June 2016

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PO Box 1389Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

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Sasee is published monthly and distributed free along the Grand Strand. Letters to the editor are welcome, but could be edited for length. Submissions of articles and art are welcome. Visit our website for details on submission. Sasee is a Strand Media Group, Inc. publication.

Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material, in part or in whole, prepared byStrand Media Group, Inc. and appearing within thispublication is strictly prohibited. Title “Sasee” isregistered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

FeaturedTake Time to Play by Judith Morrison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Plucking by Diane DeVaughn Stokes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36A New Message by Diane Stark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40The Very First House by Jeffery Cohen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46Mosquito Legs by Erika Hoffman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48Nude Manifesto: An Artist’s Model Comes Clean by Liz Pardue-Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50Beautiful Angel by Sue Mayfield Geiger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55Our Real House by Melissa Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

In This IssueRead It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Southern Snaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Fashion Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19A Beautiful Life: Rachel Shields, Socialite by Leslie Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Sasee Styles: Tips & Trends from the Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Sasee Takes A Look: Myrtle Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52June Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Volume 15, Issue 6 June2016

22 5224

who’s who

PublisherDelores Blount

Sales & Marketing Director

Susan BryantEditor

Leslie MooreAccount Executives

Amanda Kennedy-ColieErica SchneiderGay Stackhouse

Art DirectorPatrick Sullivan

Graphic ArtistStephanie Holman

Photographer & Graphic Artist

Aubrey PlumIntern

Heather CombsWeb Developer

Scott KonradtAccounting

Kristy RollarAdministrative &

Creative CoordinatorCelia Wester

Executive PublishersJim Creel

Bill HennecySuzette Rogers

12 19

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Cover Artist Jennifer Beaudet

letter fromthe editor

Pen & Brush

The Green Charmeuse, by Jennifer Beaudet

Jennifer Beaudet is a contemporary impressionist artist who was born and raised in Southern California and is largely influenced by the ocean. With a great love of nature, the artist likes to explore the beauty in simple things and has been painting with oils and selling her work since 2009. Having explored pastels, watercolors and acrylics, Jennifer finds oil paints allow her to best express her emotions because of their rich colors and variety of textures.

The artist’s subjects of choice vary from figures, to landscapes to still life of many subjects – with endless inspiration from florals of all kinds. Jennifer is also a little obsessed with beautiful gowns, especially bridal gowns, probably from spending hours at the fabric store with her mother when she was young, and brings this passion to her vintage pieces. Each of Jennifer’s paintings possesses a little bit of her soul, and she likes to leave the final interpretation up to the viewer. This artist’s goal is for her art is to reflect her emotions about the subject. 

Jennifer’s paintings are displayed in public collections throughout California and in private collections around the United States and the world from New York to Paristo Australia, Canada and Japan. To see more of her work, visit her Etsy shop atwww.etsy.com/shop/JBeaudetStudios, or her website at www.jenbeaudetart.com.She is also on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

we’d love to hear from you!You can reach us by:mail : P.O. Box 1389 Murrells Inlet, SC 29576phone: 843.626.8911email : info@sasee.comweb: www.sasee.com

Love what you’re reading?Have suggestions?Let us know!

readers’ comments

I interviewed four beautiful, successful women this month and every one of them strongly believes that beauty comes from within – from the way we treat others, and, most importantly, the way we treat ourselves. Recently I participated in a “joy challenge,” that confirmed this truth for me as well. It lasted a month, and every day our group was instructed to do something that gave us joy, even if it was only for a few minutes. When I first started, I thought this would be easy – it sounds easy doesn’t it? But it was much harder than I thought. More than once during the month, I would get close to the end of the day and realize I hadn’t even thought about giving myself a daily dose of joy. Not even a few minutes in my favorite rocker on my porch or a short walk on the beach. Every time that happened, I would slow down and take a few minutes just for me. I took the time to appreciate my own value and the beauty of my life. Even though the month is over, I am still taking time each day to appreciate the joy and beauty in my everyday life. Part of our challenge was journaling our progress and I have continued that practice as well, jotting down a few special moments each day – and giving thanks for each. The benefits of this exercise have been enormous – with very little effort on my part.

I challenge you to discover the joy in your life, because you, dear reader, are beautiful – inside and out. I wish you the joy of discovering that truth – and believing it.

RE: “A Transplant Donor Mom’s Story,” by Bobbie BuffkinI am overwhelmed with the response I have received about the article! It does my heart so much good to tell Susan’s story and see the strength and hope she has brought to so many people. Each time I am able to connect with people about the importance of organ donation, along with how much her gift of life helped me, a little more of my broken heart heals.

-Bobbie RE: “Becoming My Mother,” by Linda O’ConnellI love this writer’s columns. This one about her mother captures it all: the shift from past tense to present – a true mark of her literary skills. The imagery, the detail, the deep emotional resonance are so effective and true. I found myself thinking, “How would I write about my own mother or, more to the point, my father?” I see it in the mirror, as does Linda. The internet is filled with “wanna-be” writers. Linda, thankfully, is the real deal.

-GerryRE: May SaseeI LOVE the new glossy look. It is simply gorgeous, and May’s cover art is probably my favorite piece ever.

-Melissa

RE: “Family Recipes,” by Rose Ann SinayThat connection, no matter how brief, created a special bond for you to treasure always.My grandma treated me to chocolate pudding, something I only had at her house. I enjoyedyour story.

-Linda

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Take Time to Playby Judith Morrison

I’d been walking to the gym carrying my heavy bag containing everything needed for the day’s activities: runners, gym clothes,

toiletries and my trusty to-do list. The sandwich board was parked in front of the shop that sells healing crystals, angels and books on spirituality.

When you have a sign on the street right in front of you and practically trip over it, you’re forced to reflect on it. Whether

you want to or not.

“Do I take time to play?” I ask myself.

Well no. At least not lately. At least not enough. Not with THE LIST.

Just then a man brushes against me in a hurry on the sidewalk, and I wonder if he’s read the sign. “Hey buddy, do you take time to play?” I want to ask him. I want to stand by the sign and take a survey and get some answers. Is everybody else having fun and taking time to play but me?

I continue walking and pondering. I mean, let’s be honest, how many people take time to play? Really, with so much going on, who has enough time to take from? No, regardless of what the sign says, it’s simply not possible. There just isn’t enough time. I go to the gym and tackle my list.

A few days later, I’m in a bookstore looking for a birthday gift for my uncle (#7 on THE LIST). I notice their “What’s Hot” display near the front of the store advertising, “Coloring for Adults.” Drawn in, I pick up one of the books and read an invitation on it to “color outside the lines.”

“Wow, this is new.” I say to myself. Although, is it? Maybe I’ve been so busy I’ve failed to notice this coloring trend. Apparently, people are indeed taking time to play. It’s “What’s Hot,” and I’d just failed to notice.

Coloring!

I look at the titles of the coloring books on offer: There’s “Enchanted Forest,” “Splendid Cities,” “Animals,” “Paris,” and that’s naming only a few. There’s a plethora of choices. All are gorgeous.

Pleasant childhood memories surrounding coloring spring up: kindergarten, tuna sandwiches for lunch and making art in class. Displaying it afterwards proudly on the classroom wall. I remember how Mrs. B, my kindergarten teacher, encouraged me to expand beyond the color purple. For some reason I’d insist on coloring and finger painting using shades of purple only. That’s a lovely memory, the slimy feeling of the purple paint on my hands. It was fun to be so messy. The feeling of excitement and anticipation about what I was going to create. The feeling of just doing and not worrying about the outcome. When you’re five, you don’t care if you’re good; don’t care if you’re Picasso. What a gift that is, and what a relief it would be now. Not to care. A memory I hadn’t thought about in years.

I pick up the Paris coloring book and flip through it, admiring the intricate design of the buildings and streets and sites. I’m intrigued with this strange trend. And…it dawns on me: I want to color! I want to color Paris!

But in a flash I second-guess myself. In a flash, I hesitate. My serious adult self takes over.

“No, this is silliness.” I put the book back on the stack. “I have no time for this.” The burden of the list and time and my whole life, actually, weigh heavy on my mind. On my entire being. What got into me?

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I buy my uncle’s gift and exit the bookstore. I take out my list and a pen: Check. One more errand. Done.

Over the next few days, the Paris coloring book keeps coming to mind. I realize that the sandwich board is right: I do need to take time to play. As a kid you play all the time, right? I need to play EVEN MORE now. I’m play-starved. With this revelation, I lament the fact that I didn’t just buy that book. I could have. And I didn’t. And now I’m so overwhelmed with the usual chores I can’t find an opportunity to get back to the bookstore. If these duty-bound days were a color, they would be grey.

I meet my Mom for lunch one afternoon and after our soup and sandwich combos, she reaches in her purse and gives me a bookstore gift card.

“Here, buy yourself a book or something,” she says casually.

Just like that, out of nowhere!

I look at the card with awe and immediately plan my excursion to get the Paris coloring book. The universe, through the sandwich board, the coloring book display and this sweet gesture from my Mom, is conspiring to let me play!

“This is great! I’m so appreciative,” I gush, going to her side of the booth at the restaurant and giving her a hug.

“Will you relax”, she says, “It’s only a gift card for God’s sake! Calm down, dear!”

Precisely. I need to calm down and have fun, and I’m going to do it with coloring.

I take a detour on the way home so I can go to the bookstore. I gaze out the bus window and fantasize about all the fun I’m going to have coloring Paris. I’ll be sure to color outside the lines and inside the lines with every colored pencil in the pack the way I never did as a kid.

There’s an extra spring in my step as I enter the bookstore, and I’m almost skipping as I head to the What’s Hot display.

I’m no longer thinking about my list, about my responsibilities, about never having enough time to do the things I enjoy. I feel liberated. I feel energized. I feel excited. This is, after all, the adult version of when you were a kid, and your friends came to your house and asked. “Do you want to come out and play?”

Yes! Yes I do!

Judith MorrisonJudith’s essays and interviews have been fea-tured in newspapers (The Globe and Mail, Montreal Gazette, Christian Science Monitor), and magazines (Homemakers, She Does the City, Hollywood North) and on CBC Radio. She enjoys writing in her journal in cafes and walking on the many nature trails and paths near her home in Calgary, Alberta.

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–Read It!–Nicole Says…Read

The Kashmir Shawlby Rosie Thomas

Review by Nicole McManus

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Mair Ellis’ father has passed away, and her brother and sister are helping her clear out the house when she discovers an exquisite shawl with a bit of hair hidden in the middle. Intrigued by this unique and beautiful item, she begins a journey that traces her grandmother Nerys Watkin’s life and marriage during World War II, when her quiet missionary life is drastically changed to one of nightlife, festivities and secrets. Travel-ing alone, Mair discovers the enchanting life of India. Will Mair learn the truth about her grandmother’s life, or will the past keep the secrets buried forever?

Rosie Thomas provides a lot of details in her writing, which makes the scenery come alive. The chapters are long, and the beginning is a bit difficult to get into, but once Nerys’ story begins, readers won’t be able to put this book down. The points-of-view switch between Mair and Nerys, so readers get to feel both sides of the story as they hap-pen. Readers will appreciate Mair’s growth as she gains confidence and

perspective on the important things in life. Fans of books that tell more than one story will truly enjoy this read.

I love WWII novels, as I have mentioned before, but I also love reading what I call “destination” books. I don’t get the opportunity to travel, so I love to learn about new places through reading. Growing up, my favorite “destinations” were mainly different western states, but lately I’ve enjoyed reading about different countries around the world. I was excited to discover this intricate tale! Kashmir’s beauty has withstood the test of time, as demonstrated through both of these women’s stories.

Nicole McManusNicole McManus loves to read, to the point that she is sure she was born with a

book in her hands. She writes book reviews in the hopes of helping others find the magic found through reading. Contact her at ARIESGRLREVIEW.COM.

This month, Sasee is highlighting three successful and well respected businesswomen, all residents of Myrtle Beach. While each is very different, they share a timeless beauty and the ability to make the very best of the life they’ve been given.

Terri Springs, Laura Bowden and Traci Milesby Leslie Moore

Beautiful Success

Southern Snaps

Beautiful and gracious, Terri Springs welcomed Sasee into her home this month to share a little about her amazing life. Tucked away on a secluded lot in the heart of Myrtle Beach, Terri has created a lovely, lush oasis for her family and friends.

“I was in the kitchen at three years old,” Terri laughed and told me as we snacked on her yummy homemade cheese crackers. “My grandparents started Tony’s Italian Restaurant in North Myrtle Beach, and all I wanted to do was help. By age four, I was standing on a stool, rolling meatballs! That started my love of food.”

While the summer months brought an influx of visitors, Myrtle Beach was a typical small southern town from Labor Day to Memorial Day.  “We went to Conway for everything,” Terri remembers. Before Grand Strand Hospital was built, Myrtle Beach was served by a much smaller hospital, Ocean View Memorial, a facility on North Ocean Boulevard.  Each year, the hospital had a fundraiser/fashion show, and Terri was asked to model. “Every year we had a guest designer, and this particular year it was Oscar de la Renta–after the fashion show he asked me to come to New York and model!” This was life changing for Terri. She had always wanted to be a professional dancer, but an accident while prepar-ing for a May Dance while a student at Columbia College left her unable to fulfill her dream. Modeling in New York was a golden opportunity.

Terri knew she had to go to New York, but also knew her very strict, southern father would never allow it. With the help of her godmother and a little behind the scenes support from her mother, Terri boarded a train in Florence at midnight on a Saturday, while her parents were in Columbia attending a USC football game, and set out for the Big Apple.  “When I arrived, I checked into the Gotham Hotel and walked up and down 5th Avenue. I was so excited to be there – I remember seeing Gene Shalit walking down the street and getting so excited!” Terri met with Oscar de la Renta who immediate sent her to Ford Modeling Agency – they loved her “girl next door” look and offered her a contract. For three years, Terri modeled for some of fashion’s greats. It was a “dream come true” for a young woman from a small town in South Carolina. She was even asked to go to Los Angeles by NBC to model designer Ron LoVece bridal gown’s in conjunction with a big wedding on the then popular soap opera, Days of Our Lives. Terri grabbed every opportunity for fun and excitement, making friends with the elegant Susan Stafford, the first letter-turner for the show, Wheel of Fortune. “I was modeling Ron’s dresses during the show’s puzzle breaks, and Susan and I became fast friends. She picked me up from my hotel for an evening out, and we actually went to Sammy Davis, Jr.’s house and, believe it or not, played basketball in his driveway with his wife!”

Not long after returning to New York, Terri was swept off of her feet by a handsome Italian man who set his sights on marrying the beautiful

Terri. The couple had three children, but unfortunately, the marriage failed. Of course, Terri came home to her beloved Myrtle Beach to raise Teah, Brad and Reid. 

“In 1992, I was working at Wachesaw Plantation in the tennis shop. It was Teah’s birthday and we called in her birthday to our favorite radio station, Power 98 and while I was taking the children to school we heard she won! The morning DJ, Billy Smith, was a good friend of mine, so I stopped by the station the next morning to get her prizes. Just for fun, Billy asked me to come into the studio and chat with him on the air.”  Terri left the station and went to work, but unbeknownst to her, the station’s manager heard Terri’s brief radio spot and loved her bubbly on-air personality. “They offered me a job on the morning show! Billy and I were a team for nine years and stayed at the top of the charts.” (Power 98 later became Mix 97.7) 

One evening, Terri was going to an event to celebrate the expansion of the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and ran into an old friend, John Rhodes. “John was a hot shot back then,” Terri laughed, remembering.  “He was newly divorced and having the time of his life!” Something about Terri intrigued him, though, and John began his quest to get her attention. Terri wasn’t really interested at first, but three months later, she finally agreed to go out with him. Both Terri and John love basketball, and John took her to the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, NC, where he fell head over heels in love. Three years later, John asked Terri to marry him. After considering it long and hard, Terri realized she was not ready for marriage. Her children had to come first. But, this love story does have a happy ending. Sixteen years after the couple started dating, Terri and John tied the knot. “He and I have so much in common – we both love basketball, we both love helping children and, best of all, he makes me laugh!” The couple married on Valentine’s Day, but in typical Terri style, she didn’t pick the day because of the holiday, it was just the perfect weekend for everyone to get together and celebrate Terri and John’s new life together.

Today, John’s service as Mayor of Myrtle Beach keeps him busy, as well as his work with Beach Ball Classic, and Terri works part time as a consul-tant for a popular skin care line. Both John and Terri are passionate about their work on the Savannah’s Playground Project in Market Common. This playground will be a place for all children to enjoy, but also a place where special needs children will flourish. Still, the couple makes time to enjoy time together and with family. John has four grandchildren, and Terri has five! Sophie, her oldest granddaughter, loves coming to “Pee Pie’s” house to cook and work in the garden. “If I could tell my younger self anything at all, I would say, ‘Relax!’ I felt like I had to be so regimented as a single mother, but my grandchild have taught me about living and what’s really important. All any of us really need is love.”

Terri Springs: A Life of Elegance

13

Southern Snaps

Confident and stylish, Myrtle Beach interior designer, Laura Bowden has always loved design and its impact on quality of life. After owning Laura Bowden Designs for thirty years, she still enjoys surrounding her-self, and others, with beauty.

“I was born in Massachusetts,” Laura began. “And, I graduated with a degree in marketing!” Laura didn’t begin her design career until moving south with her Air Force pilot husband. “I accepted a sales position with Ethan Allen in Mississippi, and it was there I began my design career.” Laura and her husband were transferred to the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, and Laura began working for Resort Designs, a large interior de-sign firm. During her three years working for Resort Designs, Laura gained a reputation for excellence. Then, the unthinkable happened. Her husband was killed in a routine training accident.

“That was a watershed time in my life for sure,” Laura began. “I had to decide, at 29, if I wanted to continue my design career here or return to family in New England. Since my clientele base was expanding, and I was surrounded by great friends, I decided to stay.” Laura added that this was the first independent move of her life. “I was never adventurous!”

When Resort Designs closed, suddenly and without any warning, Laura was left without a job. “Clients started calling me, and I made the deci-sion to start my own design firm,” she remembers. “Determination and hard work is the key to a successful business.” Laura eventually grew her firm and added staff to keep up with demands. “I was known for my design work, especially in model homes,” Laura adds.

Laura eventually remarried and became a mother to two children, Chel-sea and Colby. She divided her time between work and her children, vol-unteering as president of the PTO, was involved in her children’s sports, events and summer camps, plus went to the furniture market twice a year. It was a busy time, and the years flew by. “I kept at it, even though a flood after Hurricane Floyd nearly destroyed my office and warehouse.”

Today, after 30 years in business, Laura has some of the same satisfied clients that helped her get started many years ago – and they have be-come great friends. “Dolores Norris hired me in the early 1980s to do a beach home in Surfside. Ten years later, Dolores and her husband

built a new home and, again, I did the design work. When her husband passed away, I redid Dolores’ home, and when she downsized, I helped her with that also.”

“My clients and I are a part of each other’s lives. You get very personal in this business. Every one of my clients is unique and has different needs and desires.”

With both children grown, Laura has more time to focus on her church and community. “Teaching is my passion,” she told me when I asked about her work with her church, First United Methodist in Myrtle Beach, where she has been teaching third grade Sunday School for over fifteen years. “My first third graders recently got married!” Laura also is a leader in the Chrysalis program, a spiritual retreat for young people held twice a year. “My faith is the biggest part of my world,” she said thoughtfully. “Work and exercise follow.”

“I have good genes,” Laura laughed when I asked how she stayed so fit. “My mother, who is almost 86, still snow skies.” Laura has been in a boot camp program for a year and a half. “I work out with 20 and 30 year olds, and it has been life changing! There’s such a high after you work out – my group is like a sisterhood. No one cares what you look like at 6:15 am, you just get there – plus the workouts are always different and fun.”

Laura doesn’t spend much time on hair and makeup. “My daughter teases me about that,” Laura says, “but I would rather spend my time coordinating my outfits and accessorizing. Many of the items I buy, I customize to fit my eclectic style.” The day we met, she wore a fuchsia patterned dress with leggings and great statement jewelry – and looked every bit the polished businesswoman. “My style is funky – dressing up makes me feel better.”

I asked Laura what she would tell her 20 year-old self. “If I could tell her anything, I would say to be more adventurous! Coping with panic and anxiety my entire life, I was afraid of everything. I have now overcome my fears through my faith, and prayer is my medicine.”

Laura Bowden: The Beauty of Faith

15

Southern Snaps

Vivacious, ageless and lovely, Traci Miles met Sasee on the porch of her beautiful oceanfront home in Myrtle Beach, where we sat overlooking her infinity pool and the majestic Atlantic. From selling skincare prod-ucts on the beach at 14 years old to becoming a real estate agent who is number one seller in the region and the Carolinas, sixth in the nation and eighth in the world, this self made woman remains humble about her accomplishments and her incredible life.

“I was born in Roanoke, Virginia, and attended Virginia Tech,” Traci be-gan. “My father was an oceanfront developer and worked a lot in Myrtle Beach – he did the first oceanfront high rise condos in the ‘70s.” When her father was building Regency Towers in Myrtle Beach, Traci began selling skin care products on the beach. “I have always been an entrepre-neur,” Traci said. “I made nearly $100 a day back then, at 14!”

After Traci moved to Myrtle Beach permanently, 29 years ago, she began her lemonade business, first at Barefoot Landing, then at Waccamaw Pottery. She had always wanted to be a veterinarian, but her dad talked her into looking into real estate. “He knew how much I loved working with people, and, at first, I only did real estate for family and friends, but 14 years ago, I went to work for Century 21 Boling. “It’s the only company I’ve ever worked for and I love it – real estate is my passion.” When her company flew her to Orlando for the Century 21 Global Con-ference, Traci knew she was the number one seller in our area, but had no idea she was eighth in the world. “When they told me I was shocked. Another agent asked me what my annuals sales were and I really had no idea. I hadn’t totaled it up yet, and truly, I just work. No matter what I do, I know I did the very best I could.”

The day we met, Traci’s son, Addison Miles, had just arrived home from his first year at University of South Carolina. He is a competitive, championship surfer, but has taken a break from the sport to complete his education. She and her husband, Jeff Skelley, have been married for five years and built their lovely home together. “I am an ambassador for Myrtle Beach! I love it here and am living my dream.” The couple’s blended family – Jeff has five children – makes being together a priority. “That’s one of my current goals – slowing down enough to really enjoy all that I have!”

Traci’s life is a reflection of her faith and determination. “I try to be there for everyone and love doing it, but no one is always happy. We all have stressful days. But, I believe we are given these hurdles for a reason – everything always works out. If I am working too much, then I know I need to slow down; if I hit every red light when I’m in a hurry to get somewhere, then God must be slowing me down for a reason. This is the way I live!”

I asked Traci about some of her experiences as a real estate agent. “I was working with a client in Surfside,” she laughed. “And we had looked at several homes. She called me and asked me to put a bid on one of the houses. I did and put the house under contract for her. Just before we were to close, she called and told me I had put a bid on the wrong house! It was crazy! She had looked at another house online that I hadn’t shown her. Believe it or not, she ended up buying the house I had under contract. It really was the perfect home for her, and the family still loves that house.”

Faith is also an important part of Traci’s life. Active in Seacoast Vineyard Church, many of the congregation’s baptisms take place in the ocean in front of Traci and Jeff ’s home. “This year, I decided to read the Bible from front to back,” Traci told me. “I have never done that and it’s been an amazing journey.” Traci also attributes the success of her marriage to her faith. “I’m so blessed with Jeff. There is a big difference in a faith based marriage and one that is not.”

Traci had come in from her daily workout to meet us for our interview. “I go the gym every morning,” she said. “That’s my therapy. I’ve always been an active person; I was a gymnast growing up.” Paddle boarding is another of Traci’s favorite activities, and she loves her time on the beach.

“I’m not trendy,” she told me when I asked about her personal style. “I think I would describe my style as eclectic – I might have on jeans or a business suit, depending on the circumstances.” Her home style reflects the same values – Traci has combined contemporary pieces with an-tiques to create a nurturing, comfortable environment.

Traci and Jeff both enjoy taking time to eat out and have a few hidden gems they frequent regularly. “We love Sole Italian Restaurant, owned by a wonderful family. When we want good music and laid back fun, we head to Pine Lakes Tavern, another of our favorites. Others we love include Collector’s Café, Rossi’s, Ciao and Aspen Grille – we are blessed with many wonderful restaurants in Myrtle Beach.”

When I asked her what she would tell her 20 year-old self, Traci didn’t hesitate. “Stay in shape and love what you’re doing. Your beauty is a reflection of how you respond to others.”

“Being a mom, wife to my soul mate and a successful real estate agent – these are the three most important things in my life,” Traci told me as we finished our time together. “ I’m blessed and thank God every day!”

Traci Miles: The Blessings of Excellence

17

2 5 t h A N N I V E R S A R Y

2016 Schedule of EventsSeptember 24 - October 15

All events at The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island unless otherwise noted.

For Info & Tickets • www.pawleysmusic.com • 843-626-8911

Saturday, September 24 4th Annual Seaside Palette Featuring “The Healing Force” & 7th Annual Chalk Walk

Georgetown Historic District ~ Wet Paint Sale 9/24, 3:30pm - 5:30pm

Thursday, September 29 17th Annual

Pawleys Island Wine Gala

Friday, September 30 Shana Tucker

Saturday, October 1 Peabo Bryson

Thursday, October 6 Zuill Bailey

Friday, October 7 The Company Men

Saturday, October 8 Barrett Baber

Thursday, October 13 Marcus

Anderson

Friday, October 14 John Brown’s

Little Big Band

Saturday, October 15 The DooWop Project

The Tabled Event

Step into

the room Like it’s a

catwalkLady GaGa

-Sa S e e Fa S h i o n Gu i d e 2016-

Don’t miss the Bargain Basement at B. Graham Interiors, located next door.Save up to 75% off close-out and discontinued furniture, fabrics, paintings and accessories.

50% Off Showroom Renovation SaleThrough June 15th!

FULL SERVICE INTERIOR DESIGNIN HOUSE CUSTOM DRAPERY AND BEDDING

Showroom Location: 1307 Enterprise Ave.between Grissom Pkwy. & Seaboard Street in Myrtle Beach

843-692-7844bgrahaminteriors.com

Monday - Friday 9am - 5pmSaturday by Appointment

Coming Soona more affordable and exciting shopping experience!

Like us and follow us on Facebook for details

E xpect t he Ext ra or dinar y

2520 HWY 17 Bus. South, Garden City • 843-651-3517

Vandy JEWELERS

Gold • Silver • Diamonds • GemstonesHandmade & Castings • Engraving • Pearl Restringing

Watch Batteries and Watch Bands

Over 30 Years Experience!

Visit our NEW EXPANDED LOCATIONIN THE OASIS SHOPPING CENTER

(between Eggs Up Grill & Time Warner Cable)

Variety of Semi Mounts Available!

We can set yourDiamonds &Gemstones

while you watch!

21

ABeautiful Life

Rachel Shields: Socialiteby Leslie Moore

What are three self care practices you engage regularly?Self care practices for me can be extremely difficult as I’m a mom of a 2 year old and 6 months pregnant. It’s easy to put these things on the back burner, but I do feel I need to make them a priority. I have started taking daily vitamins and am hoping this helps when my body is worn down from lack of sleep. [laughing] I have also replaced soda consumption with water only.

I unplug from technology at night for family time. I put my phone on silent, and put it away. This helps me to disconnect from all social media, because I am on Facebook and Instagram at work promoting my business, and it can be draining at times.

How do you find beauty in the everyday?How important is cultivating inner beauty?I try to find beauty in the everyday by making myself get outside. Whether I’m taking a stroll with my son or blowing bubbles in the yard, this allows me to slow down and really embrace how beautiful it is where we live. Sometimes I am in such a rush with everyday life I forget how lucky I am to live in Murrells Inlet, and how gorgeous it is here.

I think cultivating inner beauty allows it to come through for those that get to know us. It radiates through a positive attitude and kind actions towards others. I think it’s important to take time for daily reflection, allowing us to change the things that we don’t love about ourselves.

How do you stay glamorous in our summer heat and humidity? I have found that dry shampoo is my new best friend in the summer heat. Not washing my hair every day helps keep down the frizz. I have tried every dry shampoo out there and spent a lot of money on expensive products, but the best I have found is sold at the drugstore in a white can and is called Pssst! My Mom says it’s been around since the ‘70s! I also love a low side braid in the summer and my fedora. It’s easy and perfect for windy beach or boat days.

Describe your personal style.I find it almost impossible to describe my personal style because it varies day to day with my mood. Some days I feel Boho and want to wear flowing tunics and curl my hair; other days I feel more chic and want to straighten my hair and wear a blazer and skinnies. Style is such a huge part of self expression, and it’s ever evolving as we grow and change. I never jump to a new trend if it’s not flattering. No matter how fashion forward I would like to be, not every trend is meant for everyone.

What exciting new finds are waiting at Socialite to help us look our best this summer? We are getting so many new summer deliveries in now at Socialite. We get new styles in daily so our floor is always changing. You can find ‘70s-inspired fashion making a comeback for summer, from flirty floral prints, to jumpsuits, to chunky platform heels with nail head trim detail. We love helping people find that perfect outfit in Socialite. Whether you need a great pair of white denims for summer or a fabulous cocktail dress for an event – we’ve got you covered.

Stop in and see Rachel at Socialite,located at 3330 S. Highway 17 South, Murrells Inlet,

call 843-651-2317 or visit her on Facebook at Socialite Murrells Inletor Instagram at SocialiteMI.

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926 Frontage Road • Next to Hyatt Buick GMC843-448-4364 • www.ButlerLighting.com

Lighting ShowroomOpen to the Public

Happy Me!A New Fan

A Little PaintAnd

WOW!

Inlet Crossing Shopping CenterHwy. 17 Business, Murrells Inlet

843-651-2317facebook.com/socialite.inlet

French ConnectionWeston Wear | KarlieTrina Turk | DL 1961Paige | Julie Brown

Lavender BrownMichael Stars | Dolce Vita

Amanda UprichardShow Me Your Mumu

Clothing,Handbags,

Accessoriesand Shoes

23

She will be the starof the beach this summer!

843-546-6858918 Front Street

Georgetown, SC 29440Mon - Fri 10:00-5:30 & Sat 10:00-5:00www.doodlebugschild.com

SaseeStylesTips and Trends from the Experts!

Beth from Pawleys Island Wear says you can’t go wrong with classic styles, including stripes, A-line skirts and light weight denim.

Add a few trendy pieces to your look, such as sporty mesh, sequins and sparkle or “loud and proud” plaid for an instant upgrade. I love the soft feminine style and the natural hues of the season such as blush tones, pale blue, hazy taupe and white. These colors evoke a clean look while bringing simplicity and comfort to your wardrobe. Don’t forget to add a cute clutch,

printed silk scarf and one of our favorites, statement earrings.

Monica from Bleu Boutique says romantic styles are fun and on trend.I love pieces that go from day to night, such as boho tunics with bell sleeves, layered, floor-dusting

skirts with hobo pockets, crocheted dresses with lace-trimmed camie slips, lace dusters and colorful kimonos.

Patty at Centro Shoes tells us the gladiator look is HUGE!

Sam Edelman and Seychelles both have a tall gladiator that laces up the leg for the girl that is strong and bold. These shoes pair well with boho maxi dresses or skirts. We also carry a shorter

version for the girl that wants the look, but isn’t as trendy. Fringe is still in -- we saw it back in the fall on booties, and it has carried over to spring on sandals. These cute kicks pair well with

cut-off denim shorts. Of course, this is South Carolina, so you can’t forget about the classic Jack Rogers sandals. We have tons of colors in stock for your prepster

to don with their favorite Lilly Pulitzer dress.

Don’t forget hair and makeup! Meredith of M. Brooke Salon & Spa gave some great tips for hair and makeup.

This season, we’re looking for sun kissed and natural hair – we’ll be doing hand-painted high-lights, not foil. Braids and beachwaves are also very popular. Vibrant colors are in for makeup

– think vibrant smoky eyes and matte lips in deep purples, reds and corals!

We love clothes! What’s hot this season?

What about Home Trends? I am ready for an update!Thomas from Butler Lighting gave us the lowdown on the

most fashionable ways light up your home.

Midcentury Modern is a 2016 trend in lighting design, emphasizing a clean, uncluttered look and the less-is-more attitude. These designs will work with any décor, from modern to

traditional, since their clean lines blend easily. Over-sized statement pieces are being used boldly, even in small spaces such as breakfast nooks, often in spherical shapes. Warm finishes are return-ing with soft altercation, such as warm gold, rose gold and muted brass. Since vintage accents are

being mixed with modern décor, vintage bulbs (visible filaments) are popular in Retro, Indus-trial and Farmhouse décor themes, and of course, LED bulbs are steadily gaining popularity as

homeowners recognize their huge cost saving efficiency and the introduction of natural, more pleasing color in the light emitted.

Kelly at Owl’s Nest Furniture tells us that she is seeing a lot of interest in thebeautiful new driftwood finished pieces across the board.

People love these pieces for bedrooms, dining, entertainment and occasional tables. Also hot -- reclaimed mango wood -- it gives an eclectic feel to unique accent pieces.

John is the resident expert at Wicker Imports - Island Furniture and told us that outdoor furniture and outdoor kitchens are the fastest

growing categories in the home furnishings industry.

It got its start at the beginning of the great recession, with people spending more time at home coupled with the growing interest in cooking shows. The two just sort of merged the idea of stay-

ing home. I loves entertaining outdoors, being with family and friends while relaxing around a fire pit as steaks sizzle on a nearby grill. Making outdoor spaces comfortable and inviting is

more than a design trend. Together with our partners at Berlin Gardens, we believe the outdoors is one of the best places to relax with family and friends, rejuvenate oneself

and connect with God.

John at B. Graham Interiors recently returned from the High Point Furniture Show, the largest international show in the world and shared a little

of what he saw with Sasee.

Trends in upholstery continue to be streamlined with exposed square feet in wood and a bit of acrylic edginess. Tufted backs and (or) seats reflect the ‘50s and ‘60s, but we’re seeing very few

round legs reminiscent of the period. Many of us can remember some of the same styles in uphol-stery back then. Sectionals with chaise ends are coming back strong. Crypton fabrics continue to

be perfected with a nice soft hand and total stain resistance. Varying shades of grey still domi-nate as the sofa fabric color of choice. Metallic threads give the neutral grays and tans depth with

a pop. Color makes its statement in bright red, turquoise and blue. I saw quite a few vignettes with soft grays and yellows. Case goods also are clean lined with many tables and chests remi-niscent of a ‘50s movie set. Brass is back, but in softer tones for lighting and chest hardware.

Polished stainless and mellow gold come around as the new accent metal finishes. Check out B. Graham’s Facebook page for a fun tour of market!

Hammock Shops Village, Pawleys Island • 843-235-3055www.theaccesssorycottage.com

Handmade Jewelry with sandfrom Pawleys Island Beach

& Litchfield BeachBracelet with charm - $40

Charm only - $35

Everyone has a Favorite Beach . . . Wear Yours!

843-237-263111096 Ocean Hwy.

Pawleys IslandMonday - Saturday 10am - 5:30pm

Clothing You & Your Family for Over 25 Years!

Text JB to 40691 for more info!

26

Pawleys Island • 843-237-3475www.pawleysislandwear.com

Experience Pawleys Island’s

Unique Boutique

SUMMER,MEET STYLE.

In the Hammock Shops Hours: Monday–Saturday 10–6 • Sunday 12–5 843.237.3476

214 Second Loop Rd., Florence, SC 29505 • 843-662-2681 • www.knightfurnitureshowrooms.com

for Hooker Furniture

UniversalRowe

Robin BruceLexington

ThomasvilleVaughan-Bassett

Hooker

Currey and Co.Wildwood Lamps

UttermostLloyd Flanders

HanamintTropitone

Bradington Young

Hancock and MooreCentury

Hickory ChairCraftmasterTaylor King

SherrillWesley Hall

. . . and Many More!

910-575-49499990 Beach Drive, Calabash, NC • Mon-Sat 10am-5pm • Sun 12-4pm

We’re Going To Change The Way You Shop!

Brunswick County’s Best Consignment Shop 8 Years In A Row!

Household Items & FurnitureGently Used Clothing • Accessories & Jewelry For Women & Men

312 Commerce Dr. • Pawleys Island • 843-235-2630Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm • www.harvestcommons.com

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Get Classy,Feel Sassy

For all of your Beauty and Skincare needs

Award Winning Colorist

Mary Murdoch

PrecisionCut Artist

Tommy TiptonEsthetician

Meredith Brooke Haynes

Specializing in Balayage,wedding hair, photo-finish airbrush makeup

and full facial services.843-357-0471

5190-C Hwy. 17 Murrells Inlet(in the Swamp Fox Peddlers Market)

Tue - Fri 9-6, Sat 10-6

Walk-Ins Welcome!

Simply DivineClothing and Accessories for Women

11378 Ocean HwyPawleys Island

(Across from The Fresh Market)

843-235-0520

Let usdress you“Pawleys

IslandStyle”

981-B Hackler Street, Townhouses @ The Market Common 843-692-0346• www.treasuresfinejewelers.com

Mon - Fri 9:30 - 5:30, Sat 10 - 4

Repairs, Appraisals, Jewelry Consignment& Custom Designs by James Huntley

Yours to treasure forever!

29

Myrtle Beach4025 N. Kings Hwy

843.839.0990 Mon.-Fri. 10-6

Sat 10-5

Sweet and Sassy!

Market Common3320 Reed Street

843.839.2958Mon.-Thurs. 10-8

Fri.-Sat. 10-9, Sun. 12-6

available at:

RAINBOW HARBOR • 5001 N. KINGS HWY. • MYRTLE BEACH • 843-497-5931 • HOURS: MON. - SAT. 10-6

facebook.com/shopatstudio77

@shopatstudio

78°53’W - 33°43’N

Myrtle BeachLatitude & Longitude

Necklaces & Bracelets With the

coordiNates of Your favorite Place

Lookfabulous,Shop theAvenues!

FINE GIFTS

843-449-04486914 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach (Next to Rose Arbor Fabrics)

Mon - Fri 10-5 • Sat 10-4

Myrtle Beach 6916 N. Kings Hwy.

843-449-7673Mon. - Fri. 10am - 5pm

Sat. 10am - 4pm

Pawleys Island Across From Fresh Market

843-979-9970Mon. - Fri. 10am - 5pm

Sat. 10am - 4pmrosearborfabrics@aol.com

Milly • Trina Turk • Shoshanna • Teri Jon Tori Richard • Jude Connally • Julie Vos

Alexis Bittar • Susan Shaw • Mariposa • Nest Peter Millar • Southern Tide

and many more!

Signature Store

A

Myrtle Beach5900 N. Kings Hwy Suite F

(843) 839-3571

2 fabulous storesat Barefoot Landing

One Store . . . Everything Purple One Store . . . Full of Hope

843-272-PRPL (7775)www.PURPLEologist.com

843-427-7959www.facebook.com/HOPEologistStore

It’s all in the

Hammock Shops Village • 10880 Ocean Hwy., Pawleys Island843-235-0502

VintageWears

&Wonderful

Goods

Mention Saseefor Special

Savings!

Bleu Boutique • 720 Sunset Blvd N.Sunset Beach, NC 28468 • (910) 579-5628

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Island Shops, 10683-B Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island, SC 29585843-314-3213 • www.sea-gypsy-PI.com

A Modern-bohemian boutiqueFashion, Accessories and Hand Made Jewelry inspired by far off places.

The Sea Gypsy’s signature look reflects an effortless laid back stylewhere life is not only easy - it’s beautiful.

Join the Sea Gypsy Boutique’s guest bookText: SEAGYPSY To: 406-91 to receive exclusive offers, information & more!

Larger stock than ever – come see us on the south end

11768 Highway 17 Bypass, Murrells Inlet | 843-651-2630 | 843-361-9597 Mon-Fri 9:30 am-5 pm • Sat 10:30am - 4 pm | www.wallpapersbylynne.us

is back!It’s It’s Here!

The Oasis Shopping Center2520 Hwy.17 Business • Garden City

817-235-6875 • 717-451-2856

Vintage & Shabby Chic Home Decor

Shops at Oak Lea11096 Ocean Highway

Pawleys Island, SC 29585(843) 237-8080

www.eleanorpitts.com

Please Join UsClara Williams Trunk Show

Wednesday, June 15 & Thursday, June 16

34

11412 Ocean Hwy.Pawleys Island

(Across from Fresh Market)843-237-9500

Mon.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm

Taylor’s“A Ladies Boutique”

Fashion at its Finest!

843-314-079310729 Ocean Hwy. (Next to Bistro 217), Pawleys Island

Mon. - Sat. 10am - 5pm

Unique Gifts & Home Accessories

Rothrock Collection

35 Broadway at the Beach • 843-445-7910

Barefoot Landing • 843-281-0736

Pluckingby Diane DeVaughn Stokes

Here’s one of the valuable lessons I learned from my mother. You see, even today at eighty-three, she sits in front of the magnifying mirror every morning and indulges in the ritual of “plucking,” pulling little hairs from her chin and face. Sometimes I will call her and she’ll say, “Can I call you back? I am plucking!”

And now that I am old enough and see the desperate need to pluck, too, I totally understand that this

must be part of a daily routine. Skip a day and it’s downright scary.

But what is more frightening is the lighted magnifying mirror that

Mom bought for me to better see the hairs, the wrinkles and the

imperfections!

However, what I really want out of this article is to share with all of my Sasee sisters this message of caution. DO NOT

PLUCK THE HAIRS FROM AROUND YOUR

NOSE! You see, I plucked on Friday, and by Saturday

morning the right part of my face swelled up like a balloon;

even my eye was swollen shut. I felt a knot in my nose bigger than an egg,

and I looked like I had a stroke, as my face drooped, and I could not even smile.

I contacted my wonderful Otolaryngologist, Dan Rosner, who knew exactly what this was immediately. He said it is very common. Heck, who knew? I had never heard of such a thing. It was an infected hair follicle. Dr. Dan agreed to meet me at his office even though this was Saturday, because he said if this isn’t lanced soon it will become worse, and he explained the membrane and skin inside

your nose is very thin and fragile. Besides it is a staph infection, which we all know is nothing to mess

around with.

And while Dr. Rosner was explaining to me that if I ever feel compelled to pluck again, be sure to put antiseptic

cream in the area before and after the plucking, I was thinking OMG, could I die from this? It would be an embarrassing obituary, that’s for sure.

Well, the procedure took only twenty minutes, but three shots in and around your nose isn’t fun. I could not help but think about all the women who get shots in their face to look good! Sadly, I looked like a woman whose plastic surgery went very wrong. Dan assured me that I would be black and blue and miserable for the next few days, and he gave me antibiotics and pain meds to get through it.

Friends, I was a terrible sight for six days. I could not breathe out of my right nostril, which resembled a pig’s nose, and the throbbing pain in my face was…well, you can only imagine! Then, as a result of the infection, I had a fever and chills that kept me in bed for a few days.

When I discussed this monster face episode with my mom, she said she has NEVER plucked her nose hairs. She cuts them with tiny scissors instead. My sister also claims to have plucked hers, knowing not about the scissors, but after what she saw me go through, neither she nor I will ever pluck again.

Okay. There you have it, a warning for all of you out there in Sasee-land. The reality was painful enough to experience, but my dog Cagney, who usually looks at me with loving eyes, turned her head away when I spoke to her, I was crushed. Thank goodness Chuck, Prince Charming, did not. He even emceed an event for me on Sunday that I could not attend.

As soon as I recover, I’m heading to buy tiny scissors. You should too. If I have to, I’ll braid my nose hairs before I ever pluck again! My plucking days are over.

Diane DeVaughn StokesDiane DeVaughn Stokes and her husband Chuck own Stages Video Productions in Myrtle Beach. Diane is also the Host and Producer for TV show “Inside Out” as seen on HTC channel 4, and “Diane on Six” on EASY Radio. Her new book Floating On Air- A Broadcasting Love Affair is available on amazon.com.

36

317 Laurel Street • Conway, SC 29526843.248.2624 (Closed Sundays)

“A little blue bag from Grady’s....because how you

wrap a gift matters.”

See It...Wear It...Love It!

The Sweetgrass CenterAcross From The Fresh Market

11326 Ocean Hwy. Pawleys Island, Sc 29585843-237-9113

Mon-Sat 10:00am - 5:30pm

Estelle and Finn

Market Common • 3351 Reed St., Myrtle Beach843-492-3077 • Centroshoesmb.com

The Grand Strand’s Premier Shoe Boutique!

37

picture from actual showroom

Marcos Almeida, Owner. 843-283-98021114 3rd Ave. South, Myrtle Beach

Monday - Friday: 8am - 6pm, Saturday: 9am - 2pm

200+ Granite Slabs SelectionsGranite Kitchen Countertops starting at $29.99 sq. ft

Porcelain Tile Flooring Install - $6 sq. ft.

Quality WorkDone Quickly

Commercial & ResidentialBuilding & Design

Granite Countertops & FlooringMarble, Slate, Tile, Wood Floors

& Cabinets

38

July 2016Sasee Celebrates ourEveryday Heroes!

115 Willbrook Blvd. ▪ Unit U ▪ Pawleys Island, SC 29585

Located in Litchfield Market Village (Bi-lo, Eggs Up Grill, etc.)

843-235-6663Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00

www.ospreytennis.com

Kim and Dave Welch

Osprey Tennis is a full-service retail tennis shop.We offer men's and women's apparel, shoes, bags, rackets,

and accessories. We also offer 24 hour turnaround time on stringingand the newest selection of rackets through our demo program.

Babolat ▪ Head ▪Wilson ▪ Prince ▪ Adidas ▪ Asics ▪ TascSofibella ▪ Tourna ▪ Ame & Lulu ▪ All For Color

GEPL-1441963

Osprey Tennis is afull-service retail tennis shop.

We offer men’s and women’sapparel, shoes, bags,

rackets and accessories.Come in and try the newest

rackets through ourdemo program!

Babolat • Head • Wilson • Prince • Adidas • Asics • TascSofibella • Tourna • Ame & Lulu • All For Color

843-235-6663115 Willbrook Blvd, Unit U, Pawleys Island, SC 29585

Located in Litchfield Market Village (Bi-lo, Eggs Up Grill, etc.)Hours: Mon - Sat 10:00am - 5:00pm

www.ospreytennis.com

We Offer Stringing! $10 for your first racket$5 for additional racketsPLUS THE COST OF STRING24 hour turnaround!

Surf The Earth carries a huge selection of Men’s, Women’s & Children’s

Swimwear, Cover-ups andFashionable Beach Accessories!

We also offer the highest quality selection of Paddle Boards, Kayaks, Surfboards and Bikes

in the Pawleys Island area.All rentals include free local delivery.

Name Brands such as:Costa del mar, Billa Bong,

Olukai, L*Space, SmithReef & many more!

Surf the Earth47 Da Gullah Way, Pawleys Island

Mon - Sat 10:00 - 6:00843-235-3500

Visit our websitefor information on

Rentals, Surf Camps andLessons, Eco Tours, etc...www.surf-the-earth.com

Your Wise Choice for Coastal Furnishings! Great Values.

410-A Hwy. 17 Bus. North, Surfside Beach (Next to Post Office)

843-238-1902www.owlsnestfurniture.com

Owl’s Nest FurnitureLocally owned and operated

“New Merchandise Arriving Daily.Come See What’s New for Summer”

39

40

A New Messageby Diane Stark

“After we’re done grocery shopping, can we get a hot pretzel?” My 13-year-old daughter, Julia, asked.

I sighed. I’d known the question was coming – and the temptation that came along with it. “I’d be happy to buy you a pretzel, Jules, but I’m not going to get one,” I said. Her mouth dropped open. “But you love Ben’s hot pretzels dipped in cheese,” she said. “You always said that it’s the best part about grocery shopping at this store.” “I know, Honey. I do love them, but I’m not going to eat one this time.” “Because of your diet?” I nodded. “Yes. I’ve lost nine pounds, and I’d like to lose about ten more. But I can’t do that by eating hot pretzels dipped in cheese sauce.” “We can share one,” Julia suggested with a shrug. “That’s OK, Honey. I don’t need the carbs.” “But they’re your favorite. Can’t you splurge a little?” “I’ll splurge after I reach my goal weight.” After we’d finished shopping, Julia and I headed for the hot pretzel stand. My mouth watered as I ordered Julia’s treat. We sat down at a table, and Julia tore off a piece of her pretzel. I could tell she was about to offer it to me, so I shook my head quickly. “It’s yours, Honey. Just enjoy it.” As she ate, she filled me in on what was happening at school and with her friends. Our conversation turned to social media and Julia said, “Do you remember a Disney show called Shake it Up? I used to watch it all the time.” I nodded. “Yeah, I remember it. It was about two teenage girls who were on a dance show.”

  “That’s right,” Julia said. “Well, one of the girls from the show is getting to be pretty famous. Her name is Zendaya Coleman, and recently, she got really mad because a magazine photoshopped pictures of her.” “Why did she get mad? I thought Photoshop made people look better.” “That’s the problem, Mom. The magazine edited her hips and

thighs to make her look thinner, but she is already thin enough. She got mad

because she thought the magazine was saying that the real Zendaya

wasn’t good enough.” “Are these pictures online?” Julia pulled her phone out of her pocket and spent a few moments on Google. Then she handed me the phone.  There were two images side-

by-side. One was the original photo, and the other was the

edited version. As I compared the two, I felt a bit queasy.

 Julia used her finger to point out the obvious. “See how they edited out a teeny, tiny bit of fat on her thigh right there, and see how her hip doesn’t jut out at all in this picture. They edited it to make her look

thinner.” 

I nodded. “Jules, you’re right. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the original picture. She is a beautiful girl, and I can see why she was upset that the magazine edited her photo.” “Scroll down, Mom. There is a quote from Zendaya herself, saying that, by editing her photo, the magazine was sending the wrong message to young girls and creating unrealistic ideals about how we should look.” I did as Julia asked. I read the words from 19-year-old Zendaya Coleman about the edits to her photo. She encouraged women to love themselves unconditionally and not to buy

Diane Starkis a wife and mom of five. She loves to write about her family and her faith. Her essays have been published in over 20 Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

41

into impossible standards when it comes to beauty.

“She released the real unedited picture herself, Mom. She didn’t want to be a part of making women feel not good enough about their bodies.” “She is a smart girl, Honey, and she sounds like a great role model.” As I uttered the words “role model,” I felt queasy once again.  What was wrong with me? Here I sat, praising a teenager for being real and loving her body as it was, while I beat myself up over my extra pounds and made it crystal clear to my daughter that good enough meant thin enough. I was part of the problem. Tears pricked my eyes as I said, “Jules, I owe you an apology. I haven’t been a good role model to you. Zendaya is right. We should love ourselves, no matter what size jeans we wear. Being thin doesn’t equal being happy, and it doesn’t make us more worthy of love. I need to work on accepting myself as I am and modeling that for you.” Julia nodded. “Sometimes it feels like being thin is all that matters in this world.” “There are many different ways to be beautiful, Jules, but Hollywood rarely shows us that. So I need to be more careful with the messages I’m sending you.”

I grabbed a large piece of her pretzel and dunked it into the cheese sauce. I bit into it and grinned at her. “How’s that for a new message? I’ve eaten healthy all day today, and now, I’m going to splurge and eat a hot pretzel. Not because I’m at my goal weight, but because I love myself, and we all deserve a treat sometimes.” Julia smiled. “You know what would send an even better message?” Her grin grew bigger. “If you got your own pretzel. I decided I don’t want to share after all.” I hopped up and ordered a second pretzel. And as I ate every last bit of it, I never once thought about the calories. I simply enjoyed the treat – and my daughter’s company.

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That Very First Houseby Jeffery Cohen

In 1952, my folks happened to be out for a weekend drive and wandered into a brand new neighborhood of tract houses–lines of pastel colored, cookie cutter homes, one more adorable than the one next door. They decided, on a whim, to tour the model home. My mother fell in love. There was an automatic wash-ing machine, the cute little snack bar in the kitchen, the flower box under the state-of-the-art storm windows.

“We’d love to buy,” my mother explained. “But when we set out today, we weren’t really looking for a house. We were just out for a ride and wound up here.”

The real estate agent smiled widely and said, “All you need to do is to put a down payment, and a beautiful home like this could be yours.”

“I don’t even have my check book,” my mother shrugged as she opened her purse and pulled out a lone silver dollar. “This is all I have on me,” she sighed apologetically.

“Good enough,” the agent nodded. “It’s a deal!”

And that is how my parents bought their first home. My mother loved to tell that story. It was like a personal fairytale come true – how she bought the home of her dreams with a lucky silver dollar.  It wasn’t quite that easy when my wife and I bought our first home.

Like my parents, we  were a young couple, happily living in an apartment and probably would have continued to do so, until we made the great mistake of going on vacation. We’d saved

enough money to go on a seven day cruise to the Caribbean. Returning home tan and well rested, we bumped into our landlord who seemed more than im-pressed at our travels. So impressed, in fact, that he decided to raise our rent and to turn over cost of heating our apartment to us. Guess he figured that if we could afford to traipse around in cruise wear sipping pina coladas on the poop deck of an ocean liner, we could certainly afford to pay a higher rent. When we calculated just how much we would be putting out each month, we realized that we’d be better off if that money went into a house of our own, and so the search began.

We were lucky enough to meet a real estate agent by the name of Walter. He was as mild mannered as Clark Kent, but he had the patience of a superman. “Just what exactly are you looking for?” he asked.

“We really aren’t sure,” I explained.     “That’s okay. Why don’t I just show you a variety of houses. I’m sure the right one is out there somewhere.” He smiled.  And so he began driving us to every available house on the market. No matter what he showed us, his approach was always the same. He’d lead us in, settle into a chair and invite us to wander through on our own. There was never any pressure, no sales pitch, no hype. When we returned to him, he’d simply ask what we thought. The answer was always the same.

“It’s just not exactly for us,” we’d sigh.

He’d smile and say, “No problem. The right one is out here somewhere. We just haven’t found it yet.”

This went on for more than three months. The tiny cottages he showed us were sweet but just a bit too small. The sprawling

estates were far more than we wanted to handle. The shiny new aluminum-sided single families had no character.

The dilapidated handy man specials begged for more loving care then we were able to give. But no mat-

ter how many possibilities we dismissed, Walter was never deterred. It got to the point where

we were almost too embarrassed to tell our poor agent that his latest find was

just not “the one.”

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The phone rang each night at seven. We knew it was Walter.

“I’ve found the house for you,” he said.

His words surprised me. He’d never offered an opinion before. We agreed to take a look.

“Whatever you do, don’t act too enthusiastic,” I warned my wife. “Just keep it understated. If this house is as great as Walter says, I don’t want him thinking we’re sold on it. I want to be able to bargain.”

We pulled up in front of a turn of the century Victorian. The screened in wrap-around porch was adorned with ornate ionic columns. The dining room had the fireplace I had always dreamed about. There was a sewing room off the main bedroom for my wife. There was a stain glass window, a huge country kitchen, carved wood work – old world style was everywhere. It was all I could do to keep from jumping up and down and cheering. I watched my wife as she eyed the cherry wood corner piece displaying delicate antiques and ran her fin-gers over the polished oak handrail of the stairway without uttering a word. We returned to Walter, as usual, and began the ride back to the real estate agency.     “So, what did you think?” he asked me.

I took a deep breath. “Well, it was an interesting house. A little old. Things need to be taken care of,” I explained, doing my best to hide the joy I was feeling.

“And what did YOU think?” he said to my wife.

There was a long silence. Then my wife exploded.” I love it! It’s beautiful! It’s everything I’ve ever wanted!” She went on for several minutes pointing out every detail this wonderful house held. When she finally stopped, I leaned over and whispered, “Nice way to keep that enthusiasm low level.”

Back then, interest rates were over sixteen percent so the asking price was a bargain. We decided to buy the house.

After the closing, we were handed the keys and rushed over to the new house. As we walked around the now empty rooms, we realized that not everything was exactly as we remembered it. The rich wood wall panels were actually wallpaper, the dining room was somehow half the size we recalled, the cherry wood corner piece that we thought was permanent, wasn’t. It was gone, but the feeling we had wasn’t. We couldn’t have been happier. It’s hard to describe the way you feel when you walk into your house and know that it’s yours – to know it is where you belong. It’s like falling in love for the first time. It’s a feel-ing you never forget.

Jeffery CohenF r e e l a n c e w r i t e r a n d n e w s p a p e r columni st   Je f fer y Cohen ha s w r itten for Sasee, Lifetime and Read, Learn, Write. He’s won awards in Women-On-Writing Contest, Vocabula’s Well Written Contest, National League of American Pen Women’s Competition, Southern California Genealogy Competition and Writer’s Weekly writing contest.

Mosquito Legsby Erika Hoffman

“Mosquito legs” was the nickname I was given as a kid. I had skinny limbs; my ribs stuck out, and my shoulders were bony ridges. Each morning, Mom used to spoon me an elixir called Pallidac, an iron supplement. What a picky eater I was! I couldn’t let my foods touch. I avoided anything green or mushy or mixed like a casserole. Mom taught school and was a busy woman besides her fulltime job. She was a mom to three and wife and caregiver to her mom. She didn’t have time to cater to me or at any rate didn’t have the will to do that. When I didn’t touch whatever she put in front of me, her usual statement was: “You must not be hungry.” And she never seemed to worry about how gaunt I got.

Then puberty hit. I started to fill out. My thin, small frame got padding in the appropriate places. I had a figure most gals have to diet to get. Or nowadays have surgery to acquire! So, I looked good for those important years of high school and college. I moved to the South and discovered pecan pie and delicious caloric- infused meals. Even green beans were decadently delicious down in Dixie! I picked up an appetite and started to notice I was putting on a bit of pudge. Yet I was still basically a thin gal.

At 30, I became pregnant. Everything tasted good to me, especially double cheeseburgers. I bloomed. I gained 63 pounds. I was a borderline gestational diabetic. I gave birth to a chubby healthy boy. The weight didn’t slip off, but I managed to shed 43 pounds before I had my second boy within two years. Boom! Back up I soared to where I was when I delivered the first. I’d added milkshakes to the things that tasted good to the expectant me! This kid was bigger than the first. This one was 9.4. Afterwards, I didn’t lose but 33 pounds. Two years later I was eating for two again! A third robust little fellow was born, and despite breastfeeding for a year, I shed only 25 pounds before I had my fourth child 21 months later, an adorable chunky daughter. I lost the weight of her and the weight of the placenta. That’s all!

I remained chubby for years. Menopause came and I gained some more. At times, I’d think back to the former me. I’d want to wear a Polaroid picture of myself in a bikini pinned to my shirt to show strangers I met: “I didn’t always look like this. I wasn’t always fat.” Of course, I didn’t attire myself in old photos nor did I post them on Facebook on throwback Thursdays. That thin girl was who I used to be. No more.

I now am a grandma. I wish I’d lose excess weight for health reasons more than for cosmetic reasons, and yet I’m not unhappy being the rotund granny.

I’m not trying to show off my figure anymore the way I did when I was young. I’m not trying to attract folks to me because of my looks. I’m not interested in wearing only the most fashionable clothes. I’m NOT going to get thin so that I can qualify for a facelift, the reason so many of my peers shed pounds.

I am not the same person I was when I was in my twenties or even thirties. Now, I am more certain of my intrinsic worth, my intelligence, my sense

of humor, my values, my idea of friendship, my judgment of what really matters in life than I was back then. I am very curvy, and I am

very confident.

Never am I going to win any foot races, but I walk my dachshunds and attend yoga class and most days weed and tend to my garden. I get some exercise. I

even dance once in a while. I travel. I swim. I hike. I don’t win awards for any of these activities as I am

more like the tortoise than the hare. But I enjoy my journey no matter how long it takes me.

I get confidence from so many things other than whether I have a Barbie figure or its equivalent on a baby boomer. I had a teaching career. I’ve been married for 39 years. I raised four successful kids. I write avidly and get published frequently, and what’s more I can tell a good joke and listen to another person relate his or her story without having to interrupt to tell my own. These are accomplishments that

bestow self-esteem.

I’m no longer a waif and not yet a whale. I am pleasantly plump, as they used to say in

yesteryear. Moreover, I like the way I look at my age. I have no inner critic. I’m fine the way I am.

That is how we all should feel.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all?”

“You are, Silly. I reflect what you think of yourself,” says the mirror. And that, my friends, is the happy ending your fairy tale should have.

48

Erika Hoffmanlikes to reflect on things she’s done; folks she’s met; books she’s read. And then, she likes to write about those same things.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the

fairest of them all?”

“You are, Silly.I reflect what youthink of yourself”

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Nude Manifesto:An Artist’s Model Comes Clean

by Liz Pardue-SchultzI’ve been an artist’s model for 14 years now, and I’d tell anyone that I genuinely love it, although not for the decent money or because I get my kicks from exhibitionism. Our society frowns on those who have the audacity to enjoy ourselves without any clothes on, but, honestly, a state of nudity has always been where I feel most comfortable when in repose; additionally, I’ve always been fascinated by the study of the human form and its ability to convey an endless array of emotion. For me, collaborating with artists to continue the ancient tradition of exploring humanity through art feels like an honor.

When I was in college in North Carolina, I learned that a prestigious art conservatory nearby was looking for models to pose for a starting hourly wage that is still rather impressive. Never being one to hassle with modesty, I thought, “How hard could it be to stand still for an hour?” and immediately applied for a position. The next week, I started with a one-hour class, where I quickly learned how wrong I was about the amount of effort I’d need for this job. Being an impulsive teenager in search of interesting experiences and “easy money,” I did no research about poses that would work with light and shadow to best display movement and emotion;  I just made sure to bathe and grab a robe on my way out the door. Huge mistake. I was put on a small platform in the center of a gigantic loft studio with students and easels surrounding me. I’d been performing on stage since I was little, so I wasn’t uncomfortable being in front of a group. However, suddenly realizing that I was performing unscripted, by myself, and in the buff stunned me with a case of the jitters.

To begin, I was encouraged to choose my own standing poses that “showed energy” for three minutes each, and despite the room being a little chilly, I was dripping sweat within moments as I realized I might have been too ambitious by choosing a pose that put all my weight on one foot. I was absolutely sure I was going to collapse when the timer buzzed a few minutes later. Although I clearly had no idea what I was doing, I completed the class and the professor asked me to return two weeks later. I continued until the end of the semester and, it was the best possible way to begin a career as an artist’s model. During the few months I worked there, I learned how to create emotive shapes that cater to every angle, and how to stay still in these positions for extended lengths of time without hurting

myself. As someone who has never had a slender typical “model body,” I could’ve never anticipated that I would continue doing this for so long, but one job led to another, and over time, my portfolio and list of references grew.

Unlike modeling commercially, I have booked work despite my weight fluctuating drastically and my body changing after I gave birth. Not one of the artists I have sat for has ever criticized my body or tried to categorize it within a marketable “type.” My imperfections are never edited out; artists unflinchingly include the extra bumps on my thighs and the scar that smiles beneath my belly button as evidence of cesarean surgery years ago. Within art, there is a sense of acceptance and the realization that a body does not have to be conventionally attractive to be interesting.

Artists prefer me to arrive unedited. I keep my nails natural, my hair loosely swept up, and I wear minimal makeup – usually just a little mascara and some blush if I’ll be under direct lighting. The painters, sculptors and sketchers I’ve worked with are interested in studying the real, raw essence of a human in her natural state. This is a stark contrast to our popular society that seems to insist people aren’t presentable unless we’re heavily made up or photoshopped.

51

Perhaps I’ve gotten lucky or my paranoia has made me overly concerned with taking precautions, but I have never once had a bad experience posing for an artist. I attribute this to working for classes at respectable institutions and obsessively checking references for artists before I meet to work one-on-one. I model for groups in mixed company, with artists of all ages and genders and, to date, I have never experienced anything other than absolute professionalism – not even so much as an accidentally-inappropriate comment. I may have been spoiled, but this has fostered in me the expectation that all modeling sessions are to be carried out with respect, and I shouldn’t accept anything less.

This is not to say all my work environments are somber. Just last month I was posing for a collective of about twenty senior artists, who like to listen to a local classical music station.  That week, the station was having a fundraiser that promised a John Williams anthology CD to anyone who signed on as a sponsor, so imagine my surprise when I struck a back-facing pose and the theme from Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark started blaring from the radio. Luckily, I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t keep a straight face, and the minute I started smiling, the rest of the group broke into giggles, too.

This work has never been my full-time career, but for me, it is absolutely the job that I most enjoy and that continues to benefit me in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. When I sit for artists I feel as regal as the thousands of women who have posed nude through centuries before me, whose forms immortalized in paint or clay represent the stages of womanhood, life and humanity that stand the tests of time where fashion or ornamental trends cannot. Regardless of what happens to the pieces my form has inspired or if my work ever becomes more than just a part-time gig, it has been therapeutic through the years to have a reminder that each of us, naturally, is art.

Liz Pardue-Schultzis a writer, model, custom framer and oddity curator in beautiful Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.

52

Home to many historic landmarks and legends, there are many footprints to follow and to be made on Myrtle Beach’s beautiful sandy shores. Off the beaten path and hidden beneath the many golf courses and incredible attractions is a whole world of culture and undiscovered gems. One of a kind shells may line our beaches, but this oceanfront paradise hosts more than meets the eye. The Sasee staff has discovered an array of sights, happenings and hangouts that you may not have had a chance to experience. For fun after hours or an enlightening cultural experience, to the adrenaline seekers dream or for those who just love the great outdoors, there is something unexpected to be discovered amidst the hustle and bustle of the Grand Strand.

Sasee wants to know your favorite hangouts! Send your choices and why you love them to lmoore@strandmedia.com!

Franklin G. Burroughs - Simeon B. Chapin Art MuseumA villa dating back to 1924, this indestructible house of art has stood tall against an attempted demolition and a trying relocation. Dedi-cated to being one of the finest visual arts museums in the Carolinas, this cultural haven strives to engage communities and visitors through unique exhibits and interactive, educational programs for all ages.

The Myrtle Beach Train DepotListed on the National Register of Historic Places, this 1937 structure residing in the heart of the Myrtle Beach area has been restored and re-opened in 2004 for public use. Reminding visitors of the glory days of train travel, this landmark serves as the city’s activity hub providing an active link to the city’s past and a focal point for its future. This great hall with exposed wood and sliding freight doors is now open for com-munity meetings, committees, receptions, activities and parties.

Sasee Takes a Look:Myrtle Beach

Art & History

53

Anchor CafeIndulge yourself with a casual waterfront dining experience at the Grand Dunes marina. An open-air dining venue, the Anchor Cafe is a favorite among locals and boaters. Dock your boat and relax with a refreshing beverage and dive into a delicious lunch or dinner at a cafe that will anchor your heart.

Food, Drink and Song

Carolina Country Music FestFor the second year, June 10-12, music fans and beach lovers unite for a three day weekend of outdoor entertainment with a musical lineup that never disappoints. Held in a beautiful ocean side setting, this festival of country’s best spans 18 acres of coastal area from the famous Myrtle Beach boardwalk to venues on Ocean Boulevard.

The BoathouseFantasy Harbour Boulevard houses the best backyard in Myrtle Beach. A rustic, rollicking joint on the Intracoastal Waterway, this welcoming home away from home is the place to hang out with friends and family. Every “Sunday Funday” hosts a summer concert series with an eclectic lineup of genres and the best bar food and draft beers on the waterfront.

54

Fun OutdoorsMyrtle Beach State ParkAn outdoor wildlife habitat and natural education center, our state park offers an escape of peace and solitude for all ages. A fishing pier, bird watching, three playgrounds, picnic shelters, some of the best swimming areas anywhere along the Atlantic, equestrian facilities and, of course, beautiful nature trails, some with bike access. If hunting trea-sure is your fancy, the first South Carolina State Park allows geocaching and dates back to 1936. With unique wildlife and a diverse array of maritime grassland flora, this local’s favorite is a site to behold.

The Horry County Bike & Run Park (aka The Hulk)Come face to face with the beast of Myrtle Beach. Be sure to pack your mountain bike because this seven mile single track course is compet-itive and challenging with short steep climbs, twists and technical drops. They call it “The Hulk” for a reason, but with a sense of adven-ture and an appetite for fun, superpowers are not needed to defeat our beach’s neighborly beast.

Palmetto Adventure Land PlaygroundLocated just west of Myrtle Beach, in the Carolina Forest area, the Palmetto Adventure Land Playground is a hidden gem for children. This huge community playground was designed and decorated by local elementary students and built by area volunteers with a number of fun features including a boat, submarine, wave facade, swings, slides, monkey bars, games, picnic shelters and more. There are play areas for both school-aged children and preschoolers, and the area also provides access to the nearby Carolina Forest Library and Carolina Forest Rec-reation Center with a public gym, fitness room and more.

Market Common’s Grand ParkChildren and adults love this outdoor recreation area located in Market Common. Several ponds, playgrounds, athletic fields, picnic shelters, and a gymnasium are located here. You’ll even find a roller hockey rink! Runners, walkers and bikers can use the beautiful trails for a fun workout, too!

Beautiful Angelby Sue Mayfield Geiger

When a photojournalist friend of mine told me she was putting together a book a few years back about ordinary women, she asked me for recommendations. I thought a bit and asked if there was an age limit. “Not at all,” she said. “We want women who have a story to tell; women who are courageous, proud and beautiful inside and out.”

My widowed mother, Edna, close to 90 at the time, was still living in her home, looked sensational for her age and was a true survivor. Born in 1916, she somehow got through a most difficult childhood. Edna’s biological mother died when Edna was a baby, leaving her widowed father with five children to care for. With no Child Protective Services or child labor laws being enforced then, the mental and physical abuse mom suffered under the hands of her stepmother was horrific.

Leaving school in the seventh grade paved the way for my mother to get a job and move in with an older sister. The abuse did not stop, however; and the stepmother found ways to continue the torment from afar. Eventually, Mom met my dad, who married her, and gave her the happy life she had missed out on. They had 61 years together before Dad died in 1999.

It was hard for Mom to continue life without him, because Dad had totally spoiled her. He handled all the finances, gave her everything she needed and desired and drove her anywhere she wanted to go. You see, Mom never learned how to drive a car. Oh, Dad tried to teach her, and she even took lessons, but she was just too nervous to grasp the concept. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was not in anyone’s vocabulary a few decades ago, but it was quite evident that Mom suffered from it her entire life. She had a stuttering problem and hated confrontation. She had a limited vocabulary and often mispronounced words. Yet aside from her shortcomings, she was a beautiful woman with jet black hair, high cheekbones and enchanting brown eyes. She had an amazing soprano voice and loved to sing. She exuded warmth, love and kindness.

Somehow, when she was suddenly faced with living alone, she surprised us all and went forward with her life with strength, grace, dignity and courage. When friends picked her up to take her to church or to the grocery store, she insisted on paying them, even though they refused to take her money.

“No, you must take it to put gas in your car – please – it will hurt my feelings if you don’t,” she’d say. And so, reluctantly, they did.

When Mom needed medical or financial forms filled out, another friend came over to help. In return, Mom would have one of her wonderful rum pound cakes hot out of the oven to present to her. A neighborhood boy who did the lawn knew he would be the recipient of a plate of warm, chocolate-chip cookies. And when another friend took her to vote, Mom insisted on taking her to lunch.

So, the photojournalist was eager to interview and photograph my mother, explaining how each woman would get two pages: One full page photo, and on the other page, a short story of her life. The book associated a defining word with each woman featured, like Freedom, Bravery, Hope, Success, Advocacy and the like.

The title of the book, Beautiful Women, Like You and Me, by Linda Lapointe and Patty Mayeau, came out in 2007, and the photo of Mom is priceless: Mom joyously laughing, in her favorite dress and wearing shiny jewelry. It truly projected her persona. The one-word title across the top of her page was “Independence,” and I thought, how appropriate.

I was doubly pleased that the author wrote about Mom’s angel collection – she had close to 50, including an angel tapestry hanging above her bed. It reminded her of the angel that appeared to her a few weeks after my Dad died, saying it was a sign that he was watching over her.

My mom recently went to join her beloved on February 29, 2016, at the age of 99. She spread her beautiful wings and flew high above the clouds -- all on her very own.

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Sue Mayfield Geigeris the granddaughter and niece of pressmen who worked at the Gulf Publishing Company in Houston, Texas. She grew up near enormous typesetting machines, inhaling the smell of ink and writing stories on reams of discarded paper. Today she freelances for several publications, both regional and national, and her short stories and poems have appeared in various literary magazines. She lives on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Photo Courtesy of Linda Lapointe

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June 2016

1-29 Sunset Beach Concerts, 7pm, Wednesdays, The Village Park on Queen Anne Street, Sunset Beach, NC. For more info, visit www.sunsetbeachconcerts.com.

2-30 Music on Main, Thursdays, 7-9 pm, 2, 16, 30-Main St., 9, 23-Horseshoe on Ocean Blvd, North Myrtle Beach. For more info, call 843-280-5574 or visit www.parks.nmb.us.

3-24 Ocean Isle Concert Series, Fridays, 6:30-8pm. Museum of Coastal Carolina parking lot, E. Second St., Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. For more info, call 910-398-2538.

8-8/5 Cool Summer Evenings, Wednesday-Friday, Brookgreen Gardens. Entertainment and programs are free with garden admission. For more info, call 843-235-6000 or visit

www.brookgreen.org.

10-12 Carolina Country Music Fest, 1pm-11pm each day, 812 North Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC. For more info, call 704-936-5623 or visit www.carolinacountrymusicfest.com.

11-12 Art in the Park, 10am-4pm, Chapin Park, 1400 N. Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach. For more info, call 843-446-3830 or visit www.artsyparksy.com.

23-26 All Shook Up, Theatre of the Republic, Conway. For more info,call 843-488-0824 or visit www.theatreoftherepublic.com.

24 Moveable Feast, Wendy Wax discusses Sunshine Beach, 11am, at Inlet Affairs, $25. For more info, call 843-235-9600 or visit www.classatpawleys.com

25 Riverfest, 11am-10pm, An American Celebration, Riverfront in Conway, free. For more info, call 843-248-2273 or visit www.conwayscchamber.com.

7/4 Murrells Inlet Boat Parade & Fireworks, parade held at high tide, fireworks at 10 pm, spectators welcome on the

Marshwalk, For more info, call 843-357-2997 or visitwww.murrellsinletsc.com.

7/4 July 4th with the Winyah Indigo Choral Society7 pm, on the Kaminski House lawn. For more info, visit www.indigochoral.com.

7/4 Fourth of July at the Old Bridge,109 Shoreline Drive West, Sunset Beach NC, parade be-

gins at 9 am, children’s games and activities, free refresh-ments. For more info, call 910-363-6585 or visit

www.oldbridgepreservationsociety.org.

Our Real Houseby Melissa Face

I told one of my students that my husband and I were buying a new home.

“How exciting!” she commented. “Is it your dream house?”

“Not exactly,” I answered, without thinking about what her question really meant.

It isn’t a dream house by HGTV or any other home improvement show’s standards. It doesn’t have an elevator, a guest house or a media room. There is no dedicated shoe closet, backyard beach or hydroponic garden in the kitchen.

Those features are extraordinary, but they are not “such stuff as my dream home is made on.”

For the past few years, I have envisioned having a large living space that did not also hold our kitchen and dining areas. I have fantasized about how nice it would be to have a separate dining room and be able to host a real dinner party, complete with formal dishes and glasses. And more recently, I have dreamed about my children playing in a spacious yard that is not right next to a frequently traveled road.

My husband and I contacted our realtor, Carla, this past February and began looking at a few properties online. We scheduled some visits and were just beginning to walk inside the second property of interest when my realtor noticed my expression.

“It’s only the second house you’ve seen,” she warned. “Don’t get excited too quickly.”

“Oh, I’m not,” I lied. I faked minimal interest as we continued to tour the house. But in my mind, I had already moved in. My clothes were already hanging in the closet, and my book collection was displayed on the upstairs landing. My heart was invested in the house well before my money was.

The house was exactly what my husband and I were looking for. It had a private road and a wooded lot, elements that we did not think possible when it was so close to city life. It had a large front yard, fenced back yard, separate dining area and a fourth bedroom that we could use for a playroom. It was perfect for our family of four.

The next day, we made an offer, negotiated the price and closing costs

a bit and then signed the contract. We waited for our loan to be approved, dealt with the home inspection and appraisal, and a few weeks later… it was our house.

In recent days, we have begun the arduous process of packing and moving our belongings. While cleaning out under my bed, I found a book of dream home floor plans that I bought from Lowe’s several years ago. There was a time when we thought we might build our own dream home, and the book would serve as a source of inspiration. It has been under my bed ever since.

Flipping through the pages, I realized that my new home looked nothing like the plans in that book. But I thought back to the conversation with my student and realized I may have answered her question incorrectly.

Perhaps the new house is our dream house. As we have grown older and had two children, our dreams have changed. Finding a home near a highly ranked school system has taken priority over spiral staircases and soaking tubs. A secluded road with minimal traffic ranks higher than skylights and window seats. The luxuries that we once hoped to enjoy are no longer as important as having space to feed extended family and spend time with our children. What we have is even better than a dream house; it’s our real house.

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Melissa Facelives in southeastern Virginia with herhusband and two children. She teaches English, writes essays, and spends a little too much time on Facebook. Email Melissa at writermsface@yahoo.com.

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The Accessory Cottage ................................................................................................26Atlantic Dermatology ..................................................................................................10B. Graham Interiors .....................................................................................................21Barbara’s Fine Gifts ......................................................................................................31Belk .................................................................................................................................26Bleu .................................................................................................................................32Bloomingails .................................................................................................................28Burroughs & Chapin Art Museum ...........................................................................43Brookgreen Gardens ....................................................................................................10Butler Lighting ..............................................................................................................23Cabana Collections ......................................................................................................31Callahan’s of Calabash .................................................................................................42Carolina Car Care ........................................................................................................45Centro Shoes .................................................................................................................37CHD Interiors ................................................................................................................3Cheryl Newby Gallery ................................................................................................11Chive Blossom ................................................................................................................5Christopher’s Fine Jewelery .......................................................................................41The Citizens Bank ........................................................................................................51Coastal Luxe ..................................................................................................................60David Grabeman, D.D.S., P.A. .....................................................................................5Details by Three Sisters ...............................................................................................32Doodlebugs ...................................................................................................................23Dr. Sattele’s Rapid Weight Loss & Esthetics Centers............................................44Edible Arrangements ...................................................................................................45Eleanor Pitts ..................................................................................................................34Fowler Life Coaching ..................................................................................................45Good Deed Goods .......................................................................................................49Grady’s Jewelers............................................................................................................37Harvest Commons .......................................................................................................28Homespun Crafters Mall ............................................................................................43Hopeologist ...................................................................................................................32Hospice Care of of SC .................................................................................................11The Joggling Board .......................................................................................................26Kangaroo Pouch ...........................................................................................................30

Knight Furniture Showrooms ...................................................................................28The Lakes at Litchfield ..................................................................................................7Long Bay Symphony ...................................................................................................43Master Homes ..............................................................................................................38M. Brooke Salon & Spa ...............................................................................................29Myrtle Beach Estates ...................................................................................................43Myrtle Beach Singles ...................................................................................................59Osprey Tennis ...............................................................................................................38Owl’s Nest Furniture ...................................................................................................39Palmetto Ace Hardware ..............................................................................................45Pawleys Island Wear ....................................................................................................27The Pink Cabana ..........................................................................................................31Plain and Fancy ............................................................................................................37Pounds Away .................................................................................................................49Purpleologist .................................................................................................................32Rose Arbor Fabrics & Interiors .................................................................................31Sea Gypsy Boutique ....................................................................................................33Sea Island Trading Co .................................................................................................20Shades & Draperies .......................................................................................................5Shops at Tweaked ...........................................................................................................9A Silver Shack ...............................................................................................................35Simply Divine ...............................................................................................................29Socialite ..........................................................................................................................23Studio 77 ........................................................................................................................30Surf the Earth ................................................................................................................39Talk of the Town...........................................................................................................35Taylors ............................................................................................................................35Taz ...................................................................................................................................21Treasures Jewelers ........................................................................................................29Two Sisters with Southern Charm ...........................................................................34Vandy Jewelers ..............................................................................................................21Wallpapers by Lynne ...................................................................................................34WEZV .............................................................................................................................58Wicker Imports/Island Furniture ...............................................................................2Yoga in Common .........................................................................................................47

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