This year, spring break was split into two separate trips. The boys headed to Ireland for a wild ride across the country. We, chose to stay a little closer to home. Our adventure started and ended with golf; then we added some sand, shopping, and school visits in the middle. The week began with a trip to Augusta to watch the Masters and concluded at the Ocean Course on Kiawah. In the days between, we took a quick trip down to Greenville. There, we enjoyed one of our favorite walks on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, explored the campus of Furman University and enjoyed a fun meal at the Whistle Stop Cafe in Travelers Rest. I’m sure that I have recommended this before, but if you find yourself in Greenville, South Carolina, enjoy the charm of the downtown area including Falls Park. If time allows, I also recommend either biking or walking the trail out to Travelers Rest. The next destination on our whirlwind spring break tour was Charleston and the surrounding area. We started in the city and made our way through the beautiful streets that surround the battery before touring the College of Charleston. Our jaunt around the school gave us a much better appreciation for this lush urban campus. We also took the opportunity to try a few new restaurants in this city, brimming with southern charm. We tried three establishments that we hadn’t been to before Indaco, Bourbon & Bubbles, and Chubby Fish. We would go back to all three. However, the culinary highlight of the week for us was having the entire courtyard to ourselves at Frannie and the Fox in the Emeline Hotel. We booked a table in the courtyard, which we highly recommend. Due to rain showers in the area, we were the only group seated in the courtyard before a passing shower closed their outdoor space. What an absolute treat it was to enjoy that typically bubbling venue in serene, rain-washed quiet. It was like being in a scene from a movie. The next few days were spent exploring the city, its galleries, cafes, and bookstores, as well as participating in some retail therapy on King Street (mostly window shopping). From there, we branched out to explore the surrounding area. We soaked in the sun and sand on the Isle of Palms, learned about the history of Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, and toured the beautiful new community of Kiawah River on John’s Island. Our last stop was Kiawah Island. If you enjoy the serenity of a private beach, Kiawah offers a pristine and quiet refuge. We also took the opportunity to enjoy a delightful cocktail at the Sanctuary hotel lounge, which is like taking a step back in time to an elegant seaside mansion. It may seem simple, but a delicious cocktail paired with delicate sweet and savory snacks was another lovely high point. It was the perfect pre-dinner treat before heading down to the Ryder Cup Bar. There we were dazzled by a magnificent sunset over the golf course. Just in case you are wondering, this trip did start and end with golf, but we were only spectators at both venues this time around. What a Spring Break whirlwind.
March is Madness…
Basketball isn’t the only exciting and unpredictable thing that happens in March. Sometimes the weather can be just as uncertain as your NCAA tourney picks. March is maddness, but we can enjoy it by throwing a basketball watch party during the tournament. We have all the essentials you need to alt least make hosting predictable. Typically, when March arrives in the Carolinas, it means that spring is just around the corner. In the beginning of the month, lenten roses were in full bloom and highlighted the flowerbeds throughout the area. It’s always the first perennial to bloom and a symbol that warmer weather is headed our way. In the middle of the month, the daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths are another promising sign that winter is drawing to a close. We anxiously await the return of the greenery. While other parts of the country are still dealing with winter weather, the Carolinas are looking good in the garden (and on the court). The leaves on the trees start to emerge and many other plants like forsythia, hostas, irises, azaleas and hydrangeas also begin to percolate. Gardeners in our zone (hardiness growing zone 7) watch the night time weather forecasts closely because temperatures can fluctuate greatly. It is not uncommon to have huge swings where the overnight temperatures fall below twenty five degrees causing heavy damage to most tender plants. The weather in March is fickle. Our temperatures are about as reliable as our NCAA bracket picks were this year. It’s not unusual to have daytime temps in the high seventies and then a cold snap where the temperature results in a hard freeze . When this happens, we interrupt the basketball watching frenzy, aka March Madness and head outside. We recruit our families to help us cover the tender plants with blankets and sheets to protect them from the frost. So whether you are an avid gardener, Chapel Hill or Duke fan, March in the Carolinas is madness!