SC Travel: Lake Murray

T-Showers
High: 78 F                               Low: 70 F
Chance of Rain: 90%              Humidity: 77-86%

Today is a little cooler in the air as Tropical Storm Andrea is going to give South Carolina some precipitation for the next few days.

One of our most relaxing vacations was renting a house on Lake Murray for a week. Prior to knowing we would be moving to the Columbia area we wanted a different vacation and something relaxing. We always went to either the beach of the mountains and decided to head to the middle of the state for some lake fun.

 
In August 2009 we rented a three bedroom house on the Newberry County side of the lake for 5 of us and our 2 dogs. The house was on a quiet cove that we pretty much had to ourselves for the whole week. The property had a small fishing boat available that would hold 3 comfortably, paddle boat, outside deck and grill, lake dock with gazebo, cable and Wi-Fi. 

The biggest questions we had to ask ourselves each day was "Do we want to fish or swim?" or "What are we cooking for dinner." We found out that our male dog LOVED the water. He would swim across the cove from sun up to sun down, and we would have to force him to rest. 

We did rent a pontoon boat for one day and went into the open waters of the Lake. Big tip bring your car GPS with you if the boat doesn't have one and log in your pick up spot. We didn't and got lost on the big lake. We finally made it back within minutes of the rental due time.

Some boat rental places will also bring the boat to your dock if you want to pay for the service.

The 48,000 acre Lake Murray was created by building the Dreher Shoals Dam that was completed back in 1930. The lake currently supplies energy to SCE&G. When completed it was the largest power reservoir and Dreher Shoals Dam was the  largest earthen dam in the world. The lake includes 5 South Carolina counties and covers 500 miles of shoreline.

At Lake Murray you go boat, ski, paddle boat, paddle board, fish, swim, tour, camp, and many other activities. So grab the family, friends and gear and head to the middle of the state for a laid back vacation!

Lake Murray websites
Lake Murray Fun
Lake Murray-SC

Lodging
Lake Murray Vacation Rentals
Vacation Rental by Owner

Lake Murray Public Parks

Lake Murray Tours

Share any of your Lake Murray experiences with us!


Nichole

Boiled Peanuts: What's the big deal?

T-Storms
High: 82 F                                 Low: 71 F
Chance of Rain: 80%              Humidity: 86%

The weekend of Memorial Day and our son PJ's high school graduation we had my sister-in-laws in town from Pennsylvania. Yes I married a non-southerner. My husband now professes that he has lived in South Carolina most of his life so he is a southerner. 

We enjoyed spending time with them and always love taking them to southern spots and eating southern cuisine. This trip we tried to get items off their list of collards, shrimp-n-grits, fried green tomatoes, and to re-try "bald" peanuts.

My husband loves "bald" peanuts and his sister wanted to try them one more time to see what the big deal is. For those who don't know what "bald" peanuts are, they are boiled peanuts. We just have a one syllable way of pronouncing things in the south!

Boiled peanuts in the south can be traced back to the African culture. Other names for them include "groundnuts" or "goobers" which is the adaptation of the Gullah language word "nguba" meaning peanut. This delicacy is a staple of southern culture as much as okra, fried green tomatoes, collard greens, pork bbq, and black eyed peas.

Almeda Lambert receives the credit for the first written recipe back in 1899. Kids were know to sell bags of boiled peanuts on the street for 5 cents each as a snack. Due to the history and the consumption of the boiled peanut in South Carolina, former Governor Mark Sanford signed a bill on May 1, 2006 making boiled peanuts the official snack food of South Carolinians.

For a basic recipe you retrieve some raw or "green" peanuts. The peanut is actually part of the legume or bean family, and most people prefer the Valencia type for their recipes. 

Basic Recipe
2 lbs green peanuts
2 gallons of water
1 C of salt
1 large pot or crock pot for smaller recipes

Directions
Place all ingredients into pot and boil for about 45 minutes. Try one after 45 minutes and if it still has crunch to it, continue to boil until no crunch left. NOTE: If doing a small recipes cook in a crock pot on low for about 24 hours! 

Cajun Recipe - Let's spice it up!
1 lb green peanuts
2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning
2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
1/4 C salt

Place all ingredients in large crock pot with water to cover. Cook on low for 24 hours!

Boiled peanuts contain 4x more antioxidants then raw or roasted peanuts.

In South Carolina you will see road vendors throughout the state selling their recipes on the side of the road. Next time you see one if you haven't tried them, stop say hi and get you a bag!

Each August their is the SC Peanut Party in Pelion, SC where you can try all sort of peanut recipes!
 

Nichole

South Carolina: State Facts

Partly Cloudy
High: 90 F                                Low: 71 F
Chance of Rain: 20%              Humidity: 65%- 81%


Each state has it's own facts and of course we must highlight South Carolina's for the release of our blog. The purpose of this blog is to enlighten everyone on the facts, travel, things to do, business, recipes, and more on our beloved state. If you have a community story or history tidbit you would like to share let us know.

South Carolina was the 8^th state in the US; it became a state on May 23, 1788

State Abbreviation - SC
State Capital - Columbia
Largest City - Columbia
Area - 32,007 square miles [South Carolina is the 40th biggest state in the US]
Population - 4,561,242 (as of 2010) [South Carolina is the 24th most populous state in the US]  
Name for Residents - South Carolinians  
Major Industries - farming (tobacco, soybeans), textiles, manufacturing chemicals, processed foods, machinery, electronics, paper products, tourism 
Presidential Birthplace - Andrew Jackson was born in Waxhaw (he was the 7th US President)  
Major Rivers - Santee River, Edisto River, Savannah River  
Major Lakes - Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, Lake Murray, Hartwell Lake  
Highest Point - Sassafras Mountain - 3,560 feet (1,085 m) above sea level
Number of Counties - 46 
Origin of the Name South Carolina - South Carolina was named to honor King Charles I  
State Nickname - Palmetto State 
State Motto - "Dum Spiro Spero" - While I breathe, I hope
State Song - Carolina
State Bird - Carolina Wren
State Game Bird - Wild Turkey
State Animal - Whitetail deer
State Butterfly - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly
State Insect - Carolina Mantid
State Fish - Striped Bass
State Dog - Boykin Spaniel
State Reptile - Loggerhead turtle
State Spider - Carolina wolf spider
State Amphibian - Spotted salamander
State Shell - Lettered Olive
State Flower - Yellow Jessamine
State Tree - Sabal Palmetto
State Fruit - Peach
State Gemstone - Amethyst
State Beverage - Milk
State Hospitality Beverage - Iced Tea
State Dance - Shag

Hope you enjoyed today's state facts!

Nichole

Southern Hospitality: Colleton County School District

Scattered T-Storms
High: 85 F                                 Low: 69 F
Chance of Rain: 40%              Humidity: 62%- 83%

We always hear the term "Southern Hospitality" used in the southern states. Most visitors relate the term to travels such as the way they are greeted at a hotel, restaurant, or local attraction. If you aren't being received with hospitality at a travel location in the south that business is not embracing you with the customer service that should be exemplified in the southern states. It is a part of the experience to bring you back!

There was a news report yesterday here in South Carolina that defined the true meaning of "Southern Hospitality" and makes me proud to be apart of this born and raised heritage. I wanted to share this with you to give you the other side to "Southern Hospitality" that we possess and outsiders don't see.

Yesterday there was a group of high school band students traveling back from Disney World in Florida. They were on their way back to Ohio looking forward to the summer and excited about the performance they just completed at Disney World. One of the charter buses ran off the side of the road and crashed in the Colleton County area of South Carolina. The bus driver was killed and a few others sent to the hospital.

In those moments you have parents, teenagers, and staff on the side of the road and not knowing what to do. You don't plan for these things to happen on school trips. Right out the gate Colleton County School District sent out school buses to pick them up and bring them to the Colleton County Medical Center cafeteria to make sure they were all unharmed and ensure they were fed. The local Colleton County High School school superintendent, band director and band members went to the medical center to assist. On a Sunday the faculty, students, and community banded together to assist others in a time of need. 

Southern Hospitality is not only the welcoming of others or strangers, but even when resources are limited, as they are with our school districts, it is based on the principle of sharing those resources whether they are limited or not. Colleton County School District and community is to be commended for showing others what "Southern Hospitality" truly means!

Nichole 

SC Legal Definition on Local Seafood Law

Partly Cloudy
High: 89 F                                 Low: 68 F
Chance of Rain: 10%                Humidity: 53%- 78%

House passes bill defining local seafood - WTOC-TV: Savannah, Beaufort, SC, News, Weather & Sports

The South Carolina State House has pass a bill that would make it illegal for businesses to advertise "local" seafood in South Carolina unless the seafood is harvested off the coast of South Carolina, North Carolina or Georgia.

South Carolina crafters or small business owner promotion opportunity

Partly Cloudy
High: 88 F                                 Low: 67 F
Chance of Rain: 20%                Humidity: 59%- 82%

Ladies and gents the humidity is officially setting in! Went for a morning exercise here in Columbia and was wondering where the breeze was. For anyone living in the Midlands you know we have it the worst in South Carolina for heat. We bake in the middle of the state with no mountain air and no coastal breeze.

Do you or a friend have a craft business, boutique, specialty shop, or service business, than this is a free promotional opportunity for you. The first 20 South Carolina crafters or small business owners to sign up with their email on the South Carolina State of Mind blog and share our blog link to their facebook page we will place a sponsor link image for the month of June on our blog and feature them once on our facebook page in the month of June.

If you are one of the first 20 businesses you give South Carolina State of Mind permission to use a logo image that you provide. If you do not have a logo or image, we can take a related image and place your company name on it. You will have to provide a facebook or website link and logo/image or let us know if you do not have one.

Who would pass up a month of free advertising?

Look forward to promoting South Carolina local businesses!

Nichole

Lowcountry Boil

Partly Cloudy
High: 87 F                                 Low: 67 F
Chance of Rain: 10%                Humidity: 81%
Fresh local seafood is always on the minds of southerners! It's summertime and how else to enjoy friends, family and food than with the South Carolina favorite "Lowcountry Boil" (aka: Frogmore or Beaufort stew).

This easy recipe is easy and can include fresh local corn, potatoes and shrimp. Who couldn't resist!

Serves: 8
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound smoked sausage links, sliced 10 frozen small corn cobs 10 small red potatoes

1 (3 ounce) package dry crab boil 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp salt to taste

Directions:

1.	Place the sausage, corn, potatoes, and dry crab boil seasoning mix in a large pot filled with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2.	Reduce the heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Mix in the shrimp, and continue cooking until opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, season with salt, and serve hot.

History of Lowcountry Boil
We have the Gullah/Geechee communities off the sea islands of South Carolina and Georgia to that for this mouth watering meal. They would prepare their homeland cultural meals and add Spanish and French cooking influences as well. Lowcountry Boil was a convenient meal for large gatherings (same as it is used for today).

Since we mentioned the Beaufort Water Festival on yesterday's port this tidbit of information seems to match that theme.

The 10 day Beaufort Water Festival held in July is one of the largest volunteered base events and host large crowds. Previous Water Festivals are known for feeding at least 2,400 attendees, the recipe includes 1,200 lbs of shrimp, 2,400 ears of corn, 600 lbs of sausage, 72 oz of seafood seasoning and is served with 350 lbs of coleslaw, 250 gal of iced tea, 2,400 rolls and 90 watermelons.

Try this lowcountry favorite at one of your summer get-togethers and give us your feedback! If you have a scrumptious twist to this recipe share.

Nichole