Old Mine

Abandoned Mine, near Red Mountain Pass, San Juan Mountains, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The mountains in Colorado are rich in mineral deposits. Mining is a prevalent part of the state's economy, but many old mines sit abandoned, symbols of the industry's boom and bust tendency.

Shapes and Shadows

Shapes and Shadows, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An interesting play of shapes and shadows creates
 a visual attraction at the Fairmont Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Throwback Thursday - Coast Patrol

Morris Island Lighthouse and Helicopter, James Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Kodachrome film)



I pulled this old Kodachrome slide from my files and, to my surprise,
it scanned well enough in spite of how dark the film had become over the years.
It shows Morris Island Lighthouse in morning light, and a Coast Guard chopper whooshing past, patrolling the shoreline.

Glowing Lantern

Dry Dock Boat, Charleston Harbor Marina, Mt. Pleasant, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Held aloft at the marina, this pleasure boat
catches the light of the setting sun,
causing its pilot house to illuminate like a glowing lantern.

Real and Symbolic

Fleurs-de-Lis Fence and Camellias, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The hard metallic sheen of wrought iron fleurs-de-lis provide a keen contrast
 to the soft organic blooms of red camellias. Charleston displays flowers, both literally and figuratively, at any time of year.

Misty Monday - Breakfast of Egrets

Marshland and Great Egret, West Ashley Park, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Not far from where I live there is a small suburban park that I visit regularly. I enjoy watching the wildlife in the wetlands, and on this misty morning,
 I spotted a Great Egret hunting for a fishy breakfast.

Lanterns of Venice

Row of Lanterns, Piazzetta di San Marco, Venice, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



In and around St Mark's Square there are many sights that grab one's attention. In this instance, I found delight in a row of decorative lanterns that complement the Gothic facade of the Doge's Palace, where the rulers of Venice once lived.

Roper Mansion

Antebellum Mansion, East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



The Roper mansion occupies a prominent spot on The Battery overlooking Charleston harbor. The wealthy cotton planter, Robert William Roper, 
built his edifice in 1838 with the intension of it being the first house seen by ships sailing into Charleston from the sea. It is difficult to miss, even today.

Powered by the Flower

Old Mercedes Flower Bed, Miracle Garden, Dubai, UAE
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Flower power seems to drive this retired Mercedes Benz
 on display at Dubai's Miracle Garden.

A Little Slice For You

Ornate Door, Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



Given the nature of the holiday, you might be a little hungry while waiting for your turkey. So I posted a little slice of Hungary for you, from the Fisherman's Bastion.
Ouch, that was bad.


Happy Thanksgiving!

Wader

Waves and Wader, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



A man wades into the early morning surf at Folly Beach.
The scale of this view only hints at the enormity of the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking Glass Rock

Looking Glass Rock, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved (Velvia slide film)



A view from the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway affords this portrait of Looking Glass Rock, located in Transylvania county, North Carolina. The monolith is named for the way it glistens like a mirror, especially when the evening sun shines following an afternoon rain. Sorry, no Draculas here, but rock climbers love it no matter what the weather is like.

Golden Scrolls

Gate Scrolls, The Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Evening light paints gate scrolls with golden hues
 on a South Battery mansion entry.

Bear Lake Forest

Lake Side Forest, Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Offering cool shade in the high mountains, a grove of conifers
 shelters the edge of Bear Lake in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Political Symbolism

Hercules and Cacus, Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



This prominent statue of Hercules and Cacus is in the Piazza della Signoria, the main square in Florence. According to Roman mythology, the Greek hero Hercules killed the fire-breathing giant Cacus for terrorizing the people of the Palatine Hill in Rome.

This politically charged sculpture was commissioned by the Medici family after their return from exile. Hercules was used as the perfect symbol of their power and subjugation of the Republic of Florence.

Blue Windows

Detail of Portico and Windows, The Ascent, Covington, Kentucky
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A triangular roof over the entry to The Ascent, a high rise luxury condominium, points to a maze of blue tinted windows.

Throwback Thursday - Moon and Palmetto

Moon and Palmetto, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Kodachrome film)



A Kodachrome shot of the moon rising above a lamp-lit palmetto slightly resembles South Carolina's state flag emblem. I made this image years ago when we first moved to the Palmetto state from Ohio.

Lingering Mists of Acadia

Misty Coastline, Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



The curious nature of coastal fog is that it sometimes lingers along the immediate coastline, while a mere several steps inland, the air is perfectly clear.
Shifting winds soon completely dissipated the morning mists in this scene,
revealing a rocky headland and the blue sea beyond.

Fountain in Autumn

Fountain Waterfall, Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta, Georgia
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A pool reflects the blues and golds of a clear autumn day
 in a park in Atlanta.

Misty Monday - Kiawah Palmettos

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



A misty stillness envelopes a row of palmettos on
the resort island of Kiawah, creating a painterly, picturesque scene.