How could I see something this beautiful and not stop the car? After a few days of rain and two nights of very COLD temps.........I saw these amazing azaleas today. I had to capture them!! I will not even try to describe the color and beauty.

I spotted this "Lady Bug" the other day.

What a fun car!!

Downtown Charleston Horses

I had to show you these beautiful horses that pull the tourist buggies all day long. They are the true strength of the buggies. I wonder if they get paid in carrots or sugar cubes?

A Beautiful Lone Wall

Downtown Charleston has an abundance of historical, vintage, architectural elements and beautiful buildings. I decided to take some time to seek out some of them. I took 221 photographs today ~ I will not be posting all of them. Each and every one is wonderful, but I will, only occasionally, share my favorites.

This lone wall, that looks like it was once part of a grand building, still stands down next to the water. What a wonderful wall ~ the window and doorway openings are still intact and it made me wonder who might have walked through that doorway, now with living green things growing there. Could this have once been someone's home? Perhaps the main building housing offices long ago? I would have liked getting closer for a better look, but it is all fenced in. Notice the spindles in the top openings. Imagine the wind blowing through them in the storms that come this way. I love that the wall has not been demolished ~ it is part of Charleston and has a beauty all its own. Sadly, I imagine someday it will disappear as there are condos being built in that area.

Wisteria

This beautiful wisteria is growing wild in the trees along the road to my house.

RAIN

Yesterday, it rained hard all day. I had to make a quick trip to downtown Charleston and I fought the rain everywhere I went. At one point, I was behind this tourist buggy and I was thinking how cold and wet those poor people are. But I guess if you are visiting Charleston, you want to see the sights, rain or shine. I took this picture and I think it is so cool. I am sure the visitors will not forget this ride!

APRIL ~ The Turtles are Back

Spring is here and the turtles are back. We had such fun watching them last summer in the pond behind the office. They disappeared sometime late Fall and they have been missed ~ I guess they must burrow down in the mud for the cold months. We have counted up to 13 of them at times and they have slowly reappeared over the past couple of weeks. They love that we give them crackers, pretzels and bread. Sometimes, the little fish manage to grab the food before the turtles can get to it. By the end of last summer, some of the brave turtles would come right up to our hand to grab a morsel. We'll probably have to start from scratch ~ not sure how good a turtle memory is. (:

The return of the turtles is just one of the many wonders of Spring. The trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, the grass is greening up and we can look forward to spending many beautiful days outdoors!

HAPPY APRIL!!!!

Things I Love......

Family * God * Friendship * Seashells * Trees * Pizza * The Smell of Dirt * Mountains * Mexican Food * Rain * Salem & Roanoke, VA * Altered Art * Beaded Things * Lizards * Jewelry * Moss * Leather * Starfish * VW Beetles * Starfish * Seahorses * Fenton Glass * Soul Music * Snow * Mermaids * Stars * Full Moon * Jeans * Little Birds * ART * Quilts * Art Galleries * Good News From Doctors * Walking on the Beach * Walking in the Snow * Wedding Cake * Visiting KSU * Donald Drumm Studio * eBay * Etsy * Memories * Cosmo Wild Flowers * Angels * Fountains * Blogging * The Smell of Gasoline * Indian Food * The Smell of Just Mowed Grass * Fall * Spring * Leaves * Pumpkins * Halloween * Christmas * The Smell in Concrete Stairwells * Tag Sales * Vintage Jewelry * Vintage Fabric * Cottages & Cottage Decor * Deer * Frames * Peace * Chicago * New York * Windchimes * Container Gardening * Birdbaths * Monkeys * Painting * Making People Smile * Bowling * Turtles * Photography * Cool Breezes * Thunderstorms * Books * Eating Out * Coke * Vintage Christmas Ornaments * Paper Dolls * Marbles * Antique Malls * Valentines * Porches * Barnes & Noble * Chocolate Chip Cookies * Waterfalls * Riding in the Country * Music * Artists * English Gardens * The French Language * Italian Food * Visiting the Neighborhood/City Where I Grew Up * Ponds * Lakes * Ocean * Time *

A Few of Today's Treasures

Angel Fountain

This beautiful fountain is outside of an antique store at Folly Beach. I love it!! Being a fountain AND angel lover, this fountain is perfect. However, being very large and very expensive, I will have to look at the picture from time to time instead of the real thing.

Spring Quote

"BEHOLD, MY FRIENDS, THE SPRING IS COME; THE EARTH HAS GLADLY RECEIVED THE EMBRACES OF THE SUN, AND WE SHALL SOON SEE THE RESULTS OF THEIR LOVE!"
~Sitting Bull

Resolution

Yesterday I had to run to Folly Beach to make a return for my sister who had visited there a few weeks ago. When finished, I only had time to park the car and zip out into the sand and snap a couple of pictures. You, of course, are seeing those pictures on this post.

I am so tired of not having the time to go to the beach and walk and relax. I am always in a hurry and have a zillion things that need done. Enough! I resolve to go to the beach one day this week to walk, pick up shells, take pictures, look for little sea creatures in the sand, and just R E L A X !! I will soon be moving away and won't have the opportunity to go to the beach on a whim, so I must make time for this. I will post about the restful, dreamy day I had.

Anoles

One little creature that I will be sorry to leave here in SC is the green anole lizard. Anoles are slender climbing lizards, 6-8" in length and they can vary their skin color from green to shades of brown. They are cute little lizards and I have become used to seeing them on my porches almost every day. They are fun to watch.

I don't think there are any lizards in VA ~ they seem to like the warmer southern temperatures. I will miss seeing them scurrying around. These are some of the anoles that I have taken pictures of over the past year. Cute?

Flowers

EARTH LAUGHS IN FLOWERS.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson