Single & nekkid

Duncan St., Charleston, SC  

There is a rare unpainted Charleston single house on Duncan St.

A Charleston single house is a form of house found in Charleston, South Carolina. The house is well-suited to long, narrow lots which were laid out in early Charleston. A single house has its narrow side (often two- or three-bays wide) with a gable end along the street and a longer side (often five-bays) running perpendicular to the street.

So, if that is the definition of single house, how about the definition of Nekkid? I found that too:

Nekkid is not simply being without clothing--It means you are gettin' nekkid for mischevious purposes. Naked is natural; nekkid is naughty.

I had a lovely dinner with friends this evening at Hanks Seafood. We went to take advantage of the Restaurant Week deal but ended up ordering off the regular menu. Yum!

Duncan St. summer wear!

Duncan & Coming St., Charleston, SC   

I am talking about the house, not the girls. Here is the winter version of the same property. I believe the architect who owns the property is successfully saving the bee population. The house was covered in pink blossoms and swarming with busy bees. 

It is getting dark earlier and I don't like it. The shorter daylight is already nipping into my evening walking hours. Grrr. 

DeVine House

Duncan & Coming St., Charleston, S.C.

I checked on the vine crop growing on the house at Duncan and Coming and things are slow this year. This house is normally completely covered by the greenery by this time of year. Hmmmm. Did we have an early drought? One year I took pictures almost every week to follow the vine as it took over the house.

I saw the Lincoln movie yesterday and loved every minute of it. Daniel Day Lewis is the most perfect Lincoln. Wow. Catch it if you can. It did motivate me to come home and do more research on Lincoln, the period and his family. I wondered if he had any descendants and was startled to find the only possible descendant had been born six years after his father had had a vasectomy. I guess that child can't boast that Lincoln was his great, great granddaddy.

Rebeccah lists her favorite Southern Sentimentalities and I found myself nodding and saying, "that is so true!"

From bird dogs to bad dogs, I believe this writer/doggie event requires a reservations:

Literary Dogs & Their South Carolina Writers: Charleston authors and their canines will be on hand to celebrate the launch of Literary Dogs and Their South Carolina Writers at the Charleston Library Society on Tuesday, Nov. 27, from 5-7 p.m.  Mary Alice Monroe, Josephine Humphreys, Marjory Wentworth, Nicole Seitz, Beth Webb Hart and others will "meet and greet," present their dogs, and provide a panel discussion about writers and their dogs before the book signing and reception.  Blue Bicycle Books and Hub City Press join the Library Society as sponsors of this event.

In "Literary Dogs & Their South Carolina Writers" twenty-five of the Palmetto State's most beloved authors introduce you to their most memorable dogs. There is Padgett Powell's "Ode to Spode," Josephine Humphreys' paean to a poodle, and Roger Pinckney's Daufuskie Dog-ageddon. Meet Marshall Chapman's Impy, Mindy Friddle's Otto, Beth Webb Hart's Bo Peep, and more. From bird dogs to bad dogs, wild dogs to café dogs, get to know these canines and their literary companions. 

How many more work days in this week? TWO! Yipee!

De Vine House

Coming & Duncan St., Charleston, S.C.

This is a quick update on the house that gets eaten by the vines each year. I follow the progress until the owner has to cut a clearing to see out his windows.

I am in technology hell. Now my modem is on the blink (or rather, not blinking!). As with every contact with Comcast I am ready to shoot myself by the time I get someone on the line who is ready to get my contact information for the third time. At least they were willing to do a service call on a Saturday so here is hoping I will get a new modem by tomorrow night. Grrrrrr.

Meanwhile, y'all behave! There is a lot going on this weekend. I'll be at the Symphony rescucitation concert tonight and actually get to see the Beach Boys up close and personal on Sunday at the opening of the new Mt. Pleasant Hospital. Say hello if you see me!

Single & Nekid

Duncan St., Charleston, S.C.

A single house that is and a rare unpainted one.

Charleston Single House: These distinctive homes have a grace that is perfectly suited to the hot, humid local climate. They are only one-room-wide and the narrow end of the house faces the street. Two-story verandas (called "piazzas" in Charleston) stretch down the long side.

The one-room-wide houses offered welcome cross-ventilation in the days before air-conditioning. And the piazza was a shaded place to sit. From the porch you could enjoy the view of your side-garden too. This is a truly Southern architectural style.

Another interesting feature of a Charleston Single House is that the front door is on the porch! Yes, go through the front door from the street and you're on the porch, not inside the house proper. It provides needed privacy because the entrance hall is centered on the side of the house.

They may be suited to this climate but nothing helps much with a 120 degree heat index, does it? I walked for an hour at 9 o'clock last night and still came home soaking wet.

The house that is eaten by the vine

Coming & Duncan St., Charleston, S.C.

It begins. By the end the summer the house will be completely covered with the vines. At some point the owner will trim around the windows to let a little light in. By winter he'll trim it back to the ground. I can't resist watching the progress each year.

So, what is the consensus? Do we have to try this work thing again tomorrow? If so, I need to get to my bed. Put your toys away, kids. Lights out.