Abstract Angles

The PLEX, North Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  © Doug Hickok


These are the colorful stuccoed walls of a movie theater that was later used as a boxing venue. It has been demolished since I made this image on slide film about a decade ago. I miss the ability of good slide film to render color and textures in bright light without having to enhance these qualities in post-processing. The above image is a nice example of this. Raw digital images would need a bit of work to get them to look like this.

A Day at the Beach

Clouds and Beach, Kiawah Island, SC  © Doug Hickok


Summer clouds reflect in glistening shallows along a beautiful stretch of beach at Kiawah Island. This barrier island offers the most pristine beach along the South Carolina coast. On the horizon you can see a thin line of sand dunes where clusters of sea oat colonies thrive. 


A day at the beach like this is ideal for flying kites, hunting for sand dollars, or bowling. 
Or maybe even tiddlywinks.

Twining Vines from Historical Times

Ornate Cross, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Carved flowering vines climb this stone cross at Magnolia Cemetery. The large 19th century graveyard is the resting place of many Confederate soldiers who died during the American Civil War, including the crew of the Hunley. The Hunley is an early prototype submarine which sank off the coast of Sullivan's Island during a mission to torpedo a Union blockade ship. 


The Hunley was pulled out of the sea several years ago, and is on display at the old navy base, where research continues on this archeological gem from a distant era.

Rendition of a Jetty

Jetty at Sunrise, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok


This painterly interpretation of a Folly Beach jetty at sunrise is a departure in style for me. I don't usually play around with Photoshop settings, but I couldn't resist a little experimentation with this old slide that I found in my archives. It seemed a suitable subject for an artistic rendering.

Caw Caw

Southern Wetlands, Caw Caw County Park, Ravenel, SC  © Doug Hickok


From the cool misty coasts of Maine to the hot humid climes of a Southern swampland, this weeks posts offer a variety of natural environments for you to enjoy.


Today's image shows swampy wetlands from a former rice plantation, which was converted in recent times to a wildlife refuge and nature education center. This park is called Caw Caw, just like the sound of wild crows.


Hope you have a wonderful weekend, 
and if you gotta... crow!

Sea Oat Sunrise

Sunrise, Folly Beach, South Carolina  © Doug Hickok


As a summer sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean, sea oats wave in the breeze, providing a frame for the fiery orb. All along the coast, where there are barrier islands, these grasses grow in colonies, and flourish when undisturbed by humans. They are crucial to the stabilization of sand dunes, especially in the face of powerfully eroding tropical storms and hurricanes. By July and August, sea oats are in full display,
showing their heads of gold.

Maine Dawn

Sailboats Moored in Southwest Harbor, Maine  © Doug Hickok


Dawn breaks on the still waters of Southwest Harbor, a little Maine seaside town near Acadia National Park, where sailboats anchor in temporary tranquility. From the dock you can see past the opening in the harbor, out to the Atlantic Ocean.
It is there, beyond the sanctuary of the moorage,
where boats are free to risk the winds and waves of the sea.

Little Gem

A little waterfall near a Carriage Road, Acadia National Park, Maine  © Doug Hickok

Acadia National Park has 45 miles of unpaved carriage roads dating from the early 20th century. Built by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., these rustic pathways meandering over Mount Desert Island were intended for horse and carriage rides. Today they are used by park visitors for hiking, horseback riding and bicycling. Along the way, one is likely to discover beautiful sights in the mountains and valleys, such as this gem of a waterfall, right next to the carriage road.

Misty Monday - A Gathering of Ancients

Hunter's Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine  © Doug Hickok


The remains of conifers have tumbled down from a forested slope to gather on the rugged, rocky edge of Hunter's Beach. Looking like ancient pincushions of twisting limbs, they weather rapidly in the harsh coastal climate of Maine... aging, ancient spirits of the wild.

Saint Michael's at Dusk

Saint Michael's Church, Broad St., Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


On a clear cloudless evening, Saint Michael's steeple rises handsomely above Broad Street, glowing with warm light. With its prominent location and bells tolling on the hour, Saint Michael's presence is ever known along this main thoroughfare in Charleston.

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful

Over the Rhine, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok


The city of Cincinnati has an urban renewal project underway in the Over the Rhine area. This neglected part of town is being targeted for renovation because of it's nationally important 19th century architecture. It is one of the largest urban historic districts in the USA. Originally settled by German immigrants, it became the center of Cincinnati's beer brewing industry, but is known today for it's large collection of Italianate buildings.

Progress is slow, however. Many of the dilapidated structures are secured with brightly painted plywood to temporarily cover doors and windows, in an attempt to
"keep Cincinnati beautiful".
One day these buildings will be attended to, but in the mean time they wait.
Hope springs eternal.

Handy Work

Steps and Mural, Auburn, Alabama  © Doug Hickok


It took many hands to create this colorful mural.
It takes many more hands to create a peaceful world.

 Wishing you many handfuls of peace this weekend.

Elevation

Lobby Elevator, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok


Colorful vertical art elevates the hip ambiance of Cincinnati's Contemporary Arts Center.

A Hike to the Local Sink Hole

Joppa Ridge Road, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok


We drove this densely forested backcountry road to get to a sink hole in Kentucky. Fortunately, we saw no signs of bootleggers or moonshiners in these backwoods, but we did see a few wild turkeys next to the road, so close you could almost reach out and touch them. Beneath this road and these woodlands lies the world's largest cave network, over 390 miles of caves, some of which are flooded with underwater rivers.

Outcrop, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok


By the road was this outcrop of limestone, showing telltale traits of Karst topography, a geologic phenomenon important for the formation of caves. Weaker layers of limestone erode faster than harder layers above, creating ideal situations for cave development over time.

Hiking Trail to Sink Hole, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok


The hike down into the sink hole depression was a short but challenging one. The day was dreadfully hot, and in the sink hole, extremely moist and humid. The air felt so thick you could almost slice it with the tail of Daniel Boone's coon skin hat.

Wooded Cliffs, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok


Once in the sink hole gorge, we looked upward to the forested hillsides and cliffs, and saw trees. Many trees. And they seemed so tall. By this time we were sweating and breathing heavily. The air felt muggy, sultry, sticky and airless. Yes, that's right, airless air. Never mind the oxymoron. It was so.

A Lost River, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok


At an overlook in the gorge, we spotted this lost river, a segment of the underground system of rivers in Mammoth Cave that suddenly emerges for a time, then disappears back into the caves. When the river emerges, it picks-up sediments and nutrients from the woodlands and carries them through the caves to help feed cave fauna, such as the cave salamander, and the Madagascan burrowing cow.

Cedar Sink, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok


Finally we reached our destination, the holy grail of Mammoth Cave sink holes, Cedar Sink. Sink holes, which are sometimes called swallow holes, are typical of Karst landscapes. They are natural depressions formed by erosion of the limestone bedrock, or where a cave ceiling has collapsed. In this case it is an underground river which has surfaced. The sink hole looks so lush and swampy, you would almost expect to see a python.

As evening approached, it began to get a little dark, so we turned back up the trail to return to our car.

Kitschy Knight, Cave City, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok


As knight approached, we found our path blocked, and were forbidden to pass. Fortunately I happened to have in my knapsack a shrubbery and a herring, which the knight insisted I give to him, or he would say "Ni" over and over to us. He then let us pass unharmed, and so
we went on our jolly way,
 conking our coconuts together as we walked.

Complements

Rain Boots and Umbrella, Auburn, Alabama  © Doug Hickok


Complementary Colors.
Complementary Apparel.
Complementary Photograph.

Mysterious Monday - What in the World?

Oddity #1, Hyde Park, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Oddity #2, Hyde Park, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Oddity #3, Hyde Park, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Oddity #4, Hyde Park, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Oddity #5, Hyde Park, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Oddity #6, Hyde Park, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Oddity #7, Hyde Park, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok


What in the world is this?
These images are like pieces of a puzzle.
Imagine them together, and you might get an answer.
It was so chaotic that it was a challenge to make coherent compositions.
Feel free to make a guess.

If you would like to know what in the world this is, here is the link.
Crazy!

Rural Sanctuary

Joppa Baptist Church, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok


There was a time in the 19th century when the Kentucky hills, in the area that is now Mammoth Cave National Park, were populated by several scattered communities of settlers. Many had small churches like this for sanctuary on Sundays. Although the original church of 1862 no longer exists, this simple country church was built around 1900. A church such as this often served as a center for community activities as well. Country churches in this region typically had two entrance doors, one for men and one for women. Many a God-fearing soul has walked the creaky wooden floors past the pews shown here. The communities have gradually disappeared, but this little church and the cemetery next to it survive and are still used occasionally for special gatherings. Surrounding the church are miles of dense woodlands that conceal what lies beneath.

Located under this church is the largest cave system in the world. 390 miles of caves have been explored so far. Only about 10 miles  are open to the public, who can see the caverns on guided tours. We didn't have enough time to join one of these tours while on our road trip, but later this week I will show you the sink hole we hiked to. 


Because, really, what IS a vacation without a visit to the local sink hole?

Ludlow Avenue Walkabout

Bulletin Board, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Red Car and White Van, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Design of Overhang Underside, Wine Room, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Blue Door, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Storefront Facade, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Dress Shop, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Window (??)  Boxes and Brick, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Facade of Esquire Theater, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

Esquire Theater Lamp Post, Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok


Not far from the University of Cincinnati campus is a cool, colorful, trendy little area along Ludlow Avenue centered around the Esquire Theater. This is an art house movie theater where we were fortunate to see Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Toulouse Lautrec, Auguste Rodin, and others, all in a movie called Midnight in Paris. This is a Woody Allen film I think you would really enjoy. My daughter has a short article about it on her book blog.

Is Big Brother Watching You?

Ticket Center, Union Terminal, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok


Although this giant "eye" looks Orwellian, it is not 1984. It is 2011, and what you see is not Big Brother watching you, but the interior of an art deco era train station. Except these days it is featured as a museum complex. Tickets are still sold for trains to Chicago or Montreal, but are also available for trips back in time to exhibits about the Jurassic period, ancient Egypt and the early settlement of Cincinnati along the Ohio River.

So don't be paranoid. You are not being watched.
You are free to do as you wish.

But wherever you go, whatever you do, and whomever you speak to,
keep an eye out for those hidden security cameras.

Have a great weekend!

Retirement Home

Two Old Cars, Danny's Classic Cars, Elko, South Carolina  © Doug Hickok


Side Kicks

Old Dodge, Danny's Classic Cars, Elko, South Carolina  © Doug Hickok


Beauty Queen

Old, Old Car, Danny's Classic Cars, Elko, South Carolina  © Doug Hickok


Er... well... some of us just age better than others.


(Quick note: This post was inspired by a fellow blogger. When Becky and I drove past Danny's Classic Cars in Elko during our recent road trip, I was so excited seeing old cars, really old cars, that I simply HAD to stop and grab a few shots. If you would like to see some truly artful photography of old classic cars, please take a moment to see Otto Kitchen's work.)