A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
The first Lowcountry Unfiltered trip of the year is usually what we call a “swamp stomp,” a hike that takes us out into the wetlands of the lower part of the state. This year we decided to revisit a portion of the Palmetto Trail, this time on by bike. The Wateree Passage of the Palmetto … Read More “Biking the Wateree Passage” »
Twenty years ago I held my as the clock ticked from 11:59 to midnight. There was a real fear that this might be The End of the World as We Know It™. To me, that was just yesterday, and those memories are fresh in my mind. It’s hard to fathom that the college students in Laura’s classes were either born AFTER the year 2000 or were too young to have any experience of experience of the Y2K scare.
I can’t believe I haven’t posted anything here since Halloween. November was a blur, and December was upon us before I knew it. We have now entered the most chaotic time for professional musicians. This past week alone I’ve had either a rehearsal, a performance, or a group jam session every day. Since stores have … Read More “A Christmas Carol, Revisited” »
The story of a “Crybaby Bridge” seems to be a common trope in tales of the paranormal. There are Crybaby Bridges all over the country. Each bridge has a similar story. Usually, a distraught mother kills a baby by tossing it into the water below. Thereafter, any travelers crossing the bridge at night will hear … Read More “An Electric Crybaby” »
For many years I’ve known about the underground railroad passage in Anderson, South Carolina. The passage hints at a forgotten history and neglected part of the city. I’ve visited the entrances to the passageway several times, but just never got up the nerve to explore it by myself. This past week fellow explorer Alan Russell joined me, and together we finally got a chance to explore Underground Anderson.
Kouign amanns (pronounced “queen amahn”, are an incredibly decadent pastry from Breton. According to Wikipedia, it is described in the New York Times as “the fattiest pastry in all of Europe.” So, of course I like them. Instead of cake for Laura’s birthday, we decided to try to make them at home. The first time … Read More “The Queen of Kouign Amann” »
This year Laura’s birthday coincided with her Fall Break from Furman. Since I’m no longer tied up on Sundays and since she had a long weekend, we decided to do something completely different. Neither of us had been to Atlanta in a long, long time, so we decided to do a museum weekend with visits to the Fernbank Natural History Museum and the Georgia Aquarium
I have let things slip. Yes, it’s been another writer’s block stretch. I’ve been doing research and some exploration, but nothing that would make a whole blog post. I’ve posted things to Flickr and to Facebook, but not here. So, I’m going to do a catch-up/update post with a few miscellaneous items, then do several shorter separate posts.
For many years I drove over the bridge over the South Tyger River at Berry Shoals, looking longingly at the old steel trestle bridge downstream and the twin lakes of Berry Shoals Pond and Silver Lake. I wanted to explore the area. However, I was always in route to one of my schools or on some other school district business, so I never got a chance to explore…until now. Sadly, my explorations were cut short, all for want of a hat.
After only seven months on the job I have resigned as music director at Hopewell Methodist Church. It just didn’t work out, for lots of reasons. When I took the job my duties were to play the piano for services, direct the church choir, and oversee the other music ministries. My stated goals were to … Read More “Maybe There’s Hope” »