Tiny Rider

Agriculture was an important part of the early beginning of southern culture. I was raised in the country and my daddy taught me a love of all things outdoors. The Bowie Farm in Iva, SC held its annual "Old Farm Days Reunion" with many demonstrations and events from the old days of farming. I met this charming young lady on her horse. I didn't catch her name but her steed was Little Bill.

Old Farm Days

Here are 2 new friends I met at the Bowie Old Farm Days in Iva. My dad is on the board that plans and supports the event. They had lots of interesting activities. But these guys were my favorites.

Chillin' in the Swamp

This was quite comical with the lone turtle chilling with the ducks.

Magnolia Plantation, Charleston, SC
Summer 2009

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Waiting

I just love my mom's garden. This old wheelbarrow has held flowers and even the birdseed from Meredith's wedding. Now it sits rather lonesomely under a tree. It appears to be waiting for its next job.

Last of Summer's Bounty

The tomato vines at my parents' are yielding the last few fruits of the season. They have been plenitful as both my parents have 2 green thumbs. My dad loves to be in the soil...plowing, planting, weeding. My mom is the picker and preparer. But best of all they always share the harvest with friends and family. From blueberries to beans, corn and tomatoes, and now scuppernongs and turnip greens, there is always a crop in season at the Hopkins "Farm". I appreciate that my parents taught me a love of the outdoors and the joy of growing something from a seed that can beautify your yard or provide a delicious meal for your table.

Scuppernongs--The Taste of Fall

Scuppernongs as defined by Wikipedia--A scuppernong (also called "scuppernine" or "suscadine" in parts of Georgia, and "suppeydine" or "scuppeydime" in central and Western North Carolina), is a large type of muscadine, a type of grape native to the southeastern United States. It is usually a greenish or bronze color and is similar in appearance and texture to a white grape, but rounder and about 50% larger and first known as the 'big white grape'.

The fruit of my childhood. Daddy had a huge scuppernong arbor. As children we climbed in it, played house under it and used it as a hiding place during a game of hide and seek. But come September you could smell the fruit on the vine. The smell and taste of scuppernongs bring back a flood of childhood memories for me. My sisters and I picked the ripe fruit which our parents took to work and sold for a quarter a quart. This was our fair money to spend each year when the Anderson County Fair came to town. My dad now has a smaller arbor but the fruit smells and tastes exactly the same. Want to know what fall tastes like--a scuppernong. At least it tastes like fall to me.