July 10, 2017

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Ridge Spring Harvest Festival meeting tomorrow Tuesday July 11

at the Ridge Spring Library at 7:00 PM

Watson Family Reunion: Save the date for the Watson Family Reunion on August 5 at 11:00 a.m. at the old packing shed behind the Watson House on Main Street in Ridge Spring. The annual reunion is an opportunity for descendants of John or William Watson and other friends to visit with cousins, learn more about ancestors, and visit cemeteries and other sites associated with the family. The cost for lunch will be $20.00 per person. We need your payment by July 21 so that we can make arrangements with the caterer. Checks should be made to Joe Watson. You can carry your check to Joe or mail it to him at 450 Pecan Grove Road. If you have questions, contact Joe Watson at 803-685-7815 or Mary Watson Edmonds at marywedmonds@gmail.com or 803-790-7780.

AND you can get fresh vegetables at the Ridge Spring Farmers' Market each Saturday.  This past Saturday we had 11 vendors and a food truck.  There were so many choices: corn, cantaloupe, watermelon, PEACHES, tomatoes, eggplants,  peppers, string beans, beautiful flowers, boiled peanuts, and more.  CTP Catering and Concessions was the food truck and owned by Will Tolbert.  He had his daughter and son with him and the food was delicious. . Bonita Orendorf and family had cookies, breakfast cinnamon buns, pies including pecan and breads.  We had two more vendors, one with cast iron pans and honey, and Mr. with his blue Australian heeler puppies. Another vendor was Frank Daniel with plants for sale. CTP Catering will be at the market on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays as well as the honey and pans vendor.

The Clemson Mobile Unit (SC Witness Project) is providing a mobile Mammogram at Riverside Community Center, Bouknight Ferry Road, Saluda SC on July 17th and 18th. Private insurance, Medicare, and  Medicaid are accepted and some individuals may qualify for free service. This is for ages 30-64. For additional details and appointments contact Eilien Brown at 864.227.3711, Jacqueline Talley 864.361.3595 or Melanie at 864.710.6661.

This past weekend Juniper's dinner menu featured  Adluh Manchester Farms Quail, Titan Farms, Watsonia Farms, WP Rawl, Hickory Hill Milk, Warbler Creek Farm, Warbler Creek Farm Tomato and Clemson University Blue Cheese.  This is farm to table stuff.

RIDGE SPRING UNITED METHODIST CHURCH:

 Ridge Spring United Methodist Church (RSUMC) has had a busy late spring and early summer.

In May 50 hurricane relief health bags were made and taken to the United Methodist Volunteer in Mission’s warehouse. Those along with 100 tarps (many of the homes were destroyed these provide temporary shelter) will be taken by cargo ship this summer to Haiti.

In June 50 health bags were made and taken to the Christian Ministry Center located in Batesburg. This Ministry services 11 zip codes including Ridge Spring, Monetta and Johnston. Both the bags included: bath towel, wash cloth, soap, tooth brush and paste, bandages, combs and emery boards. We were glad to be able to provide these items but sadden that some of our neighbors lack basic needs.

The Big Red Box (BRB) is on vacation the month of July. Look for information in this column for items to be collected in August.

The prayer box is located on the front porch of the Family Life Center (FLC). A church member checks the box prior to Sunday services and prayers requests are added to our list. Located next to the prayer box, are business cards with our new minister’s information and service times. Please take one.

Sunday service is at 11 a.m. every Sunday unless otherwise noted. We are proud to welcome our new minister Ashley Buchanan. This is Ashley’s first appointment and she will minister to congregations at RSUMC and Spann United Methodist Church in Ward. In addition to providing two inspirational messages, Ashley has a powerful and lovely singing voice. Join us next Sunday to worship and fellowship as we begin this joyous journey with Ashley. Welcome Ashley! You have already lifted our spirits!

Another  reminder of the Friday Night Outdoor Movie at Town Hall will be held July 21.  That movie screen is 20'X40' Town of Ridge Spring along with The Saluda County Chamber of Commerce  will set up a movie screen on the lawn at the new town hall to show Monster Trucks, our first free outdoor movie on Friday, July 21. 

Saluda County Library Summer Reading Program 2017:  Our Summer Reading Program It is for all ages (even adults).   Questions? Call 864-445-4500 x226.  Friday, July 14th, 10AM Lew-E the Clown – Building a Better World Variety Show! Thursday, July 20th, 10AM – The Story Ship – Construction Junction Show!

I prefer to have David James write the book reviews but this is my review for The Zookeeper's Wife.  This book has been made into a movie and was at the Nickelodeon Theater in Columbia but I did not get to see it. The story is of how the Zookeeper and his family survived the occupation of Poland by the Nazis during World War II and how they  and other Poles helped the Jews survive and escape the occupiers of their  land. The book is sad, frightening, poignant and uplifting.  How do you survive an invasion, hostile forces, and such evil.  You find hope and you find normalcy in mundane things.  As a child I watched a Kraft or Hallmark Theater Presentation on TV about a Jewish rabbi who had an orphanage in the Ghetto in Warsaw.  He could have escaped but would  not leave his children.  When it was their time to get on the trains to travel to certain death he went with his charges as did his other helpers.  How full of love was that moment in time.  In the book it relates the same story but this time it is written.  His name was Janusz Korczak. I can refer to this now. Every once in a while we need to read history so as to remind us how far we have all come and we must protect the future. 

Harriet's Garden Tips:  Examples of Herbs that are medicinal would include aloe for burns, chamomile tea to calm the nerves and more.  You have to be careful for some herbs really do not do what folklore claims.  South Carolina is the home for the only tea grown in North America.  It is located on Wadmalaw Island in the heart of South Carolina low country.  The Grounds include 127 acres of Camellia Sinensis tea plants.  Look at the ingredients label on herbal teas.  They include lemon grass, spearmint, peppermint, chamomile, rose hips, and hibiscus.  You can grow all of these in your own yard.

Some basic rules for raising herbs are five plus hours of sun, good drainage, deep watering in the morning, ph factor should be between 6.0 and 7.5 (Have soil tested by Clemson Extension), and fertilize soil before planting with 5-10-5 or 5-5-10.  I have found herbs such as thyme, chives, oregano and others grow best in pots and hanging baskets for keeping the weeds out is difficult.  With all the "wonderful" rains we have been getting, weeds love to grow faster than anything. 

REMINDERS

All Summer Saturdays: Ridge Spring Farmers' Market

July 21: Free outdoor movie at Town Hall

August 21: Total Solar Eclipse

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

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

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

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

Third Thursday of the Month: FORS at Library at 5:00; no meetings in July and August