December 2020 Issue

Celebrate with a Piece of Cake

Everyone knows that 2020 has not been a piece of cake, but perhaps one thing that could help us all in this difficult time IS a delicious piece of cake. As the holidays quickly grow near, it’s time to gather with loved ones and bring some cheer. Think about those memorable dishes and traditional recipes you made with your mother, father, sibling, or grandparent. What great moments to remember while creating something that brings comfort and happiness on a particular day! After a bit of turkey, dressings, ham, salad, or green bean casserole, let’s take a stroll to the dessert table. Just a piece of cake can make any celebration

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

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

Americana in Aiken

I drive down a beautiful Southern lane shaded by live oaks and arrive at a small 5 acre family farm. There are chickens, laying hens, in a pen in the front field, and bunnies in a bunny hutch next to the driveway. The setting is pure Americana. In the woods behind the house are a paddock of goats and another pen of “eating” chickens. I am here to learn the story of this family and how The Sharpener’s Edge came to be. Colleen grew up in Westchester County, New York, and trained as an CPA. Jim, an aircraft mechanic, is from Long Island. Jim’s aunt set them up on a

Aiken Bella PDF

Palmetto Bella PDF