Ravenel (New Cooper River) Bridge - Charleston, South Carolina

The Ravenel (New Cooper River) Bridge is between Mount Pleasant and Charleston, South Carolina. We drove across it at least 8 times while we were in the area a few weeks ago. It is a landmark from so many vantage points around Charleston!

I took pictures from Patriots Point - from the parking lot,

from deck of the USS Yorktown air craft carrier

and from the picnic area -

and the South Carolina Aquarium

and even Charles Towne Landing.

I was not driving so was able take pictures from the front passenger seat as we drove across. The slide show below are my favorites.

Around our (Maryland) Yard in May 2013

Spring is a few weeks behind the norm but it is quite lush at this point. The iris bulbs that I moved to a sunnier bed last fall have very fat buds. They are quite happy with the change in location and will provide fill for the area until the new azalea bushes we planted this spring can reach their full size.

Our tulips were mostly browsed by deer very early. We only had two that managed to bloom.

I forgot all about the chives that have come up for years where we now have a young sycamore. There is some weeding that will need to be done there.

The usual bird’s nest under the covered deck had multiplied this year; there are two at opposite ends of the support beam. The cats will glare through the boards of the deck at the robin chicks - unable to do more than catch a glimpse of the drama under their feet.

There was a slow moving bee on the dandelion. The air temperature was just warming enough for insects to become active.

The tulip poplar blossoms are still tight buds. I was surprised at how intact the shell of a bloom from last year still seemed to be after the buffeting of winter and spring winds.

Most of the violets that grow in the deep shade under the deck were done but one lingered.

The sweetest scent of the walk around the house was from a bush in bloom. I was surprised that insects were not buzzing around it. Usually they are. Perhaps I timed the walk perfectly - when it was still cool enough for the insects to be sedentary.

Gleanings of the Week Ending May 04, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Lionfish Attack The Gulf Of Mexico Like A Living Oil Spill - Yikes! In 2 years, the reefs in the Bahamas lost on average 65% of their small prey fish…and 40% of the larger fish.

Comet Will Come Close but Most Likely Miss Mars Next Year - This could get pretty exciting.

Peel-and-Stick Solar Cells - Maybe solar cells will get tremendously easier to install

Science as Art: Nanoscale Materials Imitate Everything From Flowers to Frost - The beauty in the very small from the Materials Research Society

Digital Public Library of America - Opened on 4/18/2013.

Pearls and The Puzzle of How They Form Perfect Spheres

A visual look at 7 things that make us feel good about work - Infographic from TED

Video of the Week: Visualizing 150 Years of Health Data - and links to other visualizations and learning modules about visualizing data

Superstorm Sandy Shook the U. S., Literally - The storm had the impact of magnitude 2-3 earthquakes that went on for hours and hours

MandalaZone - Mandala’s by Peter Patrick Barreda

Amazingly Detailed Macro Portraits of Bugs - Flies and spiders and dragonflies and mantises.

Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens, located south of Myrtle Beach, SC, is more than plants. It has many sculptures spread throughout the garden areas and in museum type displays. There is a Butterfly House (photos in an upcoming post) and opportunities to learn about the history of the area which was colonized as indigo and rice plantations.

We were too late for most of the azaleas and camellias but the iris were beginning along the edges of the water. There was lush greenery and the black masked squirrels abounded.  There was sculpture everywhere - sometimes as the center piece of the garden and sometimes almost hidden in foliage. My favorite was of a dancer with swirling skirts.

I found myself interested in the faces of the pieces and picked some of the best for the slide show below.

The tickets for Brookgreen last for a week and I found it was well worth taking more than one day to see the place.

Maryland Sunrise - May 2013

It is good to be home again. I was up in time to catch the sunrise yesterday. The picture above was taken a few minutes before sunrise at 6:03 (sunrise was at 6:09). This time of year the view of the eastern horizon from our house is obstructed by trees. The oak tree in the foreground is full of blooms and rapidly growing leaves. But the clouds captured the color of the day’s beginning. What a difference from the sunrise over the Atlantic from a South Carolina beach I posted about a few days ago!

Observing sunrise is one of my favorite ways to start the day. The more beautiful it is - the more positive I feel about the rest of the day.

Peacock Images

On my first day in South Carolina, I saw a peacock sculpture at Brookgreen Gardens - marking a path into the gardens near the visitor’s center. The sculpture captures the haughtiness of the real bird that I saw the next day at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. The bird displayed for visitors standing in line to get tickets. The patch of grass and nearby fence was its stage. Periodically he screeched and was answered by peacocks elsewhere on the property. He seemed to enjoy the attention of people but needed the connection to others of his kin.

Peacocks must be one of the most dramatically plumed birds on the planet. Their feathers are long and lush with color and pattern. Did the idea for long trains of formal gowns (and the bustle that was fashionable at one time) come from the peacock’s tail (see the picture of the peacock on the fence at the right)? The color is structural rather than from pigment so it does not fade. I have some peacock feathers that are almost 30 years old and, while physically fragile, they still have their brilliant colors.

South Carolina Sunrise

Last week I was in South Carolina and managed to get up early one morning to catch the rise as the nearby beach - Surfside Beach, between Charleston and Myrtle Beach. We checked weather.com for the sunrise time the night before and got to the beach about 6:20 AM which was just before the sunrise. The moon was still out.

The sky was full of oranges and reds when we arrive but the sun  had not broken the line of the sea at the horizon. It was clear so the light simply filled the sky above the waves. The sun peeked over the rim of the ocean and the reds faded away to oranges and pinks.

We walked along the beach, picking up shells. The morning chill and damp kept us away from the water but the damp sand made walking easier.

There were other things to notice: the people surf fishing (they did have their feet in the water), walkers that briskly made their way along the beach, birds feeding at the boundary between sea and beach, pelican skimming the waves flight in formation toward the north, seagulls chattering, and at least one other with a camera there to capture the sunrise like me.

It was an excellent way to start the day.

April 2013 Doodles

Pink and black seemed to be my colors for April. There is only one in this set that has different colors! I’ll try to have more variety in May.

Enjoy the slide show.

Ten Months of Shelf-Fungus

Last July (2012), a shelf-fungus started to grow on the stump of an oak tree that had died and been cut down in our neighbor's yard. I first noticed it while our power was out after the derecho. It developed rapidly during the first month and then changed slowly through the remaining nine months in the slide show. I am posting the series now as a memorial to the shelf-fungus. They were ripped off their stump by the yard crew spreading new mulch in April 2013.

July 2012

July 2012

July 2012

July 2012

July 2012

August 2012

August 2012

Sept 2012

Sept 2012

Oct 2012

Oct 2012

Nov 2012

Dec 2012

Dec 2012

Jan 2013

Jan 2013

March 2013

March 2013

April 2013

April 2013

Gleanings of the Week Ending April 27, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

The Cancer Tradeoff - Robert Austin argues that cancer is a natural consequence of our rapid evolution

Dinosaur Embryo Graveyard - From southern China

Like People, Bees Learn From Watching One Another

Breathtaking Photos of Colorful Rock Formations in China - Vibrantly colored exposed rock layers

Plant DNA Largely Unchanged - We have a tulip tree at the edge of the forest in our backyard….and it is pretty much the same as trees that grew in the time of dinosaurs!

Nanoparticle Disguised as a Blood Cell Fights Bacterial Infection - An idea about what comes after antibiotics for bacterial infections….something completely different

Breathtaking Photos of China's "River of Poems and Paintings" - Seems like China is a theme for this week….this is the second gleaning about that country

Research Aims to Settle Debate Over Origin of Yellowstone Volcano - Mantle plumes near subduction zones are more complex that the previous models depicted

Light Paintings Created with LED Wakeboards - Even the photographs show the motion of the athletes…but watch the video too to understand how much work went into the production.

Snowcano - Volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula…and I see that ‘volcanoes’ is another theme for this week although Yellowstone and Kamchatka are quite different.

Desert Collages - March 2013

Today is a savoring of the vacation I had back in March in Arizona. I’ve made some collages of desert images.

Barrel cactus, lizards, cholla fruit, the edges of aloe, lichen. The eye searches for anything that is not the color of sand. The very sparseness of the desert highlights the shapes and colors.

The sky seems bluer in the desert. The tall spires of the desert spoon are not colorful but their shapes are classics of the desert.

And what about the saguaros and aloes. All the shades of green are there. One even has leaves outlined in white.

So - hear I am more than a month after the vacation - still enjoying the time in this place very different from the lushness of Maryland.

Stairs to the Roof

In Arizona, the flat roofs sometimes have stairs leading up to them. They can be used as a place to observe the sunset or sunrise…or the stars. It is a different way of thinking about that top part of the house. Lining the staircase with potted plants….putting a gate at the top to keep a toddler contained...it is an appealing difference from the roofs I see in Maryland.

And why shouldn’t we make roofs more than just a surface covered with shingles or other material to seal the house from the sky. What about collecting the water from the roofs into rain gardens rather than sending it to the sewers? Why don’t all roofs have some power generation function?

In the future - a roof that is only a roof should be the exception.

Yellow Botanicals

This is another in the series of posts using color as a theme. The yellow flowers include tulips, forsythia, witch hazel, Arizona poppy, daffodils, orchids, alstroemeria, and dandelions….so many beautiful blooms. Enjoy the yellow slide show!

Botanical Curves

Plants are full of curves - gentle curving petals of a deciduous magnolia,

The cups and spirals of young leaves that will flatten out as they expand to their mature form,

The graceful white markings that follow the veins on a tropic leaf,

The round nuts on a palm,

An old smooth edged leaf caught by deep green leaves,

And the folds of an amaryllis bud.

Are there any straight lines in nature? Or is ‘straight’ simply a matter of perspective - where we don’t have a large enough view to discern the curvature?

Travel Planning

I am more comfortable when I have a plan. It gives me a feeling of security that whatever I am embarking upon is getting my best effort toward reaching the goal. Travel is no exception.

On the flip side - there is a value to serendipity when it comes to travel and over the past few years I’ve honed my strategy to ‘plan…but not too much.’ Here’s how I go about it. 

• I start a mindmap that will turn into the plan. At first I just put the activities I want to do around the center of the map. References such as AAA tourbooks come in handy but I do a check via the Internet on just about everything. The addresses, costs and notes about each activity are the ‘leaves’  on the map.
• Most of my vacations are skewed to outdoor activities - hiking, gardens, beach combing. However, I always add indoor venues on my list so that I can make a quick change if the weather does not cooperate.
• Then I start grouping. Sometimes the grouping is by day but I have gradually moved to grouping activities that are in close proximity - color coding the indoor ones.
• The result is a one page summary (mindmap) of the things that appealed to me about the location I am visiting. I still need some other reference material but the one page is what is use to make most activity choices.

Now - how does this still allow the flexibility for the wonderful serendipity finds of travel? The key is to have more activities that can possibly be done in the time allowed. Make the choice first thing each morning and adjust. And enjoy the vacation you planned…but no too much.

Angel Trumpet

The Angel Trumpet flowers draw my attention every time I see them. What is it about Angel Trumpets that are so riveting?

Perhaps it is that the flowers hang downward instead of reaching for the sky and that their white or off-white color stands out from the abundant green foliage of the plant.

Or it could be the long tubes that are buds of the flower. They are so neatly rolled.

And then there are the spirals as they begin to unfurl….the spiral from the center and the spiral at the tips of the petals.

And then the petals are unfurled completely and the 5 rays from the center are visible

As they turn upward to make the trumpet.

There is a lot to notice about these flowers.

Gleanings of the Week Ending April 20, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles I read this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Bald Eagle Nest in Washington DC webcam - The chicks hatched in March. The nest is on the grounds of the Metropolitan Police Academy. The nesting pair has used the site for several years and successfully fledged young birds.

Clever Designs Built With Repurposed Egg Shells - I love the idea of starting seedlings in egg shells!

Mining Books to Map Emotions through a Century - Emotional archaeology through the written word

Former NBA player recalls the time he saved a dolphin by reaching his arm down its throat - Sometimes the serendipity events of life have tremendous meaning

Computer Scientists Develop Video Game That Teaches How to Program in Java - A trend for teaching in the future?

Radical Roads Drive Robot Cars - Autonomous cars….changing highways

Geography in the News - Maple Syrup Time - A rite of spring!

NASA May Be Towing an Asteroid to a Planet near You - Wow! Really?

Gaining and Losing Shares - Population distribution by region, 1790 to 2010 from the US Census

Rare Disease (infographic) - from TED

Crystal Clear Snowflake Photos by Don Komarechka - In celebration of the end of winter weather!

Ten Days of Little Celebrations - April 2013

Back in August 2012, I posted about finding something to celebrate each day. It’s an easy thing for me to do and the habit of writing it down reminds me to be grateful for these and a myriad of other things in my life. Here are some ‘little celebrations’ I’ve noted this month:

A friend from 40 years ago. What a joy it is to be in contact with a friend after so many years in different parts of the country!

Tile art. The nature center where I volunteer has started a fundraising effort that involves children making squares of art that will be transferred to tiles. The children and parents have such fun making the images. I can hardly wait to see the walls of these unique tiles.

First spring day. It was a little late this year. Everything was delayed and then suddenly - spring sprung!

New azaleas. We finally filled the bed in front of our house where some bushes had died. The azalea bushes evidently love their new home; they started blooming almost immediately.

Flicker. There was a flicker investigating the forest at the back of our yard. Maybe there will be a nest!

Steak. We don’t have steak all that often and this time we thought it had burned on the grill - but it was very tender - and tasty. Celebrate!

Butterfly. It was pretty cold but there was a brave butterfly on the plum tree. It was the first of the season.

Deciduous magnolias and cherry trees. These are the two early bloomers in our area. This year they peaked together.

Travel plans. I enjoy planning for travel. It’s the preparation of the mind to maximize the experience of where I go. The anticipation is worth savoring.

Dark chocolate. This should be on my list every month. 

3 Free eBooks - April 2013

The Internet has a growing number of online books…and many of them are free. This is my monthly post highlighting 3 that I have enjoyed most this past month.

Gray, Asa. The Forest Trees of North America. Washington D.C., Smithsonian Institution. 1891. This is really the plates prepared for a book. The work was done between 1849 and 1859. It is available in PDF form here. The first three images hooked me for the rest of the volume: magnolias and tulip polar. The tulip poplar in our back yard is just getting ready to bloom…and the image captures the look of the tree quite well.

Redoute, Pierre Joseph. Les Roses. Paris, De L’Imprimerie de Firmin Didot. 1824. There are actually three volumes available on the Internet Archive: 1817, 1821, and 1824. All three contain pages and pages of botanical prints of roses. I was prompted to look for these books when I saw a reference to them in May Theilgaard Watts’ Reading the Landscape of Europe.

Sale, Edith Dabney Tunis (editor for James River Garden Club, Richmand). Historic Gardens of Virginia. Richmond, William Byrd Press. 1923. Available from the Internet Archive here. The book includes the birds-eye view of many gardens as well as a few vistas from ground level. It is tempting to see how many of these gardens still exist!

Brookside Gardens - April 2013

In mid-April - the deciduous magnolias were the highlight of Brookside Gardens. They come in many varieties although they are generally pink or white. The petals are generally large although there is one that had petals that curled like ribbons. Many times the petals are pink on the outside and white on the inward facing surface. Healthy trees are dense with blooms on otherwise bare branches.

The grounds were covered with new growth. Fiddleheads and native plants are coming up through the mulch everywhere in the gardens.

The tulips were just beginning to open and many of them looked like they had been damaged by the extremely cold weather in late March. I am always drawn to the blending of the yellow and orange tulip petals in the sunlight.