Williamsburg County Courthouse, SC: Monuments to Change

May 31, 2020 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

I took these pictures and wrote this post last summer, but was never satisfied with my text. Tonight, as a curfew has been imposed by our county and there is unrest all around us, it seems appropriate to remember these leaders.

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The Williamsburg County Courthouse in Kingstree, SC was built on a Revolutionary War era parade ground. In addition to the courthouse, which was built in 1823, and various war memorials, there are monuments commemorating Justice Thurgood Marshall and Dr. Martin Luther King.

Williamsburg County Courthouse Memorials

A civil rights attorney, Thurgood Marshall succeeded in having the US Supreme Court declare segregated public schools unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and in 1967 became the first black Justice on that Court.

“I did the best I could with what I had.”

Williamsburg County Courthouse Memorial: Justice Thurgood Marshall

Dr. Martin Luther King spoke locally on Mother’s Day, 1966, advocating the power of voting.

Williamsburg County Courthouse Memorial: Dr. Martin Luther King

“Unless we learn to live together as brothers
Surely we will die apart as fools.”

Flowers, Landscape

Hydrangea and Gazebo

May 30, 2020 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

Hydrangea, Day Lilies and a gazebo were reflecting in a small pond on the grounds of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

Raptor

Barred Owl Owlet

May 30, 2020 Ellen Jennings 1 Comment

Way up in a pine tree this fuzzy Barred Owl Owlet was drying off after a downpour.

One of his parents was over by the bamboo pond; I did not spot the other, but don’t doubt it was nearby.

Based on previous year’s experience we’ll soon be seeing junior closer to the pond to get hunting lessons.

Wading Birds

Juvenile Little Blue Heron Hunting

May 28, 2020 Ellen Jennings 3 Comments

A juvenile Little Blue Heron poked along the edge of a pond in between some Cypress knees looking for a meal.

He quickly swallowed a couple of small finds.

After a bit he flew up onto a bridge railing and showed off his mottled blue coloration. Sometime in their second year the Little Blues become fully blue.

Raptor

Barred Owl, Green Scene

May 28, 2020 Ellen Jennings 8 Comments

The sun was peeking in and out after a heavy late afternoon downpour. The tree canopy has filled in over the small pond below this Barred Owl’s perch further limiting the light on this gorgeous emerald scene.

Artsy

Twig Symbol

May 27, 2020 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

Symbol of what I do not know, maybe nature saying hello.

Insects

Black Swallowtail

May 26, 2020 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

A pair of Black Swallowtails were doing their thing along the edge of a pond.

Quick poses then flitting along at full speed constituted much of the action.

Then they stopped for an interaction, somewhat shielded from my view by tall grass.

I liked the intersection of the curlicue vine with the butterfly’s antennae and the nicer view of the blue wing spots in this last image.

April 28. 2020

Building

Magnolia Plantation House, River Side

May 26, 2020 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

A few days after I posted Magnolia Plantation Cupola, River Side I was in the same place with a similar sky and a shorter lens on my camera.

Without much contrasting color to break up all that green I processed these images with a vintage photo look.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC

For a view of the other side of the house see my post from November 2019: Magnolia Plantation, the House

People

Memorial Day

May 25, 2020 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

In remeberence.

Wading Birds

Yellow-crowned Night-heron at Nest

May 25, 2020 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

Luck and being aware of movement play a role in nature photography. I happened to catch this fellow moving and only when I got a little closer and peered around some limbs could I tell it was a Yellow-crowned Night-heron.

I was then surprised to see a nest, with a nice curtain of Spanish Moss on one side and leaves on the other.

There were two adults present and after a bit one of them stepped out for a photograph or two.

Passing By Photo

Monthly Archives: May 2020