Thursday, April 27, 2017

Dixie Fresh ...



“A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal.”
                                  ~ Pat Conroy
                                       ~1945-2016

As soon as I spotted this cool sign at the Bluffton Farmer’s Market on a warm October afternoon in South Carolina, I knew I had to capture it with my camera!

On a personal note, I brought a dried cotton stalk bought at the market home with me to Pennsylvania, and luckily it survived the airplane flight without getting crushed! Today it is in a vase in my livingroom reminding me of Dixie, “the land of cotton.”

Fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants and herbs abound at the Farmers Market of Bluffton, a weekly community event where locals and tourists gather not only to buy excellent produce but also to enjoy delicious food, listen to entertainment, and relax with friends. Located in historic downtown Bluffton along Calhoun and Lawrence Streets and through Carson Cottages, this family friendly market showcases local growers, local food vendors, local entertainment, local community causes and local information about the Bluffton area.

The outcome of a grassroots movement that began in 2006, this vibrant market opened in 2008 at the Bluffton Oyster Company Park on the May River and was managed by volunteers. Because of the huge public response and its potential growth, the market moved to its present location. The current site not only serves the public better but also promotes downtown Bluffton merchants to tourists and locals alike.

The market, located in the Historic Bluffton Arts District in Old Town Bluffton, has been an overwhelming success. The Arts District features distinct galleries and offers an experience of eclectic mix of art and artists located in South Carolina’s Lowcountry tucked between Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Turkey Vultures And The Big Blue Sky ...



“Better have as king a vulture advised by swans
Than a swan advised by vultures.”
                                   ~ Panchatantra

A pair of turkey vultures in their treetop perch are seen against the bright blue spring sky as an April sunset approaches along the Ironton Rail Trail.

 I often see many groups of perched turkey vultures in the same group of trees along the trail near sundown.

The trail loops more than nine miles through Whitehall Township, the Borough of Coplay and North Whitehall Township in Pennsylvania.


Monday, April 24, 2017

Wild In Dixie ...



“Land really is the best art.”
                          ~ Andy Warhol
                                           ~ 1928-1987

A beautiful autumn landscape paints the scene on a gorgeous October afternoon at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, a 4,053-acre national wildlife refuge located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, between the mainland and Hilton Head. 

Pinckney Island NWR, established December 4, 1975, was once included in the plantation of Major General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, a prominent lawyer active in South Carolina politics from 1801-1815.