Summer Escapes

King St., Charleston, S.C.

This is one instance where the vehicle in front of the building did improve the shot. Also note, that this is not the fence or gate you want to climb over! Ouch.

Vogue magazine has a "Summer Escapes: Charleston" article. Check it out. See if you agree with their recommendations.

Stay dry, kids! That was some downpour of rain we had last night.

Home from the farmer's market...

King St., Charleston, S.C.

This pretty gal carrying a giant watermelon home from the Farmer's Market was getting lots of smiles and nods as she marched down King St. I heard one lady say, "Do you know how far she carried that watermelon? All the way from Marion Square!"

I am sure it got heavier and heavier the further down the peninsula she got and I finally passed her as she gave her arms a rest on the bench in front of Old Towne. Katie - you can skip the gym work out today! Hope you enjoy the watermelon. We did!

Get the Scoop, kids!

John Stango, Scoop Gallery, Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

I know, I know, I usually sit in a dark movie theater by myself on a Friday afternoon (and love it) but this evening I was happy to have company and walked to tiny little contemporary art gallery Scoop Studios on Broad St. for the opening of John Stango's pop art show.

Brightly colored patriotic themed paintings hung on the walls and owners Saramel Evans and Colleen Deihl tempted us with vodka infused with cucumbers and adorable little mini moon pies - thanks to Andrea Lever the pastry chef from Magnolias and Blossom.

I felt ever so grown up and cultured going to an art opening on a Friday night, oh my!

God's Acre - Healing Springs

God's Acre, Healing Springs, Blackville, S.C.

Does God pay taxes? This acre of land on the outskirts of Blackville, S.C. is deeded to God Almighty.

The property includes a natural spring whose water has healing powers according to local tradition.

By tradition, Healing Springs got its name during the Revolutionary War. In 1781 after a bloody battle at nearby Windy Hill Creek, four wounded Tories sent inland from Charleston by General Banastre (the Butcher) Tarleton were left in the care of two comrades who had orders to bury them when they died. Luckily, Native Americans found them and took them to their secret, sacred healing springs. Six months later the Charleston garrison was astonished by the reappearance of the six men. All were strong and healthy.

You can stop at the Healing Springs Country Store for a picnic sandwich but don't make any cracks about the family picture of the Amish on the lunch counter - they are really Mennonites dressed up in Amish clothes. Yeah for sandwich making Mennonites with a sense of humor!

The water jugs in the picture belong to a gentleman from Aiken, Georgia who claimed drinking the spring water had kept him alive for twenty eight years. I scooped up a handful and drank it just to be safe.

No news is good news

Bull St., Charleston, S.C.

Looks more like Savannah doesn't it?

Wow. Reading the newspaper is not a positive way to begin a day lately. Everything in the news sucks. Y'all take care out there. Things are tough.

Palm trees in the puddles

Concord St., Charleston, S.C.

When I am lazy I snuggle in my corner of my couch and endlessly clear old pictures off my over-used camera cards. This was one taken on a recent rainy day walk.

The brick facade behind the Harris Teeter grocery store on East Bay St. is a familiar sight to everyone in Charleston and I liked the way the palm trees reflected in the puddles.

Stay cool, kids!

Pulling up to the station, St. George, S.C.

St. George, S.C.

There is a cheerful mural of a train pulling up to a station facing the Mystic Gas Station & Convenience store in St. George, S.C. Entering the store, the shop keeper looked suspiciously familiar. He was clearly the model for the train engineer in the mural and was happy to don his cap to pose for a picture. Fun!

Recording the Memories

Not my grandmother's house, Hwy 176, S.C.

When I rush to take a picture of a new building I realize that what I wish I had was photos of what used to be there. I'll see the new place for the rest of my life but it is immediately hard to remember what used to be there.

I've been taking pictures long enough to have recorded some "before and afters" but this morning's Dear Abby column struck me as such a brilliant idea that I want you all to do it before it's too late. The writer recommends taking pictures of every room in your grandparent's home. I wish I had that!

I'm always talking about my grandparent's home in Beamsville, Ontario. They had glass front lawyer style bookshelves with large carved birds perched on top. They treated themselves to a bird carving to celebrate each wedding anniversary. The arched entry into the living room had a hoya plant with the little wax blossoms growing from one end to the other and oval frames on the wall of my Scottish deep sea fisherman great-grandfather with his pierced ear.

I wish I had good pictures of all these memories but it isn't too late for you. Borrow a wide angle lens if you need to and capture the memories!

ABBY: After Grandma passed away at 101, the thought of disman­tling her home and dispersing her belongings was heart­breaking because her house had remained unchanged for so many years. I knew we couldn’t keep everything, but never seeing her house again was too much to bear.

I asked my cousin to take photos of every room, every hallway, every closet and every view inside and out, so I could make an album of “Grandma’s House.” Now I have an album of photographs that makes me feel like I’m standing in the middle of it again. My cousin even photo­graphed the auction in which we sold the things none of the family wanted or couldn’t fit in their homes.

With all these reality TV programs that deal with hoarding and clutter, I wanted to share this idea as a healthy alternative to keeping “things” in place of memories. Looking at my photo album is even better than having the actual items because everything is in the setting I remember. What I’m trying to convey is, sometimes you really can’t take it with you, and a picture is the next best thing. — JULIE IN BRA­DENTON, FLA.

DEAR JULIE: Thank you for a valuable suggestion. I’m sure I’m not the only grand­child who wishes that she had thought of it when my grandparents’ home was be­ing dismantled. I’m sure that looking at your album brings back a multitude of happy memories.

If had a paint brush....

Coming & Vanderhorst St., Charleston, S.C.

There is a beehive of activity in my neighborhood today as this large house in a busy intersection is renovated. I can't resist taking a picture each time I go by.

I'm glad someone is working hard because I have no intention of doing anything productive. Shame on me. It used to be whenever I had a three day weekend I attacked some home improvement project. Maybe paying for air conditioning repair can count this time. Paint me lazy.

Happy Birthday America!

Rutledge Ave., Charleston, S.C.

Happy Birthday America! Thanks for welcoming me! I've spent more of my life in American than any other country and I appreciate the gracious welcome I've received.

Stinky Business

Abercrombie & Fitch, King St., Charleston, S.C.

Why, I ask you, why is this shop allowed to poison our main shopping district with the smell of perfume so strong it hurts your nose just to walk by? I can't imagine the effect it must have on the employees who work there. I've tried a couple of times through the years to cross the threshold but turn right back. I'm not alone. There are other pages of complaints online so they obviously know it's an issue.

Here is an article about a group of teens protesting the smell in their area.

I found this quote about the way they pump the perfume into the air:

Abercrombie said it's spent more than $3 million on scent machines to pump its Fierce fragrance through its stores — meaning that they've been committing the olfactory equivalent of subliminal messaging while you're shopping.

Aaack! It would be one thing if the smell was contained behind closed doors but they leave them flung wide open and the smell is so overpowering even crossing the street doesn't help.

Concrete Messages

Fielding Home for Funerals, Charleston, S.C.

Oddly, this is what is on the pavement in front of the funeral home.


This is on the pavement on upper King St.


All it means is that I spent way too much time reading the pavement.

Edit: Fielding Home for Funerals:

This facility, originally built in the late 1700s, was, and remains a stately mansion in the center of Charleston’s most celebrated historic district. It had been reduced to a low rent rooming house when Julius P.L. Fielding purchased it in 1928 and restored it to its original character. For two generations, it served as residence and principal location of the Funeral home. After several renovations and additions, including a spacious chapel, it is now a modern funeral establishment, while maintaining its eighteenth century character.

Thursday Hodge Podge

Coming & Beaufain St., Charleston, S.C.

I like a town with corner stores. I need to start supporting them more than I do.

$2,800 to get my air conditioner fixed. What kinda summer fun is that? Blah.

Here's a bedtime story for your kids. They will never play with fire after you read this to them a couple of times. Yikes! The Story of Little Kettle head. Written in 1904 by Helen Bannerman. No subtle moral to this tale. Off with her head!

It's perfect peach season! The problem is, living alone I have to eat four or five peaches a day to stay ahead of them rotting when I buy a basket.

What does everyone have planned for the long weekend? I was looking at the Johnny Cash tribute at the Village Playhouse on Saturday night. They are selling hot dogs and hamburgers in front of the theater before the show. Maybe I'll see you there.

Happy Canada Day!

White Point Gardens, Charleston, S.C.

I've been saving this picture so you can see that we honor Canadians in Charleston by asking boy scouts to carry the Canadian flag around the peninsula on July 1st. I for one, appreciate it.

Harhar, eh. Happy Canada Day to my family north of the border and all my Canadian readers.

Adorableness on wheels

Roper Learning Center, Trike-a-Thon, Charleston, S.C.

I stopped by the 2nd Annual Roper Learning Center Trike-a-Thon this morning and got my cute kid fix. Are they not adorable?

It was already steamy out at 9 a.m. but they kept going round and round. They were scored on laps rather than speed but you couldn't tell that by their determination. The event is a fund raiser for the American Heart Association. I'm always happy when we do something beside bake sales for the heart healthy cause!

Hair's Best

Coming St., Charleston, S.C.

Hair salon names always make me smile. This little shop is on Coming St.

Meanwhile, here is a fun link where you can click to style hair.

I'm off to work. See if y'all can behave.

The Tea Lady strikes again

Charleston, S.C.

I came home to find this on my porch. The Tea Lady strikes again!

Denise, the tea blogger is moving to England and cleaning out her treasures. A couple of weeks ago I was surprised to find a hard cover book in my mail on "Tea, Legend, Life and Livelihood of India" and today I find this cool tea chest. She knew I'd like it considering my background in the hills of north east India.

Thanks Denise! It will be nice to have someone to visit in England!

Remembering the snow day

Waterfront Park, Charleston, S.C.

Remember that one perfect snow day? Aaaaaaah. Looking at those pictures and enjoying a dish of ice cream helps a little in this heat.

A pair and a spare

A pair and a spare!

The first pair clearly had a chip broken off. Luckily she had a spare!

I couldn't resist :).

Fun at the Beach

Sullivan's Island, S.C.

Island Life newspaper publisher - Linda Benedict uses some of my pictures on her cover once and awhile and this month she featured my friend Amber's adorable little boy Brody.

We took him out to Sullivan's Island a couple of weeks ago and in a few minutes another child joined the fun. Brody (in the wagon) and Luke made the perfect red, white and blue scene for the July cover and I spotted it this afternoon. They were just too darned cute!