South Carolina Living May 2019

Sharp shooting

Southern Carolina GRITS take aim at serious fun

MAY 2019

SPECIAL RE PORT

What happens next with Santee Cooper?

SC RECIPE

Peachy desserts

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2019 | may 16 Nice shooting The ladies of Southern Carolina GRITS (Girls Really Into Shooting) bring fun, food and fellow­ship to shotgun sports—but they don’t keep score.

EDITOR

FIELD EDITOR

PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

4 CO-OP NEWS

Updates from your cooperative

ART DIRECTOR DESIGNER

6 AGENDA

With more electric cars on the road and a growing network of charging stations popping up across the state, it’s time to review charging station etiquette.

PRODUCTION WEB EDITOR

COPY EDITORS

As the legislature considers what to do about Santee Cooper, electric cooperatives work to shield their members from artificially high electricity rates.

CONTRIBUTORS

12 ENERGY Q&A Keep cool for less Our energy experts review all the ways you can lower your power bill when the heat is on this summer.

PUBLISHER

ADVERTISING

14 SC ECONOMY Making new connections South Carolina’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives are stepping up to provide high-speed internet connections to rural communities.

NATIONAL REPRESENTATION

Whether she’s on television, on stage or painting colorful portraits in her studio, Natalie Daise always has a story to share.

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© COPYRIGHT 2019.

RECIPE

Everything’s Just Peachy Enjoy delicious peach dessert recipes from Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan’s first cookbook, Just Peachy, and register to win one of 10 autographed copies.

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TRAVELS

The cat’s meow Looking for a feline fix? South Carolina’s original cat cafe is the purr-fect solution.

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ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS:

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

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21 STORIES The storyteller

ADDRESS CHANGES:

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

16

10 DIALOGUE The $4 billion question: Examining the issues

22

GARDENER

A better butterfly garden Go easy on the broad-spectrum insecticides to enjoy a healthy, pollinator-friendly landscape this summer.

34 36 38

MARKETPLACE CALENDAR

Sharp shooting

HUMOR ME

Southern Carolina GRITS take aim at serious fun

From bumper to bummer A trip to the automotive repair center causes humor columnist Jan A. Igoe to blow a few gaskets of her own.

SPECIAL RE PORT

MAY 2019

e t firs er v ore t s r fir ver fore THE MAGAZINE FOR ver COOPERATIVE MEMBERS VOLUME 73 • NUMBER 5 rst (ISSNr 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) e in more than 595,000 homes and businesses and published rev Read monthly in December by t ElectricexceptCooperatives s r fi The r of South Inc. e Carolina, vKnox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033 fore808 rs t r fi Tel: (803) 926‑3175 r e Fax: (803) 796‑6064 ve e Email: letters@scliving.coop r o t f Keith Phillips r eve Tel: (803) 739‑3040 Email: Keith.Phillips@ecsc.org t s fir Walter rAllread e v e or Travist Ward s r firSharrivHarris er Wolfgang e forSusan Collins Andrew Chapman ver Chase Toler st Jennifer Jas r eveL. Kim Welborn tAprilJackson, Coker Blake, Mike Couick, Jan A. Igoe, Patrick Keegan, Linda Maxwell, firs L.A. Sydney Anne Prince, Cindi Ross erPatterson, v e Scoppe, Mike Belinda Smith-Sullivan, or Brad tThiessen,Smith, Amy Trainum s r er fiLoueGreen ver r Watts t foMary Tel: (803) 739‑5074 r Email: ads@scliving.coop eve American MainStreet Publications rst Tel: (800) 626‑1181 eradvertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this revPaid t If you encounter a difficulty spublication. with an advertisement, inform the Editor. r fi r ver Please send to your e r local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 o f to Address Change, c/o the address above. rmailingpaidoffices. postage at Columbia, S.C., ve ver Periodicals and additional e r o Electric Cooperatives st f of South Carolina, The Inc. No portion of r South Carolina Living may be reproduced evewithout permission of the Editor. t your member-owned,is brought to you taxpaying, firs bynot-for-profit r electric cooperative e v you about your cooperative,towise oreinform energy use and the faces and places stidentify the Palmetto State. Electric rthat fi are South Carolina’s — and r e cooperatives ve—r largest America’s utility network. e r t fo $8 nonmembers $5.72 members, ver rs t r e rev t firs er v fore st r er fi ever or st f r eve

What happens next with Santee Cooper?

SC RECIPE

Peachy desserts

FRO M TO P : DEP OS IT PHOTO/ KRIS RO B I N; A N DRE W H AWORTH; CH RISTOPH ER Z ACH A ROW; M A RK BOUG HTON

The ladies of Southern Carolina GRITS enjoy a day of shotgun sports at a shooting range in York County.

Photo by Andrew Haworth.

SC | agenda New rules of the road As sales of electric vehicles (EVs) continue to climb, drivers can expect to see more charging stations cropping up at businesses, parking garages and public places across the Palmetto State. With this new way to travel comes new “rules of the road” for EV charging station etiquette.

Respect the space Charging stations are still relatively rare and access to these devices can be critical for EV drivers, especially on long trips. Respect EV charging spaces as you would respect the concrete pad by a gas pump. It is not a parking space for an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle or any electric vehicle that isn’t charging. EV owners have a responsibility to keep track of the charging process and move their vehicles when their batteries are full.

EV drivers: Leave a note if … n Your charging session is only a convenience charge. Indicate that it is OK

to unplug your car by leaving a note or placard on your windshield, dashboard or by the plug. n The charging space is ICE’d, a term used when an internal combustion engine vehicle is blocking access. It doesn’t hurt to leave a polite note educating the other driver about the need to keep the charging space open and clear.

Plug In SC n You need to unplug an EV that occupies the charging space. If you need

a critical charge and can confirm the vehicle is done charging, it is acceptable to unplug it, but leave a note thanking the other driver.

Leave it better than you found it Take care of EV charging spaces. Good cord management is considerate and keeps everyone safe. Report any issues with access or the charging equipment to the owner of the charger. Thank them for making the station available.

Ask before using a traditional outlet If you need to charge using a traditional outlet at a place of business or someone’s home, always ask permission to charge. While electricity is relatively inexpensive, it is not free. —MIKE SMITH

To help business owners effectively mark charging spaces, the Palmetto Clean Fuels Coalition—an initiative of the state Office of Regulatory Staff Energy Office—now offers tools and instructions for standardized signage and pavement markings with the Plug In SC logo. Those hosting public charging stations can order everything they need, including signs, stencils and paint, for around $440 per space, says Plug In SC coordinator Landon Masters.

For more information, visit palmettocleanfuels.org/pluginSC, or contact Masters at (803) 737-8285 or lmasters@regstaff.sc.gov.

MIKE SMITH is an electrical engineer and vice president of business and technology strategy at The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. Send questions about electric vehicles to mike.smith@ecsc.org.

2019 WIRE Scholarship deadline is June 1 Women returning to school to earn college degrees have until June 1 to apply for financial assistance from the 2019 Jenny Ballard Opportunity Scholarship program.

Sponsored by Women Involved in Rural Electrification (WIRE), a service organization associated with South Carolina’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives, the scholarship is a one-time award based on financial need and personal goals.

Application forms for the 2019 WIRE scholarship are available at your local electric cooperative and as a PDF download at SCLiving.coop/scholarship.

Winners will receive scholarships for the Fall 2019 or Spring 2020 semester.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

ONLY ON SCLiving.coop Give peaches the slip

ELECTRICAL SAFETY MONTH

Car vs. utility pole May is Electrical Safety Month, and to mark the occasion, the experts at your local electric cooperative hope you’ll keep these tips in mind to stay safe around downed power lines.

If a car collides with a utility pole, the vehicle may be charged with electricity. Anyone exiting the car could come in contact with thousands of volts of electricity from the downed line. In essence, when you step out of the car, you become part of the electricity’s path to the ground and could be electrocuted.

It’s critical to stay in the vehicle and tell others to do40 thefeet same until emergency crews have told you it’s safe to exit the car. If Stay inside your vehicle until emergency the vehicle is on fire or you crews indicate it’s safe to exit. must exit for other safety reasons, jump clear of the vehicle. Do not let any part of your body or clothing touch the vehicle and ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and shuffle away (in small steps with your feet still together) to avoid electric shock. Keep moving away until you are at least 40 feet from the vehicle.

If you come upon a car accident involving a utility pole and downed power lines, keep your distance. A downed power line can energize the ground up to 35 feet away. While your natural instinct may be to rush to help, do not GET MORE See the “Featured approach the car or scene of Videos” section of SCLiving.coop the accident. Tell others to stay to watch “This might shock you” away. Call 911 to alert emergency and “Car vs. utility pole” for ­officials, who can coordinate with more information on what to do the power provider to make a if you are in an accident involving downed power lines. safe rescue. —ANNE PRINCE

40 feet

Only get out of the vehicle if your safety depends on it. To avoid electric shock, shuffle until 40 feet away.

Love cooking with peaches, but hate peeling the skins?

Chef Belinda SmithSullivan has a better way. Learn her secret in this month’s how-to video at SCLiving.coop/food/ chefbelinda.

Graduation gifts Show the graduate in your family how proud you are of their accomplishment with one of these clever gadgets that will help them take their next steps in life. You’ll find the May “Smart Choice” column under the Home & Garden tab at SCLiving.coop.

Register to win $100 and Clemson Blue Cheese What’s better than the return of summer? The return of summer, an extra $100 spending money, and a Clemson Blue Cheese gift package, that’s what. Sign up today for your chance to win it all in our May Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes. We’ll draw the name of a lucky reader from all eligible entries received by May 31. Turn to Page 35 for more details or register online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply.

Like us on Facebook If you love living in South Carolina as much as we do, like and follow us on Facebook, where we celebrate all that’s great about the Palmetto State. Join the fun at facebook.com/SouthCarolinaLiving.

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

Minor

AM Major

Minor

PM Major

M AY 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Minor

AM Major

Minor

PM Major

JUNE 4:52 — — 1:07 1:37 2:22 2:52 3:52 5:37 — 9:22 9:37 9:52 3:37 3:52 4:22

11:37 5:22 5:52 6:07 6:37 6:52 7:22 7:37 7:52 1:22 2:07 2:37 3:07 10:22 10:52 11:22

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

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

11:52 5:22 5:52 6:22 6:52 7:37 8:22 9:22 1:07 1:52 2:22 10:07 10:52 11:22 4:37 5:07

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

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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SC agenda

MAY 15–JUNE 15

DA N I E L A S N Y DER

HIGHLIGHTS

BLYTHEWOOD DOKO RODEO MAY 31—JUNE 1

Professional cowboys and cowgirls from across the U.S., Canada and Australia will ride into the Midlands May 31–June 1 for the Ninth Annual Blythewood DOKO Rodeo. Sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association, this year’s competition will feature five former world champions competing for top honors in saddle bronc, roping, barrel racing, bull riding and other thrilling events. Advance-purchase tickets start at $14 for adults and $7 for kids ages 6–12. Kids under 5 get in free. blythewoodrodeo.com ALL SAINTS GARDEN TOUR MAY 18

(843) 681‑8333; allsaintsgardentour.com

One of the largest seafood festivals in the Southeast, Little River’s World Famous Blue Crab Festival includes two days of music, food and fun set against the backdrop of the city’s historic waterfront. Local restaurants will have their best blue crab recipes available for dining in or to eat on the go while enjoying the rest of the party. Live music, more than 250 vendors, a beauty pageant, a 5K run and a car show make this festival a hometown treat.

(843) 249‑6604; bluecrabfestival.org

SUMTER IRIS FESTIVAL

PEACH TREE 23 YARD SALE

MAY 25–27

MAY 31—JUNE 1

Japanese irises bloom as far as the eye can see at Swan Lake Iris Gardens in Sumter, and when the colors are at their peak, it’s time to celebrate. The iris gardens are the star of the show, but there’s also a Taste of the Gardens event featuring local restaurants and caterers, live music and a car show to round out the weekend. Of course, there’s nothing like a souvenir, so Sumter’s master gardeners will be selling some of their best iris stock to bring a bit of Sumter back home. Festival admission is free.

Bargain hunters across the Palmetto State wait all year for the Peach Tree 23 Yard Sale, and the 44-mile event spanning three counties rarely disappoints. Hundreds of families and vendors set up shop along Hwy. 23 between Batesburg-Leesville and Modoc, and hundreds of yard sale shoppers travel the path in search of priceless treasures. The sale generally runs from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Bring cash and a big vehicle to haul home those unexpected finds.

(803) 436‑2640; irisfestival.org

(803) 275‑0010; peachtree23.com

GET MORE

For more happenings, turn to our Calendar on Page 36, and see expanded festivals and events coverage on SCLiving.coop.

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MAY 18–19

A N DRE W H AWORTH

The coastal towns of Hilton Head and Bluffton are full of gardening inspiration, and the All Saints Garden Tour provides insider access to seven luxurious landscapes in full spring bloom. To negate any garden envy that may blossom along the way, the tour ends with lunch at All Saints Church and a chance to meet with master gardeners who can offer tips and techniques for gardening success.

Tickets are $35 per person (includes lunch) and can be purchased online or at local nurseries in Hilton Head and Bluffton.

WORLD FAMOUS BLUE CRAB FESTIVAL

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

BULLS BAY NATURE FESTIVAL MAY 18

The only hard part of the annual Bulls Bay Nature Festival is deciding which of the multiple workshops, wildlife demonstrations, nature walks, history tours and other excursions to sign up for. Ground zero for this celebration of outdoor recreation “from the forest to the sea” is the Sewee Center at Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in Awendaw, where guests can enjoy live music and homemade Lowcountry food between events and excursions. All activities are free, but advance registration is required by May 11.

See the festival website for details.

(843) 928‑3368; bullsbaynaturefestival.org

Culture

The $4 billion question: Examining the issues CH RISTO PH ER Z ACH A ROW

IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE IN

this magazine (“The $4 Billion Question”) that outlined all of the steps electric cooperatives are taking to save you money in the aftermath of the failed nuclear expansion project at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Generating Station in Jenkinsville.

A lot has transpired in the last 60 days and it is important that you know the latest information. In case you missed the February article, here is a short recap of the situation followed by a summary of the most recent events and a look ahead at the next steps.

Santee Cooper, the state-owned utility that generates much of the electricity distributed by South Carolina’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives, is currently mired in $8 billion of debt and racking up $1 million in interest expenses every day. Half of this debt—$4 billion—is nonproductive debt incurred by the failed V.C. Summer project that ended in 2017.

Normally, the expense of building a new power plant is spread over the service life of the project and easily absorbed into the rates Santee Cooper charges for electricity, including the power purchased by your local electric cooperative. With the collapse of the nuclear project, however, co-op members and Santee Cooper direct-serve consumers are on the hook for this additional debt even though the project will never produce one watt of electricity.

Beginning in August 2017, a month after the ­construction stopped at V.C. Summer in Fairfield County, cooperatives 10

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

made ourselves available to any interested party to discuss our contractual relationship with Santee Cooper, to share our interests in modernizing its fleet of power plants and to focus on the importance of protecting our members. Our goal: find the course of action that best protects co-op members from future decades of artificially high electricity bills caused by Santee Cooper’s nuclear debt.

In late 2017, when consumers brought a class-action lawsuit against Santee Cooper, a local cooperative, and Central Electric Power Cooperative (the wholesale power aggregator for the state’s 20 distribution cooperatives), we explored with their lawyers the common thread in their claims and our mandate to protect ratepayers. In spring 2018, Central filed a cross-claim against Santee Cooper challenging its ability to charge co-ops for the two unfinished nuclear units. The lawyers who initiated the class-action suit joined in this crossclaim on behalf of Santee Cooper’s direct-serve customers.

The stakes of this pending litigation are high. If Santee Cooper is allowed to charge cooperatives for part of its $4 billion in nuclear debt, the cost to co-op ratepayers could ultimately approach $6.3 billion with interest and other charges over time.

Back in the fall of 2017, Gov. Henry McMaster proposed the General Assembly sell Santee Cooper as a way to eliminate the debt burden, an idea that is under active consideration by a joint study committee of the S.C. House and Senate.

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SC dialogue

Cooperatives share a The General Assembly initiated the to lawmakers as they consider their opPublic Service Authority Evaluation and tions.

We share a common bottom-line common bottom-line goal goal with Recommen­dation Joint Committee to the General Assembly—rate rewith the General Assembly​ lief for legislators’ constituents and our study the Santee Cooper nuclear debt issue last summer. We have actively par—rate relief for legislators’ members.

The legislature continues to wrestle ticipated in the process as lawmakers evalconstituents and our with what to do about Santee Cooper— uate what to do about Santee Cooper, and we supported the co‑chairmen’s inquiry sell all or part of the utility, or allow members. into the operation of Santee Cooper. another entity to better manage the The committee chose to find out operations. As legislators contemplate whether any ­companies would actually their next steps, South Carolina’s notwant to buy Santee Cooper by hiring ICF International, a confor-profit electric cooperatives will remain fully engaged in that process. We are committed to finding a full solution to sulting firm, to evaluate preliminary bids. ICF received 15 this problem. bids from interested parties, and reported the results to the General Assembly on Feb. 1.

Given the requirements initially established by the legSeeking to shield members from unfair rate increases, elecislature, we think a full solution would include at least four concepts. tric cooperatives submitted our own proposals, but our bids were not scored by ICF because the cooperatives did not u First, if Santee Cooper is sold, the deal must shield offer to pay off or assume all the outstanding debt of Santee ratepayers from paying for the state agency’s massive debt Cooper, which was among the legislature’s top criteria. We burden. To that end, cooperatives don’t want—or need—to didn’t propose to pay off the debt because we believe in the buy Santee Cooper if there are better deals for our ­ratepayers. strength of our legal claim that Santee Cooper should not be The ICF report indicated there are better offers to buy Santee able to charge us for the debt.

Cooper, so we have suspended our bids temporarily.

As the ICF process unfolded in the fall of 2018, we rejected u Second, a full solution must lead to the settlement offers to partner with other potential bidders. We chose not of the lawsuit. No management agreement can do that. to negotiate with interested purchasers unless, and until, the Furthermore, a management agreement—in which another General Assembly tells us to do so. company would be contracted to manage Santee Cooper— Prior to the ICF “test the market” process, it was assumed would not resolve the state’s interest in the debt being paid. that no bidder could pay down all the debt and still lower rates. u Third, a full solution requires the state and cooperaCooperative leaders were delighted to see that at least four bidtives to engage in a coordinated process—one where we are willing to share information. ders represented they could do both. We are convinced that a continuing process of exploring these bids, negotiating details u And finally, a full solution demands a clean process that and resolving any uncertainties should continue. If all of the enjoys the full trust of the General Assembly and the public. legislature’s issues are appropriately resolved, including subDecisions on this much money affecting this many people should not be made based on emotion. Let’s take a serious, stantial ratepayer relief, a sale ought to take place. numbers-first approach to our next steps.

Looking ahead

The CEOs and the boards of member-owned cooperatives have a fiduciary duty—an obligation to act in good faith and trust—to their member-consumers. That fiduciary duty drives their wholesale power aggregator, Central Electric Power Cooperative, and the cooperatives’ state association to pursue only one objective regarding Santee Cooper—what is best for co-op members. What we know for certain is that keeping things as they are with Santee Cooper is not an option. Nor is any kind of “fine-tuning” around the edges of this shocking debt load.

The cooperatives’ contract with Santee Cooper is a ­valuable and essential piece of any sale. Co-ops are Santee Cooper’s largest customer, buying about 60 percent of the energy it produces. Clearly, we have an interest in what happens next with Santee Cooper, but only the General Assembly can authorize the sale. Cooperatives intend to be a valuable resource

MIKE COUICK

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

GET MORE For the latest information on the issues surrounding Santee Cooper, visit sc-cap.org/santeecooper.

To download the February 2019 Legislative Directory issue, including the special report on Santee Cooper’s nuclear debt crisis, “The $4 billion question,” visit SCLiving.coop/2019-2020-legislative-guide.

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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SC energy Q&A

Keep cool for less

BY PAT KEEGAN AND BRAD THIESSEN

Q

A professional HVAC contractor can inspect your air source heat pump or central air conditioning system inside and out and recommend efficiency improvements to lower bills and prolong the life of the system.

We moved into our home last spring.

It’s pretty new and seems well-insulated in winter. But it was hot last summer, so we had to run the air conditioning a lot, and the electric bills were a killer.

Do you have any tips on how we can cool our home this summer without going broke?

A

In previous columns (available online at

SCLiving.coop/energy) we’ve discussed some of the easiest ways to make your home more efficient, like reducing solar gains, insulating and ventilating the attic, and sealing air leaks.

You may need to focus on inefficiencies in your home’s cooling system. But before we address that, let’s look at some other potential problems.

Do you have a freezer or second refrigerator in the garage? This can be a major energy hog, especially if it’s old and you live in a warmer climate.

Do you have a well? Your pump may be draining your energy use as you rely on it more during the summer. Start by looking for leaks in the system, and if necessary, reduce irrigation.

Do you have a swimming pool? It may

A tune-up can improve operating efficiency and extend the life of your air conditioner. be time to overhaul or replace the pool pump. If the pump is in good shape, try putting it on a timer.

If you have central air conditioning or a heat pump, make sure your filter has been changed or recently cleaned. The next step is to call an HVAC contractor for a tune-up and a complete assessment of the system. A tune-up can improve

GET MORE Visit SCLiving.coop/energy for more energy efficiency tips including these stories.

Energy upgrades for a happy home—Seven energy upgrades to boost your family’s comfort and cut energy use.

Ductless heat pumps—Learn more about ductless or mini-split heat pumps and why they might be an efficient option for heating and cooling your home.

Benefits of air-source heat pumps—Quiet and efficient, air-source heat pumps are a popular way to heat and cool South Carolina homes.

Upgrading to a more efficient air conditioner—Replacing an inefficient air conditioner with a newer model could significantly reduce your electric bill.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

operating efficiency and extend the life of the unit.

A tune-up should include cleaning the condenser coil, a check of the refrigerant levels and a good look at the pump and electrical contacts. Talk to the contractor about the efficiency of the unit. If it’s old, it may be cost-effective to replace it, even if it’s still functional.

Leaky ductwork, which allows cooled air to escape into the attic, walls and crawlspaces of your home, is a common issue with central air systems. Make sure the contractor you choose is capable and willing to provide an expert assessment.

A real pro will know how to measure the airflow at each supply and return register using a device called a duct blaster. If you’re not getting cool air to the rooms that need it, the contractor may be able to make modifications to the ductwork.

If you cool your home with window units, be sure to close off the room to make the cooling as effective as possible.

Make sure you have the right sized unit for the room. A unit that’s too big will cool the room before the humidity has been lowered, which will make it feel less cool, while a unit that’s too small will have to work harder.

If your window unit isn’t cooling properly, it may need to be replaced. Newer models are more efficient, and if you buy an Energy Star-certified unit, you’ll make the most of your cooling dollars.

Send questions to Energy Q&A, South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033, or email energyqa@scliving.coop.

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SC economy

Making new connections

BY KEITH PHILLIPS

STE FANIE AMICK HAD A

speed problem.

Her work-at-home job as a medical transcription­ ist requires Amick, a MidCarolina Electric Cooperative member, to exchange large digital files with her radiology clients 50 to 70 times a day, but her wireless internet connection was expensive and slow. She often burned through her monthly bandwidth allotment in two weeks, forcing Amick to drive to a local fire station to access their Wi-Fi signal when she needed to download or send files.

When she asked a cable company to extend their lines less than a mile to provide high-speed service to her road, the company declined, she says.

“They said I didn’t have a big enough business and that there weren’t enough interested people,” Amick recalls. “It was a matter of, ‘OK, I may have to find another career because the internet is not working.’ ” The solution to Amick’s problem came from an unexpected source: CarolinaConnect—an initiative by Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative and Newberry Electric Cooperative that’s building a fiber-optic data network for rural South Carolina.

The co-ops are in the initial phases of running fiber-optic cable along their existing electric distribution infrastructure, with CarolinaConnect staff handling account set-up, billing and in-home installation. More than 6,300 homes and businesses have already signed up for no-contract monthly service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps), 500 Mbps or 1 gigabit 14

per second at prices that range from $49.95 to $89.95 for residential users and $79.95 to $199.95 for businesses.

Amick chose the 100 Mbps service, cutting her internet bill by $150 a month and making her workday more efficient.

“Before I got CarolinaConnect, to download about 15 voice jobs, it would take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour,” she says. “I would get up and put a load of laundry in the washing machine, load the dishwasher, sweep my floors or do something around the house.

Now I can’t get up out of my chair. I can download that many jobs in 30 seconds to a minute.”

While broadband internet connections may seem like an unusual offering from electric cooperatives, there’s nothing new about co-ops providing a much-needed service to rural communities, says Bob Paulling, president and CEO of MidCarolina Electric Cooperative.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

South Carolina’s notfor-profit cooperatives formed in the 1930s and 1940s when for-profit utilities didn’t serve rural ­communities because they couldn’t make a return on the costly investment of extending power lines outside of cities. It was up to cooperatives to fill the void, and ultimately build what is today the state’s largest utility network.

“We’re doing essentially what our fore­fathers did 75 years ago,” Paulling says.

“There is a need in our community. The for-profits are not fulfilling that need because they won’t get a return on their investment.

They’re looking out for share­holders. We’re looking out for our members.”

Building a fiber-optic network on a pay-as-you-go basis will take time, Paulling says, but it’s a vital investment that will benefit the state for decades to come, and it’s a service that can expand wherever it’s needed. CarolinaConnect is organized as a cooperative, a business model that will allow other electric co-ops to join if feasibility studies show a need for the service in their territories.

“Every aspect of our lives as we move to the future will be all about internet connections. It’s not a luxury to have internet service, it’s become a necessity,” he says. “Internet service is the next utility you must have to really live your life like any other person.”

For more information on CarolinaConnect broadband service (currently available only in Mid-Carolina and Newberry service areas), visit carolinaconnect.com.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

Shots ring out as the sound of l­aughter

and the smell of gun smoke fill the air around the clay shooting fields of Blue Branch Farm near Sharon. Every few seconds a voice yells, “Pull!” which is soon followed by the loud sound of a shotgun blast.

With each thunderous boom, bright orange pieces of clay rain down, indicating a successful hit, and excited, celebratory cheers ensue. No matter how many times a shooter triumphantly turns a clay pigeon into dust, the cheers and encouragement never waver. Even when a shooter misses, you’ll hear nothing but encouragement coming from this crowd, because today isn’t about competition, it’s all about having a good time. And boy, does this group know how to have a good time.

They’re a unique bunch, known as Southern Carolina GRITS (short for Girls Really Into Shooting), an organization made up of women of

The ladies of Southern Carolina GRITS take aim at serious fun

p Professional shooting instructor Elizabeth Lanier Fennell, second from left, shares a laugh with club members during a recent outing in York County. “I realized we needed to give women a safe and encouraging place to enter the sport,” she says of her decision to launch the original GRITS chapter. t Annette Beavers takes aim.

BY AMY TRAINUM PHOTOS BY ANDREW HAWORTH

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

17

p From left, GRITS participants Suzi Stephens, Libby Pretty, Allie Hawthorn and Donna Wright listen to a review of gun safety rules prior to hitting the sporting clays course at Fennell Shooting School in York County. t Kelly Peart is ready for action. q Janet Gerardot sports a custom leather shell pouch.

p Barron Hicklin, center, laughs with participants as she walks back from an afternoon of shooting sporting clays in York County.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

all ages, backgrounds and walks of life who come together over their common love of shotgun sports.

GRITS is a warm and inviting group, making it easy to feel as though you belong right away, whether you can shoot well or not. They openly welcome participants of all skill levels and encourage women who have never shot before to come out and give it a try, says Southern Carolina GRITS member Libby Pretty.

“It’s just a great bunch of women who get together and love to do this,” says Pretty, who’s been attending GRITS events since the organization started. “We love you regardless of your level of shooting. It doesn’t matter as long as you’re having fun.”

Let’s get this party started Once a month, these women from North and South Carolina get together to spend the day shooting clays on a local course like Rocky Creek Sporting Clays in Richburg or Hermitage Farm Shooting Sports in Camden. Each event follows the same basic concept. Simply put: Any GRITS gathering is half shooting, half tailgate party.

Every outing starts with a review of gun safety rules and instructions on how to properly navigate the shooting course. Throughout the day, shooters take turns breaking clays at different stations.

Professional shooting instructors are on-site to help anyone who wants to improve her mechanics or work out a tricky shot. When there aren’t instructors around, seasoned shooters gladly take newbies under their wings and guide them through the day.

Once the last shot has been fired and the guns are safely put away, the women treat themselves to an elaborate outdoor dinner party that could put any SEC football tailgate to shame. Before the big day, at least several dozen enthusiastic emails fly back and forth among members to nail down the perfect menu, from gourmet appetizers to decadent desserts. One recent event featured baconwrapped quail (the quail bagged by one of the ladies on a recent hunt), prime cuts of filet mignon and blood orange brownies, all arranged on tables creatively adorned with an assortment of pheasant feathers and spent shotgun shells. Oh, and let’s not forget the most important part—the libations.

There’s plenty of champagne and bourbon to go around.

After dinner, the group will spend hours chatting around a crackling campfire, with toasts to a successful day of shattering clays. It’s the interest

Fellowship, gourmet food and shooting fashion are the hallmarks of any GRITS gathering. Libby Pretty, above, knows how to make a fashion statement with her felt hat— decorated with feathers and the brass base of a used shotgun shell—and the intricate engraving on her Caesar Guerini shotgun. q Any GRITS gathering is half shooting, half tailgate party. Libby Pretty, Janet Gerardot and Suzi Stephens sample appetizers served

by Janet Newton.

Elizabeth Lanier Fennell founded GRITS based on two simple rules: You have to be a girl, and ­score‑keeping is not allowed.

p Lynn Wells, with assistance from Allie Hawthorn, fires up a grill to prepare the evening’s fare.

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

19

p Paige Moody, center, and Annette Beavers speak with GRITS founder Elizabeth Lanier Fennell.

p GRITS founder Elizabeth Lanier Fennell sports a bracelet made from the base of a shotgun shell.

in shotgun sports that initially draws members in, but it’s the close-knit bonds and lifelong friendships that are formed around this fire that keep them coming back.

Chief GRIT The mastermind behind this dynamic group of shooters is Elizabeth Lanier Fennell, a professional shooting instructor based in Sharon, who got hooked on shotgun sports two decades ago when she tagged along with her

GET MORE Women interested in joining the Southern Carolina GRITS chapter can attend two events as a guest before paying the $50 annual fee to join.

For more information, visit gritsgobang.org. To schedule a private shooting lesson with Elizabeth Lanier Fennell, visit fennellshootingschool.com.

Lessons start at $100 an hour.

20

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

then-husband to one of his shooting lessons.

Once Fennell was hooked, she looked for other women to shoot with while her kids were at school. Over time, she recruited a small group of friends committed to shooting together at least once a month, but they often encountered other women who were too intimidated to join the fun.

“There are women who are simply scared of shotguns, but really want to try anyway. There are women who get nervous shooting with men, often simply because they are scared they can’t hit anything when they try,” Fennell says. “I realized we needed to give women a safe and encouraging place to enter the sport.”

With that goal in mind, Fennell founded GRITS based on two simple rules: You have to be a girl, and score-keeping is not allowed.

Today, there are 14 GRITS chapters across the country, with two more launching in the next few months, and hundreds of active members, Fennell says. “We had lots of requests for GRITS groups in different areas of the country, because they ­witnessed us having so much fun everywhere we went. It has turned into something way bigger, faster than we could have imagined.”

As the organization continues to grow, Fennell’s greatest reward is watching tentative newcomers build skills and confidence.

“They become proficient, they have fun, and they realize they can do things they never thought they could,” she says. “To see these women feel empowered in a, ‘Hey, I can do this,’ way is just amazing.”

|

SC stories

The storyteller Worldwide, she is known as Natalie Alston, the mother who sang, danced and acted on Nickelodeon’s Gullah Gullah Island along with her husband Ron and two preschoolers, Sara and Simeon.

In Beaufort, she was “Miss Natalie,” owner of Miss Natalie’s Workshop, where she taught children and adults to create ceramics, jewelry and tie-dye prints. Now living in Winyah Bay, with children grown and Ron serving as vice president for creative education at Brookgreen Gardens, Natalie Daise has established herself as an evocative storyteller in a new medium—paint.

“I have been an artist all my life. I got my first paint kit in 1973 and I taught myself how to use it,” she says. “I didn’t start painting again until after we did television and I felt the need to reconnect. As a performing artist, I wasn’t painting much.”

Featured in juried shows including Lake City’s ArtFields and Georgetown’s Artwalk, her colorful portraits of Harriet Tubman quickly gained a following among collectors. They also spawned a second series of works featuring collard greens as a recurring device, the leafy vegetable often taking the shape of halos, wings, even clothing—though “the first one was sort of an accident,” she says. “I was doing a self-portrait because I didn’t have a model and I’d just bought some collard greens. They were on the table, so I painted them into the piece.”

“As a storyteller that happens a lot,” she continues. “Something piques your interest. It’s almost like it wakes up a story that’s already there. The story wakes up and kind of takes over.” —LINDA MAXWELL | PHOTO BY MILTON MORRIS

Natalie Daise AGE:

58.

Fans of the 1990s Nickelodeon TV show Gullah Gullah Island may recognize her as Natalie Alston. Daise co-starred with husband Ron and their two children, Simeon and Sara, for 70 episodes, which aired from 1994 to 1998.

CURRENT OCCUPATION: “I have chosen the title of creative catalyst,” she says, which incorporates painting, performances and public speaking.

ON THE SIDE: Daise works part-time as a tour guide at The Rice Museum in Georgetown.

WORDS TO PAINT BY: “There’s always a story that informs the painting—there’s a narrative in my mind.”

CO-OP CONNECTION: Santee Electric Cooperative.

DOUBLE TAKE:

GET MORE To learn more about Natalie Daise and to see her paintings, visit ­nataliedaise.com and nataliedaiseart.com.

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

21

Everything’s ‘Just Peachy’ RECIPES BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN | PHOTOS BY MARK BOUGHTON

Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan recalls the “lightbulb moments”

that led to her new cookbook, Just Peachy.

The first came shortly after the Aiken Electric Cooperative member moved with her husband, Dan, to South Carolina and they settled into their Edgefield County home. It was peach season, and Smith-Sullivan mentioned to a neighbor that she was planning to drive across the Savannah River to “the peach state” in search of a fresh bushel or three.

“She looked at me like I had two heads,” Smith-Sullivan recalls.

The neighbor pointed her instead to the peach stands on nearby Hwy. 25. “She said, ‘You live right in the middle of the peach capital of the South! South Carolina is where the good peaches come from!’ ” The second lightbulb moment came years later, after SmithSullivan completed her culinary training at Johnson & Wales University. She was experimenting with peach recipes but couldn’t find a definitive peach cookbook. “No mainstream publisher had ever delivered a peach cookbook,” she recalls. “I said, ‘OK. This is my calling.’ ” It took seven years (and a recommendation from her friend and fellow S.C. chef, Nathalie Dupree), but Just Peachy, a beautifully ­photographed collection of sweet and savory peach recipes, comes out this month from publisher Gibbs Smith.

While South Carolina Living has chosen to excerpt some of our favorite peach dessert recipes in the following pages, it will come as no surprise to fans of Chef Belinda’s monthly recipe column that the book is full of intriguing ways to use peaches morning, noon and night. She includes recipes for everything from peach-stuffed pork chops and cast-iron peach cornbread, to spinach-peach omelets, peach-jalapeno salsa, and my personal favorite—peach-bourbon roasted chicken.

“People are always amazed that you can do so much with peaches,” Smith-Sullivan says. “I’m hoping the South Carolina readers who have an endless supply of peaches during the summer will experiment. We have this treasure right here in our backyard. Why not get out of your rut and try something new?” —KEITH PHILLIPS

Win an autographed copy Visit SCLiving.coop/just-peachy or turn to Page 28 for your chance to win one of 10 autographed copies of Just Peachy, courtesy of Belinda Smith‑Sullivan and Gibbs Smith.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

Peach upside‑down cake SERVES 8–10

H cup brown sugar, packed 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted H teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg 5–6 peaches, peeled and sliced 1H cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder H teaspoon baking soda G teaspoon kosher salt H cup unsalted butter O cup sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 cup buttermilk Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, combine sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and cinnamon, and pour into the bottom of a well-seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet, sprayed with cooking spray. Arrange peach slices on top of brown sugar mixture. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until a pale yellow. Add egg and almond extract and beat until combined.

Lower mixer speed and alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk.

Beat until just combined.

Pour into the skillet and spread evenly over the peaches. Bake for 35–45 minutes until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan before inverting onto a serving plate.

Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm.

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

23

Just peachy

Oreo-peach cheesecake SERVES 10–12

CRUST

1 I cups Oreo cookie crumbs 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 tablespoons sugar FILLING

3 peaches, peeled and sliced 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese 5 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla or Amaretto 1 teaspoon lemon zest GLAZE

H cup peach preserves or jam 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend cookie crumbs, butter and sugar. Press firmly against the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the bottom and outside of the pan with foil.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine peaches, 2 tablespoons sugar and lemon juice. Cook until sugar dissolves and peaches are juicy, about 5 minutes. Cool and drain.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add remaining sugar, then add in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon zest and beat until smooth. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan, followed by peaches, and top with remaining batter.

Place cheesecake pan in another larger pan and place in preheated oven. Fill the larger pan halfway with hot water.

Bake for 60–70 minutes or until slightly firm in the center. Turn off oven, leaving door ajar about 8 inches, and allow to cool in oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan. Chill in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

In a small saucepan, combine preserves and lemon juice and stir over medium heat until it starts to simmer.

Using the back of a wooden spoon, strain into a small bowl. Remove sides of springform pan and spread glaze over top of cheesecake. Chill until glaze is set, 2–4 hours.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

Family traditions

Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan dedicated her first cookbook to her mother Naomi Batteast Smith and grandmother Louise Moore Batteast.

Peach-thyme pound cake SERVES 12–16

3 cups all-purpose flour H teaspoon baking soda H teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 cups sugar 6 large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons almond extract H cup sour cream 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 2 cups peeled and diced peaches Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until it is a pale yellow. Add sugar and continue beating until thoroughly mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add almond extract. Add the flour mixture, one cup at a time, alternating with the sour cream. Fold in the thyme and peaches.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a cake tester, when inserted into the middle of the cake, comes out clean. Let cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan; then invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Dust with confectioner’s sugar, if desired.

Growing up, Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan spent summers at her grandparents’ farm in rural Mississippi, sitting on the porch with her mother, Naomi, and grandmother, Louise, peeling bushel after bushel of peaches for eating, baking and canning.

Her first cookbook, Just Peachy, is dedicated to memories of the women and their time spent together. Throughout the sevenyear process of compiling recipes and working with her publisher, Smith-Sullivan says she drew inspiration from a bedside portrait of her mom.

“Every morning I’d look at my mom’s photo and I’d tell her, ‘Mama, I can’t wait for you to see my book!’ I know she would be proud,” Smith-Sullivan says. “My grandmother? Much more pragmatic. She would probably say, ‘I can’t believe you put that photo of me in your book!’ She was a very serious woman. But I think she would be proud as well.”

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

25

Just peachy

TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

Frozen can be as good as fresh If you want to enjoy the experience of biting into a “fresh” peach in the dead of winter, or want the flavor and consistency of fresh peaches in sweet or savory recipes year-round, frozen peaches are a fantastic option. When you thaw them, it’s just like biting into a fresh peach—they taste just like peaches picked off the tree. Here’s how to freeze them at home.

Line sheet pans (as many as you need to hold your peaches and will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper. Peel peaches (or not) and slice, quarter or halve. Sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Spread on sheet pans. Put in freezer and allow peaches to harden—at least 4 hours or more.

Remove from freezer. Seal peaches in Ziploc or vacuum-sealed bags and return to freezer. If you use a Ziploc bag, the peaches should be consumed within one year. Peaches in vacuum-sealed bags can last up to three years.

For baking, do not thaw the peaches—use in the frozen state. To eat or use in cooked dishes, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Peeling made easy It doesn’t surprise me that “Give peaches the slip” is one of the most popular how-to cooking videos on SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda. This time-saving trick takes all the hassle out of peeling ripe peaches for canning, cooking, eating and baking.

Bring a pot of water to a low boil. Use a knife to score (cut an “x”) into the bottom point of each peach, then place the peaches into the hot water for about one minute. Remove peaches from the water with a slotted spoon and place them into an ice bath. When the peaches are cool enough to handle, you’ll be able to slide the peels off with your fingers in a matter of seconds. —BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

Blueberry-peach slump SERVES 8–10

FILLING

TOPPING

6 medium peaches, peeled and sliced 1 pint blueberries H cup sugar Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon cardamom 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice G cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar H teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon baking powder H teaspoon baking soda 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled H cup buttermilk

In a large bowl, combine peaches, berries, sugar, salt, cornstarch, cardamom, lemon juice and water. Pour into a well-seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce temperature to medium-low and let simmer while you make the topping.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until flour mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in enough buttermilk until mixture becomes a sticky dough (there may be buttermilk leftover). Do not overmix. Using a spoon, drop spoonfuls of dough evenly over the simmering peach mixture. Cover and cook 20 minutes, or until dough has spread and is puffy (springs back when you touch it). Remove the cover and let cool slightly before serving.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

Blackberry-peach buckle SERVES 8–10

2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder H teaspoon kosher salt H teaspoon cardamom 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature I cup sugar 1 large egg, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract H cup milk 2–3 peaches, sliced (peeled or unpeeled) 1 pint blackberries Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until it is a pale yellow. Add sugar and continue beating until thoroughly mixed. Add egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until well mixed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread the peaches and blackberries evenly into a pretty design. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool completely in pan. Remove sides and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Serve at room temperature.

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

27

Just peachy

Register to win an autographed copy of Just Peachy For your chance to win one of 10 autographed copies of Just Peachy by Belinda Smith-Sullivan, use the mail-in form below or register at SCLiving.coop/just-peachy.

While you’re at it, please take our reader poll to let us know which of these recipes you enjoyed most. We’ll draw the 10 winners from all eligible entries received by May 31. Good luck and have a tasty peach season!

For more information about the book or to order copies, visit the publisher’s website at gibbs-smith.com.

A P E A C H O F A G I V E AWAY

Register below, or online at SCLiving.coop/just-peachy YES! Enter me in the drawing for one of 10 autographed copies of Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan’s Just Peachy, published by Gibbs Smith.

READER POLL Let us know your favorite peach recipe (so far!)

Peach upside-down cake Oreo-peach cheesecake Peach-thyme pound cake

Blueberry-peach slump Blackberry-peach buckle Raspberry-peach crumble

Name Address City State/ZIP Email* Phone

South Carolina Living, JUST PEACHY, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033. Entries must be received

by May 31, 2019, to be eligible. *Winners will be notified by email.

SEND COUPON TO:

28

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

Raspberry-peach crumble SERVES 8

TOPPING

FILLING

1 cup all-purpose flour H cup brown sugar, packed H cup sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of salt H cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

6–8 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced 1 pint raspberries H lemon, juiced G cup sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt and butter. Using clean hands, rub together ingredients until mixture sticks together in small clumps.

Into a deep pie dish, arrange peaches and raspberries. Sprinkle with lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch and toss thoroughly. Spread the topping evenly over the fruit.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and juices are bubbling up through the topping, 45–50 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.

BRING YOUR

BEST TO THE TABLE

Available at select retailers

Find them at clemsonsbest.com | clemsonbluecheese.com ­­ ® 16% butterfat content ®­ ­ Milk, fruits and nuts from South Carolina farms ®­ ­ Old-fashioned, creamline milk ®­ ­ Fifth flavor coming soon

®­ ­ Fourth in its class at the 2019 U.S. Cheese Championship ®­ ­ Made by hand year-round on campus ®­ ­ Aged 6 months ®­ ­ “Tastes of Clemson Blue Cheese” cookbook available on Amazon

|

SC travels

The cat’s meow

FRINGE BENEFITS Pounce co-owners Annaliese Hughes (left) and Ashley Brooks cuddle with some of their adoptable felines at their Charleston cat cafe.

BY CINDI ROSS SCOPPE

Looking for a feline fix?

South Carolina’s original cat cafe is the purr-fect solution from housing to adoption. Today, according to meowaround.com, there are 125 in North America.

Pounce co-owner Ashley Brooks was attending graduate school in Washington when a cat cafe opened. “They were hiring, and I thought, ‘I have to work there; this is my dream job,’” she recalls.

After working at Crumbs & Whiskers

GET THERE Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar, Charleston

Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar, Savannah

283 Meeting St., Charleston. On the peninsula, just east of the College of Charleston.

HOURS: Noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

ADMISSION: $15 for a beverage and an hour in the cat lounge. No humans younger than 12 admitted.

DETAILS: (843) 212-5500; pouncecatcafe.com.

Reservations recommended. There are usually 15 to 20 cats in residence, all adoptable.

404 W. Broughton St., Savannah.

Noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

ADMISSION: $15 for a beverage and an hour in the cat lounge. No humans younger than 12 admitted.

DETAILS: (912) 777-6181; pouncecatcafe.com.

LOCATION:

30

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 |

for three months, she finished her degree, came home to South Carolina and convinced Annaliese Hughes, her best friend from her undergraduate years at the College of Charleston, to launch Pounce, the 15th U.S. cat cafe, and the first in the South, she says.

They had been open only 60 days when they reached their first-year goal of finding homes for 100 cats. By the end of their second year, they had opened a second location, in Savannah, and found homes for more than 1,000 cats. They’ve often cleared out the inventory of the Charleston Animal Society and had to import cats from shelters in other cities.

“Most people come here because they’re like, ‘Oh, a cat cafe, I’ve never been to one before,’” Brooks says. “They want to have the experience, and they end up falling in love. The great thing about downtown Charleston is that we give the cats visibility they wouldn’t have otherwise. You can go shopping and end up having a glass of wine with a cat.”

Daleigh Huggins, a school psychologist and Berkeley Electric Cooperative member who lives on Johns Island, scheduled an hour at Pounce (reservations highly recommended) when her sister and parents came to visit from Mullins. Anne Huggins, a Pee Dee Electric member whose daughters call her a crazy cat lady, says she’d love to take home one (or two, or three) if her husband would let her. Absent that, she’s COU RTESY O F POU N CE C AT C A FE + W I N E BA R

IT’S A SUNNY AFTERNOON in late February, and tourists stop and do ­double-takes as they stroll past a storefront window on Charleston’s Meeting Street where a couple of teenagers are sprawled out on an ample window seat scattered with fluffy pillows and slumbering tabbies.

Inside, the space is chic and serene, with plush gray sofas and chaises and velvet-topped stools in soft pink, exposedbeam ceilings and tidy hardwood floors.

Sisters Daleigh Huggins and Kelby Huggins are sharing a sofa with Alvin, a black-and-white shorthair whose profile picture on the cafe’s Facebook page says he “loves to cuddle, will want to hang out in your lap, and will start following you around and meowing.”

Welcome to Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar, South Carolina’s original cat cafe.

Cat cafes are the hottest new thing in the feline world. The first one opened in 1998 in Taiwan. The idea, which took off when it migrated to Japan six years later, was that cat lovers would be willing to pay to spend time with cats, thus providing income for the proprietor, who could thereby afford to provide a home for the cats. By 2014, cat cafes had swept Europe and spread to the United States, where the focus shifted

LOCATION: HOURS:

Finding a new home Shortly before this issue went to press in early April, two additional S.C. cat cafes— Catitude Cat Cafe in West Columbia and Organic Cat Cafe & Music Lounge in Greenville—announced they were temporarily closing to seek new facilities.

For updates, visit catitudecatcafe.com and organiccatcafe.com.

CI N DI ROSS SCO PPE

happy to shower the cats with ­affection and look forward to visiting the next time she’s in town.

“I love that they get all this attention,” Anne says. “And it’s good for people who love cats but don’t want to have their own.”

The 900-square-foot cat lounge is strikingly clean—no dust kitties rolling around like tumbleweeds, no evidence of digestive issues—although Brooks

ALL IN THE FAMILY Cat enthusiast Anne Huggins, a Pee Dee Electric Cooperative member from Mullins, enjoys coming to Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar in Charleston when visiting her daughters. “I love that they get all this attention,” Huggins says of the former strays now available for adoption.

says that’s not always the case. At night, employees put out food and water and extra litter boxes for the cats, “and they

have free run of the space until we come back the next morning, and it usually looks like there was a frat party.”

HuNGEr rEAds tHE MorNING pApEr, too.

1 IN 6 AMErIcANs struGGlEs WItH HuNGEr.

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.

SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

31

|

SC gardener

A better butterfly garden

MAY IN THE GARDEN

BY L.A. JACKSON

n Spring is in full swing, so begin gussying up flower beds with colorful, heat-seeking annuals such as portulaca, celosia, sun coleus, petunias, salvias, marigolds and zinnias.

IN THE PURSUIT OF PERFECT GARDENS,

n Not thrilled with the chore of deadheading blossoms to stimulate more flower production? Consider growing continuous blooming plants such as alyssum, impatiens, ageratum, cleome, scabiosa, lobelia and vinca that don’t need constant visits from the “spent flower police.”

n Before the summer begins to sizzle, mulch around new and established plantings to help reduce wide fluctuations in soil temperature and ground moisture content.

Broad-spectrum insecticides treat all insects equally, both the bad and the good.

L . A . JACKSO N

TIP OF THE MONTH Now that the soil has warmed up, it is time to get gladiolus corms in the ground. Pick a well-draining site in full sun and, for more flower power this summer, mix in a time-release bulb fertilizer at planting time. The corms should be set about 3 to 5 inches deep and 3 to 6 inches apart. Glads don’t perform well during dry times, so add a 3-inch layer of organic mulch to help conserve moisture and water weekly, if necessary. Cultivars over 3 feet tall can be toppled by strong winds, so as a precaution, add support stakes into each planting hole.

32

Years ago, I used the nuclear option of broad-spectrum insecticides when faced with insect plagues of biblical proportions. I have since found that if I pay attention to my garden—in other words, go on patrol every day or two—I can stop most potential problems early with well-aimed sprays of commercial insecticidal soap. This direct contact killer leaves no harmful residue once it has dried, allowing gardeners to selectively dispatch such common six-legged nuisances as leafhoppers, aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, thrips and spider mites. For bigger bugs like hornworms and Japanese beetles, I usually just pick the pests off plants and toss them in a bucket of soapy water.

An easy way to deter bad bugs in your garden and lessen the need for

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

L . A . JACKSO N

n Worried about indoor pollutants? Spider plant, aloe vera, philodendron and golden pothos are all very efficient at helping to clear the air in offices and homes.

backyard growers often resort to insecticides in order to defend their plants against real or imaginary invasions from harmful insects. While this is an effective way to combat bad bugs, collateral damage can occur. Harmless insects like butterflies often get caught in the chemical crosshairs.

Broad-spectrum insecticides, those commercial concoctions that usually list on their labels a ton of plant-damaging bugs they can eliminate, are also dangerous to butterflies. When these chemicals are sprayed indiscriminately in a garden, just about all insect activity, both bad and good, ceases. Many gardeners also forget that systemic insecticides make all plant parts poisonous to insects, meaning they can put both leaf-munching butterfly caterpillars and nectar-sipping adults at risk.

Reduce or eliminate the use of broad-spectrum insecticides in your garden if you want to enjoy more visits from butterflies like this yellow swallowtail.

insecticides in the first place is to make plants more insect-resistant. How do you do that? Simple—keep ’em healthy.

Plants in prime condition are less attractive to hungry insects, and even if they are attacked, can weather damage better than plants that are weak or stressed.

Another natural way to fortify your landscape against insect invasions is to use store-bought native plants. By their evolved nature, such indigenous creations have survived and thrived in the wild against bad bugs without pesticides, so including some natives in your landscape is another easy step toward a butterfly-friendly garden.

Creating a more favorable environment for butterflies also benefits bees and other flower pollinators, not to mention bug predators such as lady beetles, fireflies, lacewings and parasitic wasps, so, long column short: A better butterfly garden is simply a better garden.

L.A. JACKSON is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.

|

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Join the conversation and share your photos! facebook.com/SouthCarolinaLiving

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To advertise, contact Mary Watts today at (803) 739‑5074 or email ads@scliving.coop.

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R E A D E R R E P LY T R AV E L S W E E P S TA K E S

Pack your basket with an extra $100 —and Clemson Blue Cheese Picnic season is here, and nothing helps improve the outdoor dining experience like a Clemson Blue Cheese gift package and a $100 Visa gift card!

Register today for the May Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes by mailing in the form below or visiting SCLiving.coop/reader-reply.

We’ll draw one lucky reader’s name from all eligible entries received by May 31 and send them the gift card, along with a picnic-friendly gift package that includes Clemson Blue Cheese Krumbles, dressing and a ¼-wheel wedge.

By entering, you may receive information from these great sponsors: jj Alpine Helen/White County, Ga. CVB jj Cheraw Visitors Bureau jj Clemson University Blue Cheese jj Experience Columbia, S.C. CVB jj Georgetown, S.C. Chamber of Commerce

jj Hamilton Gardens, Ga. jj Hammock Coast Tourism jj Kings Mountain Little Theatre jj South Carolina Living

R E A D E R R E P LY T R AV E L S W E E P S TA K E S

Register below or online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply YES! Enter me in the drawing for a Clemson Blue Cheese gift package and a $100 gift card.

Name

Always in good taste Every tasty bite of Clemson Blue Cheese is made the old-fashioned way on the campus of Clemson University. Each batch is salted, aged for 6 months, and then packaged by hand to ensure quality and that award-winning flavor at every step. For more information, visit clemsonbluecheese.com.

Address City State/ZIP Email* Phone

South Carolina Living, RRTS, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033 or travel@SCLiving.coop. Entries must be received by May 31, 2019, to be eligible. *Winner will be notified by email.

SEND COUPON TO:

Register online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply SCLIVING.COOP | MAY 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

35

|

SC calendar MAY 15 – JUNE 15

SCLiving.coop/calendar

Lowcountry

Upstate M AY

16–19 Greenville Greek Festival,

St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Greenville. (864) 233‑8531.

16–26 Fair at Heritage Park, Heritage Park, Simpsonville.

(864) 296‑6601.

17–18 Pig in the Park, Mineral Spring Park, Williamston.

(864) 235‑3403.

17–18 Rhythm on the Rails, Main Street, Clinton. (864) 200‑4579.

18 Mansion by Moonlight, Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site, Union.

(864) 427‑5966.

18 Power from the Past Tractor & Engine Show/Swap Meet, Abner Creek Baptist Church, Greer.

(864) 680‑4004.

20 The Assaults Cycling Event, race course, Spartanburg. (864) 672‑8600.

23–25 Plum Hollow Festival, Plum Hollow Farm, Campobello.

(864) 357‑0222.

23–25 Seneca Fest 2019, multiple venues, Seneca. (864) 885‑2700.

25 Gallabrae: Greenville Scottish Games, Furman University, Greenville. contact@gallabrae.com.

25 Take Flight 5K, Runway Park at Greenville Downtown Airport, Greenville. (864) 242‑4777.

JU NE

1 Frontier Encampment, Oconee Station State Historic Site, Walhalla.

(864) 638‑0079.

1 Ranger-Guided Battlefield Hike, Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, Clinton. (864) 938‑0100.

1 Sparkle City Rhythm & Ribs, Barnet Park, Spartanburg.

(864) 680‑6674.

1 Western SC Blueway Festival, Baker Creek State Park, McCormick.

(864) 852‑2835.

3–9 BMW Charity Pro-Am, Thornblade Club and Cliffs Valley golf courses, Greenville. (864) 297‑1660.

8 Hill Hoppin’ 5K, Oconee State Park, Mountain Rest. (864) 638‑5353.

14–23 Chautauqua History Comes Alive Festival, multiple venues, Greenville. (864) 244‑1499.

15 Family Fishing Clinic, Table Rock State Park, Pickens. (864) 878‑9813.

15 Kid’s Day at Musgrove Mill, Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, Clinton. (864) 938‑0100.

36

O NG O ING

Every other Wednesday

Music Sandwiched In, Spartanburg County Public Library, Spartanburg.

(864) 948‑9020.

Third Thursdays ArtWalk, downtown cultural district, Spartanburg. (864) 582‑7616.

Fridays Starry Nights, Roper Mountain Science Center, Greenville.

(864) 355‑8900.

Midlands MAY

16–18 Saint Philip Neri Italian Festival, Saint Philip Neri Church, Fort Mill. (803) 548‑7282.

17 A Taste of Newberry, Friend Building, Newberry. (803) 321‑1015.

17–18 Aiken Garden Show, Aiken County Historical Museum, Aiken.

(803) 649‑7907.

17–18 Governor’s Cup Road Race, Main Street, Columbia.

(803) 960‑6202.

17–18 I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for... Aiken Ice Cream!, Aiken County Visitors Center, Aiken.

(803) 642‑7557.

17–18 The Battle of Camden, Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site, Camden. wkalutz@gmail.com.

17–18 Wagons to Wagener Festival, downtown, Wagener.

(803) 564‑6424.

18 Essential Tremor Charity Golf Classic, Cedar Creek Golf Club, Aiken. dsfoundation@atlanticbb.net.

18 Glencairn BloomFest, Glencairn Garden, Rock Hill. (803) 329‑5620.

18 It’s a Bug Party!, Lee State Park, Bishopville. (803) 428‑4988.

18 McConnells Tractor Show, McConnells Community Center, McConnells. (803) 230‑3658.

18 Race for Charity 5K, Lancaster High School, Lancaster. lancasterruns@gmail.com.

18 Twilight Paddling, Chester State Park, Chester. (803) 385‑2680.

19 Lily Fest, Landsford Canal State Park, Catawba. (803) 789‑5800.

19 Metropolitan Bridal Expo, Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia. (800) 566‑3646.

20 Hopelands Concert Series: Savannah River Winds, Hopelands Gardens, Aiken. (803) 642‑7631.

23 Power of the Purse Silent Auction, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia. (803) 733‑7312.

24–25 Flopeye Fish Festival, Great Falls Industrial Park, Great Falls.

(803) 482‑6029.

24–26 Iris Festival, Swan Lake Iris Gardens, Sumter. (803) 436‑2500.

25 Anniversary of the Battle of Buford’s Defeat, Andrew Jackson State Park, Lancaster. (803) 285‑3344.

25 BBQ Dinner Train, SC Railroad Museum, Winnsboro. (803) 635‑9893.

25 Horse Creek Antique Bottle and Pottery Club 11th Annual Show and Sale, H.O. Weeks Center, Aiken.

(803) 593‑2271.

27 Hopelands Concert Series: The Aiken Civic Ballet, Hopelands Gardens, Aiken. (803) 642‑7631.

31–June 1 Blythewood DOKO Rodeo, Blythewood Community Park, Blythewood. info@blythewoodrodeo.com.

31–June 1 Peach Tree 23 Yard Sale, SC Highway 23, multiple towns.

(803) 275‑0010.

31–June 1 South Carolina Square and Round Dance Convention, Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia. (803) 493‑8299.

JU NE

1 June Monthly Gospel Singing,

Midland Gospel Singing Center, Gilbert.

(803) 719‑1289.

1 To Settle a Town, Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, Summerville. (843) 873‑1740.

7–8 i2i Miles to Shop Yard Sale, various yard sale locations, Chester.

(803) 379‑1683.

7–9 Southern Guitar Festival Competition, Richland Library, Columbia. southernguitarfest@gmail.com.

10 Hopelands Concert Series: Aiken Concert Band, Hopelands Gardens, Aiken. (803) 642‑7631.

10–14 Sailing Camp, Columbia Sailing Club on Lake Murray, Columbia.

(803) 764‑6065.

15 Ridge Peach Festival, downtown, Trenton. ridgepeachfestival@gmail.com.

ONGOING

Daily “Requiem for Mother Emanuel,” S.C. State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898‑4921.

Daily until May 31 Phil Yarborough Exhibit, Aiken County Visitors Center, Aiken. (803) 642‑7557.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

MAY

16 Sensory Friendly Visit, Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach. (800) 734‑8888.

17–18 St. Phillips Island RangerLed Excursion, Hunting Island State Park, Hunting Island. (843) 838‑2011.

17–19 Tall Ships Charleston, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Mount Pleasant. info@tallshipscharleston.com.

18 All Saints Episcopal Church Garden Tour, All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head Island.

(843) 681‑8333.

18 A Very Special Prom, North Charleston Fire Museum, North Charleston. (843) 603‑4636.

18 Beaufort River Swim, Downtown Beaufort Marina, Beaufort.

(843) 522‑9622.

18 Bulls Bay Nature Festival, Sewee Center, Awendaw. bullsbaynaturefestival.org.

18 Charleston Beer Fest, Riverfront Park, North Charleston. (843) 747‑2273.

18 Moonlight Canoe Float, Cheraw State Park, Cheraw. (843) 537‑9656.

18 Over the Edge: Rappel United, Hyatt Place Charleston Historic District, Charleston. (843) 740‑9000.

18–19 World Famous Blue Crab Festival, Historic Little River Waterfront, Little River. (843) 249‑6604.

19–22 Veterans Golf Classic, multiple golf courses, Myrtle Beach.

(800) 506‑8588.

24 Fourth Friday Paddle with a Ranger, Colleton State Park, Walterboro. (843) 538‑8206.

24–26 and 30–31 Hands on a Hardbody, Flowertown Players Theater, Summerville. (843) 875‑9251.

24–26 Original Gullah Festival, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort. (843) 525‑0628.

24–June 9 Spoleto Festival USA, multiple venues, Charleston.

(843) 722‑2764.

25 Sensory Friendly Showing of Aladdin, Grand 14 at The Market Common, Myrtle Beach. katie@championautismnetwork.com.

25 Southern Beard and Moustache Championships, Music Farm, Charleston. holycitybeards@yahoo.com.

25 Spring Golf Tournament, Shadow Creek Golf Club, Florence.

(803) 730‑7705 or (843) 472‑1614.

26 Memorial Day Golf Cart Parade, Ocean Boulevard at 1st Avenue, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 650‑9548.

27 Surfside Beach Memorial Day Service, Surfside Drive, Surfside Beach. (843) 650‑9548.

TA LL SH I P SCH A R LESTO N .CO M / K A REN RYA N

Our mobile-friendly site lists even more festivals, shows and events. You’ll also find instructions on submitting your event.

Please confirm information with the hosting event before attending.

Tall ships sail into Patriots Point and will be on display May 17–19.

31–June 1 Edisto Beach Cookin’ on the Creek BBQ Festival, Bay Creek Park, Edisto Island.

(843) 603‑0009.

JU NE

1 Defense of a Colony, Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, Charleston. (843) 852‑4200.

1 Loris Heritage Festival, downtown, Loris. (843) 756‑6030.

1 Lowcountry Splash, Hobcaw Yacht Club or Daniel Island Pier to Charleston Harbor, Charleston. (843) 642‑9232.

1–2 and 6–9 Hands on a Hardbody, Flowertown Players Theater, Summerville. (843) 875‑9251.

1–9 Spoleto Festival USA, multiple venues, Charleston. (843) 722‑2764.

7 First Friday Paddle with a Ranger, Givhans Ferry State Park, Ridgeville. (843) 873‑0692.

8 Second Saturday Paddling Trips, Colleton State Park, Walterboro.

(843) 538‑8206.

14–15 St. Phillips Island RangerLed Excursion, Hunting Island State Park, Hunting Island. (843) 838‑2011.

ONGOING

Daily until May 25 Sharing

the Chores: Works on Paper by Jonathan Green, Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, Ridgeland.

(843) 284‑9227.

Fourth Tuesdays Wash Day, L.W. Paul Living History Farm, Conway.

(843) 365‑3596.

Wednesday Arts and Crafts Market, Bay Creek Park, Edisto Island.

(843) 869‑3867.

First Saturdays History in the Landscape, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, Charleston.

(843) 546‑9361.

|

SC humor me

From bumper to bummer

BY JAN A. IGOE

MOST OF THE TIME, I’m fairly calm. Sweating the small stuff just makes for more laundry, so it’s better to assume the lotus position and remain your jolly self, like Buddha.

But he traveled by yak, so worthless car warranties never tested his temper.

Let me back up. Not long ago, I bought a previously owned vehicle from a large, popular dealership. Humble, honest car herders assured me that the one I chose to adopt was hand-raised on a loving lot with many siblings, well-socialized and in robust health. In fact, I was more likely to inherit millions from that internet stranger in Mozambique than have anything go wrong with this popular car.

Still, as loving caretakers, they persuaded me to buy a warranty by locking me in the showroom and withholding food and water until I signed the contract. But at least I’d know my metal child would always be covered from bumper to beloved bumper.

You probably know where this is going. Soon after adopting this popular car, the automatic hatch stopped working. From the start, it rumbled like a bad burrito was passing through, but the car herders mistook it for a healthy mechanical sound.

So what? It’s under warranty. I just made an appointment to replace the hatch thing and fix some other “healthy mechanical sounds.” I rearranged meetings, boarded my dogs and coerced a friend to cart me around all day.

When I returned for my baby, the service guys said they got the wrong part

38

Some people never sweat the small stuff, while others mistake meditation for a thrill sport. for the hatch. Come back some other time, they said. Service guys don’t have to smile or schmooze like car herders, and they don’t apologize. Not checking parts before a customer wastes an entire day is not their fault. Or problem.

I tried to summon some extra Zen by reminding myself how much I hate doing laundry. Calmly, I made a new appointment, scheduled a place for the dogs, got another friend to Uber me and dropped the car off first thing Friday morning.

“It will be ready in three hours,” they said. “We’ll call you.”

Four hours later, no one had called, so I checked in.

“Your car’s ready, but we won’t release

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | MAY 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

it until the warranty company pays us,” they said. “That could happen late today. Or next week.”

Think Buddha, I told myself. Stay calm and process the facts. Fact 1: They sold me the car.

Fact 2: They sold me the warranty. Fact 3: This obstacle was never discussed. Fact 4: These idiots are holding my baby hostage.

That’s when the gaskets blew. Not the car’s. Mine.

“Give me my car before I report it stolen,” I politely screamed into the phone. I might have screamed some other things, too.

The small stuff was winning. I’ll bet Buddha never complained to a manager in a loud, hostile manner or let steam pour out his ears.

In all fairness, genetics are against me. I come from a family more closely aligned with Attila the Hun. My brother lost his Zen at a Deepak Chopra retreat— a surprise arranged by his wife. His fists clenched tight as that big vein in his forehead turned blue. “You’re supposed to be meditating,” she scolded. “What is wrong with you?”

His reply? “I’m here to win.”

What can you do? Some people never sweat the small stuff, while others mistake meditation for a thrill sport.

Either way, there are no warranties in my future unless the car herders accept my inheritance as payment. Otherwise, I’m buying a yak.

JAN A. IGOE hates losing it, but extenuating circumstances were beyond her control.

Write her at HumorMe@SCLiving.coop. She will be in yoga classes until then.

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At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.