When the show ended, I had two words to describe it: Black Joy. Joy is an emotion that transcends any external circumstances and situation. Black Joy is connected to grit, strength, and perseverance left behind by our ancestors who survived the worst experiences - slavery, Jim Crow, lynching, redlining, etc. - and bravely rose above it all to shine brightly despite efforts to dim their light. While Black Joy is the beautiful fruit produced from horrific circumstances, it is also an act of resistance.

Like some people, I believe a Cardinal sighting is a visit of a deceased loved one, a way they let us know that they are okay and they still with us. Native Americans believe a cardinal sighting was a sign of luck, hope, and love. I can get behind that too.

Not finding those books, my emotions zeroed in on the mystery of the lost box of books.

I visualized the box I packed as they included my husband's Bibles and Howard Thurman's books; ensuring they would not get discarded or lost.

Three people confirmed we were going in the right direction. Soon the bronze monument dedicated to the slave revolt leader was revealed.

The strongest part of my resume is my 25-year career in the hospitality industry, which now feels like a lifetime ago. However, in the last five years as a communication specialist, I have grown as a writer, acquired new skills, made significant contributions to projects, and authored an award-winning article series.

I began honoring Advent by rising early in the mornings and sitting alone, quietly in front of our decorated Christmas tree with only the lights from the tree luminating the room. There is no better time spent for my mind, body and soul.

With all of the wonderful attributes of Charleston, South Carolina; the warm fall colors of the trees in the fall are not one of them.

Although my dream car was hot with this cool design, comfortable seating, and powerful engine, I wondered if they could have engineered a model with less technology. Would someone want and purchase a Ford Mustang with less technology?

For nostalgia's sake, I decided to make Peanut Butter Cookies. These cookies are my favorite. If I give you a batch of these cookies, you are special.

Vintage Cookbooks like Kentucky Traditions include recipes written by experienced cooks, socialites, or their maids. They knew what to look for to make the perfect dessert.

This 1963 cookbook includes useful information like a glossary of cooking terms, meal planning for hosting a dinner party, and a guide for storing and cooking different cuts of meat. But it is a reminder of a certain type of woman heralded in the 1960’s. For example, in a section titled, “Family Weight Watching,” a suggestion to mothers with teenage daughters reads:

remind them they ‘re preparing for marriage and motherhood. A girl who enjoys being a girl, who looks like a girl…stands the best chance of having a whirl.”

Okra is one of the main staples of the diet of South Carolinians. One of the many foods America inherited from the enslaved West Africans on the Middle Passage, okra is a thickener in many soups and stews, like gumbo. Okra is rich in vitamins C and K, fiber, protein, and antioxidants.

Okra can be prepared many ways including grilled, deep fried and pickled. I prefer to eat it sliced, tossed in olive oil with seasoning and cooked in my air fryer.

As I researched to learn more about the Mint Julep, the internet took me far away from the Kentucky Derby and recipes. It took me to the bartenders behind the roots of this cocktail. The two names that kept surfacing were Cato Alexander and Tom Bullock. Both were well-known bartenders of their day with connections to the beginnings of the Mint Julep. The most intriguing fact for me was they were both black.

As I went through the book that had belonged to my mother, there wasn’t evidence of usage like food stains or handwritten changes to recipes. Just mom’s signature inside the front cover in a black Sharpie.