Living Rural

Twenty miles is not far in today’s ‘global society’, until you realize with gas at $4 a gallon and a vehicle that has a 12-14 gallon tank, that you will spend $48 for each full tank and average 28-31 miles per gallon  giving you 7.8 round trips from your house to “town” on one fill-up …

Add the soaring heat to the mix …

And most folks in the ‘country’ will be staying home enjoying the air conditioning!

Tourism is in for a long, hot, dry, quiet summer … to bad, too - lots of really ‘cool’ places to visit here in the rural part of SC.

Yep, it will take at least one of those “$100″ bills to fill up most autos this July 4th for that holiday trip, but it will be worth it - especially if you are coming to South Carolina!

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

Beautiful isn’t it? This is what can be seen as you drive through South Carolina at this time of year in many areas. The drive, even with the price of gas is worth it. Put South Carolina on your list of places to visit - you will not regret it!

I have had computer problems, posting problems, and this site in a non-accessible state with the lose of three drafts/posts which is the reason for my absence - all not in my control. I have been told the problems have been solved … I hope so. The most upsetting has been the lose of written drafts … time, effort, creativity lost.

Oops, I did not mean to go off on a rant.

I wanted all the readers to see the beautiful landscapes to be found around my state now and give an invitation to visit. Tourism everywhere is suffering because of gas prices, our economy, and money needs elsewhere, but in this stressful time is the best time to take a moment and “see the sights” and then, “breathe” … when you return home - you will be amazed at the difference in your outlook after a break from the routine of your life.

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!” % )

the PEE DEE and the GRAND STRAND.

The summer is definitely coming. The attractions and cool stuff is getting ready for Memorial Day, for sure.

The Bikers on Harley Davidson’s are enjoying the beach, and more, during the Myrtle Beach Spring Bikers Rally through May 18th. Traffic is traffic, traffic, traffic, in other words, it is everywhere. Drive safely, please. Bikers remember to wear your helmet, riders, too!

Two events in our area this weekend promise to be real crowd please-rs! The Annual Blue Crab Festival in Little River, SC. The Blue Crab Festival features quality “art and crafts” with lots of Coastal Carolina Country Cuisine. Many recipes feature the famous Low Country Blue Crab. The beautiful “walk about” setting in Little River, SC is a “scenic fishing dock” on the Inter-coastal Waterway.

The second event, May FLY, in Florence at Florence Regional Airport (I think) on Saturday. The weather is supposed to be wonderful for both events.

And in Marion, SC, on Saturday is the Foxtrot Festival with a parade at 10 AM and Street Dance between 7 PM and 10 PM.

Oops! You just missed McCain’s fund-raiser on May 9 in Columbia, SC at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. It was price-y$. Patron tickets - $2300 and general reception a mere $1000! Thus far, McCain has raised $60,594 in South Carolina through March, 2008, if I understood the wording in the article.

Back to the Grand Strand …

As mentioned earlier, the Harley Davidson Bike Rally during Myrtle Beach Bike Week until May 18 is a huge event, not to be missed, if you are a “Biker” or a lover of fun and excitement!

Good Vibrations! is a kid friendly show running until October featuring a virtual tour of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s at The Carolina Opry. Check it out at www.TheCarolinaOpry.com

LeGrande Cirque, at the Palace Theatre is for all ages and is Spellbinding! It runs until the end of December. Shows are Monday through Saturday at 8 PM; Wednesday at 10 AM; Thursday at 2 PM. Find out more at www.Palacetheatremyrtlebeach.com

One the Show is kid friendly at the Alabama Theatre through October 24, 2008 and the kids are free Monday, Wednesday, Saturday at 7:30 PM. Look here for all the details at www.alabama-theatre.com

Legends In Concert featuring “five legends” is here until October 31, 2008. Check for details at www.legendsinconcert.com/locations/myrtle-beach/

For ART Lovers …

Art Exhibit: “People Reading: Selections from the Oresman’s collection” is 60 works of art featuring “people reading” through October 5, 2008 at 3100 S. Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Get the details here www.MyrtleBeachArtMuseum.org

The Artist of the Month exhibit features photography of Suzanne Goff’s “Flower Power” until May 30, 2008 at 532 Broadway Street, Myrtle Beach, SC from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM. A good family outing! We were not able to get any photography by Ms. Goff. Luckily my niece, Gwen, in Florida is allowing the debut of her latest art piece. Thanks, Gwen!
UP COMING:

Sun Fun Festival, June 5 - 9, 2008

Tickets to EVERYTHING at http://www.ticketsnow.com

WOW, lots of choices for some good old Southern FUN! Hope to see you at all of them!

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

The much anticipated  HARD ROCK PARK  is officially opening today, Friday, May 9 in MyrtleBeach, SC. This is the world’s first rock ‘n’ roll theme park on 55-acres with 50 attractions for all ages. ‘It is all about the experience – where rock comes to play.’  A huge success with the pre-opening crowds of the past several days helping to check that all systems were on GO … HRP passed with flying colors.

            Season passes are available. Check out prices, entertainment scheduled, and availability here. 

Fans are pouring into Darlington, SC for the big RACE on Saturday, May 10, the Dodge Challenger 500 NASCAR SPIRIT CUP Series, 367 laps, 501.3 miles. To warm the fans up, the racecars, the drivers on the new surface at the famous track will be the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 NASCAR SPIRIT CUP Series Race, 147 laps, and 200.3 miles on Friday night, May 9, 2008. *  Race fans will pour $millions$ into the small southern town and surrounding area, the PEE DEE, over this race weekend. Especially advantageous with the rise in gas prices and the slump in our economy, welcome Race fans!

 And for BIKERS and fans … today is the start of the annual Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Week, May 9 – 18, 2008, with thousands and thousands expected to descend upon the Grand Strand for “Jack Daniels’ CRUISIN’ the COAST Spring Bike Rally. Traffic will be a nightmare for the locals, but tolerated, grin, as the $mullah$ pours in to local restaurants, hotels & motels, shopping venues and entertainment scheduled! WTG, HARLEY DAVIDSON!

What fun this weekend and next week in South Carolina!

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!” 

*Due to problems today with our server at 451Press, this event will be over by this posting. I apologize for any problem this might cause.

In South Carolina!

It happened quietly around midnight last night. The upper part of the state was expecting the lovely, white stuff, but not in the Pee Dee area, closer to the coast … well, mother nature said, “Snow in the Pee Dee!” and it did.

It was not much, enough to cover everything in white and then the rain started and the wonderful white stuff was gone!

SNOW, South Carolina, Pee Dee area, winter

This is a first for Myrtle Beach, SC and the entire resort town and surrounding beach towns are going above and beyond to make this memorable event go smoothly. The MB Convention Center were the debates will be held is making last minute preparations for tonight’s debate. Our local ABC affiliate will be covering it on their news shows.

Yes, it is a huge sand sculpture of the faces of the candidates debating tonight! Only in the SOUTH!

FOX News will have the debates beginning at 9:00 pm. You Decide 08! » Home

Please watch. We will be watching, too! Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ here!”

politics, Republicans, debate, Myrtle Beach, SC, tourism, sand sculpture, MB Chamber of Commerce, government, Elections, You Decide 2008, WPDE TV News

Read about the opening: HERE

and see it: HERE

Our new Library opened last week. It is a beautiful building, a tribute to former mayor and personal friend, Dozier M. Munn who was instrumental in the possibility of this wonderful addition to our small rural town. It is a smaller version of the main Library in Florence. The Library has always been a vital part of Pamplico, though the other was a small building, the young people came in the afternoons to make use of a quiet space to study and to have access to the Internet. “The Library Lady”, Mrs. Poppie Munn, has been the gatekeeper at the Library for many years; she says she is retiring and certainly is entitled to do this - a favorite who will be missed, but wished well on a wonderful retirement. It will be nice to display the many postcards she will send from her travels!

Florence County Library, Pamplico Library, retirement, travel

I left my rural home on Tuesday to fly to Boston … missed my flight by 30 minutes! One of the drawbacks of country living (twenty miles of country roads and then 40 miles with tourist traffic!) and really hard to explain to the very sick child waiting on you to arrive to offer some TLC.

That was 15 days ago. It was a frustrating, tiring flight experience going up to Portland, ME and returning to Myrtle Beach, SC. So much so, I have not been able to finish this post. You see, I started writing it on Sept. 5 and it’s now Sept. 13 and still can not put the miserable flight experiences in writing. My first writing of this trip will be to the airline that caused the problems. I hope they will offer to mend their ways and offer compensation for the inconveniences I was put through. After thinking about this, I will give them a chance to reply before finishing this post … keep checking in to see how this ends …

Oh, child is fine! She made it to her first day as a senior at MECA! TLC works every time!

Spirit Airlines, Portland ME, Myrtle Beach SC, airlines, flying, travel, Maine College of Art, MECA

Almost any city of size has a Lowe’s and/or The Home Depot. In SC alone we have 43 Lowe’s stores and 24 of The Home Depot stores. Why the nearest town of Florence has 2 Lowe’s stores and 1 of The Home Depot stores! My husband (one of the good ol’ boys) thinks these are fine for “city folk”, but shopping for the rural lifestyle as he says, “… has it’s own requirements.”

One of hubby’s favorite stores (besides the Bass Pro Super Store in Myrtle Beach) is the new Tractor Supply Company store in our area. TSC has everything needed for country living but groceries and beer! We shop for those items at our local small town IGA store. (Independent Grocers Association) TSC stores are “spreading like Kudzu” throughout rural regions in SC, 13 at last count. Oh, for those not familiar with the “Kudzu Vine”, we’ll explain that on another post.

TSC has a handout publication, OUT HERE, with great articles about living rural. The Summer 2007 issue features live concerts, shade gardens, earthworms, tonic in a teacup, therapy pets, Don Neagle, all-terrain vehicles, recipes, organizing your kitchen, preventing falls, wood carving, choosing a horse, care of tack, and crafts … whew, that’s a lazy afternoon of reading. Check them out at: www.myTSCstore.com/OutHere

Remember … TSC has something for everyone … hubby finally got me in the new store and I left with more than he did!

Lowe’s, Home Depot, Tractor Supply Company, Bass Pro Shop, IGA, agricultural supply products, Kudzu vine, SC, Myrtle Beach, Florence