July 2020 Issue

From the Kitchen of… The Publishers

For me nothing says summer like being outside ‘grillin.’ We thought we would take the recipe page just once more time before we hand it over to a sponsor, so we could share these great recipes we have been experimenting with. Let me be the first to admit I am very biased about some aspects of grilling. I am not a fan of propane. For me, if you ain’t using large chunk natural charcoal you are just using a stove outside. Also, let me be clear that when I say charcoal I DO NOT mean those preform chemical chunks you get in a bag that typically have some sort of

Our Experience: Greenville

Until recently, for one of those inexplicable reasons, Greenville was one of those places I always wanted to go but never did. As ridiculous as it sounds, perhaps it was because it seemed WAY up north to me. For the record, it is just over two hours from Aiken. Side note: one of the great things about our state is that even traveling from Charleston (another fantastic city of ours) to Greenville only takes about three hours. I am very disappointed I waited as long as I did. On my first visit, I instantly fell in love with the great city, and it was everything I was told it was.

Could This Gene Defect Be A Culprit In Teenage Depression?

Is your teenager experiencing normal teenage anxiety, depression, and moodiness or is there something to worry about? Genetics may be the underlying culprit for their abnormal behavior. Depression is one of the top health problems among teens, yet only 20% of teenagers ever receive help for teen depression. Left untreated, teen depression can lead to problems at home and school, drug abuse, self-loathing, and even thoughts of suicide. A growing body of research suggests that methylation gene defects (MTHFR) can play an important role in the susceptibility to depression. You may not have heard about MTHFR yet, but it is a major player in many aspects of physical and emotional

July Cabinet of Curiosities | Can You Can?

This month’s focus for Bella is “youth.” So, we thought we would tell y’all about the awesome Tomato Girls. Early in 1910, a 25-year-old rural Aiken County school teacher named Marie Cromer noticed a lack of organizations the local young ladies of her school could join. The young boys had several agricultural clubs to choose from, but the girls had none. Marie Cromer set out to change this by founding the Girls’ Tomato Club of Aiken County at the Talatha School. The club charged the young girls to grow and can 1/10th of an acre of tomatoes. Her goal was that the club members would “not learn simply how to

The “Do You Know” Quiz

To the younger, cooler generation(s), from a Gen Xer (once younger, maybe not so cool): Have you ever wondered what your parents, aunts, uncles or grandparents were like when they were your age? It is think that they have always been as they are right now, with their current size, shape, hair (or lack of hair), habits, and opinions. They can seem strong willed and not very flexible at times. They may not listen the way you want them to. They may be more focused on their problems than on how you are doing. It is very easy for parents and children to misunderstand each other and see events and

Palmetto Bella: Letter from the Publisher

There is a scene in the 1981 Burt Reynolds movie Paternity in which he talks about watching a certain kid ride a bike along the top of a fence without ever falling. When will he fall? When he learns about gravity, and when some schmuck tells him he can’t ride on top of the fence without falling. I was only 11 when this movie came out, but I remember being struck by the truth of that statement even then. One of my favorite books discusses the domestication of humans, how we usher children into adulthood by teaching them all the things they cannot do, should not do, as adults. I

Traveling With Children

“Oh the places you’ll go.” Dr. Seuss Do you want your child to learn some history or experience other cultures? Is your trip going to be focused on discovering nature? Do you want your child to learn to give back to his or her community? Do you want to experience a once-in-a-lifetime adventure? Whatever you choose, here are some helpful hints for making the trip a memorable occasion. 1. Travel can build stronger family relationships. We all seem to be busier and have more stress in our lives. Parents take care of the household chores while the children work on school projects or use their personal devices. Downtime could mean

An Extraordinary Event

As a nurse who loves history, I’ve always gravitated to the question: what were the women doing during periods of historical interest, particularly in times of crisis? One group that has garnered my attention is the experience of female military nurses who served in Vietnam. There weren’t many of them, only 4,000 to 15,000, depending on who did the counting. Records of women in the military at that time were often fragmented since female volunteers were rare in a typically male endeavor. I wondered what drew the young nurses to volunteer in the Vietnam War. I found that some came from military families and thought it was a chance to

The Aiken Center for the Arts presents: “Burd Brain”

Marius Valdes, also known as Zoo Valdes, is known for creating a menagerie of lovable animals and whimsical creatures that pop off the page. Valdes, who teaches graphic design and illustration at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, will share his colorful characters in the main gallery at Aiken Center for the Arts while students are in camps this summer. These works, which are based on a children’s book the artist is working on, will give students insights into the process of creating art. “Burd Brain,” the children’s book he is writing and illustrating through a grant from the University of South Carolina, includes words and illustrations that tell