Walking Quotes

Colonial Lake, Charleston, SC 

There are times when I have to take, I call it a 'silence bath',

where I shut off all the external gadgets. 

I go walk around, talk to people, and just live life for a while.

Patton Oswalt 

Resurrection Fern

The rest of the country is getting snow but we are getting rain, rain, rain. I tried to dash out for a quick walk to stretch my legs this mornings and spotted this lush growth of resurrection fern thriving in the damp on a fallen oak tree limb.

This remarkable plant can lose about 75 percent of its water content during a typical dry period and possibly up to 97 percent in an extreme drought. During this time, it shrivels up to a grayish brown clump of leaves. When it is exposed to water again, it will “come back to life” and look green and healthy. The plant gets its name from this supposed “resurrection,” but it never actually dies during the process. 

Stay dry out there, kids! 

Night of a Thousand Candles - Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens, Pawley's Island, SC

We skipped work early enough to beat the traffic and headed up the coast to Pawley's Island for the Night of a Thousand Candles festival at Brookgreen Gardens. I'd been to Brookgreen sculpture garden of course but this was our first visit to the holiday festival and it was a bit hit. We got there at dusk and got the lay of the land before all the candles were completely lit. It gets very dark. We had a little drizzle but not enough to spoil the mood.

We sipped a glass of wine, wandered the gardens and enjoyed a seafood dinner in the food tent. There were two entertainment tents and bagpipers under the trees. It was all a success and very well done but our favorites were definately the children's garden and the avenue of oaks with the hanging lights from the limbs. There were a lot of people there but it never felt too crowded or loud. It was lovely.

He shed, she shed...

Shed, Hampton Park Terrace, Charleston

I don't know who claims the shed but it is a sweetie! I walked past this one up near Hampton Park on a recent rainy morning.

Many thanks to the City Daily Portal for mentioning the longevity of this blog! Over ten years is a long time in blog years. I may be the grand matriarch of lowcountry bloggers :)! Thanks folks. It's been a fun journey and now serves as a diary of my walks, events and travel. 

Let the dog in!

The Citadel, Charleston, SC

Would someone please let the dog in? It's pouring out there! 

The bulldog is the mascot of The Citadel Military College.

Living Root Bridges

Living Root Bridges, Mawlynnong, Meghalaya, India

The last time I went back to India, my brother James took me to Mawlynnong to see a few of the Living Root bridges created over the years by weaving the roots of trees until they cross a river forming a bridge. It was an amazing sight to see. Here are a few links for more information: 

National Geographic: Living Root Bridges

BBC: India's Amazing Living Root Bridges

Mel's Cabin

Harold's Cabin, Charleston, SC

I wanted to get to Harold's Cabin while it was still renamed Mel's Cabin in recognition of Melvin Brown - physician and veteran who had been denied membership into the all white Charleston Rifle Club. We were late to the game but the folks sitting at the table in front of the sign, kindly moved so we could take a picture of it. Here's to you Mr. Brown. We want to be in your club! 

Post & Courier: Harold’s Cabin, the popular eatery near Hampton Park, might develop a new cocktail named for a beloved regular, Melvin Brown — something involving rum since Brown, an emergency room doctor, is a Navy veteran.
In the meantime, the restaurant changed its name. For a few days only, it was called Mel’s Cabin.
A temporary sign, which was to come down Monday evening, covered the word “Harold’s” and included the phrase “Where all are welcome.”
Why would a neighborhood restaurant take such measures? Because Brown, an African-American, recently was rejected for membership by the all-white Charleston Rifle Club, located about a half-mile north, along the Ashley River, at the base of the peninsula’s “Neck.”

PS: Brunch was delicious and recommended!

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!