South Carolina Living July 2017

READY TOCHANGE OUT

RACE Three S.C. women accept the 10-day Mongol Derby challenge SC R E C I PE

Ice cream creations HUMOR ME

JULY 2017

Shopping smarts

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THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS Vol. 71 • No. 7 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 573,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033

JULY 2017 • VOLUME 71, NUMBER 7

Tel: (803) 926-3 1 75 Fax: (803) 796-6064 Email: letters@scliving.coop

FEATURE

EDITOR

Keith Phillips ASSISTANT EDITOR

Diane Veto Parham FIELD EDITOR

16 Off to

the races

Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Meet the South Carolinians crazy enough to compete in the Mongol Derby, the world’s longest and toughest horse race.

Travis Ward

ART DIRECTOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER

Susan Collins PRODUCTION

Andrew Chapman Van O’Cain COPY EDITOR

Susan Scott Soyars

MILTON MORRIS

Rachel Land, a member of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, trains for the race at her home near Easley.

WEB EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Mike Couick, Jayne Cannon, Liz Carey, Amy Dabbs, Hastings Hensel, Jan A. Igoe, Patrick Keegan, Sydney Patterson, Brian Sloboda, Susan Hill Smith, Belinda Smith-Sullivan, Tom Tate PUBLISHER

Lou Green ADVERTISING

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

National Country Market Tel: (800) NCM-1181

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. © COPYRIGHT 201 7. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without Pricepermission of the Editor.

❏ SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING is brought and places that identify the ❏ faces Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s — and

Job America’s — largest utility network.

Code

❏

6 ON THE AGENDA

21 Sweet dreams

Eclipse glasses are vital to protect your vision during the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse. Plus: Festivals and events to help you celebrate summer in style.

POWER USER DIALOGUE

10 Addressing teen homelessness Palmetto Place Shelter is more than a place for homeless teens to sleep. The staff also provides the social support and sense of community that young people need to grow and thrive.

ENERGY Q&A

12 Energy-efficiency

considerations for homebuyers Learn how to make energy efficiency a priority when evaluating a home purchase.

SMART CHOICE

14 In the swim

Toys and tools to make your pool the coolest place to be this summer.

Tracking Code

STORIES

Columbia chocolatier Christina Miles may have the tastiest job in the Palmetto State.

TRAVELS

22 Connecting the past

to the present

McLeod Plantation Historic Site tells the still-evolving story of life in the Old South.

22

RECIPE

26 I scream, you scream …

26

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with Chef Belinda’s clever recipes for frozen treats.

SNAPSHOT

28 Pets and their people

Readers share touching stories and heartwarming photos of their furry, feathered and scaly friends.

GWÉNAËL LE VOT

to you by your member-owned,

Logo &taxpaying, not-for-profit electric cooperative to inform you about your Address cooperative, wise energy use and the

SC LIFE

GARDENER

30 Simplify summer watering

Drip irrigation is a highly efficient way to keep plants happy and healthy throughout the summer.

HUMOR ME

38 Retail therapy fills vacant brains

READY TO

Can shopping make you smarter? Humor columnist Jan A. Igoe and her shopaholic friends make the case for the benefits of retail therapy.

Yellow Snipe

❏ Shipping Service

Member of the NCM network of publications, reaching more than 7 million homes and businesses

❏ 101⁄2 13

103⁄4

14

34 MARKETPLACE 36 SC EVENTS

RACE Three S.C. women accept the 10-day Mongol Derby challenge SC R E C I PE

Ice cream creations HUMOR ME

Shopping smarts JULY 2017

❏

RUTA SMITH

Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication.

If you encounter a difficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor.

4 CO-OP CONNECTION

Clare Summers, a Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative member from Pendleton, looks forward to competing in the world’s longest and toughest horse race this summer—a 1,000-kilometer trek across Mongolia. Photo

by Milton Morris.

EMAIL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND STORY SUGGESTIONS TO LETTERS@SCLIVING.COOP

On the Agenda

Highlights

For a listing complete s, see of Event 6 page 3

TOP PICK FOR KIDS JULY 28–29

South Congaree Championship Rodeo

The surest way to witness a cowboy atop one of the toughest bucking bulls on the pro rodeo circuit is to be there in person.

That’s because Texas Black Twister tosses riders too fast to snap a photo. He’ll be at South Congaree Horse Arena for this IPRA-sanctioned event, along with worldchampionship livestock and world-class cowboys and cowgirls competing for prize money, points and trophy buckles. Family fun is in store with kids’ games, inflatables, pony rides, a mechanical bull and clowns.

For details, visit southcongareerodeo.com/rodeo-home.html.

JULY 22 AND AUG. 12

JULY 25–29

Former Staind rocker turned best-selling country artist Aaron Lewis headlines the July 15 concert at Waterfront Park for this water-focused 10-day festival.

A free community concert to celebrate Beaufort’s recovery from Hurricane Matthew, called Hometown Tuesday, is planned for the 18th. Rounding out the festival is a busy slate of raft races, toad fishing for kids, shrimp boat tours, a Lowcountry Supper and more.

Did you miss the era of drive-in movies?

Here’s your chance to play outside and watch big-screen favorites at the same time in this retro entertainment offering at Historic Columbia Speedway in Cayce. Just after sundown, you can catch a cool flick (The Shining on July 22 and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Aug. 12) on a 55-foot outdoor screen and enjoy a nostalgic, mini-festival environment with outdoor games, face painting and food vendors.

Airborne bikes, high-speed turns and the thrill of the race come to Rock Hill’s Novant Health BMX Supercross Track for the biggest BMX event of the year. An international spotlight shines on South Carolina as the sport’s world championships return to the U.S. for the first time in more than 15 years, bringing 3,300 highcaliber riders from 40 countries. Get set for fast-paced competition, featuring past and future Olympic riders.

For details, visit bftwaterfestival.com or call (843) 524‑0600.

For details, visit summerdriveinseries.com or call (803) 354‑5720.

Pop-up Summer Drive‑In Movie Series JULY 14–23

Beaufort Water Festival

6

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

UCI BMX World Championships

For details, visit rockhillscbmx.com or call (803) 326‑2441.

Are you ready for the eclipse?

YOU WANT TO SEE THE ONCE-IN-LIFETIME TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

GLASSES FROM ECLIPSEGLASSES.COM; MAP BASED ON VERSION AT ECLIPSE2017.ORG; ECLIPSE PHOTO BY RICK FIENBERG/TRAVELQUEST INTERNATIONAL/WILDERNESS TRAVEL

Pickens Spartanburg in August that everyone’s talking about, right? To do it safely, Greenville Central start thinking about eclipse-viewing glasses.

Walhalla On the afternoon of Monday, Aug. 21, South Carolina Laurens Anderson will experience its first total solar eclipse since 1970. The Newberry Florence 70-mile-wide eclipse shadow will begin to cross the state Greenwood Saluda Lexington shortly after 1 p.m. Totality—that period when the moon Columbia Sumter completely blocks all light from the sun and briefly turns Edgefield Myrtle Beach St. Matthews daylight to darkness—comes soon after.

Kingstree Only during the few minutes or seconds that totality Aiken Orangeburg Georgetown lasts is it safe to look at the eclipse with the naked eye.

Bamberg Moncks Corner McClellanville Before and after totality—during the partial-eclipse Summerville phases—you must protect your eyes. That’s why you need Charleston eclipse glasses.

“Even when the sun How long will I be in the dark? is mostly blocked, direct sunlight is visible,” says In South Carolina, totality will last as little as 22 seconds in some communities and as long as 2 minutes, 38 seconds in others.

Matthew Whitehouse, Want to know if your area will experience totality and how long observatory manager at it will last? You can pinpoint your address on an interactive map the South Carolina State at xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_ Museum. “Exposing one’s 50 cents a pair. Or, you GoogleMapFull.html. Another website—eclipse2017.org—has a eyes to any amount of can splurge on plastic list of every community in the path of totality and the precise direct sunlight can result frames that run $10 to times totality will start. in permanent retinal $20 a pair. For about $2 damage or even blindness.” apiece, you can even While some organizations will be handing out free buy commemorative eclipse glasses with humorous space eclipse glasses to folks who attend eclipse-related events, cowboy, space alien and astronaut themes. Just be sure purchasing your own glasses guarantees you’ll have the the glasses you choose meet the ISO 12312-2 international proper eye protection to enjoy the show. standard for products made for direct observation of the sun It won’t break your budget. Paper-framed eclipse glasses and that the lenses are free of scratches. are often sold in multipacks and can be as cheap as about “All certified eclipse-viewing glasses have language on the back indicating that they meet the appropriate safety standards,” Whitehouse says. “Look for this language, and if it is not present, don’t use the glasses.” —DIANE VETO PARHAM GET MORE Eclipse glasses are available from online retailers like Amazon.com and eclipse‑related websites, including: u rainbowsymphonystore.com Check for the text that indicates the glasses u eclipseglasses.com meet safety standards for viewing the eclipse. u thousandoaksoptical.com u tse17.com Find eye-safety tips from American Astronomical Society at eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/safe-viewing.

To learn more about the eclipse in South Carolina, visit SCLiving.coop/eclipse.

7

On the Agenda O N LY O N

SCLiving.coop

POWERING UP WITH POWER STRIPS impacts our daily lives, many people find there are simply not enough outlets in their homes. This is particularly true for older homes, where “outlet expanders,” more commonly known as power strips, can be especially useful.

Smart consumers look for high-quality power strips with built-in circuit breakers. If you connect too many electronics and devices, the strip will kick out the circuit breaker rather than causing the breaker in your electric panel to trip.

So-called smart strips are an even better option. With smart strips, one outlet serves as a master, receiving power all the time. The other outlets do not receive power until the master device is turned on. —TOM TATE AS THE PROLIFERATION OF ELECTRONICS

Wrap up dessert

Ice cream tastes even better wrapped inside homemade waffle cones dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. Learn how it’s done at SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda.

Win a $100 gift card

What’s better than a lazy summer day? A lazy summer day with an extra $100 in your pocket. Enter our Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes this month for your chance to win a Visa gift card. One lucky reader’s name will be drawn at random from all eligible entries received by July 31. Enter today at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply.

Like us on Facebook

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.

AM Minor Major

JULY

PM Minor Major

17 — 8:07 7:37 3:22 18 1:37 9:07 9:07 4:37 19 2:37 10:07 10:22 5:37 20 3:37 10:52 11:22 6:22 21 4:22 11:52 12:07 7:07 22 — 5:22 7:37 12:37 23 12:52 6:07 8:22 1:07 24 1:37 6:52 8:52 1:52 25 2:22 7:37 9:22 2:37 26 3:07 8:22 9:52 3:07 27 3:52 9:22 10:37 3:37 28 10:22 4:52 11:07 4:22 29 11:52 6:07 4:52 11:37 30 — 7:22 2:07 12:22 31 — 8:37 7:22 4:22

8

AM Minor Major

PM Minor Major

AUGUST

1 1:22 9:37 9:07 5:22 2 2:07 10:07 10:07 5:52 3 3:07 10:52 11:07 6:22 4 3:52 11:22 11:37 6:52 5 4:37 11:52 12:07 7:07 6 — 5:22 7:37 12:22 7 12:52 5:52 7:52 12:52 8 1:22 6:37 8:22 1:22 9 1:52 7:22 8:52 1:52 10 2:37 8:07 9:07 2:22 11 8:52 3:22 9:37 3:07 12 9:52 4:07 3:37 10:07 13 11:22 5:07 4:22 10:52 14 — 6:22 1:22 11:37 15 — 7:37 7:37 3:37 16 12:52 8:52 9:22 4:37

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

MICHAEL PHILLIPS

Join us as we celebrate all that’s great about life in South Carolina. Add your voice to the conversation and share your photos at facebook.com/SouthCarolinaLiving.

CO R R E C T I O N Our June 2017 issue included the article “A magnificent seven: Classic recipes every S.C. cook should know” with a recipe for pimiento cheese from the Cafe at Williams Hardware in Travelers Rest. Some of the amounts were listed incorrectly. The corrected recipe is below.

CAFE AT WILLIAMS HARDWARE PIMIENTO CHEESE MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS

1 pound block of cream cheese ½ cup of diced pimientos 1 –2 cups Duke’s mayonnaise (to taste) 1 ½ pounds shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon of paprika ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Heat cream cheese in a microwave at half power. Once softened, place cream cheese in mixing bowl, and add pimientos and 1 cup mayonnaise. Mix until there is a smooth consistency, with very few chunks of cream cheese remaining. Add cheddar cheese, paprika and cayenne pepper, and mix well.

If desired, add more mayonnaise to make the pimiento cheese smoother and easier to spread. Keep refrigerated for up to a week.

Eyes in the sky THE IDEA OF GETTING A BIRD’S-EYE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SHARRI WOLFGANG

view of distribution and transmission power lines without deploying a crew is of great interest to electric cooperatives, and thanks to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones, co-ops now have a powerful tool to do just that.

Across the nation, co-ops and other utilities are using UAVs to inspect power lines, poles and towers as part of routine inspection programs and after major storms. Co-ops also use UAVs to record vegetation growth in order to more accurately trim trees and clear rights of way. UAVs can even replace some tasks currently done with costly manned aircraft.

However, major advancements are necessary for UAVs to enter day-to-day

operations at most utilities. The batteries that power most civilian UAVs are not sufficient to fly the entire network of power lines while carrying the necessary sensor payload. There

Both of these devices create hot air but which uses less power?

is also a need for software that can automate the process of reviewing video, infrared images and other sensor information gathered from UAVs. —BRIAN SLOBODA

WaterFurnace—The smartest way to heat and cool your home.

You may not realize it, but your home is sitting on a free and renewable supply of energy. A WaterFurnace geothermal heat pump taps into the stored solar energy in your yard to provide savings up to 70% on heating, cooling, and hot water… using less power than a typical hair dryer. It’s a smart investment in your family’s comfort—and it won’t cause split ends. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer and find out how much you can save by switching to geothermal.

Your Local WaterFurnace Dealers MIDLANDS

Cassell Brothers Htg & Clg (803) 732-9669 • cassellbros.com ANDERSON/GREENVILLE/SPARTANBURG

Carolina Htg Service Inc. GeoPro Master Dealer

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Berkeley Htg & Air

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Panther Htg & Clg, Inc. GeoPro Master Dealer

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Waccamaw Htg & Clg GeoPro Master Dealer

(843) 235-8082 • waccamawgeo.com

visit us at waterfurnace.com WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc. ©2017 WaterFurnace International Inc. 1. 7 Series unit uses approximately 900 watts while running in speeds 1-2.

BEAUFORT/HILTON HEAD

Complete Air (843) 592-7186 • completeairllc.net

SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

9

Dialogue

Addressing teen homelessness abused, neglected and homeless kids and teens in the Midlands. Since opening its Unaccompaclothes, a cardboard box or a “will work for food” sign. Instead, teenage homelessness is nied Youth program in 2012, Palmetto Place has largely invisible. It’s the high school junior housed more than 35 homeless teens. With two sitting in honors English class, the teen behind houses and a combined capacity for more than the counter at your local fast-food joint, the 50 youth, Palmetto Place provides wrap-around college freshman riding the city bus in the services to each teen, in addition to meeting evenings for hours on end just to sleep in their basic needs. Offering transportation to a safe spot, the kid who lost his parents to interviews and jobs, as well as training for indeillness and has been bounced around between pendent living, Palmetto Place aims to help each family members since, and the teen living in teen to live and thrive on his or her own. a hotel with a mom who works two jobs just to Knowing that simply putting a roof over buy food. their heads and food in Caused by a wide range their stomachs doesn’t fully How you can help of hard issues, the reality address the problems at To learn more about the work of of teen homelessness somehand, Palmetto Place works Palmetto Place Shelter and how you can with other community times looks like a 14-yearhelp address teen homelessness, visit the agencies to find services and old coping with a mentally website at PalmettoPlaceShelter.org or secure resources to meet ill parent, trying to decide call (803) 786-6819. individual needs. Along whether she should move in with its staff and a team of with her boyfriend’s family, houseparents and childcare specialists, Palmetto where there’s drug abuse in the home, stay with Place invites members of the community to pitch her aunt in an overcrowded house where she pays to sleep on the couch, or risk wandering the in to help with tutoring, meals and activities.

Whether it’s sponsoring an outing to the zoo or streets on her own. the beach, delivering kid favorites like spaghetti The Department of Justice estimates that and meatballs, or hosting a donation drive to more than 1.7 million teens every year experihelp stock the houses, volunteers help create the ence homelessness in this country. The National positive and supportive atmosphere these young Runaway Switchboard estimates that, on any given night, there are about 1.3 million homeless people have been missing.

This year, 10 Palmetto Place resident teens young people living on the streets, in abandoned graduated high school with plans to attend buildings or staying with friends or with strangcollege, enter the Army or continue in their ers. An estimated 75 percent of homeless or current jobs. Beating the odds stacked against runaway youth have dropped out or will drop them, they found refuge, support and a comout of school. They are also at a significantly higher risk for physical abuse, sexual exploitamunity that allowed them to thrive.

If you know of other organizations working tion, substance abuse and death. locally to solve problems and improve the lives of Young people in foster care have an even neighbors, please write to connections@ecsc.org, higher likelihood of becoming homeless. Aging or Connections, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, out of the system, often with little or no income SC 29033. and limited housing options, puts them at risk for ending up on the streets. And very few homeless youth are able to find housing at standard homeless shelters because of limited beds or shelter admission policies.

Since 1977, however, an organization called Palmetto Place has been providing a home to TEENAGE HOMELESSNESS DOESN’T LOOK LIKE DIRTY

MIKE COUICK

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

10

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

EMPOWERING VISION By combining our low-cost, reliable energy and diverse property portfolio with South Carolina’s low cost of doing business, creative incentive packages and unparalleled quality of life, Santee Cooper, working with the South Carolina Power Team and the state’s electric cooperatives, continues to help new businesses picture a better future – and continues to power South Carolina toward Brighter Tomorrows, Today.

www.scpowerteam.com • www.santeecooper.com

EnergyQ&A

BY PATRICK KEEGAN

Energy-efficiency considerations for homebuyers

Q

As a real estate agent, I have clients who ask about the energy efficiency of the homes I show them. What energy-related questions should I help my clients consider before they purchase a home?

12

UNITED COOPERATIVE SERVICE

A

It’s great that you want to help inform your clients. Many homebuyers do not consider energy costs (such as electricity, gas and propane), which are significant expenses for any home. The average home costs approximately $2,000 in energy expenses per year.

The kind of new home your clients want to buy can affect energy performance. For example, the home’s size is one of the most important factors that will determine energy costs. As square footage increases, so do lighting requirements and, more importantly, the burden on heating and cooling equipment.

In general, newer homes have better energy performance, thanks to advances in building codes, but buying a new home does not guarantee efficiency. Building codes are not always enforced, and a minimum-code home is not nearly as efficient as homes built to a higher standard. If energy efficiency or green features are high priorities for your clients, look for homes that have Energy Star, Built Green or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications.

Newer manufactured homes are typically much more efficient than older manufactured homes but do not have to meet the same energy-code requirements of site-built homes.

Residents of manufactured homes spend about 70 percent more on energy per square foot of living space as residents of site-built homes. If your

Kanyon Payne, a home energy rater with United Cooperative Service, uses an infrared camera to show consumers where energy losses are occurring.

clients are considering a manufactured home, those built after 1994 or that have an Energy Star label have superior energy performance.

Once your clients are interested in a specific home, find out how the energy performance of that home compares to similar homes. You may request electricity, natural gas or propane bills from the sellers, so your clients can estimate how much it will cost to heat and cool the home. But this is not a precise measure of home energy performance. The Home Energy Rating System Index (resnet.us/hers-index) is a home-rating system that allows consumers to comparison shop based on energy performance, similar to the way they can compare miles per gallon for cars. A certified RESNET home energy rater will need to inspect the home to develop a HERS rating. This can be done during the inspection process, or you may request a HERS rating from the seller.

Energy features such as windows and lighting fixtures have a strong impact on the aesthetics of the home.

But it’s the hidden systems, like appliances, that have the most impact

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

on energy performance. Heating and cooling systems consume about half of a home’s energy use and are costly to replace. Homebuyers should ask: How old is the home’s heating system? If it’s more than 10 years old, it may need replacing in the near term.

What is the seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER)? Find out the SEER for the home’s air-conditioning system. If it’s less than 8, the homebuyer will likely want to replace it.

A home’s building envelope insulates the home’s interior from the outdoor environment and includes features like doors, walls and roof. If the quality of the building envelope is compromised, it can contribute to higher heating and cooling costs.

R-value is the thermal-resistance measurement used for insulation, indicating its resistance to heat flow.

Learning the recommended R-value for homes in your region will help you assess the quality of a home’s building envelope.

Send questions to Energy Q&A, South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033, email energyqa@scliving.coop or fax (803) 739-3041.

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13

SmartChoice

In the swim AQUA TECH

BY JAYNE CANNON

Beat the summer heat the with a dip in cool e m so d pool an u yo tools to keep . at lo af happily

MR. ROBOTO Why spend precious pool hours scrubbing grime? Leave that dirty work to the SmartPool Scrubber 60 Plus Robotic Pool Cleaner. Let it scour your in-ground fiberglass, vinyl or concrete pool’s floor, walls, waterline and steps while you work on your tan and sip refreshing drinks. Ahhh. $766. (888) 280‑4331; amazon.com.

DIGITAL DIVE Capture underwater action and make waterlogged selfies with this tenacious multitasker. The Lumix Active Lifestyle Tough Camera is waterproof to 26 feet, shock-proof and freeze-proof to 14 degrees.

It does double duty as a still camera and a video camera. $150.

(800) 405‑0652; panasonic.com.

WATER WHEELS Think of the Aquatic Bike as a new wave of water aerobics. You won’t win a race by pedaling in the pool, but the resistance and buoyancy of the water provide a high-intensity cardio workout with less joint stress.

That’s a victory for anyone. $2,500.

(888) 263‑9850; frontgate.com.

WATER MUSIC Splash sounds drowning out your sweet soul music? With Underwater Audio’s Waterproof iPod Shuffle Swimbuds Sport Bundle, you’ll swim in peace with only the music you love to propel you. The bundle includes a waterproofed iPod Shuffle and a variety of earplug tips for a snug fit. $175. (877) 849‑0750; underwateraudio.com.

JUST IN CASE If you must have your mobile in or out of the pool, consider the Lifeproof Nuud + Alpha Glass Bundle. Waterproof cell casing protects front and back, and custom glass shields the screen. Drop your phone in the pool? No problem.

In fact, this case protects your precious phone from drops, dirt and snow, too. $140. (888) 533‑0735; lifeproof.com.

SPEAKER OF THE POOL Bring your tunes right into the water with a JBL Charge 3 waterproof speaker. Connect via Bluetooth to your music or your mobile phone while you float on— the Charge 3 has a 20-hour battery life. $120. (877) 871‑6755; harmanaudio.com.

14

WET AND WILD

CALL YOU FLIPPER Glide through the pool famously with SeaDoo’s SeaScooter Aqua Dolphin. A compact, pool-use version of the SeaDoo personal watercraft, the Aqua Dolphin runs for more than an hour on a rechargeable battery. There’s even a camera mount, so you can record aquatic action while keeping a firm grip on the scooter. $200.

(800) 462‑3966; bedbathbeyond.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

GATOR GUARD Trying to keep unwanted critters— human and otherwise—out of your pool? This faux reptile may do the trick. The Pool Guarding Gator’s three hinged parts give it lifelike movement. Glowing LED eyes add a menacing appearance. $40. (800) 321‑1484; hammacher.com.

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Participants in the 2016 Mongol Derby get ready for another day of racing.

16

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

Meet the South Carolinians crazy enough to compete in the Mongol Derby

BY LIZ CAREY

Listed in Guinness World Records as the planet’s longest and toughest horse race, the Mongol Derby challenges 40 riders to retrace the 10-day, 1,000-kilometer route Genghis Khan’s messengers once followed across the Mongolian steppes—and do it atop a motley assortment of native, semi-feral horses.

There are no box lunches, guided trails, water stations or hotel rooms at the end of the day. What the race does have is a list of dangers straight from an adventure novel—changes in temperature from nearly 100 degrees to below freezing, dehydration, illness, the risk of a horse stepping into a marmot hole and throwing the rider, and the threat of being chased by wild dogs and bandits. u u

SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

17

OFF TO THE RACES

Riders are limited to 11 pounds of supplies, including their riding gear and sleeping bags, and they camp in simple shelters or with families they meet along the way.

At every turn, the race pushes competitors to the limits of their physical, mental and emotional endurance.

Three South Carolinians—Clare Summers, Rachel Land and Julia Fisher—will travel to the far reaches of Asia this August to compete in the 2017 race, facing off against riders from eight countries, the grueling course, the naysayers who think they’re nuts and their own fears.

These are not intimidating women. Each of them weighs less than 170 pounds, but what they lack in physical stature they make up for in resilience, determination and a fierce desire to win. Wild horses may carry them across the Mongolian landscape this summer, but they won’t keep these women from competing in the race of a lifetime.

The ride of a lifetime

18

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

HOMETOWN: Pendleton AGE: 59 OCCUPATION: Physical therapist for Greenville Health Systems’ Home

Health division

YEARS RIDING: 36 WORDS TO LIVE BY:

“Life is too short to watch it go by on the couch.”

Clare Summers spends most of her days helping patients with their bodies, but racing in the Mongol Derby is her way of focusing on her own.

‘ My daughter says, “I’m glad it’s not me, but go for it, Mom.” ’ —CLARE SUMMERS

MILTON MORRIS

CLARE SUMMERS

MONGOL DERBY PHOTOS AT LEFT AND OVERLEAF COURTESY OF RICHARD DUNWOODY @ MONGOL DERBY; CLARE SUMMERS PHOTO BY MILTON MORRIS

While nothing can truly prepare a rider for the experience of the A rider “embraces Mongol Derby, 2016 competitor the suck” during the 2016 Mongol Pierce Buckingham of Aiken Derby. seconds the advice he received before competing: “I was told to ‘embrace the suck,’” he says.

While Buckingham finished in the middle of the pack and treasures the memories, the race was not always pleasant, he says.

“Day three is when most people get sick,” he says. “It was the experience of a lifetime, but it wasn’t comfortable.”

At the start of the race, competitors get a horse from a local trader and then take off across the Mongolian countryside. About every 40 kilometers, riders must find the next urtuu (wilderness horse farm) and change mounts.

“The horses aren’t broken like we think of broken horses here,” Buckingham says. “You get on them, and they take off at full speed for two or three kilometers until you get them under control.”

At a specific time each night, all racing stops, and riders have the choice of staying at the urtuu or finding lodging with a family along the route.

“The Mongol people would just open their homes to you,” Buckingham says. “One home, I remember, they invited the next home over to come to dinner to meet me … and I spent the night showing them pictures of my family on my phone. It was an amazing experience.”

‘ I said, “I didn’t know anyone crazy enough to do that.” But then, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it.’

—RACHEL LAND

“In my ongoing battle with aging, the Mongol Derby allows me to test my physical and mental endurance, in addition to experiencing a new culture, make new friends from around the world, while riding 26 incredible ponies,” she says.

Summers started riding horses when she was 34.

Since then, the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative member has logged more than 10,000 miles in endurance races around the country.

At first, the Mongol Derby seemed impossible, she says, but the idea grew on her, and a looming birthday put everything into sharp focus.

“I wanted to do it before I turned 60,” she says. “And I started thinking … I’m getting older, but I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life. Whatever your physical or mental condition, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be in that condition in a year. It was time.”

Summers will celebrate her 60th birthday the day after the race ends.

Her family, she says, is all for it.

“They’re just excited as all get out,” she says. “My daughter says, ‘I’m glad it’s not me, but go for it, Mom.’ ” To prepare, Summers and her friend Rachel Land, another Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative member who will compete in the 2017 derby, have participated in 50and 100-mile races at Biltmore Estate, endured strenuous CrossFit workouts together and taken self-defense courses.

Make no mistake, though. There’s still a competitive edge to Summers.

“I’m in it for the experience,” she says. “But, if day five or six comes and I’m near the front? Well, let’s just say, I’m not used to losing.”

RACHEL LAND

HOME: Easley AGE: 38 OCCUPATION: Stay-at-home mom YEARS RIDING: 35 WORDS TO LIVE BY: “Being brave is being scared but doing it anyway.”

Horses have always been a way of life for Rachel Land.

She grew up in Texas, where her first mount was a Shetland pony she learned to ride at age 3. When she was 8, she started showing Saddlebreds. As an adult, she worked as an equestrian performer and trick rider with Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede dinner theater in Branson, Missouri. But then, she married a pastor and settled down to life as a stayat-home mom who homeschools her four children.

When she began endurance racing with Clare Summers last year, riding in the Mongol Derby “wasn’t even on my radar,” she says.

“When Clare told me about it, I kind of laughed and said, ‘I didn’t know anyone crazy enough to do that.’ But then, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it.”

The $13,000 entrance fee was a huge hurdle to overcome. So was lining up care for the couple’s four children, but husband Justin Land didn’t bat an eye when she broached the subject of competing in the race.

“When I told my husband about it, he said, ‘Why the heck wouldn’t you sign up for it?’ ” she says. “He is the most supportive person I’ve ever known. He said, ‘Don’t let something as silly as money and childcare or babysitting get in the way of your dreams. Go ahead and submit your application.’ ” For her children, ages 9, 7, 3 and 2, the race is something special. uu SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

19

OFF TO THE RACES

“My kids think it’s great,” she says. “They think they have the coolest mom on earth. In our homeschool co-op, they are always telling their friends their mom is in the longest horse race on earth and teaching them about Mongolia and what it’s like.”

But not all of her family is thrilled. None of her relatives outside of South Carolina were willing to donate to cover the cost of the entry fee.

“They think, in the stage of life I’m in, that I have no business going to the other side of the world and being in a race like this,” she says. “They say, ‘What if something happens to you? You’ve got four small kids who would lose their mother.’ But, the way I see it, I could be in a car accident tomorrow. It’s not okay to live life in fear of the ‘what ifs.’ Being brave is being scared but doing it anyway.”

JULIA FISHER

HOMETOWN: Hartsville AGE: 65 OCCUPATION: Psychology professor, Coker College YEARS RIDING: 9 WORDS TO LIVE BY: “It’s never too late.”

‘ I spent years thinking I was too old and it was too late. But then, a year ago, I decided just to do it.’

—JULIA FISHER

MILTON MORRIS

GET MORE The 2017 Mongol Derby starts in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Aug. 9. The last riders are expected to finish by Aug. 18. Follow the progress of riders Clare Summers and Rachel Land at their team website strongandcrazy.com. To learn more about the race, visit theadventurists.com/mongol-derby.

20

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

When most people turn 65, they think about slowing down, taking time off from work, enjoying a quieter, more peaceful life.

But not Julia Fisher. After turning 65 in October, she decided she wanted to enter the Mongol Derby.

An assistant professor of psychology at Coker College in Hartsville, Fisher spent most of the 1990s putting herself through graduate school, being a single parent to her two children and establishing her career in experimental psychology. Originally from Missouri, Fisher had lived in Wisconsin, Chicago, Southern California and Boston before she moved to South Carolina and, at age 57, started riding horses.

She started endurance racing soon after and the next year bought her first horse, a rescued Arabian mare.

Now, with more than 800 miles of competitive endurance runs under her belt, she’s looking forward to racing across Mongolia and pushing herself to her limits.

“In 2013, I heard about the derby, and I knew I wanted to do it,” she says. “I was obsessed.”

Fisher says she was never afraid of the inherent risks of the race. What kept her from applying were self-doubts.

“I spent years thinking about it and thinking I was too old and it was too late,” she says. “But then, a year ago, I decided to just do it.”

At 65, Fisher will be the oldest person to ride in the 2017 race, but she is training hard to compete and win.

“I feel stronger and healthier than I have ever been in my life,” she says. “That’s what horses will do to or for you.”

SC Life

Stories

Christina Miles AGE:

33

Columbia Chocolatier TRAVEL GOALS: Visit six of the seven continents (she’s been to four); get a new passport stamp every year IF IT’S NOT CHOCOLATE: “I eat a lot of vegetables. I have an appreciation for anything fresh out of the garden.”

HOMETOWN: PROFESSION:

RUTA SMITH

GET MORE Find Christina Miles’

chocolates in her shop on Millwood Avenue in Columbia or at the Columbia Museum of Art gift shop.

Learn more about her chocolatemaking classes and wine-pairing events at brugeschocolaterie.com or facebook.com/brugeschocolaterie.

Sweet dreams

Chocolatier: A person who makes and sells chocolate. Sounds like a job a kid might dream up.

Stirring a cup of warm, dark sipping chocolate to serve her guest, Christina Miles confesses she was that kid. Growing up, she was glued to the TV whenever celebrity chefs were cooking. Her kitchen experiments earned her a reputation among family and friends as a master of sweets.

While visiting Belgium, a 13-year-old Miles tasted real, high-quality chocolate for the first time and began to dream of her own food business. Bruges Chocolaterie, her artisan chocolate shop, opened in Columbia last year, named for the friendly town where she first fell in love with fine chocolate.

“I only use Belgian or French chocolate, because they take a lot of pride in their chocolate, and it’s some of the best in the world,” says Miles, a perfectionist who scrutinizes every piece of her meticulously handcrafted and hand-painted chocolates, checking for blemishes. “I believe if I’m making something, it should be the best.”

In her first-ever S.C. State Fair competitions last year, Miles won ribbons for every confection she entered—including her popular coffee- and salted-caramel-filled chocolates and her chocolate ganache cake.

Miles’ indirect route to chocolatier—a finance degree from Howard University, teaching Spanish in rural Georgia, working for a U.S. presidential campaign—eventually led to culinary school. At every turn, she indulged her love of travel, immersing herself in local life to better understand new cultures and foods.

Part of her job, she says, is educating curious customers and students in her chocolate-making classes to appreciate “real chocolate”—the shine, snap and mouth feel of well-tempered chocolate, how to pair it with wines, and “why it costs more than a Snickers bar.”

“Once they taste it, they understand,” Miles says. —DIANE VETO PARHAM SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

21

SCTravels

BY HASTINGS HENSEL | PHOTOS BY RUTA SMITH

Connecting the past BENEATH A STAND OF TOWERING

THEN AND NOW Ashley Hollinshead, an interpretive aide for McLeod Plantation Historic Site, uses an iPad to show her tour group what the main house at McLeod Plantation looked like in the mid-1850s.

22

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

and majestic 100-year-old live oaks, and in front of a towering and majestic plantation house nearly 60 years older, Ashley Hollinshead, an interpretive aide for the McLeod Plantation Historic Site, pulls out an iPad to show my tour group a digital image of what the house used to look like, from the same vantage point, in the mid-1850s.

For a moment, the juxtaposiMcLeod tion of history and modern Plantation technology is surprising, but Historic Site tells embracing the complex transforthe ever‑evolving mations of history is the purpose of the 37-acre site on the banks of history of life in Wappoo Creek. Owned and operthe Old South ated by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, the plantation is not solely a testament to the Civil War landowners or the enslaved people who worked the land, but also a testament to the people who continued living on the site until 1990.

“This is a different experience,” says Shawn Halifax, the site’s cultural history interpretative coordinator. “We deliberately talk about life on a plantation site through the end of the 20th century. That’s not something that’s added on or an afterthought. That’s part of our focus.”

He goes on: “That really sets this place apart, but it also allows our visitors to make real connections to the site, because, for most of our visitors who come out here, we’re talking about events within their lifetime.”

Guided interpretive tours begin in the visitors center with a timeline exhibit built around a cotton gin. The timeline breaks the site’s history into four periods: 1851–1862, the Old South period; 1862–1865, the Civil War period; 1865–1869, the Reconstruction period; and 1869–1990, the New South period.

Every 45-minute tour begins at this exhibit and covers all four periods, stopping at different locations—the main house, the cotton gin house, the dairy and kitchen, the tenant homes, and the worship house. The interpretive aides, many of whom are graduate students in history at

to the present

AT THE BEGINNING Tours of McLeod Plantation begin at the visitor center’s cotton gin (left) and include the tenant homes (above), which were occupied until the 1990s. Shawn Halifax (right), the site’s cultural history interpretative coordinator, says the experience is designed to “showcase life on a plantation site through the end of the 20th century.”

‘ We deliberately talk about life on a plantation site through the end of the 20th century. … That’s part of our focus.’

—SHAWN HALIFAX, CULTURAL HISTORY INTERPRETATIVE COORDINATOR

nearby College of Charleston, speak knowledgeably and empathetically about the site’s history and people. Indeed, Hollinshead tries to show each location through the eyes of an enslaved person, or a newly emancipated citizen during Reconstruction, or an African-American trying to navigate life in the 20th century.

Telling the story, for instance, of a young, enslaved girl who had to march blindfolded from Georgetown to

Charleston, Hollinshead says, “I just want you guys to think about what she was going through. She’s this young child, and she’s just been separated from her parents and her home and anything at all familiar to her, and she’s coming here to McLeod.”

The story is sobering and powerful, because it does not shy away from the realities of history. And by doing so, the tour becomes a fuller commemoration of the past, even if that past is full of contradictions.

At different times during the Civil War, for instance, both Confederate and Union troops occupied the main house. During Reconstruction, the Freedmen’s Bureau—a government agency helping emancipated people—made James Island its field office and issued land titles on the plantation’s grounds. But then, after Lincoln’s assassination, president Andrew Johnson revoked the titles. Many formerly enslaved people were thus forced to work as tenant farmers, often in debt.

All of it happened here, and none of it gets obscured by a vision of the South that is all moonlight and magnolias.

So, likewise, the site does not shy away from the future.

Visitors to McLeod Plantation Historic Site can also SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

23

SC TRAVELS

HANDS-ON HISTORY In 1860, enslaved Africans at McLeod Plantation harvested 90 tons of Sea Island cotton, making it the most productive plantation on James Island and generating enormous wealth for the plantation owners. Later this year, as part of a hands-on history experience, guests can volunteer to help harvest the first cotton grown on the grounds since the 1920s.

download a user-friendly “Transition to Freedom” iPhone app that serves as a kind of digital tour guide. Pinned locations, many of which are not covered on the interpretive tour, can be tapped for more information, which is narrated

by Ron Daise, the creator of the former Nickelodeon show Gullah Gullah Island. Each narration is also accompanied by quotations from authors and oral histories that help illuminate the historical importance of the location.

New discoveries continue to shape the experience at McLeod Plantation Historic Site.

‘ We’re constantly redoing our tours, changing them to fit the new research we find.’

—ASHLEY HOLLINSHEAD, INTERPRETIVE AIDE

GetThere McLeod Plantation Historic Site is located at 325 Country Club Drive on James Island.

HOURS: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday– Sunday ADMISSION: $15 for adults over 13, $12 for those 60 years old and over, and $6 for children 12 and under. Admission includes a 45-minute interpretive tour.

GET THE APP: The McLeod Plantation “Transition to Freedom” app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store or by following this link: ccprc.com/1447/McLeod-Plantation-Historic-Site.

GET HANDS-ON: Volunteers who wish to help cultivate and pick the quarter-acre Sea Island cotton field should contact Shawn Halifax at (843) 762-9508 or shalifax@ccprc.com.

24

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

“We’re constantly doing research here,” explains Hollinshead. “Just a few months ago, we thought the kitchen was added in 1925, but we came across a photograph of the kitchen in 1905 attached to the home! We’re constantly redoing our tours, changing them to fit the new research we find.”

The result is that visitors sense they are participating in the life of the site. And, indeed, new research continues to help expand the programming and historic preservation. Halifax cites, among other things, new work being done to identify the ancestors of those buried in the cemetery, as well as an expansion of arts programs and special-event weekends.

Later this summer and through the fall, the plantation staff will invite guests to help cultivate and harvest a quarter-acre patch of the original Sea Island cotton grown here from the 1860s to 1920. Bill McLean, a James Island resident, and Richard Porcher, author of A History of Sea Island Cotton, found the seeds in a U.S. Department of Agriculture seed bank and worked with McLeod Plantation to sow them near the main house as one more way for visitors to experience history in the present, says Halifax.

“When you start to talk about things people have lived through themselves, then you start to have a conversation,” says Halifax. “People can speak from their experiences and their perspectives, and that just adds to the understanding that history and society and culture are very complex.”

The 41st Annual

The most dangerous animals in the forest don’t live there.

Arts and crafts event in beautiful Aiken! | Handmade craft exhibits | Food trucks | Performing artists

September 8 - 9, 2017 Opens daily at 9:00 AM

Park Avenue in Downtown Aiken For more information, visit aikenchamber.net ONLY YOU CAN PR E VE N T W I L D FIRE S. w w w. s m o k e y b e a r. c o m

O PUB: DO NOT PRINT INFO BELOW, FOR I.D. ONLY. NO ALTERING OF AD COUNCIL PSAS. Wildfire Prevention - Magazine (2 1/4 x 4 7/8) 4/C WFPA01-M-03258-E “Animals” 120 screen Film at Schawk 212-689-8585 Reference #:569132

An interactive nature-based exhibit at the Museum of York County in Rock Hill, SC ON VIEW THROUGH SEPT. 16, 2017 TUES-SAT 10 AM – 5 PM

Created & toured by

4621 Mount Gallant Rd. Rock Hill, SC 29732 • 803-329-2121 • chmuseums.org Sponsored locally by Harry M. Dalton. Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home was created by the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in collaboration with the US Forest Service. Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl are protected by Congressional law and are used with permission from the US Forest Service.

All Rights Reserved. 16 USC 580p-4 & 18 USC 711a. Project assisted by City of Rock Hill and York County Accommodations & Hospitality Tax Programs

SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

25

Recipe

BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

I scream, . you scream . .

GWÉNAËL LE VOT

NUTTY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES MAKES 8 SANDWICHES

July is National Ice Cream Month— the perfect time for frozen treats to help us cope with summer’s heat. Why not celebrate by indulging in some ice cream creations in fun and unusual shapes? All these recipes work with your favorite ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbet or gelato.

Making homemade ice cream cones gets a little easier with a waffle-cone maker, but the process is similar to making waffle cups. Watch Chef Belinda at work at

SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda 26

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ cup unsalted butter O cup brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract O cup chocolate chips O cup white chocolate chips 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts Pistachio ice cream Mini chocolate chips for decoration

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add flour mixture. Mix until combined. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts. Mixture will be very thick.

Using a medium-large scooper, drop scoops of dough 3 inches apart on cookie sheets (if not using scooper, drop scoops equivalent to 2 tablespoons) to make 16 cookies. Using a spatula, press down on each scoop to flatten slightly. Bake 12–15 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool on a rack.

Remove ice cream from freezer, and let sit 10–15 minutes to soften slightly. Scoop desired amount onto a cookie, and top with a second cookie. On cookie sheets lined with clean parchment paper, place ice cream sandwiches, and chill in freezer 30 minutes. Remove; decorate sides of sandwiches with mini chocolate chips. Cover tray with plastic wrap; return to freezer until ready to serve.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE BROWNIE STACKS

KAREN HERMANN

½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped pecans Pinch kosher salt Chocolate ice cream White chocolate, melted Chopped pecans for garnish

Heat oven to 325 F. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with cocoa, and stir until smooth. Remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly; transfer to a large bowl.

Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, 1 cup chopped pecans and salt. Add to butter-and-cocoa mixture; stir until just combined. Pour into a greased 8-inch-by8-inch square pan. Bake 30–35 minutes. Do not overbake; brownies should be gooey. Let cool; cut into desired shape and size with round or square biscuit cutter.

Remove ice cream from freezer, and let sit 10–15 minutes to soften slightly. Tear off sides of ice cream container, and turn out ice cream onto clean cutting board. Cut into 1-inch slices. Cut out ice cream shapes with same cutter used to cut brownies. Place slices on parchment-lined baking sheet, and return to freezer until they harden (about 30 minutes). To serve, place brownie on plate, stack ice cream slice on top, drizzle with melted white chocolate, and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

SORBET BOMBE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE SERVES 6

Place a 7-inch mold (e.g., round-bottom bowl, gelatin mold) in freezer. Remove pomegranate sorbet from freezer; allow to soften 15–20 minutes. Smooth sorbet into bottom of mold; return mold to freezer.

Remove mango sorbet from freezer; allow to soften 15–20 minutes. Retrieve mold from freezer, and smooth mango on top of the pomegranate. Return mold to freezer again.

Remove raspberry sorbet from freezer; allow to soften 15–20 minutes. Retrieve mold from freezer; smooth raspberry on top of mango.

Return mold to freezer to harden completely.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat sugar and 2 tablespoons water until sugar dissolves to create a simple syrup. In a blender, puree 6 ounces of raspberries with the simple syrup. Puree until smooth; then, using the back of a wooden spoon, strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds.

Stir in lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve bombe.

Remove frozen bombe from freezer; dip mold up to the rim in warm water to help release the bombe. Unmold onto a flat serving plate. Keep frozen until ready to serve. To serve, slice bombe in wedges, garnish with raspberries and drizzle with sauce.

GWÉNAËL LE VOT

1 pint pomegranate sorbet 1 pint mango sorbet 1 pint raspberry sorbet ZN cup sugar 2 tablespoons water 12 ounces fresh raspberries, divided 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

KAREN HERMANN

MAKES 8

WAFFLE ICE CREAM CUPS MAKES 8–10

Cooking spray 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ¾ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 2 large eggs ½ cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup milk, more if needed White chocolate, melted Colored sprinkles Cherry vanilla ice cream

Preheat waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions; adjust settings for desired level of brownness.

Turn a 12-cup muffin tin upside-down; spray bottom with cooking spray, and set aside.

In a small bowl, melt butter in microwave. Set aside.

In another small bowl, whisk together flour, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until combined. Add flour mixture, and stir.

Add melted butter, vanilla and milk, and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. If more milk is needed, add 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency of a pancake batter.

Spoon ¼ cup batter onto waffle iron. Spread batter extra thin, so you can shape into cups. Using a small spatula, spread batter evenly over surface. Close lid, and cook at least 1 minute before lifting lid to check for doneness.

Continue cooking until you reach desired color, 1 ½ to 2 minutes total time. (It may take a few tries to get this right.)

Quickly remove waffle from waffle iron, and shape it over the bottom of one muffin cup. Repeat until all cups are made. Alternate method: Use two flat-bottom glasses, one slightly larger than the other. Shape waffle over bottom of smaller glass, cover with a paper towel and place larger glass over it. Allow cups to cool completely before removing, so they maintain their shape.

Brush or dip the rim of each cup with melted white chocolate, and dip in sprinkles. Fill cooled cups with cherry vanilla ice cream, and serve. Cups will stay fresh 1 week in zippered plastic bag or covered plastic container.

SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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SCSnapshot

Pets and their people It’s no secret that the readers of South Carolina Living have a serious case of puppy love when it comes to their pets, be it dogs, cats, lizards or birds. We could have filled Noah’s ark with the results of our call for pet stories and photos. Here are just a few of our favorites.

Abby

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT We adopted Abby three years ago from the Union County Animal Shelter. She arrived there as a stray, and no one claimed her. When I met her, I immediately fell in love. She is the sweetest dog and wants nothing more than to love others and be loved in return.

We have cats, chickens and goats on our small farm, and she is sweet and gentle to all the animals. She is the perfect pet for our family. Adopting her was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

LOVE PUGS We adopted Pearl (right) in February 2014, when she was a teeny little “runt” at 12 weeks old. Love at first sight! In August 2016, we were ecstatic to find out that Pearl’s birth mother needed a good home. We rescued Sunny Boo in September 2016. It is a total blessing to have these two love pugs in our family!

—KARIN KELL, GOOSE CREEK

—CHRIS PERNOT, GAFFNEY

AS YOU WISH Princess Buttercup is a comical, bearded dragon who loves to do tricks, swim and snuggle. She will often climb from my hands up to my shoulder and sit there for hours, licking my face and bouncing around. Previously, she was a wonderful class pet.

Retired at the age of 1½, she now lives in luxury! Her 40-gallon tank houses her favorite hammock and sandbox. —EMMA BATSON, IRMO

Princess Buttercup

28

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

Sunny Boo and Pearl A BIRD’SEYE VIEW This is a picture of my daughter, Katie, and her peacock, Grace. As you can tell in the photo, they share a very special bond. Grace is in love with Katie’s phone and photobombed this selfie.

—DONNA WILLIAMS PARKER, EDGEFIELD

PUCKER UP Pearl is our 8-year-old White German shepherd.

She is extremely smart and very p­ rotective and loves to give Mommy lots of puppy kisses.

While German shepherds are known for their strength, Pearl exhibits a special kind of strength after struggling with epileptic seizures that began at age 4. Despite her challenges, she still enjoys playing big sister to Opal (6-year-old White German shepherd) and Onyx (8-year-old black kitty). Pearl is a very special, loving dog, and we are so lucky to have her as a member of our family. —ELANA OSTENDORF, LEXINGTON

Pearl

Grace

Boomer

GO FETCH! Boomer was the runt of his litter, but he quickly surpassed his litter­ mates, maxing out at 115 pounds.

Some people tease about his size, but he’s “just right” to us. He is mild-mannered, yet ready to go on command, with an eager-to-please attitude. Training him was half the fun and very rewarding. Our sons, Dusty and Brock (pictured), are waterfowl- and dove-hunting freaks, and Boomer is right there with them. —JAMIE PEARSON, TRENTON

UP NEXT: LOVE ME, LOVE MY TRUCK Maybe it’s Grandpa’s vintage farm truck, parked out in the barn, that still fires up whenever he turns the key. Maybe it’s your “weekend warrior” vehicle that just seems to look better when it’s covered in mud. Or maybe it’s a shiny, all-theoptions, garage-kept, squeaky-clean object of desire that you baby every weekend.

If a pickup truck is a part of your identity, share the love by sending us a photo and telling us about your favorite set of wheels at SCLiving.coop/snapshot. If we publish your image and story in South Carolina Living, we’ll send you a $25 gift card to help keep your pride and joy gassed up and ready to roll.

THE RULES OF THE ROAD: Entries must be submitted online. No email or mailed entries can be accepted. By submitting your photo and story, you are granting South Carolina Living magazine and The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc., full rights to edit and publish the material in print and digital publications, via social media and on our websites.

SCLiving.coop/snapshot

SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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SCGardener

BY AMY L. DABBS

Simplify summer watering

A T-connector directs water where it’s needed.

A hose splitter makes it easy to switch between the drip system or your regular hose.

PHOTOS BY AMY DABBS

Attaching hoses to your deck railing with a C-clamp and small nail keeps the system neat.

JULY’S HEAT CAN BE TOUGH ON PLANTS and the gardeners who try to keep them well watered.

Fortunately, dragging heavy hoses around the yard is not your only option. Automating your watering routine can make irrigating garden plants as simple as turning on a faucet.

My porch and deck are fairly groaning with hanging baskets and potted herbs and flowers.

I used to spend an hour a day hand-watering plants while mosquitoes nipped at my ankles and water ran into my shoes. To keep up with the demand for water—and save my sanity—I automated my watering routine by installing a drip-irrigation system.

Drip irrigation is highly efficient, meaning lower water bills and less waste. It saves water by directing it to plant roots and preventing loss through evaporation. And, because water does not spray all over the plants’ leaves, there’s less likelihood of diseases cropping up.

Prepackaged drip-irrigation kits are available at local garden centers and irrigation-supply stores, with all component parts included—ideal for those with little experience installing irrigation systems. Just be sure to buy the kit you need—there are options designed for porches, patios and decks, and others for landscape use.

Kits labeled for landscape use typically spray water over a larger area, making them a better choice for flowerbeds and vegetable gardens.

If you are a design-it-yourself type, all the parts you’ll need are sold at lawn-and-garden centers, irrigation-supply companies or online.

Here’s the basic setup, this one for container plants: You’ll need drip-irrigation emitters—like small sprinklers for your containers. Made of plastic, these devices sit on top of plastic stakes in the soil and allow water to bubble or drip out slowly.

Standard flow rates are half a gallon, one gallon or two gallons per hour, but some emitters are adjustable, allowing gardeners to set the flow at up to 10 gallons per hour.

A pressure regulator with a fine-mesh filter

Drip-irrigation emitters save water and help minimize diseases by keeping leaves dry.

attaches at the faucet and regulates water pressure to ensure that water reaches the farthest point on the line and that emitters do not pop out of the system if the pressure is too high. The filter prevents sediment in the water from stopping up the emitters over time. Sediment in well water can cause clogging and may require replacing emitters and cleaning filters more often.

Flexible plastic tubing attaches to the regulator and serves as the main supply line. It can be attached to porches or railings with C-clamps, so it stays out of the way while it delivers water where it’s needed.

With your main supply line in place, you decide where to place emitters for each pot.

Attach emitters via spaghetti tubing to bridge the gap between the supply line and the pot.

Use a hole punch or scissors to make connections where needed along the line. The distance between supply line and pot should not be more than a few feet. Use “goof plugs” to fill holes and a figure-eight clamp to seal the open end of the supply line.

After each pot has its own emitter, just turn on the faucet when it’s time to water. is an area horticulture agent for Clemson Extension based in Charleston County.

Contact her at adabbs@clemson.edu.

AMY L. DABBS

GET MORE For more details on garden irrigation, visit clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/other/irrigation.

30

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

HuNGEr rEAds tHE MorNING pApEr, too.

1 IN 6 AMErIcANs struGGlEs WItH HuNGEr.

HISTORIC PRODUCT CONTENT LABEL HISTORIC PRODUCT CONTENT LABEL

The product is sold in blocks of 100 kilowatt hours (kWh).

The product was made up of the following renewable resources: Green-e Energy Certified New 2 Renewables in Green Power

Generation Location

2016 > 99% < 1% < 1% 100% 1

Landfill Methane Gas Solar Wind TOTAL

South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina

1

The 2016 figures reflect the power resources generated and supplied for the year ending December 31, 2016.

2

New Renewables come from generation facilities that first began commercial operation on or after January 1, 2002.

For comparison, the current average mix of resources supplying Santee Cooper includes: Coal 51.5%, Nuclear 12.0%, Oil - 0.0%, Natural Gas 20.2%, Hydro 1.9%, Landfill Methane 0.3%, Solar 0.0%, Other 14.2%.

The average home in South Carolina uses 1,146 kWh per month. (Source: Energy Information Administration 2015) For specific information about this electricity product, contact Santee Cooper at (843) 761-8000, extension 3205, or visit www.santeecooper.com/greenpower.

toGEtHEr WE’rE

Hunger is closer than you think. reach out to your local food bank for ways to do your part.

Visit FeedingAmerica.org today.

Green Power is Green-e Energy certified, and meets the environmental and consumer protection standards set forth by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions. Learn more at www.green-e.org.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

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SCLIVING.COOP | JULY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

35

Calendar of Events Go to SCLiving.coop for more information and for guidelines on submitting your event. Please confirm information before attending events.

UPSTATE JULY

15 • Banjo Extravaganza, Hagood Mill Historic Site and Folklife Center, Pickens. (864) 898‑2936.

15 • Build It Day, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, Greenville.

(864) 233‑7755.

15 • Gaffney Peach Festival, various locations, Gaffney.

(864) 489‑5721.

15 • Hub City Empty Bowls Bowl-Making Session, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg.

(864) 706‑3739.

15 • Palmetto State’s Strongest Man, Palehorse Strength and Conditioning, Boiling Springs.

(989) 200‑1157.

15–30 • Upstate Shakespeare Festival: Titus Andronicus, Falls Park, Greenville. (864) 787‑4016.

20 • Hub City Empty Bowls BowlMaking Session (ArtWalk), West Main Artists’ Co-op, Spartanburg.

(864) 706‑3739.

20 • Kasey Chambers, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467‑3000.

20 • Music by the Lake Concert Series: “The Luck of the Irish,” Furman University Lake amphitheater, Greenville.

(864) 294‑2086.

20–Aug. 5 • Othello, The Warehouse Theatre, Greenville.

(864) 235‑6948.

20–Aug. 12 • Million Dollar Quartet, Centre Stage Theatre, Greenville. (864) 233‑6733.

22 • Gaffney Peach Festival Dirt Track Race, Cherokee Speedway, Gaffney. (864) 489‑5721.

22 • A Walk through History, Paris Mountain State Park, Greenville.

(864) 244‑5565.

24–26 • Junior Survivor Camp, Bart Garrison Agricultural Museum of South Carolina, Pendleton.

(864) 646‑7271.

25–30 • Finding Neverland, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467‑3000.

27 • Music by the Lake Concert Series: “2017: A Space Odyssey,” Furman University Lake amphitheater, Greenville.

(864) 294‑2086.

27–30 • Carolina Foothills Dog Show Cluster, TD Convention Center, Greenville. (864) 350‑3445.

AUGUST

1 • After Work Paddle Tour, Lake Blalock Park, Chesnee.

(864) 578‑5442.

36

3 • Music by the Lake Concert Series: Asheville Jazz Orchestra, Furman University Lake amphitheater, Greenville.

(864) 294‑2086.

4 • Food Truck Rollout, Greer City Park, Greer. (864) 968‑7005.

4 • Greenville Center for Creative Arts Member Show, Greenville Center for Creative Arts, Greenville.

(864) 735‑3948.

4–5 • Ed Brown’s Championship Rodeo, South Charleston Street, Blacksburg. (864) 839‑6239.

11–12 • Dearly Beloved, Abbeville Opera House, Abbeville.

(864) 366‑2157.

12 • Superhero 5K, Kroc Center, Greenville. (864) 235‑4803.

ONGOING

Daily through Sept. 10 • “Wyeth Dynasty,” Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville.

(864) 271‑7570.

Tuesdays • Greenville Downtown Line Dance, Sears Rec Center, Greenville. (864) 467‑6667.

Every other Wednesday • Music Sandwiched In, Spartanburg County Public Library, Spartanburg.

(864) 948‑9020.

Thursdays • Learning Safari Thursdays, Greenville Zoo, Greenville. (864) 467‑4300.

Third Thursdays • ArtWalk, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542‑2787.

Fridays through Aug. 11 • Simpsonville Summer Music Series, The Tater Shed, Simpsonville. (561) 310‑3379.

Second Saturdays • Heartstrings, Hagood Mill, Pickens.

(864) 898‑2936.

Saturdays and Sundays • Historic Building Tours, Oconee Station State Historic Site, Walhalla.

(864) 638‑0079.

Sundays through October • Woodburn and Ashtabula Historic Home Tours, house locations, Pendleton.

(864) 646‑7249.

MIDLANDS JULY

15 • Barbecue Dinner Train, S.C. Railroad Museum, Winnsboro.

(803) 635‑9893.

15 and 29 • Chester County Historical Society’s Virtual Walking Tour of Chester, Chester County Library, Chester.

(803) 385‑2332.

15 • Reggaetronic Lake Murray Music Festival, Spence Island, Lexington. (803) 960‑4010.

15 • Battle of Huck’s Defeat, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells.

(803) 684‑2327.

15 • “The Way We Worked— Civilian Conservation Corps at Chester State Park,” Chester State Park, Chester. (803) 385‑2680.

18 • Indigo: Many Shades of Blue, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells.

(803) 684‑2327.

20 • Painting Classes with Penney Winslow, Arts Council of Chester County, Chester.

(803) 581‑2030.

22 • Paddlefest, Santee State Park, Santee. (803) 974‑1262.

22 • Summer Drive-In Movie Series: The Shining, Historic Columbia Speedway, Cayce.

(803) 354‑5720.

22 and 29 • Moths of Lee State Park, Lee State Park, Bishopville.

(803) 428‑4988.

24 • Car Show and Kids Day, Chester County Transportation Museum, Chester. (803) 385‑2330.

24–28 • Stayin’ Alive: A Megalodon-sized Mystery Summer Camp, S.C. State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898‑4999.

25 • Historic Cooking Demonstration, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells.

(803) 684‑2327.

28 • Lecture and discussion with Chester native Earl Lee, author of The Gayle, Chester War Memorial Building, Chester. (803) 385‑2332.

28–29 • South Congaree Championship Rodeo, South Congaree Horse Arena, West Columbia. (803) 513‑5750.

29 • Dance Down Memory Lane, Great Falls HomeTown Association, Great Falls. (803) 482‑2370.

29 • Lando History Night, Lando-Manetta Mills History Center, Lando. (803) 789‑6361.

29 • Midlands Women’s Fair, Jamil Shrine Temple, Columbia.

(813) 463‑2712.

29 • Tours of Great Falls Dam and Power Plant, Great Falls Dam and Power Plant, Great Falls.

(803) 482‑2370.

31–Aug. 4 • Full STEAM Ahead Summer Camp, S.C. State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898‑4999.

5 • Logan’s Heroes Golf Tournament, Hidden Valley Golf Club, Gaston. (803) 917‑8891.

5 • Solar Astronomy Day, Museum of York County, Rock Hill.

(803) 909‑7244.

5 • Sweet Baby O 5K, Saluda Shoals Park, Columbia.

(803) 528‑0740.

5 • Tasty Tomato Festival, City Roots, Columbia. (803) 470‑4302.

6 • Five After Five, Five Points, Columbia. (803) 748‑7373.

7–11 • Positively Patterned Summer Camp, S.C. State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898‑4999.

8 • Antebellum School Days, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells.

(803) 684‑2327.

11 • Twilight in the Garden: A Bug’s Life, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia. (803) 779‑8717.

12 • S.C. Fatherhood and Male Achievement Conference, Richland School District 2 Innovation Center, Columbia. (860) 997‑6802.

12 • Summer Drive-In Movie Series: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Historic Columbia Speedway, Cayce. (803) 354‑5720.

15 • OUT Here Series: The Watermelon Woman, Nickelodeon Theatre, Columbia.

(803) 254‑8234.

AUGUST

JULY

1 • Dairying on the Plantation, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells.

(803) 684‑2327.

4 • Brew at the Zoo, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia.

(803) 779‑8717.

5 • August Monthly Gospel Singing, Midland Gospel Singing Center, Gilbert. (803) 719‑1289.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

ONGOING

Daily through Aug. 6 • “The Way We Worked,” various sites, Chester. (803) 385‑2680.

Daily through Sept. 16 • “Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home” exhibit, Museum of York County, Rock Hill.

(803) 684‑3948.

Daily • “South Carolina and the Great War,” S.C. State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898‑4921.

Daily except Monday • Historic House Museum Tours, various locations, Columbia. (803) 252‑1770, ext. 23.

Wednesdays through August • Wonderful Wednesdays, Museum of York County, Rock Hill.

(803) 909‑7244.

Second Thursdays until September • Elmwood Cemetery Tours, Elmwood Cemetery, Columbia. (803) 252‑1770, ext. 23.

LOWCOUNTRY 15 • Isle of Palms Beach Run, Windjammer–Front Beach, Isle of Palms. (843) 886‑8294.

15 • Shaggin’ on the Cooper, Mount Pleasant Pier, Mount Pleasant. (843) 795‑4386.

18 • Charleston Classic, Mullet Hall Equestrian Center, Johns Island.

(843) 768‑5503.

20–21 • May River Shrimp Festival, Oyster Factory Park on May River, Bluffton. (843) 757‑8520.

21 • Mystical Moths, Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Ravenel.

(843) 795‑4386.

21 • Reggae Nights Summer Concert Series: Jah Works, James Island County Park, Charleston.

(843) 795‑4386.

21 • Sounds of Summer Concert Series: Oracle Blue, North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex, Little River. (843) 280‑5570.

21–22 • Pageland Watermelon Festival, downtown, Pageland.

(843) 672‑6400.

22 • Cast Off Fishing Tournament, Folly Beach Pier, Folly Beach.

(843) 795‑4386.

22 • Dark Night Astronomy Observing, Johns Island County Park, Johns Island. (843) 212‑5857.

22 • What’s Walking in the Park, Little Pee Dee State Park, Dillon.

(843) 774‑8872.

23 • Couple’s Challenge Course Challenge, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795‑4386.

25 • Summer Concert Series: The Bushels, Moreland Village at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton.

(310) 664‑8867.

27 • Challenge Course Open Day, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795‑4386.

27 • Nature Rambles: Peeking around Palmetto Islands, Palmetto Islands County Park, Mount Pleasant. (843) 795‑4386.

30 • Charleston Sprint Triathlon Series Race 4, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795‑4386.

AUGUST

3 • Challenge Course Open Day, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795‑4386.

4 • Reggae Nights Summer Concert Series: Mystic Vibrations, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795‑4386.

4–6 • Craftsmen’s Summer Classic Art and Craft Festival, Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach. (336) 282‑5550.

4–6 • Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music and Movement Festival, various locations, St. Helena Island.

(843) 838‑1171.

4–6 • Lowcountry Summer Coin Show, Exchange Park Fairgrounds, Ladson. lowcountrycoinclub@ att.net.

5 • Business Empowerment and Career Fair, Florence Civic Center, Florence. (843) 679‑9417.

5 • Canoeing at Caw Caw: Sunrise Salt Marsh Paddle, Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Ravenel.

(843) 795‑4386.

5 • High and Dry Moonlight Canoe Float, Little Pee Dee State Park, Dillon. (843) 774‑8872.

8 • Summer Concert Series: Bottles & Cans, Wilson Village at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton.

(310) 664‑8867.

11 • Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve Bird Walk, Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve, Folly Beach.

(843) 795‑4386.

12 • Staging the Solar Eclipse, Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Ravenel. (843) 795‑4386.

12 • Wannamaker Movie Night, North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, North Charleston.

(843) 795‑4386.

13 • Charleston Sprint Triathlon Series Championship, James Island County Park, Charleston.

(843) 795‑4386.

ONGOING

Daily through Sept. 10 • “Artists Painting Artists,” Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston.

(843) 722‑2706.

Daily through Sept. 24 • “Artist, Scientist, Explorer: Mark Catesby in the Carolinas,” Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston.

(843) 722‑2706.

Daily through 2017 • “Homegrown Heroes: The Lowcountry in WWII,” Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, Ridgeland. (843) 284‑9927.

Wednesdays through October • Arts and Crafts Market, Bay Creek Park, Edisto Beach. (843) 603‑0009.

Thursdays through Aug. 17 • Movie Night in the Park, Shelter Cove Park, Hilton Head Island.

(843) 757‑9889.

Thursdays through Oct. 6 • Music on Main Concert Series, Main Street, North Myrtle Beach.

(843) 280‑5570.

Thursdays through Oct. 26 • Blues & BBQ Harbor Cruise, Charleston City Marina, Charleston.

(843) 722‑1112.

Fridays • Sunset Celebration, Shelter Cove Park, Hilton Head Island. (843) 757‑9889.

Fridays and Saturdays • Charleston Night Market, Market Street, Charleston. (843) 937‑0920.

Saturdays • Charleston Farmers Market, Marion Square, Charleston.

(843) 724‑7309.

Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 7 • “Places and Spaces: Plantation Lives,” Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Mount Pleasant. (843) 883‑3123, ext. 213.

Second Sundays • Docent-led tour, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston. (843) 722‑2706.

SCHumorMe

BY JAN A. IGOE

Retail therapy fills vacant brains AS A SOCIETY, IT APPEARS THAT WE’RE

all getting dumb and dumber with every passing minute. Erudite scientists (who somehow found a way to stay smart but are selfishly hoarding it) have confirmed that our IQ scores are dropping like suicidal flies. So, enjoy walking erect while you can, my fellow hominids. Evolution might be a round-trip ticket.

They say lots of things are contributing to our decline, things like reality TV and bad diet (too much buttered bacon, too few fermented chia seeds).

And that “ability to multitask” you find in every job description—well, it turns out that’s no good for us, either.

Doing five things at once doesn’t enhance productivity. It just lets us screw everything up faster.

Remember when chewing gum was supposed to help concentration?

That may not be true after all. The old “walk and chew gum” thing is risky business for our diminished brains.

We could choke or trip (probably not simultaneously, since that would be multitasking).

Ironically, infinite access to knowledge is working against us. Now that the entire spectrum of human accomplishment is a mere click away, we can’t remember anything that’s not on our cellphones. The more we Google, the more our brains mimic abandoned storage facilities. They’re vacant.

There is one ray of sunshine in all this. “Retail therapy” turns out to be a thing—a real thing. Some experts say that shopping helps us stay sharp mentally and physically. You get to lift things, compare prices and hunt killer bargains, all of which activates brain circuits and greases your math lobes.

It turns out that running away from the screaming guy waving the credit card bill at home is beneficial aerobic 38

activity, particularly if he’s chasing you up and down stairs while you leap over stuff. (That’s from my personal research.)

Neurobiologists believe that novel kinds of stimulation—or neurobics— build our mental muscle. Cleaning the house with the same old upright weapon won’t stimulate your brain, but if you try it while crawling around blindfolded, your brain will be a happy camper. Brains love a challenge.

Some of my friends have been working on ways to combine the benefits of retail therapy with ­neurobics— to help their significant others avoid deadly brain flab, of course.

Take my buddy Casey, who is an extremely honest person. And so frugal. She finds her entire wardrobe at consignment shops. So, when her soulmate asks if she’s wearing something new, Casey just asks, “You mean this old thing?’’ and every­ body’s happy.

Pam’s technique is more creative, which is very good for brains. She

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | JULY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

heads straight from Dillard’s designer racks to her dry cleaner, plucks off the price tags and has her hub pick everything up the next day. It gives “laundering the loot” a whole new meaning.

When my friend Monica got a $300 speeding ticket on her way to a sale, she wanted to protect her mate from worry, so she couldn’t pay by check or credit card. Instead, she got $20 cash back from 27 different stores with her bank card, paid the ticket in cash and went shopping with the extra loot.

Her brain solved a problem, and her honey never suspected he was sleeping with Dale Jr. So, protect your brain today, and go buy stuff. Let the dummies push the Hoover. Our math lobes need grease.

JAN A. IGOE is very interested in brain research and any evidence that vacuuming and mopping are bad for your health. Shop on, and write her at HumorMe@SCLiving.coop.

TOUCHSTONEENERGY.COM

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