One of my favorite Lowcountry animals is the hapless but adorable fox squirrel. Why, hapless you might ask? They are not endowed by their creator with high IQs, and they like to cavort in open spaces, which makes them vulnerable to avian predators. Also, because of their size, they make a tasty addition to the […]
Have you ever had a long-lost family heirloom come back to the family through unexpected circumstances? Or has some possession you’ve given up on finding suddenly appeared without explanation? When it happens, there’s a kind of magic to it all, and it makes you think there might be angels or a gang of happy spirits
Nearly everyone who has spent more than an hour in the Lowcountry has probably encountered one of the more bizarre critters among the plethora of invasive species roaming around our area. I am referring to the good old armadillo, which entered our country from Mexico long before border walls and ICE agents. If you’ve had
I’m thinking it might be time to introduce y’all to my great-great-grandfather, Samuel Thorne. He was quite a guy, and he left an indelible footprint on our family’s Lowcountry legacy. Young Samuel came to the Lowcountry for the first time in 1848 at the age of twelve. He accompanied his father, Jonathan Thorne, on a
As we streak into the holidays, it seems there’s barely enough time to digest the Thanksgiving turkey before we must dispose of the pumpkin décor and start hanging wreaths and installing backlit Santas on our front lawn. It is of course the seasonal tradition, and we all get sucked into the vortex of holiday cheer…and
As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, it seems there’s an anniversary for everything. So why not add one more — the 200th anniversary of the publication of the Mills Atlas? What’s that, you ask? It’s a blast from South Carolina’s past, an extraordinary compilation of district survey maps assembled and published
Many folks arriving in the Lowcountry land with a bump and a tire squeak at Savannah International Airport. They’re all excited about heading to the golf courses on Hilton Head or the quaint charm and good food of Savannah itself. The Lowcountry pulls people in like moths to a summer porch light, but there’s a
Raising kids often seems like a blur. Changing diapers, hitching car seats, tending skinned knees, organizing the dreaded Christmastime school wrapping paper fundraisers, endless Little League and football games, college applications, and then they’re gone…until they need money. It is what it is, and the blur has an inherent joy, let alone the all-encompassing fatigue.
As we near Halloween and start thinking about witches, ghosts, and goblins, I thought it might be a good idea to offer some advice…or at least tell a story that provides a perspective on those otherworldly things we call “haints” in the Lowcountry. For a long time, I didn’t pay much attention to haints, even
Many people seek fame and fortune. They are thrilled when they see their names in lights. Think some “Jumbotron” video screen in Times Square, New York, flashing your image; you are starring in a blockbuster movie with a mega media star. For most folks, that’s never going to happen, but it’s fun to dream about…especially
