Short Cut to Fun

Here it is! Click here for info on all the upcoming fun in Greenwood

Farmers' Market drama

NOTE: This post was found in drafts today, written August 8th.  Sorry to be out of order.

I finally got out to the Farmers' Market at the Civic Center on Saturday morning. Came home with a small seedless watermelon, 6 ears of corn, a Carolina Gold tomato and some goat cheese. Happy. Nice experience. Lots of room for improvement, but I enjoyed it. Chatted with a handbell friend. Talked to a goat farmer. Purchased everything from a different vendor.

The controversy about relocating the market to a downtown location will be renewed on the 22nd. Today's paper announced a public meeting to unveil the conceptual drawings and budget estimates. I am NOT going to that meeting.

Busy September

LOTS going on in my community this month.

This past weekend we had a fabulous memorial event centered around The Wall That Heals, the traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial.  It started last Tuesday with a motorcycle rally escorting the traveling wall into town.  The wall was set up Wednesday on the Lander University campus and opened to the public on Thursday.  I first visited Friday afternoon with my friend Kelley and her 5 children, ages 10-3.  We intended to see the Black Hawk helicopter on the hospital front lawn, but got a late start and missed it.  It was interesting to be at the wall with her children, who were very well-behaved and respectful but of course knew nothing about this history.

Saturday there was a 5K Patriot Run, a military parade at noon, and other events around town, including a huge bike rally and car show.  Sunday, the 11th, there was a wreath ceremony at the wall, a ceremony recognizing veterans, police, fire and first responders like those who served and died ten years ago on September 11th, 2001.  The ceremony included the first Greenwood Hall of Heroes induction, which honored among others three men we have known personally - Senator John Drummond, Representative Marion Carnell, and Fuji co-worker Bill Arnett.

Alan and I visited the Wall just after the ceremony.  Sunday evening the weather was beautiful and graced by a full white moon.

There was also a concert Thursday night, a play about 9/11 at the community theatre this weekend, and a candlelight vigil at the wall Sunday night.

Thanks to everyone who helped put on this event to celebrate and remember those who pay the price for our freedom.

Coming up next, September 19-23, is Focus on Japan, part of Lander University’s Asian Initiative to open doors for student and faculty exchanges between Lander and colleges and universities in South Korea and China. The weeklong celebration will spotlight many aspects of Japanese life, education, business and culture, and Japan’s contributions to global development and also promote international goodwill and friendship among the people of Japan and the United States.  Activities include lectures on Japanese history and language; tea ceremonies; dance, martial arts and origami demonstrations; a fashion show; and more. There will also be an update on Japan’s recovery from the March earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands and caused widespread destruction.

Opening September 15th at the Greenwood Community Theatre is Mornings at Seven, a play about 4 aging sisters in a small Midwestern town in 1938 - "loony, dysfunctional, dorky families bring humor and heartfelt family love to the stage."

Finally this month, barely, is the third annual Click646, a photographic event to celebrate and promote the art of image making.

Fantastic

Enjoyed another great show at the Greenwood Community Theatre this past weekend - The Fantastiks.

Festival of Discovery

Or BBQ and Blues, which I think is a better name actually. Friday night our home group met Uptown Greenwood to take in the festivities. I can't accurately describe this event. BBQ "teams" come from all around the country to compete in a cookoff in various categories. Apparently if you are into it, there is quite a circuit, and our local event is "sanctioned" by some Kansas City BBQ group and this festival is part of their official "tour." What all that means, I can't imagine.

Anyway, what the 11 of us experienced was kind of like a huge tailgate, with trailer, tents, and cookers all in the streets and parking lots, with banners flying and all manner of foodstuffs frying. Yes, we are in the South, where 60% of the population is obese, or at least overweight.

It seemed like there were about 50 "teams" but I could be WAY off on that either way. The smoke and smell obscured my ability to take in the whole festival. The weather was as pleasant as we could have hoped for this time of year, but that was because it was overcast, and we had a thunderstorm at 8:30 that drove our group into our cars and off to Red Lobster. Yes, most of us had already eaten BBQ, but we just ate again.

I saw the stage area and heard a bit of the live music, but didn't really get into that part of the festival. There was also an arts & crafts fair on the other side of Main Street (the widest in the world, by the way) but we didn't get over there. We didn't get back up there Saturday between 11 & 6, but I heard it was PACKED and HOT.

Oh, also there was a disgusting contest won by a 303 lb "professional eater" from Atlanta who consumed something like 25 hot dogs in record time. Or something. I'm not sure I've eaten 25 hot dogs total in my whole life. And see, not all obese people are in South Carolina.

Still, it was nice to have a well attended event in town to entertain the folks. Not QUITE as redneck as the Catfish Feastival in Ware Shoals on Memorial Day, but some good people watching was available for the patient. Sorry, no photos.

Festival of Flowers

Greenwood's springtime spectacular is the Festival of Flowers, a monthlong event celebrating flowers and anything else you want. This year I started off at the Greenwood Festival Chorale concert on June 7th. I missed the Wine Walk that first weekend, off farm touring with the in-laws. Last weekend my tandem rode in the Bee Buzzin' bike tour Saturday morning and then my sister accompanied me to the afternoon matinee of Hairspray at the community theatre. There is always a big musical during the Festival and this was a good one. This coming weekend I plan to take in the Arts & Crafts show, maybe the photography exhibit, garden tours and a visit to Park Seed for the trial gardens and a presentation on unique veggies.

There is truly something for everyone during the Festival. It's a great time to be in Greenwood!

Produce stand

The coolest new thing in Greenwood this week is the new farmer's market/produce stand that has opened downtown.

I am excited about fresh food, more availability, and meeting the growers. First day I bought peaches and snow peas. If I knew what to do with kale, I would have bought some.

There is a fairly big controversy about relocating the current farmer's market on Wednesdays and Saturdays from the old Civic Center area to uptown Greenwood. I'm not sure which side of that I'm on yet, but I do love the idea of MORE places to get local produce. The uptown location is fairly cramped already and hugs a busy/noisy train track.

The Saturday market opens June 4th, but it may be the 8th before I can check it out. Plus I've heard you have to get there early, and I'm not much for 7 or 8 a.m. on a Saturday. We'll see.

Historic

Today I did something historic. I was a part of the crowd attending the dedication of a historic site honoring Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, Greenwood County native. If you don't know him, and I didn't until recently, check this out.

Wisteria, Dogwoods & Crepe Murder

Spring has sprung in Greenwood! Which means it is allergy season, but if you can see and breathe, you'll notice we are having a most beautiful spring. Wisteria covers trees like purple kudzu. The dogwoods bloomed overnight. People are trimming the crepe myrtles into stubs, but in a few weeks they will bolt and by July be full of new blooms. A duck laid an egg on our lawn.

Basketball

By the way, we did catch a Lander women's basketball game, the first round of the PeachBelt conference tourney. Lander handily beat UNC Penbroke, but went on to lose in the second round in a stunner to a 4 seed. The other #1 seed also lost, but both play on now in the NCAA Division II brackets.

Biking in Greenwood

I can't believe I haven't already blogged about how great the bike community in Greenwood is. Alan is a regular on the Tuesday night ride in the woods at Parson's Mountain, and we have already enjoyed several Saturday "Fountain" rides this year. Those meet at the fountain in Uptown Greenwood on Saturdays at 10, or after time changes Sunday, at 9. Depending on the weather, who is there and how long folks want to ride, it is usually one or two groups, 20-40 miles. We've been on a 40+ mile adventure to the border with both McCormick and Abbeville counties. Plus some 30+ mile adventures around Ninety Six, including a pitstop at the National Historic Site. There are Sunday afternoon rides too, usually at 2 or 3 from the adorable gazebo in Hodges. Looking forward to catching one of those rides, but my captain is usually riding in the woods on Sunday afternoons if the weather permits.

Word is the new county master plan "encourages bike and pedestrian traffic." We'll see what that means, if anything.

Chili's

Several weeks ago we ate at the local Chili's restaurant and met Kayla. She is a Lander college student who works as a server on Wednesday and Saturday nights. We like the Chili's menu, but we have eaten there more often in the last month than we likely would have if we hadn't befriended Kayla. If we start out on a Wednesday or Saturday night, it's "are we going to see Kayla?" Usually yes. Now that is the kind of server the restaurant industry needs more of, those who inspire loyality in customers. Great job, Kayla!

Lander Women's Basketball

I didn't make it to a game this season, and I'm disappointed in myself about that.

For most of the season, our local college's women's basketball team was undefeated and ranked #1 IN THE COUNTRY in Division 2. They ended the season yesterday with a 104-46 home victory and only 2 losses on the season.

They also wore pink jerseys yesterday as a breast cancer awareness promo.

Great job Lady Bearcats!

Community Theatre

Friday night we decided, kind of at the last minute, to take in the Greenwood Community Theatre production of Guys & Dolls. My experience with GCT in the past is that they put on good shows. This one did not disappoint. The show closes today, and I'm glad we went.

As I told Alan on the way out, this is the kind of thing I want to have in the town where I live, so we'd better get out and support it.

Winter Blues

Except for the snow, it's been typical, sucky SC winter weather lately and we are sick of it and ready for warm weather. "We" refers to the ladies in my 1:30 swim class at the Y. Thankfully we dodged the latest winter storm that socked in most of the rest of the country, including Dallas for the SuperBowl.

Between storms we did a little more environmental work, cleaning trash out of the pond behind the house. The ducks have been fun to watch, especially the hooded mergansers. Alan likes how they dive and pop up in unexpected places. I personally like their "mohawk" hoods.

Word is the bridge across town, on Cambridge, will be finished next month - 4 maybe 5 more weeks. I can hardly wait. That is the route I want to take about 50% of the time.

I've been back to bells twice and enjoyed it immensely. I like the music we are playing this semester, and I like the challenge of playing in a different spot each week. During our big snowstorm two ringers were injured. One broke her pelvis and is out for this semester; the other broke her wrist, which makes her a one handed ringer.

THUMP last published Nov 29th, but the website says THUMP 2.0 is coming Feb 14th. I have missed it and am looking forward to the new 'do.

6+ inches of snow

Criticize how Southerners react to snow all you want but it is GREAT when we get a surprise holiday from work and school and are told by the authorities to stay in the house with our loved ones. Most of the time our culture drives us at a fast pace away from home and hearth. We all want more time with those we love. What a terrific gift a snow day really is.

More than 6 inches today in Greenwood, strangely dry this morning like Western snow. But the sleet started about noon so we abandoned making snow angels in the dry powder and turned to making snowballs and snowmen with the packed powder.

The Heritage Trail

When I moved to Greenwood the first time in late 1999 the Heritage Trail was a year old and improvements were still being made. It was a gem, and I enjoyed it many times, walking and biking 2.5 miles from Uptown to the south edge of town, through neigborhoods old and new, with view of fields, forests, industry, and creeks.

Also new while I lived here was West Cambridge Park, an area transformed from inner city train yard to neighborhood playground and walking trail.

I have been wanting to check them out again since I moved back to town, but it's been getting colder and darker every day and I haven't made the time. Finally Saturday my honey agreed to spend the morning exploring with me, despite the 15+ mph winds and temps around freezing. We bundled up and took the mtn bikes to the north end of the West Cambridge walking trail, at Waffle House on the bypass.

From there to the park was in amazingly good shape for a non-paved trail. It could use a bit of maintenance, and it is currently closed at the park for the bridge repair on Cambridge Avenue, but it has great potential when reopened. The views were more open than I've ever seen and we peeked at part of Greenwood we have never seen. Couldn't tell much about the new Lander sports complex from the back, but the trail should be a real asset to that recreation facility, although I do wonder what is up with the ditch FULL of broken concrete. Hope that isn't permanent.

From the park we took to the streets through Uptown to The Heritage Trail on South Main Street. 2.5 miles later we were at Florida Avenue and I was impressed with how well that paved trail has held up over the years. It would use a little maintenance, but by and large has held up well for a 12 year old trail. I really appreciate both community assets and hope for more. I want to live in a town that values good parks and trails.

Click here to view a map of our route