Pink Ink For My Tattoo

Well, before Page and I celebrated my birthday, I got my dragonfly tattoo made pretty! (August 11, 2013). When it was illegal for tattoo studios to exist in SC, a friend of a friend came down from NC to my friend's apartment to ink all of us wanting a tattoo. Loving dragonflies as I do, that is, naturally, what I had done. But, it was quite plain and unimpressive. Fast forward about 8 years to now and Brent, my friend Angel's sweetie, wanted a portrait done of his dog that had passed away. I'm all about bartering so that's what we did. I merely wanted my dragonfly to be gussied up, but Brent was so taken with what I did that he wanted to give me something special. I gasped when I viewed what he had drawn (for one thing, it was really big- but, what the hell!) - a lotus flower AND a dragonfly? They both have so much symbolism, which, now that I'm becoming more spiritual,  really means a lot to me. I think he did an absolutely fantastic job- it's beautiful and I love it!

No Birthday Blues Here!

I can't believe that it's been 3 months since my last entry! But, it's been so for a good reason at least. I've been busy with friends and working on portraits!

I shall begin catching up on past events with my birthday celebration. Page and I weren't able to get together for the occasion until September 20. Which, given our busy schedules and how tardy we've been in the past, is pretty darn good. I love to watch the sunrise and wanted to start the day doing just that on Sullivan's Island.  I'm so glad that Page was on board and I know that she loved it just as much as I. Before Sophie and Belle became senior citizens with arthritis, I would take them during the warmer months every other Sunday. I do miss that (as I'm sure they do as well). What a morning! So many birds= willets, plovers, gulls, sandpipers, and skimmers. The skimmers are a strange looking lot, with black coloring a portion of their heads, making it appear as though they haven't any eyes. And, I was surprised to realize it was they, in 2 different flock formations, that were flying up and arching in synchronized flight away, then towards each other. I love the photo with the dog in the background, running pall mall towards the flocks in the foreground= pure joy!

After, Page and I stopped at Starbucks for coffee and chit-chat. Then, off to the convention center to view an art exhibit, followed by lunch at Black Bean Café. The day was topped off by going to the Cinebarre theater to watch "Lee Daniels, The Butler" which we both thoroughly enjoyed. It was a perfectly delightful day spent with perfectly delightful company~

The Warm Golden Orange of Turmeric, East Indian Style

 

On June 30,2013 I went with a friend Julie to Source 108 for an East Indian cooking class. The business is owned by another friend, Puja, who is trying to incorporate various and sundry classes (yoga, meditation, massage, light energy sessions, cooking, etc). The class was hosted by Puja and the co-owner, Marissa and was led by Mark Knowles, who besides giving cooking classes, has his own yoga facility (very intense). Very delicious- they were meals from the south of India, where the food isn't prepared quite so spicy and hot (good for me!) We had Sambar, Thakkali Rasam, and Thengai Catani (coconut chutney). And, met some interesting people as well! A good time was had by all.....

Blueberries, Oh How I Love Ya!

On Sunday, June 23, 2013, Jeff and I headed out to McClellanville to see what the Blueberry Festival was all about. It was smaller than I envisioned, but there were PLENTY of blueberries! YUM!!!! Nice tall plants just chocked full of big, beautiful, organic, juicy fruit. They also have their own bee hives, so we bought some of their delicious raw honey as well. A sudden torrential downpour put a temporary halt to the lively music from the band and going from one vendor's tent to another involved more than mere puddle jumping, but, after about a half hour, the sun shone quite brightly and the music and berry picking recommenced. What fun!

A Dusky Blue-Gray Evening With a Touch of Pink

Views from the Pitt Street Bridge located in the Old Village of Mount Pleasant. Now that Belle (12yo with breathing problems and stiff hips) and Sophie (14yo and blind, deaf, arthritic with CCD= canine cognitive disorder= senile) can no longer enjoy strolling along the beach, I take them to the Pitt Street Bridge. Dogs, people, a violinist upon occasion, benches, people fishing at the end and, when the tide is low, folks crabbing- I've seen ibis and a myriad of other birds from the mundane grackel to the amazing skimmers. There's an asphalt path, short grass that's easy to walk in and palms stretch along the length. It's a simply wonderful place, especially to watch the sunset. I take a big, ole plastic child's wagon for Sophie's trip back to the car. At least she can smell all that's around her. And, Belle especially enjoys sticking her head out the window on the way there and back.

Trying to find a bit of the history and it's surprisingly difficult to find...

The park at the end of Pitt Street is popular among locals for walking, fishing, and relaxing. And, like Old Village itself, it has a history as well. From 1898 to 1927, a trolley connected Sullivan's Island to Mt. Pleasant via the Pitt Street Bridge. Since the park was developed on top of this bridge, it offers incredible panoramic views of the marsh and creeks.

The Old Pitt Street Bridge was once the troll bridge connecting Sullivan's Island with Mt. Pleasant. Various bridges were built here, beginning with The Bridge Of Boats during the Revolutionary War. The bridge was dismantled when the causeway was built to Sullivan's Island in 1935.

The original plank and barrel constructed footbidge later known as the Pitt Street Bridge at the foot of the Old Village area in Mount Pleasant is the point where the crew of H.L Hunley crossed on route to Breach Inlet to test pilot the famous submarine.(In 1864, the crew of the H.L. Hunley crossed the footbridge on the way to Breach Inlet to test drive the famed submarine. The historic vessel would go on to become the first combat submarine to sink an enemy warship. ) The original plank bridge was replaced by a trolley bridge in 1899, before a steel drawbridge was built for vehicle access between Sullivans Island and Mount Pleasant in 1929. The Pitt Street bridge was dismantled in 1945, and the remains can still be seen today in the Intracostal Waterway. The area has been maintained ever since as a park known as the Pickett Bridge Recreation Area,^[4] named after the town's doctor Otis Pickett. 

Hmmm....Love the Look of Green Felt On a Pool Table

Travis and Emory came home for a whirlwind weekend at the beginning of July to attend the engagement party of one of their friends. Sunday found Travis still studying hard for the bar (which he took on July 29th and 30th up in Virginia), but we got to spend some time together on Sat before he headed out with Em to the festivities. It had been years since we had shot pool together. Got him started at the age of 8 so he'd have a "manly sport." Personally, I adore shooting pool.Thought that I might be at a disadvantage since he had played only a couple of weeks earlier, but I wiped the table clean with him! haha    (included the pic of me just so there's be some kind of record of what I look like. I guess.)                                                                       

Furry blacks & browns, big pink tongues- and a person!

 

Well, here it is, August- already! And, I haven't posted since June= tsk, tsk! I have been ever so busy. Running around with friends, the yard, photographing a baby shower, and I can't really think of all the things that occupy my time and make it just slip away. Happily, one of the things with which I have been busy is doing portraits!!!!! These are the ones that I have done since the spring. The first is for one of our new pharmacists= she had it done as a surprise for one of her best friends. The second is a dog which belongs to my vet. The third was a father's day gift to a young lady's husband and she happens to be one of Emory's best friends. The woman's portrait is a birthday gift from her husband with whom I work. She is a school principle and he got it for her to hang in her office. Lastly, is Boomer, who unfortunately got run over and died. His owner is the other half of one of my very good friends, and he is a tattoo artist and I am bartering with him to have some color added to the dragonfly tattoo on my right shoulder to make it all pretty.