November 2020 Issue

Traditions in the Time of Covid

Every family has traditions that mark special occasions, and how families handle them builds connections. We humans are amazing creatures of habit. We love the predictable and seek routine even though we frequently complain about being in a rut. We go on vacation only to long for home to sleep in our own beds, see our friends and family, and re-engage in our lives. Every nation, tribe, culture, and subculture establishes rituals and traditions that are unique and help define its individual, family, and group identity. Every family has traditions that mark special occasions, and how families handle them builds connections. One of the many casualties of the COVID restrictions

Baking Traditions: The Search for the Great (Can of) Pumpkin

I have had many conversations about American Thanksgiving. I have been asked many questions. “Why are we all so crazy about them?” So I’m working at a kids’ clothing store in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, and a couple walks into the shop. The man stops, sniffs the air, and puts his hand on her arm to stop her. “There’s a Starbucks. I’m going to get a Pumpkin Spice Latte and no one can stop me!” And he turns on his heels and exits as quickly as he can. “My husband,” she shrugs. “He’s American …” — her way of offering an explanation. I, with my own thick-enough American accent, say, “Don’t

The Nutcracker | An Iconic Christmas Tradition

For many, Peter Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition that kicks off the holiday season. When the music starts, you can close your eyes and allow visions of sugarplums, snowflakes, flowers, and an enchanted place enter your imagination. The Nutcracker is based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s popular 1816 story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” The idea to use the story as the basis for a ballet came from the impresario and director of the Russian Imperial Theaters, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, who had conceived of The Sleeping Beauty. Vsevolozhsky and the ballet master Marius Petipa, who had choreographed The Sleeping Beauty, wrote the libretto, or story line, for The Nutcracker and

Golf is a Family Tradition | Our Favorite Golf Course is the Palmetto

The first time I saw my boyfriend wearing loud plaid pants with a white belt and a clashing shirt, my thoughts were something akin to, “What a dork.” He is now my husband and his golf attire has evolved to become more sedate. We have been married 40 years. I decided 35 years ago that I would not become a “golf widow” who wonders where her husband is after five (or more) hours. My mother and sisters-in-law knew how to play, so I decided I had better learn or else be left babysitting all of the children on weekends. At the time, we lived across the street from a golf

Turkey on Zoom?

No, this does not mean chasing a fast turkey, Uncle Billie-Bob… I don’t think it is worth my time to address all the cons for having to practice social distancing for your holiday traditions. For functional families, it may be very difficult to be distanced from loved ones. However, for those of us who have the courage to admit that our families are dysfunctional, our gatherings may be the best ever. First of all, within both words there is a little secret 3-letter word embedded — FUN. So why not create a new kind of fun or family tradition? Let’s examine the wisdom and actual quotes from the Centers for

Horsemanship vs. Humanship | Part II

I am sitting here listening to my horses chewing their hay, enjoying the nice cool morning with a cup of strong and bold black coffee from Schaefer Outfitters. I have so much to share with you folks, but trying to compartmentalize in a logical manner. Let’s chat about positive thinking and visualization today. In addition to being a horseman, judge, trainer, and instructor, I’m also an accomplished hockey and baseball player. I didn’t get there from skill alone though. I learned by watching, listening, and studying those much better than myself. Wayne Gretzky, deemed the best hockey player in the NHL, said that he was not the best, but attributed

A Tradition of Women

There is a decades-old tradition among the people of the Hawaiian Islands — among the women specifically, and those of Polynesian descent in particular — to take to their boats and pay tribute to their ancestors in a challenging and meaningful annual event. They race in outrigger canoes between the shores of two islands across wildly open ocean waters. And when they do so, they honor their mothers and grandmothers and all the women who have gone before them, and become an example for all those to come. They use only their own human strength: the power of their arms and backs, their wrists and hands and legs, their will

Photo of the Month | Joseph Sanders

Photo of the Month: Joseph Sanders My journey in portrait photography came in stages that were out of order from what one would typically think. Most of the time, someone will start with taking photos of family and friends, slowly learn the mechanics of the camera, and eventually master the editing techniques needed to produce professional looking headshots. For me, it was quite the opposite. Starting my freshman year at Williston-Elko High School, I began to explore the world of Adobe Photoshop in my computer graphics class. I liked it so much that I took that same class twice over my four years there just for fun. Once I moved

Beyond the Barricade | SRS Ties That Shaped Our Community | Happy Birthday SRS!

This grand lady celebrates her 70th birthday on November 28, 2020. On this date in 1950, President Harry Truman authorized the design, construction, and operation of what was known at the time as the Savannah River Plant. Over the years, the name changed to the Savannah River Site (SRS) but its primary purpose, to keep our nation safe, has never wavered. The brilliance of the early SRS pioneers, who designed and built the facilities that make up SRS, can’t be overstated. With decades of work accomplished within the walls of the early reactors and canyons, these buildings continue to serve our nation. Today, the Site plays a vital role in