charleston blues

If I don't record them with my camera, these are the sorts of little details I'll forget.

Lots more to come next week. In the mean time. . . have a good weekend!

And a happy Halloween.

chasing shadows

The sun was so strong in Charleston that sometimes I dispaired of getting any good exposures. So, I finally just gave in to the shadows.

More vines for Courtney. And more greys for Linda.

honeymoon

. . . in Charleston. A few bits.

mr & mrs

A sneak peek of one brillant autumn day in Alexandria, and two very happy people. Captured by the amazing Kate Headley, who graciously let us have a few Polaroid snaps to put in our pockets (yes! my dress had pockets!).

When people tell you it all goes by in the blink of an eye, they aren't kidding. So you breathe deeply, steal every kiss, hug each dear one as closely as you can, drink every drop of sparkling rosé, and say I Love You again and again. And when you are done savoring the day, you hop in the car and eat and drink your way through Charleston, South Carolina!

Thank you to everyone for such sweet well wishes, both here and in the mail. More to follow. . .

xo

trouvée: two for the road

Uninscribed, undated, Edwardian perfection! It took me a while to figure out the perspective here ~ two lovers on a hay ride. *wink, wink* {click image to view larger}

Tomorrow, the gentleman and I set off down a new road. Where it is headed we don't exactly know, but we'll travel it together.

Type to you in a week or two. . .

trois jours!

Three days, and counting the minutes until the clock strikes noon on saturday! A weekend of wine and roses is ahead. The gentleman and I are spending these last few days quietly getting ready, writing notes and organizing lists ~ and in between cooking a few yummy meals and indulging in a little Dickens. Every now and then we look at each other and smile in contentment.

There hasn't been much time for the usual online pursuits, but here are a few bits of random wonderfulness:

* Beinecke's digital library
* a peek at Osterley Park
* Guinness cake!
* and some floral inspiration

Enjoy. . . xo!

carving the past

Several months ago I wrote a little bit about my trip to Philadelphia ~ including tours of Bartram's Garden and Woodford. Well, I held back on telling you about a visit to one truly amazing place: Mount Pleasant. Built between 1762 and 1765, the mansion is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the United States. Its perch high above the banks of the Schuylkill River lends it a commanding presence, and its elegant interiors are a testament to the skills of an extraordinary colonial craftsman.

We had the great fortune to have been shown around Mount Pleasant by Chris Storb, a conservator for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and a key player in the recent restoration and conservation of the house. As a master woodworker, Chris has been tasked with bringing the mansion's fine interior details back to life ~ repairing and recarving damaged and missing fragments, and in the case of one parlor frieze, completely recreating a piece. We were engrossed by Chris's description of his method and process. Using antique woodworking tools, he tries to capture the spirit of the 18th-century craftsman. Like any artist, each woodworker has his own "hand" and style of working. This makes restoring a piece very complicated, as any new elements need to be true to the look of the original. When we visited, Chris had just sketched out his design for the parlor frieze onto a board and was preparing to carve it. Below, you see the piece in process, and here you may see it finished!

Interested in learning more about Mount Pleasant and its restoration? Well, late last week I received an email from Chris to say that he had ventured into the world of blogging ~ In Proportion to the Trouble. His voice is a welcome one, and I look forward to following his adventures.

This one I think deserves a hearty huzzah!

(top image: mine; bottom images: Chris Storb)

P.S. You may also follow Chris's work at Mount Pleasant on flickr!

trouvée: the outing

Hot toddies and Mackintosh squares ~ it's getting to be that time of the year! Found recently on eBay, this photograph is uniscribed and undated. It makes me yearn for a crisp fall outing. . . with a thermos and a tweed jacket. {click image to view larger}

Some things:

* stemming the tide ~ a bit of old Shanghai

* Roland Bello

* and Cy Twombly at the Louvre

Cheers! Have a good weekend!