Mepkin Abbey

Recently I took a little day trip up to Mepkin Abbey.  It was one of the first truly winter-like days, and we took a picnic lunch to eat on a sunny bench on the bluff.  It was a lovely excursion.  

Across the forbidden monastic area, you glimpse views of the Cooper River.

The former plantation sits on the Cooper River, providing the most beautiful view of the sepia Lowcountry river under romantic, moss-draped oak branches, leaning precariously into the water.

The Snapshot Camera of Today

I'm pretty sure this makes me a terrible photographer, but sometimes I leave my camera at home because it's just too heavy, and the reality is that on my way to and from work I really don't much need it.  But when I don't have my camera, I will most likely have my phone.  When I saw this clip of Annie Leibovitz, I felt slightly better about relying on my phone to be my camera.  

I usually ride my bike from my car to work, but on those occasions that I do walk, I make sure to pass through some of my favorite parts of the city.  Here are some shots from my walk yesterday.  

Prettiest fall wreath.

  

This is my favorite graveyard in the world.  It's so wonderfully overgrown and magical.  It's how I think a graveyard should be.  A place where you give yourself to eternal life.  Take the phrase eternal life however you wish - in a religious context, or in a literally context that your body feeds these beautiful plants.  Manicured graveyards seem staid and depressing, mausoleums seem spooky, but this is perfection.  A soothing place meant for reflection.  It reminds me of a favorite line from the Avett Brothers: "I want to...give my body back to the Earth and not complain."

Prettiest graveyard flower.

Be Happy

Today was a spectacular day.  It was unseasonably warm, and beautifully sunny, so after work today I rode out to the beach for a nice bike ride.  As I passed so many wonderful beach cottages it got me thinking about the perfect beach house. 


I'm sure the grass is always greener, but I think I would be perfectly happy to live on a beach somewhere for the rest of my life.  Here's my perfect beach house: a brightly painted shack somewhere with warm water, a hammock on the back porch to take afternoon naps in, wind chimes to catch the ocean breeze, a deck to sit on in the evenings and watch the ocean, and a garden taking up the whole yard, within biking or walking distance from a grocery store and a little cafe that serves great fish tacos.  And of course, some wonderful people to share it all with.


What more could you ask for?


P.S. - If you like to torture yourself about living in the tropics, check out this blog.  You will want to move to Hawaii.  (I mean, who doesn't want to carve a pineapple for Halloween?)

Monday Afternoon

Today was not a particularly exciting day, but after work I made time to ride to a park and read my book on this beautiful day.  It was far too pretty to be stuck inside all day long, so I took my laziness outdoors.  I also discovered the most comfortable foot rest!  When I saw the preview for the recent Three Musketeers movie, I decided that I should read the real deal, and I've absolutely loved it so far.  I can't wait to really get into all the intrigue!

Quote of the Day

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”

- Vincent Van Gogh

Michael Kenna

My parents went to a lecture last week by Michael Kenna, which I really wanted to go see.  Unfortunately life gets in the way sometimes, and I had to work.  But I went by the gallery this afternoon to see his photographs.  Seeing stunning work like his makes me want to learn more about photography.  Lately I've been wanting to experiment with both a Holga as well as a pinhole camera, and my dad said that some of Michael's photos were taken with a Holga, which makes me doubly inspired.  

It's so funny to me how sometimes life conspires upon you, and the same idea will present itself to you multiple times in the span of a week.  I've been wanting to experiment with long exposures lately, and want so badly to take one tracking the path of the stars, centered on the North Star, and of course, there in his exhibit is one similar to this one.  

(Photos by Michael Kenna: 1. Japan 2. Guatemala)

Today's Love

This evening I was enamored with the striking garnet color of my wine.  It seems so strange, but during dinner I happened to look down at my wine glass - straight down through the wine and the glass to the stem and base - and I was so taken by the color.  Looking at the wine from any other angle you lost the clarity of the color, and it became opaque, but straight down through the glass, it was the most beautiful wine I had ever seen.  I attempted to capture this color on film, but alas, it's not quite the same.  



I am constantly amazed at the power of some small thing of beauty to make your day.

The Fair

This weekend I went to the Coastal Carolina Fair.  I haven't been to the fair in ages so I was beyond excited to go.  I'd been talking about it for weeks, and begging all my friends to go with me, and a few gave in.  

We rode most of the fun rides.  Apparently not everyone loves the Gravitron or the big drop like in the above photo.  But the classic Tilt-a-Whirl was still a blast!  Oh and the guy across from my friend on the Pharaoh's Fury looked like he was about to lose his cookies which I found highly entertaining because I (hopefully) wouldn't have been affected by it.  Thankfully he held out, but oh his face was so much fun to watch.  

I hit all the major food groups: fried and sugar.

It was all I'd built it up to be except for a few things: the advertised fried Kool-Aid was really just fried Kool-Aid flavored dough (I mean really, if you're going to advertise that, don't just flavor some dough...) and no one would go halfsies with me on a fried Snickers.  I mean, when else can you legitimately try a fried Snickers?  Oh hey, while we're out getting dinner mind if we stop by that fried Snickers place and pick up a few for dessert?  Yeah, that doesn't exactly work...

I guess now I have something to look forward to next year!

Notice the advertisement for "Deep Fried Kool-Aid".

P.S. - While I was looking through my photos, I was reminded of my pictures from Jazzland.