What’s a little rain? Bluffton Village Festival shines through the soggy weather

The 39th annual Bluffton Village Festival was a soggy success.

It was the first time it has ever rained during this fabulous fete. In spite of that, it looked as though everyone was puddling through as best they could. Up at the College of Charleston, for the first time in almost 60 years, the graduation ceremony had to be moved inside because of the weather. So we were not alone in our plight, and we discovered that in spite of a bit of damp weather, the show must go on, and it did in a wonderful fashion. Next year we will celebrate four decades of fun in the heart of Old Town, so gentlemen and ladies get your “magic” on!

Exploring the beauty of the coast

The Georgia coast has so many special things to offer. “Naturalist 101” is a series that encourages coastal residents and those who visit to get out and discover the wonders that lie right under our noses. This nonprofit has gathered more than a dozen other groups that will offer monthly lectures that are free, and field trips on such varied topics as honey bees and long leaf pine trees. There will be a different coastal topic and theme each month..

The group will be in Savannah in June to learn more about bees at the Savannah Bee Company. The visit will take a tour of the company’s bee garden and warehouse on Wilmington Island.

The talks and trips will be held along the Georgia coast through November. This would be a wonderful family learning experience.

For more information and to sign up, go to www.onehundredmiles.org/naturalist101. This would also be interesting for those who visited the Mark Catesby exhibit at the Gibbes Museum in Charleston because, more than likely, Mr. Catesby, the English naturalist, traversed some of this territory several hundred years ago.

Getting to know Daufuskie

The charming Sallie Ann Robinson, a sixth generation native of Daufuskie Island, cookbook author and former student of Pat Conroy, has a treat for you.

The Sallie Ann Native Gullah Tour is offered on Daufuskie four times a week. The tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays in the morning and again in the afternoon. They last 2  1/2 hours and are great fun.

Sallie tells tales of her childhood and of Daufuskie Island’s past and present in a very unique style. Space is limited, and reservations are required.

To book a tour and for more information call May River Excursions at 843-304-2878 or email mayriverexcursions@gmail.com.

Book fights back against age

Filmmaker Sheila Nevins has written a very timely book called “You Don’t Look Your Age ... and Other Fairy Tales.”

Nevins is 78 years old and the president of HBO Documentary Films. She has overseen the making of over 1,000 documentaries and has won 31 Emmys in her four decades on the job. The book is a collection of short stories, essays and poems that give an overview of her life story and the cosmetic indignities of aging.

In her book, she holds nothing back about the hurdles in her life, especially as she has gotten older. She says that we need “old lady role models” because there are not many of them around. There is also an audiobook available that features chapter readings by Gloria Vanderbilt, Martha Stewart, Meryl Streep, RuPaul, Kathy Bates and Lily Tomlin.

If you think of ladies in Bluffton who should be celebrated “out loud” as a role models, maybe we should do something about that. Meanwhile you might want to read or listen to the book.

A sweet summer treat

I have a very quick way for you to make a summery treat.

You will need 5 cups of ripe, peeled, cut-up peaches. Freeze them and then add a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk; 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon almond extract.

Put everything in a sturdy blender and blend until there are no lumps (you’ll have to scrape down the sides while doing this).

Serve right away or put in the freezer. This is like making a smoothie. It makes 4 cups of bliss. And, you can use any fruit, but it must be frozen.

This story was originally published May 17, 2017 at 10:06 AM with the headline "What’s a little rain? Bluffton Village Festival shines through the soggy weather."