Up the Creek

Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC   © Doug Hickok



A boater returns to safe harbor on Shem Creek at days end.

Mission Evening

Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tucson, Arizona   © Doug Hickok



Dusk envelopes crosses at an old Spanish Mission
 on a Native American reservation in Arizona.



  

Slow Walking

Finial Ironwork, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Walking slowly through Charleston's historic district
 encourages me to look closely at the city's 18th and 19th
 century architecture, and to find ornate gems,
 such as this finial detail and wrought iron fencing.

Arching Palm

Huguenot Church, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Sego palm fronds arch over a pathway in the cemetery
 of Charleston's French Huguenot Church.

Blooming Stone

Pathway, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Stones with floral designs surrounded by seashells
create a garden path in Charleston's historic district.

Gas Light

Large Lantern, Charleston, SC   © Doug Hickok



This large ornate lantern sits atop the Sword Gate,
one of Charleston's antebellum wrought iron masterworks.

State Emblem

State Flag Emblems, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



While strolling down an alleyway in the historic district,
 I came across this metal cutout in a courtyard garden
 that displays a palmetto tree with crescent moon,
the same symbols that are on our state flag.

Your Morning Exercise

East Battery, Charleston, SC   © Doug Hickok



A walk along the Battery promenade
 is a healthy way to start the day in Charleston.

The Harbor

Maritime Center, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Charleston has one of the east coast's busiest ports...
pictured here is a container ship leaving the harbor
 framed by the bowsprit of a tall ship
 docked at the Maritime Center.

Mansion Entry

Courtyard Entry, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A small garden courtyard precedes the entry
 into an old mansion in Charleston's historic district.

Golden Gate

Entry Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A carpet of ginkgo leaves serves as a golden
 backdrop for this entry gate on Broad Street.

Strange Behavior

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas   © Doug Hickok



Prolonged desert heat can bring out strange behavior in humans,
inspiring them to arrange buried cadillacs in a neat row.

December Rose

Yellow Rose, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A rose bush is in full bloom along an alleyway in Charleston's
 historic district, just waiting for passersby to stop
 and smell it's lovely fragrance.

Muddy Sunset

Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok



At the end of a work week, patrons gather at Shem Creek
 to unwind and enjoy a Lowcoutry sunset over the marshland.

Peaceful Presence

Live Oaks, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A pair of large live oaks provides plenty of shade
 and a peaceful presence in Charleston's Meditation Garden.

Rose Wreath

Wreath, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A wreath made of dried magnolia leaves and rose blossoms
 adorns a reddish door in the Historic District.
 Note the horse shoe above the entry,
a symbol of good luck and protection.

Gaillard Center

Gaillard Center, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



The newly renovated performing arts center in Charleston
 features neo-classical architecture which echoes
 styles of the city's many historic buildings.

Ceramic Courtyard

Autumn Courtyard, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Ceramics decorate an outdoor dining area
 in a Charleston courtyard garden.

Folly Cross

Folly Beach, SC   © Doug Hickok



A solitary cross stands amid the grassy dunes
 of the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve on Folly Beach.

French Quarter Ride

French Quarter, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A horse drawn carriage follows quiet streets
 that take visitors through Charleston's French Quarter.

Garden Finial

Large Finial, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



The centerpiece of a South of Broad garden
 is this large finial with a bucolic classical motif.

Ablaze with Color

Gate Scroll, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



An entry gate on an East Battery mansion
is set against a colorful doorway lit by morning sun.

Not Shy, This Guy

Great Egret, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok



A friendly egret perches
 along the Shem Creek Park
 boardwalk at sundown.

Roses at Sundown

Roses, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  



A rose garden is silhouetted by the setting sun
 in Charleston's serene Meditation Garden.

Skeleton Forest

Boneyard Beach, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok



At the north end of Folly Beach the maritime forest
 is slowly eroding away, leaving skeleton trees
 to populate the shoreline.

Peace Among the Trees

Meditation Garden, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



This statue stands amid a lush natural setting
 in Charleston's Meditation Garden,
a tranquil place for a quiet stroll.

French Quarter Scene

Churchyard Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Behind this decorative churchyard gate a horse
 pulls a carriage through Charleston's French Quarter.

French Quarter Gallery

Art Gallery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A courtyard displayed with paintings entices visitors
 to enter and explore an art gallery in the French Quarter.

Local Family

Balconies, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok 



A row of balconies displays decorative ironwork
 on a trio of houses called the Three Sisters,
noted for their similarity of style.

Blending In

Meditation Garden, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok




A vine-covered archway blends with the natural surroundings
 at the Meditation Garden in Charleston.

Lantern Light

Lantern and Blue Door, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


A house by the Battery is lit by lanterns
 as a cool evening falls in Charleston.

Carriage on Meeting Street

Horse Carriage, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A horse pulling a carriage passes by a large
Southern Magnolia along Meeting Street.

Lanterns at Twilight

Broad Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A row of gas lanterns burns steadily
 at the dawn of a new day in old Charleston.



 

Sword Gate

Sword Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Charleston's most recognizable wrought iron gate
 was made in 1849 by Christopher Werner. A matching gate
 was also installed at Charleston's military college, The Citadel.

Promenade Stroll

Sunrise, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A couple takes a morning stroll along the Promenade
 on the Battery, enjoying a cool breeze off the harbor
 and a sunrise.

Colonial Landmark

Saint Michael's Church, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A landmark of the Holy City, Saint Michael's Church
is Charleston's oldest surviving house of worship,
dating from the 1750's.

Battery Mansions

East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A row of antebellum mansions and palmetto trees
 greets the morning sun along Charleston's High Battery.

Common Resident

Saint Phillip's Church, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Residents and tourists are a common sight in Charleston,
as are mockingbirds. They take advantage of stylish perches
to serenade and survey their territory.

Battery Fence

Ironwork, South Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A wrought iron fence line on South Battery
is aglow with the reflection of morning sun.

Strong Foundation

Lantern on the Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A large lantern hangs over a gate to the Edmonston-Alston House
 on Charleston's East Battery. The stylish antebellum mansion
 was built on top of the foundation of an old 18th century fort
 know as Fort Mechanic.

Southern Time Capsule

Saint Phillip's Church, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Strolling through Charleston's French Quarter
 offers beautiful views of the historic district,
 ones similar to those seen in previous eras.

Flowering Green Space

Washington Square, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Bright hues fill the camera frame with a scene
 from one of Charleston's inviting green spaces.

Forest at the Edge

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona   © Doug Hickok



At the edge of the South Rim, junipers and pines
 frame a view of the layered vastness of the Grand Canyon.

Autumn Hues

An Entry on East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



An antebellum mansion facing the rising sun
 is aglow with the hues of autumn.

Happy Halloween!

Skeleton Couple, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



You never know what you'll find
 walking around Charleston's historic district...
especially on Halloween.

Bloomin' Foxgloves

Foxgloves, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Unfolding foxglove blossoms are a focal point
 of this Charleston garden in the historic district.

Natural Draperies

Rural Road, Savannah NWR, South Carolina  © Doug Hickok



Trees festooned with spanish moss
 line a dirt road in southern South Carolina.

Shadows and Curves

Arched Entry, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok 



Linear shadows from an overhead balcony
 contrast with the ornate curves of an entry near Rainbow Row.

Water and Stone

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona  © Doug Hickok



The Colorado River cuts through an early section
 of the Grand Canyon in this vista from Desert View.

Last Light in Savannah

Sunset, Savannah, GA  © Doug Hickok



Clouds hold the glowing colors of sunset fleetingly,
 before fading to darkness near Savannah, Georgia.