A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
With all of my new activities I just haven’t gotten on the water as much as I would like. When fellow Chorale member Dale Strickland told me about an opportunity to paddle the Edisto River with the Bamberg Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the Edisto, I jumped at the chance. This past Saturday … Read More “Paddling with FRED” »
Ever since I started playing djembe I’ve heard about the Asheville Drum Circle. By the time I was thinking about heading up there last fall, they were shutting down for the winter. With the coming of warmer weather the circle is now back in full swing. This past Friday evening I finally had a chance to take part.
It’s been far too long since I’ve posted something here. The long and short of it is that I’ve been crazy busy getting things ready for my OLLI course and getting things ready for church. I’ve played with probably a dozen musical groups, but I’m even having to scale that back with my other obligations. Since the course seems to be taking so much time, I thought I’d give a quick rundown of what’s happening there.
Last week it was announced that a new preserve has been established under control of SC Department of Natural Resources. The new public space, called the Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area, will be open to hunting, fishing, and hiking. Located in Northern Greenville County along the banks of of the South Saluda River, the property … Read More “Buried in the Tall Pines” »
Early settlers seemed to have a fascination with reusing old names. The US is full of place names with the word “New” appended. In some places they didn’t even bother with the “New.” This longing for a hint of European homeland was the case with several of the ghost towns along the Savannah River – Hamburg, South Hampton Lisbon, Petersburg, New Bordeaux, and Vienna. On this unseasonably warm February day I decided to paddle out and see if I could find any remnants of the tri-city area of Lisbon, Petersburg, and Vienna, now located under Strom Thurmond Lake.
I haven’t really gotten back to my paddling routine since returning to the east coast. When I saw that my friends at Tri-County Blueways Paddlers were heading back to the Old Santee Canal, I jumped at the chance. It also turns out that with my new church duties this would be my last Sunday paddling excursion for quite awhile.
I had done the research. I’d read the book. I was ready to head out and find the angels sold by William Oliver Wolfe’s monument shop in Asheville, made famous by his son, Thomas Wolfe, in his novel Look Homeward Angel. Joining me would be fellow explorer Alan Russell.
Look homeward Angel now, and melt with ruth.
And, O ye Dolphins, waft the hapless youth.