may

WE LIVE IN A mobile society. Many a newly arrived neighbor tells me he chose the Lowcountry because of the weather. The fact that we have four seasons and a temperate winter without the harsh cold that hangs for weeks or months makes it seem like nirvana for folks coming from northern climes. No place is perfect. Residents face the threat of hurricanes from July until November and the land sits atop a major seismic fault. When writing in the early mornings I often feel the slightest of tremors, just reminding me that even Charleston is not without fault!

And then there is the summer. July and August are stifling hot, even hotter now that tree cover has given way to housing tracts. But, today we have air conditioning. If there was one invention that made the Lowcountry a change of residence destination it was “air.” Air conditioners or not, I could live here just because of May. The days are warm; a few might even remind us of what is coming, but the nights remain cool. The air is filled with the perfume scent of Confederate Jasmine, and to cap off what is already the divine ingredients of nature, man enjoins the beauty by bringing Spoleto Festival U.S.A., an exploration of the arts on a world-class level. It is difficult to remain fixed in a tiny kitchen with so many activities. So, I rise early, do my canning, and the rest of the day is for play. The month will see the last of the strawberries and cabbage and the first of the cucumbers and tomatoes, although still green. Work is picking up.