City Lights

Lantern, East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Ornate lanterns are unique architectural features
in Charleston's Historic District.
They come in many styles, shapes and sizes,
 and provide light for entry into houses.
When accompanied by colorful spring blooms,
they are an extra treat for the eyes.

Sail Away

Schoolyard Canopies, Al Ain, UAE  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



When living in the Arabian Desert, finding creative ways
 to make shade can be a challenge. But it is doubly
 satisfying when that method is both functional
 and reflects the local culture. These canvas canopies
 stretch over a schoolyard to keep children cool.
They also resemble the sails of a dhow,
the traditional boat used to traverse the Arabian Gulf.

Light at the End of the Path

Stoll's Alley, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



When wandering along the streets of Charleston,
 try going off the beaten path by exploring one of its old alleyways.
Stolls Alley leads to the Battery by the harbor,
where a sunrise illuminates the pathway's end.

Far From the Madding Crowd

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



Beyond this ornate gate, a walkway leads to a hidden garden,
 likely a small sanctuary for the home owner
 in this bustling part of the Historic District.

Blooming Window

Door Window, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Springtime in Charleston brings out the blooms across the city.
 Apparently, flowers can even be seen to flourish on windows,
as this glass etching on a door at the College of Charleston demonstrates.

Imitation

Fence Scroll, East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Art often imitates nature...
this fence scroll, so wonderfully proportioned,
 reminds me of the curl of a fern fiddlehead,
 or the spiral of a nautilus shell,
or even the swirl of a distant galaxy.

Let It Rain

Umbrella Canopy, Miracle Garden, Dubai, UAE
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Rain is rare in the Arabian Desert,
 but the Miracle Garden of Dubai is prepared...
or at the very least ready to provide shade
 from the blazing sun.

Two Million!

Azaleas at White Point Gardens, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Spring blooms abound at White Point Gardens near The Battery.
I am fortunate to have Charleston as a subject to photograph.
 Colorful scenes like this one draw visitors not only to the city
 but also to my photo blog. I passed 2 million page views
 yesterday. So this is a wonderful opportunity to thank all of you
 for your visits and comments! And I hope you continue enjoying the scenery.

A Post About a Post

Old Fence Post, San Juan Mountains, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Keeping the critters out is just as important as keeping the livestock in.
This old wooden post helps do the job near a mountain range
in the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness in Colorado.

Blooming Path

Azaleas, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A pathway bordered by azaleas makes a colorful
 and inviting springtime vignette.



 

Natural Beauties

Wildflowers, Hill Country, Texas  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The annual blooming of wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country
 makes a most beautiful natural display.

A Simple Globe

Alleyway Lantern, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A small globe-shaped lantern is a departure from the usual
 ornate gas lanterns found in many places around Charleston.
But it is the perfect fit for this narrow alleyway in the historic district.

Arch and Blooms

Dogwood Blooms, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A slant of morning sun illuminates dogwood blooms
 as they span an ornate garden gate.

Paint Colors

Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The light of a new day paints the Pineapple Fountain
 and the City Art Gallery with a wash of golden hues
 at Waterfront Park.

The Stars Were Aligned

Street Lamps, College of Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An alignment of backlit street lamps, glowing like stars,
adds an element of design to this image taken at
 the College of Charleston. Like much of the city of Charleston,
 the college campus is a garden in full spring bloom.

Marvelous

Cherry Blossoms, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Even though we have lived in Charleston for a long time,
 I still marvel every year at just how beautiful
the springtime is in the historic district.

Askew

Piazza Door, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




A carpenter's square might be useful here.
On the other hand, I like the character
 of this quirky, old door gone slightly awry.

Molten Stone

Cobblestone Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Stone appears molten on a cobblestone street
set aflame by the morning sun.



 

Garden Spot

Garden Sculpture, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A peaceful spot in a Charleston garden
 is the ideal place for a graceful sculpture.

Graceful Integration

Gate with Flowering Dogwood, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A flowering dogwood integrates with a wrought iron gate
 to create a graceful vignette in Charleston.

Extra Hand

Door Knocker, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



This door knocker is handy
 for announcing your arrival.

Spring Festoons

Door with Wisteria Vine, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Charleston is draped with blooms this time of year.

From Warehouses to Row Houses

Houses on Cobblestone Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Row houses on this cobblestone street are
 near the waterfront and in an area that was packed
 with wharfs and warehouses in the 1800's.

Dubai Style

Skyline, Dubai, UAE  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Office and residential towers stacked against the sky
 come in many shapes and colors in a newly minted part of Dubai.

An American Aloe

Century Plant, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



This century plant makes an exotic centerpiece
 for a courtyard garden in Charleston's historic district.

Redbuds Galore

Redbud, South of Broad, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved

Redbud in a Courtyard Garden, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved

Redbud in the French Quarter, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Spring brings the blooms out
 on Charleston's redbud trees.

Glowing Fence

Fence, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



This fence catches the morning sun much of the year,
making it appear as though King Midas just touched it.

Simple Tool

Ladder, Al Ain Palace, Al Ain, UAE
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



What tool is more simple and effective than this one.
I say, three cheers for the ladder!

Gothic Gem

Facade, Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Gothic details abound on Matthias Church
 which stands atop Budapest's Castle Hill.

Spring Dazzler

Flowering Crabapple, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Charleston's Washington Park has a flowering crabapple
 that dazzles every spring. Blooms begin as red,
 then fade to pink and white. The green of new leaves
 adds to the mix of color.

Courtyard Sunrise

Lanterns in a Courtyard, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The rising sun sets these twin lanterns aglow
 in a courtyard near the Battery.

Marrakesh in Charleston?

Door and Window, The Old Saracen, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



You might think this photo is from Morocco,
but in fact this Moorish door and window belong to the old
Saracen restaurant in Charleston.
 
Not coincidentally, I received a surprise package of Moroccan
 cuisine in the mail today (containing couscous, tajine sauce,
 argan oil, kefta rub, and more.). Thanks to my amazing wife,
who signed us up at trytheworld.com, we'll be mailed
 a different box of gourmet products from around the world
 every other month. I can't wait to try the recipes included!

Twinkle

Gate Scroll at Night, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Lights appear to twinkle behind a South Battery gate,
adding a warm touch to this photo made at dawn.
If beauty is in the details, the scenes to be found
around Charleston certainly qualify.

Reflections of a New Day

Windows and Ironwork, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



East facing windows on this High Battery mansion
 reflect the warm light of sunrise over Charleston Harbor.

Complementary

Cherry Tree Blossoms, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A warm touch of spring color graces a Charleston evening
 complements of a cherry tree along Meeting Street.

Colors of the Rainbow

East Bay Houses, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



These houses near Rainbow Row catch the morning sun
 which makes them a richly colorful subject to photograph.

Spring City

Azaleas, White Point Gardens, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



It's been said that Charleston is a city within a garden.
This is especially true this time of year when
 spring blooms unfold all around town. As a bonus, guided tours
 of private homes and gardens began yesterday
 and continue through April 19.



 

Discovery

Green Shuttered House, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



I discovered this green-shuttered house in the Historic District
 while strolling along one of Charleston's alleyways.



 

Framed

Garden Door Window, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Beautifully symmetrical ironwork is framed
 in this garden door window, which also frames
 the house window in the background.

A Natural Ballet

Live Oaks, Middleton Place Gardens, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



The arching limbs of these live oaks
 are like ballet dancers moving in graceful harmony.

Spring Breeze

Azaleas, Middleton Place, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Breezes on a spring day put these woodland flowers
 in motion at Middleton Place Gardens.

Photophilic

Driveway Gate and Morning Light, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



My lovely wife called me a name yesterday. She said I was a photophile.
At first, I was taken aback, but then she told me what it means...
a lover of light.
 
Today I just happen to have a picture with gorgeous
morning light as a key element.
Clearly she knows me better than anyone!

Scintillating

Sail Boat in Charleston Harbor, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)



The Sun burns its way through morning fog in a burst
of scintillating light upon Charleston Harbor.

French Connection

Balcony Ironwork, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A fleur-de-lis pattern on ironwork frames a balcony at dusk.
 This stylized flower is usually associated with French royalty.
 Charleston has a French connection that dates back to the
 colonial era when the town was settled by Huguenots
escaping religious persecution.



 

Welcome

Door Knocker, French Quarter, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A door knocker in the shape of a pineapple,
 like the fountain in Waterfront Park,
is a symbol of hospitality. It echoes the welcoming
 attitude that the city has toward visitors.



 

Morning Glow

Pineapple Fountain, Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Cascades of water catch and hold the glow
 of morning light at the Pineapple Fountain
 in Charleston's Waterfront Park.

Quiet Among the Early Blooms

Garden Bench, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Framed by two stone statues, an ornate bench sits quietly
 in a Charleston garden, offering the visitor an invitation
 to rest among the early blooms.

Misty Monday - Shrouded

Fishing Pier, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Folly Beach Fishing Pier, one of the longest fishing piers
 on the east coast, is shrouded by an encroaching sea fog.