Magnolia Cemetery Walking

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, S.C.

I've taken you on walks through this cemetery so many times, if you visited Charleston everything would look familiar. Yesterday we had extraordinary high tides and my intended walk on the peninsula was foiled by flooded streets but where better to be that in a cemetery on a dreary, foggy day?

I come here so often I am always trying to see if through fresh eyes and spot new details to feature.

Denmark Vesey, Hampton Park, Charleston, SC 

I always detour through Hampton Park to spend a few minutes with Denmark Vesey. How I wish this statue could come to life and talk to me. I suspect I'd still be there listening. More details on his story on this PBS site:

In 1771, fourteen-year-old Denmark Vesey was transported from St. Thomas to Cape Francais by slave trader Captain Joseph Vesey. Upon a return trip to Cape Francais, Captain Vesey was forced to reclaim Denmark, who his master said was suffering from epileptic fits. Denmark accompanied Captain Vesey on his trading voyages until the Captain retired to Charleston, never again showing signs of epilepsy.

In 1799, Vesey won the lottery and bought his freedom for $600. He could not purchase the freedom of his wife and children, however, and some claimed that this fact motivated his crusade to destroy the institution of slavery.

I worked yesterday since I had taken a few days off earlier in the week for my daughter's visit. Now I am completely confused. Happy weekend, kids!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Ashley River, Charleston, SC 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! It was a perfect sunny day for a walk around Hampton Park and above. I  have both of my children with me for this holiday so I am indeed thankful. For a few reasons I am not cooking this year and we are going to treat ourselves to dinner out. 

Teeny, tiny houses of Charleston

Dressed for fall, Charleston, S.C. 

This is a sweet addition to the teeny, tiny houses of Charleston series and when I backtracked it looks like I took almost the exact same shot around this time last year. That happens so often I must have annual routines I am not aware of.

I woke up with dreaded cold symptoms this morning so didn't go for my usual walk-about. I went shopping for cold remedies and hoped that everything promising to shorten the length of the misery would take me back to before it started. I know I am not alone with the sniffles at the moment. Bless us all. Achhhoo. 

Youth Appreciation Banquet

Youth Recognition Banquet, Charleston, S.C.

One of my favorite events is the West Ashley Optimist Club Youth Appreciation dinner honoring students for Outstanding Community Service. This is our line up this year - extraordinary young people, all of them! Congratulations!

Letters home

Never More Bookstore, Beaufort, SC

My mum typed her letters to home on a typewriter similar to this one I spotted in the Never More Bookstore window in Beaufort. She often typed in the middle of the night, sitting at the kitchen table snug near the coal stove. She used thin blue paper with a sheet of carbon copy in between if she wasn't typing on an areogram.

With eight kids it was probably the only time she was alone. Never fear- we quickly foiled her precious solitude! 

One of us would wake up, hear the keys clicking and decide we needed a drink or bathroom visit. We'd enjoy a few minutes of rare solitary attention before the next kid traipsed in, and then the next. Soon we'd have the warm kitchen full of sleepy children wrapped in shawls and blankets, insisting on being read to before we went back to our beds. 

Sorry but not sorry Mum!

Veteran's Day

Miriam Cameron

Who better to honor on Veteran's Day than my own mother? My mother Miriam Cameron was one of the first women in Canada to join the Royal Canadian Air Force and was station in London during the blitz. Her brothers Ken and Don were also in the RCAF. My heart is full of gratitude for their service. 

The Secret Lives of Cypress Knees

Cypress Knees, Magnolia Plantation Gardens, Charleston, SC 

The alligators thrashed their tails in jealousy as I pointed my camera at the ground on my walk through the swamp this morning. The budding tops of the cypress knees caught my eye. They clustered in little groups like families under the mother's wing. It was a beautiful cook morning for a walk.

Breakfast treat

Breakfast treat, Charleston, SC 

This odd looking item was served on the breakfast bar at my meeting at Trident Technical College this morning. Kinda freaky, eh? It looked like some bizarre sea creature to me but I learned it was candied hibiscus. Go figure.

Comments: I loooove comments and am not ignoring them. For some reason I can't view your comments from my desktop anymore. I need some time to play with the settings to figure out what has happened. 

Cookbooks signed!

Holly Herrick

Chef and cookbook author Holly Herrick met me at Whole Foods this afternoon to sign a couple of her books for special gifts. Thanks Holly! There is no law saying I can't grab all the best recipes for my own use before I give the books away as intended, right? :)

Greenway Decor

West Ashley Greenway, Charleston, SC 

Charleston Moves rallied volunteers to paint colorful designs on intersections of the West Ashley Greenway this weekend. Besides the happy color it is hoped that it will hope slow down motorists. Thank you to everyone involved. I enjoyed a perfect Greenway walk visiting each site.

Rubber duck migration season

Meeting St., Charleston, SC 

Stay alert! It is yellow rubber duck migration season!

Froggie went a courtin'

Follow the frog, Charleston, SC

I am not tired of the skeleton posts but you may be. Here is a frog post for a change!

Halloween 50s Style!

Halloween 50s style! Charleston, SC

Not everyone can dress for Halloween in a hospital but some of us can and my volunteer team led the charge. Elvis and Rick James joined the parade serenading the staff and patients. It was a fun day. I think I got my 10,000 steps in.

Boo!

Boo! Charleston, SC

I liked the skeleton looking through the glass. People do make some effort to decorate their homes for holidays and I am an appreciative audience. 

While I breath, I hope

Dum Spiro Spero, Charleston, SC 

Sooner or later I find everything in the pavement and by this time I thought I had read the streets of Charleston thoroughly. It was a treat to find a new old phrase. Dum Spiro Spero is inscribed on the state seal of South Carolina:

The state seal was the first of South Carolina's state symbols. It was first used in 1777, although it looked different then. At that time, it was two sided, and impressions of the two sides would be put into wax so they could be affixed onto documents. This proved difficult, so eventually the two sides were combined so that they fit next to each other on a one-sided seal, which is what we have now.

The left oval was originally the front of the seal, and it has the first of our two state mottos on it: "Animis Opibusque Parati," which is Latin for "Prepared in Mind and Resources." The picture is of a palmetto tree and represents a battle victory against the British at present-day Fort Moultrie during the Revolutionary War.

The right oval was originally the reverse side of the seal, and it has our second state motto: "Dum Spiro Spero," which is Latin for "While I Breathe, I Hope." The picture on this side of the seal ties in with the motto, because the woman pictured is the Roman goddess Spes, who was the goddess of hope.

Doors of Charleston - Halloween Style

Halloween style! King Street, Charleston, SC 

There seems to be daily sad news lately with today's being the shooting in the temple in Pittsburgh. It is heartbreaking that there is so much hate in this world.

It does me good to get out walking and pound frustrations into the pavement. I am grateful for these home owners who made me smile as I went by.

Charleston Halloween Party in Progress

Halloween, Charleston, SC  

 I check on this house every year on my Halloween photo op rounds and it never fails to delight. Enjoy!

 

Halloween continued

Salters, SC 

The skeletons were hung by the chimney with care...

(Taken through the window of an empty home in Salters, SC)

Folly's Past

Folly Beach, Charleston, SC 

A throw back memory of when Folly Beach had more character spots than new rental properties. Who remembers this building very close to the pier?

I am having a hard time reading comments lately so forgive my lack of response. I can see they are there but click to find a blank screen. Don't stop leaving them! I promise to figure it out and get back to them all.