Northbridge Park – Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC

Wonderful clouds, bright green marsh grass – a feeling of fall in the air despite the hot temps. I am thrilled to be getting closer each day to the cooler, less humid weather! Woohoo, cool temps make me so happy!

Isn’t this a beautiful setting? It’s located right here in Charleston, off Cosgrove, for those of you who are local. This is Northbridge Park… Spectacular views!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Live Oak Trees, Spanish Moss and Resurrection Ferns!

Charleston, SC

We live in an area where live oak trees were planted in front of each house (back in the 1930’s) – they are so beautiful. Each and every one makes the street we live on something extra special. I love when the sun hits the Spanish moss, or when the resurrection fern that grows on the limbs goes from crispy and brown to lively and bright green – it’s amazing! Click that link to see the before and after (rain), it’s so cool!

These trees are like something in a fairytale! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Cistern at the College of Charleston!

Cistern at the College of Charleston

Charleston, SC is full of beautiful locations, one being the Cistern at the College of Charleston – so historic, stunning with those grand oak trees. If you’re ever in the Charleston area, the College of Charleston is a beautiful campus to walk through – bring your camera!

What is a Cistern? Here’s some info from the College of Charleston’s website:

The Cistern

The large, grassy oval adjacent Randolph Hall is called the Cistern. Constructed in 1857 to help control flooding due to heavy rain, as well as to provide water for fighting fires, the Cistern was later covered and planted with grass. Today, it is a favorite studying spot for students and the site of commencement in the spring.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Bowens Island Sunset – Charleston, SC

Sunset

Can you believe it’s the first day of Autumn? Whew! Thank goodness! My favorite months are coming up, and I am looking very forward to them!

We all have favorite times of year, what is yours? I cherish the cooler, crisp weather – times when we can open windows and let fresh air in. I love the dramatic October skies, soon to come. Life goes by so quickly, you really do have to make a mental note to appreciate the present, but you can still have your favorite times of year ;)

This photo was taken at Bowens Island Restaurant (Charleston, SC) – which I highly recommend. It’s not fancy, but whew, the seafood is out of this world!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Window Boxes – And Ideas to Fill Them…

Charleston, SC Windowbox

Charleston, SC window boxes are stunning. I read in Southern Living that they’re so popular on the homes in the downtown area because many homes are built right up to the sidewalk leaving no room for traditional planting. Well, this certainly does the trick!

Here’s a great article from Southern Living magazine, they also give ideas for what to plant in your window boxes for both warm and cool weather:

http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com/2011/04/21/charlestons-winderful-window-boxes/

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Sunrise Reflections- Monhegan, Maine

Sunrise Monhegan Maine

Can you imagine? This sunrise woke me up! I flew out of bed and was stunned! I ran outside (down 3 flights of stairs at the Island Inn to get outside in my PJ’s with my camera). The sunrise was bright red above the lighthouse, yet the water was the prettiest pink with a lone kayaker enjoying the show. I bet the sunrise was amazing to watch from the perspective of the kayaker!

Photo from the archives… Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Photo – The 5 East Battery, Charleston, SC

Colorful Charleston, SC

5 East Battery is an amazing example of Charleston architecture.

Read a bit about this amazing example of Charleston architecture from the Charleston County Library:

5 East Bay Street – John Ravenel House c.1847

The three story stuccoed brick house was built between 1847 and 1849 by John Ravenel. Ravenel, who was completely of Huguenot descent and a member of the planting aristocracy, sold his patrimonial acres to become a merchant, and built up one of the city’s leading shipping houses. He was also president of the South Carolina Rail Road and was instrumental in developing the Northeastern Rail Road. This house was also the home of his son, Dr. St. Julien Ravenel, the noted scientist who designed and built the Civil War semi-submersible torpedo boat, the Lucy and was a leader in the development of the phosphate fertilizer after the Civil War. It was also the home of Dr. Ravenel’s wife Harriett Horry Rutledge, who, using the name Mrs. St. Julien Ravenel, authored the book Charleston: The Place and the People, and other works on local history. In 1886, the property was purchased by John Ravenel’s son-in-law, Elias Horry Fronst, president of E.H. Frost & Co., one of the city’s leading cotton brokerage houses. He was also head of the Stono Phosphate Company and president of the South Carolina Loan and Trust company. Frost was a noted art collector and owned one of the best libraries in the South. The house was built in the Italianate sty;e popular in Charleston in the antebellum period. After suffering severe damage in the 1866 earthquake, the house was extensively rebuilt by Frost, who kept the original plan and mass, including the prominent bay on the front, and added features in the Victorian Italianate style fashionable in the 1880’s. The property remained in the hands of John Ravenel’s descendants until 1953, when it was sold. (Stockton, unpin. M.S.; Stockton, DYKYC, December 13, 1975)

There is an interesting article from the Post & Courier HERE.

🙄To subscribers of this blog… this post may look a teeny familiar to you (although it’s changed quite a bit), that’s because I thought I was scheduling this post to publish today, BUT the date showed August – of course I noticed it AFTER I HIT THE BUTTON. I am human, gasp! So let’s all pretend this is fresh and new, ok?

Back to normal posting next week – Catch you back here tomorrow!

A Checkerboard Shadow!

Checkerboard Shadow

A checkerboard shadow! I love walking and spotting cool shadows in the road. I swear I need to bring my phone when I walk in the morning, there is a tree that gives off the most dramatic shadows in the road – it’s simply beautiful. I spotted this shadow downtown (from a brick wall) during a walk and took a quick photo…

What kinds of things do you notice when you’re out and about? I try to pay attention to the little things. For it is the little things in life that are truly BIG!

Back to normal posting next week – Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Photo: French Quarter Bicycle

Charleston, SC | ArtFoodHome.com

Charleston, SC architecture and charm. The homes in Charleston have so much character. You will see all the colors of the rainbow, some muted and some not so much. The beautiful window boxes and planters help add to the charm, as does a random bicycle attached to a street sign. Cool shadows on the home as well…

Enjoy your Saturday! Catch you back here tomorrow!

A Dark & Stormy Charleston Sky

Charleston, SC

I snapped this photo (as a passenger) driving over the Ashley River Bridge in Charleston. July brought a lot of stormy weather and wild skies, this is one example. You can see the rain pouring from the clouds. Photo taken with iPhone while moving. I love this photo! I swear with these wonderful skies I cannot go anywhere without a camera, it’s simply impossible!

Catch you back here tomorrow!