Summer Reads
Hatching Stones
Most of us have had those situations in life, I suspect, when we have taken a stand, made a “hasty...
Read moreGreatest Generation – First Person Account | Sunset for Block Island
The USS Block Island (CVE-21), a “baby flattop” aircraft carrier, was struck by 3 torpedoes in the middle of the...
Read moreEmbracing Our New Normal | Hope and Resilience versus Safetyism
Hope and Resilience versus Safetyism Recently, I was introduced to a new concept that caught my attention as I’ve been...
Read moreCOVID-19: A Slice of Humble Pie
My world is filled with standing on stages, meeting wonderful people, writing books, and living the dream … until March...
Read moreSummer Reads
Aiken Music Fest Interviews The Red Clay Strays
A conversation between local Aikenite, Rob Heilig, and The Red Clay Strays ahead of their Aiken Music Fest show on...
Read moreChamber of Commerce | Business After Hours | Scene Around Town
Chamber of Commerce BUSINESS AFTER HOURS August 22, 2019 Fairield Inn and Suites: 185 Colony Parkway Photography by AP Gouge...
Read moreCabinet of Curiosities | Moments of Momentous Change – Time and Time Again
This month’s focus for Bella is “change.” 2020 has been especially full of changes, and the year isn’t over yet!...
Read moreParadise In The Pandemic
People flock to beaches for sanctuary, but are met with crowds and exposure to more than the sun. Myrtle Beach,...
Read moreFrom The Authors
I Never Promised You A Rose Garden
Many years ago, I worked in a large green house as a domestic rose and cut-flower grower. It was extremely hard work, hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Not to mention all the lifting, pulling, tugging, and hauling we had to do to bring a crop to maturity in time for a special holiday such as Christmas or Mother’s Day. Did you know it takes 72 “sun days” to grow a rose? If it is a cold and cloudy winter or spring, bringing a crop in on time is difficult. We would often have to “push” the crop by feeding liquid nitrogen. Pests such as aphids and
Be Creative
“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and our grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty.” – Daniel Burnham, Architect Our October issue is all about the arts. The sound of the music, the smell of the paint, the rhythm of the dance, and the vision of
Diving Into Wellness | Grin and Bear it
My feet moved to the edge. The air was cold, sharp in my throat. Scared eyes looked down; my heart raced. I knew I had to jump, but couldn’t believe I was about to actually do it. “Count to three, then just let go,” said a stranger in line behind me. I counted to five. And a half. Then I did it; I just let go. I fell. It was freezing. The plummet lasted half an hour, or maybe half a second, I can’t be sure, time bends when you’re free falling. When you leap with both feet, literally, you completely surrender to the moment — to time and space