After showing you the beautiful homes in Charleston (YESTERDAY'S POST), I wanted to share more from Charleston, SC with you today. We were there in June of '08 and the Crepe Myrtles were in bloom and gorgeous. You can see some in the top photo. People tell me that Spring is the best time to go because of the Azaleas which are in bloom then. More photos are below.
See the fern growing on this Live Oak tree? It is called Resurrection Fern... Interesting, huh?
For all of you gardeners out there, how do you like this landscaping???? Note the ivy (or ground cover) even on the steps!!!!! Wooooooo!
Looks like this house is going through some renovation. BUT--that's not why I included it. I wanted to show you the DOOR. I didn't know this, but many Charleston homes have a 'false' door---which only leads onto the porch area , and not into the home itself.
What material is this house made from???? Stone???? Well---NO. People who build (or renovate) homes in Charleston 'try' to keep these homes in the Charleston historic style. This home is 'really' WOOD... But, it is made to look like stone. Interesting, huh????
When George and I visit places, we try to find out everything we can about the area. This little tidbit is interesting I think. After the huge earthquake in 1886, the older homes in Charleston got 'earthquake rods' --which helped straighten the walls of the houses. See the rod running across this home? Did you know this? I didn't before that trip.
This picture is a tad blurry ---but I wanted you to see the turnbuckle where the rods can be adjusted to reenforce homes that were damaged or cracked by the earthquake.
Finally, here is a picture taken from the Battery of Fort Sumpter. We didn't get out to Fort Sumpter while we were there --but George has been there. Neal and family visited there recently.
Charleston is really a gorgeous, old southern city. Visit it if you get a chance--and while you are there, ask questions and learn about the things you see. I personally spent WAY too many years ignoring so much around me...
Hugs,
P.S. I found a new gadget on Blogger yesterday which I hadn't noticed before. It's a "Search" gadget. I put it on my sidebar, and asked it to search my blog only. SO--if you are looking for all of my posts on something specific (such as Tallulah Gorge or Bluebirds), you can type that into the search box, and they will come up for you. I have been yearning for some kind of index (other than the labels), or a table of contents. This is at least a start!!!!!
51 comments:
Interesting stuff, Betsy!
I wonder if the false door had something to do with the possibility of flooding?
I imagine keeping up those houses in a way that safeguards their historic appeal is an expensive proposition.
And...the earthquake rods don't seem as if they'd be strong enough to do much with a whole wall of building...but they must do the trick!
Beautiful, beautiful place, and thank you for these pictures. I've read about Charleston, but never been there, and I've never seen anyone's pictures...only the glossy ads.
Beutufl place and gorgeous houses.
Great capures Betsy.
Happy spring.
PS. Just followed.
Oh these homes are so beautiful! I read the book, In the garden of good and evil' I think that's what it was called and it was set in Charleston. It got me wanting to go there so badly but again, it will have to go on the list...
I have been to the Fort...beautiful area isn't it?
Oh, I love Charleston! Thanks for taking me back there. All the historic homes there along the waterfront are simply beautiful.
Charleston is a beautiful city. We drove through Charleston a few years ago but I would love to go back and spend some time in c
Charleston.
I love resurrecting Resurrection Fern. Amazing plant.
Not sure I would feel comfortable in a house held together with cables but we salvage what we can.
The Fort would be an interesting visit.
I've been to this city once and loved it. The seafood is great!
Good morning Betsy, love your beautiful spring crocus header!
We have been to Charleston but not for a long stay. Charming city, rich in history.. thank you for the tour and the interesting tidbits about which I was not aware.
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend. We are supposed to get some sunshine today, then on with the rain the rest of the week. The gardens will be happy. Hi to George.
Huge porches are one of the things I love about the South. And I dearly love live oaks!
Your eye for photographs is beautiful, once again I can't wait until my husband and I are able to head out to that part of the world again it's so charming. Thanks for the search tip...I'll try to figure this stuff out too.
Dorothy from grammaology
grammology.com
Great post, Betsy. I just love Charleston. A favorite place to visit although I wouldn't want to live there.
And how about Tennessee??? Here's hoping they make it to the Final Four and beyond.
Yep. Charleston is definitely on my to do list!
I really like the new look of your blog.
I feel like I learn so much just by reading blogs,and yours is most informative.Those old homes have such character and charm.
Blessings,Ruth
Thanks for the lovely tour and wonderful information. Those houses are magnificent!!
That ivy is considered a noxious weed out here and is eradicated whenever possible. It is so invasive. Other ivies are ok but kept in check.
MB
We visited Charleston once a few years back and took the carriage tour with a guide who explained all the interesting details about the city - much of the stuff you mention. It is such a beautiful and historic town. We hope to go back. Thanks for sharing this and bringing back memeories of a lovely trip!
I loved the ivy that grows along the railings of the stairway. I was interested in the cable that runs along the width of the house. Had never heard of such a thing before.
Charleston is a beautiful area. My daughter and son-in-law were stationed there and, as a Texan, he was miserable and worked hard to get sent back to hot, dry, barren West Texas - oh well to each his own.
Thanks Betsy for another beautiful post. Love learning new things about places we visit! Haven't been further south than Kentucky and love the charm there!
What a nice scenery you've got! perfect, great post!
Thanks for sharing...
Pink
I'll take that little pink mansion. Nice pictures of the Charleston area, Betsy. Diane
Everything in this post is so new and interesting to me. First, that house with the ivy all over it, too much for me!! We have a few like that around here, and all that ivy, trees, etc., just eats up the sun and makes everything so claustrophobic and dark! The false door is a hoot! But that rod, unbelievable! It's so thin, I just can't believe it would do anything at all to help those massive houses! Also, it's something I would have hardly glanced at, it just looks like plumbing or something, so it's well disguised. The stone/wood is real interesting to see! I guess it's harder to just use real stones?
I did not know about the earthquake rods, that is a new tid bit for me. I like learning new things about old things. I have taken the trip out to Ft Sumter and really enjoyed it. about the Resurrection Fern. it grows in our oak trees here and it looks dead UNLESS it rains. the rain comes and the fern turns from ugly shriveled brown to bright green. it lasts just a few days and shrivels again. comes the rain it resurrects again.
I was in Charleston once...just for the day. Not near enough time.
I am going to check out your search gadget...I put one on my blog at one time but it didn't work very well. At one time the search box at the top of the blog worked really well on my blog, but it doesn't any more. I have no idea why.
More lovely photos! Thanks. That was interesting info about the earthquake rods; hadn't heard/seen that before.
Betsy, I've never been to Charleston - but would love to! Your pics are wonderful; love all the beautiful houses. Southern homes, history, and culture are always interesting to me.
Betsy, I enjoyed both of your posts about Charleston. What a pretty place, and I enjoyed all the interesting tidbits you included. How do they walk up those steps with the ground cover on there? Seems like it might be slippery when wet? Love the Crepe Myrtle--so pretty! Hope you have a nice weekend! :)
Maybe we should use those earthquake rods here in SoCal!
Nice post and I like the new theme too!
Charleston is absoulutely wonderful.Thsoe are really awesome pics of charleston.
Cheers!
Oh, Betsy, Once again, Thanks for sharing your travels and all of the history you bring with.
The photos of the architecture and lush greenery and flowering shrubs, ferns, is amazing. I love all of your grand entries. Keep on sharing. You're wonderful
BlessYourAdventures
I have never been to Charleston, but would really love to go! Thanks for all of the interesting facts and great pictures...I agree, we sometimes ignore the world around us....we miss so much!
I would love to know what camera and lens you use to capture such great bird shots?
Beautiful place.Interesting wooden house whith false door.
It seems as if those earthquake thingys really work since the house is still there!!! I just love azaleas and haven't ever had much luck growing them, I think they must have to be pampered and I don't do much of that. They do have new everblooming varieties that I would like to try but are pretty expensive...Loved your photos!!!
I was in Charleston quite a few years ago and remembered it as a very beautiful place. Your photo's make me want to visit again. Thanks for sharing them.
I use a canon rebel xt with 75-300 but mine doesn't seem to zoom in as close as yours.....
How lovely to see colour. I love the ivy on the steps but it must be difficult to walk on. I had never heard of earthquake rods, what a good idea. We are lucky here to only have small quakes and hardly ever. The houses in Charleston are stunning. thank you for the lovely tour and all the information that goes with it. I, like you, like to find out as much as possible about the places I visit.
I did not know about the false doors-the false brick/rock-or the rods-so I learned a lot!! And I loved the photos as always : )
hi betsy!
thank you for the gorgeous exposure
to charleston. i particularly love the
ivy climbing up the staircase.
and that you are a singer! i don't run
into many here.
do you mind if ask how you injured
your voice?
i am so protective of mine and hope
to keep it for many years.
thank you,
lea
It certainly is an interesting town and as I will never get there I am lucky to discover it through your blog.The houses are fascinating and the earthquake rods remind me of our cyclone rods. We have rods that look like those but they go vertically from the roof to the concrete foundations and they are inside the walls so they are not visible. They are supposed to hold the roof on in a cyclone.
BTW you have always been able to search your blog by using the search box on the top left hand corner of your navigation bar. Try it! I typed in waterfalls and got all your posts on waterfalls.
I'd love to visit Charleston one day ..it looks so beautiful!
The earthquake rods on the buildings are interesting --I'm so glad they were able to be reinforced that way when they cracked.
I also have the seach widget on my blog sidebar ..it has helped me find blogs posts that I wanted to link back to, and I hope it may have helped visitors to my blog who were seaching for something special.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend, Betsy!
So many beautiful homes ~ I really like the one with the ivy ~ very enjoyable!
Love touring with you, you always give us wonderful information and directions...thanks!
Lastly, the search bar is a cool feature!
I was in Charleston once for one day only checking out the College of Charleston for my daughter. It is a most interesting city. But I didn't know of the things you showed us here.
Now, I'm going to share this post with my daughter.
Fascinating post Betsy. I've never been to Charleston but have heard lots of great things about it and now I have seen your lovely photos.
Years ago my Hubby needed to visit the Naval bases and many times the kids and I would pack up and go. This was long before I was into photography which would have been hard with two toddlers in tow. I'd love to go back and see the city from the point of view of your post.
Delightful looking back with you. You've teased us with just the right combination of must sees. :) I certainly love the windows on the side of the house with the false door.
I've had the "Search this Blog" gadget on my sidebar for a while. I use it personally frequently!
When we had our house sided, we had various choices in siding. We could have chosen a stone look too; we opted for a wood look.
The crepe myrtles are beautiful, as is the house with the ivy on the steps. I would think, though, that the ivy would make those steps slippery!
Wow, Betsy! You had a fab trip!
I have been to Charleston, but, sadly it was for horse business. I didn't get to do much exploring :(
So, thanks for giving me what I missed. And I missed a heck of a lot!!
Yep, little Miss Annie was an "oops" baby!!
I never really talked about much of this on the blog, but the stallion owner didn't tell us!
She came home and I started to get this intuition that something was up! I realized her heat cycles had stopped. (Kinda like "your" teenager not getting their monthly!!)
Oy! I was astounded that they didn't tell us!
Of course, we are very grateful now :)
Happy Sunday, friend!
xo, misha
Charleston is a gorgeous city, the flowers and trees add so much to the ambiance. I haven't heard of the Resurrection Fern, that is interesting.
The Earthquake rods are also very interesting. From what I've read about the 1886 quake the houses needed all the help they could get.
I was scrolling down your sidebar to see more about Cataloochee Valley when I got sidetracked by CHARLESTON. I grew up just outside of Charleston, and I graduated from the College of Charleston--a beautiful place, isn't it?
As I looked at your shot of Rainbow Row, I realized that yellow house is the one I sketched for my art class when I was about 10!
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