A dab will do ya!

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"They call me Dab" he said and gave me his card. Sure enough. His web side is called Dabism. He was getting lots of positive attention this morning as he painted the scene of the SC Yacht Club property and waterfront from the battery. 

Work? Tomorrow? Do I remember how to do it? I wish this no-man's land of time between Christmas and the New Year lasted for a month. I love it. 

Saying goodbye to 2012

Charleston at Christmas, Charleston, S.C.

One last Christmas picture before we say goodbye to the season. I am getting ready to make some tea and take the decorations of my tree this afternoon. Sniff. For a few days the house will look so empty.

What is your New Year's traditions? My family has a Scottish background and the one I like best is much more fun than the lowcountry tradition of eating Hopping John:  

First Footer: For optimum good luck, a dark-haired man should be first through your door in the New Year. If he’s handsome and single, so much the better. And it’s really lucky if he arrives on a horse! The man should bring symbolic gifts – some coins, a loaf of bread, a lump of coal for the fire, a branch of evergreen and salt. Ideally, the man will make his way through the house and leave by a different door.

If he happened to be very handsome, there is no hard and fast rule that he couldn't pause for awhile as he makes his way through the house. :)

Cemetery Walking - Magnolia & St. Lawrence

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, S.C.

I woke up a couple of times to the sound of rain last night and this morning the skies were gloomy and perfect for a cemetery walk. By the time I pulled up to the gates at Magnolia Cemetery off upper Meeting St. this morning the sun was out and every scene had dramatic lighting. I roamed Magnolia visiting all my favorite spots and then did a quick walk through St. Lawrence Cemetery next door where the angel statue shot was taken.

This last shot made me smile. I have a couple of photographer friends (hi Leah and Kathy!) who frequently go to Magnolia Cemetery just to take pictures of birds. They never take pictures of the tombs or statues. Finding this fake bird in a tree made me feel like I was finally part of their club!

Noodles!

Xiao Boa Biscuit, Spring St., Charleston, S.C.

When Eater asked foodies to describe 2012 food scene in Charleston in one word, the word Asian came up a couple of times. This restored gas station at Rutledge and Spring St. might be part of the reason for that. This is the mural on the Xiao Boa Biscuit

Check the Eater website to see the rest of the words describing the food scene in the lowcountry: charleston.eater and for more foodie interests in Charleston.

I have a "before" picture of the gas station but I went out for a bite to eat to celebrate my Friday and had two glasses of wine and I can't find it anywhere. Ooops. Here it is in the current but still rustic condition.

Check out these wheels

Avondale, Charleston, S.C.

Pretty snappy, eh?! I took a second look when I spotted what looks to be a similar bike on the Book of Joe blog called a Metrofiets Standard Cargo Bike. It might not be exactly the same but very similar.

I need to get to my bed. One of you turn the lights out.

Shedding light on the subject

John C. Calhoun statue, Marion Square, Charleston, S.C.

Tsk, tsk. John C. Calhoun appears to be flashing the sun. From the back he always looks like he is sweeping his coat open. This adds to my series of  John C. Calhoun antics.

Lake Marion, S.C.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas. This scene looks a bit dreary but it was a lovely day. I spent Christmas Eve and day in warm cabin by Lake Marion with my son. We were lazy and read, talked, ate well and watched a movie. I even got a morning bike ride in between the drizzle. It was a nice break. Thanks for all the lovely holiday greetings!

Boys to Men

Christmas Carolling on King, King St., Charleston, S.C.

I don't think I can top this cutie for a daily photo on Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas everyone!

'Twas a couple of nights before Christmas

Festive Carriage Ride, Charleston, S.C.

I'd better use up the rest of my Christmas photos before the day has come and gone!

My house smells like gingerbread cake. Yum. I made the Smitten Kitchen recipe and it turned out great. I didn't have the bottle of stout that it called for along with the molasses so I tossed in a cup of spicy hot Blenheim Ginger-ale. I'm going to have to fatten up my son because I can't keep the whole cake around here for me to eat.

One of the best things about holidays in my opinion is sharing in everyone's family fun as Facebook pictures are posted. It's been a treat watching kids celebrate, bake cookies and sit on Santa's lap. Enjoy every minutes folks and keep the pictures coming, they grow up too fast!

I went to a brunch on the Isle of Palms and half way through I figured out I was seated next to the former Mayor and current House Representative Mike Sottile. Then I got to explore artist Carol McGill's studio and see her work. It was a good morning.

I hope everyone get's what they want for Christmas, because you know what? People are trying to make you happy. I walked through Citadel Mall on Friday night (big, big mistake) and was struck by all the shoppers intent on finding things to please their loved ones. They were holding things up, consulting friends, scratching their heads and digging deep in their pockets. They tried!

Two is two!

Ruby & Harper turn two, Charleston, S.C.

We tried to do a re-enactment of an annual birthday photo but the gals weren't having any part of it! Ruby and Harper turned two and were determined NOT to be in a family photo. Do you think it is called the "terrible two's" for a reason? Too funny! They had a great party and a wonderful time laughing and running around but pictures - no, I don't think so.

Keep an eye out for Ruby & Harper in the Lifetime television series Army Wives.

The long & the short of it

Charleston, S.C.

He made the picture, didn't he? Thank you for running in front of my lens. I am careful about featuring people without their permission or awareness but from the back, unrecognizable, they are fair game.We still have plenty of days to wear shorts sprinkled through a lowcountry winter.

Yeah for five days off. I don't have big plans but it is lovely to be free from work responsibilities for five glorious days. I haven't done too much baking except for shortbread so it's time to get to work!

Before & After - Cannon St. mural

What was Eye Level Art with the mural by Shepard Fairey is now Cannon Green. It isn't open until spring but already has a web site billing at as Charlestons' permier venue site:

Located in the Cannonborough neighborhood, Cannon Green
is Charleston's premier venue for celebrated occasions.
A sophisticated urban concept with the classic elegance of the
South, Cannon Green features three distinct offerings:

• A chic cafe & wine bar
• An artfully landscaped courtyard capable of
  hosting a wedding ceremony or private party
• An elegant & unique event venue for up to 250 guests

It's a blue, blue Christmas

Hospital Christmas Tree, Charleston, SC

It's a blue, blue, ICU Christmas! Check out this creative tree made from blown up hospital gloves by our Intensive Care Unit staff. I hear it brought a lot of smiles. It is perched on a rolling stool and had to be pushed from room to room for the patients to admire. Love it! I work with such creative characters.

All I want for Christmas...

What else could these people want for Christmas? Life looks pretty good. I took the top photo on the weekend and the one below last year.

I am on the run to get a walk in before it gets too dark out.

Seems I've been writing a lot of reference letters and scholarship recommendations lately. Time consuming business that is to do it well. Do you think it would be reasonable to start charging a modest percentage of the scholarship for my cut? Harhar.....

Teeny Tiny Houses of Charleston

Cannon St., Charleston, S.C.

I found a few more candidates for my Teeny, Tiny Houses of Charleston category.

I went to a holiday shindig that was cancelled due to illness and then wandered off to enjoy dinner at Heart Woodfire Kitchen on Folly Rd. with a good friend.  Great food! Fresh and reasonable, just the way I like it.

Rutledge Ave., Charleston, S.C.

It's a Baby Tree!

Ashley Oaks Ob/Gyn Christmas Tree, Charleston, S.C.

Isn't this the cutest thing? Dr. Kathryn Hargrove from Ashley Oaks Ob/Gyn flagged me down and said I should get a picture of her office Christmas tree. It's become a tradition for new mothers to bring or send in a picture of the babies she delivered during the year. The tree was full of adorable baby pictures!

Green monsters at the door

Redux, Charleston, S.C.

Redux Contemporary Art Center has a new mural by Mark Hosford. I have taken pictures of almost all of the murals they have featured. Funny thing is, I've never been inside. My daughter used to go when she lived here and in my mind I wrote it off as her territory where mom didn't need to be popping up. I guess she has been living across the country long enough that everything should be considered fair game now.

Dark and rainy night here and I am itchy and twitch because once again I worked late enough to miss my brief window of walking time before it got too dark. Aaaargh.

Bogard St. display

Bogard St., Charleston, S.C.

I walked the Bogard, Spring, Cannon route this morning and caught up with some of my old favorites. I've photographed this lady's display on Bogard this morning but this time the homeowner was sitting on her porch steps and asked me to bring her back a copy of the pictures. I think I will.

I am watching the heartbreaking memorial service from Newtown, Connecticut on tv. It's hard to watch but impossible to turn away from. What a sad time this is.

Greetings from Cannon St.

Cannon St., Charleston, S.C.

When I pointed at my camera giving her the international sign requesting permission to photographer her, she waved and said, "I am Minnie Mouse!" And on close up, she is dressed in Minnie Mouse pants and hat and cheerfully waving at people passing by. I got back in my car smiling.

In other news, I am getting bogged down in randomly spam comments lately. Sigh. Here is a stupid example:

I think what you typed made a ton of sense. However, what about this? suppose you were to write a awesome title? I am not suggesting your content isn't solid., but suppose you added a title that makes people desire more? I mean "Water Bottle Fountain" is kinda plain. You ought to glance at Yahoo's front page and watch how they create article headlines to get people interested. You might try adding a video or a pic or two to grab people excited about what you've written. In my opinion, it might make your blog a little livelier.

So, there ya go. If I add a photo or two it might make my blog a little livelier. I've held back from putting a spam screener on the comments because I hate having to do that. We shall see.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend! It is slipping by too fast for me.

The David

The David, Old Santee Canal Park, S.C.

A Torpedo decked out in Christmas lights aiming at a beautiful historic house is an odd sight. I had a late lunch at the Dock restaurant this afternoon and it seemed to make sense to take a spin through Old Santee Canal Park but they were setting up for evening holiday festivities. I took a quick shot of the David and slipped out of the park before it was hit with happy holiday chaos. 

The David

Also known as "the little David", the Davids were small steam powered torpedo boats that operated around Charleston about the same time as the Hunley. In fact, one was sometimes used as a towing vessel for the Hunley.

The David was conceived and designed by Dr. St. Julian Ravenel, who recruited David Ebaugh to build her. She was privately funded and built at Stoney Landing up on the Cooper river, out of view of the many Northern spies in Charleston.
The David was designed to ride very low in the water and attack by ramming a spar torpedo. However, she was not a submarine- she had an open cockpit and was powered by a small steam boiler. Some books claim that the Davids used water filled ballast tanks to ride low in the water, however, the builder described filling the hull with thousands of pounds of iron to lower the water line.

The David made a somewhat successful attack against the federal New Ironsides; at least damaging her enough to cause her to withdraw and make repairs. This was the first successful torpedo attack in history. The original David almost made history again with a bold attack on a Federal ironclad on the Stono river, however its torpedo failed to detonate.

 

Scaredy Cat

Murals at Avondale, Charleston, S.C.

Scaredy Cat

I guess I’m just a scaredy cat …
I am afraid of everything.
Sometimes I almost jump a mile
when I hear a telephone ring.

It's even scary in my room
so I’ve got to have a light.
Who knows, there might be monsters
under my bed at night! 

C.J. Heck

Aaack! This was a new mural I spotted this morning behind the shops at Avondale. Freaky kinda cat!

A sad, sad day

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, S.C.

What a sad, tragic day. I've been busy at work all day and just now catching up with news footage from this elementary school shooting. What an unbelievable horror. Poor little precious kids.My heart goes out to the families and loved ones.

Christmas Quotes by Famous Folks

Charleston, S.C.

Christmas creates a happy and pleasant atmosphere for most people, but the Christmas atmosphere can be hard to describe in words. Here you have a series of great quotes about Christmas phrased by famous people.

1. Agnes M. Pharo: What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.

2. Carol Nelson: Christmas is a time when you get homesick – even when you’re home.

3. Helen Keller: The only blind person at Christmastime is he who has not Christmas in his heart.

4. Harlan Miller: Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don’t quite know how to put our love into words.

5. Shirley Temple: I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph.

6. Norman Vincent Peale: Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

7. Mary Ellen Chase: Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.

8. W.J. Cameron:There has been only one Christmas – the rest are anniversaries.

9. Larry Wilde: Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.

10. Charles Dickens: I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.

The Real Awards - Votes Invited

 Some people enlighten us. Some people entertain us. 

Some people save our lives

 Charleston Pediatrician, Dr. Clifford leads medical teams to Thailand, Burma, Jordan and Iraq. 

He has led medical teams to Burma for the 7 years treating children and mothers in refugee camps along the Burma Thailand and China border. In Rangoon, 2 orphanages of 50 children each have been treated annually since 2007 including the installation of water purification, vitamins, de-worming medicine, food and clothes. Many lives have been saved over the past 7 years thanks to his dedication. 

Nominated by Diana Glupker

How lovely would it be to have this respected lowcountry Pediatrician win this international award? Pretty darned lovely I say. Enjoy reading the nominations and consider voting daily for Dr. Clifford. 

Vote Here Daily 

Have a Joggly Holiday

Joggling Board, Charleston, S.C.

I found a couple more Joggling Boards for my collection. Soon I'll have tracked them all down!

Psssst....if you are looking for one, I found Island Time Joggling Boards to have the best prices.

This little festive piggie....

Charleston Window Box, Charleston, S.C.

Oink, oink. The festive window piggie is decorated for Christmas. We don't lack for holiday color do we?

Lowcountry at Christmas

Nathaniel Russell House, Meeting St., Charleston, S.C.

Charleston is decked out in it's finest holiday wear. Meanwhile, I have volunteer holiday parties all week and have nothing festive to wear. Red and green don't seem to be my usual colors. When is the black and blue holiday? I have a closet full of those colors.

 

Charleston Men's Choir

Charleston Men's Choir, Sottile Theater, Charleston, S.C.

The only perform a few times a year but each performance is a treat if you enjoy a stage full of gentlemen (and one woman!) singing to you - and I do. The annual Charleston Men's Choir Christmas Concert was this afternoon and a gentleman who used to sing with the choir offered to escort me. Holy Cow it was the perfect storm of driving chaos today with King St. closed for 2nd Sunday and the Mt. Pleasant Holiday Parade this evening. It took a little planning to figure out how to pull it all off since my companion lives on the Isle of Palms, but we did, had a great time and he treated me to dinner at Magnolias after the concert.

I mentioned this gentleman last week. He is a ninety one year old veteran who flew with the Flying Tigers in China in the 1940's. I feel so incredibly honored to have this connection to the stories he has to tell and to be able to ask questions about his experiences and see his collection of memorabilia. How lucky am I? Pretty darn lucky I say.

Charleston Cats

Black Cat, Charleston, S.C.

This must be a new breed of cat I am not familiar with. Anyone?