Fountains & Blogging Awards

Fountain, Charleston, S.C.

I am collecting fountains. We'll do a location quiz later. Study up!

Blogging awards. Sigh. What do we think about them? I've won 'em, I liked 'em, but I don't care to get involved with anything that smacks of asking people to participate in a voting frenzy anymore. Luckily this group doesn't have a photo blogging category and I don't mind asking people to vote for YOU!

I received an email yesterday inviting me to vote on a Carolina Blogger Award. Huh? It was the first I've heard of the group. I'm not sure if their blogroll is actually a blogroll or if it is a listing of attendees who have rsvp'd to a blogging luncheon in October but it appears to be primarily a Columbia group with a sprinkling of other areas and ONE from Charleston. It doesn't look like much of a representation of North & South Carolina Bloggers as billed.

So, here is your chance to get included, kids. If you are a blogger, care about awards or want to nominate a blogger this is the nomination link. You do have to have at least a url to vote and you only have until Monday, 9/12. There are a few categories including fashion, political, mommy blog etc. and they require nominations in three categories to count.

If you want to see the lowcountry represented by this group, I have a pretty good directory of lowcountry bloggers on my sidebar for you to explore. Go forth and vote if you are inclined.

Reclaiming the Home for Nurses

Calhoun St., Charleston, S.C.

Recognize this? It is the building to the right of Roper Hospital facing Calhoun St. This sign has always interested me. A home for nurses! We need one. Quick. Let's reclaim it. Install a bar, masseuse, a spa and restaurant. It's our house and we want it back. I am always looking for a place for parties and fundraisers.

I found this snippet in an old journal and had to correct their typo of Charlton to Charleston:

The Trained Nurse & Hospital Review: The R. A. Kinloch Home for Nurses has been completed in connection with the Roper Hospital, Charleston, S.C. Before the earthquake funds had been collected and set aside for this purpose, but the earthquake wrought such damage to the hospital property that it was removed to another site. The matter of the home for nurses was dropped for years, though the little fund in the bank kept slowly adding to itself. The present building is complete and well equipped, and is an altogether happy ending to a long delayed project.

Who is our hero, Dr. Kinloch? Dr. Robert Alexander Kinloch was born in Charleston on February 20, 1826. He was graduated from the College of Charleston in 1845 with distinction. After one “course” at the Medical College of the State of South Carolina he took his Medical Degree from the University of Pennsylvania (1848), then spent two years in the hospitals of Paris, London and Edinburgh. Returning home, he began to practice in his native city, but when the War broke out, he entered the Confederate army as a surgeon (July, 1861). During his military career he served at various times upon the staffs of Generals Lee, Pemberton, and Beauregard and was also detailed as a member of the medical examining board at Norfolk, at Richmond, and at Charleston. Subsequently, he held the position of inspector of hospitals for South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Upon the close of the War he resumed practice in Charleston and in 1866 was elected to the chair of materia medica in the Medical College of the State of South Carolina. He was First Surgeon at Roper Hospital and also attended in City Hospital, and later in St. Francis Infirmary.

Very impressive, Dr. K. I hope he approves of my plan.

That's what I call a Bicyskull

JLINSNIDER, 539 King St., Charleston, S.C.

I've been having fun including random bicycles in photos lately but this takes the cake. How amazing is this? The owner told me it was a zebra's skull. Naturally.

JLINSNIDER caters ready to wear for the avant garde, custom design, hand selected vintage, an organic bath line & top wardrobe styling for men, women & children. JLINSNIDER also offers an event courtyard featuring local artisans and musicians on the First Friday of every month. If you are an artist interested in selling your gems in the courtyard or a musician who would like to play, please email us at jlinsnider@gmail.com

Owner: Jamie Lin Snider

Blue skies over Charleston

Charleston Harbor, Charleston, S.C.

Bingo! I had an afternoon meeting at the Mount Pleasant Hospital which got me home earlier rather than later. You can't say I don't get around - I took pictures of physical therapists getting pie in the face to raise money for the American Heart Association and then nurses celebrating baby friendly initiatives with a milkshake party.

This shot was from yesterday afternoon's walk. The sky was gorgeous and the clouds white and puffy. It's still warm out but without the humidity we've lived with for so long and this weather can last as long as it likes.

Charleston Restaurant Week: I made reservations at Muse for this week and I'm trying Oak for the first time next week. Finger lickin' fun! Let me know of any other can't miss suggestions and go forth and eat! Maybe I'll see you out there!

Check out and welcome the newish Holy City Sinners blog.

I'm going out hiking kids.

Scoopful of color

SCOOP Studios, Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

SCOOP Studios Contemporary Art window displays always make me smile. Silly bunny.

Swim, little fishy swim!

191 King St., Charleston, S.C.

Back to work, kids. Sigh. When I am queen every weekend will last for three days.

I took this beautiful scene through the window of Birlant's Antiques on King St. It was on a platter in the King St. window. You can imagine how gorgeous it is in real life. I think they are swimming against the tide. Hope that isn't how this week goes.

Yard Art on Legare St.

Legare St., Charleston, S.C.

Someone with a green thumb is having fun decorating. I can't help peaking through the fence to see what is new each time I walk by.

These boots are made for walking

Charleston Shoe Co., 161 King St., Charleston, S.C.

These boots are made for walking...all over the building apparently!

Oh, shucks. It was nothing.

Rutledge Ave., Charleston, S.C.

Aaaaawww. Who knew they cared?

I had to cover the initials with a leaf so I could pretend it was from my kids. Heheh. You can too!

Here is the unleafy version in case your initials happen to be BA and you want to send it to your mother and claim it.

My Bird Heaven

I've been kayaking a couple of times this summer and have my own red tupperware tub now. They are lighter and more manageable than canoes used to be but still heavy enough to be frustrating to handle alone. I ordered some wheels on eBay and this morning was my test trip to see if I could enjoy kayaking alone.

Naturally it was one of the busiest days at any landing and boats were lined up like airplanes ready to take off. Seniors holding scrappy dogs pulled up their golf carts to watch me but I did it! I stayed out for hours sneaking up on squawking birds. I saw an osprey take off with his catch, egrets soar, a red headed woodpecker, wood storks and countless birds I can't name. It was glorious and I was in heaven.

Yipee for long weekends!

Meeting St., Charleston, S.C.

A couple of sweet spots on lower Meeting St. Lovely iron work on that first one. I'm going to do a collection of fountains in Charleston so make a note of this one. There is going to be a quiz when I gather them all up.

The Post & Courier did a fun Before & After series on Charleston houses as they were after the earthquake and as they are now. Hey - that was my hobby tracking down the old shots!

The CNN documentary "The Last Heart Attack" shows fon CNN Saturday night at 8 p.m. Let's watch and see if we really all have to become vegans. Bummer.

It's the weekend, kids! Yipee!

Bicycle Races are Coming to Town

Queen St., Charleston, S.C.

Bicycle races are coming to town...lalalalah lah....

I don't why I started including bikes in pictures but now I consider them a happy addition, especially when they are so brightly colored.

There really is a bicycle race and spinning event coming to town:

The Bridge Ride

Start: Saturday, September 17, 2011 @ 6:30 AM
Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, Harry Hallman Blvd Mount Pleasant, SC

$25 registration fees to secure a spot. Receive your active giving page and start fundraising to compete for great PRIZES!

Registration Closing Date: Thursday, September 15, 2011 @ 5:00 PM PST

Party, Vendors, LIVE music at the Park during the spin session, while the cyclists arrive and after. Celebrate the success of the Bridge Ride and cheer on the participants! FUNDRAISER for ECCO

PRIZE UPDATE: Gift certificates to ESAC and a guitar signed by Hootie and the Blowfish. Must fundraise to win!

After registering, you'll get your Active Giving page, to raise money from your family, friends, and colleagues. This ALL goes to ECCO and our Free Dental Clinic to help our neighbors in need. Raise money to compete for GREAT prizes and be part of an important cause.

Riders under 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older.
Start Times-ALL Take Place at Mt P Waterfront Park

An outdoor cycling ride (approximately 70 miles) starting and finishing at the Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park. Starting at 6:30 a.m.

Check the East Cooper Community Outreach web site for more details. Good luck folks!

Metal Lace Gate

King St., Charleston, S.C.

Isn't this the most beautiful metal lace gate? It looks so delicate. Love it.

It is almost fall Restaurant Week, kids! Mark your calendars for the best fine meal deals in Charleston. Here is the Post & Courier write up on how to Make the Most of Restaurant Week and here is a link to all the of participating restaurants that you might want to invite me to. Harhar.

Shades of Green

Burbage's Grocery Store, Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

Shades of green! Burbage's Grocery Store on Broad St. consistently wins the Best Corner Store award from the Charleston City Paper. I did a series on Charleston's corner stores a few years ago. It's probably time to visit them all again. Any favorites I should feature?

I got to town in time to drop off donations at the American Heart Association on Kings St. so put on my walking shoes and just kept on going. It's lovely outside. What a relief after months of heat.

Glorious Greenery

Meeting St., Charleston, S.C.

Wow. Isn't this a glorious show?

It makes me a bit ashamed that I just got rid of my window boxes but to be fair mine tend to end up as trash cans for the college kids in the neighborhood.

Beat the BAR

King St., Charleston, S.C.

Let's play beat the Board of Architectural Review! These folks apparently want to change the color of their house. They have been instructed to paint a sample of the colors they hope for so members of the Board of Architectural Review can drive by and determine what they will grant permission for.

Being a BLUE person, I think they should go back to the original color. What do y'all vote for?

This is Home

This is Home, King St., Charleston, S.C.

I posted this shot the other day and then back tracked to see what other versions I have. Someone has been painting "This is Home" on the pavement all over town and someone has been improving them.


How do you like this version? It even came with a gospel pamphlet. This World is Not Our Home.


This is Home. Branded Like Cows.

Am I missing any creative versions?

Staying up too late watching Intolerable Cruelty with George Clooney. He is so very worth it.

Home Sweet Home

King St., Charleston, S.C.

Nothing makes a house a home like a plant in the window. Cute, eh?! It was a piece of a large graffiti wall in an alley on King St. just below Spring. Here is the larger view in case anyone wants it.

In other news, Charleston Magazine is asking for votes for their annual Giving Back Non Profit Award but you don't have much time before votes are tallied on Wednesday at midnight. Vote for your favorite lowcountry charity here: Giving Back Awards. There are so many good charities listed I was torn and am happy that five of them will be featured. I love Windwood Farms, the Hemangioma Treatment Foundation, the Lowcountry Food Bank and many others. I ended up voting for the Ryan White Foundation because I process their volunteers and see what good work they do on a regular basis. Go support all these good folks!

Church Photo in Lieu of Attendance - Pitt St. Sweets

Pitt St., Charleston, S.C.

Pitt Street Sweets.

This is a private residence now, but years ago it was a church and after that belonged to the Association for the Blind. When it belonged to the Association for the Blind they had a sign saying "Scented Garden" and I would close my eyes and inhale deeply breathing in the sweet fragrance when I walked by.

41 Pitt St. -- Association for the Blind -- This building, formerly occupied by Plymouth Congregational Church, was purchased and re adapted for use by the Charleston County Association for the Blind, in 1957. The former churchyard has been landscaped as a fragrance garden for the blind.

More info about the transformation into a private residence here. Now I really want to see inside.

Wind Walking

Charleston Harbor, Charleston, S.C.

Stay safe, kids. It's windy out there. Tide is high. We are very lucky it isn't raining too much right now.