Color coordination

Smith St., Charleston, SC   

I like it when the house color matches the ride.

After the fire - Smith St.

Fire, Smith St., Charleston, SC    

It is shocking to see the skeleton remains of these historic wooden houses after a fire. I'd heard about the fire on Smith St. but it was a different thing to walk by and see the sad ruins. It burned in mid July on a day that had a heat index of 101 degrees. Four fire fighters need to be treated and one lady was missing a kitty.

Walk with me - Smith St. (part 1)

Smith St., Charleston, SC   

I am directing my weekend walks along specific street routes lately - beginning at one end and following to the other. The photos aren't in order since I do hop from side to side looking into gardens and over gates. I wasn't sure I'd make it this morning since it drizzled a bit off and on.

This morning I walked Spring St. which is a nice hodge podge of small houses, mansions and student rentals to add character. It's a fairly long street so I'll return later with Spring St. part 2.

Shades of blue

Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

This is the out building behind the old McCallister's Funeral Home at Wentworth and Smith St. Stables maybe? Or perhaps it was for the hearse. I love the faded blue and the azaleas really perked up the abandoned property.

Teeny tiny houses of Charleston

I didn't say all of our teeny tiny houses were fixed up, did I? This little sweetie on Smith right below Marion St. is on occasion waterfront property. I was tempted to straighten out the shot below but I think that shows it about right.

Happy trails kids! Keep on walking.

Red Cross Donations

Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

Red Cross donation site for the Oklahoma recovery relief.

Today's bit of history: this Smith St. house that has the red cross painted on it was actually the local headquarters of the American Red Cross during World War I. It housed the administrative services of the Red Cross as well as the Blood Bank until 1989 until it returned to being a family residence.

Welcoming Porch

Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

Well heck, it's after 11 p.m. already and although I am wide awake, I should be thinking about bed. It was a relief to come home from work and go for a walk without skipping through puddles and getting rained on. I understand that we have had close to ten inches of rain for February with more to come.

Barbara Stroud raved so about her chicken pasta in wine sauce that I picked up pasta on my walk and made that. Just for me. Yum. 

Luckily I stayed up late enough to watch the news to learn what color of shoes the retired pope is going to wear. Not red. Make a note.

This evening's picture is a ground level porch on Smith St. I love wide porches with brick floors. They look so welcoming don't they?

G'night kids. Don't stay up too late. 

Sunny pictures for a rainy day

Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

We had one bright and sunny day on Sunday to give us a break and rain again today. If am so used to walking every day that my legs start to get itchy and twitchy if I don't go out marching. I took advantage on Sunday, parked on Smith St. and headed down the peninsula.

I couldn't take too long since my friend Andre' had picked up tickets to the matinee showing of Les Miserables at the Performing Arts Center. What a treat that was. The music was simply grand.  I still catch myself humming the tunes.

Both of today's pictures are from Smith St. I spotted the two orchids perched on top of a car. The ladies who had been carrying things turned to see me with my camera, assumed I was taking a picture of their house and gave me a bit of history. Truth is the house just made a happy backdrop for the orchids.

House Fire on Smith St.

Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

It was a sad pause on my walk this morning when I passed this house on Smith St. where a young student, her two dogs and cat lost their lives yesterday. We've had some fires set deliberately in this area in recent years but they think this one started in the kitchen.

It is always a worry in these wooden houses with old wiring. I have little safety rituals that I check each night and every time I leave the house. I can't tell you how often I have gone back home to make sure that I turned everything off. I believe it is time to check the smoke detector batteries.

What a sad beginning to the year for this child's family. The Post & Courier has more of the story.

Before & After - Smith St.

192 Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

Once again I was not consulted about the renovations planned for this quirky property on upper Smith St. They have painted over the historically accurate (drug induced?) checkerboard porch ceiling. Happily they left the funky guard lions at the front door. Here is the real estate web site. I am sure they have done a fine job but I do wish I knew what it used to look like inside, don't you?

The old blue stable

Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

This building is behind the old McAlister's Funeral Home on the corner of Wentworth and Smith St. The building is still there although no longer operating as a funeral home.

I've wondered about this old structure at the back of the property. I imagined it to be a stable and housing for horse drawn funeral hearsts but googling around I discovered that it was the stable of the original property that burned down before the funeral home was built and probably dates to the 1800's. The information I found said it was constructed entirely with wood pins and no screws or nails.

There are neato bits of history everywhere in Charleston.

Raised Bed Gardening

Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

I can fall in love with the occupants of a house by what I learn from the sidewalk. Look at these raised bed planters! Aren't they grand? Check out the flower planters on the front steps. Goodness, they practically have to knock blossoms off to get up their steps. Charming. Whoever you are, coolness indeed!

What is everyone up to on this hot, hot weekend? My son and I went to Juanita Greenberg's for nacho's royale for lunch but I've been drinking pots full of iced coffee to cool down so I'm bouncing off the ceiling instead of taking a nap as planned.

I drink my icy drink and flick through MLS listings of cottages in the mountains. Starting from cheapest listings I try to imagine weekends in the pictured tumbledown shacks with their smashed-in walls and porches falling off. But, it would be cooler, right? Heheh. Luckily the weekend is over before I do anything foolish. After all, I've already been through my cabin in the mountains stage. Cringe.

Hydrangea Heaven

Smith St., Charleston, S.C.

The hydrangeas are so beautiful this year I can't bear the fact that I don't have any of my own. Happily I have friends who have hydrangeas so I have a bouquet of blue ones on my desk.

Whatcha all up to this Friday night? I worked too late to get to my movie. That can't be good.