Author: admin

My friend in Oregon tells me the temperatures haven’t been this low in 35 years, and here in Charleston, temperatures have been in the twenties consistently overnight for almost a week with not much relief in sight. We’re just not equipped for this, but I guess I shouldn’t complain – after all I could live in Minnesota or Chicago or somewhere. Actually I couldn’t. I don’t understand why anyone would choose to live there. Anyway the heat pump is working around the clock and the outside taps are set to drip all through the night. This is what my back hosepipe looked like this morning.

The one thing I love about having a studio is that if the weather is miserable, it doesn’t have to ruin your plans. Here are a couple of family portraits I shot this afternoon.

I had an assignment to do some aerial real estate photography early this morning, so I bundled up as warmly as possible and we were in the air shortly after 8am.The visibility was disappointing, especially since yesterday was so clear, and there was also a lot of cloud cover so the light was boring and blah.Nevertheless we got a few reasonable shots and will probably plan to watch the weather patterns over the next few days and take another stab at it.I can never resist taking another photograph of the Morris Island Lighthouse, even in bad light so I grabbed this as we buzzed past on our way to Sullivan’s Island.

What a wonderful gift to have four free days. No place I have to be, a few things on my “to-do” list granted, but in no particular order – sometime over the weekend at a leisurely pace. To wake each morning when your body wants to, and not because the alarm says so. Ah ….
Anyway thanks to Jackie, Mike, Nancy & family for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. I had vowed so spend the entire day in my pyjamas, but was finally pursuaded otherwise. The deciding factor was knowing that Jamie was home from Seattle for the weekend, and I hadn’t seen him for awhile.
This white egret is a regular visitor to Sunrise Park in the early morning and is almost always sitting on an old piece of partly submerged log in the middle of the lake. He modeled very obligingly for me and then I gave the photo an oil painting treatment.

Leigh called me during the night to let me know about the latest skirmish on the western border of North and South Korea. I know they know that God watches closely over their family, and that there is no safer place to be than in His will.

Psalm 32:6-7
Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

I went back to the James Island County Park early this morning to check that everything had been cleaned up and dismantled after last night’s festivities and came across two deer close to the shelter. They didn’t seem to be too bothered by me, although Logan was barking up a frenzy at these “big dogs”.

This year we had our annual oyster roast at the James Island County Park. It was a great family affair and the kids loved the festival of lights.Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this such a successful event.

I just heard that my work has been accepted for a solo exhibition at the Saul Alexander Gallery, Charleston County Public Library for the month of December 2011. I had entered some examples of my photography of the local area and chose the title “Spirit of the Lowcountry”. The selection committee liked it. It’s great that I have a year to plan which images to show and how to frame them etc. etc. I will be calling on all my friends to come by, so heads up … if I don’t see your name in the guest book you’re in trouble!

So today was Saturday and Josh was not working, so we had a quiet day. Did some grocery shopping and also took a few family pics. Gideon was in the middle of a big nap, so he wasn’t very interested in participating, but at least he was there. Tomorrow it’s back to the USA. Yes! Korea is ok, but it’s been a huge challenge for Leigh and Josh to live here for a year. The cultures are so vastly different and very few people speak English where they are in Sangju. All the signs, menus, etc. are in Korean and people stare at you because you are a “wae gook” (foreigner).

We have to get creative with our outings because of various constrictions; lack of transport, a young baby in tow, etc. Today we decided to have lunch at an Italian restaurant downtown and then visit the fresh produce market that happens every week in one of the side streets. I had forgotten how long it takes to get moving with a baby. You just can’t rush the napping, feeding, burping rituals (try at your peril) so we finally made it outside at about noon today.Here are a couple of pics of our day; Leigh and Gideon at the restaurant, then various scenes from the market. One more full day here before I head back to Seoul, Incheon airport and the Delta check-in desk on Sunday afternoon.