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!