The Angel Oak Tree

There are places in & around Charleston that are favorites of both locals & tourists alike. I have been enjoying the discovery of many of these special locations since my move to Charleston. 

 The Angel Oak Tree on John's Island

 is one such spot. I have been hearing this tree spoken of with great reverence for a long time now & finally I got to see it for myself.

First of all, photographs simply cannot do justice to the sight of this magnificent tree.

One is filled with awe in its presence. I admit to feeling overcome with emotion as I stood under its massive branches.

The Angel Oak Tree is a  Southern live oak, which is native to the South Carolina low country. There seems to be quite a bit of discrepancy about just how old it is. Some say between 400-500 years old while others believe it could be as old as 1500 years. Unfortunately, scientists have not been able to actually calibrate its exact age. 

 Live oaks are not known for their height but for their shade coverage. 

The Angel Oak stands 66.5 ft (20m) tall, & measures 28 ft (8.5m) in circumference. It produces shade covering 17,200 square feet (1,600 meters). The branches are so long that many of them have been propped up to help support their weight, while others grow along & in some cases into the ground. The longest branch measures 187 ft from trunk to tip.

The Angel Oak has been in the news a lot lately, as developers have tried to encroach on its habitat. Luckily though, the Angel Oak has many friends & after years of court battles, conservation groups were finally able to raise enough money to buy the surrounding forest that protects & nurtures the tree.  

One cannot help but feel a sense of reverence as one stands underneath the arms of this majestic tree.

Some believe the Angel Oak to be the oldest living plant in the southeast United States. If you would like to know more about other "oldest" trees & plants these links  *  *  may be of interest to you.

Rainbow Row

It is hard to imagine today that the houses in Charleston known as Rainbow Row were once the inspiration for the opera Porgy & Bess. This row of thirteen pastel homes, which were built in the 1700s, has had a very colorful history. Originally constructed by merchants as stores, with family dwellings on the upper levels, they were a part of a larger bustling commercial neighborhood. In 1778, however, there was a fire that distorted all but the buildings that remain today.

 In their heyday they had been the center of Charlestonian life, but after the devastation of the Civil War,  the city of Charleston fell on hard times. This area suffered as well. The buildings, falling into disrepair, were in almost slum like conditions until the late 1930s. At that time the houses  became known as Cabbage Row because the inhabitants, descendants of enslaved people, sold cabbages & other garden vegetables from their windows. 

It was this period in history that inspired the 1925 DuBose Heyward novel Porgy. The book romanticized African American life in the fictitious neighborhood of Catfish Row, which was drawn almost entirely from  Charleston's very real Cabbage Row. It was the musical adaptation of this novel that was the basis for the George Gershwin opera Porgy & Bess.

Now multi-million dollar homes, most of these houses were restored by 1945 & painted the Caribbean pastel colors that you see today.

Second Sunday in Charleston

Every second Sunday of the month, Charleston closes down lower King Street & throws a party.

It is a toe tapping, foot stomping good time.

Businesses open their doors & invite everyone to join in the fun.

There is food

& music

& dancing in the streets.

With outdoor tables lining the street

 a different musician on every corner

& tasty treats to appeal to every pallet

there is simply something for everyone

& no one goes home unhappy.

A Weekend Jaunt

With amazing summer like temperatures, this weekend was perfect for a little side trip to the beautiful antebellum town of Beaufort.

One of the first Confederate towns captured by the Union Army at the commencement  of the Civil War this remarkable town was saved from the destruction that would befall the rest of the southern cities later in the war.

A town now standing as if time has stood still, Beaufort offers a look back into the picturesque life of the old south.

Beaufort has offered  literary inspiration, providing settings for many of the works of author & native son Pat Conroy. 

This beautiful site has also been the  location of a number of Hollywood films including The Big Chill, The Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, & Forrest Gump to name a few.

Filled with so much history & beauty Beaufort is a wonderful place to visit on a warm lazy day.

With the majestic old live oaks dripping with Spanish moss to the beautifully preserved historic homes, Beaufort is a photographers paradise.  

I hope you have enjoyed this little tour of Beaufort South Carolina. 

Charleston, South Carolina

A brief visit to Charleston, South Carolina last week, did the spirits good. If you have never visited Charleston, it should be on your list of places to go. What a beautiful & interesting city!

With its palm trees & beautifully colored, old buildings, dating back to antebellum times & beyond.

I love the long porches & wrought iron gates....

.... the water ways & inlets.....

.... the food, oh my goodness, the food! You must eat grits at least once, while you are in Charleston 

..... & the signs! there are so many lovely old neon signs in Charleston.

.... & the marshes, & the palmettos of the low country....

.... the pastel colors of commercial buildings ....

..... & elegant homes alike.....

..... the beaches ....

.... & oh yes, did I say the porches? Who would not want to while away the time on one of these inviting porches?