Pairs Week .2 /  by Dave Hileman

This photo for the “pairs” series is actually quite remarkable. Here we see a child’s pair of shoes on the beach with no footprints leading to nor fro. Clearly we have evidence of an alien abduction there is no other explanation for this phenomenon.

Food - Restaurant - Georgetown - South Carolina /  by Dave Hileman

Jill and I walked the main street of Georgetown, SC looking for interesting shops, ice cream and a restaurant for dinner. We found a few shops, 3 ice cream stores! and Frank’s on Front. We made a very good selection. Frank’s on Front is run by the daughter and son-in-law of the owner of the orginia, Frank’s Outback in Pawleys Island, SC that is apparently a very popular venue. So trading on the name in a different town we did not know what to expect. Was it just intended to get folks who loved the original in or was the food really good and the new place could stand on its own? Well, it turned out to be exceptional and, yes, a great place to eat. the decor was attractive with exposed brick as you might expect in an old downtown building but the added nice flare to the whole experience that transcended the ordinary brick and fern type restaurant. Very good service, flowers, nice dinnerware and extensive wine list. We were there for a late lunch, so we did not try dessert (surprise - we had ice cream up the street) or any special beverage although I had a very good ice tea. Jill ordered baby spinach salad that she enjoyed while I ordered a hamburger with sea salt fries. My meal was exceptional and Jill’s equally excellent. We are looking forward to a return trip to Frank’s on Front because it was so good (& there are two more ice cream shops to try in town:)

https://www.631front.com for more information.

Hurricane Weekend .3 /  by Dave Hileman

These track photos are the reason we experienced this adventure in the storm. As you can see from the photos Saturday a 100 miles east was sunny, light breeze and moderate temperatures. Quite a contrast to our morning. We had intended to spend the day here and get hotel on the way home, however, that was not feasible. Hotels were sold out for miles and miles as people who could escaped the storms aftermath. We choose to leave mid afternoon and drive to Knoxville. Our route was I-77 north to Wytheville and then 81/40 to home. It was a tiring day. I learned a lot at the track and made a lot of photos with several mistakes but also got some nice ones as I learned the nuances of the track and the motorcycles. Or at least a bit of that. I look forward to another opportunity in the spring or summer. Maybe both!

Hurricane Weekend .2 /  by Dave Hileman

The scope of the problems in Western Carolina are just starting to unfold. There are reports that it may take years for some of the restoration of services and roads. Certainly months for most areas. And the issues are serious. I encourage you to find a church or private relief group and find ways to assist. Out local Y has already gathered batteries, water and some other supplies and will deliver them on Wednesday to the Y south of Johnson City. Jill and I were fortunate but many more not so well off. One last photo from the challenging trip off the mountain, like many other spots where the trees were down, power lines had to be carefully negotiated so they did not catch on the mirrors or roof rack.

PS Photo credits for the storm photos and the restaurant go to Jill. Grace under pressure!

This Mexican restaurant was a welcome spot for hot food.- one of only two in Greenville, SC on Friday evening.

Before the storm we did get to see and photograph some elk, they are really magnificent creatures. Not sure what this bull had to decorate his antlers:)

Well, We Have a Theme: Hurricane Weekend /  by Dave Hileman

This was not where I started thinking about this week’s posts but sure where I finished. Most of the posts this week will actually be motorcycles, I know where did that come from. But today the main story. There is an old saying, “Man plans, God laughs.” Certainly true for me this past weekend, not the devastation but my plans. Jill’s brother runs weekend events for teaching how to safely drive motorcycles fast, ON A TRACK, I might add. I thought this would be a great way to try a new kind of photography. Since it was off south of Charolette in SC, I planed a weekend of activity for Jill and me, starting on Thursday with a drive to Highlands NC and a stay at the Skyline Lodge atop a mountain four miles east of town. I thought we would explore some of the waterfalls in the area, shop the quaint downtown and enjoy a nice dinner. On Friday the plan was to head to Greenville SC, another day of waterfall and short hikes leading to a walk in Greenville along the river that courses through downtown and a nice dinner I had planned. Than Saturday off to the track..

We did make it to Highlands, all day rain kept us from hiking and we saw only one waterfall that was near the road. (photos below). It was really running after 5 inches of rain in the 24 hours before we arrived. Up the mountain to the lodge and we noted the town was closed. Curious. No shopping, no ice cream and worried about dinner. We checked in and found out they had a restaurant but were unsure how much help would show up. (Not many!) It turns out the weather reports that I somehow missed had changed and worse weather was forecast for the area. They did not know how much worse. We did have a delightful dinner in a nice restaurant with the one waiter who was there and a cook, an assistant and the manager of the inn. We had power until about 6 AM. Torrential rains and winds up to 70 mph and zero contact with outside world. We were not sure what to do or what we could do. The staff spent most of the morning in the rain cutting trees that blocked access to the secondary road to get out of the hotel. At about noon two men arrived. They had come from Cashiers and said it was passable - barely. We made a decision to try, again, no idea what was going on. We did get to Cashiers - dodging a few trees over parts of the road and found out by asking someone how to get to Greenville and set off on that road. It was tough. We passed in 12 miles maybe 25/30 downed trees that access had been cut so there was a lane through or on the side of the road. Until we hit one that the people in the cars behind me joined in pushing it off the road enough to get past but to no avail as we made progress the one 4 wheel drive car that was ahead returned and said many big trees blocked the road. So we turned around and found another road with similar issues, trees, water and power lines everywhere but we snaked past. Until another road block but a lineman told me a road that would work, massive damage everywhere but after 4 hours we made the 60 miles to Greenville where we found downed trees, pools of water and power lines across the road. I made our way to the hotel where we had a reservation. It was the only one in Greenville with power! And they told us how to get to the only open restaurant. A mere hour wait at 4:45 was not too bad. The hotel was sold out early as people were trying to find shelter or power. The next day we traveled 2.5 more hours to the racetrack where the sun was shinning and the weather beautiful.

We were both exhausted and grateful, very grateful by the time we arrived home on Sunday night.

More tomorrow.

Sunday Scripture: /  by Dave Hileman

I see these colorful Calilillies like upturned faces with their voices open wide. If you look at the intricacies of this world and how they interrelate, the conclusion that a designer is necessary seems logical. And the scripture affirms that we are without excuse based on the world around us.

Food - Restaurant - Charleston - South Carolina /  by Dave Hileman

Today we feature Cru Cafe, a well regarded restaurant in downtown Charleston. You can read about it here: http://crucafe.com

Our experience lived up to the reputation. Jill and I went for dinner after a full day of walking and sightseeing around the town. The building is not pretentious, in fact, it is a bit underwhleming, until you enter. There you see gleaming tables, nice decor, fresh flowers, a really nice space. The menu was limited but we still had several choices that appealed to us. Jill ended up with a most unique chicken dish, Poblano and Mozzarella Fried Chicken that looked a bit like Cordon Blue. She enjoyed her choice and swooped just a bit over the Potato Gratin that came with her dinner. I had an eclectic seafood dish, Thai Seafood Risotto, that was well presented and tasted even better - a gem. We planned on a Jeni's ice cream a bit later in the evening so we did not sample a dessert at Cru. It is an excellent choice in a city full of delicious options, well recommended.

Boating on the Tennessee /  by Dave Hileman

Friends Jim and Leann took Jill and I out on their boat for a short ride one beautiful summer evening. It was peaceful and relaxing as the sun set and the rhythm of the water lapping along the boat soothed all the other sounds. And there were Osprey. Several Osprey. What a treat. We have not seen a bird on TLT for too long so, enjoy.

Yes I know this is not part four of the low country for Reasons!

Please note the photo that is not an Osprey is of Moby, the admiral for the trip.

The Low Country .3 /  by Dave Hileman

Charleston is a town of beautiful well-known homes like those on the battery or Rainbow Row and I have a lot of those photos but the last time Jill and I walked quiet streets away from the main tourist spots and I took these shots of homes not usually pictured.

The Low Country .2 /  by Dave Hileman

The Hobcaw Barony - that is the real name, was a land great made by the King of England in the early 18th century to a man who never came to North America. He was granted tens of thousands of acres. What is left was a joining of several rice plantations along the coast of South Carolina near Georgetown. In the early 1900’s a financier, Bernard Baruch, purchased several thousand acres and built a home on a creek to use as a winter retreat. Baruch advised Presidents from Wilson to Truman and was personal friends with Winston Churchill. FDR was secreted away from Washington is the later years of WWII for enforced rest. We were able to tour the home Baruch built and where he entertained both Churchill and Roosevelt. When we arrived - it is a long tour of the whole property - yesterday’s photos were also of our tour, the guide said there was a bathroom here. The bathroom quickly got a line and she told me to go use the one in the bedroom. It is the one for the guest bedroom and it is just like it was in the 1930’s. So FDR and Winston and I shared, well, you get the picture. This was a very interesting place and well worth the 3 hour tour. A hidden gem in Georgetown’s Low Country.

Want to read more? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Baruch

The Roosevelt / Churchill guest room. Also used by many other rather famous people.

Check out the sign on the way to Georgetown.

The Low Country /  by Dave Hileman

The coastal area around Charleston is known as the “Low Country.” Jill and I spent a week here on the second half of our honeymoon, so this week’s theme is from our trip and possibly a few other times that the Low Country has been the destination,.

One thing that is certain if it is summer (or spring or fall) it is hot and usually humid - it certainly was true on the second full week of August. That is just part of the reality of living in Charleston yet the benefits are lovely: history, scenery, ocean, marsh, charm, marvelous food and lots more. We had a great time and love the area, hope this week encourages you to take a trip to the Low Country..

Today the photos are from the Hubcaw Barony - story tomorrow plus….

…. when you find out how I shared a bathroom with FDR and Winston Churchill. Really.

I had to take this through the windshield of the van we were in, hence the mirror shadow. But it was so neat. This is the original King’s Highway and along it rode, Lafayette to meet George Washington, The Swamp Fox, F. Marion as he harassed the British, Cornwallis on his march to the infamy of the surrender at Yorktown and so much more. It would be Route 17 today if not for an influential man who did not want a highway across his land. More later on that story.

Church and house in what was an enslaved people’s village

A vital weather station along the tidal marsh

A Different Post /  by Dave Hileman

Today is one year removed from CIndy’s last morning. And my worst day ever. This photo is one of many where she was most happy - with one or all of her grandkids. This photo from 2008 is EB as a baby and Cindy’s delight in her curiosity. Cindy would be so proud of her children and her grandchildren a year later, they are all doing well, achieving and living in the context of church. We all miss her greatly.

My life took unexpected, wonderful turns and has so changed in the last year that it is hard to imagine. And Jill is a blessing every day. I am so grateful for such a compassionate and loving partner who knows how to bless and comfort when tears come.

Solitary .4 /  by Dave Hileman

Yes, I know this is very familiar - look at Monday’s post. However it is about 5 minutes apart. The dog continued down the beach and this fellow riding his bike came to an impasse with the inlet. It looks very shallow but there was an 10/12 inch crease filled with the water and the sides were quite soft. He was trying to decide if he could ride or push across or go back. A solitary moment.