Tony the Peanut Man

Peanut Man, Charleston, S.C.

When I took a bag of boiled peanuts up to my family in Canada no one was very impressed but they are a big hit in Charleston. Tony the Peanut Man has been selling boiled peanuts as long as I can remember. This week his backyard cooking set up caught fire and destroyed $10,000 worth of equipment as well as his peanuts. Piggly Wiggly is replacing the peanuts and Cheryll Woods Flowers commented on the fund set up to help him out:

Cheryll Woods-Flowers: We started the fund this morning for Tony the Peanut Man at First Federal. If you would like to help Tony put his business back in business, you can stop by any First Federal...the account is "The Peanut Man." When I was with Tony this morning, he told me that he has been completely overwhelmed with the offer of assistance from so many. I told him that is our gift to have the opportunity to help HIM! When I asked First Federal to help, the stepped forward gladly. There wasn't a dry eye in the office when we were together...all of us, Susan with First Federal, Tony, and I cried. Love this community!!!!!!!

Good job Cheryll!

The photo above is from the MLK parade earlier this year and here is a fun little video I found of the Peanut Man in action:

SC Governor's Volunteer Award

S.C. Governor's Award Winning Volunteers, Governor's Mansion, Columbia, SC

I am a nomination writing fiend when it comes to boasting about my volunteers and I hit the jackpot this year winning the award for Volunteer Family for two of my volunteers who are sisters, Lorraine Holmes and Delores Diggs. Between them they have served over 5,000 hours at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital besides all of the other charitable activities they do. I was very pleased.

Governor Haley did it right, recognizing this group in the state house this morning and then hosting a luncheon at the Lace House on the Governor's Mansion property. She spent time with each volunteer, posing for photos with them and I do appreciate it. Historically in my experience no other Governor even attended the Governor's Awards.

The folks in the bottom picture are my peers. I made them pose for a picture after we recognized all the winners. These are the volunteer managers from Trident United Way, Camp Happy Days, Water Missions and Hospice among others. They worked hard to make this a very special day, and it was! We had a blast. Thanks folks!

Sisters Delores Diggs and Lorraine Holmes with Govenor Haley

Volunteer Managers at the Governor's Mansion

Packing up, moving out...

Vanderhorst St., Charleston, S.C.

I guess I owe my brother Jim for sprucing up my house with a fresh coat of  paint last summer. In the picture, he was contemplating painting that last peak.

I'm packing up, moving on. Someone wants to buy my home. It's been for sale long enough in this unlikely market that despite the occasional inconvenience of real estate agents traipsing through, I'd almost forgotten that I'd actually have to move out. After all, being stuck in a historic downtown Charleston house two blocks from the Farmer's Market ain't all bad at all.

It is bittersweet but for the best. I am alone now with family grown and gone. The dingo moved out with my daughter and Frisky cat King of the Neighborhood grew blind and died. Through the years I've hosted a caste of characters as tenants; rickshaw drivers, art professors, jugglers, coastguard and navy gentlemen. I  had an exotic dancer in the basement for years. Two sets of tenants matched up and get married. This has been a full service operation! I've been the keeper of the link between the descendants of the early owner of my home which was built around 1840 and welcomed his grand daughters and great grandsons back into his home last year.

So, it's time to go. I won't have to laugh every time I make my gps pronounce Van-der-horst Street anymore. 

The little cottages that I had my eye on when I first put it up for sale have long since sold so I'm kicking my son out of the little West Ashley rancher he has been sharing with roommates since they got out of Clemson. They have cleared out the poker table and packed up their video games for me. A friend is freshening up the inside with a coat of paint and we'll deal with the outside after I get moved. It will be a nest to move to for the time being while I decide if I can survive off of the Charleston peninsula where I've pounded thousands of miles into the pavement.

If all works out I'll be a West Ashley girl by May. Amazing.

Uhoh

Hawk at attention at pond side, Charleston, S.C.

Uhoh. I went behind the hospital a couple of times today searching the ponds at the back of the campus to see if I could find mama duck with her babies at swimming classes. I just missed them this morning but when I went back this afternoon I met this impressive figure on guard at the pond. Considering the spread of snowy white in the grass things don't look good for the little ducklings.

Fox Sightings on the Charleston peninsula

Silver Fox, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, S.C.

Sightings of foxes on the Charleston peninsula, you say?! This fella didn't even startle when I spotted him watching over the Cooper River bridges from his perch on top of a tomb at Magnolia Cemetery. Apparently a couple of foxes have been seen downtown Charleston.

I hope everyone has had a good weekend. I've been cleaning out my garage. Blah. It seems like every tenant through the years has left at least one thing - a chair, a ratty old desk, car cleaning supplies.....sigh. I heard someone stop to rummage through what I had put out on the sidewalk and invited him back to see what else I had. He wanted almost everything. Yipee! Old tiles, extra roofing shingles. All gone. 

A cotton pickin' bouquet!

Cotton, Charleston Farmer's Market, Marion Square, S.C.

How about this eye-catching bouquet of fresh cotton?! Or maybe some smoked olive olive oil from Max Blackman at Holy Smoke below (it really was smokey)? Fresh asparagus from Fields Farms?

The best thing I did at the Farmer's Market yesterday was enjoy crepes for breakfast with St. Paul, Minnesota blogger Kate Mura and her husband Jim. Kate is a frequent commenter here and it was a real treat to meet them as they traveled up the coast.

Holy Smoke, Smoked Olive Oil

Joseph Fields Farms, Johns Island

Kate & Jim Mura

Best Place to Give Birth

Duckling Nursery, Charleston, S.C.

Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital has been winning the Best Place to Give Birth award annually since, well..since the Charleston City Paper started giving out the award. Apparently it is still true! This mallard duck in our back pond has thirteen ducklings hidden under her wing. We don't keep our newborns in the nursery - we believe in "rooming in" with mama.

The gentlemen in Engineering have been feeding her with corn and were eager for me to catch a glimpse of the babies but mom was pretty protective. Hopefully I can catch them at swimming lessons on Monday. 

I hope everyone is making the most of their weekend!

Summertime and the livin' is easy....

Charleston Singleton, Memminger Auditorium, Charleston, S.C.

Not too very bad for a pocket camera across a dark room with no flash! I just got back from the concert at Memminger Auditorium for the 40th Anniversary of the Sea Island Comprehensive Care Corporation. Pianist Dr. Wilfred Delphin, Soprano Dr. Valerie Francis and the Charleton Singleton (above) Jazz Quartet put on a wonderful concert.

Wow, it was really grand. They finished off with Summertime from Porgy & Bess. Sweet. Nice to listen to wonderful live music for a good cause with old friends and new. Thanks to the blog fans who introduced themselves!

Teeny Tiny Houses of Charleston

Charleston, S.C.

I love these little tiny houses in Charleston. Some of them hardly seem wide enough for a tall person to stretch out. Many of them were carriage or kitchen houses for the main building on the property. This brick one is a sweetie.

This link is a bit dated but leads to the contest winners for decorating small spaces on the Apartment Therapy site: Small, cool.

This link leads to an blog entry titled: Ode to our teeny, tiny apartment about living in a wee apartment in Charleston.

Meanwhile I am in the mood to get rid of things that I haven't used for years. I burned up a shredder motor last night tearing my past into thin strips of paper. Soon everything I have left will fit in a shoe box.

Sorry Sampler Sister

My brother Bob is a respected Veterinarian with the Dunnville Veterinary Clinic in Ontario, Canada.  Many years ago when he was a good looking young animal loving whipper snapper, I was so proud of him graduating from Veterinary school that I planned to cross stitch an elaborate animal themed sampler for his office.

Ummm......I've been cleaning house and just came across it. Sorry Dr. Bob. Still proud of you.

Best No Parking sign

Avondale Mural, Charleston, S.C.

Living in a college rental part of town, I am especially tuned in to No Parking signs. I've collected quite a number and variety of signs and this takes the cake. I don't think I would park here. Love it! This is one of the murals behind the shops at Avondale.

I just moved furniture, rolled up my oriental carpet and lugged it to the porch by myself. Huff puff. The folks from Rug Masters are to come by to get it in the morning for cleaning. I'm not really worried about anyone stealing it overnight since I can hardly move it.

Bring me to a Travel Agent!

McIntosh Travel, Society St., Charleston, S.C.

It isn't a travel agency anymore but this building on Society St. still has the McIntosh Travel agency sign hanging and it reminded me of this picture below that I took years ago.

There must have been a child in the family helping to promote business. "Mcintosh Travle. The Numer One Cruise Line"  and the picture of the black cat says "Please bring me to a travel Agent!" Cute :)

I didn't mean to travel more than a few inches from my couch this evening but after a lazy dinner of potato pancakes (yum, yum)  my legs seemed to decide they were going for a march with or without me so I tagged along and we did the King, Meeting, Broad St. loop. Now I am wide awake again. 

Church Photo in Lieu of Attendance - Jesus Saves

Jesus Saves, Charleston, S.C.

What a beautiful day!

I've posted pictures of this church before but it seems particularly suited for today. Happy Easter kids!

Lake View

Lake Marion, S.C

I missed the first day of the Farmer's Market but I did have breakfast with my son overlooking Lake Marion. Not too very bad. 

The water is high and the trees are lush and green again. Almost time to dust off the kayaks for the summer!

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Angel Door Knocker, Warren St., Charleston, S.C.

I've been carrying around a page from the Post & Courier on Decorative Door Knockers in my backpack, meaning to eventually track down the locations. Most of them of course are on mansions in the lower peninsula. Then, to my happy surprise I spotted the angelic gal right around the block from my house. She may not date back as far as some of the ones in the article but she has a certain rusty charm.

The hard copy version of the article has all the pictures but apparently the online version does not. Sorry. This photographer's site has some of them.

Have a Good Friday!

Have a good day! Coming St., Charleston, S.C.

Long weekend I love you. When I am queen every weekend will be a three day weekend.

I convinced myself that yesterday was Friday and make it to a 5 pm matinee to see Salmon Fishing in the Yemen at the Terrace Theater. I had my cuppa hot tea in hand and thought I had the entire theater to myself until a couple slipped in late. It was the perfect ending to my short work week. Since yesterday was my Friday I was convinced that I was going to stop by the first day of the Farmer's Market for fresh veggies on my way home from my walk this morning. I am happily muddled.

It is odd for me to be out walking on a weekday morning watching the city waking up. I am happy to see that the old Abercrombie & Fitch building on King St. is being renovated for something new. Sermet's Corner is putting the finishing touches on their renovation. Things are popping on King St.

Y'all have a Good Friday.

Say "Amen"

Amen Street, Charleston, S.C.

Uhoh. I should be in bed, shouldn't I? I get a second wind around 11 p.m. and want to keep going.

Amen Street is a seafood restaurant on East Bay St. I had to keep clicking until the sign spun so you could read it. I was trying to remember why it was called "Amen St." and came across this bit of history from their website: 

Amen Street and 205 East Bay Street:Amen Street began as Wragg’s Alley, a small passage through Samuel Wragg’s property, running from East Bay to Motte Street (now part of State Street). By 1788, Wragg’s Alley had been extended westward to Church Street and renamed Amen Street. According to tradition this name was given because “amens” could often be heard from two nearby churches – St. Philip’s and the Methodist Meeting House. In 1839, Amen Street was absorbed into the widened and extended throughway, Cumberland Street. Unfortunately from that time until now the colorful name had disappeared.

Go get some oysters, kids! 

Baking up a storm

Middleton Place, Charleston, S.C.

I've been baking a carrot cake and the house smells yummy. I've squeezed one last cake out of the oven before it gets too hot to bake.

When I had a growing family at home I baked constantly and took it all in stride. Now it is such an occasion that I can never be sure I have staple ingredients on hand. Vanilla, huh? When did I last use vanilla? So I buy another bottle just in case and now I have three. Three bottles of vanilla but only half a cup of sugar. Luckily the Piggly Wiggly is on my regular walking route.

Today's photos are from my recent Middleton Place walk. 

My good news this week is learning that two of my hospital volunteers have won the Governor's Award for Volunteering. Yipee! They are sisters and won in the Family Volunteer category. I am very pleased. I love it when I can earn recognition for people who give so much. Later in the month I'll escort them to the State House to be honored for their years of service. Color me proud.

And a white picket fence.....

Old Museum pillars, Canon Park, Charleston, S.C.

From this angle it does almost look like a giant fence for the house across Ashley Avenue. We usually take the picture of the old museum pillars from the other side. This was once the nation's first and oldest museum founded in 1773. How sad that all that is left after a fire is these grand pillars. 

91 degrees in Charleston today. What the heck? It is April 2nd? We had a lovely rain in the evening so I have all my doors and windows open to catch a little of the cool breeze. I did get a quick walk in and found this floral arrangement for you on Radcliffe St. You are welcome.

Church Photo in Lieu of Attendance - St. Andrew's Parish Church

St. Andrew's Parish Church, Hwy 61, Charleston, S.C.

In a way, I did attend! I caught the last day of the St. Andrew's Parish Tea Room yesterday. The Tea Room  is a southern church tradition that amazes me each year. The church members cook and serve exactly the same food every year - she-crab soup, chicken or shrimp sandwiches, congealed salad, coconut cake and the parking lot is full every single day. Loaded buses pull up from retirement homes.

This is the annual fundraiser for the church and I'm glad I didn't miss it. I know so many people that go each year or serve at the event it feels like old home week. When I googled for information to get my facts straight, I found all the pictures I'd taken in past years.

History: In the late 1940's, shortly after the church was reopened, a group of women often spent all day cleaning and preparing the church for worship services. They had their lunch on the lawn, and soon began to share their lunches with tourists who stopped to see the old church. Because there were no restaurants in the area at that time, and as a way of raising funds for renovation, the ladies began selling coffee, lemonade, and sandwiches to tourists. Thus the Saint Andrew's Tea Room was born. Today waitresses are dressed in late 18^th century costumes and serve a full lunch in the Parish Hall. A full gift shop is available and tours of the historic church are available. Proceeds from the Tea Room and Gift Shop provide financial support to a variety of ECW programs and services including mission and ministry in the world and at home, care and outreach in the community and church, support for parish programs and upkeep and restoration of the historic church building.