Visual Definition: Irony, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, USA

This blog post seems especially appropriate since today is the day the President of the United States delivers the annual State of the Union address to the American people.

This American flag, our great symbol of freedom, whipped by the wind, is inadvertently wrapped around a surveillance camera in a public park.  Personally, I think our Founders would be appalled at the idea of both public surveillance and some provisions of the Patriot Act. Since 9/11 we seem to have increasingly allowed security to impinge upon freedom. I question that strategy for the future of a free people.

Porch Swings, South Carolina, USA

When I was six years old, I lived with my grandmother for a year.  Granny had a wide gray porch with a dark green porch swing.  In that small North Carolina town, we would sit and swing and say 'hello' to passersby who stopped to chat with "Miz Stella" and her grandson. I 've been noticing many more swings in this part of the country than in New England - maybe the northerners are wrapped too tightly than to sit and relax like the southerners?

This swing overlooks Broad Creek at Hilton Head Island.

This swing overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.

This swing is at Isle of Palms.

This swing is at Folly Beach.

Since my youth, every porch swing I see transports me back to that childhood memory of my life in a small town. It still amazes me how the mind can benchmark an event so strongly and keep it active and vivid for more than 50 years - especially when I now have trouble remembering events from a month ago.

Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, USA

The Citadel is the Military College of South Carolina.  John Milton, the English author in the 1600's, in his Tractate on Education, described a complete education as one that prepares the individual to perform justly, skillfully, and magnanimously, all offices both public and private, of peace and war. This is the essence of a Citadel education. Since its inception in 1842, The Citadel has sought to prepare its graduates intellectually, physically and morally to be principled leaders and productive citizens in all walks of life.  It emphasises core values of Honor, Duty and Respect.

Almost every Friday afternoon when classes are in session, the cadets conduct a Parade.  The public is welcome to observe.

This young cadet was the event announcer.  His mellifluous voice guarantees a future in broadcasting if he ever chooses to do so.  He had that "perfect announcer voice" - you know what it sounds like - rich, warm baritone that can magically charm and instill confidence in the listener.

The drum and bagpipe musicians led the parade, with the regular band close behind.  I'm not sure why two of the cadets were wearing a leopard skin apron.

The individual battalions followed the band.

This man in the audience stood and saluted this particular battalion of cadets - perhaps he is an alumnus of that group?

The maroon sashes apparently indicate juniors and seniors. 

And away they go until next Friday.........

USS Yorktown, Patriot's Point, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, USA

 

The USS Yorktown is permanently berthed in Charleston Harbor and on public display. The Yorktown was commissioned in April 1943 (the tenth aircraft carrier, thus, designation CV-10) and decommissioned in 1970. In 1975 she became a museum ship at Patriot's Point as a National Historic Landmark. She served for many years in the Pacific supporting U.S. war efforts in WWII, the Vietnam War, and later as a recovery ship for the Apollo 8 space mission.

Tourists board the 888 foot long ship from this walkway.

An F/A-18 on display on the flight deck.  In my younger days as an air traffic controller, I provided air traffic control services to many thousands of flights by these aircraft that flew into or out of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in California.

On the flight deck.

Few people on the planet can lay claim to this chair - it belongs to the Captain of the ship.

And most of the 3500 men (3088 enlisted, 380 officers) on the carrier slept in these bunks - stacked three high about 18 inches apart, imagine all these young men packed into this tight space for many months at a stretch. How they kept all these men fed is an awesome feat that required four meal sittings daily.

And don't forget dessert - if you ever need a recipe for 10,000 chocolate chip cookies, here you go - tried and true, battle tested.



Storm, Isle of Palms, South Carolina, USA

For the first time in weeks, we had a storm - rain and wind and frothy sea and the world  turned gray.  It was a good day to stay inside and read more of  Pat Conroy's novel, South of Broad. He is from, and still lives in this part of the world and reading his writing while visiting this area is particularly fitting.  Reading his writing anywhere however, will forever demonstrate the wonder and power of the written word.  If you have never read anything by him (The Boo, The Water is Wide, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides, Beach Music, South of Broad, My Losing Season, My Reading Life), I recommend you get thee to your library or bookstore hastily and correct that deficiency.



Pitt Street Bridge/Park, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, USA

There was once a bridge on Pitt Street that connected Mt. Pleasant to Sullivan's Island.  That bridge is gone but the right-of-way has been converted to a very pleasant park with views of Sullivan's Island, Charleston Harbor, the distant Ravenel Bridge, and the saltwater marshland adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway.  A nice place for a walk, jog, sit, saunter, mosey, amble, or kayak. 

Looking towards Sullivan's Island.

Looking towards Mt. Pleasant.

The last 500 feet or so is on a wooden pier out into the marsh.

When I departed, a fancy car was parked with an unusually endearing automobile license plate (based on my stereotyped image of a Jaguar owner) - either that or he/she owns a chain of doughnut shops.  And yes, that horribly bright yellow reflection is my polarfleece sweater - it keeps me from getting lost with others- or shot at during hunting season in the Massachusetts woods. Plus, old people can wear anything they damn well please - and often do - now where did I put those multi-color plaid pants, striped bowling shirt, and white shoes?.

Angel Oak Tree, Johns Island, South Carolina, USA

Reportedly the oldest living thing East of the Mississippi River in the United States, the Angel Oak Tree, is a short drive from Charleston. And it is FREE to visit!

You can get a feel for the scale of the tree with Amy and Ian standing next to it.  Well, okay, so they're squatting not standing - it's still a mighty big tree.

Humans can build tall buildings, bridges, and other spectacular structures but, we can't build something alive that will last 1500+ years like this tree. Powerfully impressive - and equally as dramatic as the long lived Giant Sequoia trees in California -  you could almost feel Treebeard's spirit when standing close to the tree.

Isle of Palms, South Carolina, USA

Isle of Palms is a barrier island approximately six square miles with a population of approximately 4,000. The population swells during the popular beach seasons.  Many of the properties, both houses and condos, are available for vacation rentals.  We are staying in such a condo during these two winter months at a considerably reduced rate compared to the summer rate.

This pier is privately owned but, it still can be used to frame the sunrises very nicely.

This is the beach at the southern end of the island as low tide approaches.  The beach is almost deserted during this mid-30's Fahrenheit day with a 30-knot gusty wind.  Only one hearty soul from New England (that would be me) and resident dog-walkers braved the elements today.

I was always told, "don't point your camera into the sun," but contrarian that I am, I often point my camera into the sun just to see what happens. Usually the results are just junk but sometimes, I'm lucky and get an interesting photo like this one. This also illustrates one of the advantages of digital over film - you can "waste" as many shots as you want at essentially no cost.

A view of the beach midway between high and low tides.  I take a three mile sunrise walk most mornings on the beach, the first mile-and-a-half into the wind, then the return with a tail wind. There is always some good, hard, flat, walking sand except at the peak of high tides.  I like this place - A LOT.

The pier also frames sunsets......

Yep - I like this place a WHOLE LOT.

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

 Charleston is the second most populous city in the state of South Carolina. An etiquette expert  recognized Charleston as the "best-mannered" city in the nation. Travel and Leisure Magazine named Charleston "America's Sexiest City", as well as "America's Most Friendly." Southern Living Magazine named Charleston "the most polite and hospitable city in America." I, too, have found people here to be friendly and helpful as I wander around town.

St. John's Lutheran Church.

The Unitarian Church.

Charleston is also called the "Holy City" due to the great number of churches within and an attitude of religious tolerance.

A nice location for the big sleep.

The intersection of Church and Broad Streets - St. Philip's Church is in the distance.

Ironwork at St. Philip's Church.

A street-side artist, Dab, working on a painting of the Dock Street Theatre. A well-known artist in Charleston, he uses a technique known as Dabism. 

A detail of a cornice on the Dock Street Theatre. The Dock Street Theatre opened in 1736 and says it is the first building in America built exclusively to be used for theatrical performances.

White Point Gardens at the southern tip of the Charleston peninsula.

A peek into one of the many side yards along Church Street.

Another peek - seems like side yards/gardens are more prevalent than backyards although that's just my opinion formed on very little data - in any case, it's convenient for nosy tourists like me to steal a glance at how the locals live.

Another peek.

An entrance to the College of Charleston.  A plaque there says it is the oldest municipal college in America founded in 1770.  It has an extraordinary location downtown just off the shopping/restaurant  areas of King Street.  What a great location for young minds to get a sample of an elegant, clean, sophisticated city.

A look at another part of the college campus.

Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, USA

Sullivan's Island is just over three square miles in area with approximately 2000 residents.  That number swells quite a bit when the beach seasons are in full swing.

"Downtown" Sullivan's Island offers a half dozen or so restaurants on the main street.  I single out Taco Mamacita for a very specific reason..........

It is one of the very few restaurants anywhere I've ever been that offered a Vegan menu! And the food was great, too!

This is not the face of a Lego figure. Since the American Revolution in 1776 through World War II in 1947, Fort Moultrie has stood as part of America's seacoast defense. It is located on the south end of Sullivan's Island directly across the harbor from Ft. Sumter.

A view from the observation platform inside Ft. Moultrie looking toward the entrance to Charleston harbor.  The red arrow on the horizon at center-left is Ft. Sumter.  The American Civil War began at Ft. Sumter in 1861.

Today, Sullivan's Island has many beautiful and at least one very unusual home pictured above. The real estate website Zillow.com lists the value of all the beachfront homes on Sullivan's in the range of one to four million dollars.  This one is estimated at about three million.

Sunset shadows lengthen outside the Poe Public Library. Uniquely, the library is housed in a converted Spanish War era ammunition bunker.  The library is named for Edgar Allen Poe who served in the Army here in the 1820's. Many of his works of poetry reportedly draw on inspiration from his time on Sullivan's Island.