Saltmarsh Boardwalk

Boardwalk, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok



The best way to traverse tidal marshes
 along the Lowcountry coast is to walk the planks...
planks of a boardwalk that is.

Statuesque

Great Egret, Shem Creek Park, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok



A Great Egret strikes a statuesque pose along the boardwalk
 at Shem Creek Park. This one is tame enough to allow
 close approach, probably in anticipation of a tasty morsal.

Rocky Mountain Vista

Overlook, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado



The winding road that leads up into the Rocky Mountain's
 alpine ecosystem offers overlooks such as this one,
where melting ice reflects clouds moving across ridge tops.

Beyond the Gate

Garden Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Spring blooms fill a garden
 behind this entry gate in the Historic District.

Castle of the Popes

Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy   © Doug Hickok



This ancient Roman mausoleum built in the 2nd century
 was eventually converted into a fortress for the Popes
 duting the 14th century, and for the longest time
 was Rome's tallest building.

Rainbow Row

Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Row houses along East Bay Street display
 some of the approved paint colors
 used in Charleston's Historic District.

Winter Trees

Trees in the Snow, Harrison, Ohio  © Doug Hickok



A row of winter trees are etched
in fresh snowfall near Harrison, Ohio.

Soaring Cliffs

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona  © Doug Hickok



Desert cliffs overlook the vast geologic layering
 of Earth's deepest canyon.

Glowing Lion

Door Knocker, Charleston, SC   © Doug Hickok



Seen through an entry gate, a golden door knocker
 glows in the afternoon light in Charleston's Historic District.

Ancient Basilica

Basilica Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Rome, Italy   © Doug Hickok



This 4th century basilica sits atop the Caelian Hill in Rome,
 overlooking the Roman Forum and Colosseum.
  It was built over a complex of Roman era rooms decorated
 with well preserved frescos that can still be seen today.

Echoes of the Ancients

Gate Ring, Charleston, SC   © Doug Hickok



An entry gate to a garden courtyard features a golden ring
that echoes the classical era of Greeks or Romans.

College Icon

Randolph Hall, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



The iconic portico of historic Randolph Hall
 is the College of Charleston's longtime symbol.

Gate Motif

East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A decorative motif adds interest to an old entry gate
 belonging to an antebellum mansion on the Battery.

Misty Light

Morning Light, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee



Crepuscular rays shine light on misty ridges
 in the wild western section of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Scroll Pattern

Gate Detail, Charleston, SC   © Doug Hickok



A pattern of repeating scrolls decorates
 a heart shaped gate in Charleston.

Mist of Winter

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



A winter morning along Charleston's Braod Street
 envelopes Saint Michael's steeple in a veil of mist.

Summer Hues

East Bay Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



In the heart of summertime, Rainbow Row
 is alive with vibrant hues for all eyes to see.

Vintage Charleston

East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Piazzas, wrought iron balconies, pastel colors,
fresh blooms, and Palmetto trees adorn Charleston's
High Battery in the summertime.

Battery Walk

East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A stone paved sidewalk runs past antebellum mansions
 along Charleston's East Battery, catching
 the morning light on a summer morning.

Stonework

Stonework, Charleston, SC   © Doug Hickok



Ornately carved stonework decorates the inside of a mausoleum
 in Charleston's historic Magnolia Cemetery.

Summer Light

Tradd Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Sunlight on a summer morning
 paints row houses along Tradd Street
 in one of the older sections of the historic district.



 

Medieval Monastery

Columns, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome, Italy
© Doug Hickok



Twisting columns decorated with mosaics comprise
 the 13th century monastic cloister of a
Roman Catholic basilica outside of Rome, Italy.



 

Port City

Charleston Harbor, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Charleston's port is one of the busiest on the East Coast.
Here the Ravenel Bridge provides a backdrop
for a container ship and a cruise ship in Charleston Harbor.

French Quarter Tour

Saint Philip's Churchyard, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A wrought iron gate provides an ornate contrast
 to a sauntering carriage in Charleston's French Quarter.

Enduring Stone

Colosseum, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok



The Colosseum still stands in the Roman Forum
 after enduring nearly 2000 years of history.
I wonder what architectural wonders of today
 will last into the distant future.

Vintage Charleston

Vintage Artwork, Blossoms Restaurant, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok



At a restaurant near Charleston's waterfront,
a vintage photo from the 19th century
 shows bails of cotton ready to ship at the port.

Hope for a Better Year

Avenue of Oaks, Boone Hall Plantation, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok



Entering a New Year is like taking a road
 not traveled before. Let's hope the unforeseen path
that lies ahead is full of joy and adventure.

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.