🌴 Peaches, Playtime & a Packed Week in Summerville

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Happy Father’s Day Weekend, Palmetto Parents!

Father’s Day is a chance to celebrate the dads, grandpas, and father figures who make life brighter — with their jokes, their guidance, their quiet strength, and the ways they show up every day. From backyard play to dad jokes at dinner, we’re grateful for the big and small ways they shape our families.

To all those celebrating the fathers in your life this weekend, we hope this year is memorable!

And while this weekend is full of joy for many, we also knows there’s those feeling the weight of loss or longing. This week, Daniel is feeling that firsthand — celebrating the joy of fatherhood while also grieving the loss of his grandfather who passed this week. For anyone navigating both celebration and sorrow this weekend, we see you. However you spend the day, we hope it brings a moment of peace, and memories that makes you smile.

This week we have details about library programs throughout the summer, the Peach Festival this weekend, and a new Mexican restaurant that opened on Bacons Bridge Road. Some other events happening this week to keep in mind include:

• Free entry for fathers at Bee City Zoo this weekend

• A Touch-A-Truck event this Saturday from 10am-1pm at the Fire Museum supporting Crisis Chaplaincy

• The Just Between Friends huge kids’ consignment sale today through Wednesday

• Third Thursday this Thursday (June 19th) in Hutchinson Square from 5:30-8:30pm including food trucks, a live band, and a focus on making the music accesible for the deaf and hard of hearing

Meet the Alphabittles! Created by former librarian and Summerville local Mr. Steve, this imaginative ABC picture book series makes learning letters fun. Join him at Main Street Reads this Wednesday, June 18 at 9:30am for a special story time and alphabet-themed activities. Preorder books now, explore fun alphabet learning merch, and unlock bonus content with every story. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the Alphabittles adventure—perfect for curious little readers!

TO DO

Summer Fun at Summerville Libraries

The Dorchester Country Libraries have some great (and free 🥳) programs for kids of all ages this summer! Below is a list of many of the programs they have for an easy reference for you and your families. Be sure to check their Facebook page for updates and more details!

And don’t miss the upcoming Color Our World event all about sea creatures with the South Carolina Aquarium! Check here for dates and times at our local libraries.

Summerville Branch (76 Old Trolley Rd. Summerville)

• Teen Gamers (Ages 12-17)
  🕒 Sundays, 2:30–4:00pm
  📅 June 15 & 29, July 13 & 27, August 10 & 24

  🎮 Video & board games just for teens

• Pajama Storytime (Ages 6 & Under)
  🕒 Mondays at 6:00pm
  📅 June 23, July 21, August 18

  🧸 An evening storytime to help kids wind down before bed

• Storytots (Ages 5 & Under)
  🕒 Wednesdays at 11:00am
  📅 June 11 – August 20

  📚 Books and rhymes to further literacy skills and engage minds

• Baby & Me (Ages 2 & Under)
  🕒 Wednesdays at 10:30am
  📅 June 11 – August 20

  👶🏽 New bounces and rhymes for caregivers and their babies

• Sensory Play (Ages 5 & Under)
  🕒 Fridays, 11:00am–12:00pm
  📅 June 20, July 18, August 15

  🌼 Sensory focused play inspiring creativity, socialization, and motor skills

• Free Play Saturday (Ages 5 & Under)
  🕒 Saturdays, 10:30–11:30am
  📅 June 21 – August 23

  🧩 A drop-in hour for play and meeting new friends

• Little LEGO Club (Ages 5 & Under)
  🕒 Tuesdays, 3:30–4:30pm
  📅 June 10 & 24, July 8 & 22, August 5 & 19

• LEGO Club (Ages 6-12)
  🕒 Thursdays, 3:30–4:30pm
  📅 June 12 & 26; July 24; August 7 & 21

Ashley River Branch (2824 Bacons Bridge Rd, Summerville)

• Color Our World with Music (Ages 6-11)
  🕒 Mondays at 4:00pm
  📅 June 9, 16, 23, 30
  🎶 Music-making, instrument crafts, and dancing with local music teacher Alyssa Cox

• LEGO Color Club (Ages 6-11)
  🕒 Tuesdays, 3:30–4:30pm
  📅 June 10 – August 19
  🎨 Art-themed builds or free play with LEGOs

• Playing & Puzzles (Ages 6-17)
  🕒 Every other Wednesday at 10:30am
  📅 June 11 & 25, July 9 & 23, August 6 & 20
  🎲 Games and puzzles; teens meet in Teen Space, kids in the program room

If you haven’t already, sign your child up for Dorchester County Library’s Summer Reading Program! It runs until the end of July and there’s still plenty of time to participate. Kids can track their reading daily using a game card or app and receive free art supplies at sign up and free books after completing 20 and 40 reading activities. This year the library partnered with the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry and will be drawing weekly winners for family passes to the museum and more. Check out all the details here. 

FROM OUR SPONSOR

The Dream Maker Agent

Looking for a realtor who actually listens, cares, and shows up? Meet Ernest Govan—Summerville’s “Dream Maker Agent.” Ernest helped our family find our home after moving from Chicago in 2021, and since then, he’s become the go-to realtor for many of our friends and family.

What sets Ernest apart is more than his knowledge of the Lowcountry market—it’s his genuineness, patience, and responsiveness. Whether you're just exploring options or ready to make a move, Ernest walks with you through the entire process, no pressure, just genuine support. From casual browsing to paperwork and closing, he was steady, kind, and made every step feel manageable.

In the video above, you’ll get a glimpse of what working with Ernest feels like—he’s not just a realtor, he’s a guide and advocate who wants to see your family thrive.

Thinking about buying or selling? Reach out to Ernest directly at [email protected] or reply to this email and we’ll gladly connect you. Because when someone’s this good, you can’t help but share them.

LOCAL EVENT

Local Peach Festival

Get ready for a peachy good time with Shuler’s Peaches’ annual peach festival this Saturday, June 14th! While the orchard stand will be open all day from 10am-6pm, the festival magic happens from 10am-2pm with a lineup of activities and vendors the whole family will love:

🎉 Kids' Activities

• Playground fun and exciting new additions

• Bounce house and giant bubble station

• Classic yard games and face painting

🍋 Local Vendors & Treats

• Fresh lemonade, baked goods, cotton candy, and freeze-dried snacks

• Delicious eats from It Was Good Tho Food Truck

• Ice cream truck to cool off

• Boutique shopping with Pretty in Cotton

📸 FREE Orchard Photos
Families can enjoy a free professional photo of your child or family in the peach orchard from Puddles and Pearls Photography—no purchase necessary. One of her family photos in the orchard is shown below. Want more info or to book a session? Visit www.puddlesandpearlsphotography.com.

🍑 Relax & Enjoy
There will be plenty of tables set up for you to sit, snack, and soak in the orchard views. It’s a great chance to support local vendors, make summer memories, and of course—pick some peaches!

📍Location: Shuler Strawberries and Peaches, 582 Highway 78, Ridgeville,SC

RESTAURANT

El Rodeo

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After a wild Monday filled with a long doctor’s visit and a power outage from the storm, dinner plans were out the window—so we decided to try something new: El Rodeo, a recently opened, family-owned Mexican restaurant on Bacons Bridge Road.

We’re so glad we did. The staff made our family feel incredibly welcome, and the food came out quickly—perfect after a long day. Everything we tried was flavorful, comforting, and served with a smile. It’s clear this spot is all about hospitality.

Others in the community are raving, too:

• “If y’all haven’t been to El Rodeo on Bacons Bridge, you are missing out!! Guacamole is top notch and the food is yummm!!”

• “The food was so good and reasonably priced. The service was very friendly. The only struggle I had was the menu—so many good things to choose from!”

• “Fantastic and friendly service. Excellent and well-priced food!”

Whether you’re seeking a spontaneous weeknight meal or a new go-to for Mexican fare, El Rodeo is worth a visit. Family-friendly, fast, and full of flavor!

PALMETTO PIECE

A Letter to New Dads: You’re Not Ready—And That’s Exactly Why You’ll Be a Great Parent

I thought I was ready.

We’d taken the classes. I knew how to swaddle a baby with military-grade precision. We had a tiny bathtub that looked like it belonged on Shark Tank. We even had a wipe warmer, which I originally made fun of and now treat like sacred technology.

And then my kid was born. And I realized: I wasn’t ready. Not even close.

Here’s the truth no one tells you at the baby shower: you’re not supposed to be ready. Parenthood isn’t a test you study for. It’s a fire you walk through—with a diaper bag slung over your shoulder and four hours of sleep total in the last week. I’ve had moments—some small, some so terrifying they’ll stay with me forever—where I thought: “There’s no way I’m fit for this. I have no idea what I’m doing.” But what I’ve learned is this: that thought is the qualification.

Because if you’re willing to admit that you don’t have all the answers, you’ll be the kind of parent who’s actually willing to grow. The kind who apologizes. The kind who gets better. The kind who shows up, even when they feel like hiding in the pantry with a Costco-sized bag of Pirate’s Booty.

Let me say it straight: you will mess up. You’ll say the wrong thing. You’ll lose your cool. You’ll microwave the bottle for too long and create baby lava. But every time you show up again, every time you choose patience, every time you Google “how to get poop out of suede,” you are becoming exactly who your kid needs.

So no—you’re not ready. But maybe that’s what makes you ready. Because readiness isn’t a checklist. It’s not a color-coded nursery. It’s not a diaper genie that costs more than your first car. It’s the daily choice to love this tiny human the best you can…while also learning to forgive yourself when you fall short.

You got this. Even when you feel like you don’t. Especially then.

Wishing you the best,

Daniel

Shopping for a last minute gift? Check out our Summerville dad and grandpa swag in the shop!

Love,

The Berks 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦