Taking a coconut cake with care to the South Carolina State Fair

My sister Catherine and I recently made our annual trip to Columbia, taking with us our "offering" to the judges at the South Carolina State Fair. This year we made a coconut cake. Although we have never won a ribbon we continue to muddle through the process in the hopes of being able to show off the prize for which we make the five-hour round trip. But regardless of how the judging goes, we think it's a treat just to be near the animals performing in the Big Top. Last year we saw a camel and a giraffe; this year we saw an adorable elephant being given a bath. We also found a really fabulous fabric store loaded with beautiful potential slipcover and curtain ideas. Call me and I'll tell you where it is. After a little antiquing and a quick lunch, we were on the road back to Bluffton.

• May River Montessori will hold a Fall Carnival for children during the Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday on the school grounds, 60 Calhoun St. Admission is $5, which will allow children to enjoy carnival games, shows by Yostie the puppeteer, face painting, puppet making, a hay maze and bounce houses. Parents must be present.

• The Technical College of the Lowcountry's Health Sciences Division invites you to an information session from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the New River Campus on U.S. 278. Attendees will also learn about the massage therapy program -- graduates of these programs are in great demand. TCL staff will be on hand to answer any questions. To learn more, call 843-525-8267 or go to www.tcl.edu/health.

• Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry needs volunteer tutors. Volunteer orientation sessions in Bluffton will be held Nov. 3 and Nov. 5 at the Bluffton Learning Center at 1-B Kittie's Landing Way. Call 843-681-6655 to learn more.

• October is Archaeology month in South Carolina. To mark the occasion, on Sunday afternoon Grace Cordial will present an "African-American Genealogy Workshop" from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Bluffton library. Reservations are required. Call 843-757-1537 for information.

• There was a great article in the Wall Street Journal in September about how to age in place. The article said that as we get older we start to care less about things like driving many miles to restaurants, preferring to walk to our favorite hangouts. Architects, developers and local officials are looking at ways to make suburban areas lifelong communities. In fact, I think one of the nicest local developments is Shell Hall on Buckwalter Parkway. It is nicely laid out and easily accessible by foot or bicycle. Shopping is nearby for food or drink and one does not have to hop in a car to get there. We certainly need more of these kinds of sidewalks and bike paths in our area.

Babbie Guscio is the social columnist for The Bluffton Packet. She can be reached at The Store on Calhoun Street.