Ghostly Moon

Saint Philip's Chruch, French Quarter, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



A moonlit night in Charleston's French Quater
 is perfect for joining a stroll with one of the city's ghost tours.

Little Free Library

Little Free Library, Logan Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



One of the best ideas humans have ever had is the library!
After all, who doesn't like free books to read!
Here is a little example of free books in Charleston.

Some of my favorite library reads of 2013 include The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, Round House by Louise Erdrich, Revelation by C. J. Sansom, The Snowman by Joe Nesbo, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell, A Time of Angels by Karen Hesse, and Decartes' Bones by Russell Short.

Texas Backwater

Sun and Cypress, McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, Texas
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sunlight filtering through trees shines on a backwater creek at
 McKinney Falls State Park, Austin. Prehistoric reptiles swam in 
shallow seas which once covered much of Texas in the 
Cretaceous Period (145 to 66 million years ago).

Baptistery of Saint John

Baptistery, Florence, Italy  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved  (Velvia slide film)



The facade of the Baptistery of Saint John stands in the Piazza del Duomo of Florence. The bronze doors were created by Lorenzo Ghiberti and are known as the Gates of Paradise. They are the main feature of the Baptistry which is considered one of the oldest buildings in Florence (11th century).

Colonial Lake Dawn

Colonial Lake, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



A blue dawn brings to light Colonial Lake,
a resevoir surrounded by a promenade, park benches
 and Charleston homes.

Crepes in Charleston

Crepe Myrtle, Tradd St., Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Crepe myrtles add vibrant color to Charleston throughout the warm months. 
This one makes a charming addition 
to a cobblestone street in the historic district.
But another kind of crepe sounds good to me...
 a strawberry crepe with whipped cream!

Misty Monday - Hunting for Stones

Hunter Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Hunting for colorful stones is not a problem at Hunter Beach. 
Finding a good pizza joint though, is another story.

A Sense of Place

Balustrade and Palm, East Battery, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A vignette of a balustrade and palmetto tree
 gives a sense of Charleston's East Battery
 antebellum mansions.

Essence de Pluff Mud

Tidal Creek, Edisto Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



At low tide, a salt marsh creek reveals
 a gooey layer of pluff mud, 
rich in decaying organic matter
 and smelling of rotting eggs. 
It is the fragrance of the Lowcountry...
Oh la la!

Glistening Stream

West Prong Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Covered with a mixture of mountain water and rain,
 a jumble of rocks shows glistening textures 
in a fast flowing stream in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Cliffside Lighthouse

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, Acadia National Park, Maine
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A setting sun peeks through conifers
 above a cliffside lighthouse,
 located near Bass Harbor, Maine.

Jagged Rocks

Jagged Rocks, Colorado National Monument, Colorado  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A narrow breach in jagged rock
permits a glimpse of the Colorado River valley
 and the Book Cliffs beyond. 
This high point of view is from 
the Colorado National Monument park road.

Edisto Pelicans

Brown Pelicans, Edisto Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



During the heat of midday a flock of brown pelicans
preen atop posts on South Edisto River.

Into the Surf's Edge

Tree Shadow, Botany Bay Plantation, Edisto Island, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



At the boneyard beach of Botany Bay,
a dead tree's skeleton casts a long shadow,
 its branches reaching into the surf's edge.

Old World Churchyard

Unitarian Church, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



This lush, overgrown churchyard
could be a scene from the British Isles,
but it is Charleston, which, in places,
 has that old world charm.

Atypical

Canopy and Supports, Performance Pavilion  Waterfront Park, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved (Click on image for larger view)



I like searching for atypical points of view when returning to places that I visit often, such as the outdoor pavilion at North Charleston's Waterfront Park. 
The pavillion is inhanced by the way evening light touches it.

Circus in the Desert?

Playground Canopy, Kindergarten near Al Ain, UAE
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Looking up at this colorful canopy,
I was reminded of being beneath a circus tent.
But this tent was in the desert
shielding kindergarteners from the
blazing Arabian sun.

Background Check

Gate Scroll, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Finding colorful backgrounds is useful
 in making a striking graphic image,
 as in this photo of a Charleston wrought iron scroll.

You may have noticed, this week's photos of 
yellow, green and red, make a nice trio of hues.

A Fondness for Fronds

Palmetto Frond, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



I was fond of this frond that I found one day. 
So I made a close-up of its texture
 using an early model Nikon digital camera
 fitted with an old camera lens from the 1980's. 
The result is an abstract which has the look of grainy film.

Ceiling Abstract

Porch ceiling, Sottile House, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A ceiling detail of colors and curves
makes an eye-catching abstract.