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.

Summer Reward

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



A hike down from the Blue Ridge Parkway
 into the Crabtree Falls ravine
 rewards you with a cool respite from the summer heat.

19th Century Transportation

Carriage and Saint Philip's Church, French Quarter, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A leisurely way to see Charleston's landmarks
 is in the ease and comfort of a horse drawn carriage.

Trappings

Crab Traps, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



Here are all the trappings for catching crabs.