Avondale mural update

Avondale Murals, Charleston, SC    

This morning's walk took me behind the shops at Avondale so I was able to update my mural collection. Carry on folks! You delight me. 

Charleston gates

Tradd St., Charleston, SC    

There is always something interesting to discover on a walk in the historic part of Charleston. There will always be an interesting gate to look over, an alley to explore or secret garden to see. That is my worry about our new construction. Walking upper Meeting St. with offices, hotels and new construction is mind numbingly boring. I don't know the solution. Do we have to wait another hundred years for any character to develop? 

Shades of gray

Charleston, SC   

Shades of gray on the home, shutters and window boxes. It isn't a color palette I would consider but somehow it all works! The planters still look lush and green but we had our first slightly cool day today. The weather is delicious.

Check out this delicious caramel pie I was treated to yesterday for bosses day. It is so rich I've been able to cut tiny slivers and share it generously. This is the caramel pie from O'Charley's restaurant. Someone was listening to what I like! Thanks ladies. I didn't let myself bring it home last night because I would have been in a sugar coma.

Caramel Pie

On Sunday night I was fortunate to attend the Feed the Need benefit in the Cedar Room at the Cigar Factory. Thanks to all the restaurant owners, food and beverage staff and chefs who cooked our amazing dinner, funds were raised to feed the hungry in our community.

Feed the Need Benefit, Cigar Factory

Hutchinson House, Edisto Island

Hutchinson House, Edisto Island, SC    

Built by a newly freed enslaved gentleman known as one of the "Black Kings of Edisto" for his wife, this charming home is one I have wanted to see and finally had the chance on Saturday. We couldn't get to close to it but I was delighted to happen upon it as we toured Edisto Island. What a charming home. It is sad to see it in ruins but a happy relief to learn that it will finally be restored.

Post & Courier: EDISTO ISLAND — Not long after the Civil War, some newly freed slaves on this sea island were able to prosper, to the point where they got the nickname "the black kings of Edisto."  Henry  Hutchinson was the son of one of these kings, and Hutchinson's late 19th century home, built next to the island's first black-owned cotton gin, signaled how quickly fortunes were improving for some in the wake of the war.  His two-story home included three dormers and eaves decorated with stylish Victorian detail, while a wraparound porch gave Hutchinson and his wife, Rosa Swinton Hutchinson, a grand view of their field and even of the distant marsh.

You may donate to the Edisto Open Land Trust for preservation here: Edisto Open Land Trust 
Take an inside tour with my friend Brandon Coffey: Youtube
Check out my friend, artist Charlotte Hutson Wrenn's painting here: Charleston Through an Artist's Eye

Swallow Bluff Plantation

Swallow Bluff Plantation, Edisto Island, SC  

I lined my shot up as closely as I could to match the beautiful painting by Andrea Hazel of the dovecotes at Swallow Bluff Plantation that was on the guide book to yesterday's Edisto & Beyond tour. I was one of the lucky ones who snagged a ticket to the sold out tour and had such a lovely time.

We visited churches, plantations, saw the Hutchinson home and topped the day with dinner at Ella & Ollies on Edisto Beach with Chef Philip Bardin. I will have more pictures of the day but these dovecotes at Swallow Bluff Plantation delighted my eye from the moment I saw the beautiful painting on the cover of the tour booklet.

A healthy start to the weekend

Avondale 5K 2017, Charleston, SC   

The Avondale 5K ran right past my house this morning. I didn't even have to walk to the run to grab a shot. I believe they took care of my exercise obligations for the weekend. Thanks team!

Down the alley

Charleston, SC    

Love the iron work on the upper porch on this house tucked away on one of Charleston's alleyways.  They actually fit a joggling board on the porch.

Window boxes

Window boxes, Charleston, SC    

Charleston's window boxes are so lovely all year long it shames me and I fully intend to come directly home and spruce up my yard and plants. I don't of course, but I fully intend to at that moment. Well done, homeowners and thank you. 

Teeny, tiny buildings of Charleston

Charleston, SC  

Teeny, tiny buildings. I love them. You know I do.

In other news, I didn't make my 10,000 steps today. It's already getting dark too early. I headed in at around 6,500 steps so must assume I walked 3,500 during the period that my phone was charging at work rather than logging steps.

In tastier news, I made these individual sized Fruit & Cream Cheese Breakfast Pastries for brunch yesterday and they turned out exactly as advertised and were easy-peasy with prepared puff pastry.

Teeny, tiny buildings - St. George

Elba's Puppy Love Pet Grooming, St. George, SC   

I trust no one in St. George, SC has a big dog since this is Elba's Puppy Love Pet Grooming business. Cute, I tell ya. Cute.

Ahoy there!

Magnolia Rd., Charleston, SC   

It must be October! I spotted this boat boarding and ready to take off on Magnolia Road last night as I walked down to Avondale for a quick bite at Gala Desserts (desserts, tapas, paninis and wine).  On my return I was lucky to catch Daniel D. in action on the lawn by the Schoolhouse as part of the MOJA festival. What a treat!

If you miss the train I'm on, you will know that I am gone...

Salters, SC   

Some time ago I happened to mention on social media the direction we were driving on country roads and suggestions started flowing in of places to see. It was quite wonderful. My friend Brandon suggested a quick detour to the old train depot station of Salters, SC. Thanks Brandon!

In other news, it is the weekend. Celebrate!

Church Photo in Lieu of Attendance - Pawleys Island

Pawleys Island Chapel, Pawleys Island, SC   

I had taken a similar picture of this sweet chapel on Pawley's Island a few years ago and seem to remember having to try to position myself not to get hanging electrical wires in the shot. This time the view was clear. On backtracking I discovered that that was indeed true - the wires are gone but I learned something else, they are going to completely move the chapel off it's foundation for structural repairs. Someone has a big project on their hands!

South Strand News: Pawleys Chapel, an iconic structure that sits on an island that’s home to the oldest resort town in America, will be on the move this winter.The Chapel will be lifted up and rolled across the street – likely in January – so that repairs and upgrades can be made to the foundation.Once the work is completed over the following months, the Chapel will be put back in place in its same location.“The Pawleys Island House of Worship” owns the Chapel building.Board member Jimmy McCants told South Strand News the board received construction authorization for the work in late June.Since the Pawleys Chapel serves tourists as a place for Sunday worship, McCants said the group will hold off on the work for several more months.“The last Sunday service was the end of August,” McCants said, but the Chapel is booked for a number of weddings through December.

It's alive!

This is what I have in my backyard

This is what I was startled to see at my back door

Colorful tales of the traveling buoy

Traveling Buoy Park, Port Royal, SC   

In 1970 this adventurous buoy broke free from it's mooring in Port Royal Sound and traveled 6,000 miles - to Scotland! A British ship towed it to port. They charged 1.5 cents per miles to return it to Charleston. It was eventually returned to Port Royal and now sits in the Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Park where its light is kept burning in dedication to all officers who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty.

Another buoy recently took a shorter trip with Hurricane Irma ending up on Hilton Head island. According to the Post & Courier this one just went eight miles and ended up on the beach.

An egg in the hand is worth two in the pan

Fresh farmer's market eggs, Charleston, SC    

Oh noooooo, half of my precious weekend has already slipped away. I read that there was a new Farmer's Market open on upper King St. where the new Workshop restaurant is and since I wanted to check it out anyway I went to market this morning. There was a long stretch of vendors set up and lots of cheerful activity and children running about. I bought fresh eggs and as the farmer was packing them up I noticed the size of the eggs on display. Huge! There were chicken eggs but must have been at least double yolks.

It was a lovely space and market and plenty of parking. So nice in fact I hope to go back tomorrow to eat at the Workshop.

Pacific & Crate Farmer's Market: The Upper King multi-use space is entering the farmers market game beginning Sat. Sept. 30 and running through November. According to a press release, the new event is the work of Michael Shemtov's Butcher & Bee team. Shemtov owns and operates Pacific Box & Crate's food court, Workshop and the farmers market is all a part of his brand's "commitment to working with 'Honest to Goodness' local purveyors." 
The Saturday market will run 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and include Lowland Farms, Spade & Clover, Green Grocer, Storey Farms, Dalai Sofia Kombucha, Counter Cheese Caves, Butcher & Bee, Tarvin Seafood, Lowcountry Flower Growers to get things started.

Going, going, gone.

My companion for so many of my pictured travels has packed up and gone. Boo. 

The boxes were packed, the cake has been eaten. Sadness.

Rosie has been the best of friends. We have explored the quirkiest bits of the lowcountry - checked all the lighthouses off our list, taste tested pralines, visited the Button Museum, met Pearl Fryer in his topiary garden, explored cemeteries and sat quietly in historic churches. We've eaten the best bbq, enjoyed boat rides, laughed and talked all over the state. It's been a wild ride and joyful friendship. 

For those of you who didn't know who I was riding the roads with, my friend Rosemary is a nun. A religious sister. It's been an unusual and wonderful friendship. I have been blessed with a compatible and joyful sidekick for over ten years. When she retired from working at the hospital, the expectation was that she return to her religious community in St. Louis. 

We had the most wonderful goodbye party. Live music, singing, dancing. The room was filled with people wanting to say goodbye and let her know how much she meant to them. She packed up this morning. Rosie and her twin Rita hit the road and this time I am not with them. They are heading to St. Louis with the well wishes of so many of us in Charleston. All of us, but especially me. God speed my friend. 

On the road - Phoenix, Arizona

Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona

Good morning! It is good to go away and good to be back in my own bed. I whisked directly from an action packed day at work on Friday to hop on a plane to Phoenix, Arizona to attend the gathering of the clans of managers of volunteer programs in healthcare. It is an annual conference which I missed last year because of hurricane Matthew. Luckily my tuition rolled over to this year's event and saved a few bucks.

My meetings were held at the Sheraton at Wild Horse Pass so it was more of a conference center setting. Normally I like to dash out between meetings and see new sights and the setting made that impossible. My daughter had given me the heads up on the Desert Botanical Gardens so I rallied a few companions and caught an Uber cab. It was such a treat! We were there for sunset with desert mountains around us walking along paths with giant cactus and desert flowers.

The final night (last night) we moved into a hotel next to the airport and luckily landed near the cool Tempe neighborhood. We were able to walk around and sit outside enjoying the wonderful weather.

The conference was worthwhile and I am bringing home some creative ideas although the general impression is that nothing, I tell ya, nothing, gets easier. Everything requires more paperwork, more documentation, more meetings to document safety of volunteers in healthcare. I am grateful that I have such a wonderful team of dedicate volunteers who have been willing to jump through the required hoops to offer the service that they are so known for.

I am off to today to catch my breath and back on the bandwagon tomorrow.

Orange you pretty

Exchange & Prioleau St., Charleston, SC    

I am on a busy stretch, kids so you will make do with a pretty Charleston picture - but then, that is the point of the entire project, right? Enjoy! I caught a rare moment without any vehicles at Exchange & Prioleau St. 

Colorful wheels

Bikes, Vendue Range, Charleston, SC   

I expect these are rental bikes available for use for the hotel guests. The Charleston County Library has a wonderful history of Vendue Range on the Charleston Time Machine. I enjoyed this bit:

This ground at the east end of Queen Street was originally a tidal mudflat, however, and had been filled with trash and hundreds of cords of wood in a series of efforts between the early 1770s and 1809.  So was the first effort to pave Vendue Range around the year 1820 successful?  Such details are hard to find, so we’ll have to take the word of a correspondent who called himself simply “a Sailor” when he wrote the following brief communication to the Charleston Courier on 9 October 1829: 

“If any man wants a pair of broken shins, I would advise him to walk down the North side of Vendue Range, on a dark night—and if he don’t get a pair, I will agree to break them for him for nothing.”

Violators will be dealt with accordingly

Parking sign, Meeting St., SC  

These folks are exceptionally gracious about parking violations. "Violators will be dealt with accordingly". Hmmm. I wonder what accordingly is? I tend to collect No Parking signs.