family – Page 3 – Random Connections

McCormick County Photo Trek

January 17, 2012 Tom 14 Comments

Family, History and Genealogy, Photography

Houston and I had a day off in common, so it was time for one of our mid-winter photo treks. I really like exploring the area south of Abbeville, McCormick, and Edgefield. That part of the state is rather remote and rich in history, including our family history. Even though we’ve been down that way several times, I never seem to cover all of it, so it was ripe as another target.

Our exploration group was larger than usual. In addition to the two of us, Houston’s wife, Lynda, was coming along, as was our sister Glynda. The plan was to meet Houston and Lynda Sunday morning in the parking lot of Calhoun Falls Pentecostal Holiness Church. From there we would head south and see what we would find. Our route would take us past paddling venues, ghost towns, fire towers, and several important genealogy spots. It had the makings of a perfect day.

Florida Christmas 2011

December 27, 2011January 25, 2020 Tom 1 Comment

Family, Paddling, Photography, Travel

Another Christmas has come and gone, and again this year we’ve spent it in Florida with Laura’s sister, Amy. It’s been a busy week, with boat trips, paddling trips, and explorations of the area. Normally I would have done several posts, but I just hadn’t gotten around to it. So I’ve combined a few items in one long post. Here are a few highlights and photos…

Beaches

We took a couple of trips to the beach. First was a trip up to Avalon Beach on North Hutchinson Island after a shopping trip to Vero Beach. The wind was whipping, and the waves were higher than usual. We didn’t stay long at the little park, but just parked so that Laura’s mom could look out over the ocean and we could walk on the beach.

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Many Thanks

November 6, 2011 Tom 3 Comments

Family

It seems ridiculous to say that this has been a tough week. It most certainly has. Even having time to prepare, Dad’s passing was not easy for us, and his funeral on Saturday, while a celebration of his life and knowing he is now in a better place, was emotionally draining. The week began with … Read More “Many Thanks” »

Goodbye, Dad

November 3, 2011November 2, 2016 Tom 2 Comments

Family

I almost didn’t write this post. I wasn’t sure I could bring myself to do it. However, I’ve used this blog to document major events in the life of my family, as well as the community at large, so I shouldn’t shy away from this one, either. My father, Houston David Taylor, Sr., passed away … Read More “Goodbye, Dad” »

Aunt Grace’s 90th

May 22, 2011 Tom 2 Comments

Family

Saturday was my Aunt Grace’s 90th birthday. My cousin John held a surprise birthday party for her at his house, and many of the Ellenberg cousins gathered for the bash. My mother, Aunt Ann, Aunt Lois, and Aunt Grace were all present for the event. Of course there was cake and munchies for the crowd. … Read More “Aunt Grace’s 90th” »

Busy Spring Weekend

May 15, 2011 Tom 1 Comment

Family, Miscellaneous

It seems like every weekend this spring has been a busy one, with kayaking, family visits, festivals, and performances. This one was no different. In addition to our outing Friday night to Northampton Wines, this was the weekend for Artisphere and Chip’s Big Pig Gig. I started Saturday morning by heading downtown. My first stop … Read More “Busy Spring Weekend” »

Easter Weekend 2011

April 25, 2011 Tom No Comments

Miscellaneous, Photography

Easter was much, much later this year. We had our district’s spring break back at the end of March, but Greenville held fast and had theirs during Holy Week. It seemed a bit strange to have Easter come and go and not get any time off. Even so, I got a chance to do some photography and spend some time with family.

Saturday we spend doing household chores – installing new light fixtures, installing a new AC in the basement, etc. Saturday afternoon/evening Chip called and wanted me to join his family at Haywood Mall’s Spring Carnival. He had just purchased a new DSLR and wanted to give it a test run. The bright lights and garish colors of a carnival always make for fun photography, so I headed on over.

Little Olivia was mesmerized by all of the colors. It was a bit of sensory overload for an 18-month old, even with her mother and one set of grandparents there to keep things in check. She managed to ride the carousel not once, but twice…

Prosperity, Pomaria, Peak

January 24, 2011 Tom 1 Comment

Family, Local

…and other towns that don’t start with “P”

Saturday morning my sister Glynda and I headed down to Prosperity to visit the parents. Mom and dad were in the mood to get out and explore. We decided to hit some of our favorite places – the communities just to the east of Prosperity. Even though I had visited these places with the parents, Glynda had never been out this way.

First stop, Pomaria. The central business district of this little place is pretty much a ghost town, although there is still a lively community surrounding it. We stopped on Main Street to take some shots.

Interestingly enough, most of the businesses had the name “Wilson.”

From Pomaria we headed south to Peak. This has always been an intersting, somewhat isolated little community on the banks of the Broad River. I had always thought that the town got its name because of the hilly terrain, sort of like the nearby Little Mountain. However, it was named for the railroad superintendent of the time, Mr. H. T. Peake.

The main draw for Peak (apart from its quaintness) is access to the Palmetto Trail and the spectacular bridge that spans the Broad River. The town’s people initially rejected the plan, fearing strangers wandering through their town. I can only see this as a good thing for the community, as more people come to visit to see the bridge and the other railroad trestles that they are converting into footbridges.

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New Year€™s with Family and Helicopters

January 2, 2011 Tom 1 Comment

Family

This year our family wasn’t able to get together for our annual Christmas gathering. Schedules were just too crazy. We made up for it by getting together for Thanksgiving, then again for New Year’s. Even so, the whole group was able to join us, but it was still a nice gathering. We consumed collard greens, … Read More “New Year€™s with Family and Helicopters” »

Anniversary at Kissimmee Prairie

December 28, 2010 Tom 2 Comments

Travel

Monday Laura and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary. We usually like to get out and travel a bit on our anniversary. It was cold and windy, even in Florida, so a paddling trip or boat ride was out of the question. Instead, we decided to head inland to the Kissimmee Prairie, a 54,000 acre nature preserve north of Okeechobee.

Our directions from Amy were to drive down to Orange Avenue in Fort Pierce, then head west until it ended at Highway 441. It was 25 miles of the straightest road I think I’ve ever seen on this side of the Mississippi. It was another 20 miles on 441 through some of the most desolate countryside in the state. There were large ranches and orange groves dotted with small single-wide trailers. I couldn’t imagine living out here, especially in summer.

When we got to the Prairie we found a large flat area that alternated between palmetto scrub, grasslands, and wetlands interspersed with palm tree and live oak hammocks. A couple of dirt roads traversed the area, but for the most part the only way to see the place was on foot.