I’m sure you are thinking “why would she take pictures of an incinerator?”
As you can see, even an incinerator looks good in the morning sun. Actually it was the tall grasses, shining in the light that caught my eye.
I pass this old incinerator every morning. I know it is no longer used and that it was built in 1949. That’s about all I know.
I’ll have to see what else I can find about it!
Selu Conservancy, a 380 acre tract of land along The Little River, serves as a retreat center, and an outdoor classroom and science lab for Radford University. I’ve been to Selu several times over the years for business meetings, government retreats, special events, weddings and a memorial service. This day I came for the Fine Art & Crafts Holiday Market.
The day was rainy and cloudy, and as I pulled out my camera, one of the other patrons commented that there really wasn’t much to photograph because of the “dreary day”. I of course disagreed and only wish I had the ability to capture the beauty! Photographic opportunities are endless at Selu … today I offer just a glimpse into all that the Conservancy offers.
The Selu property houses The Barn (a research and science center), The Observatory (which resembles a silo) and an “authentic replica” of a 1930s homestead.
The mist and clouds made for striations of color against the mountains.
The grayish blue day provided a perfect backdrop for the silhouettes of the trees.
Jeff Armistead, the Director of Selu, and I, spent several minutes on the deck of the Retreat Center trying to photograph the multiple levels of color on display before us. I’m not sure that I was able to do justice to the view, but I sure enjoyed trying!
When your only child has only one day off of work for the Thanksgiving holiday (my favorite of the year!), you travel to see him. It’s a 6 hour drive from Radford, VA to Charleston, SC and I was on the road by 6am Thanksgiving morning. Traffic was light and the drive was easy and I was excited to see Andrew and to explore a bit more of his adopted city.
I’ve managed to take two short but fun trips to Charleston in the 6 months since Andrew relocated, both of which lasted only 24 hours. Someday I’ll get to stay longer, but for now, I’ll take what time I can get with my child and the City of Charleston.
The cooking began almost soon as I pulled in the driveway, with dinner time coinciding with the second half of the Redskins / Dallas game. Now, normally I would NOT be found in front of a TV while enjoying this wonderful holiday meal, but when you have 24 hours and it’s the biggest game of the year for a Redskin fan, you do what you have to do. And for those who are not fans of the game, WE WON!
We did find time to squeeze in a visit to one of Andrew’s two places of employment. The Hibernian Society was formed in 1801 with the hall dedicated in 1841. Yes, it is a men’s only organization, but I can appreciate the history of the building and the philanthropy of the society. The sign out front boasts the fact that the presidency alternates between a protestant and a catholic.
After dinner, we filled up our go cups (a great southern tradition) and in the dark of the evening, walked the historic streets of Charleston. I did not have my camera with me, and that may have been a good thing because I am not sure I would have been able to capture the beauty of those centuries old homes in the low light. The three pictures seen here were taken during my first visit this past May.
I’ll be working on nighttime shooting for future visits. What a lovely evening that was … strolling through alleys and alongside the battery, enjoying my wine, my child and history.
The next morning found us exploring The Angel Oak. Estimated to be 300 to 400 years old, this live oak is 65 ft tall and offers 17,000 sq ft of shade.
I love the way these old live oaks hang over the streets. Andrew was patient as I asked him time and again to pull over so I could take pictures.
The colors found in the grasses and the wetland marshes are gorgeous!
One of the goals of this visit was to walk the The Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge. Completed in 2005, the bridge has a 2.7 mile pedestrian (and bicycle) walkway. I could not stop taking pictures … what an amazing structure!
After a quick lunch, I got back on the road. I’m fortunate to have an adult child that I’m proud of … and to have him live in such a wonderful place, is an added bonus.
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 