Tom – Page 17 – Random Connections

20 Albums

August 26, 2019August 27, 2019 Tom 2 Comments

I usually don’t go in for Facebook memes or games. My friend J. Todd Settle tagged me in one recently and I gave it some serious thought. The idea is to post twenty albums that had some influence over you. According to the rules you’re supposed to post one album per day, then tag someone else to annoy each day. I just don’t do that sort of stuff, but I do like the idea of reflecting on the music that played a part in your life. So, rather than annoy friends on Facebook, I’m going to post the whole kit and caboodle here. Sorry, Todd. I’ve always been an iconoclast.

Finding Camp Meeting

August 20, 2019August 20, 2019 Tom 4 Comments

Wilmore Camp Meeting circa 1960, Wilmore, Kentucky My Background Growing up in a Pentecostal preacher’s household, one of my earliest memories is attending camp meeting each summer at Beech Springs Campground near Pelzer, South Carolina. Those earliest memories were of an open wooden tabernacle with sawdust on the floors. The activities lasted all week with … Read More “Finding Camp Meeting” »

Paddling to Capers Island

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019 Tom 4 Comments

Paddling, Photography, Rambling

As a teenager I’d read a South Carolina Wildlife article about Capers Island, a barrier island on the coast. The place fascinated me, a wild, undeveloped island accessible only by boat. On this paddling trip with Lowcountry Unfiltered I was to learn that there are TWO Capers Islands in South Carolina, and the one we visited had some unusual human-created features.

Returning from Samish Island

August 8, 2019August 8, 2019 Tom No Comments

Travel

It a long haul from Samish Island, Washington to Greenville, South Carolina. It’s even longer when you’re traveling with animals and have a limited drive time. Last time I did this drive it was with our two cats. This time we were traveling with Amy’s dog, Luna. Also, instead of heading straight home, we threw in a side trip to Oregon to visit Laura’s Aunt Ellen.

On the Ferry with a $20 Camera

July 25, 2019July 25, 2019 Tom No Comments

Photography, Travel

We had taken one ferry trip, but the Keystone to Port Townsend trip was a bit short for Laura’s tastes. She wanted a longer ferry ride. So this past Wednesday we headed over to Anacortes to catch the ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. This time we would be walk-on passengers. Our plan … Read More “On the Ferry with a $20 Camera” »

Anacortes Shipwreck Days

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 Tom No Comments

Photography, Travel

When we were living out here in Washington I bemoaned the dearth of flea markets like the ones we had back home. There just weren’t any that met on a regular basis. There were yard sales and annual events, but no weekly markets like the Anderson Jockey Lot or Pickens Flea Market. What the PNW … Read More “Anacortes Shipwreck Days” »

PNW and the Olympic Peninsula

July 21, 2019July 21, 2019 Tom No Comments

Family, Photography, Travel

Several weeks ago Laura and her sister Amy drove across country to the house they inherited on Samish Island, Washington. They spent some sister time together and were able to do some final steps to close out their parents’ estate. Earlier this week Amy and I traded places. I flew out on Monday and will drive back across with Laura in a couple of weeks. In the meantime we’ll be getting back together with friends and visiting places we came to love during our year out here.

Return to Ferguson

July 18, 2019July 20, 2019 Tom 1 Comment

History and Genealogy, Paddling, Photography

The ghost town of Ferguson has been on my mind quite a lot lately. I’ve written a couple of articles about it and my blog posts about the town continue to be the most popular. I’m involved with a project dealing with Lake Marion and Ferguson that I’m not at liberty to discuss online, but … Read More “Return to Ferguson” »

Edisto River from Bobcat Landing to Brabham Landing

July 16, 2019July 16, 2019 Tom No Comments

Paddling

The Bamberg Chamber of Commerce has been sponsoring trips on the Edisto River the first Saturday of each month. I joined them back in April for a section from Zig-Zag Landing down to Whetstone Landing. This month they were paddling from Bobcat Landing on the South Edisto down to Brabham Landing. It was a new … Read More “Edisto River from Bobcat Landing to Brabham Landing” »

Blog Procrastination

July 10, 2019 Tom No Comments

Miscellaneous, Paddling, Photography, Rambling

It’s strange how procrastination operates, especially when blogging. I like to keep things as current as possible, but sometimes I get behind. That’s when a vicious cycle kicks in. I feel like I can’t write about new things until I’ve covered some of the events I’ve missed, then I get to a point where the backlog seems insurmountable. At that point procrastination becomes stagnation.