The Oval Drawing Room on the second floor of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum embodies the flaunt-it lifestyle of the mercantile elite of the late 1700s – early 1800s Charleston.
The tea set has plenty of its own bling, with opulent decoration.
Panel mirrors and cornice gilding helped brighten the room for after dinner parties, reflecting candle light.
This home has been restored to its 1808 appearance and is part of the Historic Charleston Foundation collection.
Photos taken October 13, 2021
Follow up to :Â Who’s Calling?
These vines grow along many of the rice field berms and overgrown fields I frequent in the wildlife management areas. Most of the year they are rather non-descript and innocent looking, until you find one has latched onto your pants with multiple thorns.
This is the first time I remember noticing their blooms, which are tiny, but there were a small million of them, all looking very healthy.
The thorns are tiny, too. This next image is a severe crop and way over-sharpened, and even then the thorns are hard to see on the stem leading to that center flower.
These two patches were close together, but had different color schemes in the leaves.
The individual flowers aren’t much to look at after they opened, but the water drops made this one special.
If you think you can step over it without an interaction you’re advised to raise your foot another couple inches, just to be sure!
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, Green Pond, SC
March 21, 2021
Or early?
When I took these photographs I thought these were dried leaves in an arty configuration. On closer inspection at home, I think there may be more to it as they are too precisely shaped.
Here’s a slightly closer view. It was quite breezy that day which may be why I didn’t get a closeup shot
I’m hoping to return to this spot soon, and to remember to look. If I do and they are there I’ll follow up.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
February 3, 2012
It was a slow bird day at the swamp and I was looking for movement around the edges.
I didn’t see any moving creatures but did spot two groups of fungus that were in their own worlds in a crevice of a dead tree.
The next two images were taken with the Canon built in flash.
I didn’t have great footing and as I didn’t want to end up in the swamp I didn’t try to get the two groups together.
Here’s a wider shot of the tree where you can see the grouping from my first image; the second is a bit to the left. The tree had to have been magnificent in its day and is huge. I doubt I could put my arms around that limb. Sadly it has deteriorated noticeably in the five years I’ve been passing by.
I like to photograph wildlife with water reflections and even when they aren’t a mirror image they can be interesting. The ripple in this water gave the reflection of the Mute Swan a groovy beak and two eyes.
Less than a second later the reflection had a new shape with two distinct heads.
I walked by this stump recently when it was nicely lit by the late afternoon sun. I was reminded of a previous post, A Waiting Stage, and took a few images.
It was almost exactly a year later, and the biggest difference in the scene is more green moss now on the trunk. I also got a different angle with Palmetto fronds in the background.
There was still no wildlife taking advantage of the stage but I still think it is an attractive spot and will continue to keep my eye on it.
A juvenile Bluebird landed between the pickets on an old metal fence at Magnolia Cemetery.
A wider view showing off the corner element of the fence.
Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
August 7, 2020
