Morning Glories open to the rising sun on the edge of an old rice field pond.
10/14/2018, Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
Good Morning Glory
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Cypress Methodist Campground
I visited another of South Carolina’s Methodist campgrounds last week. It turns out there are quite a few still operating around the area.
It is immediately obvious that Cypress Methodist Campground is different from Indian Fields Methodist Campground as the “tents” are in a rectangle rather than a circular arrangement and it feels less unified.
This section in the first corner is dominated by a giant Live Oak tree dripping with Spanish Moss.
Some other differences that became apparent as I wandered the grounds were the newer metal roofs on many of the camps, locks on the doors as the result of vandalism, and the lack of front porches on most of the cabins.
Another difference is that the associated church building and a small grave yard are on the same property.
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist: Inside
The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist was open the day I discovered it and as I stepped inside I was somewhat overcome by the size. Many of Charleston’s churches welcome visitors to view their interiors, often with knowledgeable guides on hand, as well as for spiritual reasons.
I saw no one here, and saw no welcome sign, either. The interior is an amazing work of art and craftsmanship. I took a few images and went on my way.
Rust of Time
Opened in 1850, Charleston’s Magnolia Cemetery is now home to an abundance of decaying monuments and fences. The shapes and colors make them all beautiful.
I doubt the original mourners could have envisioned the current state of their loved ones’ resting places in this older section of the cemetery. Even payment for perpetual care, which is marked on many of the plots, has not prevented the ravages of time.
What will it look like in another 150 years?
Dividing Lines
I’ve photographed and commented previously on Fences Between Neighbors at Charleston’s Magnolia Cemetery. This section of the cemetery never had the fences or they’ve completely disintegrated, but the living made sure to leave lines of division.
7/14/2018, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
Methodist Campground
A circle of 99 rustic numbered “camps” form the Indian Fields Methodist Campground on a ten acre (four hectare) site in St. George, South Carolina. Indian Fields was built in 1848 and has been a site for religious gatherings continuously since then.
This site is used just one week a year; there is electricity and running indoor indoor to sinks only. Privies, also numbered, are out back, across the road.
This view from the porch of camp #25 shows how meager the buildings are. Even if their doors were closed there were numerous other openings into the interiors. I kept expecting to get startled by a bird or other creature that had taken up residence, but saw nothing.
This last view is from outside the circle where the cooking quarters all face outward to the circular road. The kitchens have been modified more than other parts of the camps over time with sinks, stoves, and storage compartments. I imagine that food is a big part of the social aspect of the annual gathering.
Taken 7/8/2018, Sony Alpha-6500, processed to have an old postcard look.
9/2/18 Note: I edited this post last evening to change 100 to 99 in the first sentence after Ted mentioned my error. I foolishly used the WP interface on my iPad and the post got all scrambled up and the last two images didn’t display. My apologies for presenting a mess.
Long Shadows
Long shadows reached from behind me, like arms stretching out across the pond. This end of the pond is covered in duck weed and mosquito fern, making it look more like a grass carpet than water.
8/22/2018, 6:20 pm, sunset about 8pm.
Blue Morning
Surrounded by blue
Wood Storks wade in Mary’s Pond
Small under the dome
Taken July 26, 2018, Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
Spoonbill Tree: Empty
It was a beautiful morning at this old rice field pond even if there weren’t many birds out. It was hot so they had reason to stay tucked in elsewhere.
This tree has become known as the Spoonbill Tree as it is a favorite perching and thus photography spot. The water is very high; often there are two or three alligators lounging on the ground up near the trunk.
See Early Morning Pond for a view of this tree taken last October with the roots exposed.
Grove House: Front
In 1825 George Washington Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, became the ninth owner of the land that he named Grove Plantation. Three years later he built Grove House. These images are the front of the house, taken from the extensive tree lined lawn from the left, center, and right.
As you move away from the building the massive Live Oaks close in quickly, giving a feeling of seclusion. The second floor porch that runs the full width of the house is very inviting and the wide overhang would have helped keep the home cooler during the South Carolina summers.
The house has survived numerous hurricanes and the wrath of the Civil War, during which many similar estates were torched.
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