THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS VOLUME 72 • NUMBER 5 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 584,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033 Tel: (803) 926-3175 Fax: (803) 796-6064 Email: [email protected] EDITOR Keith Phillips Tel: (803) 739-3040 Email: [email protected] FIELD EDITOR Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR Travis Ward ART DIRECTOR Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER Susan Collins PRODUCTION Andrew Chapman WEB EDITOR Chase Toler COPY EDITOR L. Kim Welborn CONTRIBUTORS Jayne Cannon, Mike Couick, Derrill Holley, Jan A. Igoe, L.A. Jackson, Thomas Kirk, Diane Veto Parham, Sydney Patterson, Susan Hill Smith, Belinda Smith-Sullivan, Libby Swope Wiersema PUBLISHER Lou Green ADVERTISING Mary Watts Tel: (803) 739-5074 Email: [email protected] NATIONAL REPRESENTATION American MainStreet Publications Tel: (800) 626-1181 Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication. If you encounter a di culty with an advertisement, inform the Editor. ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send to your local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above. Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing o ces. ©COPYRIGHT 2018. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without permission of the Editor. SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-pro t electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s—and America’s—largest utility network. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS: $5.72 members, $8 nonmembers Member of the AMP network reaching more than 9 million homes and businesses 2018 |may 14 Energy upgrades for a happier home Boost your family’s comfort and cut energy use on your next home improvement project. 4 CO-OP NEWS Updates from your cooperative 14 6 AGENDA South Carolina’s electric cooperatives demonstrate their concern for community by supporting continuing education for teachers and science competitions for students. 10 DIALOGUE Even shepherds need a break Caring for an ailing loved one takes a toll on the body and spirit. Mepkin Abbey’s caregiver retreats o er a chance to rest and recharge. 12 SMART CHOICE Marvelous Mom Show Mom how much you love her with one of these mother-approved gifts. 21 STORIES Smart moves At age 17, Kira Adkins is bypassing the traditional college experience to make history at the Medical University of South Carolina. 22 TRAVELS Touch the wild Head to Myrtle Beach for an exotic animal safari that doesn’t require a passport or 80,000 frequent yer miles. 28 RECIPE Diner delights Delicious, simple and timeless—all-American diner food is the ultimate feel-good eating experience. Chef Belinda shows you how to make your favorites at home. 30 CHEF’S CHOICE A taste of Darlington Take the freshest locally grown vegetables, cook according to old Southern recipes and serve in a historic home. That’s the recipe for success at Darlington’s South of Pearl restaurant. 32 GARDENER Don’t fear the fairy rings Our gardening wizard o ers sound advice for dealing with the seasonal outbreak of mushroom circles known as fairy rings. 34 MARKETPLACE 36 CALENDAR 38 HUMOR ME Not your mama’s manners Thanks to YouTube, bad table manners have never been more prevalent—or pro table. 30 ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID CLARK; TIGER PHOTO BY MATT SILFER; SOUTH OF PEARL PHOTO BY JEFF SMITH Make your house happy Smart energy upgrades can pay big dividends in the form of a more comfortable home and lower energy bills. Illustration by David Clark. Home improvement projects that save energy SC TRAVELS Tigers at the beach SC RECIPE Diner favorites 22 MAY 2018