From Honey Gold to Hibiscus Burgundy - It's the Sunday Brunch Farmers' Market!

October 20th. The Sunday Brunch Farmers' Market, located on James Island. I just love farmers' markets! Their summer session ended in August, but the fall portion runs from October to the first of December. I never did make it to the first half, when there were veggies galore. Not that there aren't vegetables later in the season, they just aren't my favorite. Anyhoo, with loaves upon loaves of various breads from a local bakery, pastured raised chickens and eggs from those chickens, hand-made nut butters, chicken salad, dog treats, sheep milk soap, jewelry, pasta, raw honey, a florist, food trucks, and a woman with her own miniature horse, I hardly missed all the summer-time goodies.(PS -The Thai Rosella Hibiscus is what is used for hibiscus tea) I would love to return more often - different people each week provide musical entertainment as well as different vendors show their wares. I loved it and was so glad my buddy, Amelia, along with her honey, Jason joined me and Jeff. 

The Glassy Blue of the Lucky Eye at the Greek Festival

On Saturday, October 5th, I attended my first Greek Festival! One of our new pharmacists at work, George, is Greek and belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church in downtown Charleston. He invited us all (gave us free passes) so, what the hey- thought I'd check it out. It's quite the event, spread over 3 days, Fri- Sun. Parking was located over on Lockwood Drive and everyone was bussed over to the church. Which is magnificently gorgeous. It echoes inside because the roof is domed and the building circular- they refer to it as a barrel. The ceiling has a scene painted on it, and the sanctuary has lots of stained glass windows, gold, paintings, just simply spectacular. It's one of those things that is difficult to describe because words fail. Outside, on the church grounds, were a multitude of tents under all these huge, beautiful oak trees providing a shady canopy. In the tents were vendors of every sort =  colorful dishes, henna tattoos, jewelry galore, clothing, a mini market, baked goods, wine, beer, and lengthy lines of hungry people waiting to get their share of the Greek fare. On stage were dancers of every age demonstrating native dance and music. Great way to spend a day!

More Every Color, Medium and Style- It's the CHARLESTON Art Walk

Two art walks in a row! First Thursday in Columbia, then back to Charleston the next night on October 4th. This time I was accompanied by my friend, Julie, and one of her friends, Karlei. We munched on crackers and cheese , sipped wine and oohed and ahhhhed over all the phenomenal art we came across. That's why there aren't any photos- I'd have an album of all the pieces that amazed or moved me. Though, there is actually a photo of me for a change. See, I really was there! Julie suggested dinner at a Greek place called "Taziki's" - (which sounded fine to me even though I was going to the Greek Festival the next day!) and it was quite good. I'm not a big fan of Greek food, but what I have tasted, I've enjoyed. In any case, strolling through the streets of Charleston is always good.

Every Color, Medium and Style- It's First Thursday, Columbia, SC

They didn't have this when I lived in Columbia. They are trying to get an art scene going and from what Page and I saw, they are doing a fantastic job. The department store, Tapps, has been gone for several years, but the building, with its sign still intact, remains. And, it has been turned into a super gallery with its basement housing a honeycomb of artists' studios. I want one! And, one can rent one of the store front windows for a mere $25 per month. Oh, how I wish that I had some of my larger Styrofoam projects completed! One day! My friend, Susan Lenz (used to do all my framing and is now an artist extraordinaire utilizing fabric) showed us around, introducing us to all kinds of folks, both artists and innovators. We had a great time. Outside a nearby construction site stands a very long chalkboard. At the top, it reads "Before I Die...." and below are lines to write in what you'd like to do. Mine, of course, had to do with the kids and being an artist. I'm so redundant! ha-ha. The two most important things to me!!!!!

The Furry Black Mask of a Baby Racoon

Samaritans Save Smokey and Bandit

Updated on Monday

This is Smokey and Bandit, two little brothers found by two good Samaritans in Mt. Pleasant, Janet Place and Lorrie Gunn. The two ladies who contacted our Keeper of the Wild Director, Janet Kinser, were very concerned because they had seen these two babies playing around and had noticed an adult raccoon hit and killed by a car in the road nearby. They put two and two together and believed it to be the mother of these sweet babies. They saw the two young raccoons often enough and alone that they became concerned and called Keeper of the Wild. They were able to catch one of the babies and turned it over to Janet for care. The other little guy ran away to hide in a nearby cemetery. However, the ladies would not give up and kept looking for the little brother. They spent hours in the cemetery waiting for the brother to come out so they could try to catch it. Finally, they got their chance. Wearing protective gear and taking precautions, in no time at all they caught the other brother, contacted Janet and later the two brothers were reunited. They are now being cared for at Keeper of the Wild together and will be kept together, and will be released together back to the wild when the time is right. Our thanks to these two wonderful, caring Good Samaritans who made a difference for these two precious baby raccoon brothers who lost their mother.

September 28th was a busy Saturday! First, attempting paddle boarding then catching a kit! That's a baby raccoon. My friend, Janet, is very big into animal rescue. She traps feral cats for the trap-neuter-release program and is constantly rescuing or fostering cats. Across from her home is a private cemetery. Had just settled down in front of the computer late that afternoon when I received a call from her for marshmallows and canned cat food. She was trying to trap a baby raccoon. A few days prior, she had seen a raccoon fatality on her road. It appeared that it was the mama of 2 kits that she had seen playing down by the curb and would run into the cemetery if they heard a noise. Her husband had successfully caught one a couple of days earlier by throwing a towel over it. As luck, or the Universe, would have it, the lady in charge of Keeper of the Wild (located in the St. Matthews area, about an hour and a half away) was in Mt Pleasant. She gladly took the kit and hoped that Janet would also capture the other as they needed to be together (she had 5 other kits that this one could join). When I arrived, Janet asked how long she had me and I said, for as long as you need. I had a feeling that it was in one particular group of bushes, but we scoured them all before settling down on one of the crypts. Then, she got a call from someone coming over to return a cat carrier. It was dusk when she left for her house to meet the girl and that's when the kit came out - from that group of bushes. A plant separated the two of us, and I crept up behind it carrying a towel, forgetting my gloves, I was so intent on that baby. He spotted me and ran to a pine tree, quickly scurrying up the opposite side. I grabbed him with the towel, hollering for Janet to "Come on! Don't let him bite me! Hurry!" He kept snarling and trying to bite me- which I don't blame him, poor little thing! Janet donned her gloves and, using another towel, helped me get him down (he really had a hold of that tree!) And, then, Janet drove all the way to St. Matthews to deliver him. The lady got in touch with Janet a few days later. Both kits were undernourished and dehydrated, but were given fluids and were eating just fine- they had even started playing with some toys that they had been given. Once they are old enough, they will be released back into the wild. That was one of the coolest things that I ever did.

Paddle Boarding in a Marshy Green Cove

September 28 - decided to try paddle boarding with Pam, one of the other pharmacists at work. She has a friend who paddle boards all the time who was kind (and patient) enough to let us try out her board to see if it was really something that we wanted to do. Of course, we went out to do this on a VERY windy and cool day- far from ideal. We went to a boat landing at the end of Simmons Street in Mount Pleasant. Pam never hit the water, whereas I spent a great deal of time in it. I got so scared that I was going to fall off as I tried to get on , that I did. I was so afraid that my head was going to hit the dock that I kept pushing myself off the board away from the dock. But, I figured that if I ever did get up, that I'd be fine. And, I was! But, it was so, so windy that it was hard to steer in the cove of the landing. I even hit the bank one time, and because I didn't think about it, kept my balance nicely. Not so when I ventured further into the cove and in coming back, the force of the wind made me go really, really fast right into the dock on the other side. I didn't even think about back paddling (nor did Pam's friend think to yell at me to do so), I just was like- oh, crap- I'm going to hit this really hard! And, I did- and, got thrown off. Le sigh. One time, I landed on an oyster bed under the sand and got pretty cut up, so I ended up going to Nason's Medical Clinic to get a tetanus shot and antibiotics so I wouldn't get cellulitis. We all met up after that at a local restaurant called The Shelter, and that was good! Actually, I would love to try it again. I see all these older ladies with their dogs sitting on the front of their boards paddling away, so surely I can do it as well. If I can only get over my fear of getting on. We will see what spring time brings........

Bloody Red Gore, Zombie Style

September 22, 2013 - strike being a Zombie off my bucket list. I didn't even know that it was on my bucket list, until I found out that for a mere 25 bucks, I could make the transformation. Then, I was all over it. Mostly to have Travis groan and roll his eyes that his MOM at her age was being a Zombie, and then he'd be like, so, YEAH! MY mom is being a Zombie! Alas, all I got (in an email) was: "Looks like you had a good time. Glad you had fun." I was a bit deflated.... But, my friend, Amelia, and I had a blast! It was the first annual Zombie 5K run at Boone Hall, right up the street. For $50 you could either be a runner, or a Zombie that attempted to snare one of the 3 "life" flags hanging from the runners (the object was to get home with at least one flag= you were still alive). We opted to be decoy Zombies, merely pretending that we were going to snag a flag. The makeup was amazing! Applied by professionals, we went to 6 different stations, beginning with liquid latex, air-brushed makeup, some dark smudging, 2 stations for blood= runny liquid and coagulated gel- station #7 was for hair. A brief class in how to walk and move like a Zombie, then the waiting began. And, the sun decided to come out. Talk about dripping blood then- whoa! We were carted out to our various destinations via a hay ride, then deposited to wait for groups of runners 15 minutes apart. Lots of mosquitoes as well. It was a long, tiring day, but a helluva lot of fun!