Again the deadline for the news came early this week.  Enjoy.

December 29, 2017

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Happy New Year

Go Clemson Tigers!!!!

Library News!!! The Ridge Spring Library will be closed from Dec 12th, 2017 until January 8th, 2018. When it reopens it will be reopening at its new location in the Art Center Building behind the Civic Center.

The newspapers have an early deadline for the news this coming week for New Years Day comes on Monday. Sso I wish you the best of all and lets continue with Miss. Elise Carwile's Short History of Ridge Spring.  Enjoy.

Col. R. B. Watson tells me that Simkins built the old part of his house ---the kitchen--- which is built of logs, and weather boarded many years afterward.  Jesse Simkins must have been the man.  In August 1814, Jesse Simkins bought from the executors of Stanmore Butler's estate that half of the Stent grant, already mentioned , bordered by the Ridge Spring Branch and another tract across the road, somewhere in front of Col.  R.  B. Watsons about 150 acres.  Stanmore, Sampson, Thomas and William Butler were the sons of Capt. James Butler, who with his son James a lad of 16, and a number of other Whigs , was massacred by Blood Bill Cunningham on Clouds Creek.  I think below the quarry.  They had surrendered to superior numbers and were murdered and so mutilated that their bodies were unrecognizable.  Capt. Butler's sister and other women gathered the parts of the bodies together and buried them.  I have not been able to find that any of the Butlers ever lived at the Ridge.  In 1821 Elijah Watson, only son of Capt. Michael Watson bought all these tracts of land from Jesse Simkins, and also the tract called the Old Ridge Tract for $4000.00.  

I could not find how Jesse Simkins got possession of the Old Ridge Tract.  The soil of Ridge Spring was cheap in those days.  The highest price paid for land in any of these papers was in 1777, when Michael  Watson paid  $2000.00 pound current money for 300 acres.  I do not know whether this was pounds sterling or proclamation money---about $8000.00 in one and $6000.00 in the other.  This indenture fo James Howell is the oldest original paper I have had to examine except the grants and one other.  I believe this paper to be written by Capt. M. Michael Watson.  These tracts of land, the Stents, Pope, Powell, Lamar grants and the Old Ridge Tract, are the land on which the town of Ridge Spring to the east of the Baptist Parsonage stands.  I do not know to whom the western part of the town was granted.  In 1817  Mathias Jones was living where Mr. J. B. Jones lives now. Farther on, probably where Mr. Demps Jones lives, lived the Widow Spann and still nearer Ward there lived another Spann. 

This land finally became the property of some of the sons of Elijah Watson, Sr. beyond Peters Creek on the Ninety-Six road, there were two settlements of Daniels.

FOOTNOTES FROM JOE CAL WATSON: 

1. The oil mill was where they crushed cotton seed to make oil and it was behind George Strother's home, 203 E. Main Street.   It burned sometime in the late20s. 

2. Old grave yard is at the Ridge Spring Cemetery but in the stone-walled  area.   

3. Col R. B. Watson lived in the home that is now known as the Watson House  and the fist packing house is located behind this home and has been remodeled into a catering kitchen and dining room.  It is known as the Packing Shed.  The address is 410 E. Main Street.

4. Mr. Demps Jones home was J B Jones also known at Brick House Jones Home for what it was made of.  This home is at 2698 Hwy 23, Ridge Spring. 

5. Miss Carwile lived at 2199 Ridge Spring Highway.

6. Mr. Clifford Boatwright's home is at 1002 W. Main Street.

7. Mr. Watson Sweeny's home was destroyed by fire and it was at the intersection of Hwy 23 and Norris Brook Rd.

I could use the same way Miss Carwile did and say who lives in that home  now to  help you identify where these homes are. Now we have street addresses though.

ARMY THOUGHTS

The captain wanted a rugged lad,

But Mike Yacello was all he had.

Now Mike is sergeant, he thinks its swell

But the orderly room, it looks like hell.

He has CQ, that helps him some

But with a sergeant that is so dumb

The more they try, the worse it looks,

For he keeps his records in comic books.

The captain at last to clear the mess

Is sending Yacello to O. C. S.

                        By Archibald Linley Fripp 1943

who went to OCS during WW II and graduated

OCS stands for Officer Training School

One more for fun!

NONSENSE RHYMES

Aunt Harriet, did you know

I stumped my toe upon your door

I grabbed my hat and slapped the cat

But I promise to do it no more.

(I think I know the author but just in case I am wrong I will not mention his name this time. Aunt Harriet was my mother.)

Review from David Marshall James:  "The Woman in the Window" by A.J. Finn

  This thrill-zilla will be hard to top in the year ahead-- and beyond.

   First-time novelist A.J. Finn (aka book editor and journalist Dan Mallory) delivers a psychological-suspense extravaganza that borrows, with due credit, from Alfred Hitchcock and other auteurs' noir classics.

   Gotta love it when Finn writes, "Sorry, wrong number" (a 1948 thriller starring Barbara Stanwyck as an invalid in peril), and it's groovy to find someone who likes the Bogie & Bacall noir-fest "Dark Passage" (1947) as much as we do.

   In Finn's narrative, Harlem townhouse (five stories counting the basement, in which dwells a hunky tenant) resident Dr. Anna Fox is hooked up to such noir thrillers when she's not mainlining Merlot and a pharmaceutical cornucopia of psychotropic meds.  "Meds," never "drugs," according to her psychologist.  Sure, whatever, Dr. Orwell.

   Still, all that DVD and vino consumption is not enough to fill the on-stretched hours of her shut-inward-ness.  So, Dr. Fox-- onetime child psychologist-- takes a a cue from James Stewart's gimped-low character in "Rear Window" (1954).

  That is, she points her high-powered camera lens at her neighbors' goings-on, and some are up to some wild times indeed, while others are just progressing through their lives at a steady pace.  Anna knows most of them from her pre-cloistered years, prior to the trauma that's pushed her into her comfort zone.

   A new family moves in across the small park outside-- Mom, Dad, teenage boy-- and Anna naturally gravitates to viewing them, but she's going to regret her voyeurism when she views something from which she cannot retreat.

   Sad thing about being a "chase your pills pretty" agoraphobic:  No one's inclined to believe you.  You're hallucinating; you're "acting out"; you watch too much Hitchcock.  Pathetic you.

   Finn puts a fine spin on his story, some points of which have gone unmentioned because it wouldn't be fair to cross over into the spoiler zone.

   We're not fans of unreliable narrators, but Finn expertly cues the reasons behind Anna's delusions.  We see them coming.  There are no "jerk the rug from under the reader" moments.  The author plays fair, so the reader probably will have at least an inkling of ninety-something percent of the twists.

   'Twouldn't be surprising if this nifty volume breaks the Top Ten Bestsellers list and remains there until 2019.  It's a book that many readers will start over again, as soon as it's over.

Harriet's Garden Tips: We are really in a deep freeze right now.  One way to protect your plants is to water them.  Water freezes at 32 degrees which means the temperature around your plants and t heir roots will not drop below that.  The temperature will get down in the 20s this time.  All the camellia blooms will be damaged but hopefully more will come.  Camellias have early middle and late blooming species.  Hope you have one of each. Don't forget the birds.  Make sure there is water out for them. 

REMINDERS

Ridge Spring Library hours: Reopen January 8th

Ridge Spring Post Office hours:  Mon-Fri. 7:30 am – 11:30 am; Sat 9 – 10 am

Recycling Center Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 1-7; Sat 7-7; Sun 3-7; Tues/Thurs closed

First Thursday of the Month:  AARS meets at 6:30, 685-5783

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4 or by appt, free admission

January 18: FORS meeting at Town Hall 5:00

December 22, 2017

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

Library News!!! The Ridge Spring Library will be closed from Dec 12th, 2017 until January 8th, 2018. When it reopens it will be reopening at its new location in the Art Center Building behind the Civic Center. We are excited about having these two organizations work together. New Library Hours will be Monday - Tuesday 9:00 -12:00, closed on Wednesday and Thursday, open Friday 10:00 - 4:00, Open Saturday 10:00 - 1:00.

Chef Brandon was on WLTX TV Tuesday or Wednesday Morning this past week showing simple last minute holiday appetizers.

" Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Brandon Velie, owner and chef at Juniper in Ridge Spring says small foods like appetizers are fun and easy for kids. He says the secret to a holiday hors d'oeuvre is the sauce. He suggests maple-soy glazed pork meatballs. This creates an Asian-style meatball that you can dress up with small forks or toothpicks so that guests can grab a treat and still mingle. Next, Chef Brandon loves to make miniature sandwiches such as the mini Reuben, but says pastrami or other hoagie meats make a great sandwich as well. For a different take on a seafood favorite, he says you can make miniature crab cakes and top them with some avocado. If you want a holiday-themed dessert, Chef Brandon suggests eggnog crème brûlée." 

The newspapers have an early deadline for the news this week so I wish you the best of all and lets continue with Miss. Elise Carwile's Short History of Ridge Spring.  Enjoy.

In 1770 a public road was opened from Orangeburg to the Ridge , from the Ridge to Ninety-Six and from the Ridge To Augusta.  The Augusta road joined the Columbia road or as it was called in pre-Revolutionary times the road to the Congaree, very near where Col. R. B. Watson's house stands, and the Orangeburg road branched off from the Columbia road approximately where Mr. Watson Sweeny lives.  The road to Ninety-six passed across the field back from Mr. Clifford Boatwright's and behind our house and thence an almost straight line due northwest to Cambridge (I will speak to Joe Watson to help me identify where these homes were at that time.  I hope he will know where Mr. Sweeney and Col Watson's house stand. Also where is Cambridge?)

In 1805 William Butler made a deed to Stanmore Butler of a "Tract or parcel of land being a tract originally granted to William Stent. The said mostly or part lying on the east side of a branch known as the old Ridge Spring Branch" is found to contain 76 ¾ acres, this land is bounded on the north by Benjamin Harry's land, on the east by lands of Mrs. Odom and Jacob Read, on the south by S.M. Cutler and the old Ridge tract.  This is the land, of course just back of the spring. (The spring is located behind the present day Ridge Spring Baptist Church.) 

The hill above the Spring, the ground on which the Baptist Church stands and how much I do not know , was the Old Ridge Tract.  I have not been able to find to whom it was originally granted. It is very interesting to trace how Jacob Read came into possession of land at the Ridge.

In 1763 Barnaby Pope received a grant of 200 acres, bordered on the east by Moses Powell's grant of 100 acres, to the east of Moses Powell grant lay the Lamar Grant of 250 acres, the last grants already have been mentioned;  From a deed dated June1, 1812, we learn that Jacob Read of Charleston, barrister of law, eldest son and heir at law of the Hon. James Read, late of Savannah, in the State of Georgia.  James Read had acquired the Barnaby Pope, Moses Powell, and half of the Lamar grants in the following manner: "Four hundred and 25 acres be the same, more or less, were by divers mense conveyances vested by Benjamin Tutt, formerly of the Ridge merchant and were by him sold and conveyed to David Lubly formerly of ridge merchant  and who becoming an Insolvent debtor were by him surrendered and assigned in due form on payment of his just debts to the said James Read the ancestor of the said Jacob Read."  The deed states that Jacob Read  has been in possession since December 11, 1777.  From this it seems that Benjamin Tutt and David Lubly must have been the pioneer merchants of the Ridge.

On June 1, 1812 Jacob Read sold the above mentioned 425 acres to Jesse Simpkins and Whitfield Brooks for $900.00.

From Harriet:  I noticed some new word for me from this text such as "divers mense".  Back when she wrote this history there were no computers that help make corrections easy.  Sometime the computer makes corrections without any prompting.  To copy a letter or a poem had to be done by hand.  I have a book of poems my great aunt Martha McBee Brunson copied and it is the only copy of these poems.  I have since added them to a collection of poems done by the family members.   Here is one done by my Aunt.

CLOUDS

Oh, frowning clouds up in the sky

You look as if you want to cry

Has something terrible happened today?

To make you look this doleful way.

Sometimes I listen to you and wonder

What you are saying in your grumbling thunder

You sound so gruff and scary, too

As if there wee a pain in you.

But when you are crying and all upset

Somebody is happy cause their fields are wet

Farmers rejoice in your strengthening tears

Often say they are an answer to prayers

So go ahead and weep for a little while

And cry your blues away

Then show me your beautiful rainbow smile

And I’ll call this a perfect day.

                        By Jane Brunson Smith, 1930s

                        (about eighth or ninth grade)

Harriet's Garden Tips: This is a good month for planning.  The catalogs are full of beautiful plants.  One year I ordered these amazing plants I had never heard of but they were so beautiful.  They were shipped all the way from Wisconsin I think.  This was a long time ago.  They did not do well in our southern heat.  Make sure your dream plant is suited for our heat.  Some survive anything and then there are those others.  Gerbera Daisies do not like me but Tithonia  plants do.  Just enjoy.

REMINDERS

Ridge Spring Library hours: Reopen January 8th

Ridge Spring Post Office hours:  Mon-Fri. 7:30 am – 11:30 am; Sat 9 – 10 am

Recycling Center Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 1-7; Sat 7-7; Sun 3-7; Tues/Thurs closed

First Thursday of the Month:  AARS meets at 6:30, 685-5783

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4 or by appt, free admission

January 18: FORS meeting at Town Hall 5:00

December 18, 2017

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Merry Christmas and A happy New Year

The Month of January has seemed to be slim of news.  Now I am adding  the latter part of December.  We are all wrapping up literally and figuratively Christmas presents, visits and just plain fun activities.  I wish you all a Merry Christmas and  Happy New Year with hope for our future!!!

The elves are busy working in Santa's Workshop (or The Nut House & Country Market) getting packages put together and sent out. Sunday December 17th is the last day to order for Christmas Shipping. The Nut House will be open for normal hours 9am-5pm Monday through Saturday and for special holiday shopping Sunday December 17th from 1pm - 5pm. 

Jeffrey Clamp, RSM Band Director: On Thursday, November 30th through Saturday, December 2nd three students from the Ridge Spring-Monetta High School Band participated in the inaugural Newberry College Honor Band Clinic.  Senior Tyler Rowe and Sophomores Jonathan Cumbee and Joanna Kaiser were nominated and selected for the clinic.  They rehearsed on Thursday evening, all day Friday, and again Saturday morning and then gave a concert on Saturday afternoon with a very talented group of approximately 70 students from several other outstanding band programs in South Carolina. 

Carmen Holly, M.ED,RSM Fine Arts Teacher:  Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle School Art visited the Morris Museum of Art Wednesday December 13th.  Students are engaging in the Combining Voices Competition. Combining Voices is a special literary competition and tour opportunity designed for students in grades 4–12. The program encourages participants to respond visually and verbally to selected paintings from the Morris Museum's permanent collection.

Spann Church in Ward will have regular worship service at 9:45 on Christmas Eve.  At 5:30 children will decorate a Christmas tree.  The traditional Christmas Eve night time service will begin at 6:00.  It will include songs of the season and a Christmas meditation and special music by Pastor Ashley.  For more information call 803-430-1314.

Juniper will be closed for Christmas December 21-26th reopening for our regular hours on Thursday the 28th

Ridge Spring Auctions will be at the Civic Center Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM.  They will have auctions on Thursdays at 6:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM.

Don't forget the two new businesses that have opened in Ridge Spring, Haley Bee's Boutique opened in the old town hall on Town Square and My Love All Occasion Shop at the Cumbee Place on East Main Street.

Josie Rodgers:

Leagrace’s birthday was last Sat., Dec. 16.  Most of you know her as the Princess of the World.  Her birthday is a bittersweet day for our family.  We miss her so very much; our hearts ache constantly.  But we are also full of joy that she is healed and happy, and we are full of hope because we will see her again.  Her short 5 ½ years were not enough for us, but we were blessed to actually have 5 ½ years with her.  There were so many times when we prayed for miracles and were granted them.  We are so grateful!    I remember when she was born!  She was so tiny and perfect.  And not even citrullinemia could dampen that little girl’s laughter, personality, and impact on others.  She was the sunshine in our lives.  She made us realize how very precious each moment of life truly is.  I learned to cherish so many little things in my own life that I took for granted.  My first grandbaby will forever hold a very special place in my heart.

RSM High:   Cookies and Stories with Mrs. Claus was quite a smash!  About 25 children came with their parents or grandparents to hear Mrs. Claus read stories, have their picture made with her, create Christmas crafts, play games, and of course, enjoy cookies and milk!  This event was sponsored for free by the Shakespeare Chapter of the National English Honor Society and the Beta Club.  These high school students provided all the food and drinks and helped the children create reindeer ornaments, snowman ornaments, and Christmas tree ornaments.  They all had fun coloring pages together and talking about Christmas.  Mrs. Claus was amazing with the children; they were enthralled by her story-telling! This event is already on our calendar for next year when we will have even more to offer!  Many thanks to all who helped and to Karisa Ruth for her special talents!

RSM High:   Congratulations to Trojan football players for the following awards:  All-Region:  Tyson Bettis, Melvin Alewine, Reagan Cherry, Hayden Cherry, Brendon Frazier, & Johnnie Freeman; All-State, Melvin Alewine.

RSM Elem: Aiken County Gateway applications can be found in the link under Announcements on the RSME homepages as well as from art teacher Ms. Ciravolo, for 3^rd – 5^th grade students wishing to participate in the arts summer program.  Applications and any required materials will be accepted by Ms. Ciravolo until Jan 5.The PTO sponsored Jenny’s Penguin Patch Kids’ Holiday Shoppe.  . 

Congratulations to Terrific Kids for November, character word RESPECT:  Caroline Pace, Demir Gantt, Taliyah Lott, Ellis McDowell, Alivia Williams, Kash Bradshaw, Bryson Hunter, shmira Gibson, Marcellus Wideman, Hailie Poole, Irene Hernandez, Gisela Figueroa, Makaylen Wideman, Makayla Hunt, La’Maria Butler, Dylan Harris, Lamyous Alexander, Gracie Temples, Wyatt Davenport, Jabarius Brunson, Peyton Holsomback, Cassandra Oakman, Danny Fox. 

Aiken County Gateway applications can be found in the link under Announcements on the RSME homepages as well as from art teacher Ms. Ciravolo, for 3^rd – 5^th grade students wishing to participate in the arts summer program.  Applications and any required materials will be accepted by Ms. Ciravolo until Jan 5.

Mrs. Davenport is still selling Ozark D’lite Lollipops for $1 on Wed and Fri mornings from 7:15 – 7:35.  These are being sold as a fundraiser to purchase iPads for the Read 180 System 44 classroo.

Spelling Bee Winners:  Our spelling bee winners for 5^th grade are Cade Cockrell, 1^st place; Taylor Long, 2^nd place; and Braylen Smith, 3^rd place.  Cade and Taylor will participate in the Group Spelling Bee at North Aiken Elem on Jan. 12.  Braylen will be the alternate. 

Harriet's Garden Shop usually closes around December 15 for the winter and reopens in March.  This year I closed a little early due to a bucket list Trip and then bronchitis.  One of the advantages of being self-employed is being able to close early, and then there is the disadvantage that when you are sick you are also closed.  I can still be reached for appointments with call forwarding 803.685.7970.

Harriet's Garden Tips: December is one of the few months when there is very little to be done in the garden.  If a lovely warm day comes along, prune and reshape shrubs and trees needing attention.  And why not use the clippings in the home for decorations.  Don't forget our feathered friends during the winter. 

Somehow in my mother's papers, I found an 8 page "Sketch of Ridge Spring" by Miss Elise Carwile written in 1934.  I hope you will find interest in this as I serialize it in my column.

Page One by Miss Carwile

Chapman, in  his history of Edgefield County says, "From the best information obtainable we find that the earliest permanent settlements within the limits of Edgefield County  were made about 1748".  Family tradition has it that William Watson with his. brother, John, came to SC from Virginia about 1745.  The earliest date of any of the land papers to which I had access is 1755, when John Carlin and Wilmergen, his wife, "leased for one year a tract of 200 acres of George Hiles for 5 shillings and in return John Carlin gives George Hiles one peppercorn.   This land is released by by George Hiles to John Watson and is witnessed by his brother William.

This land lies on a branch of the Little Saluda , known or called Clouds Creek. Every man receiving a grant from the king was required to give a certain yearly rent; in some of the grants three shillings sterling of four shillings proclamation money for very one hundred acres to be pain the 25th of March, the King reserving for himself all "white pine trees and a tenth part of all gold and silver mines."  William Watson received a grant of 300 acres in 1753, but he had already taken up land as proved by the plait accompanying the grant, which reads: "Pursuant to a warrant to me directed by his Excellency, William Henry Littleton, Esquire, Governor General dated the third day of October, 1758.  (Miss Carwile goes into great detail of the reading of the plats noting at one point that using "Path to William Watson's house as a border.)

The earliest date of the mention of the Ridge that I have found is 1771, when John Anderson received a grant of 100 acres from King George III "Situate at the forks of the wagon road near the place called the Ridge , bounded on the northwest by land held by Capt. Michael Watson, etc.."

From me, "Think about it, paying the King from here in America and reserving him the white pine trees and part of any gold or silver.  I guess he figured he owned everything.  Glad that has changed."

REMINDERS

Ridge Spring Library hours: Mon/Tues 8:30 am - 12 pm; Wed., 8:30 – 4:30;         Thurs 8:30 am –12:30 pm; Fri 8:30 pm -4:30 pm; Sat 9-12

Ridge Spring Library Toddler Time Mondays at 10:30

Saluda County Library Hours:  Mon/Wed 8:30 am-5 pm; Tues/Thurs 8:30 am – 6 pm;   Fri 8:30am – 5 pm; Sat closed new fax machine and can send toll free

Narcotics Anonymous Fridays at RS Library at 7:00 PM

Ridge Spring Post Office hours:  Mon-Fri. 7:30 am – 11:30 am; Sat 9 – 10 am

Recycling Center Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 1-7; Sat 7-7; Sun 3-7; Tues/Thurs closed

First Thursday of the Month:  AARS meets at 6:30, 685-5783

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4 or by appt, free admission

December: No FORS meeting

December 11, 2017

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Thank you all for enjoying the town, the Christmas Open House by the Shoppes of Ridge Spring and the Tour of Homes sponsored by the Green Thumb Garden Club.  Isn't December fun?

Ridge Spring Town Hall:

 We hope everyone is doing well and getting ready for Christmas. We have been extremely busy here at Town Hall and that is a really good thing. I am sending this message out to all our committee members to let you know what we have been so busy doing and what we have coming up. 

1. All the hard work has paid off and Security Federal Bank is excited about being a part of our community. They are hoping to get started started in January by coming here to Town Hall and helping people change their accounts over. They understand how cumbersome this can be and they know how important it is to make this transition as smooth as possible. Its really great to see a bank that speaks small town values and they consider this effort a unique opportunity and a learning experience for them, because as you know the trend is banks leaving small towns not coming to them. Security federal considers this an opportunity to merge old traditions and new style banking together and this is exciting for us and for them. So make sure you pass the word along to all your friends colleges, church groups to support Security Federal and by doing this they will be supporting the town, and our communities. 

2. We have secured Alison South Marketing Group to help us brand our town. This is to maximize our marketing effort and bring everything together in a very cohesive way, to help bring awareness about Ridge Spring to our surrounding area and beyond. This is one of the towns ways of investing in our businesses, our town, and community. We will be meeting with Alison South Monday at 2:00 here at town hall to discuss phase 1 of this project. If you would like to attend please come. 

3. As you see we have our Christmas Decorations up and we made the light pole wraps ourselves, thank you Donna Lybrand for helping us out with making the lighted ribbon!! Also the tree in the gazebo we have named the community tree and we would like the community to be the one to decorate it. Personalized ornaments that represent your family and business or a loved one is what we would love to have added to it. The ornaments will be put back on the tree year after year. So again pass the word along.

4. We have also implemented a 2% hospitality tax on prepared foods here in Ridge Spring. These funds will be used for town improvements and the efforts of the committees.

5. The Civic Center has been rented on a permanent basis by an Auction house. We did this because in the past renting the Civic Center out has not proven to be very profitable and it has been a bit of a hardship to keep it up. This way it has started producing the funds we will need to keep it up. Also our hopes for the Auction is to eventually bring more people to Ridge Spring. Its open Every Thursday at 6:00  and Sunday starting at  2:00.

6. I know some of you have not met yet and that is because we needed to get some of the other committees started before we got into things like looking for grants and finding partners to help us with our efforts. After the holidays we will resume our meetings and increase our effort. For those of you that were on the Civic Center Committee as you see that took its own direction. We still need you! so we would love for you to become part of one of the other committees just let us know if you are willing to do this and which one you would like to be apart of. I am attaching the committee list for you to review.    

 We, here at Town Hall, hope you all have a Very Merry Christmas and A Happy and Safe New Year!!! Also remember if you have Ideas or comments we want to hear from you.

RIDGE SPRING UNITED METHODIST CHURCH: During the month of November, Ridge Spring United Methodist Church, RSUMC, adopted a family through the Palmetto Project’s Families Helping Families. Our family of 5 ranged in age from 10 months to 24 years old. Presents were bought (from a suggested list), wrapped, placed in and beside the Big Red Box, BRB and were delivered last week to the warehouse in Columbia. Much fun was had as we traded stories of finding just the article of clothing or toy. We are glad to be a part of this worthwhile project. We ask for a family in our zip code so we can help those in our community. If you are interested in finding out more visit palmettoproject.org.

 The Church is decorated for the Advent and Christmas season. Visit us and see the lovely windows, Advent wreath and tree. The outside of the Church and Family Life Center has bright red bows and wreaths to welcome in the Season.

 The Church Outreach/Mission committee met to plan activities and events for 2018. Watch this column and others for information regarding these and how you can participate.

 RSUMC will have regular Church Service December 24, 2017 at 11 a.m. This is Christmas Eve.

RSUMC will NOT have Church Service December 31, 2017, this is 5^th Sunday and New Year’s Eve.

Spann Church in Ward will have regular worship service at 9:45 on Christmas Eve.  At 5:30 children will decorate a Christmas tree.  The traditional Christmas Eve night time service will begin at 6:00.  It will include songs of the season and a Christmas meditation and special music by Pastor Ashley.  For more information call 803-430-1314.

The Ridge Spring and Ward Christmas Tour of 2017 was another successful and delightful event. People came from Aiken, Augusta, Columbia, Winnsboro and all the surrounding areas.  The Green Thumb Garden Club wishes to thank the Ridge Garden Club, all volunteers, and visitors.  Our gratitude to Daisy Rutland, Rosalyn Presley and the Gables Inn and Gardens for showing their beautiful and tastefully decorated homes is most appreciative.  The Churches were spruced and a big event.
A special thanks to Pastor Charles and Joye Bodie and the members of Ward Baptist Church for their support in hosting the refreshments and fellowship area.

Juniper will be closed for Christmas December 21-26th reopening for our regular hours on Thursday the 28th

Ridge Spring Auctions will be at the Civic Center Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM.  They will have auctions on Thursdays at 6:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM.

Don't forget the two new businesses that have opened in Ridge spring, Haley Bee's Boutique opened in the old town hall on Town Square and My Love All Occasion Shop at the Cumbee Place on East Main Street.

Review from David Marshall James:  "Much Ado About Murder" by Elizabeth J. Duncan

   This classy mystery novel set at a Catskills resort that features Shakespearean plays ought to tickle devotees of Agatha Christie and the classic Cotswolds village mystery.

   The bucolic setting, combined with Canadian author Elizabeth J. Duncan's U.K.-philia-- she writes another mystery series, set in Wales-- contributes to the Christie-ness.  Let's not forget the resident corgi, Rupert, either.

   To further Brit things up, the protagonist is an English ex-pat.  Costumer Charlotte Fairfax has worked with the RSC (if your "forsooth's" are a tad rusty, that's the Royal Shakespeare Company).  Charlotte is currently "bungalow-ed up" with a local detective on the resort grounds.  Now, that just might brush her up against a mystery or two.

   Charlotte's good chum, Paula Van Dusen, resides at a nearby estate, and we do mean estate.  She employs a full-time staff, including a gardener for the prizewinning roses and a chauffeur to handle the Rolls, and we don't mean Sister Shubert's.

   Paula and Charlotte frequently confabulate over frosty gin-and-tonic's as Paula heads up the Shakespeare Co.'s board of directors.

   In this third go-round of Duncan's Shakespeare in the Catskills series, the piece du jour is, of course, "Much Ado About Nothing," and there're gobs ado about the English actress who's crossed The Pond to play Beatrice and her dissatisfaction with multiple directors, younger co-stars, and teabags.

   We're not about to divulge the particulars of the plotting.  Suffice to say that, if Christie's village mysteries and The Bard are your cup of tea, then this'll be your second cuppa.  

Harriet's Garden Tips: I guess we do get some winter this far in the South.  It has been so cold, that it is even hard to clean out the beds.  So what can we do in this cold spell?  Seeds and the planning of planting seeds, soil testing by Clemson County agents and more to do.  Are you interested in more herbs?  They have become the newer crop to do.  Then there is the newest which is seed sprouts.  I need to research that a little more.  I did get a taste recently and the Farm to Table at Gravatt with Chef Brandon and these little things were delicious in a salad. 

REMINDERS

Ridge Spring Library hours: Mon/Tues 8:30 am - 12 pm; Wed., 8:30 – 4:30;         Thurs 8:30 am –12:30 pm; Fri 8:30 pm -4:30 pm; Sat 9-12

Ridge Spring Library Toddler Time Mondays at 10:30

Saluda County Library Hours:  Mon/Wed 8:30 am-5 pm; Tues/Thurs 8:30 am – 6 pm;   Fri 8:30am – 5 pm; Sat closed new fax machine and can send toll free

Narcotics Anonymous Fridays at RS Library at 7:00 PM

Ridge Spring Post Office hours:  Mon-Fri. 7:30 am – 11:30 am; Sat 9 – 10 am

Recycling Center Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 1-7; Sat 7-7; Sun 3-7; Tues/Thurs closed

First Thursday of the Month:  AARS meets at 6:30, 685-5783

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4 or by appt, free admission

December: No FORS meeting

December 4, 2017

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

This week marks another day we all remember.  December 7, 1941 was the day the United States entered World War II as a result of a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.  Many of us remember it from the movies we have seen and history books read over the years.  Let us learn and move forward into a world with hope and knowing we have a future.

Ridge Spring Town Hall: Ok, we have some of the decorating done as you can see our tree in the Gazebo is very bare. This is because we need you to help us decorate it. We want you to make an ornament, buy one or give one from your collection that represents you, your family, your business, or a loved one. It's up to you. Please make sure you personalize it to make it special and unique. If you don't participate our little tree will not get decorated this year. We can't wait to see how it turns out. Please pass this message along. If you would like take a picture of you and your ornament and post it with #ridgespringchristmas

Shoppes of Ridge Spring will have their Christmas Open House on Saturday December 9, from 10:00 to 4:30 and Sunday Dec. 10, 1:00 to 5:00 with refreshments.  Participants  are Art Gallery, Pat's Antiques, Stuff & Things, Olde Treasures, Off the Beaten Path, Ridge Antiques and Dry Goods, The Nut House, and Haley's .Harriet's Garden will be opened Sunday only.  Join us.

The Arpad Darazs Concert Choir will present it’s Winter Concert “Celebrating 30 Years” At Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church Sunday, December 10 at 4:00 pm.   The community is invited to come and hear their beautiful Christmas music.

The Christmas Tour of Homes will be Sunday December 10 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM.  It is sponsored by the Green Thumb Garden Club and assisted by the Ridge Garden Club.   The homes on tour are the Eidson House at 105 Ward Ave, Ward, and two homes in Ridge Spring.  They are the Horne House at 210 DuBose St. and the Sawyer House at 403 East Main St.  Churches on the tour are Ridge Spring Baptist Church, Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ridge Spring, Spann United Methodist Church in Ward, and Ward Baptist Church at 125 Ward Ave. Ward.  Cake and Hot Mulled Apple Cider will be served at Ward Baptist Church.  Cost of the Ticket will be $10.00 an may be purchase at the door.

Spann Church in Ward will be open for visitors Sunday December 10 from 2:00 until 5:00 during the Garden Club Tour.

Juniper will be closed for Christmas December 21-26th reopening for our regular hours on Thursday the 28th

Ridge Spring had its Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. We all enjoyed the music, the reading of the story by Pastor Kevin Taylor leading in song was Ben Lee with Hannah Garvin and Mattie Price of Cedar Creek Church, and the hot chocolate.  The lights were turned on by the Harvest Festival Chairperson Ann Marie Taylor. The program's climax was the arrival of Santa Claus.   He enjoys coming to the Gazebo in different modes of transportation over the  years. This year he came in by drone. He landed on the other side of the caboose and magically emerged in full form. The children sat on his lap, made their requests and received a candy cane. The event was sponsored by the Ridge Spring Harvest Festival Committee.  The drone was from the Hughes Enterprises.

Security Federal Coming to Ridge Spring

On  Wednesday November 29, Security Federal announced the future opening of their Bank in Ridge Spring.  What perfect weather for such a delightful announcement. Mayor Asbill along with  Sen. Setzler welcomed them and all received applause from the community.  Then we all adjourned to the Ridge Spring Library where corn chowder and sandwiches were served by Chef Brandon Velie of Juniper Restaurant. The following guests spoke on behalf of us all: Roy Lindburg, Frank Thomas, Chris Verenes, Thomas Moore, Timothy Simmons, G.L. Toole, Tony Ateca, Richard Harmon, Dr. Sean Alford,  and Dr. Robert Alexander.

Joe Watson joined the festivities and we were sitting in the back of the library when he told us what the room behind the bank was.  Back in the 1930s people were struggling and a lot did not have running water in their homes.  The back room had showers  for any to use but especially for the haulers of produce.  How nice.

Ridge Spring Auctions began Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM.  They will have auctions on Thursdays at 6:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM.

Don't forget the two new businesses that have opened in Ridge spring, Haley Bee's Boutique opened in the old town hall on Town Square and My Love All Occasion Shop at the Cumbee Place on East Main Street.

Josie Rodgers

The busiest season of the year is upon us.  Looking over my own calendar is daunting.  Every block has at least one activity, many times several, in addition to working all day.  Mental exhaustion begins to creep in when I see this color-coded and neatly scripted page with very little white space to spare.  I have learned, however, that it is my approach to these activities and responsibilities that makes all the difference.  As my students wrote last week, “the problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude about the problem” (Captain Jack Sparrow).  My attitude determines how I enter this season.  Exhaustion, negativity, and frustration will cause any event to be a damper on one’s mood.  But when I approach my days with excitement, positivity, and lightheartedness, everything turns into a wonderful experience!  Let’s hope I can keep it up; you try it, too!  And another thing:  let’s eliminate things that cause us too much stress or financial burden.  The season is about celebrating the birth of Christ, not showing off or trying to impress others with our décor, our gifts, and our elaborate gatherings.  Let’s truly get to the very heart of the season. 

RSM High:  The Beta Club, NEHS, and Teacher Cadets are excited to sponsor a holiday event for all children in our community!  “Cookies and Stories with Mrs. Claus” will be held on Thurs., Dec. 7, at 6 pm in the high school cafetorium.  Children will enjoy cookies and milk, crafts, games, and story time with Mrs. Claus and some special elves all for FREE!  For more information, please contact Josie Rodgers. 

Trojan Champs, by Summer Cherry:  RSM Trojan Champs had a lovely thanksgiving feast with their buddies during lunch last Friday. The Champs and their buddies had fun doing a scavenger hunt, visiting, eating, and just celebrating being together before the break.

Summer Cherry, President of NEHS:  American Education Week is a single week in November set aside to commemorate the idea of giving every child in America an education. For many schools, this means honoring the teachers and other faculty members that make this possible.  Under the direction of Mrs. Josie Rodgers, members of RSM High’s NEHS and Beta Club did just that. Members of the two organizations brought in various breakfast items so that the teachers of RSM Mid/High could enjoy a quick yet tasteful breakfast before tackling another day of teaching. The breakfast included items such as casseroles, donuts, pastries, granola bars, and juices.

RSM Elem: RSM Elem Walk/Jog Club:  5th graders are invited to attend the walk/jog club every Friday morning from 7:10 - 7:25 am.  You must have a permission slip signed to participate.  Forms may be found on Coach Bundrick’s web page. The goal of the club is to walk 500 miles along the Palmetto Trail, which is a hiking trail that goes from the mountains of SC to the coast through national and state parks.

Review from David Marshall James:  "The Ghost of Christmas Past" by Rhys Bowen

   She's a Daughter of Erin, sure's her name is Molly Murphy, with a "Sullivan" added for good measure and good luck, courtesy of her husband, Daniel.

   This fresh entry in Rhys Bowen's popular mystery-novel series-- she also produces the delightful Royal Spyness mysteries-- finds Molly on Patchin Place in Greenwich Village, New York City, come Christmas 1906.

   Daniel's profession as an actually-upstanding police detective for graft-ridden Tammany Hall is up in the air.  His mother, out in Westchester County, wishes he would apply for chief of police in White Plains, NY, the better to be near her ailing self, and he's certainly considering that.

   'Tis his Ma who invites Molly, Daniel, their two-year-old son, Liam, and their ward, Bridie O'Connor, out to her country home for Christmas, then one-eighties by accepting a house-party invitation with an old friend at a truly grand manor in a Hudson River village.

   Then, Molly & Family are asked to join the group at said abode, which seems to be burgeoning with more deep, dark secrets than a Bronte Sisters' fantasy.

   Will Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan unveil said secrets of the resident family before the suet sets on the figgy pudding?

   Bowen trims her tale with all manner of period Christmas trappings, including sleigh rides, carol singing, and blazing Yule fires.  The author also flourishes the proceedings with such supporting characters as Sid and Gus, a pair of bohemian suffragists who live across Patchin Place from the Sullivans.

   The Misses Sid and Gus are also up by the Hudson for Christmas, at an informal Vassar College reunion.  Now, let's pay homage to a Vassar cheer of yore, courtesy of one of my high-school French teachers, who could deliver a spirited rendition:

   "Root-a-toot-toot!  Root-a-toot-toot!

   We're the girls from The Institute!

   We don't smoke, and we don't chew,

   And we don't go out with boys who do!"

   Indeed, Bowen espouses many of the suffragists' causes, often through Molly.  We'll cheer for those, especially if we're invited to Sid's and Gus's New Year's Eve Party.  Gotta love bo-ho, ho, ho-hemia!

Harriet's Garden Tips: While working in the flower beds I found a pecan in a bedding plant cup, collected more seeds for next year, enjoyed seeing the paper white narcissus blooming and smelling the damp earth.   After they bloom is when you fertilize these bulbs. Camellias are blooming.  So far frost or freeze has not occurred which damages the blooms.   Note which ones you want cuttings from so in the summer  you can do that.  My old fashion roses  are producing rose hips.  Rose hips are commonly used as a herbal tea, often blended with hibiscus, and an oil is also extracted from the seeds. They can also be used to make jam, jelly, marmalade, and rose hip wine. Rose hip soup, "nyponsoppa", is especially popular in Sweden. Rhodomel, a type of mead, is made with rose hips.  Maybe I should harvest and sell them, but how????  I think I will just enjoy them for now.

REMINDERS

December 9 & 10: Shoppes of RS Christmas Open House

December 10: Christmas Tour of Homes

Ridge Spring Library hours: Mon/Tues 8:30 am - 12 pm; Wed., 8:30 – 4:30;         Thurs 8:30 am –12:30 pm; Fri 8:30 pm -4:30 pm; Sat 9-12

Ridge Spring Library Toddler Time Mondays at 10:30

Saluda County Library Hours:  Mon/Wed 8:30 am-5 pm; Tues/Thurs 8:30 am – 6 pm;   Fri 8:30am – 5 pm; Sat closed new fax machine and can send toll free

Narcotics Anonymous Fridays at RS Library at 7:00 PM

Ridge Spring Post Office hours:  Mon-Fri. 7:30 am – 11:30 am; Sat 9 – 10 am

Recycling Center Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 1-7; Sat 7-7; Sun 3-7; Tues/Thurs closed

First Thursday of the Month:  AARS meets at 6:30, 685-5783

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4 or by appt, free admission

December: No FORS meeting