Well if this photo doesn’t scream HAPPY 4th OF JULY, I don’t know what does! This is a photo I snapped on King Street, Charleston, SC. It’s a happening place right now!
H A P P Y 4 T H O F J U L Y !
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Category: HOME
Charleston Photo: Yellow Crowned Night Heron in Charleston, SC
This photo was taken in my neighborhood (Charleston, SC). It’s a photo of a yellow crowned night heron. Ooooooh you say? Yep, they’re interesting creatures, they’re here during breeding season, then they all fly away. They come back to the same (exact) area each and every year… As neat as they are, they aren’t the friendliest, and they get rather pushy… they’ll stand in the street and won’t move. They build their nests (or go back to their old nests) and in a short time you start seeing eggs in the street/sidewalk, the most beautiful Martha-Stewart-blue. (I would like to have one color matched and paint a room that color.) Right now it looks like the little ones (not so little anymore) are out and about, I see them in people’s yards during the day. We watched one on a neighbors roof and it was almost like it was thinking, “hmmm, should I try to fly”? It would start to put its wings out and then quickly tuck them back under, he did that for quite some time, I was starting to get worried about him, but I guess he was working through it, ha ha… A few mornings I have seen the birds up on some neighbors front porches. EEK. You don’t want to go out when they’re there. They make very impressive (read SCARY) sounds, that’s enough to keep me far away! They’re cool nonetheless, but I will be happy when they move on. They really stink once it starts to get hot and humid… yikes!
Interesting fact: a few neighbors called to have trees trimmed and the city cannot trim until the birds have left because the birds are protected. So be nice and keep your distance!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Charleston Photo: Charlie… in his happy place!
Charlie has his own sofa. We moved it near the window when he was a puppy so he could see down the street. Fred and I like to move furniture. Actually move entire rooms (i.e. the dining room is the study and the living room is the dining room, yep, see what I mean, just try to keep up with us)… well, we DID move entire rooms. Now we’re stuck in a situation. WE CAN’T MOVE THE SOFA! Ahhhh, there are worse things that could happen… Charlie is so content staring out the window during the day (half the time with his eyes closed) that we just can’t change it.
Ahhh, what we do for our pets, huh? Have a great weekend and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
Charleston, SC Photo: From a different perspective…
I love a different angle on things. This photo was taken looking up at the gorgeous windows of a beautiful home in Charleston, SC. When you walk around the streets of Charleston there is SO MUCH to look at. If you’re anything like me you can’t help but snap away! I’m so thankful for my digital camera! Remember taking photos in the “old days”? In addition to buying a battery, you had to buy film, then you had to take the film in to be processed and have prints made. It always seemed like the ones you were really looking forward to turning out were the ones that weren’t quite right… eyes closed, mouths open, etc. So woot woot for the inventor of the digital camera! Now I can snap away, come home and load them on my computer and delete the ones that aren’t stunning!
Speaking of cameras… if you’ve got a good camera, tell me about it… I currently have a Kodak Z something or other, what do you have? Why do you like it so much? What are its limitations? How have you adapted to no view finder? (I don’t think I could, I really like a view finder)… Is it worth getting one that you can set manually to manipulate how you like or is point and shoot the way to go? Is it a pain to have a camera where you have to switch lenses? I would think so? What’s the thinnest, sharpest, camera with a viewfinder with at least a 10x zoom? If you get a chance please let me know… if you’d rather email, my email is bstroud1@comcast.net !
Have a great day and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
Charleston Photo: Hop on and take a spin…
Charleston, SC… a great place to live. We do move a lot around this area. You always see people out walking, running, biking, skateboarding or in their cars with surfboards or kayaks strapped to the roof. It’s a great thing to get out and move. My nephew who was here for one day visiting from MI noticed that people are out and moving a lot! It’s what we do… if you can walk, run, bike to the store, do it!
Then come home and either jump in the pool, the sprinkler or the shower, at least for the next few months, it’s going to get a tad warmish… look at it this way…
F R E E S A U N A !
Catch you back here tomorrow!
How to brighten up the front of your house for only $29.98!
American Flag Kit from LOWE’S.… ($29.98)
I’m always talking about how I love an American flag in a painting… makes it pop. Makes it, uh… as American as apple pie… So as I peruse art websites via my computer I am always delighted to find a painting that I love that includes a flag… then I thought… WHY DON’T WE HAVE A FLAG? That same flag that makes the houses “pop” in paintings could do the same for ours… so we headed to Lowe’s (why Lowe’s? Because LOWE’S KNOWS VALUE… hee, couldn’t resist that)! We headed to the flag display, and picked out one that is sewn and not just printed. Nothing wrong with printed, I just like the look of the sewn ones better and they seem to be a little thicker, therefore they should hold up a little longer.
This is the house before the flag…
Recently I mentioned that we installed a gas lantern, well to put the lantern where we wanted it we had to move the enamel house numbers to a different spot… Now that we want to hang a flag, guess where I really wanted it…? Where the numbers were… SO… the numbers got moved yet again so that the flag had it’s own spot. Whew! That was fun!
And this is the TA-DA… house after the flag…
So if you want to brighten up the front of your house and have a few bucks to spare, head to your neighborhood hardware store and pick up an American flag!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Charlie’s BFF! A sweet lady with Southern hospitality!
Charlie had such an adventure on second Sunday last week (Second Sunday is an event downtown where they close off part of King Street to car traffic on the second Sunday of each month. You see people walking in the streets, vendors are set up, some of the stores expand a little outdoors, some of the restaurants offer outdoor dining, it’s a great time to be downtown Charleston, SC) , I just had to share! Here he is on his way… he’s having the time of his life, make no mistake! There is nothing this dog loves more than riding in the car! And there’s nothing like feeling the wind in your hair fur, right Charlie?
I happen to get this shot on a quieter part of the street. Even though it had rained briefly and the humidity rose to approximately 999% we headed out on an adventure with Charlie… headed downtown window shopping! We had the best time, went in Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Ω (I think was the name of it, a cool new yoga clothing store), and a few others… then we entered… heaven in his eyes… Charleston Place Hotel. For those of you who haven’t stayed it’s a treat. They treat you like royalty. The food… DIVINE. The people that work there… AWESOME! Even if you live here, it’s a nice place for a special occasion… it’s more than a hotel, there are lots of shops as well, Gucci, etc. etc. well we walked Charlie through it without going in any stores, then grabbed a bench where he was beyond delighted to see other people as well as a few dogs! Then to his surprise he met his new BFF (Best Friend Forever)… she offered him water. She put down a white napkin and set out a cup of water. This dog was so thirsty, bless her for that. It was very warm and humid outside and we were attempting to recover. Charlie is shy around people. He’ll usually run behind me and hide until he gets to know you OR unless you have a piece or two of bacon… I’m telling you it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! Bonita is her name, and she is the nicest person. We truly enjoyed talking with her! We’ll go back to the Palmetto Cafe one day for breakfast, just so we can thank her and tell her hello! A bright light in a day that truly felt like one of the warmest saunas ever!
It wasn’t easy to snap a shot, this dog was EXCITED! He’s never had bacon before… and let me tell you HE LOVED IT! Now if you say the word “bacon” or “Bonita” he goes crazy! I’m quite sure he will remember her all the days of his life!
That’s the cool thing about Charleston, SC. The hospitality. Where else in the world could you go and have a stranger offer you water for your dog as well as a treat? Just the nicest kindest woman ever. Truly a person that likes people and it shows. I wonder if Charleston Place/Palmetto Grill knows what an asset they’ve got in an employee like that?! Someone who can make a difference in someones life with a simple gesture. Bless you Bonita, you’re too cool!
Hey, go make a difference in someone’s life and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
House renovation – Charleston, SC… this one’s going to be a winner!
There has been a house in our neighborhood that has been sold “as is”, it needed quite a bit of work. Recently a developer purchased it and he and his team are renovating it. It’s a cool house and we had all hoped that he wouldn’t tear it down and build a new house, however… once they started to gut the house they found issue after issue (it had to be gutted, no way around it, the house needed maintenance in the worst possible way and lets just say either there are some ginormous termites running around Charleston or there was dry rot or something, but it seems like every wood surface was eaten or rotten (yep, my professional opinion since I know so much about it… ok, so that’s what it looked like to me anyway). These people are fixing this house the right way. I think each time they start another project on this house they find more problem which results in higher costs to tear out and fix, but in the end this house is going to be a beauty! Riverland Builders also built a cottage on an empty lot on this same street and it’s lovely. Has a front porch that is so inviting, a side porch that is screened with a gas fireplace, perfect for reading the paper with your cup of coffee on nice days. The house is sweet as can be. They built a larger home in the next subdivision over where the homes are larger. Another beauty with meticulous details. I am looking so forward to seeing the end result of this house. I saw the before and it was horrible… beyond horrible. So kudos to those who work hard to save what’s there. It really is such a cool house with a fabulous porch, and will be a dream come true for some lucky family once they finish!
The horrible fence is now gone, whoa did that ever help the appearance! They’re adding on a laundry room and a porch (rumor has it)… will keep y’all posted on the progress. It’s going to be very cool! I hear they’ve added a bit more upstairs, you can see by the brick how much has been added… new roof which looks very nice… This project is being taken on by Riverland Builders – website is coming soon!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Charleston Photo… Charlie’s momma…
When Charlie, our Jack Russell Terrier, starts acting crazy I tell him he looks like his momma… not me, i’m dog momma, thankyouverymuch… he looks like his real momma… Miss Oakley (pictured above). Sure she looks quiet and sweet in that photo… but she’s wild and crazy, all in a very good way. I believe this is who Charlie gets his wild moments from. They are hilarious.
Have to add a picture of our Charlie… can you see the resemblence?
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Photo: Peonies… gotta love them!
Peonies. My absolute-all-time-without-a-doubt-favorite-in-the-whole-wide-world flower is growing (in Michigan) at my parents house, my sisters house, the neighbors house and no one is cutting them and putting in vases. “WHY??” I asked. Because they’re full of ants… what? I couldn’t just leave a bumper crop of gorgeous pink beauty sitting out on a shrub in the backyard, so we cut a few, put them in a mason jar, it was BEAUTY! Until… the darn ants. Not one, not two, but LOTS of ants… I tried setting the vase in a bowl of water, my thought was that it would make a mote and the ants would croak (I just know the PETA people are going to get me one day, but bugs and I simply cannot coexist. No. Possible. Way. Period.). We plucked ants off the blooms until we couldn’t take it anymore and took them back outside. So what’s the deal? Can YOU bring peonies inside YOUR house? If so what’s your secret? Why the darn ants? I wonder if you cut the blossom before it bloomed if that would work, or are the ants already fast at work? I know the peonies that I’ve gotten from Harris Teeter (grocery store) have been gorgeous and ant free :) we may not be able to grow peonies here, but we can have them in a vase, hee.
Hey! Want to mention one more thing… H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y M A X ! ! Our godson Max is 14 today! Whoa, time flies! Hey, Max… do you remember this photo (ha… taken in 2000) with “Uncle Fred” on the front porch? Good times! You were a cutie then, you’re a cutie now and we love you more than anything, even if you are taller than me now! Have a great birthday! xoxo us
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Charleston Photo: Gardenias… the party is almost over!
When the gardenias start to bloom in Charleston, SC there is the most fabulous aroma that drifts through the air… usually during that time we are able to have our windows open, which is an added bonus for sure! The gardenias are on their way out… We’ve enjoyed them so much and look forward to them again next year! Thankfully, now the hydrangeas are in full bloom… woot woot! Need to go grab that mason jar… makes a nice little vase!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Charleston Photo: St. Phillips Episcopal Church…
Here’s a photo of St. Phillips Episcopal Church (founded in 1680!) located in downtown Charleston, SC. It’s a gorgeous church, one that has been photographed and painted oh so many times. It’s in the heart of the city, near the market and all the other happening locations.
Hope you are all having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Wow, Memorial Day… ALREADY!?
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, SC
Well the Spoleto Festival is here! The city is packed with people and the Dock Street Theatre is a happening place! Don’t you just love this door color… it’s so… Charleston! Click HERE to read about the history of the Dock Street Theatre!
Enjoy your time here if you’re visiting… and if you live here, are you attending any of the performances? Let me know, I’m excited to hear about what people are going to see and how they liked it!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
This will be Fred and I moving to Maine… 137 sq feet!
Tumbleweed Tiny Houses – Fencl Plan
This is how I picture Fred and I moving to Maine… we’ll pack up the house and find a nice little spot near water, a general store, a bakery, and a grocery store… ha ha. IS THIS NOT THE COOLEST PHOTO? Look at this house! This is one of the bigger in the Tumbleweed Tiny House plans... it’s the Fencl plan. Could you do it? I’m thinking we could maybe do it if we parked the U-Haul under a tree to store all of our stuff in, ha ha. Click on the link under the photo to see the interior shots (shown furnished). Is it ever SWEET! Take a look at the other houses they have, it’s just so interesting to me! I first heard about these tiny houses on Colin Pages Journal. Colin is a cool guy that mentions not only art, but all kinds of neat things, this being one of them! The smallest house starts at 65 square feet AND INCLUDES A KITCHEN AND BATHROOM! The larger cottages range from 261-874 square feet. These things are cool, check out the interior photos!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Charleston Photo: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church Steeple
Isn’t this striking? That brilliant blue against the stark white… This is St. Michael’s Episcopal Church steeple. We were downtown (I think we covered nearly every street taking photos, but once you start it’s so hard to stop!) and captured this image.
Enjoy your day! Catch you back here tomorrow!
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