Summertime

One of the favorite "rites" of summer at our house involves squash.....yes, squash. We have a local restaurant that offers delicious fried squash year round. Truly a Southern delicacy, this fried squash is as addictive as any potato chip (or worse) you will ever find. (Is it healthier with a veggie inside?)

Not to be outdone, my husband took to a fry daddy (yes, a fry daddy) in the back yard to produce his own version of, you guessed it, fried squash. Breaded in corn meal and deep fried until crispy crunchy, these home made squashes (what IS the plural of squash?) are unbelievable! And, just to make it all a little more unhealthy, we pull up a cooler of beer and the patio chairs, and partake to our hearts' content as these amazing hot nibbles come out of the fryer. And I find myself wondering why those size 6 jeans don't fit like they once did......

Catch a summer night with a slight breeze, add our shady backyard, and fresh deep fried local squash.....it's a recipe for contentment....and what is that I hear as we finish up? Yes, the ice cream truck is making its rounds. Should I?

Truly In"dee"pendent!

This Fourth of July, my family and I opted for a holiday of the more quiet, staying at home variety. With vacation coming up in August and a fairly busy work schedule, getting away this year for Independence Day just wasn't to be. But last July 4th brought one of the most surreal moments in my recent memory. In July 2009, we took an opportunity to hit the Carolina Coast for a few days. On the evening of the 4th, after a wonderful dinner, my children and I (Daddy did not want to go....perhaps too many beers during the day) made the short trek to the ocean's edge. We carelessly tossed a beach towel on the sand, plopped down with our full tummies and slightly sleepy eyes, kicked off our flops, and settled in for a fantastic southern fireworks show. Ocean Annie's had a quirky blend of beach, Buffett and patriotic music blaring. Someone had brought their near frenzied lab. The fireworks, like the moment, seemed choreographed, although most probably they were not. Incredible splashes of red and blue and silver and white lit the beautiful Carolina sky. Loud pops were followed by breathtaking sprays of pastel and primary design. The colors danced softly in the shimmering ocean. I looked over at my spellbound children and could see the fireworks reflecting in their eyes. I remember thinking that this not so favorite of holidays was in that moment becoming a new favorite of mine. The crowds of summer, the sometimes unbearable heat of July in the South, the upwardly spiralling cost of travelling all melted away. I knew in that moment I was where I was meant to be. I thought of September 11. I thought of the amazing times and cherished memories my children have brought me. I thought of John Kennedy. I thought of the incredible natural beauty and resources of South Carolina that we who live here so casually take for granted. I thought of the niece I had recently lost and felt her there with us. I felt tears. Tears of patriotism, tears of awe, tears of loss, tears of love for my son and my daughter, tears of hope for their futures. Looking back now, I think of a line from a new Keith Urban song, "the Fourth of July never burned so brightly...." Wish I had those fitting words then. Some moments are plain and simply meant to be. I didn't want this one to end.

They Did It!

The University of South Carolina Gamecocks are NCAA Baseball Champions. And they deserve it. Watching their games as a "non-Gamecock", I could not help but notice that there was something very special, very different, very intriguing about this team. They simply refused to lose. Whether down to a last strike or needing a clutch play in the field, Carolina did what had to be done. They were on the ropes in their home regional and fought back to take it. They could have easily been eliminated at the Coastal Carolina Super Regional and saved themselves with a clutch hit. They lost their first game in Omaha, putting them in the brutal "losers bracket." But they promptly eliminated Oklahoma and Clemson to make the Finals. And there would be no stopping them there. Pitching was great. Hitting was there when needed. Defense was good. But in my humble opinion, pitching, hitting, and defense are not why Carolina celebrates a national championship today. There was just something......was it the tragic death of young Bayler? Or maybe the seances or spirit stick? Was it Jackie Bradley, Jr? Or was it simply that they had the most heart of anyone in the tournament? They had some luck....you must have a few "duck snorts" as Coach Tanner said to win a championship. Are they the best team in college baseball? Are they even the best team in the SEC? Are they the best team in the state of South Carolina? Does it matter? They were the best team in America in the month of June, 2010, and they deserve to be called champions, "dee"-finitively.

Dee Definitely on SC Sports

In South Carolina, there is absolutely, positively no in-between. You are Gamecock. You are Tiger. You are neither "neither" nor "both." Usually your persuasion is "dee"-termined at birth. Actually, in all but the rarest of cases, your persuasion is pre-"dee"termined! How is it that such a small state can feed and fuel such a rowdy rivalry for decades, indeed over a century? Here, where your blood runneth orange or you bleed garnet, in this chaotic rivalry of glorious memories and ugly moments, it is Frank Howard and Danny Ford, John Heisman and Steve Spurrier and the legendary sports figures who dot its history. This rivalry transcends sports. These two could meet in tiddlywinks, and to South Carolinians, it would be a monumental event.

So, against this backdrop, these most bitter of rivals left South Carolina, taking differing paths but both eventually arriving half-way across the country to twice meet and do battle on the hallowed field of Rosenblatt in the College World Series. They battled with dignity. They battled with heart. New legends will be written with names like Bradley, Jr. and Roth.

Twice the Gamecocks prevailed. Twice, they showed superior skill and determination as they won the right to tangle with a Bear. And Clemson fans will count the days until a Thanksgiving tussle in the Valley.....

Why Dee?

Often faced with life altering, world changing decisions, I was confronted with another recently...what should my future grandchildren and present step grandchildren call me. As a young "ish", hip "ish", cool "ish" kind of girl, I needed a name that said me. My mother had requested "Grandmommy" or "Grandmother" when her grandchildren began arriving, then found herself wondering why all were calling the grandfatherly counterpart "Pop" before they formulated the mouthful that was "Grandmother." Like my mother, though, somehow Granny or Gamma or Grandma or Nana just didn't seem to fit. I know a cool grandmother whose grands call her Kiki. Fabulous, isn't it? So sad that one was taken. My sister wishes to be called the quite elegant "Anna" (pronounced Ahhhh-na) by her future grandchildren, after my newly speaking children somehow morphed "Aunt" and "Diane" into Anna. They gave away a great one, didn't they?

After sleepless nights and endless consternation, I think I have chosen the no-nonsense, easily articulated, kind of funky Dee. I hope it fits......

Hi, and welcome to my adventure in blogging. I will learn as I go. I suppose as a first step, I should assess where I am. At this point, what do I know for sure? I know that my twelve year old probably surpasses my computer savvy one hundred times over. I know that I am not sure where this adventure will lead. But,I know that, on some level, I am a writer. Writing soothes me, engages me, inspires me. Writing is me. So I must be unequivocably, undeniably, unquestionably qualified to blog, right?


I will blog about what I see. I will blog about what I think. I will blog when I have something to share. I hope you will do the same.