Preservation IS Progress in Charleston

Preserving the beauty of some of the older Charleston, SC neighborhoods is of paramount importance. Many neighborhoods have expressed interest in maintaining the character, flow, height/mass/scale of their area and hope for help avoiding demolition for the sake of “biggie-sizing”. We’re thankful the City of Charleston is working with us on a solution…

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Fall Is Upon Us…

Fall hit and the temps in Charleston rose. Hmmm. I think they’re supposed to drop a few degrees over the coming days, here’s hoping! Whether it’s a tad warm or not, you can still feel the fall vibe in the air. The sun has shifted dramatically. Sun that used to pour into the kitchen windows while making dinner now doesn’t come close. I love the subtle changes and I notice each one.

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Weekend Drive: Edisto Area in South Carolina

Every once in a while it’s nice to get out of your own setting – see something different, even though it may be nearby. My husband and I stopped and had a nice lunch and then thought a drive might be nice – get out and see something different. I ended up taking a lot of photos as the conditions were near perfection!

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The Spring Vibe Continues in Charleston, SC

It’s hard to believe our winter is almost over. It definitely looks, sounds and feels like it. The camellia’s are blooming, the birds are chirping and the temps are warming (70’s/80’s). Most days have been nice, breezy – not much humidity, but every once in a while it sneaks in and reminds you of what’s to come…

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A February Sky in Charleston, SC

Sometimes the monotonous can become the highlight of the day. We were heading across the Ashley River Memorial bridge. As we were crossing the bridge after whatever errand we were running I saw the sky. Whoa. So stunning! This photo was taken coming from downtown Charleston, headed to the West Ashley side of Charleston (west of the Ashley river).

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A way to eat salmon if you you’re not a fan:

Candied Brussels Sprouts, Potato Croquettes and Wild Caught Dill Salmon (Cooked on a Cedar Plank)

I’ve tried to be a sport in the past. I WANT to like salmon, it’s good for you, yayaya… BUT, it’s strong taste about did me in each time. We would go out to eat and my husband would have me try a bite of his… #itsanogo Then, one day we were talking with a neighbor (thank you CW) who had been to a nearby restaurant. She said she always orders the salmon. I thought, ugh. And then…

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It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood…

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood…

We are fortunate to live in an area surrounded by Live oak trees. They were planted when these homes were built (mostly in the 1930’s). One in the front yard and one in the back (of most). Visually, they make a stunning streetscape as their limbs have grown together over the years. The Spanish moss hangs, swaying in the breeze. The Resurrection fern grows, changing from bright green (with rain) to crumbled brown (no rain) and back to bright green again.

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Who Knew? So many pretty berries on a Yew!

Yew with berries

We were out on a walk, phone in my pocket and as we walked by this Yew, the berries hanging over the fence in a multitude of colors was fascinating to me. I don’t recall seeing all these different colored berries in the past. Sometimes it’s the little things that really stand out. #beautiful

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Charleston’s abundant camellias!

Camellias in Charleston, SC

Spring in Charleston is literally an explosion of color. The stunning array of bright colors and scents wafting through the air are absolutely magical. This is my very favorite part about spring. The bees look happy, the birds are very busy and I’m watching the larger birds swoop from branch to branch. #itsajungleoutthere

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pink perfection!

Azaleas | Charleston, SC

The azaleas in Charleston, SC are blooming like crazy right now. They truly are a wonderful mix of pink perfection (various shades of pinks, as well as white). We live in an older neighborhood and most yards have azaleas, they don’t always bloom at the same time, but when they do – Lookout! It’s stunning!

Azaleas, most of the year are a ubiquitous shrub with green leaves. New growth is usually a brighter green. We get buds and then blooms, then wilted blooms. This is the point to cut back your azalea if you wish to. If you wait until too late you risk not having blooms the following year (#beentheredonethat) – so the rule of thumb is to trim after blooming.

Another rule of thumb is that it’s ok to cut back 1/3 of the shrub without harm to the plant. We’ve gone even farther and they were fine. Azaleas can get leggy and thin. They aren’t as pretty when this happens. If you do something shocking, like cut them back, they come back stronger and thicker. It may look drastic when you do it, but they grow quickly and are back to normal in no time. I think this spring we will be cutting back a majority of ours.

When I look back over my posts on Instagram or Facebook I can see that I post a LOT of flowers. I love them. Inside, outside, I really don’t care where they are, I absolutely love flowers. You can never have too many, am I right?

Happy Monday, y’all!

✍️ Until next time…

📸 Image: Barbara Stroud (me!)