One of my favorite movies through the years was "The Time Machine", not the new version, but the old version. Possessing the ability or technology to step back in time is a fascinating concept, impossible, but none-the-less fascinating. We have only bits and pieces in the form of paintings, reliefs, historical writings, books, artifacts, ruins, photos, and homes left to us that have stood the test of time and give us a glimpse of what preceeded us. But most often we have to fill in the missing blanks using our own imaginations to complete the picture of a by-gone era. Imagining is the fun part.

As I rode for the first time one of the many historical carriage rides Charleston had to offer, I listened intently to the tour guide convey the collection of stories associated with each passing landmark. I was fortunate to get the tour that runs along the waterfront. We were at the junction of East Battery and South Battery. I mentally transported myself back to an earlier period of time. It was April 12, 1861. I was on the porch of the old home at the corner where Battery Park now resides witnessing the bombardment of Fort Sumter. It was pre-dawn. I was up early enjoying the spring quiet of the morning. The first burst of mortar came from the direction of Fort Johnson. Then the air over Fort Sumter turned black from subsequent streams of the countless vollies of exploding shells. I wondered what my expectations would've been as I scrutinized the telling event. Would it have been one of awe or one of fear for what was yet to come?

Charleston is an easy place to experience life as it once was, especially during its most popular antebellum era, because you are surrounded by it everywhere you go on its streets. It's in every stone, rock, timber, rail, window, and street post. The 64th Annual Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens makes it even easier to experience the intimate charm and elegance of the Holy City. The Festival offers you the opportunity to step through the iron gates into the private gardens and cross the sacred threshholds of Charleston's most beautiful historic residences. The Festival is set to take place March 17 to April 16. It coincides with the peak of the city's blooming season making it extra special.

There will be period concerts, oyster roasts at Drayton Hall, Harbor Cruise, and plenty of wine and spirits. The main attraction is the award winning tours showcasing the architecture, the history, and the culture going back to the early colonial period. Featured each day will be 7-10 properties in one of 11 neighborhoods. Neighborhoods include Meeting Street, King Street, Church Street, East Battery, and South Battery to name a few. Each Thursday is reserved for the Glorious Garden Tours, which include a wine and lemonade reception at the Nathaniel Russell House. Tickets are now available for purchase.-Courtesy of Vacation Rick Travel.

Article written by Rick Dunbar first published on vacation blog Vacation Rick of Charleston. I invite you to become a follower and check out all the things to see and do in Charleston and beyond.

Falling leaves and frost often bring bittersweet feelings for gardeners. On one hand, you reflect warmly on all that was accomplished during the season - be it a bumper tomato harvest or vivid memories of the color displays during each part of the growing season. On the other hand, you can't wait to get the spade in the ground in the spring and it's driving you crazy.

But just because the outdoor growing season has come to a close, there's no reason you have to put your garden on the back burner. If your thumb remains perpetually green, there are plenty of ways to satisfy your gardening itch during the off season.

While you can spend the colder months doing your homework for next year's garden, it's also possible to continue the physical part of gardening within the comfort of your home. Improvements to grow lights have made it easier than ever to bring your garden inside.

Once known for devouring electricity, grow lights have become more and more efficient, making indoor gardening a more realistic option. For example, SonnyLight LED grow light systems use only 15 watts per unit or about $12 per year. Product developer Leo "Sonny" Hayes noted that plants use only a small portion of the visible light spectrum, enabling him to design a light using only the necessary amount of energy needed for plants to grow. If you're wondering what types of things you can do with an indoor garden, here are a few ideas:

* Start your seedlings for next year. Rather than paying for greenhouse seedlings, grow them yourself. SonnyLight provides the traditional garden flat, for easy transplanting outside once the weather warms.

* Plant flowers to brighten up your house. Flowers can add a little extra life to dark winter days. Use them to freshen up your living space or let your children take care of them while they grow before taking them to their rooms for decoration.

* Grow herbs for cooking. If you're used to cooking with fresh vegetables, one way to liven up your winter meals is to use grow lights for nurturing fresh herbs. You can even spend the winter with garden-fresh tomatoes grown under these lights, and you can spice up tomato-based pastas with fresh basil and oregano.

* Take care of your exotic plants. Keep orchids and perennials that are accustomed to warmer climates happy by making sure they get enough light indoors when it can't be provided outside. Using grow lights during the winter may allow you to experiment with more exotic species in your garden anytime of the year.

Indoor grow lights make a perfect gift during the holiday season or into the winter for avid gardeners, as it could allow them to brighten up the winter in a way that few other gifts could. For more information, visit www.sonnylight.com.

Summer squash, particularly the yellow variety, is a very popular vegetable in the South. You'll find it fresh, frozen, or canned at any time of the year.

Easy to grow and prolific, summer squashes are perfect for any size garden. For best flavor and most tender seeds, squash should be picked young, from 6 to 10 inches long. Pattypan, a saucer-shaped squash, should be no more than 4 inches in diameter.

Summer squash can be served raw with other vegetables as part of a vegetable platter with dips, in salads, grilled, broiled, steamed, stir-fried, deep-fried, boiled, baked, or stuffed. Because of its mild flavor, it can be added to almost any main-dish recipe or pasta sauce for texture, flavor, and color.

Use herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of mild summer squash. Dill, pepper, basil, marjoram, chives, and mint are particularly well-suited to squash, and it is delicious cooked with garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

Summer squash bruises easily and should be handled with care. Look for firm, glossy skin; fairly heavy for size. Stored in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator, they should keep for a week. Freezing softens the flesh of the squash, but it will still be usable in casseroles and other dishes where crispness is not important. Blanch cut up summer squash 2 minutes before freezing, and store in the freezer for up to 4 months. For breads, freeze the raw squash whole or grated.