Colonial Lake Dawn

Colonial Lake, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



A blue dawn brings to light Colonial Lake,
a resevoir surrounded by a promenade, park benches
 and Charleston homes.

Crepes in Charleston

Crepe Myrtle, Tradd St., Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Crepe myrtles add vibrant color to Charleston throughout the warm months. 
This one makes a charming addition 
to a cobblestone street in the historic district.
But another kind of crepe sounds good to me...
 a strawberry crepe with whipped cream!

Misty Monday - Hunting for Stones

Hunter Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Hunting for colorful stones is not a problem at Hunter Beach. 
Finding a good pizza joint though, is another story.

A Sense of Place

Balustrade and Palm, East Battery, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A vignette of a balustrade and palmetto tree
 gives a sense of Charleston's East Battery
 antebellum mansions.

Essence de Pluff Mud

Tidal Creek, Edisto Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



At low tide, a salt marsh creek reveals
 a gooey layer of pluff mud, 
rich in decaying organic matter
 and smelling of rotting eggs. 
It is the fragrance of the Lowcountry...
Oh la la!

Glistening Stream

West Prong Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Covered with a mixture of mountain water and rain,
 a jumble of rocks shows glistening textures 
in a fast flowing stream in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Cliffside Lighthouse

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, Acadia National Park, Maine
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A setting sun peeks through conifers
 above a cliffside lighthouse,
 located near Bass Harbor, Maine.

Jagged Rocks

Jagged Rocks, Colorado National Monument, Colorado  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A narrow breach in jagged rock
permits a glimpse of the Colorado River valley
 and the Book Cliffs beyond. 
This high point of view is from 
the Colorado National Monument park road.

Edisto Pelicans

Brown Pelicans, Edisto Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



During the heat of midday a flock of brown pelicans
preen atop posts on South Edisto River.

Into the Surf's Edge

Tree Shadow, Botany Bay Plantation, Edisto Island, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



At the boneyard beach of Botany Bay,
a dead tree's skeleton casts a long shadow,
 its branches reaching into the surf's edge.

Old World Churchyard

Unitarian Church, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



This lush, overgrown churchyard
could be a scene from the British Isles,
but it is Charleston, which, in places,
 has that old world charm.

Atypical

Canopy and Supports, Performance Pavilion  Waterfront Park, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved (Click on image for larger view)



I like searching for atypical points of view when returning to places that I visit often, such as the outdoor pavilion at North Charleston's Waterfront Park. 
The pavillion is inhanced by the way evening light touches it.

Circus in the Desert?

Playground Canopy, Kindergarten near Al Ain, UAE
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Looking up at this colorful canopy,
I was reminded of being beneath a circus tent.
But this tent was in the desert
shielding kindergarteners from the
blazing Arabian sun.

Background Check

Gate Scroll, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Finding colorful backgrounds is useful
 in making a striking graphic image,
 as in this photo of a Charleston wrought iron scroll.

You may have noticed, this week's photos of 
yellow, green and red, make a nice trio of hues.

A Fondness for Fronds

Palmetto Frond, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



I was fond of this frond that I found one day. 
So I made a close-up of its texture
 using an early model Nikon digital camera
 fitted with an old camera lens from the 1980's. 
The result is an abstract which has the look of grainy film.

Ceiling Abstract

Porch ceiling, Sottile House, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A ceiling detail of colors and curves
makes an eye-catching abstract.

What Is and Is Not

Lamp and windows, Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



I found a lamp that is a lamp,
but windows that are not windows.

Bat Man?

Chalk Drawing, Saint Michael's Churchyard, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



... or Cat Man?
You decide.

Single Source

Electrical Outlet, Charleston Marina, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



Both power and water come from a single source 
on a pier at Charleston Marina.

Sails in the Desert

Kindergarden Canopy, near Al Ain, UAE  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Like the sails of a dhow billowing in the breeze,
canopies stretch over a kindergarden playground in Al Ain,
 providing shade from the searing Arabian sun.

Delightful Charms

Gateway and Letter Box, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Ferns growing on a brick wall,
a decorative letter box,
a gateway with a view through an oval "window"
to a vine covered mansion...
all suggest some of the charms
 which delight the eye in Charleston.

Aging Stones

Sheldon Church Ruins, near Yemassee, South Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Aging sarcophagi are part of the old Sheldon Church graveyard.
 The church dates back to South Carolina's colonial period, 
and has survived more than two centuries of strife and decay. 
What remains of a brick pulpit can still be seen inside the church walls.

Gramomistel's Hibiscus Heaven

Pink Hibiscus, near Harrison, Ohio  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




My, how lovely grows your garden!

Bear Creek Falls

Bear Creek Falls, Ouray, Colorado  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Bear Creek Falls near Ouray is a beautiful and easy cascade to see. 
It flows beneath the Million Dollar Highway and 
can be seen from the vantage point of a roadside overlook. 

The area around the picturesque little town of Ouray, 
nestled high in the San Juan Mountains and surrounded by majestic peaks, 
is one of our favorite places. If you ever get to Colorado, don't miss it.

Contrasts

Palmetto Trunk and Saint Michael's Church, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The unusual fibrous texture of this palmetto trunk 
is juxtaposed with one of Charleston's iconic churches.
I was attracted to this vignette because I liked the contrast in 
subjects and the contrast of warm & cool colors.

Stacking Logs

Stacked Logs, Mingus Mill, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



Stacking hewn logs was a simple construction method
in the Appalachian Mountains of the 19th century. 
These logs make a nice rhythm.

Seats on a Dhow

Seat Cushions on a Dhow, Dubai, UAE  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



These are seats on the dhow that we rode along the coast of Dubai.
Grab one, pull it to a place on the deck with a nice view,
and lie back for a relaxing boat ride.

Symmetrical Entry

Entry, Meeting Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A Meeting Street mansion presents 
a handsomely symmetrical entry.

Beautiful Details

Detail, Taco Boy Door, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sometimes beauty is in the details,
and in the eye of the beholder.

Hanging On

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Years of erosion have exposed the roots of this scrubby juniper, 
but it continues to endure despite the hardships of desert life.

A Question for the Ages

Park Bench, White Point Gardens, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Who was Shorty?

Wolf Creek Pass

Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Wolf Creek Pass is on the Continental Divide of the Rockies and overlooks the lush valley of the West Fork of the San Juan River. The vista was so delightful it made me want to howl.

Word on the Prairie

Tire and big stick, near Oakley, Kansas  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



"NO HUNT
      STAY OUT!!"...
we saw this message several times on the prairie... 
it was a tiresome warning really.

Disneyesque

Atlantis Hotel, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Towering above the man-made island of Palm Jumeirah,
 the Disneyesque Atlantis Hotel in Dubai
 offers vistas of the sun drenched Persian Gulf.

Introspection

Historic Wood Nymph Statue (1810), Middleton Place, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The gardens of Middleton Place, sheltered by venerable old oaks,
 is a perfect place for quiet introspection.

Lending a Hand

Buddha's Hand, Portland, Oregon  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



Even just a pinch of compassion can make a difference.

Summer Reward

Crabtree Falls, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A hike down from the Blue Ridge Parkway
 into the Crabtree Falls ravine
 rewards you with a cool respite from the summer heat.

19th Century Transportation

Carriage and Saint Philip's Church, French Quarter, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A leisurely way to see Charleston's landmarks
 is in the ease and comfort of a horse drawn carriage.

Trappings

Crab Traps, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



Here are all the trappings for catching crabs.

Alone

Helicopter Tours, Mount St. Helens, Washington
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



A helicopter tour office stands alone near a desolate landscape
 marred by erosion from the eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Striped PJs

Entry Gate and Balcony Shadows, East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Looking like striped pink pajamas,
shadows from a wrought iron balcony
frame an East Bay Street entry.


A short blog note... 
Doug's Photo Blog went over the 1000th
 consecutive post milestone this week.
I hope you are enjoying them. 
Thanks again for all your visits!

Whoop Whoop!

Commercial District

Broad Street Facades, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



This row of colorful 19th century commercial buildings along Broad Street
 houses law firms, real estate offices and art galleries. 
The lone palmetto tree seen here, is a symbol of the state of South Carolina.

Mountain Waters

Alluvial Fan, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Cold mountain water rushes past veined stones
 at an alluvial fan stream in the Rockies.

Plain and Simple

Shaker Hat, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view)



A plain and simple hat hangs
 on a Shaker house peg in Kentucky.

High Plains Highway

Highway, near Monument Rocks, Kansas  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A high plains highway takes the traveler
 toward unknown horizons.

Light and Shadow

Saint Philip's Ministries Hall and the Huguenot Church, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



Light and shadow paint facades
 on Church Street in the French Quarter.

Fishing

Fountain Statue, South Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Gather all ye fishes while ye can,
while gazing skyward toward Pisces.

Artist's Courtyard

Courtyard and Table, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




A Charleston painter harbors a rustic courtyard
 behind his studio on East Bay Street.

Balcony Scrolls

Balcony Ironwork, High Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Balcony scroll work on an antebellum mansion
 makes a great subject for black and white photography.

Compliments

Float and net, Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The orange float told the blue net, 
"You're looking mighty fine!"
The blue net responded,
"You float my boat!"