Plantations!

In case you can't tell, I have become very involved in my 365 Project which you can see on the right at the top of this page. It consumes me and I have less and less time for my blog. I feel badly but I love photography so much that I have become addicted to this project.

Dave and Marcia came to visit last week from Seattle. Kirby met them about a hundred years ago and they have stayed in touch. We have been able to get together just a couple times over the past 10 years. We enjoyed their visit to Charleston so much and hope they will come back for more real soon!This beautiful Peacock was hiding in the bushes and DID NOT want to move, he was so hot. I got really close and he just sat there suffering in the heat!

Remember that you can click on any picture to enlarge it!

We had so much fun taking picture of the egret.
Discussion on which trail to take next!
Love, love love this picture of Kirby!

Marcia with the hydrangea!
Dave and Kirby taking a break.

Our Whirlwind Weekend

Ryan traveled from San Diego and we didn't stop from the moment he arrived until he departed. Thursday morning he, Christie and I headed off to the beach with my two yellow granddogs.

Click on pictures to enlarge

After lunch we took Ryan to Daniel Island to show him Christie and Michael "new house". Constructions is about to begin!! We got a little carried away exploring on Daniel Island and showing him around - so we didn't have a whole lot of time to prepare for Thursday night's graduation. We had dinner at a South Carolina Mexican restaurant. It wasn't too bad considering where we are! Then it was off to the coliseum to watch grandson Casey and over 700 young people graduate high school! In this picture - Casey and his girlfriend, Callie - both graduates now!
We were up way too late that night - it was back to the house for desert and "Presents"! Always the best part of graduating, right? Friday morning we headed out to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens - this time to tour just the Swamp Garden.

The most exciting part of the day was the VERY large alligator that was about to cross our paths but fortunately we noticed that the log looked a lot like an alligator. After much talk, yelling and excitement, the boys threw some pebbles at him which encouraged him to go back in the water! Thankfully none of the dogs wanted to play with him!
Kirby was the good guy and carried water for the dogs.
Friday night we had a barbecue and then played "Apples to Apples". Miss Photographer forgot to take pictures!

Saturday morning we were up and out early to Cypress Gardens. Wow, what a bargain! We toured the gardens, had a picnic, went out into the swamp in canoe like boats, visited the butterfly house and then watched a very large alligator have a rabbit for dinner. Ryan, Brendan, Michael, Casey and Kirby

The boys tried to upset some bats but nothing happened. Darn!


And a good picture of my favorite man!!

Ryan's Here

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Graduation for grandson number two is tonight and "Uncle" Ryan flew in last night. Christie, Brendan and I met him at the airport and went directly to Wild Wings where Kirby, Michael, Casey and Callie met us for dinner.

This is Casey and his girlfriend, Callie. I didn't get good pictures of anyone else. Later. Off to a beach walk now.

Piccolo Spoleto Festival - Charleston

Yesterday we were downtown when the Piccolo Spoleto Arts and Crafts Fair opened. We love going but a main attraction this year was a friend's booth in the Crafts Fair. Phil had been working evenings and weekends making wonderful wooden boxes. He uses woods from all over the world to make his little boxes. One particular box had at least 7 different woods in it!
There are so many wonderful objects d' art that one can go crazy IF one has money to spend! Alas - we didn't have that problem! So I just took pictures so that we can keep the memory of all the wonderful things we didn't buy!

The hand blown glass bowls were over $1,000 each but so beautiful!

On my 365 project the theme this week is Shadows. I thought these shadows were wonderful and all together make a great picture.

We decided to "buy" this one! It would look very nice in our living room!

We had seen things similar to this in Mexico but never up this close. They were amazing. Just look at the detail in all these dead people! Each of these figures is only about one inch high. I don't know how this is done but I love it. They were made by Indians in the Andes.
We really wanted this picture also. It is just so southern - so lowcountry. White Roe Shrimp season begins tomorrow in South Carolina!! Yea! I have missed my shrimp!
And these are Didgeridoos!! They are a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australian about 1500 years ago. That is one old instrument. It makes sort of an eeire sound but we liked it! I wanted one of those too but I know myself....I wouldn't learn to play it!

And in honor of all our beer drinking friends - I took this picture for you but it was VERY expensive so I didn't buy it for you!

Duck Day at SRC

Is he cute or what?

I don't usually write about work but today was a really fun day. I helped with a benefit that we held to support the Lowcountry Orphan Relief and also the local Rotary Clubs. Each year the Rotary Clubs let loose 30,000 rubber duckies in the Wando River. The first Duck back to the dock wins. The person who has adopted that duck gets $15,000! I can handle that.

This is me and my favorite young single guy. He said he likes older women - but I like Kirby too much!

My company, SRC, purchased (excuse me - adopted) 50 ducks with our sponsorship and if one of those ducks wins, the proceeds will go to Lowcounty Orphan Relief. We had a lunch for all employees today and the proceeds of that also will be donated. We had tacos! Yum! We had drawings (I didn't win but my bosses wife did! - I wonder if she used her husband for a little pull?? not really) And the helpers got to where duckie hats!! We had ducks everywhere - even on top the cupcakes for the bakesale. It was a really good day! And also - I didn't take the pictures so there were pictures of me! Old.Here we are in line to get our tacos, beans, rice and salsa! Yum!

These ducks are actually toppers for the cupcakes! Great job!

And yours truly!

Quite Weekend

I don't have a lot of exciting colorful pictures to post. No one visited us. We didn't do much - we just sort of had our life this weekend. Yesterday we took Jake (our yellow dog) to a small doggie fair and he had a blast. Well, he enjoyed all the sniffing and saying Hi to all the dogs but he didn't like the tracking chip we had installed between his shoulder blades and he didn't like it when we left him with the groomers. Oh, but he really did like all the dogs there. He was so excited to see each and every one of them. He is the most dog - dog I have ever known! He LOVES dogs.

Saturday morning I got up early to go to the large pond here at Charleston National and get some early morning pictures. They didn't turn out as good as I would have liked but it certainly started my day off well.

Last night grandson's Brendan and Casey came for dinner and a movie. They are so big - so tall now. Both 6 feet plus and I must say, quite handsome. Kirby fixed some chicken on his new grill which he is getting very good at using and then we watched "The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas" which wasn't anything special until the last 10 minutes and then it really gotcha! It was a fun evening with our boys.

This evening we had our first thunderstorm of the week and it was wonderful. We went outside and sat on the screened porch and savored each moment of it. I think that is what we enjoy the most about South Carolina. I tried to get a picture of the rain but it just didn't work.

So, for someone who prefers photo journalism...I feel lost. Here is my only picture for the week.

Click on Picture to Enlarge

Last Sunday we had a very special visitor. A few months ago Kirby went on an internet search for his old Navy buddy - from 40 + years ago. And - by golly, he found him! Sunday, Ed came to visit. They had not seen each other or communicated in all those years. And oh, my did they have fun sharing old war stories and remembering good times together.

We picked Ed up at his hotel and took him to our favorite downtown pub - Tommy Condon's. We had sandwiches and then I left them and went in search of the perfect photo - which I did not find but sure had fun trying.

Update to My Life

Last night we went to Casey's soccer game and he was awesome! He is a really good soccer player and I am enjoying having his games close to home so that we can go. He is playing with his school this year instead of a club. He graduates in a couple of weeks so this is it. This is Casey's last home game. (All the boys got Mohawk haircuts for the last couple of games - lookin' fierce!)
Thursday evening I joined some of my co-workers at the "40 under 40" awards here in Charleston. I had helped in the nomination of Tiffany Crosby and she won! We are so proud of our young 29 year old star - at work and in the community.

Mother's Day

The Happy Mother and her daughter. **Son too far away in California :( **

Happy Mother's Day to all my friends who are mothers too! I have had a wonderful day. It started with the flowers yesterday from Ryan and his family in California and then today we had brunch with Christie and her family. We went to Fuel and if you will remember, Kirby and I celebrated our anniversary there last year. I love it and of course the biggest draw is that we can take the dogs!! Yea! We had 3 yellow dogs wanting to check out what ever was served at each of the tables. And of course they serve one of my favorite ales - Drifter Pale Ale.

That was fun but - then Christie and I went downtown where everyone was all dressed up and families roamed the streets. (College of Charleston and the Citadel both had graduation this weekend and all the families were in town!) But - we went to the bead store and got some lovely, lovely things. I just love seeing all that shiny colorful stuff! And then we went home, relaxed and played with the pretty beads.

Now I am sipping a glass of red wine and reflecting on what a wonderful day this has been and how lucky I am to not only have such great children, but to get to celebrate so many Mother's Days with them.

Man Cave Party

It had been quite a while since our last good Cave Party. Last night was really good. We had more food than we could eat, lots and lots of laughs, the men played golf and the women bowled. How's that for a good party?!Actually a good picture of Kirby and I!

The Cave Queens - Ginny, Suzie (me), Jennifer, Diane and Susan. Good friends!!

Bowling in the Cave.

And of course Jake had a good time...he loves the Cave!

I just realized today when I came back and looked at this posting that all the pictures are of the Cave Queens! How funny! The MAN CAVE! no men! ha ha!