In our
never-ending quest to visit all the waterfalls in the Upstate, last weekend we
set out for the Stumphouse Tunnel Park in northwest South Carolina. About five miles north of Walhalla,
the park is just across the street from Sumter National Forest. The last time
that we made this trip was in March of 2002, to see the well-known 100 foot
tall Issaqueena Falls on Cane Creek. One of the more popular falls in the Upstate, the
waterfall is named for an Indian maiden who hid on a ledge to avoid capture as
she fled to warn her English lover of an Indian attack.
Issaqueena Falls (March, 2002)
After
paying the $2 park entrance fee we turned right into the waterfall parking area.
Dotted with picnic tables that we later took advantage of, a wide, graveled trail
leads to an observation deck that looks out over the falls. A 5 minute stroll,
the scene is actually not very breathtaking, especially in the summer with so
much foliage in the way.
Halfway down the trail to the base of the falls
There
is a trail that leads down to the foot of the falls, and I’ve read this described
as everything from an “easy 5-minute hike” to a “15-minute beginner excursion.”
However, during the South Carolina summer this trail is NOT for children, dogs
or pregnant women, as it leads down a steep slope through a poison ivy thicket.
We braved the PI, taking our time to reach a spot halfway to the base of the
falls, at which point we decided that we would not be completing the hike this
time around, as the poison ivy was thigh-high in places, climbing trees that
would serve as handholds and ensuring any tiny misstep would lead to an itchy
several weeks. The majority of hikers we saw on the trail were oblivious to the
fact that they (and their dogs) were wading through the stuff – it was hard to
warn them without sounding like an obnoxious know-it-all.
After
a snack at one of the afore-mentioned picnic tables we headed for the other
section of the park, the Stumphouse Tunnel. The 1,617 foot long tunnel was started
in 1852 to connect Charleston to Knoxville and eventually on to Cincinnati by
rail. The Civil War brought construction to a stop. The
tunnel measures 17 feet wide by 25 feet high, but visitors can only explore
half as falling rock from the 60-foot airshaft in the middle of
the tunnel has prompted a locked gate to be installed. The airshaft is the
cause of the cool breeze flowing out of the tunnel, as well as the condensation
which guarantees water on both sides of the path.
In
1951 Clemson University bought the tunnel and used it to cure the South's first
blue cheese. (Sacre bleu!) The
tunnel's environment was later duplicated at Clemson and the cheese making was
moved, and although Clemson still owns the Park it is now managed by the city
of Walhalla. (The cheese can be purhcased at Clemson - see the end of this post for more info.)
An old rail car near the entrance of the tunnel
A
pleasant outing to the mountains, I was a little disappointed in the waterfall
experience (and wary of what the next week might bring due to our poison ivy
experience). Therefore, I suggest pairing a trip to Stumphouse Tunnel Park and
Issaqueena Falls with a hike to Yellow Branch Falls...
Sometimes
it can take a lot to get our favorite New Yorkers to come visit us. Like Willie
Nelson.
Turns
out it’s a heck of a lot easier to get good tickets at the Charter Amphitheatre
in Simpsonville, SC than at the Radio City Music Hall.
I was
first introduced to Willie by my father via The Highwaymen, and although Johnny
Cash will forever remain my favorite of those historic four, Willie Nelson has
a special spot in my playlist. It doesn’t hurt that Roberts also loves Willie –
one of the few musical tastes we share.
This one's for you, numurs viens
Everything
was kicked off by The Devil Makes Three, a band out of Vermont that plays a mix
of bluegrass, old time music, country, folk, blues, jazz, ragtime, and
rockabilly. Having toured with Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris, they are currently
in Europe playing sold-out shows in France, Italy, Germany and Spain.
Next
up was Alison Krauss & Union Station (featuring Jerry Douglas). Blown away.
Gorgeous voice, talented musician, and geez, those lyrics! She’s got a new fan.
Willie
Nelson and Family played a non-stop, get-you-on-your-feet,
can-you-believe-this-guy-is-81? show full of favorites such as On the Road
Again, Whiskey River and Mommas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys. Toby
Keith’s Beer for my Horses got quite a reaction, as did Superman. My
favorite? Always on my Mind.
The
guy can still rock a full house.
I'm drowning in a whiskey
river,
Bathing my mem'ried mind in the
wetness of its soul.
A favorite
place of ours here in Greenville is the zoo. Certainly not as big as Brookfield Zoo, nor integrated
with a museum like the Greensboro Science Center,
it does however have the benefit of being conveniently located just outside of
downtown, and of being “do-able” in an hour or two. This is our second year
with a membership, which has a few advantages. One being the
opportunity to visit as often as we wish, there is also less pressure to linger;
if the boys would rather play in Cleveland Park that day, I don’t feel
obligated to get "my money’s worth." (Although the entrance fee is reasonable, $8.75 for adults, $5.50 for children ages 3-15) Other perks to the membership
include early sign-up and discounts on programs and special events like Boo in the Zoo, free or discounted admission to more than 130 zoos in the US, and extra
guest tickets. If you've been to the zoo lately, then you know our little landmark is in for some major changes; the Greenville Zoo 20-year master plan proposal was recently unveiled... and it includes tigers!!!
The
first exhibit upon entering is the African elephant enclosure. Sadly, one of
the two elephants passed away this March, and with revised AZA standards
regarding elephant enclosures requiring zoos to have three female elephants and
room to house a bull, the second elephant Joy will soon be relocating to her
new home, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, CO.
Across
from the elephants is a small pond that is home to several species of turtles,
but also serves as the home to birds during a quarantine period for new
arrivals.
After
climbing the stairs or circling around with the stroller we come to the primate
section. The critically endangered black-headed spider monkeys, Schmidt’s
red-tailed guenons, the black & white ruffed lemurs and the Angola Colobus
monkeys are always fun to watch, whether they are eating or swinging around
their cages.
Just
next door is the reptile building, which houses all the cute and cuddly
creatures such as the Madagascar hissing cockroaches, the gulfodulcean poison
arrow frogs, tarantulas, rhinoceros iguanas and a slew of snakes including
pythons and rattlesnakes.
Keeping
right will take you into the loop with Ruppell’s griffon vultures, thought to
be the world’s highest flying bird sometimes cruising up to 36,000 feet with
the jetliners. The three vultures have a view of the two bear sculptures, the
misting station and the zoo jeep that the boys always request to have their
pictures taken on.
A
little further are the lions, two half-brothers that came from the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. A big part of Greenville Zoo’s recently unveiled master plan is a new lion
enclosure, so we’ll be saying goodbye to Chuma and Saied in the coming years,
and welcoming a pair of males and one or two females who will begin a breeding
program. The new exhibit will also include an elevated viewing platform.
The
Masai giraffes are neighbors to the lions. Last October the female Autumn gave
birth to Kiko, broadcast live via the Giraffe Cam, which boasts over one
million viewers from all over the world. Walter and Autumn are expecting their second baby in July, so we’ll be able to
share the experience of being preggers during the summer in the South.
Returning
to the loop we find the Aldabran tortoises: females Aimee & Yin, and male
Bubba. With life spans up to 200 years, these giants are the second-largest
species of tortoise in the world. Visitors might notice a second, smaller
enclosure off of the main space, separated by a series of posts. The purpose of
this second enclosure is to provide a haven for the females when the male is
being ‘aggressive’; the posts are spaced just wide enough to allow the two
smaller females to pass through.
We take a break in the playground before continuing on, as the shaded area
with comfortable seating allows for a place to hydrate and rest during the
warmer months. Then it’s on to the orangutans who are often playing very near the viewing
glass. Bob was born to Chelsea and Mia in 2006, but despite being eight years
old he still often engages in playtime with his parents.
The
master plan proposes an expansion to the orangutan exhibit, as well as the
leopard exhibit just next door. The Amur leopards, Emerald and Jade, arrived in
Greenville as cubs in 2011. A few years ago a female was introduced in hopes
that they might breed, but as far as I know the effort wasn’t successful. The
leopards are often seen pacing near the viewing glass during the cooler hours
of the day, and I’ll be glad for them to have some extra space after the
expansion.
The
Siamang gibbons can often be heard all the way out to Cleveland park, howling
and calling away. They share a plaza with the Palawan peacock pheasant, Prevost’s
squirrel, the red pandas and the wreathed hornbills. Although the gibbons have
become a favorite (Lauris and Mikus often set up the dining room chairs into a ‘cage’
and then hop around moooo, mooo, mooo-ing),
I enjoy the colors of the squirrels, which remind me of the native fox
squirrels that live in Southern forests that range in color from albino to
black and everywhere between, sometimes with spots and patches.
After
passing the gift shop and concessions (for which major improvements are also in
store as part of the master plan) we turn right out of the loop, passing the
restrooms and coming to the Toco toucan, Ava. The bright orange beak always
commands the attention of one of the boys, especially if she’s making the
unusual sounds which can startle if unexpected.
My
favorites are the ocelots. Often napping on one of the raised platforms, they
can sometimes be seen pacing the length of the cage. The master plan calls for
a new two-story rainforest exhibit, and I wonder if this will include the
ocelots… (Their habitat includes the forests, marshes and grasslands of South
and Central America)
The
most interactive of exhibits is the white-nosed coatimundi that lives next door.
When in a good mood he will race up and down the length of his enclosure with
anyone willing. Even Lauris and Mikus running in opposite directions doesn’t
dampen Sid’s enthusiasm!
What
used to be the aviary house is currently an empty lot, as the old structure was
demolished to make way for the new bird aviaries. Previously home to sun
conures, a plush crested jay and a northern helmeted currasow, we’re awaiting
to see if any new friends will join once the aviary reopens sometime this
summer.
The
lagoon takes up a large portion of the south end of the zoo. Residents include
Chilean flamingos, black swans, white faced whistling ducks, ruddy ducks and
hooded mergansers. We’ve seen a host of other waterfowl “visiting,” as well as
a black rat snake or two, and the boys are always excited to count the turtles
sunning themselves on logs.
The
icing on the cake is the alligator enclosure. Home to two American alligators
Feisty and Raina, and also two alligator snapping turtles, there is a great
viewing station that allows visitors an underwater vista as well as an
above-ground view.
Next
is the barnyard, featuring four goats, a Vietnamese potbellied pig and a dozen
or so chickens and ducks. Crackers to feed these animals (and others in the
zoo) are for sale at the front gate.
Last,
but certainly not least is the great horned owl. I’m lucky enough to have seen
the grand birds in the wild, but an up-close look is certainly interesting in its own way.
I hope
you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Greenville Zoo (if you haven’t
already), but if not I hope you enjoy this virtual tour. The zoo is certainly
an educational resource for the city of Greenville, and I’m glad the funds have
been allocated to update the aging infrastructure. Touring the grounds today,
it is hard to believe the zoo first opened in 1960 – however great the changes
may be. *Interesting fact: the first Greenville Zoo was located in McPherson Park and had ducks and buffalo among several other animals!* As one of the main
Greenville attractions with more than 300,000 visitors annually, it’s
my hope that the new campaign will find a way to utilize more of the 14 acres
that are zoo property (currently occupies only 6) and that the habitats for
many of the larger animals will be modernized. Of course we’ve got two boys who
are pretty excited about the new tigers…
As
much as I love the outdoors and gardening, I don’t have the greenest of thumbs.
I think this is partially because I haven’t ever lived with one garden long
enough to really build the soil up, figure out what does and doesn’t work and learn about the particular region I'm in. It
doesn’t stop me from trying, and this being the second summer with our garden I
must say I’m rather proud of the progress we’ve made in two years’ time.
Our
first backyard project upon moving in was building two raised beds in one
corner of the yard. We used blueprints from an old book I found in a garage
sale, the idea being that the beds can be easily moved (once the soil is
removed) by just taking out the anchoring rebar. I was very disappointed in
last year’s harvest (the cucumbers and sweet potatoes did well with all the rain, but the tomatoes hardly fruited and the beans and
peas fizzled out early in the season), so we’re holding our thumbs and so far,
so good. As luck would have it we came by some horse manure to till in with our compost, and the tomato blossoms bring me hope of
mozzarella/basil/tomato tarts and tomato-bocconcini-basil
sandwiches. Two healthy strawberry plants but no fruit, cilantro that for the
second year in a row has gone directly to seed and a first sowing of sweet
potatoes that never came up have me shaking my head, but the snap peas – oh,
the snap peas have climbed the trellis and wanted more, so I gave them rope to
hang themselves on and now the boys and I have something to snack on every day
in the garden. The vitelotte potatoes
are looking solid, the summer squash is already taking over, and the cucumbers and
herbs are hanging in there. Oh, and the tomato I planted a tad too early that
got scorched by frost, well it has bounced back and is the bushiest of the six
plants.
One
project this year was to convert a pallet into a wall garden. The salad I
planted in the bed last year gave up way too early due to a combination of heat
and digging squirrels, and our peppers never matured as they were destroyed by
the squirrels my neighbor feeds. So far the pallet garden has proved to be an
improvement, as we’ve been harvesting salad and spinach since our visitors were
in town a month ago and it's only now going to seed. The green peppers are
progressing nicely as well, and the only trick is to keep everything watered,
as the soil dries out quicker than the raised beds.
The
blueberry bushes survived the winter nicely, and we ate our first raspberries
last Wednesday. It looks as if the black currant will still not produce fruit
this year but I think it takes several years to mature, and although the
plant is self-pollinating it has not yet produced blossoms. We tucked a
blackberry in next to the house, just to see what it will do; there are dozens
of places wild blackberries grow here in the Upstate, but most of them are
roadside, trailside or in right-of-ways where herbicides are used
regularly.
The rosemary
and Anna’s lavender survived another season, but neither is thriving as I had
hoped. My lovely neighbor has gifted me iris bulbs for the second year in a row that she has separated from
her garden, and last year’s plants already flowered
this spring – magnificent purple blossoms that have explained why Southerners
tend towards irises and daffodils over tulips. My beautiful red tulips were
predated this past winter, and those that the squirrels missed never flowered;
I’m not sure if it’s the soil or the sunlight, but the irises are thriving in
the same conditions.
The
two chrysanthemums which returned with such vigor last spring weren’t hardy
enough to make it through this winter’s temperatures, but the lily of the
valley I planted two years ago finally made an appearance this spring, although
it didn’t bloom. The mint my friend Sarmīte's mother planted for me is doing
well, despite the various disruptions including two-legged (Mikus and Lauris),
four-wheeled (the little John Deere the boys tear around with) and the
shovel-bearing kind (Roberts in a well-meaning attempt to rid the garden of
monkey grass). For now that monkey grass is the last thing standing between the
mini-garden and wood chips, so it gets to stay…
Finally,
a mystery. Upon moving in I was happy to find a muscadine growing along the
back fence, similar to the scuppernong we had in our previous Greenville home. However
it never fruited last summer, and upon doing some research I found that there
are male, female and self-pollinating plants. My neighbor had a mature plant
that produced like crazy, but she couldn’t reach the berries and so it happened
that I did the picking in exchange for jars with freshly made
jam. When she decided in the fall that she wanted to grow something else in
that location I was over in a flash to help her dig it up, and we made space
beside what I had decided was the male plant in our backyard. I must not have gotten
enough of a root ball though, because the transplant landed on this winter’s
casualty list. We’ve put in a supposed “self-pollinator” but now I ask you
(because google images has been of very little help), if those aren’t immature
grapes pictured above, what are they???? And they occur on both plants, the (supposed) male
and the new addition!
Even
as I’m working on growing a garden outdoors, I’m growing something else… we’re waiting
on our newest addition this August. Roberts has promised me a girl, and I’m
dreaming of my little “eggplant” even as I’m tucking marigolds into the flower
beds. A thank you to Inese and Arianna for noticing last week :) I’m nervous
entering my third trimester, mostly at how I’ll handle the Southern heat, but
as we’re so busy with everything going on this time of year the pregnancy so
far has seemed to flash by. And if it’s a boy? Well, I know several moms of three (and
even four!) boys that survived – without losing their sanity….
It has
been close to two years since our time in Greece, but the intense sun on
whitewashed brick is imprinted on my memory as if it was yesterday. Thank
goodness the heat hasn’t reached us here in the Upstate just yet, and although
the SC beaches are exceptional they aren’t Santorini or Paros, but the Greek
tradition came to Greenville last weekend as it does once a year since 1986 in
the form of the Greek Festival.
This
year’s festival included a tour of the beautiful church, live Greek music, folk
dancing performances, an iconography exhibit, children’s rides and shopping on
the plaka. We started with Greek
coffee and a frappe before strolling
over to the Hellenic Center to check out the dining options. The Center was
built in the early 1980s to provide facilities for the Greek Sunday school and
fund-raising events, but today was a giant dining hall with an extensive menu
and pastry shop. As some of the offerings were also available outside we opted
to skip the moussaka and pastichio and instead head directly for
the sweets. Bumping into a friend from our time in France behind the counter
was certainly motivation to load up, and we came home with a tray full of baklava (with and without chocolate), kataifi (shredded dough with nuts and
honey), amygthalota (almond cookies)
and galaktoboureko (a baked custard
dessert). I also learned my lesson not to
attend the festival on the last day – they were all sold out of dipless, the crisp folds of pastry deep
fried and then topped with syrup and nuts.
Then
as the boys headed back to the children’s ride portion of the festival I
crossed over to the Cathedral. I pass this magnificent building if not daily,
then at least a couple times a week but had yet to see the interior. The St.
George Greek Orthodox Parish in Greenville was established by Greek immigrants
in 1936, and a church seating 260 was completed in 1942. As the community grew,
so did the need for a larger church, and in 1995 the current Cathedral was
completed. The tour started in the narthex, but soon we entered the nave for an
informative lecture on the history and architecture of the church.
Allowed
a glimpse into the sanctuary, we then descended down to the lower level. Here
the history of the first church is preserved, with icons, pews and stained
glass windows from the original church preserved to form a smaller church
within a church – complete with sanctuary. After our gracious host finished his
lecture and answered our questions, I ducked into the side room where the introductory
tour to iconography was presented.
Namesake St. George, slaying the dragon
Stomach
growling it was soon time to rejoin the boys, and luckily I bumped into them a
short distance from the outdoor stand featuring saganaki. This flaming cheese is traditionally torched in the
kitchen, not in the dining room as is often the case here in the US, but the
cook managed to maintain authenticity since the “kitchen” was in plain view.
Lauris got an especially close view of our appetizer as it went up in flames,
and we were soon enjoying the delicious dish at a nearby table. Opa!
Next
we tried a gyro, and for the record although the food can’t be compared to what
we dined on in Greece, it was good and filling for an outdoor festival. Then
while the boys waited on the balloon clown we tried an order of loukoumades, donuts soaked in honey and
sprinkled with cinnamon.
The
morning drizzle had delayed the traditional folk dance presentations, but while
we waited we enjoyed the live music of Nick Trivelas and "Night in Athens.”
Soon dancers had taken the floor, and both boys were entranced at the stepping
and dancing taking place onstage.
It
wasn’t meant for us to stick around to hear the Byzantine chanting and choir
presentations this year, but we did stop by the outdoor dining tent one last
time before heading home. The tiropita
(feta filled filo-dough triangle) didn’t even make it to the car with Mikus
working on it!
