Vintage Romantic Author
First stop in our action-packed day: Campbell’s Covered Bridge. This is the last remaining covered bridge in South Carolina. Really beautiful spot. Look at all that granite. The bridge has been closed for maintenance and painting. It looks like new. But not underneath. There’s water and green everywhere you look! Here’s a shot of Beaverdam …
We headed off to Abbeville, a tiny town off the beaten path. With Wendy and two of her children, we enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Indigenous Underground, a new hotspot recommended by local resident Brady who joined us for the day. I ordered southern eggs Benedict: biscuits and pepper gravy with pork and eggs. Oh …
We stayed with old friends, Ken and Carol, who moved to South Carolina about a year ago. They have a lovely, brand-new home. The upstairs guest room is huge, so we settled in. Our touring group met up about 10:30. We shouldn’t have been surprised when this turned out to be another physically challenging day. …
I’ve decided all this walking is like boot camp for old people. I may be flunking. But we started with a taxi ride today. As you can see by the license on this very patriotic bus, D.C. residents want more representation. We’re staying in a business district—FEMA is right next door; the Department of Education …
Some holiday traditions last, others don’t. Since Mother’s Day is coming up, let’s take a look at its history and its ties to carnations, a tradition that didn’t stand the test of time. I came across a newspaper article from 1914 about the first Mother’s Day—well, the first Mother’s Day celebrated as a national holiday. …
Literally, the moment I finished wrapping my last present, The Hallelujah Chorus started playing from my music list! I actually enjoyed wrapping this year—no gift bags, all boxes with coordinated red and white paper and ribbons. It was the fact I was ready for Christmas with that last gift that made the music so appropriate. …
My family was not very “into” Halloween. When I would ask my mom about my costume, her yearly response was, “Go in the bin and find something to wear.” The bins were wooden window seats under the den windows with tops that flipped open. My toys were in one bin, old clothes and keepsakes occupied …
I guess I am. I’ve always been willing to experiment and challenge common knowledge. This hasn’t always been a wise thing to do. For instance, not long after we moved into our first house, it seemed strange to me that I could put all manner of vegetable parts down the garbage disposal, so why not …
Before socialists, communists, anarchists, labor activitists and leftists took May 1 to commemorate their struggles, it was widely celebrated by the masses. In some regions, it was considered a public holiday that included dancing, singing and yum—cake. In an attempt to bring back the traditional May Day, if only on a small scale, I gathered …
Road trips have been all too rare lately, but my friend Betty and I took off for Carpinteria, a small beach town south of Santa Barbara. If I were rich, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a quaint little 1900s-era house blocks from the Pacific in Carpinteria. In my imagination, there would be nightly walks along …