Plantation ruins

Day is done, gone the sun

Sorghum field at sunset.

A perfect day of solidude

About 2:00, I realized that I was living a perfect day. I didn't set out to, but it just unfolded that way. I have a lot going on in my life right now, things that aren't pleasant or enviable. There's a marriage that's dissolving, a child at war, another child who can't understand why the marriage is in the place it is. There's a job I lost 3 months ago, and a depleted account. There's a living situation that's up in the air. It's new territory everywhere I look. But those are the time when your soul gets stretched in good ways too. I'm learning to meditate, to pray more meaningfully, to know my own inner voice and to trust her. I'm more attuned to every day's reality.

Before our beach house is sold, I am enjoying a few days of job-hunting from here. Since everything's internet-based anyway, why not? Given the choice between a small dark apartment, or a roomy beach house.... hmmmm.... that's a tough one. I have had a few friends down, but for the most part, I've been alone. Solitude isn't unwelcome.

So back to my perfect day: I awoke at 5:00 am and went to lie out under the stars... it's so clear, and the Milky Way was perfectly visible, along with Orion, the Pleaides, and a multitude of other constellations. I went back to sleep, then made frech toast and bacon and coffee....my breakfast of choice. I walked Zeus on the beavch, then went for a bike ride to a nature preserve about 5 miles away. I rode around the loop of the preserve, and took a detour out to an isolated beach. There I took a swim and walked for about an hour. I finished the loop, and stopped for mint chocolate chip ice cream before coming back to the house. The doors are open, the temperature is perfect, the skies are cloudless. It just doesn't get much better.

Saving loggerheads

I am at the beach and am leaving tomorrow to go home. All week I've been watching the loggerhead turtle nests, hoping to see a hatching. Every night I after dark I would walk to the nests and see absolutely no change. But tonight, one of the nests had a three inch hole that appeared to be about 6 inches deep. I went home and got a chair and a flashlight, and a few kids to accompany me. We set up our chairs to watch for the hatching. Within 3 minutes of getting there, the hole caved in further and started squirming (top picture). Even though there was a full moon, clouds completely obscured it. Some of the houses had their lights on and the turtles started heading for the houses, not the ocean. They would all have headed to the houses and not made it. (I saw baby turtles on my street last year who had headed inland toward the artificial lights and died.) I shone my flashlight on them and they immediately turned toward it. With flashlights and cellphones we led all of them to the ocean. I've witnessed a hatching before (and two nestings!) but have never felt like my participation made a difference, until tonight.

Light and shadow

This week's assignment is to explore the interplay of light and shadow. For the photo to be successful the shadow must play an integral part of the design. All these were shot with ISO 50 film. For purposes of the assignment all "Light/Shadow" photos had to be on a separate roll from the "Light/Texture" photos...which was frustrating. I think the jellyfish here could go in either category, and the photo of Zeus in the "Light/Texture" post could equally well go here.

Light and Texture

The assignment here is to use light to accentuate surface texture. It helps on these to click and enlarge, in order to see surface texture well.

ISO 50, 125@f8


ISO 50, 2@f11


ISO 50, 125@f8


ISO 50, 350@f4

Two friends

Stillness

Parallel Play

Packers

Abstract aqua

That's some kinda legacy you got there...

... who in 1732 gave to this Church certain slaves.

Out on a Limb

Ravenel

Common view

Though this was taken at the beach in October, I figure it's an accurate enough, and a common view of me...just replace the background with this, and you'll have me in the dining room:

Leaving Edisto

There's always this friendly native to bid you farewell.

Back to the real world

This is what I was doing a few days ago; but it seems like longer than that! I'm snowed under with school projects and laundry.

Sunday memories

Testosterone Bowl:


In the backyard tree:

Shoreline Still Life

Bell Buoy

This Edisto landmark is closing this year. The decline in the local fishing economy, combined with escalating land prices for development, are responsible. I think it's a shame. I bought 3 pounds of fresh 20-count shrimp and some fish for tonight's dinner, and a T shirt to remember it by.