next chapter. When I landed a job I knew I had finally grasped the tiny thread of a fresh start. I held on with both hands. Somehow, some way, I would make this city my home. Traffic was sparse the first evening I rolled into town. I browsed around, seeking a safe, private, well-lit parking place. Windshield shopping. Searching for prime real-estate. I tried to settle behind AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ PATCHWORK OF THE SOUTH by Michelle Lewis a couple different restaurants, but I didn’t care for the dumpsters that always accompanied them. Spying a patch of asphalt with a nice blend of privacy and light, I thought I had found the perfect spot. But it turned out to be a funeral home. And dead people frighten me even more than those alive. I continued to test the streets of downtown Summerville, finally settling on a luminous, spacious lot surrounded by a white fence. It happened to be the very place where I had planned to get a shower each day. Serendipity! I hunkered down in the backseat and slept soundly, in spite of the February weather.

When a car pulled alongside mine I quickly yanked my blanket over my head and tried not to breathe.

It was 4:45 in the morning when a car pulled alongside mine. I yanked my blanket over my head and tried not be breathe. I was afraid I was either in trouble or in danger. But after several minutes I gathered my courage and peeked out. I noted the car next to me, then realized that I was surrounded by cars. That’s when I learned that the YMCA opens at five AM. They should really warn us newcomers about such things. I crawled from the backseat, rubbed my eyes and stumbled inside. “Hey, I’m Michelle. I called from Georgia. You said I could get a shower here.” I cashed in my one week free trial. After washing my hair and scrubbing between my toes, I turned to leave. But instead I was stopped and invited to hang out. In hindsight, I see that the YMCA was the cornerstone of my new life in Summerville. I became a fixture there, thumbing through magazines in the evening; soaking up the warmth ‘till closing time. In the mornings I could be found relishing the company of the older men who congregated for coffee and conversation. Friendships soon began to bloom. It was during that first week that I met Randi. She described our eclectic gathering as the Coffee Klastch. Immediately taking me under her wing, she gave me shelter, sisterhood, laughter, and heaps of sarcasm. If it weren’t for her, I would never have been able to stay because she welcomed not only me but my children as well. We all lived as a happy circus, my family and hers. “No expiration date,” she always told me. But as I began to get my feet on the ground, I knew it was time for me to move on to the next step. Once again, my help comes from the YMCA. A man takes a seat nearby, settles back, flips open a newspaper and without even looking at me he says “So, what’s your story? I hear people talking about you.” That man is now my landlord. I still have a ways to go before I’m completely settled, but I’m getting closer every day. Summerville has held my hand in many ways. If I were to list all the times I have been supported and reassured it would fill this entire magazine. When I’ve needed help this city has been quick to rise to the occasion. I’ve been welcomed, encouraged and absolutely showered with generosity. It’s almost as if Summerville were waiting for me. All I had to do was show up. A 24

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

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/ SOUTHERN LIFE Spotlight

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

SOUTHERNSPOTLIGHT Susan Chellis (Author)

Table Talk Local author publishes first novel by Koryn Van Dyke

Some writers take a lifetime to hone their craft. Others are born overnight. Susan Chellis is among the latter group. She started writing while her husband was away building their mountain home in North Carolina. Most nights while he was gone she would wake up and turn on all the lights. To keep her mind off of his absence she began writing a story. She wrote over a 6-9 month period until finally she had written her first book: “The Kitchen Table.” According to Chellis, her Irish Grandmother and Mother inspired the novel. They shared everything around the kitchen table. It was the centerpiece for their social lives. “The Irish are great storytellers,” Chellis says. “They are stubborn, but they also carry an inner strength that sustains them through hard times.” It was important for her to highlight the importance of this inner strength in her novel. Chellis also drew from her husband’s forgiving attitude when looking for resolution for the characters in the novel. “Stephen lets things go and doesn’t hold onto them,” Chellis says. Chellis’s novel weaves the lives of three characters together. “I get bored reading the typical boy meets girl story,” Chellis says. This is why she chose to provide the reader with three stories in one. Each story line tackles traumatic issues. A year after completion of “The Kitchen Table,” it was picked by a publisher. While Susan was going through the editing process she remained firm and stayed true to the South. Her book has been so widely received that it has been released on Nook and Kindle. What began as a distraction has turned into Susan’s passion. She looks forward to the possibility of speaking to book clubs, and is currently working on her next novel, “The Four Poster Bed.” If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Kitchen Table you can find it at Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, or you could request it at your local bookstore. Susan Chellis will have a book signing at Main Street Antiques in Summerville on September 9, 2011 from 7:00pm-9:00 pm. Opposite page: Chellis at her kitchen table

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

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/ THE LITERARY NOTE by Mary Alice Monroe

The Sacred Journey Of Instinct How Summerville can be transformed into a haven for migrating monarch butterflies Their vibrant orange and black delicate wings catch everyone’s

attention. When one flutters by, someone nearby cheerfully ex-

part of the southern coastal migration path. We see the bulk

of these fragile migrants in large numbers in September and

claims “Look, a butterfly!”

October, mingling with our fall burst of flowers.

Hopefully you’ve noticed a number of monarchs sipping nectar

Think for a moment how fascinating this fragile creature is. It

terfly bush. August begins the monarch migration season—an

miles like a bird or a whale. But unlike a bird or a whale, it isn’t

from flowers in your yard, or clustered on a bottlebrush or but-

is the only butterfly—the only insect--to migrate thousands of

annual phenomenon in nature that happens every autumn when

the same butterfly that makes the round trip. It is the fourth

miles from Canada and the northern United States, to travel

great-great grandchild embarking on a journey to a place he or

grounds in central Mexico. The Lowcountry is an important

in his DNA.

millions of monarchs fly more than two thousand borderless south across our great country, to reach their overwintering

generation monarch that returns to Mexico! That’s like your

she has never been before using directions passed down to him AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

I’ve always had an affinity for butterflies. Who doesn’t love a butterfly? I call them joy with wings. Yet when I learned about this sacred journey of instinct I was filled with profound admiration for this seemingly fragile creature’s courage. I packed my bag and journeyed to the monarch sanctuaries in Michoacán, Mexico. Traveling with a group of intrepid adventurers, we made our way up the remote mountains of central Mexico, riding skinny little horses some 9 to 11000 feet high along narrow trails to reach the sanctuaries. Once the clouds parted and the sun broke through there was a sudden burst of color as millions of monarchs took to wing, dancing in the sky like orange confetti. Tears streamed down my face. I remember thinking this is what heaven must feel like. At that moment I knew that I had to bring my readers to this place, to this moment, to this feeling of hope and joy. The phenomenal migration, its centuries-old symbolism of transformation, and the folklore of the butterfly were keystones in my decision to make monarchs the backdrop of my new novel, The Butterfly’s Daughter. I had so many themes, metaphors, and myths to work with as I developed colorful characters whose journeys mirrored that of the butterfly. Each woman, young and old, was compelled by unique backgrounds and life events to join my heroine on this powerful, sometimes painful, sometimes hilarious journey of transformation and love. A part of my research for this novel included raising monarchs. I searched for the tiny, pearlescent eggs on the leaves of milkweed 30

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

plants in my garden then brought them to my screened porch where I raised the fast-growing, ravenous caterpillars in old aquariums. I marveled as I watched the caterpillar wander off alone to form the spectacular jade green chrysalis. And finally, I woke at dawn each morning to watch in awe as the butterfly emerged, gradually filling out its wings to large, showy orange and black pattern we so readily recognize. Only by witnessing this process again and again did I fully appreciate the profound power of metamorphosis and understand at a personal level why so many religions and cultures around the world use the butterfly and metamorphosis as a symbol for transformation, change and the power of hope. Watching the lowly caterpillar’s brave journey to chrysalis, twisting and writhing as it faced the darkness, I understood that it isn’t the beauty of the butterfly that was the miracle. It was the faith and courage of the butterfly that was the true marvel. This hope for transformation lies at the heart of my novel The Butterfly’s Daughter. Each of my characters must face their demons and transform. Their chrysalis is an old, clunky orange Volkswagen bug. Their journey is a road trip that mirrors the monarch butterfly’s migration. If you have wondered why you haven’t been seeing many monarchs these days, it is because their habitat is rapidly disappearing. The abundance of their host plant, Asclepius—commonly known as milkweed--and nectar flowers and plants that sustain

them and other pollinators are being destroyed by development, insecticides, and genetically modified crops. Milkweed is the only plant upon which a monarch will lay her eggs and is the sole food source for the caterpillars. My research prompted me to giveaway 10,000 milkweed seeds. I’ve been moved by the large number of readers of The Butterfly’s Daughter who have responded and are making a difference in their own back yards. You can be a part of the effort to bring back the monarchs by planting milkweed in your own garden. Add your favorite flowers. It doesn’t have to be a large, fancy design. Just a sunny corner will do. Then next year you might be amazed at how many more monarchs and other butterflies you’ll see in your yard. How fitting for the “Flowertown in the Pines” to be transformed into a haven for migrating monarchs! Mary Alice Monroe is an award-winning and bestselling environmentalfiction author known for writing novels that explore compelling parallels

between nature and human nature. She lives with her husband on the Isle of Palms. The Butterfly’s Daughter will be released in paperback in April followed by the release of her new novel in May 2012. A

To request a free milkweed seed packet, visit www.maryalicemonroe.com. Opposite page: Monroe with one of her monarchs Left: Monroe’s latest novel “The Butterfly’s Daughter”

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THE BISCUIT

BEYOND BUTTER 5 Local Chefs Show Us What’s Possible With This Classic Southern Favorite Photography by Dottie Langley Rizzo

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Taste / TASTE

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Taste

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

THE CHEF

SEAN P. DIEHL

Woodlands Inn

THE DISH

LOWCOUNTRY ESCARGOT FOR SNAILS 1ea Can of Pre Cleaned Snails 3ea Peeled Shallots Quartered 1ea Peeled Garlic Clove Sliced .25 cup Diced Celery .25 Cup Diced Carrot 3 cup Water 3 cup White Wine 4 ea Sprigs Thyme 1 t Black Peppercorns 4ea Parsley Stems 2 T Salt -Method Add all ingredients except snails into a pot and bring to a boil Reduce heat of liquid to a simmer Add snails and lightly simmer for 10 minutes Remove snails and cool FOR COMPOUND BUTTER 1ea Stick Unsalted Butter 2ea Cloves Peeled Garlic Minced 2T Chopped Parsley 1t Kosher Salt -Method Let butter soften at room temperature Incorporate the rest of the ingredients in to the butter Mix thoroughly and refrigerate FOR GARNISH Several thin slices of Country Ham -Final Method 1. Switch the ovens broiler on an let it come up to temp 2. Split biscuits in half 3. Place desired amount of snails on the biscuit halves 4. Cover Escargot with the compound butter 5. Broil for 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10 min. or until Escargot is heated through. 6. Place desired amount of Country Ham on top of Escargot 7. Return to broiler for another 2 min. 8. Enjoy

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Taste

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Birthplace of Southern Hospitality

THE CHEF

BEN MCCOLLUM & ROCKY STECH The Eclectic Chef

THE DISH

SWEET POTATO & BACON BISCUIT WITH A PAN SEARED PORK CUTLET TOPPED WITH A TOMATO & SWEET PEPPER CHUTNE

SWEET POTATO & BACON BISCUITS 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 heaping tablespoons sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes 1/4 cup chopped bacon 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter 2 to 4 tablespoons milk (depending on the moisture of the potatoes) -METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 2. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 3. In a separate, large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes, bacon, and butter. 4. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix to make a soft dough. Then add milk a tablespoon at a time to mixture and continue to cut in. 5. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. 6. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter. 7. Place the biscuits on a greased pan and coat tops with melted butter. 8. Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

t’s true. Southern hospitality began here in Summerville. And it seems that everyone who lives in Summerville knows how special it is, and knows of all the great things one can do here. But just in case you need a reminder, please stop by the Visitor Center for a dose of that famous hospitality and some helpful information. Summerville Visitor Center 402 N. Main St. Summerville, SC 29483

Toll Free: 866-875-8535 843-873-8535

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SWEET PEPPER & TOMATO CHUTNEY 1 red onion, sliced 1 red bell pepper, seeded & sliced thinly 2 tomatoes, seeded & sliced thinly 1 cup red wine vinegar ¾ cup granulated sugar -METHOD 1. Toss all ingredients in a sauce pan until all ingredients are coated with sugar and vinegar. 2. Continue cooking over low heat to reduce sauce by half. 3. Let cool so it will thicken. If it gets too thick, add enough hot water to loosen sauce. PAN SEARED PORK CUTLET 2 Thinly Sliced Pork Chops 1 egg 1 tsp water ¼ cup all-purpose flour Salt & Pepper ½ cup canola oil -METHOD 1. Season both sides of pork chops with salt & pepper. 2. Mix egg and water to create egg wash. 4. Dip seasoned pork chops in egg wash, then coat with flour. 4. In hot pan, sear both sides of pork until nicely brown. Then reduce heat and continue cooking until desired doneness.

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Taste

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

THE CHEF

PERRY CUDA & BILLY CONDON Perfectly Franks

THE DISH

CHEDDAR DROP BISCUITS W/ SWEET POTATO CORNED BEEF HASH

(Drop biscuits require no kneading. Just mix ingredients and drop heaping tablespoons onto a lightly greased baking sheet. The combination of cheddar and cayenne compliments the sweet potato in the hash. ) CHEDDAR DROP BISCUITS (Yield: 20-24 biscuits) 2 cups flour, self-rising* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted 1 cup (8 oz container) sour cream 1 cup (4 oz weight) shredded cheddar cheese ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper Pinch of salt (Kosher) -METHOD (Tip) Create your own self-rising flour by combining 1 ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, and 2 cups of all-purpose flour 1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt and Cayenne - mix well. 2. Add melted butter, sour cream and cheese – stir until blended. 3. Drop by the heaping tablespoonful onto a lightly greased baking sheet. 4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. SWEET POTATO-CORNED BEEF HASH 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced uniformly (3/8” cubes) 1 lb corned beef (bottom round), diced uniformly (3/8” cubes) ½ c yellow onions, diced ½ c red bell pepper, seeded and diced ¼ c beef stock 2 tsp butter (2 pats) ½ tsp thyme, fresh chopped Salt and pepper to taste Eggs, pan fried or any style you prefer, 2 eggs per person -METHOD 1. Peel sweet potatoes and dice into uniform cubes. Place in saucepot and boil until slightly undercooked. Drain and allow to cool in a shallow pan or baking sheet. 2. Remove most of the fat from the corned beef and dice into uniform cubes-the same size as the sweet potatoes. 3. Chop bell pepper, onion and thyme. 4. In a large sauté pan (on moderate heat) add a little oil, all of the onions and peppers and cook until slightly tender. 5. Add corned beef and thyme and cook 1-2 minutes. Add beef stock to deglaze pan. Add sweet potatoes and continue to cook heat through. 6. Finish with butter and salt and pepper to taste. Pan fry eggs to your preference (liking). Assemble on a family size platter and serve.

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Faith

daddy dates As a father of

a pre-teen girl, a question is always stirring in my mind: As my little girl moves towards her teen years, how do I ensure that she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall in love with a loser? by Will Browning

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Faith

day is coming when a brazen, pimple-faced boy is going to come to my front door. I expect a spike in my blood pressure as I open my home to that sloppy, bracefaced goof whose stench reminds me that he has as much knowledge of how to treat a lady as he does the importance of deodorant.

A day is coming when a brazen, pimple-faced boy is going to come to my front door. I know that I cannot ward off or wish away the romantic impulse, which surely rages inside my daughter’s heart. Those innocent fairy tales where I once played the prince will have mutated into an uncontrolled desire for love that I cannot defend against. So what can I do now to leave an impression on my little girl and avoid being the overprotective father whose every remark is parlayed by a teenage eye-roll?

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Four years ago, I began to employ a strategy that seems to be gaining some momentum. While this idea is certainly not original to me, AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Faith

Daddy Dates seem to be all the rage. The basic idea is that before that pimple-faced punk stands on your doorstep, make sure your daughter has some formative experiences to help her differentiate a man of honor from the goobers of this world. Let me give you three goals that I keep in mind when dating my daughter.

Show her how a lady should be treated.

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How will my daughter, Piper, know when she has discovered an honorable man? She must see one in action and get comfortable with being honored. On our last Daddy Date, I made reservations at Piper’s favorite restaurant, California Dreaming. I rang the doorbell of my own house to “pick her up” for our date. As she finishes her rhythmic skip down the steps, I courteously compliment her on how nice she looks as we made our way to the car. I make sure to tell her mom when we will return and after I chivalrously open her car door, we are quickly off for an event I hope will leave an imprint on her little soul. Why go through this charade? Simple. I want her to know what if feels like to be honored. I want her to take pleasure in be-

ing treated like a lady, equipping her to quickly spot the contrast of the future fraudulent twerp that is bound to seek her interest.

Make a critically planned connection.

I must admit I am just as excited about our Daddy Dates as Piper. I love to watch her contemplate a menu. I enjoy seeing her eyes widen as she discovers delicacies that never appeared on her kid’s menu. I love seeing her light up with delight as her novice pallet

Her reply gave me confidence that my efforts were paying off. tastes a newfound delicacy. These opportunities are rarely afforded to a father, giving us the chance to catch a glimpse into our daughters’ developing hearts. I typically plan

a few probing questions in hopes to discover what is going on in her life, all the while remembering that the lessons I am trying to convey are subtle and will be found in the memories of these well-crafted moments. My goal is to make a connection with my little girl that will imprint so deeply on her heart that when “Mr. Right,” comes along, she can spot him from the rest.

Set the bar high while creating memories.

Last year, I took Piper on a Charleston horse carriage tour. What you must know is that Piper is an avid reader and a bit of a history junkie. As we toured America’s Most Historic City, she burst from her typical reserved shell into a person I rarely see. I’ll never forget her telling me as we passed one of the many Charleston mansions, “Daddy, one day I’m going to live in one of those houses!” I asked, “Piper, why such a big house?” Her reply gave me confidence that my efforts were paying off. She said, “One day, after I graduate from college, I’m going to marry a good man and have lots of kids. And Daddy, one day you are going to get old and I will need to make room for you in my house so I can take care of you.” A

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

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STYLE S O U T H E R N

Calling on the Collinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

A genuine gesture of Southern hospitality Our new mayor Bill Collins and first lady Margaret invite us into their home

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN STYLE Home

This Page:

What used to be an outdoor patio has been converted into a living space that the Collins say is their favorite part of the house

Opposite:

The living room has beautiful and rustic cypress panelling

There is a lot on the Collins’ plate these days. With official meetings and charity events competing for most of their time, it was a real treat for us to have the opportunity to visit with them in their home. Sumter Avenue is one of Summerville’s most historic and beautiful streets. Most homes sit towards the front of the properties, greeting residents with charming fences, front porches and lush landscapes. There is a certain charm that comes with living in the Historic District, but it comes at a price. Peace, quiet and privacy are not common luxuries of downtown living, where tourists and residents alike frequent the streets. The Collins’ house is different. A rarity in the Historic District. The home is nestled down a long gravel path. Without ample directions, you would be hard-pressed to find it. “The house is like a hidden gem,” Bill says. “Before we bought the home in 1994, we had no idea that there was a house back here.” With the new duty of leading our community, and all of the time and energy that demands, it’s comforting to know that Bill and Margaret Collins have a place to unwind. A place to relax and prepare for the next day.

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

THE SHOPS AT LITTLE MAIN

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One of many sitting areas in the home

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN STYLE Home

This Page:

Fine Dining The centerpiece on the dining room table arranged by Mrs Collins Opposite The front drive

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

/ SOUTHERN STYLE Home

From top:

The view of the potting shed, The room with the view

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

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Birdwatching is one of the Southâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular outdoor activities and the ponds and swamps near Summerville are alive with an array of coastal bird species

Photography by Dottie Langley Rizzo

Opposite: A GREAT EGRET SETTLES ATOP A TREE This page: A GROUP OF WHITE IBISES ROOSTING

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Opposite: A GREAT EGRET AT FLIGHT Above: AN ADOLESCENT GREAT EGRET

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Opposite: A GREAT EGRET IS POISED TO TAKE TO THE SKY This page: WHITE IBISES PREPAIR TO REST FOR THE NIGHT, GREAT EGRETS AND ANHINGAS SURVEY THE DARKENING SWAMP

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

This page: GREAT EGREATS ROOSTING ON A SMALL ISLAND, A MALE CORMORANT 0pposite: A GREAT EGRET LOOKING FOR FOOD

ABOUT THE SPECIES Great Egret A large white heron, the Great Egret is found across much of the world. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the largest egret in the Old World, and thus has garnered the name Great White Egret.

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For more information on coastal birdwatching tours, contact VIP Adventures at (843) 708-5473

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

THE STORY OF HOW A CAROLINA COWBOY BLENDED HORSES & HOLLYWOOD BY JENNY FISHER

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

OT MANY LOWCOUNTRY RESIDENTS CAN BOAST OF HAV-

ING ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTRESS RENÉE ZELLWEGER VISIT THEIR HOME. BILLY RIDGILL COULD, BUT HE DOESN’T. HE’D RATHER TALK HORSES. ARABIAN HORSES. THE 67 YEAR-OLD HAS SADDLED UP FOR NATIONAL TRAIL COMPETITIONS, BUT IT’S THE UNASSUMING MANNER IN WHICH THE CAROLINA COWBOY BLENDED HORSES AND HOLLYWOOD THAT CAPTURED MY ATTENTION. “ALL RIGHT, COWBOY. I WANT YOU IN MY MOVIE.” “WELL, NOW, I’M NOT GONNA BE IN ANY MOVIE.” THAT’S HOW RIDGILL SUMS UP HIS MEETING WITH A MOVIE PRODUCER WHO ARRIVED AT BLACK BOTTOM STABLES IN LADSON TO BUY HORSE SUPPLIES FROM THE TACK SHOP. Ridgill instead promised to find seven riders for the 2003 war drama “Cold Mountain” starring Jude Law, Nicole Kid-

you’re fine as you are.’ They didn’t put no dirt on me or nothing!” And the thick mustache? “Oh, I was born with

man, and Renée Zellweger. It’s a promise Ridgill regretted. this,” Ridgill said with a smile. “If he wasn’t the pickiest guy you ever met. The riders had to be slim in stature, like me. Back then, there weren’t any

During the hours spent waiting for scenes, the Ladson na-

big, burly guys.” If appearance didn’t weed out riders, skills

tive met Jude Law when he noticed the actor’s knife and

The guy wasn’t on the horse for a second and he’d say, ‘Get

would be “kinda snooty,” but after talking weapons, he con-

did. Ridgill said, “The producer would say, ‘Get on, cowboy.’ struck up a conversation. Ridgill said he had presumed Law off.’ He wouldn’t even let ‘em ride. It was so rude.”

siders Jude “alright.”

After the producer’s list of rejections grew, Ridgill realized

Considering Ridgill’s character tried to shoot Law’s char-

he and three of his horses were going to have to pony up for the silver screen. For two weeks, Ridgill arrived on set, put on his Confederate uniform, and waited in the makeup trailer. “I was in a hurry to leave make-up because I had horses to tend to. They kept taking other guys in and skipping me,” Ridgill said. “When the guys came out, they were all scuzzy lookin’ and dirty, with mustaches. I mentioned being skipped. They just looked up and said, ‘Oh, 66

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

acter, Inman, during filming, perhaps Law had reason to act nice. Ridgill recalls standing on a river bank while the producer shouted orders from a raft in the water. He was directed to aim a rifle at Law, but miss and shoot a woman in the boat. It’s a role Ridgill struggled with. He shook his head as he said, “Everyone who knows me knows I never miss.”

Movie producers cut most of the Charleston scenes from

Ridgill said, “I promised God if I ever got out of that com-

the movie. Yet, when filming moved to Romania for the

munist country, I’d never go back.”

majority of the movie, Ridgill declined offers to join. He says he visited Romania in 1985 in search of Arabian horses

Yet, the decision to stay home did not end his star sight-

and a man toting a machine gun shadowed his every move. ings. Ridgill said Actress Renée Zellweger wanted to ride a horse so she and a movie producer arrived at Black Bottom Stables. Ridgill saddled a gentle horse and took the actress and producer to the round pen. According to Ridgill, Zellweger, climbed on, looked over and asked, “Ok, so how do I make him go?” “Just kick him in the sides a little,” he answered. She shook her head and said, “Oh no, I can’t do that. That wouldn’t be nice.” Ridgill said he looked at the producer and muttered, “You take over. I’ll teach her to ride, but I’m not leading her around.” After leaving the pen, Ridgill heard laughter. He said, “I looked out and he’s running back and forth in the This page Bill Ridgill on the set of the movie “Cold Mountain”

pen while leading the horse and she’s in the saddle, laughAZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

ing and bouncing all around.” Ridgill said of Zellweger’s

flaming and a shiny, blue-black coat,” Ridgill recalled

cowgirl role, “She was the best one in the movie. She

with admiration.

should’ve done more acting out here.” Indeed, Zellweger snagged “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” for her role

That black stallion created enough buzz that he caught

in Cold Mountain.

the attention of “The Black Stallion” Author Walter Farley. The acclaimed author was in search of a horse to play “The

“Those producers kiss up to those actors,” Ridgill said of

Black Stallion” in the 1979 movie version of his classic

the professional relationship. Perhaps the years spent qui-

children’s novel.

etly examining horses have sharpened the cowboy’s relationship radar. He knows a thing or two about partnerships and freely shares his thoughts. “I used to buy my wife diamonds and nice jewelry. Then one year for her birthday, I gave her a chicken.” A chicken? That’s right. “She was so happy to get that chicken, I got her a duck the following year,” he said. Yet, it was not a duck, but a horse for which Ridgill named his stable. Black Bottom was a black Arabian stallion Ridgill purchased in Asheville. With a combination of biting, bucking, and charging, Black Bottom had a notorious record. Ridgill began gentle, but

According to Ridgill, Farley flew to South Carolina to see

That black stallion created enough buzz that he caught the attention of “The Black Stallion” Author Walter Farley.

the stud. During the trip from the airport to the stable, Ridgill bragged of Black Bottom’s unparalleled beauty. Little did Farley know his host not only had a horse, but a sense of humor. Ridgill led Farley to a small barn, told him to stand outside, and led out a homely black horse. “He was ugly. He had long ‘ole ears on him and a head this long,” as Ridgill held his arms wide. He said Farley stood speechless for several minutes, then asked, “That’s him?” When Ridgill finally revealed Black

consistent training, although he admits he and the horse

Bottom, he saw Farley slowly wipe his hand along the horse’s

struggled to find common ground at times. “Back then, I

body, then closely examine his palm. “He thought I dyed him.

thought I knew it all and that that ‘ole horse was tough. I

That horse was so black, he thought I dyed him.”

fought him, whereas now, I’m older and a little wiser, I’d have known what made him tick.”

According to Ridgill, Farley asked if the stallion could look mean. Ridgill jumped at the horse and the stallion’s

Ridgill saw something special in the horse, not only

ears flattened back. After seeing the horse for himself,

because of the rarity of having a black Arabian stal-

Ridgill said Farley wanted Black Bottom to appear in

lion, but because of the horse’s presence. “He’d make

The Black Stallion movie.

the hair on your neck stand on end. He was a real hot horse. Looked like he breathed fire. Big, red nostrils 68

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Ridgill allowed Black Bottom to promote the movie dur-

ing an event in Greenville, South Carolina with Farley, While few equine enthusiasts experience the nation’s capibut he declined the movie offer. Ridgill balked at the tal horseback, Ridgill shrugged off the experience except to thought of his prized horse being away for months of say he was honored to ride in Reagan’s parade. “I liked him. filming in California. Plus, the script required the stal- I’d ride in his parade, but not in some of the others.” lion to swim in a shipwreck scene and Black Bottom could not swim.

Ridgill said the ride down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House went by in a busy blur. He says he was so

Farley found Cass Ole, a black Arabian from San Antonio, worried about slick metal surfaces on the street and other Texas to play the part in the original movie. Two years after possible hazards for his horse that he didn’t take in the the movie released, Ridgill’s moment of opportunity turned sights. “I was just trying to make sure we got there,” Ridfrom entertainment to politics.

gill laughed.

Ridgill and members of a horse club traveled to Washington Yet, even after hoofing it through the capital and movie sets, D.C. to ride in President Ronald Reagan’s 1981 Inaugural Ridgill says he never seriously considered leaving the LowParade. Ridgill saddled up, but since Cass Ole was featured country and southern way of life. Perhaps that sandy soil in in the parade, Ridgill rode another horse to avoid confusion. his worn, leather boots helps weigh him down. A

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

“My father’s ghostly account was so real, he recorded it in his diary,” says Mr. Robert Anderson as he sits behind the desk where his father sat on the night of his encounter. “He was a number cruncher, so he was all about the facts. He saw what he saw,” says Anderson. It was around 10 p.m. on the night of May 11, 1965, and the late Mr. B.E. Anderson, a C.P.A., was working in his office on the second floor of a Main Street business. As always, he sat at his desk, his back to the window, as he worked on tax returns. “He was still looking down when he had an overwhelmingly eerie feeling,” says Anderson. He later said he felt “a presence—a personality” near him. The feeling was so powerful that he looked up and over his shoulder. There behind him stood a man in a brown suit, his facial features—even his mustache—so distinct, that in the seconds Mr. Anderson tried to comprehend what was happening, he also tried to contemplate whether he knew him. Then he realized he could see through him. “My grandfather was a deeply religious man,” says Jimmy Anderson, his grandson. While the apparition was visible for only seconds and then disappeared, Mr. Anderson reported he felt such cold chills, he took it as a warning and left immediately.

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Although, he recorded it in his diary, Mr. Anderson rarely spoke of the incident. He did, however, tell his son of the strange encounter. Approximately seven years later, C.P.A. Pete Chellis, was working in the same building. Reading a computer printout, he started down the long hallway in the office, when he was overwhelmed by what he described as an “eerie” feeling. The hair stood up on the back of his neck, and he was overcome with chills. He looked up to see a man standing in the middle of the hall, his features and clothing very distinct. Chellis asked loudly, “What are you doing here?” as it was after business hours, and he was alone. The man looked at him momentarily and disappeared through a locked door in the hallway. The next day Chellis asked Anderson about his father’s account. They pulled the late Mr. Anderson’s diary from the desk drawer and read. The man described in the diary was undoubtedly the same man Chellis encountered—he wore a dark brown suit and his facial features were distinct, right down to his mustache. “He doesn’t appear often,” says Robert Anderson. “I actually have never seen him. Not sure if I’d want to.”

The rambling white house at the corner of East Doty Avenue & South Magnolia Street, built in 1875, holds a ghostly mystery. Once a private residence turned brothel in the 1930s, the structure is now host to the charming This Whole House (tea room and antiques shop). “The house was an anniversary gift from my husband, Mychael,” owner Judy Thomas says of the dwelling purchased in 2004. Right after opening, the Thomas’s niece, regarded by the family as “spiritually sensitive,” and who believes that spirits can remain attached to old objects, urged them to pray over the house. “She wrote a prayer and mailed it to us,” said Thomas. “I remember the day we read it. There was a bad thunderstorm, and the door had been sticking.” The Thomas’s daughter, Mecia, read through the entire prayer. The last lines read, “We call on the help of the angels from the north, south, east and west. If there are any evil spirits attached to this house, in the name of Jesus Christ, leave!” With that, a gust of wind swept through the room, and the front door opened and slammed closed. “We were stunned,” says Thomas. In the days that followed, other strange and unexplained events occurred. “Objects are often moved or sometimes hidden completely from us,” says Thomas. “It happens all the time—a stack of receipts here, a tea pot or a bowl there; and we hear noises a lot. And then there’s the incident with the clock.” One night in the tea room, a family friend said jokingly, “You can let yourself be known!” The clock on the wall immediately struck. It had never struck before and has never struck again.

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

On another occasion, a waitress was setting the tables in the tea room when she saw a figure pass by the doorway out of the corner of her eye. Thinking it was the first customer of the day, the waitress called to Mychael, who was working at the time. “I just caught a glimpse of a customer going upstairs,” she told him. “I just barely saw her shoe and the bottom of her dress.” Mychael climbed the stairs to greet their guest only to find a completely empty second floor…and third floor. Only later did they discover more about their resident spirit from more “sensitive” customers. “A couple people say they’ve seen her,” says Thomas. “A lady from Beaufort walked right up to me one day and asked pointedly, ‘Can you tell me about the lady upstairs?’” Customers who have seen the woman often describe her as “distinguished.” While some have speculated she may be the madam of the brothel that existed long ago, Thomas does not agree. “I think she’s more refined than that.” When asked about the full history of the house and its possible connection to the ghost, Thomas has limited knowledge. She spent hours poring through records in Columbia after her family purchased the home, but she never found anything conclusive. “I’ve always thought there was a connection with the Ice House. They owned it at one time,” she says. This Whole House continues to operate business as usual. They even use their resident apparition as a marketing tool. On their website, Thomas writes: “Peeking through a large Magnolia tree sits a charming cottage built in 1875. Many business establishments have called this little treasure ‘home,’ but ultimately the most famous was the downtown brothel! Come in and share the stories of our gunshot hole, our friendly ghost, & our way into the tearoom business….” Come in sometime. Your experience may be more than you bargained for.

Long before hoards of shoppers and movie-goers flocked to Azalea Square, there was a narrow, inconspicuous road that transitions from asphalt to dirt about a mile off Main Street. Sheep Island Road is its official name, but to locals it will forever be known as Light Road. Ask anyone who has been in this area long and one is sure to get a chilling account of their night of terror at the end of this lonely dirt thoroughfare. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, numerous news reports and television clips about the light aired on local television, and accounts from airmen stationed at the Charleston Air Force Base in 1969 recall a mysterious meeting with paranormal investigators from the University of South Carolina on the road in the middle of the night. As the story goes, there was a set of train tracks that once ran parallel to the road. One night a railroad worker was struck by the train, his head completely severed and never recovered. His wife, longing to lay to rest the entire remains of her husband, wandered the scene of the accident every night, railroad lantern in hand, in search of his head. Long after her own death, it is believed she still wanders the tracks with the lantern in search of what she was never able to find in life. Descriptions of the many experiences at Light Road are eerily similar. As a test of bravery, families or groups of friends piled into a car and make their way to the end of the road. A small light, often blue or green, (although

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

there are accounts documenting both a white light and a red light) appeared in the distance. The light, hovering on the horizon sometimes for several minutes, suddenly raced forward and encircled, or in rare cases, actually entered the vehicle. Once the light reached the vehicle, the sequence of events varied. Some said their car engines stopped altogether. Some reported that their cars violently shook. Others were terrified to see frost forming on the windows. Many recalled hearing whispers or voices and finding strange fingerprints on their cars. “I remember my mother, Bonnie Langley and my Aunt Ann Jascomb telling me about their childhood experience on Light Road,” says Denise Kyle, a Summerville native. “Back in the 1960s, my grandfather packed all 4 kids in the family car for a night of excitement and thrills. They turned off their car and waited in the extreme silence. As soon as the light appeared someone yelled, ‘There it is!,’ my grandfather pulled out a pistol from under his seat and sped off. When my mother asked years later if he did this to add to the excitement, he looked at her with a surprised expression and asked, ‘You don’t remember the breathing next to my window right before we saw the light?’” Today, the unpaved portion of Sheep Island Road is blocked to the public by a mound of dirt that spans the width of the road. It is now monitored closely by local law enforcement. The strange occurrences at the end of Light Road remain an unsolved mystery.

the beautiful mind of

FERN MICHAELS Summerville’s resident author talks about her first book, the art of writing and what’s most important in life

. . . . .

Katie DePoppe

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

A Southern Story

Author Fern Michaels at her Summerville home

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ern Michaels is not a great writer. Ask her yourself. She is however one heck of a storyteller. Born Mary Ruth Kuczkir, the phenom known as Fern Michaels over her 38-year writing career, refers to her pseudonym as something she “does.” She is Mary Ruth. Fern Michaels is her career.

A wife and mother of five, when her youngest began

kindergarten, Kuczkir’s then-husband told her to “get off [her] ass and get a job.”

“We only had one car at the time. And I didn’t know

how to do anything except be a wife and mother,” she says.

So, on a family camping trip in 1973—all five kids and the

family dog in tow, “I bought one of those marble composition books and told my husband I was going to write a book

on the trip.” She did exactly that. The entire first book was

written in longhand.

lisher rejected her second book, but he bought the third. “The third came back one day before the second book,” she says. Her daughter, Susy, has the first copy of “Pride and Passion,” Kucz-

kir’s first published work.

Fast forward to 1993 when Kuczkir moved from New

Jersey to Summerville to be closer to her children, bought a

300-year-old plantation house (the oldest home in Dorchester

County) and embraced her new life as a southern transplant.

Charming and comfortable, Kuczkir’s home is clearly an out-

ward manifestation of herself. Her kitchen’s natural light, bold

“For some reason [the thought of writing a book] didn’t

red accents and flora make you want to stay awhile—a neces-

lisher in Canada upon her return home. So, what was the first

whose days are spent tapping on her computer’s keyboard. “I’m

intimidate me,” she adds. Kuczkir sent the manuscript to a pub-

sity for a writer who does not need to venture out often and

novel about? “Let’s just say it had a beginning, a middle and an

a homebody,” she admits.

but he told me I had potential.”

ing schedule; she’s written 114 books, four that are still waiting

end,” she jokes. “Basically, it sucked. The publisher rejected me,

That publisher’s vote of confidence was all it took. Kuc-

It goes without saying that she keeps a disciplined writ-

to be published. “I used to work all day, and I had a different

zkir bought a typewriter and taught herself to type. She then

schedule—like an office, but I don’t do that anymore,” says Kuc-

and waited. Then she mailed the third. “I would have given up if

that matters is family,” she adds, clearly alluding to the loss of

wrote a second and a third book. She mailed the second book

the books had not crossed in the mail,” Kuczkir says. The pub-

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

zkir hauntingly. “When all else is said and done, the only thing

several loved ones in recent years. She writes every week day

from about 8:30 a.m. to 2 in the afternoon, and some weekends. area that is now the kitchen, and on one of the rafters, written “But I take a lot of time off,” she adds. On average, she writes in chalk was, “Mary Margaret smoked.” I just assumed that if Mary Margaret had enough gumption to smoke, she’d have about 20,000 words in a week. With that many books under her belt, she still has no enough to be the one behind all the weird things that have trouble coming up with new ideas. Sometimes she will get an happened. She often walks upstairs, but she only seems to inkling from a past conversation or from a seemingly insignifi- really act up when we do repairs or replace things in the house. I haven’t heard from her in four months, but we are cant experience. “I think about it when I fall asleep,” she says, planning to replace our French doors in the living room soon, “and when I wake up, the story has gone a bit further in my so I expect her to show up. She didn’t like my lightning bolt mind…and I think in the shower on Sunday mornings. Don’t glasses, and broke all of them one at a time. She moves pilask me why!” Her first bestseller “Captive Passions” was historilows from one room to the other, and she stops all the clocks cal fiction. “That book took a lot of research,” she says, “and it’s in the house at 9:10 a.m. at least once a week. And one day easy to get burnt out on historical fiction.” Nevertheless, from I turned on the computer and the printer began to spit out that title on, nearly all of her titles were best-sellers. “When I pages of symbols and numbers. I couldn’t get it to stop! A started writing, I had two goals,” says Kuczkir, “I wanted to be friend suggested I write her a note. It said something like, “I #1 on the New York Times best-seller list and to have a movie or don’t care what you do in the house, but you can’t touch my TV option for one of my books.” Currently, Kuczkir’s 20-book computer. I need it for work.” I ran a few errands after that and came home. When I turned the computer back on, it Sisterhood series is being optioned for television. With all of her accomplishments, though, perhaps the went through another ream of paper, but wouldn’t you know most profound realization about Mary Ruth Kuczkir and her that on the very last line said, “OK”! When the Azaleas are life’s work is her ability to persevere. It’s not every day you meet in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I someone with the tenacity to write a book while caring for a have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is spouse and five young children, to move nearly a thousand miles still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I and gut a centuries-old home, to suffer personal loss and come always know when she’s around because the five of them line through it all with another story to tell…and another…and anup and look like they’re at a tennis match. other. That’s what truly makes Fern Michaels a beautiful mind.

. . .

Q&A

How did you get your pen name? My first publisher only gave me four hours to come up with a name. My last name has a “z,” and it’s hard to pronounce. We needed something easy for readers to say and recognize. I had a huge willow tree in my living room at the time—a big dust collector!—and that got me to thinking about a plant name. Willow wasn’t right, but Fern sounded nice. And my oldest son’s name is Michael, so that’s how it came to be. Tell us about your resident ghost, Mary Margaret? We gutted the house when we bought it and found all kinds of interesting things. There were servant’s quarters over the

We know you’re a philanthropist too. Can you tell us about the Fern Michaels Foundation? My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels Foundation. The foundation allows me to grant four-year scholarships to needy, deserving students. I then went a step further and opened pre-school and day care centers with affordable rates for single moms who are having a hard time of it. Doing Fern Michaels allows me to do this and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t thank God for being so good to me. I don’t know what I’m the most proud of, the books I write, the scholarships, the pre-schools or the fact that I put my kids through college on my own with no help from anyone. Probably the latter because when all else is said and done, the only thing that matters is family. To learn more about Fern, her work and new releases, visit www.fernmichaels.com. AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

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EVENTS CALENDAR

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Walks are daily by appointment The Summerville Dorchester Museum offers two guided walking tours of historic Summerville, one of old planter Summerville and one of the West End with its railroad history. Stroll past gracious old homes of the Antebellum and Victorian eras. Hear stories of the people who once lived in them and of the town’s Civil War and railroad experiences. Walks cover a little over a mile and take about an hour. For information call 875-9666 or see www.summervilledorchestermuseum.org SUMMERVILLE FARMER’S MARKET Saturday Mornings, 8am-1pm You will find the freshest local produce, baked goods, jellies and jams, crafts and more. The market is located at First Citizens Bank by Town Hall. THIRD THURSDAY Thursday September 15th, October 20th , November 17th , 5-8pm BUY LOCAL! Come and join the fun in Historic Downtown Summerville (on South Main Street, Hutchinson Square and [Short] Central Avenue) and celebrate the continued ‘THIRD THURSDAY’ - Shops will be open late with specials. For more info call (843-8217260) or visit summervilledream.org

SEPTEMBER 8th ANNUAL SPCA PAW-KER RUN September 17th Benefitting the Frances R. Willis SPCA at the Dorchester Shrine Club 2150 Beech Hill Rd., Summerville, including cash prizes. Entry fee is $20 per person and includes a t-shirt, meal and goody bag. There will be door prizes music and food. For more information 82

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Your comprehensive list of what’s happening around town

MOZART IN THE SOUTH CONCERT AT MIDDLETON PLACE Sunday, September 18th, 7:00 pm The Mozart in the South festival concludes with a finale performance of music for winds on the greensward. Musicians will perform Dvorak’s “Slavonic Dances” and Mozart’s “Serenade No. 11 in E flat Major” for wind octet. Cost: $35 table seating, $15 lawn seating, $5 students. Gate opens at 5:30 For more info: www.middletonplace.org 3rd ANNUAL GOODWILL UNDY 500 MOTORCYCLE CHARITY RIDE September 18th Registration begins at 9am The Undy 500 is a motorcycle charity ride that covers just over 100 miles of the beautiful Tri-County area and helps to cover our homeless and struggling veterans as well! One hundred percent of the proceeds goes towards events and programs designed to benefit local veterans! Entry is $20 per driver, $10 per rider plus a package of new undergarments and includes a scenic ride and entrance to California Dreaming After Party with FREE food and drink specials! Pre-register by September 1st and save $5! Ride starts at Low Country Harley-Davidson at 4707 Dorchester Road Visit www.GoodwillUndy500.com or call 843-377-2845 18th HARVEST FOR HABITAT September 24th , 6-10pm Enjoy an elegant buffet dinner at Miler Country Club, and afterwards, shag dancing! Professional shag dancers will be available to teach dancing to patrons. There will also be a live and silent auction, with many, many prizes, big and small. Tickets are $40 per person, $75 per couple, or $300 per table of 8 and will be made available at: Lauree Bradway & Associates, 105 South Cedar Street, Summerville People, Places & Quilts, 129 West Richardson Avenue, Summerville Dorchester Habitat, 105 Greyback Road, Summerville

“BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS” Sunday, September 25th , 2-4:30PM The Village at Summerville, 201 W. 9th North Street-Local clergy will administer a blessing to all animals brought to the service. This is a free event, but each attendee is asked to bring an item on the wish list for the Francis R. Willis SPCA. Event will be held, rain or shine.

OCTOBER PLANTATION DAYS - MIDDLETON Saturday & Sunday, October 15th & 16th Craftworkers demonstrate the skills practiced by slaves as they prepared the antebellum plantation for harvest time. Different aspects of 18th and 19th-century plantation life will be explored: Domestic Skills, African American, Traditional Arts, Low Country Food ways and the Plantation Natural Environment. Regular Admission. For more info: www.middletonplace.org THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW BY THE FLOWERTOWN PLAYERS October 21st -30th Back by popular demand, campy musical The Rocky Horror Show returns to the Flowertown stage just in time for Halloween with an all new cast and all new director. This is not the movie, but the full-fledged original stage production. On the way to visit an old college professor, Brad Majors and his fiancée Janet Weiss stumble upon a mysterious mansion. Little do they know that the mansion is inhabited by alien transsexuals from the planet Transylvania, led by the maniacal (and experimental) Dr. Frank N Furter. Directed by Shannon Horn Tickets are $25. For more info and show times, visit www.flowertownplayers.org SCARECROWS ON THE SQUARE October 22 - November 5 Local businesses, schools and civic groups compete in a festive competion

of creativity. Come view all of the scarecrows on the Square and vote for your favorite. The ghostwalk and harvest moon hayride will be held on Oct. 29.

NOVEMBER TIMROD LIBRARY BOOK FAIR Saturday, November 5th The Timrod Library will be holding it’s book and tent sale starting at 9:30am. Doors open at 10 am for gift/coffee table, collectible and special books as well as casseroles and baked goods. There will be a LowCountry luncheon beginning at 11:30 am. Stop by for a silent auction as well which includes items donated by local merchants and individuals during the book fair. For more info, call 843-871-4600 PLANTATION DAYS - MIDDLETON Saturday & Sunday, November 12th13th

Craftworkers demonstrate the skills practiced by slaves as they prepared the antebellum plantation for harvest time. Different aspects of 18th and 19th-century plantation life will be explored: Domestic Skills, African American, Traditional Arts, Low Country Food ways and the Plantation Natural Environment. Regular Admission. For more info: www.middletonplace.org SECOND ANNUAL WINE & ART UNDER THE PINES Sunday, November 13th, from 1 -5pm at Woodlands Inn. Admission is $35 in advance and includes local food tastings, great wine, entertainment and beautiful art will be displayed. Tickets are available on line at www.ABCCsummerville.org or by calling 843.225.2789 MEPKIN ABBEY PREPARES FOR ITS NINTH ANNUAL CRÈCHE FESTIVAL November 14th -20th & 25th -27th for groups under 10 November 28 thru Dec. 3 for Motor Coach Tours & groups larger than 10. AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

EVENTS CALENDAR Every year around Thanksgiving, the monks at Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner, SC, open their library and grounds for the public to view part of their collections of over 700 nativity sets from around the world. The 2012 festival is free and open to the public Reservations are required. Visit www.mepkinabbey.org YMCA OYSTER SHINDIG November 18th East Coast Party Band! Oysters! Dancing And Fun! If You Are Looking For A Great Way To Spend A Friday Evening, Come Out To The Summerville Family Ymca’s Oyster Shindig! This Fundraising Event Will Be Held On Friday, November 18 At The Pine Forest Country Club In Summerville. Festivities Begin At 6:00pm. Adult Tickets Are $30 ($35 At The Door), Children (Ages 5-12) $15, 4 And Under Are Free. And Get This – All Tickets Purchased Can Be Redeemed For A Free Round Of Golf At Pine Forest! (See Ticket For Details). All Proceeds Raised Will Benefit The Ymca’s Financial Assistance Program .

Check out our new deck! 139 Short Central Ave. / 843-832-2999 Check for daily specials and special events on our Facebook page.

Images courtesy of Virgil Bunao

HOLIDAY MARKET AT MIDDLETON Friday & Saturday, November 25th & 26th, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

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S’VILLE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH , 6:30PM

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Join the Mayor and the Town of Summerville as they light up Summerville Town Hall and Hutchinson Square in Historic Downtown Summerville. There will be beautiful music and holiday refreshments.

15% Off your Wedding Flower order at OK Florist when you purchase your gown at White House Bridal. 131 West Luke Ave. Summerville 843.873.3681

The Garden Market & Nursery and Museum Shop kick-off the shopping season with an open air market. Brass ensemble perform festive carols, complimentary hot cider and treats, local artisan displays and 10% off all purchases with admission or South Carolina ID. For more info: www. middletonplace.org

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

okfloristevents.com whitehousebridal.com

To submit an event for consideration in Azalea’s events calendar as well the Azaleamag.com calendar email details to info@azaleamag.com

KID’S MEAL DEALS All specials are subject to change without notice. Azalea Magazine is not responsible for changes in details. Please call to confirm times and prices.

-ATLANTA BREAD 1114 N Main St 843.875.7989 Monday (5pm-9pm) 1 free kid’s meal per adult meal purchased (12 and under) -BUFFALO WILD WINGS 109 Grandview Dr # 1 843.851.9242 Monday (all day) free kid’s meal with adult meal purchase -APPLEBEE’S 88 Old Trolley Rd 1310 North Main Street 843.851.3872 Tuesday (4pm-9pm) 99¢ kid’s meals with adult purchase -CHICKFILA 1312 N Main St 843.695.1112 Monday (5pm-8pm) 1 free kid’s meal per combo meal purchased -MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 310 Azalea Square Blvd # C 843.486.0553 Tuesday after 5pm 2 free kid’s meals per adult purchase (dine in only) -PERKINS 1306 N. Main St. 843.821.8183 1700 Old Trolley Rd 843.875.8680 Tuesday (4pm-8pm) 2 kids eats free with adult drink & meal purchase of $7.99 Or more -JERSEY MIKES 310 Azalea Square Boulevard Outparcel #11, Unit B 843.875.3480 Wednesday (3pm-9pm) free mini mike for kids 10 & under with purchase of regular or giant sub -CAPTAIN D’s 300 E. 5th North St., 843.871.2653 Thursday (all day) 2 kids eat free with adult meal purchase -KICKIN’ CHICKEN 800 N Main St 843.875.6998 Every day-2 children (10 and under) get a $1.99 kid’s meal with adult purchase -SHONEY’S 1307 N Main St 843.873.6920 Mon-Fri 1 free child’s dinner buffet (ages 4 and under) per adult entrée purchase

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AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

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AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

Red, White & Blue on the Green July 3, 2011 Town Square

To kick off the Independence Day celebrations, Summerville DREAM hosted the annual Summerville event, Red, White and Blue on the Green. It was the center of old-fashioned family fun. For information visit www.summervilledream.org

For the Cause

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

AZALEAMAG.COM From dining and shopping guides to feature stories and an events calendar, azaleamag.com is much more than a beautiful counterpart to Azalea Magazine, it is the axis for anything & everything Summerville. Be sure to bookmark us.

AZALEA PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT

VIP FISH & HUNT PRESERVE

DUCK POND CONSERVANCY 94.5 acre duck impoundment property located in Cottageville, SC. Includes 6 ricefields ready to be flooded. There are 18 treated wood duck blinds in place. 6ft RIM Canals surround each pond for easy drainage and floodage. Thousands of shore birds flock to this property daily to roost. The property ready for hunting not only ducks, but there are deer, hogs and largemouth bass for the fisherman. Also on property is a rustic open air lodge complete with fireplace for those chilly evenings after the hunt.

Offered at $950,000 For further information: 843.478.7717 or info@azaleamag.com

Located on Hwy 17 A in Summerville this property offers excellent fishing for trophy bass, hunting for white tail deer, waterfowl, and wild turkey. This has been the site for numerous videos and other publications featuring bass fishing and duck hunting. It has been used for guided bass fishing excursions as well as professional bass tournaments. The fishery has been meticulously managed by a seasoned professional who has been endorsed by major retailers and tackle manufacterers. Stocking over the last ten years has included largemouth bass and crappie. There is a large lake as well as ponds, cypress swamp, and upland.The property has over a mile of frontage on the upper Ashley River. For the duck hunter, this tract is located along a natural flyway and provides open water duck hunting, pot-hole and hunting in flooded timber. Nesting boxes and roost areas have been maintained. Deer are everywhere on this tract and it offers stands in hardwood, pine and river-bottom. There are developmental restrictions protecting most of this tract with several acres on a peninsula in the lake excluded to accommodate a building. Wild turkeys roost along the river and fly down amidst the open hardwood bottom to feed in the timber. This tract literally provides year-round recreation.

Offered at $1,300,000 For further information: 843.478.7717 or info@azaleamag.com

Last Call

Oh, The Places We Roam: A roadside store converted into a country

church is one example of the many wonderfully Southern sites that are stitched throughout our community.

Migrating Monarchs Every fall, a magical event takes place in the animal worldâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;the annual monarch butterfly mi-

gration to Mexico. By instinct alone, millions of monach butterflies go to the same mountains

that their ancestors left the previous spring. Somehow, they find a place in Mexico that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never seen before. www.learner.org

AZALEA MAGAZINE / FALL 2011

The Ghost Report Nearly half of Americans say they believe in ghosts, or that the dead can return in certain places and situations. www.cbsnews.com

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