A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
Yeah, it’s been a hell of a year. It started with big plans for travel and other projects. It ended with depression and wondering where things are going in 2025. There were lots of ups and downs along the way. On the positive side, I started my new podcast, Carolina Ghost Towns. That’s been a … Read More “2024 Wrap Up” »
Each year about this time I get lots of comments like this – “You would make a great Santa!” This year it went even further. I was invited to be Santa for a local Christmas parade. I declined, mostly because I wouldn’t be able to find a good suit in the short time before the … Read More “Saint Nicholas – Sinterklaas – Santa Claus” »
We knew there was a storm coming. We had charged up all of our devices and power blocks knowing that we would lose power. We had stocked up on a few things that we could cook easily on a camp stove. We were ready. …or so we thought. Hurricane Helene really did a number on … Read More “Going to Helene and (almost) Back” »
Five years ago I went down a rabbit hole. I started obsessing about the architect of McCarter Presbyterian Church, where I had served as music director for a number of years. I wrote about my research in a 2019 blog post about the Oeland Family and their involvement in the construction of multiple churches across … Read More “A Legacy of Faith” »
Today, August 3, 2024, would have been my father’s 100th birthday. He was born August 3, 1924. Dad died on November 3, 2011 at the age of 88, and I have missed him just about every day since then. It seems that he and my mother have been visiting me in my dreams more and … Read More “Dad at 100” »
It seems like our numbers at the Pickens Flea Market Musician’s Circle have been getting smaller and smaller. We’ve lost some of our players to old age and illness. I looked back at some of the photos I’ve taken over the years and lost count of the number of players that are no longer with … Read More “Living It Up at the Pickens Flea Market” »
We survived the holidays and had some interesting experiences. There was one particular drum circle in Melbourne that deserves it’s own blog post. After counseling I might be able to get over the images of Nearly Naked Nick and Thong Lady dancing around the Wiccan full moon bonfire. On the positive, more family-friendly side, Laura … Read More “New Year, New Endeavors” »
My apologies, especially to everyone who has left feedback on our contact form. Apparently the notifications haven’t been forwarded to my e-mail, so I’ve missed most of them. I’m going to try to respond over the next couple of days, and I’ll be more diligent about checking that contact form.
As we were driving out to Samish Island back last August we passed through a couple of old towns. Especially in Montana as we passed ranches and old abandoned farmsteads I had flashes of the Old West. The first line of a set of lyrics popped into my head. When we got to the island … Read More “Jeremiah Jones” »
Homecoming at Furman has always been a special time for us. It was when Laura and I first met and we’ve always treated it like a second anniversary. This one was doubly special. It was my 40 year reunion and it was Laura’s big retirement celebration. When planning for Laura’s retirement things got a bit…confused. … Read More “Furman Homecoming 2023 and Laura’s Retirement Bash” »