A Tree Grows in Charleston

Chinese Tallow Tree, Sarcophagus at Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A tree, a shrub, a vine, a fern...
anything that will take root
in tiny cracks and crevasses will grow
 in the moist climate of the lowcountry.

Ponte Vecchio

Reflection of the Ponte Vecchio, Arno River, Florence, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film)



Not the usual take on Florence Italy's famous Medieval bridge,
 but I like the bit of mystery evoked by not showing the whole structure.

The Ponte Vecchio was constructed in 1345, replacing a series of older bridges that dated back to the Roman era. It still has several levels of bustling shops, as it has had throughout its history. You can see some of the tourists in the open archways reflected in the Arno.

French Quarter Single House

Single House, French Quarter, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The side entrance to a Charleston single house
 quietly faces a narrow courtyard in the French Quarter.

Cherohala Sunset

Sunset, Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



A view from Cherohala Skyway offers a tranquil sunset over layers of ridges in the Appalachian Mountains. Cherohala Skyway is like a shorter version of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is often overlooked because it is off-the-beaten path.

Kiawah Marsh Egret

Great Egret, Kiawah Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film)



Warm morning backlighting gives an edge of color to this Great Egret.
 A Kiawah marsh adds the blue backdrop.

A Little Privacy, Please

Garden Gate Hung with Privacy Cloth, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



For a little privacy, a garden gate is adorned with a printed cloth of hydrangea flowers. This gate belongs to a walled garden along one of Charleston's many narrow alleyways frequently explored by tourists.

Throwback Thrusday - Fishing at a Folly Jetty

Fisherman on a Jetty, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Kodachrome slide film)



I recently found this image, a fisherman at Folly Beach, while going through my old Kodachrome files. I shot it around the time we first moved to Charleston. The aqua tint is likely from aging (the slide is about 25 years old), and because of that the image has the look of Instagram photos.

Cataloochee Valley

Mountain Road, Cataloochee Valley, Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
 North Carolina  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



Cataloochee Valley is a hidden gem in the Smoky Mountains. Not nearly as crowded as Cades Cove, the valley is less traveled because of its more remote access. But the natural beauty is self evident. Even during the busy visitation which the park receives in autumn, Cataloochee can feel quiet and secluded.

Goat Head

Goat head Door Knocker, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Knock to enter... but only if you are a goatherd
dressed in goatskin while sporting a goatee,
and have a firm belief in scapegoatism.

Cobbles and Wobbles

Bike on Gillon Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



How do you beat Charleston's heavy traffic?...
ride your bike to work and park it near a cobblestone street.

Except, stay off the cobbles,
otherwise you and your bike will get the wobbles.

Ghostly Moon

Saint Philip's Chruch, French Quarter, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



A moonlit night in Charleston's French Quater
 is perfect for joining a stroll with one of the city's ghost tours.

Little Free Library

Little Free Library, Logan Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



One of the best ideas humans have ever had is the library!
After all, who doesn't like free books to read!
Here is a little example of free books in Charleston.

Some of my favorite library reads of 2013 include The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, Round House by Louise Erdrich, Revelation by C. J. Sansom, The Snowman by Joe Nesbo, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell, A Time of Angels by Karen Hesse, and Decartes' Bones by Russell Short.

Texas Backwater

Sun and Cypress, McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, Texas
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sunlight filtering through trees shines on a backwater creek at
 McKinney Falls State Park, Austin. Prehistoric reptiles swam in 
shallow seas which once covered much of Texas in the 
Cretaceous Period (145 to 66 million years ago).

Baptistery of Saint John

Baptistery, Florence, Italy  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved  (Velvia slide film)



The facade of the Baptistery of Saint John stands in the Piazza del Duomo of Florence. The bronze doors were created by Lorenzo Ghiberti and are known as the Gates of Paradise. They are the main feature of the Baptistry which is considered one of the oldest buildings in Florence (11th century).

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.