A Hint of Winter

Autumn, Mount Mitchell State Park, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A hint of winter pervades this view of Mount Mitchell
with a dusting of snow atop its peak
 and a thinning of autumn leaves among the lower ridges.

Fall Tour of Homes

Garden Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



The Preservation Society offers their Fall Tours this month,
 from October 2nd to the 26th. The annual event opens up
private homes and gardens to guests who glimpse Southern living,
 Charleston style.

Autumn Moment

Autumn Maple, French Broad River, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A maple's golden hue contrasts nicely with the river's deep blue
 in this autumn moment captured in western North Carolina.
 Happy Friday everyone!

Smoking Ridges

Misty Ridges, Black Mountains, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



The Great Smoky Mountains are not the only mountains that emit rising mists. Here it is the Black Mountains, which are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. They are the highest ridges in the Eastern U.S. and include Mount Mitchell, the tallest of them all.

Eastward Facing

Morning Light, East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Rainbow Row is on display
when its eastward facing facades
 catch the early sunlight.

Refreshed

Antebellum Mansion, South Battery, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A newly renovated antebellum mansion stands proudly,
 after many years of disrepair, on Charleston's South Battery.

Misty Monday - Mystery on the Ashley

Boats Docked in the Mist, Ashley River, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



Low laying mists on the Ashley River add a sense of mystery
 to boats harbored at a Charleston marina.

The Oldest Museum

Cannon Park Ruins, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


All that remains of Charleston's original city museum 
(founded in 1773) are its columns and brick steps after
a fire laid it in ruins during the late 1800's. 
Considered the nation's oldest museum,
it's contents were later moved to a new museum
on Meeting Street. 

Explore

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



A small stream flowing from Crabtree Falls
 tumbles over rocks and past fallen trees,
inviting one to mentally step into the picture and
explore this cool Appalachian habitat.

A Favorite Destination

Dock at Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A favorite place of mine to catch the light of sunset
 is Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant, where a combination of boats,
 docks, and waterside restaurants creates a scenic destination.

Hidden in a Secret Garden

Statue, French Quarter, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



A vine-shouldered statue stands hidden in a secret garden,
 one of the many pleasant tableaux awaiting discovery
 when strolling through Charleston's historic district.

Mirror to the Sky

Dawn on the Kiawah River, Kiawah Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Velvia slide film.)



At dawn, when the tide is high and the waters still,
Lowcountry rivers reflect and hold the hues of the expansive sky...
to one's eye, it is a timeless scene, and a perfectly peaceful way
 to begin the day.

Scoot and Park

Green Scooter, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A quick way to scoot around the narrow confines of Charleston
 is on a Vespa... and best of all it's easy to park.

Light for an Evening Stroll

Lantern and Steeple, French Quarter, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Velvia slide film.)



An overhead lantern shines light into the twilight
 to assist with your stroll in the French Quarter.

Beach Geology

Sea Stacks, Cannon Beach, Oregon
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Film photography)



A view of Cannon Beach's iconic Haystack Rock (middle left)
 shows several other sea stacks as well. These geological
 formations provide perfect nesting habitat for sea birds
 and are protected as wilderness areas.

Art Galley Window

Art Galley Window, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)




I found this art gallery window while wandering around
Charleston's French Quarter. I was attracted by the flowers,
 and also by the painting framed in the window and the colorful
 house reflected in the glass. In all, there was a wide range of hues
contained in this little scene.

Piazza Moon

Moon Setting, South Battery Piazza, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)



A setting moon is framed by a South Battery piazza
 as evening fades to night.

Undulation

Curving Sand Dunes, Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park, Oregon
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



Various natural forces coincide to shape sand dunes
 into undulating forms, creating S's that wiggle down this Oregon beach.

Out to Sea

Surfer, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)



A surfer paddles out to sea through
early morning waves at Folly Beach.

Cat in a Courtyard

Courtyard Cat, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)



A cat poses for a portrait amid its courtyard surroundings.