August 2014Priceless

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All of the animals

except for man know

that the principle business

of life is to enjoy it.

– Samuel Butler

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...elegance

M U R R E L L S I N L E T8 4 3 . 3 5 7 . 1 7 0 0

M O U N T P L E A S A N T8 4 3 . 5 7 1 . 2 4 4 6 C H D I N T E R I O R S . C O M

FULL SERVICE INTERIOR DESIGN ANTIQUES HOME FURNISHINGS & ACCESSORIES

Meet Our DesignersVisit Our Stores

and

“I don’t just design a beautiful room,

I design for the beautiful lives that

will take place in that room.“

- Julie Schettig,CHD Interiors Designer

The Charleston Symphony Orchestra League’s 37th Annual Designer Showhouse Parlor Room, designed by the CHD Interiors Team.

4

who’s who

PublisherDelores Blount

Sales & Marketing DirectorSusan Bryant

EditorLeslie Moore

Account ExecutivesAmanda Kennedy-Colie

Erica SchneiderGay Stackhouse

Art DirectorTaylor Nelson

Photography DirectorPatrick Sullivan

Graphic ArtistsStephanie Holman

Scott Konradt

AccountingRonald Pacetti

Administrative &Creative Coordinator

Celia Wester

Executive PublishersJim Creel

Bill Hennecy

PO Box 1389Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

fax 843-626-6452 • phone 843-626-8911www.sasee.com • info@sasee.com

Sasee is published monthly and distributed free along the Grand Strand. For subscription info, see page 47. Letters to the editor are welcome, but could be edited for length. Submissions of articles and art are welcome. Visit our website for details on submission. Sasee is a Strand Media Group, Inc. publication.

Copyright © 2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material, in part or in whole, prepared byStrand Media Group, Inc. and appearing within thispublication is strictly prohibited. Title “Sasee” isregistered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

August2014

20 2824

29 30 44FeaturedMiddle School Melt-Down by Erin Spatz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Bye-Bye Bunnies by Diane DeVaughn Stokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Knotted Road by Lisa Henthorn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Inside Dog by Melissa Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Southern Snaps by Leslie Moore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Max, Lucy, and a Mouse Named Mouse by Diane Stark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Sasee Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Biggest Obstacle by Erika Hoffman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Far, Far Away by Rose Ann Sinay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40One Hundred Spunky Years by Carrie Luger Slayback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

In This IssueRead It!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Woven Threads: Michael Nasseri, Gallery of Oriental Rugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Changes in the Weather: Marla Branson, WMBF First Alert Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Flowing Naturally: Pamela Haynes, Cabana Gauze. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Generational Ties: Mary Page Singleton, The Lyncean Book Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Fashion Forecast: The Fashion of Friendships by Whitley Hamlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44August Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Volume 13, Issue 8

5

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6

Cover ArtistLyn Hamer Cook

we’d love to hear from you!

You can reach us by:mail : P.O. Box 1389 Murrells Inlet, SC 29576phone: 843.626.8911email : info@sasee.comweb: www.sasee.com

I don’t believe I’ve ever lived without a furry companion; dogs, cats or both, but usually only one at a time. In 2001, my family suffered a great loss and, honestly, we were falling apart. That’s when the dogs started pouring into my life. I already owned a sweet little mutt, and though her love was unconditional, my young son needed more to help him deal with the loss of his father. I found a local rescue organization and adopted a hyper, fun-loving JRT, and, soon after, fell in love with another one. About a year later, I fostered yet another dog, and she ended up stay-ing. That was four. Finally, about three years ago, I agreed to “temporarily” foster another senior dog, and she, of course, never left. Through it all, my two children and I slowly became whole again. Once again, we were a family. Caring for the dogs kept us grounded during some of the hardest years of our lives. Years passed, the children left to start their own lives, but I was never lonely, I always had my dogs.

But, I never thought about how hard it was going to be to lose them. None of them were young when they came to live with me, and dogs don’t live nearly long enough anyway. Last year, I lost two – Hermione, my original mutt died in the spring, and Jacky, my first adopted JRT, died in the fall. Both were very old, but I was still inconsolable. The others are still with me, but they are also old – ancient even. Every morning, my remaining three line up for their “treat” of peanut butter that hides the pills they need to get through each day. More accidents appear on my (thankfully) uncarpeted floor. Naps have become more important than walks, and playing is reserved for the increasingly rare day. I know their time with me is limited. Still, the beauty of their old age humbles me, and in spite of their limita-tions, all three have a zest for life that remains undiminished by the reality of their years. They enjoy naps in the sunshine, a cuddle or a pet, delicious treats that aren’t that hard to chew (old teeth), and just the joy of being loved, safe and secure. They are always smiling – except when it’s time to trim their nails. They are my family, my “furever” friends. And, when the time comes, I will let them go, and grieve the immeasurable loss of their comforting presence in my life. Until then, every day is a treasured gift.

letter fromthe editor

Love what you’re reading?Have suggestions?Let us know!

readers’ comments

Pen & Brush

Boston Terrier, by Lyn Hamer CookLyn’s artistic development and talent has resulted in sales and collection

of her artwork internationally. Her wonderful Pembroke Welsh Corgi art was included in the published books by the amazing author Millie J. Williams. In 2012, her work graced the front book cover of The Watching by Ms. Williams. The manu-facturing of dozens of products embellished with her beautiful imagery has been the result of wonderful partnerships. Lyn continues to foster friendly, productive, and mutually beneficial relationships with resourcers and licensees worldwide.

Lyn’s studio is located in beautiful North Carolina, sheltered by a 75 year old Magnolia tree. Her love of animals and nature is clearly evident. She enjoys walks in nature, feeding wild birds and squirrels, and writing children’s stories in her spare time.

To see more of the artist’s work, visit her website, www.petart.net; Etsy shop, DogArtByLyn; or Facebook Page, Pet Art By Lyn.

RE: “Proper Golf Attire,” by Mary Ann CrimiThis was hilarious! When I think of retiring I think…what am I going to do all day? Do I take up golf or shopping or sightseeing? It seems like this article may have given me one of my answers…love her humor!

– Karen RE: “Newcomer’s Notebook,” by Phil La BorieBoy, I’m so glad I found you! My family and I just relocated here from Ohio. I look forward to hearing more from you.

– StephanieRE: “To Fly,” by Joan LeottaThoroughly enjoyed this. My first car was “Hilary,” named after Edmund who conquered Mt. Everest. This car needed inspiration to climb Pittsburg hills. Thanks for stirring the memories.

– Mary AnnRE: “Road Trippin’ With Grandma,” by Cathy C. HallCathy, your story perfectly illustrates how we don’t always fit in perfectly with our in-laws, but also how just one moment in time can break down the barriers and change our relationship forever.

– Sioux

Tickets on sale now!843-626-8911

pawleysmusic.comBank of America • Big Tuna

Bell Legal GroupBlue Cross Blue Shield

CresCom BankGrand Strand Happening

Gulfstream CommunicationsLitchfield Beach & Golf ResortLitchfield Dance Arts Academy

Lowcountry CompanionMarketing Strategies

Murrells Inlet SeafoodMyrtle Beach HotelsSouth Atlantic BankStrand Media GroupThe Market Common

Trip SmarterWaccamaw Community Foundation

Wells Fargo FoundationWEZV 105.9WPDE-TV 15

PIFMA is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and South Carolina Arts Commission

A 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization

September 19 - 20 • 8:00 am - Dusk

2nd Annual Seaside PaletteGeorgetown Historic District ~ Wet Paint Sale 9/20, 3-5pm

Saturday, September 27 • 11:00 am-5:00 pm

5th Annual Chalk WalkAtalaya Arts & Craft Festival, Huntington Beach State Park

Thursday, October 2 • 7:00 pm

15th Annual Pawleys Island Wine & Food Gala

Friday, October 3 • 7:00 pm

The Manhattan TransferSaturday, October 4 • 7:00 pm

The Rodney Mack Philadelphia Big Brass“Brothers on the Battlefield”

Sunday, October 5 • 3:00 pm

North Carolina Youth Tap EnsembleWednesday, October 8 • 7:00 pm

Ken Lavigne“The Road to Carnegie Hall”Thursday, October 9 • 7:00 pm

Swingle SingersFriday, October 10 • 7:00 pm

Annie Moses Band Saturday, October 11 • 7:00 pm

The Bronx Wanderers The Tabled Event

Sunday, October 12 • 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Sunday Seaside ShowcaseUnless otherwise noted, all events held at The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island

Experience thePerfect Harmony

of the

8

I have yet to recover from my own stint as a middle-schooler. Ugh! Talk

about the most awkward time in a person’s life. At twelve I was already my current

height, or very close to it. I had zero hips but was completely “curvy” on top.

Since middle school boys don’t usually hit a growth spurt until later, this made

every boy my age eye level with the one thing (two things?) I didn’t want them to

be on eye level with!

One of the downsides of having a child in middle school is the home-

work. Having to do the homework while in middle school is a huge bummer, but

helping your kid with middle school homework is a flat out punishment. It’s like

having to do it yourself while listening to a cat howl. Great fun. After nagging,

pleading and begging him to do the homework, I then have to hope and pray he

remembers to give it to his teacher. He often forgets this very important step. Why

bother doing the homework if you never hand it to your teacher?

My joy over the thought that this is Dylan’s final year of middle school

was very short lived. I can safely say that I was in mid-dance of joy when the worst

thought struck me. I have three more children! That means I am not even close to

being free and clear of middle school. Yikes! The reality is that I have seven more

years of middle school ahead of me.

Seven more years of awkward fun! What’s truly scary, next up is my

daughter Autumn. I may not be emotionally prepared to have a middle school girl.

Who is? The biggest problem with a middle school boy is hygiene. It is slightly dif-

ficult to convince them that a shower every day is not only good for them, but

good for those around them. But, remembering what it’s like to be a middle school

girl, I am pretty sure that hygiene becomes an obsession. Add in some hormonal

fun, crying over everything, toss in a daily dose of “I love/hate my BFF,” and it’s

practically a party every day. I really can’t wait!

Having been blessed with two boys and two girls means I get the plea-

sure of experiencing stinky boys twice and emotional girls twice. It was my brilliant

idea to have four kids. And really, given the chance I would have more. I am a suck-

er for cute babies. I just didn’t really think things all the way through to middle

school. Hopefully, by the time I get to the last two kids I will have some semblance

of an idea how to handle parenting middle-schoolers. Prayerfully, I will have a

teeny bit of sanity left.

I’d love to help them through this time without scaring them. But who is

going to help me through this without scaring myself! The best plan I can come

up with is to be

armed with a

massive amount

of deodorant

and tissues.

While singing

Gloria Gaynor’s

“I will Survive.” I

will, right?

Middle School Melt-Downby Erin Spatz

My oldest son is about to enter his final year of middle school. This thought caused me to have an inner dance for joy. I envision that this dance is similar to the one Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip would do. 

Voice

Erin SpatzErin Spatz is a writer and blogger living in a quaint town

called Pawleys Island. Erin was born in Pennsylvania and

raised in Palm Bay, Florida. Five years after her first blog,

Erin creatively turned her diary entries into a published

book. The book entitled Who Left Me in Charge is a

humorous look at parenting and life in general 

Member

Myrtle Beach Murrells Inlet Pawleys Island Georgetown Mt. Pleasant630 29th Ave. N. 11019 Tournament Blvd. 10593 Ocean Hwy. 1187 N. Fraser St. 1127 Queensborough Blvd. 839.0100 848.2000 848.2049 436.6800 972.4300

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12

This past month, I had the pleasure of reading this new release by local author, and new Sasee writer, Erin Spatz. Erin mixes reality and humor as she shares her journey through Postpartum Panic Disorder. This book is a collection of her journal entries dealing with everyday topics that most moms face.

Throughout her pregnancy and childbirth, Erin thought that life would be magical once she held her newborn baby. Unfortunately, she developed Postpartum Panic Disorder that worsened after each of her four children was born. Throughout her struggles, she found peace through writing and kept a journal of her chaotic days. Her honest and play-ful writing style makes it easy for all women to relate to her. Since the chapters are organized by topics, they are short and easy to read. Perfect for busy moms looking to find

Read It!Nicole Says…ReadWho Left Me in Charge?,by Erin Spatzby Nicole McManus

Local Hog Fish, Grouper & Shrimp

Landing Daily

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something they can connect to when they don’t have a lot of time to devote to reading.

I may not be a mom as yet, unless you count my two Italian Greyhounds as kids, but I com-pletely appreciated Erin’s honesty and wit. Over the past three years, I was a full-time, twenty-four seven caregiver to my grandfather. I quickly learned that life is easier to handle if you make the effort to find the positive, light-hearted aspects in each situation. As I was reading this memoir, I found myself chuckling and nodding in agreement with some of the subjects. I even said out loud, “Been there, done that” while reading the “Laundry” chapter! This was a refreshing read covering all sides of motherhood from the good, the bad and everything in between. Erin’s book is currently only available digitally and can be found on Amazon or on her website, www.4ducksinarow.com.

Nicole McManusNicole McManus loves to read, to the point that she is sure she was born with a book in her hands. She writes book reviews in the hopes of helping others find the magic found through reading. Contact her at

ariesgrlreview.com.

13

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First, I decided to hit the North Myrtle Beach Flea Market since I had

never been there. You can always find good used books at places like that. Then I

spotted this cage holding two of the cutest white and tan, lop-eared bunnies. The

seller said they were brothers and needed to be adopted together. First mistake, I

held them. Second mistake, I bought them. Yes, I did walk away for thirty minutes

to find some used books, but once I got back to those bunnies, I could not pass

them up. I had always dreamed of owning a rabbit, and now I had two.

The seller put them in a box for me, and I headed straight to Wal-Mart

for a cage and all the essentials. When I got them home I set up an area in my sun-

room where I could occasionally let them out of their cage for a romp. This was

mostly where our cats hung out, so they were not very happy.

When Chuck got home from golf, I was sitting on the couch with

“Toffee” and “Taffy” perched on my chest under my bathrobe. When he came

over to kiss me, he saw my breast move and said, “Oh my gosh, you have brought

home another cat.” That’s when I unzipped my robe and introduced him to his

new sons. What could he say? It was my birthday, and this was something I had

always wanted.

Months later, my parents came to our house to take care of our two cats

and bunnies while we went scuba diving. When we got home, my dad said, “I have

good news and bad news. The good news is all of your furry children are fine, but

the bad news is that your bunnies have been humping each other’s brains out since

you left!” How could that be when I was told I was buying two brothers?

That next week, our vet told me that Taffy was pregnant. Sadly, we

aborted the pregnancy and had her fixed right away. But the bunnies became

more and more of a nuisance. When we let them out of their cage they chewed

up all the woodwork, chewed holes in the sofa, and the last straw was when they

chewed the cord to the light fixture. As I turned on the light one day a shock went

through me from my hand to my neck. The blood-curdling scream put Chuck over

the edge. He said that was it! The bunnies were going to live on a farm with a

friend and his children.

It was sad, but the right decision. Besides, during the year that I had

them, they did not like being held. They were far from the cuddly creatures I had

hoped for when I bought them. Hopefully Toffee and Taffy are still living the good

life in rural Horry County, eating fresh carrots and lettuce directly from the garden.

They certainly were not the “fur-ever” friends I always dreamed about. That title

goes to my two cats I rescued from local shelters, Tosca and Sonja.

Best of

all, Chuck has

never played

golf on my

birthday again!

Bye-Bye Bunniesby Diane DeVaughn Stokes

Twelve years ago, on my birthday, my husband Chuck announced he was going to play golf with the guys. I was disappointed we were not going to spend the day together, so he told me to go shopping and buy anything I wanted, and he would pay for it. I know most of you would have headed for the jewelry store. I decided to go to North Myrtle Beach to visit the shops on Main Street, as I had not been there in quite some time. 

Voice

Diane DeVaughn StokesDiane is President of Stages Video Productions in Myrtle

Beach, Host and Producer of “Inside Out” on HTC

Channel 4 and Host of “Diane At Six” on EASY Radio.

8 4 3 - 4 0 7 - 3 1 2 4

1006 6th Ave. S., North Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach | Florence | Hartsville

16

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17

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Sassee Magazine: 4.4167 x 4.9792 ---July thru Sept. Pawleys areaGeorgetown County. 2014

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18

My husband of three years and I had just bought a dump-of-a-house in a gorgeous seaside town, and we had dreams of fixing up the crumbling 500-square-foot shack. Life, as we knew it, couldn’t get much sweeter. After years of struggle we finally felt like grown-ups.

We expected the inertia of our hard work and good fortune to continue with prosperous careers, a budding family, travel and eventually, retirement, but life, as most of us know, doesn’t always follow the path that we envision. It’s full of twists and turns, forks and big, giant gaping holes that we must navigate. My path became a knotted road the day my husband didn’t come home from work.

The “he’s just running late” actually turned out to be my worst nightmare as he was killed in a motorcycle accident on his way home. In one blind flash, my life was shredded. The guy that I had loved since my junior year in high school was no longer going to walk through the front door. He would never kiss my lips or whip up dinner or make up goofy songs on long car rides. Our already booked trip to Mexico to take a belated honeymoon, our plans for a family and our vision of growing old together were gone in one instant.

I didn’t know how to live my life without him. Every decision, every bit of exciting news, every fear, I shared with him. Our lives were intertwined in every possible way, and I felt as if I were a piece of fabric, torn in half, and left with jagged edges in search of a connection with the missing piece.

I knew in my heart that he would want me to pick up the pieces and move forward. I knew he would want me to be happy. How did I know this? He actually told me. When he bought his motorcycle a few months prior, we had a pretty frank discussion about the “what ifs.” Although I didn’t want to talk about it, he told me that if anything were ever to happen to him, I should go on with my life, be happy and find love. I can’t express my gratitude for this conversation as it helped move me through my grief and pick up the pieces of my life.

I struggled immensely, especially throughout the first year. I went back to work six weeks after the accident and found I couldn’t focus. I was making mis-takes – huge mistakes – left and right, and I felt a mountain of pressure on my shoulders to perform as a manager. The once golden opportunity had turned to brass in my eyes. I made the decision to quit my job, go to graduate school and get a degree in teaching. It was a path that I had considered from time to time, and I felt like it was the right time to make the leap.

I graduated in 2008 with a master’s degree in adult education and began

teaching basic reading, writing and math at a community college outside of Seattle immediately afterward. Working with adolescents and adults who have struggled in their own lives has been fulfilling in ways I couldn’t imagine.

Besides the career change, there was so much I needed to learn about being on my own, like how to tackle my overgrown yard. I know it may sound funny, but I had never used a lawn mower before. My husband always did that. But I lugged it out of the shed, learned how to check and maintain the oil level, and pull that starter string with all my might. I’m also a maniac with the weed whacker. I can change the batteries in smoke detectors that are six feet out of my reach (with a little help of a broom handle and some double stick tape). And yes, the toilet was running the other day, and I was able to shut off the water, drain it, find the prob-lem and with a little help from Google, fix it. I have to admit; I am pretty proud of myself and feel a little like MacGyver.

Not to say my life is back to normal. I still have days where I grapple with the loss. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t miss him. I’ve had several friends and family members tell me they admire my strength. Although, I appreciate the sentiment, it’s not exactly right. Through his death, I don’t think I’ve so much gained strength, as I have gained confidence in myself. I’ve always had the ability to do these things, but it took a great nudge from fate for me to learn it. I’m not the same woman I was nine years ago. The frayed ends of my life have found new connections, and I feel complete again – a quilted patchwork of old life and new.

His last words – emailed to a dear friend of ours – were, “Life is good.” I hold those words close to my heart and can almost hear him saying them into my ear. Without a doubt, life is good. It’s not always rainbows and sunshine, but the good moments far outweigh the bad. For now, I look forward to the bumps and turns that life sends my way for I know I can tackle it.

Knotted Roadby Lisa Henthorn

I fixed the toilet this week. It may not seem noteworthy, and honestly, not an entirely exciting topic, but I’ll tell you why this is something to cheer about. If I were to rewind my life nine years in the past, I’ll give you a snapshot. I had just received a massive promotion at the non-profit organization where I worked. I was now a manager for a statewide procurement program and overseeing a handful of outreach centers in Washington State. I was elated at the opportunity and the big bump in my salary.

Voice

Lisa HenthornLisa Henthorn, an Edmonds, Washington, resident, teach-es basic reading, writing and math at a community college near Seattle. In addition to teaching, Lisa enjoys reading, writing, and traveling.

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Woven Threads

Michael Nasseri:Gallery of Oriental Rugs Tell us a little about yourself.I’m originally from Iran (Persia or Arya). My family fled the political and religious persecu-tion of the current Islamic regime in 1978 and moved to the United States from Europe. I was 14 years old, my brother was 10 and my sister was 5. We made Wilmington, North Carolina, our new home and were the first Iranians in the area. I graduated from East Carolina University and spent most of my professional life managing and building complex software for IBM, pharmaceutical companies and major manufacturers.

Rugs have always been a passion of mine, both as art and a source of investment. Many generations of our family invested in rugs because they are recession proof and easy to move in case of major events! I moved here permanently four years ago and moved our store from Litchfield to Myrtle Beach in January of 2013.

Do you have a pet? Did you have a pet growing up?My family always did lots of riding and hunting, and always had dogs and cats while I was growing up. Since I live in a small condominium, I only have cats – two Persians and one Rag Doll. They keep the spiders and wasps in check, doubling as alarm clocks and physical trainers. [laughing]

Tell us what’s new and exciting at Gallery of Oriental Rugs?Gallery of Oriental Rugs was founded by my parents in 1988, and in 1994 they expanded to Litchfield. Our Myrtle Beach location has a 2,000 square foot world class gallery that is expanding in the coming months. The Wilmington gallery has 18,000 square feet with a 10,000 square foot cleaning building. We are also planning a new location in Charleston, South Carolina. Both locations offer wall to wall carpeting, stair runners, custom made rugs, custom cut padding, ORRA certified rug appraisal, rug cleaning and repairs.

Today, lots of antique-looking rugs are crafted, and some hybrid designs have emerged that both enhance homes and create a peaceful, happy atmosphere. The quality has also improved in both machine and handmade rugs by using high quality wool from New Zealand and mixtures of different types of silk including bamboo and banana silk. These new rugs are extremely elegant. Our product line features predominately wool products with high quality, designer-driven patterns and styles. We have specialty collections including antiques, new and traditional, to our designer series including Calvin Klein and Rex Ray. We have rugs for every taste and budget.

The rug in the photo is one my family treasures and is always used for photos. It once adorned the palace of the Shah of Iran. The detail is incredible. A rug like this with a com-plicated pattern can only be worked on by two weavers at a time and took five or six years to make. We invite everyone to stop by the gallery – these rugs are truly works of art.

Visit Michael at Gallery of Oriental Rugs, located in the Grande Dunes Market Place, 960 Cipriana Dr., Unit B5, in Myrtle Beach. Gallery hours are Monday - Saturday, 10 am-6 pm and

Sundays by appointment. For more information, call 843-497-5151 or visit www.rugssc.com.

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When my son, Evan, was born, Tyson was not always pleased with the baby’s constant crying. So, like any smart dog would do, Tyson abandoned the liv-ing room couch and found a quiet place upstairs to sleep. And when I could, I joined him.

Snuggling was one of my favorite activities that I shared with my inside dog, Tyson. For close to a decade, we watched television together and napped together as often as possible.

I don’t mean to imply that Tyson didn’t like the outdoors. He liked being outside just fine as long as the temperature was around 70 degrees, with low humidity and a slight breeze in the air. That was Tyson’s kind of weather.

Being a boxer, his snout design made it difficult for him to breathe on really hot, humid days. So, those days were best spent indoors. Because his coat was thin, he didn’t do well in cold temperatures either. So, cold days were best spent inside. And because he simply did not like any form of precipitation touch-ing his paws, rainy and snowy days were also best spent indoors.

So, for the entire time that we owned Tyson, he was our inside dog. Owning an inside dog definitely has its benefits and drawbacks. Inside dogs are there to share meals, take naps, receive rubs and return affection. They also tend to be a little less smelly than outdoor dogs.

On the other hand, indoor dogs require regular trips outdoors (regardless of the weather) for potty breaks, regular clean up from spills, sicknesses and acci-dents, and an endless supply of lint rollers. Tyson sure could do some shedding.

In fact, if judging solely on the presence of fur in the house, one might think that we were still dog owners. Tyson’s food and water bowls are long gone; there are no more Milk Bones in the laundry room, and his leash no longer hangs by the back door. But his fur remains almost everywhere.

Our carpets have been steam cleaned three times; our furniture has been dusted, and our air filters have been changed. Still, Tyson’s fur keeps appearing.

Just the other day, I cleaned next to my baseboards and found enough fur to open my own Build-a-Bear factory.

And it has been two years.It has been two years since my husband and I drove to the vet and said

goodbye to our inside dog. Tyson had a mast cell tumor that was inoperable, and his quality of life was diminishing. It was time.

We put him in the back of our SUV with some cozy blankets, stopped to buy him a cheeseburger, and then helped him cross over into his next life.

My husband and I talked with the vet about what to do with his remains. We considered burying him on our property. We also talked about burying him at the family farm. We lived there for a short time, and Tyson enjoyed running down the hill and chasing butterflies.

But then we realized that neither of those options would work. Burying Tyson would mean that he had to be outside. So, we decided to have him cremat-ed. It was the best decision we could make for him.

There is not a day that I don’t miss his whines, his boxer snorts and even his fur clouds. I would love to have one more opportunity to look in his brown eyes, rub his boxer belly and be the recipient of one more sloppy kiss.

But at least there is some comfort in knowing that Tyson never has to be subjected to harsh temperatures and heavy rains. His remains are in our living room. He is forever with us, forever inside.

Inside Dogby Melissa Face

“Come here, buddy,” I called to my boxer, Tyson, as I patted the sofa cush-ion next to mine. Tyson slowly stood up, shook off and hopped down from his former position. As he trotted towards me, I watched another cloud of fur fall to the carpet. Then, Tyson put his front left paw on the couch, stared me in the face and finally climbed the rest of the way up. 

Voice

Melissa FaceMelissa Face lives in Virginia with her husband, son and daughter. Her stories and essays have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul and Cup of Comfort. E-mail Melissa at writermsface@yahoo.com.

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Changes in the Weather

Marla Branson:WMBF First Alert WeatherTell us a little about yourself.My southern roots run deep. I grew up in Arkansas, did my undergraduate work at Ole Miss and then earned my masters degree in meteorology at Mississippi State University. Myrtle Beach was my first stop out of grad school. During my interview, a WMBF News photographer stopped by to say hi and introduce himself. After I left he made sure to let the chief know I was the per-son to hire. Keep in mind, a photographer has nothing to do with hiring in the weather department. I later would marry that news photographer. Michael and I have been married for 3 years now and are expecting our first baby, a little boy named Owen James, in September.

What is the best part of being a meteorologist?Being a female in a science field can be lonely sometimes, so it makes my day when a little girl tells me she loves weather and science. The best part of being a meteorologist are emails I get telling me that I helped keep someone’s family safe during severe weather or that I helped calm a bride’s nerves with an accu-rate rain-free forecast or even have a mom tell me I saved the day by reminding her to send her son to school with a coat.

Were you always fascinated by weather?I grew up in a small farming community where the weather either put food on the table or put the family farm on the auction block, but it wasn’t until college that I fell in love with studying meteorology. My undergraduate degree is in journalism and as a little naïve freshman at Ole Miss I applied for a spot on the news desk for our daily live broadcast. Of course they weren’t going to let me anchor, but they did let me do the weather. For the first time in my life I found something I could read and study and truly eat it up. A text book suddenly became interesting. I finished out my Theatre and Journalism degrees and started preparing myself for grad school. I had a lot of catching up to do since math and science had never been my forte. To be honest, calculus and physics never really clicked with me until I learned how it applied to weather.

What is the most unusual weather phenomenon you’ve ever experienced?While in grad school, I went on a three week storm chase in the Great Plains. I got to see tornados, hail storms and some of the most text book storm cloud structures I could ever dream of. Those three weeks taught me so much about severe weather and its impact on life and property.

Any thoughts on our current hurricane season?We’re off to a pleasant and quiet start. I hope it stays this way. Signs are pointing to a quiet season, but all it takes is one. Active vs. Quiet is all about perception. If we have three or four storms brush by our coast (or worse, hit us), we would consider that an active season when the rest of the southeast would say it was very calm.

See Marla Branson reporting the weather live on WMBF News weekdays from 5 am-10:30 am.

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According to statistics gathered by The Humane Society of the United States, three to four million animals are euthanized in shel-ters each year in this country. And, this may be a low num-ber because facilities are not required to report and docu-ment these sad facts. Most of these ani-mals are healthy, friendly dogs and cats that simply ran out of time waiting for someone to give them a forever home. They are killed to make room for the endless stream of unwanted compan-ion animals that enter shelters each year. When Sandy Brown, Executive Director of Grand Strand Humane Society, came on board six years ago the first thing she did was to stop this madness at her facility.

“We can’t take as many animals,” Sandy began thoughtfully. “But the ones we do take stay with us until they find a forever home. I just couldn’t stand to see so many beautiful animals killed for space. Once we made the decision to become a low-kill shelter, we’ve never looked back.”

“Low-kill” means that no adoptable animal is euthanized for space. There are exceptions. The ones whose illnesses or injuries will not respond to medical care are mercifully put down, and there are an unfortunate few who have been so abused and traumatized that violence is ingrained, making them dangerous to any-

one who comes near. These poor souls are also gently released from suf-fering they had no control over.

Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, and like many upstate residents, Sandy grew up coming to the Grand Strand for vacations. When her husband, Johnny, was trans-ferred here through his job with First Citizens Bank in 1992, Sandy quick-ly became active in the community. With a background in the corporate world, she accepted two different posi-tions with

Burroughs and Chapin Company, and then worked as a real estate developer for Grand Dunes. Always an animal lover, Sandy was active as a volunteer with Grand Strand Humane Society, serving on their board of directors. In 2008, the Executive Director position came open, and Sandy knew this was her calling.

“I loved the corporate world, but I’ve never looked back,” Sandy said with a huge smile. “This work fulfills me in so many ways. This is not a job; it’s a pas-sion, not just for me, but for all of us.”

Sandy and her staff work long hours for minimal pay. “I worked for free for the first couple of months,” Sandy said. “The shelter’s finances were in terrible shape, but we were able to bounce back.” Sandy and her staff work six and seven

Sandy Brown,Grand Strand Humane Society: A Voice for the Voiceless

by Leslie Moore

Braveheart upon his arrival a few weeks ago

days a week some weeks with adoption events and fundraisers being held regularly. Animal shelters are typically overcrowded, and horrific cases of abuse

and neglect are commonplace. I asked Sandy how she deals with this daily sadness. “I do see many horrendous things, but I also have many beautiful moments. When someone comes to us and finds that perfect companion, that forever friend to love, it makes everything we do worthwhile.”

Sandy went on to tell me that much of the overcrowding of shelters could be solved if everyone would spay and neuter their pets. “Our laws are not strict enough,” she said vehemently. Grand Strand Humane Society offers low cost spay/neuter clinics regularly to help encourage people to take this simple step to stop the flow of unwanted animals. The clinic also offers low cost preventative care to keep those beloved pets healthy.

On animal abuse, Sandy is equally as passionate. “I believe that anyone who would mistreat an animal would do the same to a person. I hope one day that the punishment will fit the crime.” To help stop the cycle of violence, Sandy con-ducts outreach in local schools. Ocean Bay Middle School has a Junior Humane Society Club that Sandy works with regularly. “We will go to any school that wants us to come – we show them heartworms and talk to them about how to care for their pets. The kids love it!”

As we toured this clean, well kept facility, Sandy told us stories about spe-cial animals. In a separate room, littered with dog toys and a comfy bed, a medium sized mutt met us with kisses and love. Extremely thin, with patches of hair miss-ing and healing sores covering his body, the staff named him Braveheart. “Braveheart came to us through the judicial system,” Sandy explained. “A local judge and animal lover asked me if we would try to save this dog. He had infection throughout his body and was very near death.” Shelter staff rallied around Braveheart, cooking him special food and taking him home at night. His progress is slow, but steady. Even though he is still a sick dog, Braveheart shows gratitude to his saviors through gentle kisses and a thumping tail, but his eyes reflect a horror that no living creature should ever have to bear.

The majority of the animals housed at Grand Strand Humane Society are healthy and ready for a home of their own. Sandy, who has nine dogs and one cat at home, believes in the benefits of adoption. “You never know what you’re get-ting if you buy a dog born in a puppy mill. Our animals have been thoroughly socialized. Volunteers work with them daily and know their personalities, so it’s easy for us to match you with your perfect dog or cat. Rescued animals know you saved them and make the best pets. Our animals are all spayed or neutered, vacci-nated and microchipped before they leave us as well.”

Due to the transient nature of our population, many animals are left behind when people move. Sandy said people will say they “found” a dog and then the dog tries to follow them out of the shelter, a sure sign that this is their pet.

“Currently, we are not accepting animals from the public, only from animal control, and a woman came in to drop off a pregnant dog. When we told her we couldn’t accept the animal, she went around to the back of the facility, not knowing we have cameras, and left the dog, who tried to run after her vehicle. It was so sad – we all cried over that poor mama dog, who ended up staying with us after all.”

Grand Strand Humane Society is now operating on a shoestring budget and is dependent on the support of the community. Many of the staff, including the veterinarian who runs the clinic, took voluntary pay cuts to keep the facility running. Currently, close to 2,000 pounds of pet food is needed per week, plus lots of kitty litter. Donations of good quality pet food are always appreciated, and, of course, cash. The City of Myrtle Beach offers an easy way to help through their RAIN program where you add a small amount each month to your water bill that goes directly to the shelter. On a larger scale, the shelter needs an addition to accommodate more animals, especially an isolation area for ones who come in sick. “Right now, we have puppies in the conference room and sick dogs living in my office.”

There are also regularly scheduled events that benefit the shelter. This month, a 50/50 raffle will be held at the Pelican’s home game on the 29th. The Thursday night concerts at Market Common are also an opportunity to help the shelter while having a good time. “We will have animals out there each week.” One of the organizations biggest fundraisers is the annual Walk for Animals, held this year on October 25th. “It is going to be so much fun this year. We’re working with Broadway at the Beach, and our event will be a part of their Boofest Halloween cel-ebration.” All the information about these events and others is listed on the shel-ter’s Facebook page.

As with any non-profit position, burnout can be a problem. I asked Sandy how she copes. “We don’t travel much because my 87 year old mother lives with us, but I lose myself in books. I’ve always been a big reader and will pile up in bed with my fur-babies and read.” Sandy and her husband are also movie buffs and go every Saturday. The couple is planning a cruise soon to celebrate Johnny’s recovery from a four month battle with a serious illness, and their son, Stefan, will house sit. Stefan is also the Operations and Social Media Director at the shelter.

After playing with kittens and petting dozens of dogs, we made our way out of this amazing facility. Another special resident, a gorgeous blue-eyed husky named Denali, came out to meet us before we left. He came in frightened and skit-tish after being given up by his owner, but is well on his way to being ready for his new home. His eyes radiated with the prevailing emotion of this facility – hope.

To volunteer or learn more about Grand Strand Humane Society, visit their Facebook page or website, www.grandstrandhumanesociety.com. Donations are gratefully accepted.

29

Southern Snaps

30

Flowing Naturally

Pamela Haynes:Cabana GauzeTell us a little about yourself.I grew up in Maryland and most of my family still lives there. I have two daughters, seven grandchildren and one more on the way! My former hus-band and I bought a second home here in 2005, and after we separated in 2009, I moved here permanently. I live in Murrells Inlet and love going to the Marshwalk or Huntington Beach State Park for walks on the beach.

I recently returned from a trip to Germany for the wedding of an extended family member. My daughter and her fiancée, plus the children, were com-ing to stay at my house while I was gone. A few days before she was to arrive, my daughter called and said they would like to get married on the beach the day before I was to leave – and would I help her arrange it. Whew! I pulled it off and it was lovely.

Two of my sisters live in Florida, and while visiting them I went to a gauze shop. The clothes were wonderful, and I bought a lot! The shop owner and I quickly became friends – and with her help I opened my shop in 2010 in the Hammock Shops in Pawleys Island. This store was the start of my second life.

Do you have a “furever friend?”I have two – Rex and Ruby, my 3 1/2 year old shih tzus. I’ve had them since they were puppies and actually met them when they were three weeks old! I live alone and these two are my family – they give lots of love and cuddles, plus keep me on a schedule. I’ve always loved animals, grow-ing up I had a boxer named Duke.

What’s new and exciting at Cabana Gauze?I love my store and customers. Just this morning, a woman from Pennsylvania came in and told me how much she looks forward to shopping here while she’s on vacation, because she can’t find clothing like mine at home. We have customers of all ages – this clothing is time-less and works for everyone. I have these cute “cha cha” pants that I’ve sold to a 24 year old woman and to an 84 year old woman. The 84 year old bought the red ones! Everything is comfortable; it’s light and travels very well without wrinkling.

All of our clothing is made from natural fabric – I’ve added a few new lines and stopped carrying any that are not100% natural fabric. I donated all the clothing from those discontinued lines to a local organization that helps indigent breast cancer survivors. I’ve also helped with several local breast cancer benefits and plan to do another one in January. Both of my sisters are breast cancer survivors, and I know how hard this disease is for women.

Cabana Gauze is located in the Hammock Shops in Pawleys Island. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 am-5 pm and Sunday 1-5 pm. Call 843-314-3344 or

visit www.cabanagauze.com.

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“Mommy be careful!” My three-year-old son, Nathan, exclaimed. “You almost sat on Mouse!”

My mouth dropped open. “There’s a mouse in here?”He nodded. “Of course. He’s sitting right there.” He pointed at the chair I’d been

about to sit in just moments before.I turned around and looked at the empty chair. “There was a mouse on that

chair?”Nathan looked at me like I’d sprouted a second head. “No, not a mouse. My

friend, Mouse.”Panic had begun to set in. “Nathan, I need to know. Did you see a real

mouse in this house?”“Mommy, my friend Mouse is here to play,” he answered patiently. “Please be nice

to him, and please don’t sit on him.”“OK, so Mouse is a pretend mouse, right?” I clarified, feeling my breathing

return to normal.He sighed. “Yes, but he and I would like some real string cheese for a snack.”I smiled and retrieved two pieces of string cheese. I opened one and handed it to

Nathan. Then I said, “Where would Mouse like me to put his cheese?”“He said I could have his,” Nathan answered with a grin.Nathan’s friend Mouse hung around our house off and on for about a year.

Sometimes he would talk about Mouse on a daily basis, and other times, weeks would go by without a mention. Nathan was the first of my children to have an imaginary friend, and I enjoyed this inside view into my little boy’s imagination.

Recently, some friends and I were talking about our children’s imaginary friends, and I shared about Nathan and Mouse. “I never did discover why Nathan chose a mouse, rather than some other animal,” I said. “But every time he mentioned Mouse, I had to fight the urge to scream and stand on a chair.”

My sister-in-law, Lori, laughed. “I think it’s funny that the thought of a mouse in your house sends you into a panic, but you keep those squirrels in your house.”

“They’re not squirrels,” I said. “They’re sugar gliders.”“They look like mice,” she said.“They aren’t even in the rodent family. They’re marsupials, and their closest rela-

tive is the koala bear,” I said.Lori shrugged. “I still think it’s funny.”And maybe Lori had a point. Maybe it was silly to freak out about a mouse, but

welcome two mice-like creatures into our home.Maybe.But if you saw Max and Lucy, you’d understand that it’s not at all the same thing.We bought Lucy from a kiosk at the mall about two years ago. There was a

display for Pocket Pets, and several young men standing around holding these ador-able little creatures.

One of the men stretched out his arm and the creature ran down his arm and

jumped off, landing on the table about 10 feet away. “Some people think that sugar gliders are flying squirrels because they can jump so far,” he said.

He explained that sugar gliders are native to Australia, and they can live their entire lives without ever touching the ground. They simply glide from tree to tree, using the stretchy skin beneath their arms like little wings.

I watched as the little creature jumped again and thought they seemed like a neat pet. But I didn’t want one.

I watched as the man pulled another sugar glider from the pocket of his hoodie. “Sugar gliders love to snuggle,” he said. “He will sleep in my pocket all day, if I let him. That’s why we call them Pocket Pets.”

“How sweet,” I thought. But I still didn’t want one.But then I reached out and petted one. It had the softest, silkiest fur I’d ever felt in

my life. And that’s when I decided I had to have a sugar glider.My daughters decided that a girl sugar glider would be more fun than a boy,

and they picked out the name Lucy. We took her home in a little pouch with a string attached to it. We were told to take turns wearing the pouch around our necks with Lucy inside. “Sugar gliders bond primarily by smell,” they said. “So you want to keep her close to you as much as possible.”

Once Lucy got used to us, we were able to dispense with the pouch and just let her hang out in our pockets. She especially likes to sit on my older son’s shoulder as he does his homework.

Because sugar gliders are nocturnal, Lucy’s “bedtime” is very similar to my chil-dren’s. About nine o’clock every night, Lucy is no longer content to sleep in someone’s pock-et. Her natural instincts kick in and she begins jumping all over the house. Once, as I was walking up the stairs, she jumped off of my shoulder and landed on the tile floor eight feet below. Thankfully, she was completely fine, and now, she has a large cage in which to do the majority of her jumping.

Sugar gliders are social animals, and they get lonely easily, so we decided Lucy needed a little brother. We got Max, a roly-poly little guy who is now topping the scales at 12 ounces, which is huge for a sugar glider. (Max came to us neutered, so there will be no baby sugar gliders, even if he and Lucy forget they are supposed to be siblings.)

As I write this story, Max and Lucy are snuggling in the pocket of my hoodie. Periodically, one of them peeks out to see if I have a Cheerio or small piece of fruit for them to eat. Max licks my hand as I run Lucy’s extraor-dinarily long tail through my fingers. She makes a clicking noise, the sugar glider equivalent of purr-ing. They are sweet and snuggly, and I love them.

We don’t have a dog or a cat. Instead, our family’s pets are two adorable sugar gliders named Max and Lucy.

And occasionally, an invisible mouse named Mouse.

Max, Lucy, and a Mouse Named Mouse

by Diane Stark

Voice

Diane StarkDiane Stark is a wife and mom of five. She loves to write about her family and her faith. Her essays have been published in over 20 Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

33

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34

Generational Ties

Mary Page Singleton:The Lyncean Book ClubTell us a little about yourself.I moved to Conway in 1976 and met my husband, David, while we were both in high school. His family moved to Myrtle Beach in 1980. After we were married, David and I lived in Columbia while he attended law school, but have lived in Myrtle Beach ever since. We have two children, Jewell is 27 and David Jr. is 28. Both of my children are married and David has one child and one on the way! I love being a grandmother. When I’m not babysitting, I love to play tennis, bridge and mah jong.

Tell us about your book club and its history. Our club, the Lyncean Book Club, was started in 1994 by my mother-in-law’s club, the Pierian Book Club, in celebration of their 40th anniversary. In our community, fostering book clubs has become a generational tradition. In 1954, The Pierian Book Club was fostered by another club, the Archibald Rutledge Book Club. In addition to our club, the Pierian Book Club has fos-tered three other clubs; the Del Mar Club in 1964, the Antheneum Club in 1980 and the Alexandrian Club in 1985. Most have bylaws and limit their membership to around 20 women. The tradition of book club membership has been passed down through the generations from mothers and mothers-in- law, to daughters and daughters-in-law, from aunts to nieces, to friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc. Really it’s like a little community. We meet in each other’s homes, once a month, from September through May. Sometimes we have a speaker – local authors, gardeners, whatever interests us at the time. We are all very close to the same age, so our interests have changed through the years – from child-rearing to becoming grandparents!

We may not see each other at any other time except meetings, but we have been there for each other through births, the death of family members, ill-nesses, all the trials and tribulations of life. I am so grateful that my mother-in-law’s generation had the foresight to give us the gift of an amazing group of women…a book club.

What are you reading now?We have summer reading for the club. The two books we’re reading are The Kitchen House, by Kathleen Grissom, and Things We Set On Fire, by Deborah Reed.

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?Wow, that’s hard, there are so many. I really loved The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, by Rebecca Wells. The story reminds me a little of our book club, a group of close knit women.

What’s coming up this fall for the book club?We are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year and will have a special celebration, planned by our four remaining charter members. I would like those plans to include fostering another book club to pass this gift on to the next generation.

Libba & Grant Singleton on their wedding day, September 11, 1944, at the old Ocean Forest Hotel – Mary Page’s mother-in-law and her book club mentor.

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Clothing and Collegiate Items for Men, Ladies & Children

August means Back to School, an exciting time for children and their parents; a time for buying new school clothes, the coolest book bag and filling school supply lists. But for many local children, the most important thing about going back to school is that they will, once again, have regular meals provided by school breakfast and lunch programs.

Barb Mains, Volunteer Director of Help 4 Kids, an all-volunteer 501 (c) (3) non-profit, talked with Sasee about the grueling poverty experienced by many children in Horry and Georgetown Coun-ties. “During the school year, we deliver 3105 food packs each week, through the Back Pack Buddy program, to 28 schools in Horry County.” The organization hopes to extend its services to George-town County schools this year.

During school vacations, Barb and her volunteers

conduct summer camps in local churches and

regularly take food packs to outlying areas in

Georgetown and Horry Counties. “One day we

went to a really bad area and a little boy ran up to

us and said he was praying we would come that

day. When we give these hungry children the food,

they just drop right there and start eating. Hunger

is a very real problem in our community.”

Barb moved to Garden City in 1979 and spent her

days finding shells and enjoying our coastal life-

style. It wasn’t until Hurricane Hugo struck in 1989

that she discovered how difficult life is for our most

helpless residents. While volunteering after the

massive storm hit our area, Barb met a home health

nurse who told her about the poverty she saw daily

in the outlying areas of Horry County. Barb im-

mediately wanted to help, and today Help 4 Kids

has over 100 volunteers who make sure food, school

supplies and clothing gets to the children who so

desperately need it. The Backpack Buddies program

sends non-perishable food home with children

every Friday, giving some the only nutrition they

receive all weekend. School nurses and counselors

notify Barb when a child needs clothing, school

supplies, etc. and these are placed in the packs as

well.

This vital organization depends on the support of

the community. You can help by picking up items

from the following lists and dropping them at the

locations listed at the end of this article. Cash dona-

tions are always welcome – for as little as $2.50 per

week you can ensure that one hungry child is fed

through the weekend.

Sasee Kids

For more information, v isit the Help 4 Kids website at www.help4kids.com or cal l 843-651-4310. Help 4 Kids is located at 2053 Hwy 17 South By pass, Garden City. Gifts

can also be dropped of f at any of three Carolina Tr ust Federal Credit Union locations: 21st Ave. in My r tle Beach, Main St. in Conway and Holmestown Road in Surfside nex t to BiLo.

38

I’m not autistic. I don’t suffer from Asperger’s. I feel deeply, but for whatev-

er reason I sometimes have trouble showing it. I have sobbed at funerals. But other

times, even when moved, I don’t have the right affect. I’ll smile inappropriately.

On the other hand, I don’t want to be plastic. I don’t roll that way.

Nonetheless, I wish to appear as a sympathetic human. I care, but I am stiff.

My daughter confided that she didn’t think she was normal because she

didn’t cry at movies other girls cried at and she didn’t get hurt by a boy’s rejection

the way other girls do, and in general she didn’t react the way her friends did at

misfortune. I sat there not knowing exactly what to say or how to assuage her fear

of being inadequate in the emotional department. Finally, I awkwardly hugged her,

and said, “Honey, I’m sorry. It’s genetic. Blame me.”

Not that I want to be a “histrionic broad” who makes life an utter

Hades for her husband while her children tip toe around her so as not to

upset the emotional apple cart that is their mother, but neither do I want to

have the emotional IQ of the Terminator. I’m not manly looking. I don’t have

too much testosterone coursing through my veins. Heck, I like poetry, and by

golly I was an English major so I know how to intuit!

Yet, yet, yet…I lack the ability to emote.

When I am around women and men discussing some topic at a party, I

understand the male‘s point of view and often deem the women‘s perspective self-

absorbed. I hide this fact. I don’t want my sisters to realize I’m an alien species at

times. Or a traitor.

In ways, my natural stoniness is helpful. A friend of mine said she felt so

anxious after she submitted a story to an anthology, she felt like throwing up. Not

me. I can get rejected a thousand times, and it doesn’t ding my ego.

Nevertheless, I am sensitive toward others’ plights. Reading literature

makes a person more keenly aware of the human condition, and I’ve studied the

classics; however I don’t show empathy with my facial expressions, tone of voice or

gestures. I’ve considered acting lessons so I can learn to gesticulate in a manner

appropriate to the scene unfurling before me.

I have friends. My weakness at not being “huggy-feely” hasn’t hurt my

forming friendships. My problem is I feel I’m excluded from participating in a big

Biggest Obstacleby Erika Hoffman

Sometimes my biggest obstacle is understanding women. And I’m a woman. I see them stream tears at times when they are talking about a mam-mogram that is worrisome or a grown child that is experimenting with drugs, or a marriage that is sinking into oblivion. I want to emote. I watch other women do it. I note the sympathetic eyes and comforting hugs and soothing words of women toward other women in real life and on talk shows, and yet when I’m confronted with a situation that requires me to comfort someone, I morph into the proverbial deer in the headlights: I just stand, stunned, arms at my side, frozen. And if my brain is functioning enough to recognize I must do something, I must reach out; I do so like R2D2 in Star Wars. Like a robot.

part of human interaction – the mimicry of emotions. When I observe folks

embrace in a genuine expression of love and happiness, I feel a bit shortchanged by

my genes and upbringing because I never learned how to do this growing up. My

family didn’t hug much, didn’t express their love in kisses or Hallmark cards and

when they, on a rare occasion, did display an iota of affection toward each other, it

was self-conscious. The same holds true for my husband’s family.

Most folks might scoff at my dilemma and conclude my onus not a huge

obstacle, and even declare that for certain professions it’s good to keep a distance

and beneficial to do so. But when I see the tremendous humanity and caring some

people show toward others, I feel I’m lacking a human characteristic I should have,

one that would make me feel I belonged more to the human race. These sweet

interactions with others make life more tender and enjoyable. I look in the mirror

and behold Judge Judy when I’d rather emulate my little dachshund. Her adoring

eyes, eager tail wagging and bounteous licks demonstrate sympathetic bonding.

Is it an obstacle to overcome, this not knowing how to emote like Oprah?

I only know that when I see women emotional and connecting to other women, I

experience a twang of uncertainness and pity for myself. Then, I wish I could

develop this intuitive sensitivity; maybe my hope is akin to wishing to grow an

extra limb – not possible.

So, my take-away message from trying to understand myself is recogniz-

ing my flaw and forgiving myself for it. I try to show I care in ways other than

streaming tears, a wrinkled forehead, and a quivering lip. If it’s gauche and unnatu-

ral for me to massage someone’s hunched up shoulders, or pat someone on her

bowed head, or take my hankie to wipe away tears, maybe I can demonstrate my

empathy by keeping her company in a time of need, or sending notes and flowers

and fruit, or accomplishing some task or chore she needs done but has not had the

stamina to do for herself because of her grief or sickness, or disability. There’s a

slew of ways a person can show she cares, even if she lacks the right expression and

the cuddly clasp. Perhaps by a considerate action she can show that she feels deep-

ly and her heart’s not made of granite although her demeanor reminds one of the

Old Man of the Mountain stone formation.

The Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz lacked a heart or so he thought. I am

The Tin Man.

Voice

Erika HoffmanErika Hoffman contributes stories, essays and articles reg-

ularly to anthologies and magazines.

39

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40

Too soon, it was time to go home. Our friend, Nancy, decided we needed

a last hurrah – something we’d do together. What better than our hostess’s favorite

past time…horseback riding!

My heart sank as everyone heartily agreed. But I wouldn’t be the odd

(wo)man out. I couldn’t tell them I was terrified of horses – to be the one to cast

the slightest shadow on our glorious weekend.

When I was a young girl, I loved the idea of horses. My favorite movie

was National Velvet and I longed to own a horse with that special connection only

to me. I imagined myself as Velvet Brown racing along the English coastline.

Every year I asked for a horse for Christmas. Of course, it never

materialized. But books about horses did: Black Beauty, The Black Stallion,

and The Red Pony. I saw every movie and television show that featured the

powerful animals galloping around a track, or through a field, or nuzzling a

sugar cube from an open hand.

I was fifteen when I realized that all horses were not the mystical

creatures I had created in my mind. Up close and personal, I became terrified

of the tiniest pony to the tallest stallion and everything in between. It hap-

pened in a single outing.

I flashed back to that group of adolescent girls celebrating a sweet

sixteen birthday party at a local stable. I was so excited to actually touch the

beautiful animal that I had dreamed about for years.

My friends, who already had a smattering of horse sense, quickly chose

their steeds and sat waiting for the rest of the group to assemble. I was last in line

and was handed the reins to a scruffy, tired-looking nag. She didn’t resemble my

fantasy horse in any way. Where was My Friend Flicka?

One of the groomers held the stirrup for my foot and helped me swing

into the saddle. “Ever ridden a horse before?” he asked.

I shook my head no.

“Old Paint here will go nice and slow for you.” I thought I heard him

chuckle.

Finally ready, each horse followed the next on to the tree-lined trail; all

the horses, except mine.

“Let’s go,” I said rocking across her back. But she wouldn’t budge.

“Giddy up,” I yelled. Nothing. Paint’s huge lips simply nibbled the tops of

puffy dandelions weeds.

I could no longer see the last horse in line as it rounded a curve and

into the forest.

“Give her a kick,” a man said as he walked by. “She’s a little cantankerous;

she needs a nudge,” he explained when he saw the doubt on my face.

I tentatively poked the horse with the heel of my foot – again, and again.

Far, Far Awayby Rose Ann Sinay

It was the perfect getaway weekend: husband-free, guilt-free, do what you want to do, no-pressure kind of vacation with a bunch of girl friends. One of the women in our circle owned a cottage on a lake in upper state New York that could sleep as many people as showed up at her door. “Just bring your own pillow and towel,” she’d said.

I read books, ate junk food and sat on the dock with my toes soaking in the water. It was heaven! Friends cooked gourmet meals, some played cards and others chatted loudly. I made the cookies. We all enjoyed.

The last kick was a bit sharper than I intended. Paint made a rude sound and threw

her head back as far as she could. Her blue veined eyes rolled up to look at me. Her

lip curled up exposing her large, yellow teeth. She shook her head so hard I

thought I would fall off the saddle. With no one around to help me down, I sat idly

on the old nag as she snorted, grazed and allowed flies to hover around her head.

For the rest of the half hour session (I’d paid in advance), I swatted those flies.

“How did you get back so soon?” Each of the girls asked as they paraded

by me and Paint.

Someone helped me down from my perch. As I turned to walk away I felt

a hard thump against my backside as Paint’s ugly teeth tried to grab the wide ruffle

of my shirt – coming after me – moving forward for the first time that day.

Terrifying for me, still; but how do I explain this teenage fear of the ani-

mal to horse-adoring people?

So, I went with my friends to the nearby stable. I can do this, I chanted to

myself. I am not a child. My whole body shook as a horse trainer helped me up into

the saddle, once again. This time, the horse (Silk) was beautiful. He was glossy

brown with tall, white stockings on his legs and a star on his elegant head. I

gripped the reins with dread and pasted a smile on my face.

“Are you okay,” Nancy asked as we started toward the trail. I let my smile

reassure her; I couldn’t move my lips to speak. Once again, I was on the last horse

but, at least, this one was walking. I tried to calm myself. This wasn’t so bad, I

thought, loosening my death-hold on the reins. Just a nice, leisurely stroll through

the woods. Suddenly, the horses began to trot. I panicked as the trot turned into a

full-fledged gallop. My feet came out of the stirrups, but I hung on, my hands

wrapped in Silk’s mane and reins while the rest of my body flopped like a rag doll.

Obviously I survived, but my latest experience did nothing to endear the

powerful creatures to me. But it’s okay. Really. The Horse Whisperer, Secretariat, and

War Horse will always top my reading list. I can still appreciate their beauty from

afar…in a book, on a movie screen, running along the beach…just far, far away.

Voice

Rose Ann SinayRose Ann Sinay is a freelance writer typing away in sunny

North Carolina. Her articles/stories have been published

in The Carolinas Today, The Oddville Press and The

Brunswick Beacon.

41

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42

Now approaching 100, Miriam lives in an art-filled Los Angeles bunga-low, attends the opera and hosts yearly poetry readings. Miriam is well under 5 feet tall now. Her periwinkle blue eyes sparkle, blond hair curls around her face, and she wears little 2 inch heels with smart suits. This lady is well put together.

My mom, Harriet Luger, was a writer. She is not here for me to tell, “I have a new health/fitness column in my local newspaper.” However, I sent Miriam some examples of my column. She wrote back, “I preferred your former articles with their daily musings. At least your fitness articles aren’t preachy, but my nega-tive is that I dislike fitness…diets, prohibitions.”

Then she explained that the only nutritional advice she’d ever handed out was recommending her doctor drink scotch.

Anyone living to 100 would want to be like Miriam: Independent, authentically herself, master of her domain. What’s the reason for Miriam’s autonomy and good health? Don’t look to genetics. Miriam’s close relatives were not long-lived. Exercise? Never walked around the block. Diet? Vitamins and vegetable are a bore.

However, Miriam lives a life of moderation and passion. She likes her scotch, one shot. She cooks herself chicken and chops, small portions. She enjoys her own company, but dresses beautifully and gathers friends at the best steak-house in Los Angeles.

When she had pneumonia, she hunkered down at home with the New York Times, her favorite poetry books, and read herself back to health. She accepted assistance from friends and neighbors, but when her closest friend showed up at her door with a full-time care-giver, Miriam kicked her out along with the help.

Her friend made the mistake of challenging Miriam’s independence. “I told her I wasn’t afraid to die alone in my house,” said Miriam in a fit of pique. 

Yet, on another occasion Miriam hired a nurse to assist her through recovery after hernia surgery. She met the nurse at the transitional facility where she took physical therapy. “He treats me like a person, not patroniz-ing,” she told me.

Courage is Miriam’s outstanding quality. She’s lost her closest rela-tives including the love of her life. She mourns her husband, a sail boat enthusiast, by telling his stories, like the time he keeled the boat over so far she wouldn’t get back in it for a month. “I never trusted him with my money,”

she says, “He was profligate, but charming.”Miriam’s friends delight her. Until recently she flew to San Francisco with

pals to attend the opera. When those same friends had their engagement party at her house, neglecting to order enough food and drink, she rushed to fill in for them but, after the party, she didn’t want to see them for some time. Then she cooled off, and picked up the friendship later.

She takes direction from her trusted doctor, Robert, who respects her outlook. Once he sent her to a cardiac specialist, an arrogant guy who ignored the information she gave him. “If you send me back to that man, I’ll kick him in the balls,” she told Robert.

Miriam is an exemplar of the advice given by University of Minnesota’s Dr James Pacala, President of the American Geriatrics Society, “Refuse to take it slow. There’s a sort of societal expectation that you’re supposed to slow down as you get old, and I think you should fight against that.”

Shortly before we lost my mom, Miriam hired a limo for a final visit. Over scotch she told my mom:

It’s not stamina that makes someone young.It’s the willingness to do something different.We’re old, that’s not a definition of who we are.Of course we’re old.That’s our claim to fame.

Courage, natural moderation, lively interest in the world: One recipe for living to 100.

One Hundred Spunky Yearsby Carrie Luger Slayback

My mom, who died at 98, would have been 100 this July. I miss her and cherish time with her friend, Miriam. Their friendship originated at La Conte Junior High, Hollywood High, and continued through UCLA in 1939.

Voice

Carrie Luger SlaybackCarrie Luger Slayback is an award winning teacher and marathon runner. She writes on fitness and family matters. Her articles appear in the Los Angeles Times, and her series on preparing for the L.A. Marathon, 2014 was published in The Daily Pilot. Carrie lives in Newport Beach, California, with her husband and Chihuahuas.

43

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44

TheFashion of Friendships

by Whitley Hamlin

Photos by zale Alston Photography

Fashion Forecast

45

I find the topic of friendships perfect for my first time contributing to Sasee. After all, it was by way of a new friendship that I got here! I’ve been vaca-tioning at Pawleys Island for as long as I can remember, always working in visits with friends of my parents and a few island natives while I’m there. No matter where I travel, my dad sees to it I “look up” some longtime friend of his who lives in whatever town I am visiting. And let me tell you, if I am in the south, particularly South Carolina, there is someone for me to touch base with all along the way. Dad will say, “You never know when you might need to call on someone for help.” Well, wouldn’t you know it, a few summers ago, my brand spanking new European car broke down just outside of Sumter, South Carolina. Thanks to dear ‘ole Dad’s pain-less practice of staying connected, there was someone just down the road in Dalzell, South Carolina, to look after me.

My mom grew up in a small town in Eastern North Carolina, where everybody seemed to know everyone. Neighbors and friends were always drop-ping by whenever we would visit. Over one trip to see my Grandmother, just before she passed away in her late 70s, I accompanied her to a friend’s home for their regular game of bridge. I adored those ladies, all polished and proper in their mid-day card playing attire, whose visits always seemed to seamlessly roll right on in to the cocktail hour. Nana’s friendships with those ladies were ever apparent the day of her funeral. After the service, friends and family gathered at her home to share joy and laughter. It was there, at the age of 24, I was served my first scotch on the rocks by a towering and regal Mr. Harris; an inauguration I’ll never forget.

I think about my own friendships every day. As an extrovert on the days I am well slept, I am someone who gets their energy from others. I think people, and the relationships that stem from them, are the most fascinating pathway to experi-encing life. One of my greatest joys is the fact that I am part of the most prodi-giously connected and caring group of childhood friends. Our group consists of just fewer than 20 guys and girls who enjoy each others’ company at a level any on-looker might deem questionably shameless. We have all been friends since the 6th grade, when our elementary schools convened for middle school; many of us friends since kindergarten. We know each others’ ups and downs, ins and outs, loves and losses, successes and setbacks, and with it all is a total acceptance, humili-ty, forgiveness and unparalleled affinity.

Life hands us all challenges and struggles, and certainly not all friendships are so seemingly effortless. Friendships can be likened to the ever changing world of fashion. Some will come and go, like the cycle of trends, while others prove timeless classics that never fade from style.

I am drawn to the many clever quotations of the fascinating, late, great, fashion columnist and editor, Diana Vreeland, and so I close with two we can play-fully apply to our choices in both fashion and friendships,

We all need a splash of bad taste – it’s hearty, it’s healthy, it’s physical. I think we could use more of it. No taste is what I’m against.

The best time to leave a party is when the party’s just beginning. There’s no drink that kills except the drink that you didn’t want to take, as the saying goes, and there’s no hour that kills except the hour you stayed after you wanted to go home.

46

Whitley Adkins HamlinWhitley Adkins Hamlin is a wardrobe stylist specializing in personal, editori-al and commercial work, and the author of the fashion blog, the Queen City Style (www.thequeencitystyle.com). The grand daughter and great grand-daughter of wardrobe stylists, Whitley has been exposed to, and collected, one of a kind wardrobe pieces since she was a young girl. As a result, Whitley both learned and taught herself the art of cultivating one of a kind looks she passes on to her clients. In her free time, Whitley is an avid runner who loves spending time with her husband and two young boys, cooking and entertain-ing and redecorating her house until there is nothing left to redecorate (which is never, ha!).

Open 7 days Monday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm

Sunday Noon-6 pm

(843) 808-38004721 Highway 17 Bypass South

Myrtle Beach, SC 29577Buy - Sell - Trade

www.vintiquesvenue.com

VintiquesAntique

&Variety Mall

47

BEETHOVEN’S NINTHCarolina Master Chorale, vocal soloists

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

TCHAIKOVSKY AND THE ROMANTIC SPIRITKen Olsen, cello soloist

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

P O P S S E R I E SMovie Music Spectacular:The Music of John WilliamsOCTOBER 18, 2014

“Back Home Again” A Tribute to John DenverAPRIL 11, 2015

SEASONTICKETSON SALE NOWGreat

Masterpieces,Masterfully

Performed843.448.8379www.LONGBAYSYMPHONY.com

MUSICAL POSTCARDSDaria Rabotkina, piano soloist

JANUARY 25, 2015

POMP & CIRCUMSTANCE:ENGLISH SPLENDOURJessica Lee, violin soloist

MARCH 8, 2015

Be sure to check out the current issue of the

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Special Offer 12 Issues for $24NameAddressCityState Zip

Send check or money order toSasee Distribution

PO Box 1389Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

48

The Accessory Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Atlantic House Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Barbara’s Fine Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Bio-Identical Hormones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Bistro 217 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Body & Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Boom Boom Wine Room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Bright Blue Sea Bookshelf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Brookgreen Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Cabana Gauze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Carolina Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

CHD Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

The Citizens Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Clock Tower Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Coastal Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

C . R . H . Interior Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Cuckoo’s Nest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

David Grabeman, D .D .S ., P .A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Dr . Sattele’s Rapid Weight Loss & Esthetic Centers . . 15

Doodlebugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Downtown Pawleys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Eleanor Pitts Fine Gifts & Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Fabric Emporium of Garden City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Flamingo Porch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Gallery of Oriental Rugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Grady’s Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

The Harbor Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Heartfelt Calling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Homespun Crafters Mall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Hot Fish Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Imaginations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Island Breeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

The Joggling Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Just Because IYQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

The Kangaroo Pouch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Katies Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Advertiser Index

Over 6,000 books distributed.Books will go on blue bookshelves in the community,

available free for families to select and keep.The Bright Blue Sea Bookshelf is a Voices for Children project

designed to create a culture of literacy in our community.

Givegently used children’s

Booksfor the

BOOKSHELFB R I G H T B L U E S E A

For more info, please call Cassandra Jackson at 843-520-0875

Begin Again

September

49

La Festa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Lakeside at Sanfords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Largest Garage Sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Legacy Antiques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Litchfield Dance Arts Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Long Bay Symphony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Mad Hatter and Company, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Making Change Consignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

McLeod Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Me & Mommy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Mercy Care Hospice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Millie’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Morningside of Georgetown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Palmetto Ace Home Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Pawleys Island Festival of Music & Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

The Pink Cabana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Prince George Framing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Pure Palmetto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Rice Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Rose Arbor Fabrics & Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

St . Somewhere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Sea Island Trading Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Seaside Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Seven Seas Seafood Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Shades & Draperies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Shop the Avenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Simply Divine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Simply Sophia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

The Sly Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Something Old Something New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

South Atlantic Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Studio 77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Sunset River Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Swamp Fox Art Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Take 2 Resale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Taylor’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Taz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

The Thinking Monkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Two Sisters with Southern Charm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Vintiques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

WEZV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

843-651-9570Located in THE MARKET next to Food Lion • 752 Mink Avenue, Murrells Inlet

Monday - Saturday 9 - 5

Where our unique treasures will tickle you pink!

Furniture & Home Décor Consignments

Local’s Best kept SecretNew & Consigned

Home DecorBeautiful

pristine Condition Consigned Furniture

Arriving DailyAll Upholstery Steam Cleaned On Site

it’s that front porch feeling in a fun & friendly shop.

Lots of Jewelry &UNIQUE GIFTSJust Arrived!

Enjoy complimentary iced tea & cookies while you shop.

843-238-3622w

ww

.homespuncrafters.com

114-A Hwy. 17 N.Surfside Shopping CenterSurfside Beach, SC 29575

Mon - Fri: 9 am to 6 pmSat: 10 am to 5 pm • Sun: 1 pm to 5 pm

Vendor Space Available

AntiquesAvon

Baby & Toddler Boutique Collectibles

Country DecorFabrics + Notions

GlasswareHandbags

JewelryUnique Handmade Crafts

Vintage ItemsWood Products

WoodWick Candles

Follow us on

843-651-1365 • 2144 Hwy 17 S. Business, Garden City • FabricEmporiumSC.com

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50

1 2August

2014

1-29 1-29 1-31 1-9/14

4-18 6-27 7-28 7-28

8 14 15 29-30

Ocean Isle Concert Series, Fridays, 6:30-8 pm, Museum of Coastal Carolina parking lot, E. Second St., Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. For more info, call 910-579-6030.

Fireworks Extravanganza, Fridays, 10 pm, Lake Broadway, Broadway at the Beach. For more info, call 800-386-4662 or visit www.broadwayatthebeach.com

Ingram Planetarium Laser Light Shows, laser light display set to classic rock music, Thurs., Fri, Sat., 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm each night, $8 adults, $7 seniors, $6 children 3-12. 7625 High Market St., Sunset Beach, NC. For more info, call 910-575-0033 or visit museumplanetarium.org.

Claire Farrell: A is for Art, 26 unique works of art employing a variety of printmaking tech-niques, Art Museum of Myrtle Beach, 3100 S. Ocean Blvd. For more info, call 843-238-2510 or visit www.myrtlebeachartmuseum.org.

Marsh Walk Monday Night Lights, a Summer Firework Series, Mondays, 9 pm, Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk, Hwy 17 Business. For more info, call 843-497-3450 or visit www.hammockcoastsc.com.

Coastal Birding, 10-11am, Wednesdays, Huntington Beach State Park, bring binoculars and field guide. For more information, call 843-235-8755.

Music on Main Concert Series, Thursdays, Main St., North Myrtle Beach, 7-9 pm. For more info, call 843-280-5570 or visit www.nmbevents.com.

Music on the Green, Thursdays, 7-10 pm, Valor Park, Market Common. For more info, call 843-839-3500 or visit www.marketcommonmb.com.

Carolina Master Chorale, 7 pm, Brookgreen Gardens’ Cool Summer Evenings, free with gar-den admission. For more info, call 843-235-6000 or visit www.brookgreen.org.

Music in the Park, Francis Marion Park, Georgetown, 5:30-9 pm, free. For more info, visit www.hammockcoastsc.com.

Moveable Feast, Kim Boykin discusses Palmetto Moon, 11 am, Café Piccolo, $25. For more info, call 843-235-9600 or visit www.classatpawleys.com.

Beach Boogie and BBQ Festival, Market Common. For more info, call 843-626-7444, or visit www.visitmyrtlebeach.com.

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Clocktower DistrictFront & Screven Streets • Georgetown, South Carolina

Original oils, Susan Lumpkin Ceramics, custom glassware, enamelware, Caspari,

Nest fragrances, K.Hall triple milled soaps, lighting, bar ware and much more!

843-520-5852 629 Front Street, Georgetown

Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 12-4

Unusual Low Country gifts for Her, Him, Home!

BOOKSGIFTS

LOCAL ART& TOYS

Locally Owned Independent Book Store843-546-8212 • 105 Screven Street, Georgetown

712 Front St., Historic Georgetown, SC • 843-527-0070M-S 11-5 • Sun. 12-4 • www.slyfoxgeorgetown.com

Classic ladies apparel, handbags & jewelry.

Jude Connally, Susan Shaw, Mudpie, Escapada and more…

Custom Embroidery & EngravingSpartina • Vera BradleyScout Bags • Boat Bags

Adams Caps • Ella Vickers BagsRe-Sail Bags • Waxing Poetic Charms

Code Flag Decals • Cottonway ApparelCape Fear Sportswear

Mod-O-Doc CasualwearWhite Wing Leathergoods

714 Front StreetHistoric Georgetown, SC 29440

theharborshop@gmail.com • 843-520-4999Monday - Saturday 11-6

718 Front Street, Georgetown843-527-8413

Prince George Framinga n d G a l l e r y

Artist WitzelCustom Framing • Original Prints • Posters

Local Artist Works

McLeod OB/GYN Seacoast is committed to attracting highly skilled and experienced physicians to enhance

and grow our services to the women in our community. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Joycelyn Schindler

to the team of Dr. Chris McCauley and Dr. Merritt King in providing compassionate care to women

throughout the many stages of their lives. We provide a wide range of services including:

Dr. Schindler is accepting new patients in both the Little River and Loris offices. Call today to make an appointment.

• Urinary Gynecology• Laproscopic Techniques

• General OB/GYN care• Prenatal Care and Testing

• Incontinence • Pelvic Organ Prolapse

• Menopause Treatment• Infertility

McLEOD OB/GYN SEACOAST Dr. Merritt H. King, III, Dr. Chris S. McCauley, Dr. Joycelyn Schindler

3890 Hwy 9 E, Suite 110, Little River, SC 29566 843-399-3100

3617 Casey Street, Loris, SC 29569 843-756-7090 McLeodPhysicians.org

McLeodPhysician Associates

“OB/GYN combines my passions for primary care and surgery. This specialty and this practice are the perfect choices for me.”

Dr. Joycelyn Schindler

New Physician Joins Our Practice to Provide the Best in Women’s Care.

McLeod OB/GYN Seacoast Welcomes Dr. Joycelyn Schindler

52204-DrSchindlerSasee 9x10.125.indd 1 7/18/14 2:05 PM