Savannah Field Trip

Waving Girl, Savannah, GA

On a recent visit down the coast to Savannah I was surprised to see that they still dry their clothes manually by waving them in the air.

Harhar. Here is the scoop:

Savannah's Waving Girl

The Waving Girl statue is a popular monument for visitors to the River Street area of Savannah, Georgia

The statue immortalizes a Savannahian named Florence Martus, who lived near the entrance to Savannah Harbor and supposedly waved to each ship that came and went -- for 44 years!

The bronze statue of Florence Martus (1869 - 1943), known as "Savannah's Waving Girl" because of her practice of waving to ships entering and leaving Savannah's harbor is located on the bluff overlooking the Savannah River at the south end of downtown Savannah's riverfront area.

Friday Night Hodge Podge

Rutledge Ave., Charleston, S.C.

It's hot again and I had to turn my air conditioning back on. It is that odd time in the lowcountry where young women happily match knee high boots with summer shorts.

I recorded Project Runway and was pleased to see the two Charleston contestants still in the running. It is late but I kept nodding off during commercials and having to rewind. I soon realized it is a completely commercial heavy show with about ten minutes of actual content. It was hard to rewind carefully enough to catch the few seconds of programming.

I drove up to North Charleston on Thursday night to take pictures of my friend Andre's new house and besides making me a scrumptious dinner, he introduced me to a long time blog reader for the first time. It was great to meet you Cullen!

I've spent this week laying out the 2010 calendar for the hospital, sorting out pay dates, holidays, nurse's weeks, safety weeks, etc. etc. etc. Heaven help me if I miss any group's special day. Last year the night after I sent it to the print shop I dreamed that I had listed pay dates on the wrong Fridays. That would be the one most unforgivable offense. Heh.

Anyone want to go to the Terrace Hippodrome tomorrow night? I always go to the Terrace Theater but haven't tried the Hippodrome yet and tomorrow may be the night.

G'night kids. Let's get this weekend started.

Friday Funny

Charleston, S.C.

Eight more hours and it is the weekend. Yippee! I luvs me some weekends. Now, if I can just squeeze all the work I need to do into eight hours I'll be all set.

Quick funny for a Friday snitched from Miss Cellania:

A lady from the city and her traveling companion were riding the train through Vermont when she noticed some cows.

"What a cute bunch of cows!" she remarked.

"Not a bunch, herd", her friend replied.

"Heard of what?"

"Herd of cows."

"Of course I've heard of cows."

"No, a cow herd."

"What do I care what a cow heard. I have no secrets to keep from a cow!"

Senior Moments - of the good kind!

Lowcountry Senior Center, James Island, S.C.

I took a few pictures at the Lowcountry Senior Center last week and the folks were having such a good time. They always are whenever I go by there. I love hearing that they have to card people at the center because people who are too young are always trying to sneak in.

I ought to sign up and do what these folks are doing - take some dance classes.

Storks don't bring babies. Eagles do!

Everyone knows storks don't bring babies. Eagles do!

I am pretty sure I took this around Harleyville, SC, but please do correct me if I am off. I'm not very good at jotting down all the locations.

I may remember it as Harleyville, because Harleyville is the home of the giant wood carved bear in a hollow tree with an eagle on top. Clearly there is someone handy with a chain saw living in the area.

Every time I go through I look for the tree trunk and say "Hahah, the bear's still there!" and I am content that everything is as it should be in rural South Carolina.

Book Heaven

Charles Towne Landing, Charleston, S.C.

I've always liked this scene and take a picture of it every time I walk at Charles Towne Landing.

I admit that I stopped being such a book worm when I got a laptop. I used to read all the time, in bed, riding in a car, while I ate and watched tv. I zipped through books like a starving person on my vacation last month. I always treat myself to something yummy to make up for spending a day in airports and this year I started with Pat Conroy's new book and then stocked up with an armful at Powell's Bookstore in Portland.

Oh! I noticed on this trip that one of the airport book stores carries used books and encourages trade ins. Coolness!

If you still love books this is the big annual book sale put on by the Friends of the Library.

THAT Big Book Sale
Friday, Oct 9 9:00a to 7:00p
at Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, Charleston, SC

Art auction and rare book auction at the event. Free Admission and all books 1/2 price on Sunday October 11th. Great Fiction and Non Fiction children's books, CDs, DVDs and more!

Saturday 9 a.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.
Proceeds benefit the Charleston County Library.
BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag

Okay, kids. I just have six minutes to get across town to work.

Garden Festival Postponed

Middleton Plantation, Charleston, S.C.

I just discovered the Charleston Garden Festival has been postponed until March because of the economy.

Charleston Garden Festival

Given current economic conditions, the Middleton Place Foundation has decided to defer the next Charleston Garden Festival until March 11-13, 2011. With an optimistic look to the future, Foundation leadership believes the economic climate will then be in a better position to allow for the corporate sponsorships and additional support needed to present the type of garden festival the community has come to expect and deserve.

Good luck to them. It's been a lovely festival and clearly a fun photo op.

Ouchie

Kudo Coffee, Vanderhorst St., Charleston, S.C.

I bit my tongue so badly yesterday that I've been walking around with my tongue hanging out saying, "Do you see dat? Dan you see my blubby tongue?" Ouch. It really hurts. How can that happen? I have eaten food before, you'd think I'd know how to do it without biting my tongue off.

Joan's - Hearts of the Lowcountry

There may be a time or two where I .....ahem, helped nature out.

Sharing the Link Love

Pinopilos, S.C.

Unrelated to the cute little building in Pinopolis, here are a couple of things that made me smile this week:

South Carolina can't seem to stay out of the news lately. Don't mess with our spareribs!

Another funny one: Prenatal Ultrasonographer's jobs are getting easier!

Bird on a wire. This is so cool.

Funniest Pacifier. Heheh.

Greatest Hits of You Tube in 4 Minutes. I hate to admit I've seen most of them.

Climbing wall at James Island County Park. I don't think so. No.

Awwww........look, you can get sock monkey embroidery patterns for sewing machines. Coolness.

My brother Jim has finally started a blog. He was born in the hills of north east India and leads eco/adventure travel. Go say hey! Actually, go say "Khublei" which is the proper greeting in the Khasi hills country.

I love weekends. Hope yours is sweet.

Plant a Garden Here

St. Philips St., Charleston, S.C.

Plant a garden here! Good idea. Looks like they gave up and just drew them in.

Don't Cry for Me, Argentina.....

Charleston Stage Company Gala, Gaillard Auditorium, Charleston, S.C.

Sleepy me. I need to get to my bed since my work week isn't finished yet, but I wanted to post this picture before I crashed. I have a few more minutes to squeeze in a daily photo for today.

These are the big kids in the restaurant world in Charleston. If you have a top favorite place to eat, the chef is probably included in this picture. Wow. What an event. Each chef took care of three tables and I was a guest at the McCrady's table (lucky me!). They had all the chefs come up to be recognized and although I was not event photographer I snuck a quick shot. Chef Sean Brock is in the top row, third in from the left wearing his "Make Cornbread Not War" ball cap.

The event was to raise money for the Charleston Stage Theater Company and in between they gave us teasers of upcoming shows. Now I have "don't cry for me Argentina" stuck in my head.

I am nodding off at the keyboard. Y'all turn the lights out.

Lowcountry Heart Walk Pictures

Lowcountry Heart Walk, Charleston, S.C.

This is what happens when people take my ideas seriously. Heheh! Isn't it a grand sight!

I roped Bill Edwards from Harborview Exxon into bringing his sweet red '55 Chevy convertible to lead the heart walk and had the idea that the giant heart mascot could ride in the back seat. Everyone was wiling to give it a try. I had visions of the heart blowing off backwards and landing on the pavement but all went well. We didn't have a broken heart at the heart walk.

Update for my team's donations: $68,316.90. Wowza!

I am getting lots of hits for photos. These are the links for those of you looking for Lowcountry Heart Walk pictures:
Roper St. Francis Healthcare album
General Heart Walk album
Post & Courier Link

Sgt. Jasper Lonely Hearts Club

Sergeant Jasper Apartments, Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

Sgt. Jasper Lonely Hearts Club. Sometimes a blog entry leads to a history lesson so listen up, kids. The building in the picture is the Sgt. Jasper Apartment building on Broad St. It's one of very few high rise style structures on the lower peninsula. I've never been inside one of the units but they must have quite a view, over Colonial Lake on one side and the harbor on the other.

We may have an apartment building named after him but Savannah gave Sgt. Jasper a whole park square near where he died.

Sergeant William Jasper

The hail of British shot and the hot sun pounded defenders of Sullivan's Island on that June day of 1776. As the 271 guns poured shells into the fort, one shot took down the flag post bearing a blue flag with a white crescent. All day it had waved defiantly at the onslaught and let observers watching from the roofs in Charleston know that their men still held the English at bay. When it fell, so also did the hopes of a multitude of citizens.

One man was not to let it lie on the hot sand for long. William Jasper was recruited to serve with the Second South Carolina Regiment by Francis Marion. Jasper was quickly advanced to sergeant by superiors who recognized in him a character well-adapted for a martial career. Well-respected by his men, he was proving himself a hard fighter when the flag pole was shot down. "Colonel, don't let us fight without our flag!" shouted Jasper. "How can you help it? The staff is gone," Moultrie replied. Without another word, the sergeant then jumped out of the fort in the face of deadly fire, walked the entire length in full view of the British, and then cut the flag from its pole. Climbing the wall, he called for a sponge-staff to which he fastened the flag and planted it in the wall. Turning to his enemy he then gave three cheers and returned to his gun.

For this feat, President John Rutledge presented Jasper with his dress sword at a review held soon after the battle and offered him a commission. Jasper turned this down, instead preferring to serve as a scout for the American forces. General Moultrie described Jasper as a "brave, active, stout, strong, enterprising man and a very great partizan" who was a master of disguise.

Jasper made several trips into enemy lines, always returning with valuable information. Tragically, Jasper died at Savannah in 1779 while planting the colors of the Second South Carolina Regiment on the British lines. He was buried somewhere near the scene of the battle in a mass grave with many of his comrades.

Think You're Funny?

Magnolia Plantation, Charleston, S.C.

The Shoebox blog cracks me up and I've linked to it before. Now they are offering a chance for you clever people to get published. If you have an idea for an original Shoebox greeting card here are the instructions for submitting it.

Their really important tip is: Your ideas should be so good that people will pay money to send them to their family and friends.

I especially like their Funny but No series of submissions that didn't make it to the card stage. Heh.

How about a series of "Dear Joan" cards....?

Note to Waldo: I deliberately included the joggling board in the photo scene. For you.

Holy Hat Shop!

85 1/2 Spring St., Charleston, S.C.

I was posting this picture when I noticed the "Sale" sign along with the "Rent" sign. I had to take a commercial break and walk up to Spring St. to check it out. I might be in the market for a funky wee cinder block hat shop with a crucifix on it to live in happily ever after in my little old lady age.

No parking spot though. Forget that idea. Besides, I'd have to paint it blue and you would all have to wear hats when you came to visit.

Before & After - Folly Beach

Folly Beach, S.C.

Oh, break my heart. Is it really our character beach if it has come to this? Will it be one long string of condos along the beach next time I go? Sadness.

The "compound" used to have a canon, partially built fountain, a toilet seat seat on the deck.

Someone reading this knows more about the place than I do. Do tell.....

Sheepman Graffiti Panels

Sheepman Graffiti panels, Folly Rd., James Island, S.C.

When I was out at Folly Beach this weekend I grabbed the chance to check on the Sheepman graffiti panels behind the Buffalo South plaza.

It's been a while since I'd been out there and I worried that they might have been defaced. I was pleased to see that not only were they intact but there seemed to be new art work in progress. I had not seen the tiger image before. Coolness!

Need more weekend....

Folly Beach, S.C.

Considering we are on the ocean, Charleston has surprisingly few beach front restaurants and I had the itch to be at one this morning. My son treated me to brunch at Blu at the Holiday Inn on Folly Beach and I haven't eaten since. Wow. The buffet surrounds the whole room. It was lovely really and after we filled our bellies we waddled on out to the pier. Each time I go I remind myself that I should go to the beach more often.

This weekend has been much too short. Need more time.

Lowcountry Heart Walk - 2009

Start! Lowcountry Heart Walk, Charleston, S.C.

It's been a full day, kids. After all the build up, today was the lowcountry heart walk. I am always relieved when I am responsible for taking a bunch of pictures to wake to overcast skies and today was perfect. We had adorable kids, dogs, parrots, gorillas and giant hearts. It was a colorful occasion!

The walk goes three miles along the waterfront and back. I usually take pictures of the walkers as they leave and then catch them on the way back, but this time I had arranged for a red '55 Chevy convertible to be the pace car and Bill Edwards from Harborview Exxon asked if I wanted to hop in. Coolness! I rode with him, his adorable grand daughters and the giant heart mascot waving and taking pictures. That is indeed the way to ride a walk. Too fun!

Roper St. Francis Healthcare raised $64,674.16 and had 743 signed up to participate. Clearly too many to fit in one group shot. Whew. I think I can call it a successful fundraiser.

Thank you, thank you to everyone who participated, especially all my team captains. Some of my happy gang ended up at the Buccaneer Restaurant for snacks after wards and enjoyed a well earned post walk party.

Photo Album