Thoughts on sick plants and nude photographs
LEDGER COLUMNIST
CODY SOSSAMON PUBLISHER

I usually have one central theme or subject for my weekly column. This one, however, will be a bit different.

As I thought about possible topics, several items came to mind but none seemed strong enough to carry the entire column.

But then again, on second thought, maybe I can tie all of these subjects together into a nice, neat bundle.

PART I What on earth do the Clemson Extension Service, Shindig at the Cabin and nude pictures (now I've got your attention, don't I?) have in common, you ask?

A couple of things.

First, these are the subjects I considered writing about this week.

Second, they are all connected to 'firsts' for me.

Let's take them in order, saving the most lascivious for last!

For years, I've read and heard that to properly determine what nutrients your grass and plants need, a soil sample is recommended. I'd also read and been told that taking a soil sample was easy and inexpensive: just dig about 12 inches into the ground; fill a quart baggie with dirt; take it to the Clemson Extension Service on Baker Boulevard; pay a few bucks and in a few days they'll e-mail the results and recommended nutrients.

After watching some prize boxwoods begin to show signs of stress of some sort, I followed the aforementioned instructions. I was told by Alana Willingham (her column on the Extension appears each week in The Weekly Ledger) that I could also bring in some limbs from the affected plants and those could be analyzed as well.

After I received good news on my soil, I took some plant samples. I paid the $12 fee for that service after she assured me none of the money went to IPTAY (CU's athletic fundraising arm).

A few weeks later, my report came in. My boxwoods have leafminers. I followed the instructions and am now waiting to see if my plants will recover.

This was a first for me. I've never used the soil and plant sample service before, but it will not be the last, IF (and that's a big IF) my boxwoods survive.

PART II

On to the Shindig at the Cabin.

This is the working title for a series of concerts sponsored by the City of Gaffney held downtown at the Michael Gaffney Cabin. The first one of the year was last Friday, with more scheduled for each Friday this month. I've not been to one of these events, which started last year, but hope to make at least one of them.

From what I've heard, the entertainment is excellent and even better, it's FREE! Downtown is showing signs of life and I believe this is but the beginning of bigger and better things to come.

Going to one of these concerts will be a first for me.

PART III And now for the one you've been waiting for.

Nude pictures.

We've all seen reports of folks using their cell phones to snap pictures of the unsuspecting and using them to embarrass the victim in some way. Pictures and videos of numerous celebrities have been posted on the Internet for various and sundry reasons, usually without their permission or knowledge.

But ever since this newfangled cell phone camera technology entered the picture, there's been an explosion of compromising pictures turning up not only on the Internet but on e-mails and cell phones via picture messages.

I don't even know how to use the camera in my cell phone, much less send or receive a picture message, Heck, I can't even send a text message and don't want to learn how it's done.

You can imagine my surprise when I heard about a female high school student who took a nude photo of herself and sent it to her boyfriend's friend.

In just a few weeks, the picture has been forwarded all over this school and on to other schools. There's no telling just how far and wide.

That's the third first.

This is the first time I've ever heard of a girl taking nude pictures of herself and putting them out there for everyone to see.

Nothing like that ever happened when I was in high school, but then, we didn't have cell phone cameras, either.

So there you have it. Three apparently unrelated topics which share a common theme. Come to think of it, this is the first time I've ever written a column like this.

Cody Sossamon (cody@gaffneyledger.com) is publisher of The Gaffney Ledger.