Ridge Spring News: July 2019

Monday, July 29, 2019

July 26, 2019

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

The Ridge Spring Farmers' Market continues. Do come and get some of those fresh fruits and vegetables. Peaches here are the best.

The calendars are getting full with fall or near fall events. Summer is ending, school shopping is beginning, and the circle of life continues. Yes, I did go see the new Lion King Movie and the cinematography was brilliant. I enjoyed the music and renewing acquaintances with those characters, too.

August 3, Dixie Bell sponsoring a Summer Time Social from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on the Ridge Spring Town Plaza. This family fun day will include a “taste-n-see” of Dixie’s products, face painting, and the Truly Scrumptious Creamy ice cream truck. They will also hold a book drive for the Ridge Spring Library; bring a book and be entered in a raffle to win a huge basket of Dixie Belle Products

Laura Walker: Community Cat Clean-up Coming Soon!!!! The Town of Ridge Spring will be hosting a mobile unit from the Humane Society of Columbia on August 5. Due to the threat of rabies and the overpopulation Mayor Pat Asbill and many community-minded animal-loving individuals have made it possible to get your feral cat/barn cat spayed or neutered plus vaccinated for RABIES for a mere $19....right here in town!!!. Benefactors have provided the hardware for humane trapping and then carrying your post-operative patient home in a clean cat carrier in addition to that great deal of a reduced cost. Let's stop inviting the coyotes into town to feed on kittens, let's stop flirting with RABIES, let's show how we really want the best for our furry friends, let's start reducing our homeless pet populations and the spread of disease from wandering cats. It's $19 in 2019, August 5, if you want to reserve your cat's appointment call or write me Laura Walker at (803) 685-6189 tandwalker@comporium.net! And don't worry if you are disabled or elderly, someone will help you with the traps and animals.

August 31Town-wide Sidewalk Sale. Main Street will be lined with deals. Check it out on facebook. All the shops are participating. If you would like to set upon the sidewalk or in town Square, let us know. Information is located on facebook townwide sidewalk sale or town of ridge spring

Saturday August 31 there will also be a Fall Gathering at Ridge Antiques and Dry Goods. There will be fall decorations including hand crafted scarecrows, gourd garlands, pumpkins, sparkleberry and grapevine wreaths, handcrafted log cabins, and candles tot fill your home with the wonderful scent of fall. and a great selection of quality primitive antiques with Ann Myers, High Grove Farm, Marie Widener, Primitive Pickens. Stay tune. For more information you may contact Koonm0655@att.net or 202lillybell@gmail.com

Then on September 21st, we have the Magnolia Ridge Antique And Art Gathering. All the same vendors will be there and even a couple more. The model T Fords and the tractor club will be there.

Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Homecoming & Revival with Evangelist Bobby Earls

Sunday, August 11th @ 11:00 am with Homecoming Dinner served immediately following the service. Revival services continueSunday evening @ 6:00 pm; Monday - Wednesday services held at 7:00 pm. Come join us and prepare your hearts to receive a blessing.

Josie Rodgers

A couple of my favorite girls participated in the SC Distinguished Young Woman competition last weekend. Morgan Berry is a rising senior at RSM High and is North Aiken’s DYW. She is family and one of my Teacher Cadets this year as well as my Beta Club president. Reagan Creasy is a rising senior at Wardlaw Academy and is North Edgefield’s DYW. Reagan is part of the Wardlaw cheer team that I coached. The young ladies spent a week with a host family in the Columbia area and attended various activities and rehearsals each day. Morgan’s host family was Harrison and Maggie Gray, and Reagan’s host family was DJ and Anna Mills Cox (Annalee’s host family from last year!). Some of the highlights included a luau, western dance night, Blowfish game, trip to the zoo, visits to state buildings, and a tea. On Fri evening and Sat afternoon, the ladies competed in the various categories including fitness, self-expression, and talent. Reagan performed a lyrical dance to the song “Held” by Natalie Grant in honor of people suffering from Lupus. Morgan performed a tap/clog routine to “Twelfth Street Rag.” On Sat evening, the 8 finalists competed once again for the winning title. Though our girls did not make the finals, their performances and experiences made memories for a lifetime. Morgan says she enjoyed the zoo and ropes course and going to the Supreme Court and State House. She also learned a lot about interviewing and met so many girls from across the state. Reagan says she had so much fun that she forgot there was a competition at the end of the week. She thanks her family, friends, Wardlaw Academy, and Chef Bob’s Café for the love and support throughout the experience. Both young ladies advise junior girls to find out more about the DYW program in their county so that they can participate next year.

Exciting news! Palmetto Dance Academy is introducing a new program in development. This class is for special needs children. My granddaughter Leagrace was the first student to participate in this type of class, and she LOVED dance! Miss Heather and her assistants spent hours working with LG and were touched by LG’s incredible love of movement and infectious laughter. PDA says, “She taught everyone that God uses us to show HIS love, no matter our age or abilities. Our newest program will help to bring LG’s light and love to other students with special needs all through our community.” Visit PDA’s Facebook page and find the post about this program. Click on the link to tell your story and help provide insight as they develop this class set to begin in the spring of 2020.

PDA will hold Open House Aug. 5. You can pre-register online! The fee for registration is $35 and is paid through the parent portal created when you complete the online form. If you have any questions, please email director@palmettodanceacademy.com.

Last week Wendy Arndt brought some free pears to the market. Here is a recipe for Pear Preserves from Thelma Coleman that I found in the Ridge Recipes Cookbook. 10 pounds of pears, 10 cups of sugar, 2 tbsp of cloves and 2 lemons. Slice lemon thinly. Peal pears, slice in medium slices. Place layer of pears, layer of sugar and lemons alternately in enameled saucepan. Let set overnight. Heat to boiling point, add cloves, reduce heat and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally until juice is of thick syrup consistence. Put in hot sterilized jars and seal. Yields about 10 half pints.

Review from David Marshall James: "The Escape Room" by Megan Goldin

Four Wall Street high fliers-- coworkers at a prestigious, pedigreed financial firm-- are dropping everything on a Friday evening to participate in a mandatory team-building exercise.

It's only supposed to last an hour, or so they're told. There's a moral here about blindly following electronic messages. In utter words, you're bigger than your phone, your tablet, and anything else with a touch screen.

All of these corporate sheep have hefty plans for the weekend. Being big shots, those involve jetting off to foreign shores. Isn't anyone going to pipe up, "Sorry, I have to get to the airport-- on a Friday, yet"?

Well, they're all in tenuous positions. Several major deals of late have fallen through for this foursome. On the flip side, there's a huge opening at the firm. Could one of them possibly land this lolly, if they star-play on the team-building exercise?

No one in this hyper-competitive quartet wants to be the one to miss out on a promotion, or to set themselves up for redundancy.

So, team-building it is; specifically, in an escape room. In an "ordinary" escape room, the participants seek clues, working together to find a way out before a prescribed time elapses.

However, these four don't realize that their escape room is a stalled (read: dangling) high-rise elevator. Talk about getting shafted.

First-time novelist Megan Goldin weaves the escape-room narrative (hint: rather "Lord of the Flies"-ish) with the back story of the foursome, as viewed through the eyes of Sara Hall, an up-and-comer at the firm.

Sara-- as well as a savant-ish number-cruncher named Lucy-- exists on the perimeter of the team that includes the elevator quartet. Lucy is leagues too smart for the group, while Sara is fathoms too ethical. Sooner or later, someone's going to summon their inner Darwin; probably the one person who realizes they're bigger than their electronics.

Goldin rolls out her story in a clear, direct style often reminiscent of John Grisham's. The final third of the novel is particularly suspenseful, rife with plot revelations, while the ending is particularly Grisham-esque.

Harriet's Garden Tips: From my "SC Gardener's Journal" purchasing the best tools usually results in long- term savings. Normally constructed of wood and metal, neither component is impervious to damp and dirt, so the golden rule is to KEEP TOOLS CLEAN. A useful idea for the oft-used spades and shovels it to fill a large pail with sand and pour in about a quart of motor oil; the spade can then be plunged in and out after use, cleaning and oiling it in one fell swoop. The second rule is LEAVE IT DRY. Wood rots and metal rusts over time. This includes the handles of the wheelbarrow. This is experience talking to you. An aid to locating tools laid down and forgotten is to paint the handles a bright color. This not only makes them easier to find but also protects wooden handles form the ravages of time.

REMINDERS

June 8 - Labor Day in September: Ridge Spring Farmers' Market

August 3: Watson Reunion

Summer Time Social

August 31: Town Wide Sidewalk Sale

August 31 Fall Gathering

Jeannette Carr Memorial: 864.656.5896, www.clemson.edu/isupportcu, Jeannette Carr Memorial, Annual Giving Office, 110 Daniel Drive, Clemson, SC 29631

Ridge Spring Library Hours: Mon. Tues. 9:00 - 12:00; Wed. Thurs. Closed;

Fri. 10:00 - 4:00; Sat. 10:00 - 1:00.

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

Fridays & Saturdays: AARS hours 10:00-2:00 or by appt, free admission

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

Third Thursday: FORS at Town Hall at 5:30 PM

Every 1^st Thursday: Audibel Hearing Center in the back room of Bank

Security Bank Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9-12 1-5, Wed. 9-12

Ridge Spring Town Hall: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm, Sat. 8:30am - 11:30pm

Monday, July 22, 2019

July 19, 2019

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Laura Walker: Community Cat Clean-up Coming Soon!!!! I am pleased to announce that the Town of Ridge Spring will be hosting a mobile unit from the Humane Society of Columbia on August 5. Why you ask? Well, we have a threat of RABIES on our doorstep after the rabid animals in Ward..PLUS we have real problems with overpopulations of feral cats. So love our Mayor Pat Asbill and so many more community-minded animal-loving souls for they have made it possible to get your feral cat/barn cat spayed or neutered plus vaccinated for RABIES for a mere $19....right here in town!!!. Benefactors have provided the hardware for humane trapping and then carrying your post-operative patient home in a clean cat carrier in addition to that great deal of a reduced cost.. So here's the deal. let's stop inviting the coyotes into town to feed on kittens, let's stop flirting with RABIES, let's show how we really want the best for our furry friends, let's start reducing our homeless pet populations and the spread of disease from wandering cats,, and let's stop feeling alone in dealing with this. It's $19 in 2019, August 5, if you want to reserve your cat's appointment call or write me Laura Walker at (803) 685-6189 tandwalker@comporium.net! And don't worry if you are disabled or elderly, someone will help you with the traps and animals.

FORS would like to give a big thank you to James Scott for speaking and signing his book, Changing Faces, in Ridge Spring. This book is about hardships, heartaches, having fun, working and growing up in and around Ridge Spring. He also goes on to tell of his career life in the military. This book can be bought from Amazon or checked out from the Ridge Spring Library. You want be disappointed. Thanks to James's family, Mayor Pat and Capers, and all others whom helped with this event. Mayor Pat reported that they did have 50 chairs, but quit counting the number of people at the signing when it reached 103.

Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Homecoming & Revival with Evangelist Bobby Earls

The Ridge Spring Farmers' Market is a wonderful asset for our town. We were so fortunate to have had Emma Jeannette Carr to be a great part of it. Titan Farms is continuing to share the bounty of the land with customers each Saturday. The Market is still going strong so visit the town square between 8:00 and 11:00 or 12:00

Mercantile 23: Just a note about our beautiful new-to-us French doors with individual beveled glass panes. They were black and rough when we purchased them but thanks to the dedication of my talented husband Pat, they are smooth and lovely. Painted with a special Blend of Frenchic Furniture Paint they make a statement of their own. Thanks, Pat for all the adjusting of the size to make them fit and the tedious scraping of the windows. You really made them shine. We have the formula for the paint color if you like it. Drop by to check out our complete line of Frenchic Chalk and Mineral Furniture Paint. We are thankful for the many that came to the book signing in the old bank building. It was a huge success. So thrilled to meet Lieutenant Colonel James J. Scott and members of his family. I have known his mother, Ms. Rosa for quite a while. I found Mr. Scott to be very gracious. May God continue to richly bless you and your family. Thanks again and welcome to the next chapter of our business in Ridge Spring. We truly do believe the best is yet to come!!

Upcoming events in Ridge Spring include August 3, Dixie Bell sponsoring a Summer Time Social and August 24Town-wide sidewalk Sale. Main Street will be lined with deals. Check it out on facebook. All the shops are "rearing" to participate.

Saturday August 31 there will be a Fall Gathering at Ridge Antiques and Dry Goods. There will be fall decorations and a great selection of quality primitive antiques with Ann Myers, High Grove Farm, Marie Widener, Primitive Pickens. Stay tune.

Then on September 21st, we have the Magnolia Ridge Antique And Art Gathering.

Watson Family Reunion, August 3, 2019:. If you will attend the reunion, please send a check for $16.97 by July 22 made payable to Mary Edmonds, 4202 Sequoia Road, Columbia, SC 29206. Please let Mary know if you have questions (803-790-7780 or marywedmonds@gmail.com.) We hope to see you there!

Josie Rodgers

(Leagrace was Josie's young granddaughter who had died. The family allowed her organs to be donated) . Just last week, Amber & Anthony received a letter from the parents of the two-year-old boy who received Leagrace’s heart. Jacob (whose mom’s name is also Amber!) lived for a year after he received Leagrace’s precious heart. Amber was so hoping to hear LG’s heartbeat again one day. Jacob’s parents have two other sons, and they want to meet Amber & Anthony. Please pray for them all because they have suffered such heartbreaking losses and meeting will be another emotional encounter but one full of love and healing.

Attention softball players: On Aug. 3, Annalee Rodgers and Davis Wash, recent graduates of Wardlaw Academy, will host a softball clinic from 8 am- 12 pm at the Edgefield Rec Baseball Fields. Participants will learn sliding and bunting skills, basic hitting skills, infielding and outfielding techniques, and those crazy chants and cheers players yell from the dugout. The day will also include an athletic devotional as well as snacks and drinks. Cost is $50 per girl and is open to girls in 2^nd to 6^th grade. Rodgers & Wash were starters for the varsity softball team that played for the SCISA state championship for the past 3 years. Both have been consistently won athletic awards from the school and been recognized state-wide for their athletic skill. Text or call 803-480-4783 or 803-522-0586 to reserve your spot.

RSM High: Registration will be held Aug. 6 from 10 am to 6 pm. We will also hold a make up day Aug. 7 from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Complete the online registration prior to your visit or get help from our staff using the computer lab.

Art Association of Ridge Spring

BASIC QUILTING: Mackenzye Barfield will be the instructor and held August 3 from 12:00-3:00 pm. $35 includes top cloth and batting. Students will bring scissors, quilting thread, water soluble pen, safety pins, quilting needles, 10” embroidery hoop, pin cushion, thimble and backing for your practice piece. The focus of this class is the stitch work and basic quilt construction process. Students will draw their own design and execute with stitching. The project is intended to be a start in class to be finished outside of class. Future classes will add additional stitches and techniques. Pre-register is a MUST. To register, contact Joanne at Joanne.crouch26@gmail.com at the Art Center of Ridge Spring on Fridays and Saturdays from 10-2. Class limit: 8.

Review from David Marshall James: "The Right Sort of Man" by Alison Montclair

It's postwar London, still picking up the pieces from the Blitz. Ration coupons are the order of the day. A pair of black-market nylons will set milady back four pounds (about 50 bucks in today's $$$).

Still, there's hope, springing eternal in the human breast if not the gams, and there're Miss Iris Sparks (never wed tho' much-loved) and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge (a war widow with a young son; both women in their late twenties). They've set up the Right Sort Marriage Bureau in the midst of bombed-out Mayfair; indeed, all the neighboring edifices have been reduced to rubble.

The two women have only recently met themselves, but they've made quite a match. The event being a wedding reception, the idea for their biz has come quite naturally, particularly after repeated replenishment of their champers flutes.

As for the Bureau: What better way to get the general population back to populating?

Things are going swimmingly until one young woman seeking the Right Sort's services turns up stabbed to death in an alley. All ridiculously hyper-obvious clues point to the young man with whom the Bureau matched the deceased. Not a good advert for business, that.

"Sparks" and "Gwen" must save the day, the Right Sort, and the unfairly incarcerated young man who sought the Bureau's services. Seeing as how Sparks is former Special Forces (she'll have to kill you after she tells what she did for King and Country during World War II) and Gwen is filled with righteous rage at her tyrannical mother-in-law, who has seized custody of Gwen's son, you had best believe that the duo are going to outfox Scotland Yard and spring their client from the clink.

The dialogue fizzes like fine champagne in this delightful, caper-filled mystery-series debut, as irresistible as a bag of butter toffees at a West End matinee. Iris and Gwen lead a cast of characters seemingly fresh out of some theatrical confection of the day. A particular standout is the gargantuan, gangster-ish secretary/aspiring playwright/bill collector who met up with Iris in espionage-training at Cambridge and has carried something of a torch-- and we don't mean a flashlight-- for her since.

It's full-up, all-out teatime throughout the novel, as if Dame Agatha Christie and Sir Noel Coward had devised a collaboration to lift London out of its postwar gloom. Get yourself a copy, lie back, and think of England.

Harriet's Garden Tips: From Month to Month Gardening in the Carolinas The seeds of many perennials can be sown either in pots of directly in the garden. It may take seed-propagated perennials from two to three years to bloom from seed, but some will bloom in less than a year. Start the seeds now outdoors in partially shaded location or in trays indoors. Some examples are Butterfly Weed, Maltese Cross, Purple Cone Flower, Shasta Daisy, and Yarrows.

REMINDERS

June 8 - Labor Day in September: Ridge Spring Farmers' Market

August 3: Watson Reunion

Summer Time Social

August 24: Town Wide Sidewalk Sale

August 31 Fall Gathering

Jeannette Carr Memorial: 864.656.5896, www.clemson.edu/isupportcu, Jeannette Carr Memorial, Annual Giving Office, 110 Daniel Drive, Clemson, SC 29631

Ridge Spring Library Hours: Mon. Tues. 9:00 - 12:00; Wed. Thurs. Closed;

Fri. 10:00 - 4:00; Sat. 10:00 - 1:00.

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

Fridays & Saturdays: AARS hours 10:00-2:00 or by appt, free admission

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

Third Thursday: FORS at Town Hall at 5:30 PM

Every 1^st Thursday: Audibel Hearing Center in the back room of Bank

Security Bank Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9-12 1-5, Wed. 9-12

Ridge Spring Town Hall: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm, Sat. 8:30am - 11:30pm

Sunday, July 14, 2019

July 12, 2019

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

I send the RS news to several people including my brother who lives in Virginia. Archie emailed me to let me know that he had already downloaded to his Kindle the book by James Scott, Changing Faces. The bank was packed with so many of such different ages. It was beautiful for all of us to come together to honor the man, his family and his parents, Rosa and Mack Johnson

23 Mercantile would like to thank the hundreds of people who took time to join us in our Grand Opening Saturday. It was an overwhelming success for everyone.
We are not only grateful but committed to bringing you a destination shop that meets or exceeds your expectations and desires. We will always offer you friendly and quality service. We appreciate all the familiar faces and were thrilled to see new faces and make new connections.
Thank you to the makers and distributors of some of our new products that took the time to travel from as far away as Tennessee and Charleston. They graciously came to demonstrate for our customers the real value and quality of the products that we have chosen to add to our shop. All of our products are far above most similar items available on the market today in quality and safety. Many have been created by nurses who through their years of service to mankind, decided there had to be better and safer things for people to apply to their skin and to consume in their bodies and use in their homes.
So thank you to J. B. and Stacy Griffin, from Tennessee for demonstrations with Frenchic Furniture Paint. Thank you to Debbie Smith from Charleston for demonstrating Chalk Couture transfers. Thanks for the door prizes. We will announce the winners Monday.
Thanks to Missy from Lexington for sharing samples of Just Wanna Melt. Last but not least thanks to Steve and Gail Solomon from Charleston for demonstrating their very safe to use skin and shaving products. There were also samples served from Faithful Foods made in St. Matthews, Cook’s Produce made in Trenton, and Sallie’s Greatest made in Cameron.
Thank you to Ridge Antiques and Dry Goods, HaleyBee’s Boutique, The Nut House, Pat’s Corner Antiques, and The Glass Dragonfly with Shady Ridge Antiques for helping to spread the word and offering specials for your customers in celebration of our new name and branding change.
Thanks to the town of Ridge Spring for being such a great place to have a business and for helping to advertise this new adventure. We are glad that we are a part of the family. I personally have enjoyed having a booth in Ridge Spring for twelve years. Love the camaraderie and the hospitality.
Thank you to the Blended Bakery for bringing the trolley to town. It was so nice to see it parked across from 23 Mercantile and everyone that I heard comment on the food said it was great. I know mine was. D. J., the owner is open to more events in Ridge Spring. We are thankful for that.
Also, thank you to the many newspapers that so graciously printed our Press Release. We certainly appreciate it. It definitely helped to spread the word.
And last but not least; we are thankful for the many that came to the book signing in the old bank building. It was a huge success. So thrilled to meet Lieutenant Colonel James J. Scott and members of his family. I have known his mother, Ms. Rosa for quite a while. I found Mr. Scott to be very gracious. May God continue to richly bless you and your family.
Thanks again and welcome to the next chapter of our business in Ridge Spring. We truly do believe the best is yet to come!!

Art Association of Ridge Spring

KID’S CLASS: (6-12 yrs old) Joanne Crouch will be the instructor onSaturday, July 20 from 2:00 to 4:00. Gourd Birdhouse with cost being $25. Students will create a gourd birdhouse using acrylic paint to create an original piece of art. To register, contact Joanne at Joanne.crouch26@gmail.com at the Art Center of Ridge Spring on Fridays and Saturdays from 10-2. Class limit: 12

Josie Rodgers

Palmetto Dance Academy: Register for fall classes now! Spaces are still available for ages 4-9 but are filling up fast. Visit the Facebook page for the registration form link and to pay the $35 regular fee. Email the staff with questions at director@palmettodanceacademy.com. The latest FB post reads, “Dance isn’t just dance! It is friendships, memories, and moments worth of those selfies or ‘usies’! It is so much more than the technique learned and fitness gained. Perseverance, the value of practice, the importance of team work…there is so much that will be taken into the adult world! Never underestimate the values beyond the stage!”

Attention softball players: On Aug. 3, Annalee Rodgers and Davis Wash, recent graduates of Wardlaw Academy, will host a softball clinic from 8 am- 12 pm at the Edgefield Rec Baseball Fields. Participants will learn how to slide, how to bunt, basic hitting skilly, infielding and outfielding techniques, and those crazy chants and cheers players yell from the dugout. The day will also include an athletic devotional as well as snacks and drinks. Cost is $50 per girl and is open to girls in 2^nd to 6^th grade. Rodgers & Wash were starters for the varsity softball team that played for the SCISA state championship for the past 3 years. Both have been consistently won athletic awards from the school and been recognized state-wide for their athletic skill. Text or call 803-480-4783 or 803-522-0586 to reserve your spot.

RSM Elem: Mark your calendars for some important dates. Registration will take place on Aug. 5, from 11 am to 6 pm. On Aug. 15, enjoy a Meet and Greet between 3 and 6 pm. The first day of school for students is Mon., Aug. 19. Visit ACPSD.net ~ About Us ~ How to Enroll ~ 5K Registration or stop by the school for assistance. Registration will be completed online. You must have access to PowerSchool/Parent Portal to register your child. Please contact Mrs. Workman in the office before June. You will need to bring your ID. Having access to PowerSchool/Parent Portal will also allow you to view your child’s grades.

RSM High Summer Hours: Mon through Thurs from 7:15 – 5:45, with the exception of July 2-5. Stop by for support with registration or for a tour of our school. Summer school is almost over with several students completing credit recovering or initial recovery credit. School starts Aug. 19! Go online and get your student registered!

Review from David Marshall James: "Honestly, We Meant Well" by Grant Ginder

Greece is the vibe and the place and the moment-- for the Wright family of San Francisco, crisping up in the July sun while Prof. Sue Ellen Wright revisits the past.

After all, that's her job: A classics instructor at Berkeley, sifting (literally and figuratively) through the shards of the glory that was Greece. Then, there's the glory of her youth, back when she was a doctoral student, when she made a fateful stop on the island of Aegina, en route to an academic rendezvous on Delos. Life is what happens while you're busy making plans, and all that.

Once again, she's back on Aegina, courtesy of a cruise-ship line that's paying her to lecture to the passengers at the island's ancient temple ruins.

Sue Ellen would probably be flying solo, had her husband, Dean, not transgressed. Contrition can be a marvelous motivator, so Dean's frying by the pool, wasting away the days in gin-and-tonic-ville. A creative-writing instructor at Berkeley, his latest novel has gone boffo, critically and commercially. However, he doesn't know how to handle success any better than he managed obscurity.

Last of the Wright triumvirate comes Will, also of Berkeley till his recent graduation, alumming it by the pool and in the local cafes. Never mind all the ancient history around him; Will is at loose ends about his future. Too bad the Oracle of Delphi is nonfunctional.

Electronic self-worship has invaded Greece, along with its myriad financial woes, and the Acropolis is overrun with selfie-taking tourists. When they're not pointing their cameras at themselves, they're doing "junk shots" of naked marble Greco hotties.

July on Aegina doesn't really start smokin' for the Wrights till ... let's just say it has nothing to do with the black-sock-and-Birkenstock crowd joining Sue Ellen over by the temple ruins.

In this, his fourth novel, author Grant Ginder-- himself a creative-writing instructor, at NYU-- crafts his characters better than in his previous novel, "The People We Hate at the Wedding," for the story here develops much more naturally from the characters. Also, the protagonists here are much more "works in-progress"; we feel compelled to root for them. Even Dean seems as if he's redeemable, especially if he'd just start pressing the snooze alarm on his mid-life crisis clock.

Other characters of note here: The young, at-a-crossroads-of-life woman who has inherited the inn where the Wrights lodge, along with her dogsbody, who's a contemporary of her late father.

Stealing the show is one Ginny Polonsky, whom the author seems to have thoroughly enjoyed sculpting. Her literary grandmother (nay, sister) would be Myrna Minkoff in John Kennedy Toole's "A Confederacy of Dunces."

Let's not forget Polly, a Britisher whom Will encounters at a party on the island of Hydra. Her voice sparkles through the scenery unlike any other character's. What's her real back story, aside from the gossip surrounding her?

Perhaps she could have a larger role in a sequel. To be sure, Ginder leaves us wondering what all the characters will be doing a few years down the roads they'll take after his suddenly-this-summer ode on a Grecian sojourn concludes.

(The book cover rocks, too.)

Harriet's Garden Tips: Continue deadheading spent flowers and cut back leggy annuals such as salvias and zinnias. Daylilies are beginning to bloom out so watch them, remove the spent stalks because it looks prettier. Check those little weeds and little trees sprouting up. They can get much bigger. Begin planning a fall garden, too.

REMINDERS

June 8 - Labor Day in September: Ridge Spring Farmers' Market

August 3: Watson Reunion

Jeannette Carr Memorial: 864.656.5896, www.clemson.edu/isupportcu, Jeannette Carr Memorial, Annual Giving Office, 110 Daniel Drive, Clemson, SC 29631

Ridge Spring Library Hours: Mon. Tues. 9:00 - 12:00; Wed. Thurs. Closed;

Fri. 10:00 - 4:00; Sat. 10:00 - 1:00.

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

Fridays & Saturdays: AARS hours 10:00-2:00 or by appt, free admission

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

Third Thursday: FORS at Town Hall at 5:30 PM

Every 1^st Thursday: Audibel Hearing Center in the back room of Bank

Security Bank Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9-12 1-5, Wed. 9-12

Ridge Spring Town Hall: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm, Sat. 8:30am - 11:30pm

Monday, July 8, 2019

July 5, 2019

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

The Friends of Ridge Spring is sponsoring a book signing July 13 at 3:00 PM for James Scott who authored the book Changing Faces which is a biography of James' growing up in Ridge Spring and his career in the Army. He will have books for sale at the event that will be held in the old First Citizen's Building.

The Ridge Spring Farmers' Market is a wonderful asset for our town. We were so fortunate to have had Emma Jeannette Carr to be a great part of it. Each Saturday morning faithful customers could find their friend Jeannette at the market beside a flat-bed trailer overflowing with her garden vegetables along with peaches and other produce grown at Titan Farms. Jeannette lost her battle with cancer on April 1. As a tribute to Jeannette and her many faithful customers, all proceeds from the Saturday Sales will be donated to an endowment honoring her love of gardening fresh vegetables and fruits. These endowment dollars will be used to advance vegetable gardening education and outreach through Clemson's Cooperative Extension Service. Gifts may be made on line, by phone or mailed. Information is at the end of the column.

23 Mercantile Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting

Ridge Spring welcomes the arrival of a new destination shop. 23 Mercantile is making its debut on Saturday, July 13 at 10:00 am with Ribbon Cutting at 9:45 am.

23 Mercantile is nestled between the walls of a mid-1800’s brick storefront that features not only the exposed handmade and air dried bricks but the original heart pine floors and antique gas station lighting fixtures above its center aisle; a real step back in time with just the right touch of modern when you enter the double doors. It is located on SC Highway 23 which is a forty-four mile long stretch of road that encompasses seven small towns, fields of agriculture, and many l00 plus year old homes. The ride itself is something worth experiencing.

Come experience, taste, smell, feel and explore all that this shop and the town of Ridge Spring has to offer. It is the goal of 23 Mercantile to make this a shop that is worthy of your loyalty not only because of the quality and variety of the products available to you but also because of the quality and friendliness of the customer service we provide.

Showcased in this shop are antique and vintage furniture and findings, painted furniture, home décor pieces, essentials, gifts, and Frenchic® Chalk and Mineral Furniture Paint. Workshops are scheduled.

23 Mercantile offers many locally sourced and handmade gift able items from companies that stand behind their purity and quality. Examples are: Just Wanna Melt, Mission Essentials, Sallie’s Greatest, Century Farm Crosses, Cook’s Produce, Faithful Foods, Iron Brew Coffee, Alaska Artisan Coffee, Simply Farmhouse, and Lou’s Paper; with additions forthright.

Join in on the celebration with 23 Mercantile and the other antique and specialty shops in town.

The Nut House - Ridge Antiques and Dry Goods - Haley Bee Boutique - Pat’s Corner Antiques - The Glass Dragonfly/Shady Ridge Antiques. Specials are offered in each shop. Food is available through the Blended Bakery (Trolley) serving breakfast and lunch and two local restaurants and a roadside barbeque.

23 Mercantile Customers receive:

· 10% off everything unless marked ND, NFD, FIRM

· Purchasers can enter to win a $100 gift certificate

· Product knowledge and demonstrations with samples

· Refreshments

Josie Rodgers:

Palmetto Dance Academy: Register for fall classes now! Spaces are still available for ages 4-9 but are filling up fast. Visit the Facebook page for the registration form link and to pay the $35 reg fee. Email the staff with questions at director@palmettodanceacademy.com. The latest FB post reads, “Dance isn’t just dance! It is friendships, memories, and moments worth of those selfies or ‘usies’! It is so much more than the technique learned and fitness gained. Perseverance, the value of practice, the importance of team work…there is so much that will be taken into the adult world! Never underestimate the values beyond the stage!”

Attention softball players: On Aug. 3, Annalee Rodgers and Davis Wash, recent graduates of Wardlaw Academy, will host a softball clinic from 8 am- 12 pm at the Edgefield Rec Baseball Fields. Participants will learn how to slide, how to bunt, basic hitting skilly, infielding and outfielding techniques, and those crazy chants and cheers players yell from the dugout. The day will also include an athletic devotional as well as snacks and drinks. Cost is $50 per girl and is open to girls in 2^nd to 6^th grade. Rodgers & Wash were starters for the varsity softball team that played for the SCISA state championship for the past 3 years. Both have been consistently won athletic awards from the school and been recognized state-wide for their athletic skill. Text or call 803-480-4783 or 803-522-0586 to reserve your spot.

Watson Family Reunion, August 3, 2019: This year we will celebrate the 100^th birthday of Joe Watson’s sister, Elizabeth. We are meeting in Columbia at the Marriott Springhill Suites, 511 Lady Street to make it easier for Elizabeth to attend. The reunion will be from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the hotel. We’ll have a sandwich buffet, time to meet and catch up with relatives, and cake and ice cream to salute Elizabeth. Since we will be in Columbia, our program will focus on James Boatwright (1773-1857), a leading early citizen of the city. He was the father of Burrell Boatwright, who married Sophia Watson, daughter of Elijah Watson. Burrell and Sophia moved to Ridge Spring and were the ancestors or relatives of many Watsons, Boatwrights, Nicholsons, and other area families. If you will attend the reunion, please send a check for $16.97 by July 22 made payable to Mary Edmonds, 4202 Sequoia Road, Columbia, SC 29206. If you want to spend the night, call Marriott Hotel Reservations at 803-978-2333 for a group rate. Please let Mary know if you have questions (803-790-7780 or marywedmonds@gmail.com.) We hope to see you there!

Art Association of Ridge Spring

WACKY TEAPOT: Kim Ruff will be the instructor. It will be Monday July 15 from 6:30 to 8:30PM. The cost will be $35.00 and the instructor supplies all materials. Students will each make a one-of-a-kind wacky teapot. Cost includes firing and glazing. Pre-register at the Art Center on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 to 2:00 or contact Joanne Crouch at joanne.crouch26@gmail.com

BASIC QUILTING: Mackenzye Barfield will be the instructor and held August 3 from 12:00-3:00 pm. $35 includes top cloth and batting. Students will bring scissors, quilting thread, water soluble pen, safety pins, quilting needles, 10” embroidery hoop, pin cushion, thimble and backing for your practice piece. The focus of this class is the stitchwork and basic quilt construction process. Students will draw their own design and execute with stitching. The project is intended to be a start in class to be finished outside of class. Future classes will add additional stitches and techniques. Pre-register is a MUST. To register, contact Joanne at Joanne.crouch26@gmail.com at the Art Center of Ridge Spring on Fridays and Saturdays from 10-2. Class limit: 8.

RESIN PLAY (16 & up) Joanne Crouch is the .Instructor. No previous experience required. It will be held Saturday, August 17th 10-4 with 1 hour lunch break from 12-1

Cost: $75 Must pre-register!!!!!!!!!!

In this class, students will explore and play within the world of resin. Exercises will inc mixing dry pigments, acrylics, and glitter in resin. Student provides: apron, gloves, paper towels, 2-12x 12 canvases or 2-12 x 12 wooden supports or combination of both. Student will also create a resin jewelry piece and an ornament. Cost includes two-part epoxy(retail $30-will do multiple pieces), tutorial from artist, dry pigments, acrylics, glitter and assortment of items to embed in resin. Joanne at joanne.crouch26@gmail.com to secure your spot. Class is limited to 6 students. If class fills, another class will be scheduled. Pre-registration can also be paid at the Art Center of Ridge Spring on Fridays and Saturdays from 10-2.

Review from David Marshall James: "The Right Sort of Man" by Alison Montclair

As for the Bureau: What better way to get the general population back to populating?

Harriet's Garden Tips: Water!! Water!! And water more. Make sure when you water, an inch of water is distributed once a week. If plants are wilted in the morning, water quickly. Our southern heat is hard on plants and many wilt by evening. Check those plants in the morning to make sure they are okay. Prune lightly rose bushes to encourage more blooms.

REMINDERS

June 8 - Labor Day in September: Ridge Spring Farmers' Market

July 13: Book signing by James Scott 3:00

Grand Opening of 23 Mercantile 10:00

August 3: Watson Reunion

Jeannette Carr Memorial: 864.656.5896, www.clemson.edu/isupportcu, Jeannette Carr Memorial, Annual Giving Office, 110 Daniel Drive, Clemson, SC 29631

Ridge Spring Library Hours: Mon. Tues. 9:00 - 12:00; Wed. Thurs. Closed;

Fri. 10:00 - 4:00; Sat. 10:00 - 1:00.

Saluda Library Hours: Mon/Wed 8:30 am-5 pm; Tues/Thurs 8:30 am – 6 pm; Fri 8:30 am – 5 pm; Sat closed

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

Fridays & Saturdays: AARS hours 10:00-2:00 or by appt, free admission

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

Third Thursday: FORS at Town Hall at 5:30 PM

Every 1^st Thursday: Audibel Hearing Center in the back room of Bank

Security Bank Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9-12 1-5, Wed. 9-12

Ridge Spring Town Hall: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm, Sat. 8:30am - 11:30pm