A collection of photography and exploration focusing on Upstate South Carolina and beyond.
The TV show “Finding Bigfoot” had the biggest misnomer for a title. They never found him/her. All they did was run around in the woods making noise, claiming evidence that was easily debunked. I guess “Making Fools of Ourselves While Looking for Bigfoot” wasn’t quite as catchy. Despite my skepticism, I like Bigfoot stories. I … Continue reading Finding Bigfoot in Marion
A couple of my Facebook friends regularly paddle Stumpy Pond on the Catawba River. They regularly post photos of historic ruins and lovely scenery, It’s been on my list of places I want to visit. Fellow explorer Alan Russell and I finally got a chance to do just that this week, but this unusual September … Continue reading A Hot Sample of Stumpy Pond
For many years I was music director at McCarter Presbyterian Church here in Greenville. McCarter is a small church located prominently at the intersection of Pelham Road and East North Street, a spot it has occupied for the past 123 years. It seemed a unique little church in the bustle of a major neighborhood that somehow managed to survive.
But then I found out that it wasn’t unique. Continue reading The Oeland Churches
Last spring a guy with the unusual name of Beezer Molton contacted me about a photo. It turns out that Beezer is the owner of the Half-Moon Outfitters franchise. The Greenville store would be moving into a new store and he wanted a large print of the above photo to go into the new location. … Continue reading Full Moon at Half-Moon
I worked in Spartanburg county for fifteen years. During all of that time I never got around to visiting Nazareth Presbyterian Church. I knew it was one of the first churches in the area, having been established around 1765, but for some reason I thought that the building had been updated and no longer retained its historic character. I was wrong. When I had driven by it I had seen the new Family Life Center (a.k.a “gym”) and had thought that IT was the church, somehow missing the older building right next to it. While out doing some research on another project about church architecture Alan Russell and I finally paid Nazareth a visit. Continue reading Journey to Nazareth
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. Continue reading 20 Albums
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 … Continue reading Finding Camp Meeting
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. Continue reading Paddling to Capers Island
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. Continue reading Returning from Samish Island
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 … Continue reading On the Ferry with a $20 Camera