December 2020 Issue

Aiken Bella PDF

Palmetto Bella PDF

Aiken Bella PDF

Palmetto Bella PDF

Monthly Articles

Holidays and the Gathering Spirit | Palmetto Bella

Holidays and the Gathering Spirit

 Celebrations have social and emotional motivators Grandma Anderson made delicious meatballs with a secret ingredient called Rusk that is no longer found in stores. She taught my brothers and me to play Rook, which may explain why I still get the creeps when black birds soar overhead. Grandma Harper made prize-winning potato pancakes and stuffed cabbage. She taught us how to play pinochle and we would dance around the table if someone got what she called “a thousand aces.” My mamma was the most creative in the kitchen. She ventured away from traditional meat and potatoes and delighted us with recipes from our South American lifestyle. Gold Coast Stew served

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Just As I Am | Palmetto Bella

Just As I Am

“What am I here for and what’s my purpose?” It’s a question we have all asked ourselves. We feel like we have an idea of our direction until, suddenly, a detour, a distraction, a new path grabs our attention. As a musician and songwriter, I know this cycle all too well. An original song might be in the works and a vibe going until all of a sudden a new chord or a new word piques my interest and changes everything. I like to diversify my music; however, I have learned one of the best ways for musicians to stay on a solid yet expanding track is by knowing their

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To Keep Christmas Well | Palmetto Bella

To Keep Christmas Well

“…and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well …” It is among the closing lines from Charles Dickens’ classic story, “A Christmas Carol.” It may be one of the best remembered and most cherished sentences in the book. “To keep Christmas well,” I suspect, implies different things to each of us. But in the language of the day when this book was written, it meant to observe, or to honor, or to celebrate something. To actively remember. Perhaps in this year of rather lopsided “celebrations” — with their often double-edged experiences and wobbly sense of imbalance — I have found myself searching for

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OPEN - HANDED Generosity | Palmetto Bella

OPEN – HANDED Generosity

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across water to create many ripples.” MOTHER TERESA As we enter yet another month of the COVID-19 epidemic, I look around in wonder at the generosity I see in our community. Not only on the front lines in the ER, hospitals, police force, etc. but the dedicated service workers who continue to show up to keep a job, knowing they may be risking their own health as well as that of their families. What intrigues me the most is the generosity of those who daily continue to carry on the work of their churches and organizations manning the

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What Should I Do With My Money? | Palmetto Bella

What Should I Do With My Money?

The point is that every person’s situation is unique, and there is hardly ever a cookie cutter answer to the question, “What should I do with my money?” This is the question I hear just about every day of my life. It is an excellent question and can only be answered with another question. Some days the answers in life are simple and other days the complexity of life is beyond our imagination. The answer to this question is somewhere in between. It begins with a couple of simple questions. First of all, what is the purpose of the money you are referring to, and what is the time frame?

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‘Tis the Season to Prepare for Your New Year’s Job Hunt | Palmetto Bella

‘Tis the Season to Prepare for Your New Year’s Job Hunt

The holidays are a season of hope, but they should also be a season of preparation if you are thinking of changing jobs in the new year. According to Monster.com, January is the busiest month for job searches, although we typically see hirings begin to ramp up in February. We have found that when you apply for a job — as in, how soon you apply after the job is posted — can decide whether you get selected for an interview. That means you cannot wait until a job is posted to refine your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. We call these your personal brand, and we recommend you

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A CAUSE FOR Celebration | Palmetto Bella

A CAUSE FOR Celebration

Appalachians tend to be very independent and content with their lives. They live close to nature and have a deeply held belief in God. They are friendly, kind, and helpful to one another, and they take care of the needs of others. Appalachians also have a strong sense of what is right, and of what ought to be. When I was still working as a nurse, we lived in a small town in western North Carolina. The population was mostly poor and set in their ways. Because they did not take kindly to people from “outside,” it took a long time for me to make friends with our neighbors, who

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Gearing Up Your Health in the New Year | Palmetto Bella

Gearing Up Your Health in the New Year

2020 isn’t going to win any awards for the difficult and unpredictable year it’s been, with its controversial presidential election, pandemic, economic hardships, racial tensions, and widespread fear and uncertainty about health and quality of life going forward. Thousands have succumbed to a newfound virus called SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) that continues to elude medical doctors and scientists. Many of us found out that we aren’t as healthy as we thought and that we should have been taking better care of ourselves. Looking to the new year, what can we do to help our bodies become stronger and perhaps more resistant to the many pathogens out there? Perhaps

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Creativity and Business: Candace Cotterman Thibeault | Palmetto Bella

Creativity and Business: Candace Cotterman Thibeault

Artist Spotlight: Candace Cotterman Thibeault Balance between creativity and business is a rare quality in an artist, but Candace Cotterman Thibeault makes it appear natural and fun — just like her paintings. Intrigued by art since childhood, Thibeault’s talent was recognized by teachers and peers throughout her formative years in Gilbert, South Carolina. After completing high school, she left the small town to attend Capital University in Ohio, where she obtained a Fine Arts Degree plus degrees in Public Relations and Art Therapy. After college, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and purchased an art gallery and frame shop. Thibeault became a small business owner and operator while simultaneously pursuing a

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