By Radley West When you think of being healthy, what’s the first image that pops into your head? For many of us, it’s a person sweating it out at the gym, chiseled and determined. While fitness is an excellent piece of the puzzle, a truly healthy life is a muchContinue Reading
By Jennifer Tardy Whenever we eat sugar by itself — especially processed sweets — the body responds in a predictable chemical chain reaction: Blood sugar spikes quickly Insulin surges to bring it down The body often overcorrects You crash Your brain panics: “Quick, more sugar!” Your nervous system interprets this asContinue Reading
Photo: Collards — A field of memories, good eating, and more. By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net Being the chap I was, collard greens’ smell and similarity to the stringy dark-green algae in fish ponds repulsed me. Mom would cook up a mess and sit it before me. I’d dragContinue Reading
By Radley West Every morning, I leave the house like a responsible adult, keys in hand, water bottle, whispering sweet nothings to my dog like, “Be a good girl,” and “Don’t destroy anything I love.” She gives me the look. You know the one. The Oscar-worthy performance that says, IContinue Reading
By Radley West It took me a long time to learn that “no” is a complete sentence. Let’s face it: boundaries get a bad rap. To some, they sound cold or selfish, like you’re suddenly too good to answer a 10 pm “Hey, can you help me move this couch?”Continue Reading
Photo: My grandmother and mother’s cornbread mold with an ear of Bradford heirloom corn. By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net Born of fire, master of fire, and survivor of fire, my vintage cast iron cornbread mold fed many a soul. Best I figure it came to be in the 1930s.Continue Reading
By Radley West Starting the day by writing down a few things you’re grateful for may seem simple, but it can lead to profound benefits. What often begins as a small daily habit, like jotting down three things you’re thankful for, has been shown to improve mental well-being, reduce stress,Continue Reading
By Liesha Wessinger-Huffstetler Community Events Chapin Theatre: It’s a Wonderful LifeMark your calendar for Chapin Theatre’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life on November 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Harbison Theatre, 700 College Street, Irmo. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Purchase tickets at chapintheatre.org. HolidayContinue Reading
Something about a rainy winter day fires up the imagination. For some. By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net I have long admired the work of a fighter pilot turned writer. He wrote under the pen name James Salter. James Arnold Horowitz volunteered for combat duty in Korea and flew moreContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard November is a season we are reminded to count our blessings and express gratitude. There are so many people who enrich our community through their efforts in education. Behind every student’s success stands a network of educators: teachers, aides, school secretaries, counselors, custodians, librarians, coaches, nurses, cafeteriaContinue Reading
By Liesha Wessinger-Huffstetler Mark your calendar for Chapin Theatre’s “It’s a Wonderful Life”, for November 20, at 7:30 p.m., at the Harbison Theatre, 700 college street, Irmo. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, visit chapintheatre.org to purchase tickets. For all animal lovers in Chapin, the LexingtonContinue Reading
By Liesha Huffstetler-Wessinger Our modern culture really has no clue what real work looks like. Our forefathers in the bygone days worked harder than we can even imagine. In the old days, running water was found in a river. Water for washing, drinking, and cooking was from a hand-dug wellContinue Reading
By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net Photo: The ash door to the smokehouse in Historic Brattonsville. To some, the smokehouse remains a symbol of the impoverished, rural South. Not me. I see it as a rustic savior, and I thank the late Harry Crews for my column’s title. I recalledContinue Reading
By Eileen Renders Many people struggle with sleep and occasional anxiety, and some look to natural remedies for support. While certain herbs and supplements have been traditionally used to promote relaxation and sleep, they may not work the same for everyone. Always consult a healthcare provider before beginning any supplement,Continue Reading
My lost geisha By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net It was the photograph in my father’s war album. Her white kimono. Hair black as onyx. Pale, serene face. Perfect bone structure. Gloss, a sheen upon her hair. On one side, a nameless GI. On the other, my father, not muchContinue Reading
I had the privilege of interviewing Francis Eleazer in 2017. She was born in 1926, and her parents were William Walter and Eunice Eargle Eleazer. Her memories echo the stories of many others in the Dutch Fork. She grew up in the Spring Hill area and remembered her and herContinue Reading