Superstorm Sandy Donation Sites

Broad St., Charleston, S.C

We still have flowers blooming in our window boxes while the north east has been whipped to shreds. The Post & Courier passed on these donation sites accepting contributions for victims of the superstorm. Let's do it. 

The Red Cross: If you would like to give to the Red Cross, which has opened more than 190 shelters along the East Coast and has hundreds of disaster relief workers on standby, you can donate online, by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS, or by texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10. The Red Cross is also seeking blood and platelet donations. To learn more, visit RedCrossBlood.org.

The Salvation Army: You can donate $10 to the Salvation Army by texting “STORM” to 80888. If you are already volunteer-certified, you can sign up to help out with disaster relief.

AmeriCares: You can donate to AmeriCares’ relief fund to help the organization, which is distributing supplies to 130 clinics in the 13 states affected by Sandy.

World Vision: Despite flooding at its Bronx, N.Y. warehouse, World Vision is organizing relief efforts. You can text “GIVEUSA” to 777444 to make a $10 donation, or donate online to help.

Operation USA: If you would like your donations to go to efforts abroad, Operation USA is helping victims in Haiti and Cuba, who were also deeply affected by the storm. In addition to donating online, you can text “AID” to 50555 to give $10.

International Medical Corps: Another option for donating abroad is the International Medical Corp, who are coordinating efforts in Haiti.

New York Blood Center: You can donate blood, which will be used to help injured people, as well as hospital blood banks affected by the storm.

Enjoying the weather

King & Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

It's been that kind of weather. Motorcycles everywhere, cars with tops down, dogs hanging their heads out of open windows enjoying the breeze. I am restless in September until the risk of hurricanes passes but we have had some lovely days lately.

Funny, I didn't notice the different shades of paint on the building until I looked at the photo. 

If you aren't cooped up in an office tomorrow there will be a turtle release on Kiawah according to the Holy City Sinner. I'd like to see that some day. Hmmmm....it is at 4:30 pm. I wonder.....

Shades of Green

Burbage's Grocery Store, Broad St., Charleston, S.C.



Shades of green! Burbage's Grocery Store on Broad St. consistently wins the Best Corner Store award from the Charleston City Paper. I did a series on Charleston's corner stores a few years ago. It's probably time to visit them all again. Any favorites I should feature?



I got to town in time to drop off donations at the American Heart Association on Kings St. so put on my walking shoes and just kept on going. It's lovely outside. What a relief after months of heat.

Before & After - Broad St.

Broad St., Charleston, S.C.



I printed off a set of these old photos taken after the earthquake of 1886 and stuffed them in my trusty backpack. When I am out walking I pull them out and try to find the spot they were taken from. Some of them I can't match up but this one was easy.



Thanks to the Librarian who linked me to these treasures in a comment. This one is labeled: Charleston, South Carolina, Earthquake August 31, 1886. Thrown gable and twisted chimney at the residence of Bishop Lynchat on Broad Street opposite Orange, looking northeast.



It's after bed time again and my weekend is over. Sniff. You can't say I don't make the most of my days off. Now, get to bed kids. No more stories. No more glasses of water. Someone turn the lights out.

Broad Street's Lonely Leopard

People's Building, Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

This is the saddest picture. I've taken quite a few photos of the pair of leopards guarding the doors of the People's Building on Broad St. but now this one is missing his mate. Vandals knocked over and destroyed his companion. I'd really like someone to solve this crime. The crime stopper number is at the bottom of the Post & Courier blurb below.

Vandals Destroy Leopard:

Vandals destroyed one of two marble leopards that have graced the entrance to a Broad Street landmark since 1957.

Sometime between 6 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday, someone smashed one of the leopards and left it in pieces near the front entrance of the Peoples Building at 18 Broad St., according to a Charleston police incident report.

The pair of centuries-old Italian marble leopards were taken down from their pedestals in 2003 for restoration. They were returned in 2004. Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked call Charleston police at 577-7434 or Crime Stoppers at 554-1111

Tuesday Night Hodge Podge

Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

Time flies! I took this one on my walk last weekend. The parade of pretty young gals dressed for an event caught my eye.

The nice thing about the world ending on the 21st is that I won't have to pay my flood insurance bill. That is a relief.



Pecha Kucha 10 tickets are on sale for May 25th. Act fast if you want to go, they usually sell out quickly.

My new tenant emailed to say she found "claws and tails" in her oven. Oooops. Kinda looks like we practice voodoo witchcraft around here. The previous occupant liked to hunt and he left some odd bits and pieces drying under the gas pilot light warmer. I knew exactly what happened since he had given me a wild boar skull as a gift before he left but I am sure it was a little freaky.

It was this kind of weekend, wasn't it? I have random fire ant bites to prove it and a few splashes of blue paint left from painting a little table to match my Adirondack chairs. Sweet. I do shower, I promise, but I get streaks of paint in odd places and miss scrubbing them off until someone at work notices.

Broad St. Candid Camera

Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

Pet Owners Smile! You're on Candid Camera!

I know I should be posting pictures of spring gardens in blossom but this is what delighted me on my walk today. I love these people! How fun. Smile!

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weekend weather.

My Kind of Town - Charleston, South Carolina

Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

When the Smithsonian Magazine asked authors to write essays about their hometowns, they wisely picked writer Josephine Humphreys to write about Charleston. A few years ago I went to Ashley Hall School to hear her read her essay out loud. I think you will enjoy it as well:

My Kind of Town: Charleston, South Carolina
Novelist Josephine Humphreys says the city is more than just her hometown, it's her life.

Josephine Humphreys is the author of four novels: Dreams of Sleep (winner of the 1985 PEN/Hemingway Award), Rich in Love, The Fireman’s Fair and Nowhere Else on Earth, an historical novel based on the true story of the Lumbee Indian outlaw Henry Lowrie. A former Guggenheim Fellow and winner of the Lyndhurst Prize, she lives in Charleston, South Carolina, where she was born.

How hot is it?

Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

It's so hot they had to put in a wading pool on Broad St. Nice!

Picture this painting of a picture....

Major Peter Bocquet House, Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

Artist Gina Brown finished another painting based on one of my Charleston photos. I am enjoying this! Check out her entry at: Gina Brown Art.

Y'all behave. I've been invited out to dinner like a big kid. I'll be back and want to hear that you ate all your peas.

National Geographic Traveller Link

King & Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

This made me smile! The National Geographic Travel site lists Charleston Daily Photo as one of their recommended links to find free things to do in Charleston. Coolness abounds my friends!

During the years I lived overseas without TV or English radio, we had two magazines delivered - Time Magazine and National Geographic. We read every article. We read them in bed, read them at the table, read them by kerosene lamps and snuggled up by the coal stove. They are probably still there forty years later. Tipsy mailmen drinking sweet milk tea from thick clear glasses as they played carrom, read and shared them at the Post Office before delivering them to our door.

We had four or five English records for the record player then - Tennessee Ernie Ford and Jim Reeves, so the thin black plastic mini records occasionally included between the pages of the National Geographic magazines were big hits. Something new to listen to! I used to be pretty good at the "Speeches of Winston Churchill" and I bet I can still recite most of "Sounds of the Whales." Heh.

Any link from National Geographic is a happy trip down memory lane for me.

I am off to do my main free and best thing, walk the peninsula.

Wildlife on Broad

People's Building, Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

This fella and his twin guard the People's Building on Broad St. which is on my regular walking route so it only seems polite to say hello when I go by. He doesn't look like much of a threat up close, does he?

The eight story high rise was the highest building on the Charleston peninsula when it was built in 1911. It's all condos now. Googling around I found this article with pictures of the top floor. Wow. 72 windows. Quite incredible.

Good weekend I hope. I worked too hard today catching up with chores and yard work. Blah.

Wednesday Funny

Broad St., Charleston, S.C.

Quick funny from Miss Cellania and then I need to get to bed. G'night folks!

Ole, while not a brilliant scholar, was a gifted portrait artist.

As his fame grew, people from all over the country were coming to him in Minnesota for portraits.

One day while Ole was mowing the lawn, a beautiful woman pulled up to his house in a stretch limo. She asked Ole if he would paint her in the nude. She said money was no object -- she was willing to pay him $50,000.

Not wanting to get into trouble with Lena, Ollie asked the woman to wait while he went in the house and conferred with his missus.

In a few minutes he returned and said to the lady, "Ya, shoor, you betcha. I'll paint ya in da nude, but I'll haff ta leave my socks on so I'll have a place to wipe my brushes."

Step, lurch, step....

Broad St. & East Bay, Charleston, S.C.

I dipped into my Charleston albums for this shot since I'm a bloody cripple still with my nasty swollen toe, cut above my eye and bruises up and down my arms.

What do folks who don't spend an hour walking every evening do with their time? It's driving me crazy and it's just been two days. My toe is less swollen this evening so I put on the only sandals I can wear and lurched around the block walking Rutledge, Morris, Jasper. Heh. Step, lurch, step, lurch.

Naturally I've been telling everyone it's an old sex injury.

Broad St.

Broad St., Charleston, SC

I have a design link for you this evening. notcot: ideas.aesthetics.amusement. Cool stuff.

The end of February. How did this happen?