Hamlet NC Dusk

Hamlet Dusk
Originally uploaded by Historic Railways Examiner

I'm reading a book about the Orange Blossom Special on the old Seaboard Coast Line. The back cover of the book is the hamlet depot with the Special at the station. The lighting is similar to this photo I took at dusk in Hamlet, North Carolina.

My Blue Ridge Parkway Photos from Fall 2009

Here are the links to some more of my Blue Ridge Photos from October 2009.











http://www.flickr.com/photos/genewashere/sets/72157622533815929/

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75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway - 2010

Hope you will read my article about the 75th Anniversary of the BRP.

    

You see it everyday.. but have you ever photographed it?

This weekend I got out on Saturday and took a few photos of places I have visited many times but never got around to photographing. Here is the Blackville, SC Depot which has been moved and restored as the library.  When I was working everyday in Blackville, I used to spend lunches there checking out books or looking at the reference materials. Even with the ADA ramps, the library is in good shape and is a highlight of Blackville.

Miller's Breadbasket was packed on Saturday with a motorcycle club and a classic car club both downtown.

Blooming Camelias in South Carolina

The camelias are in bloom around South Carolina. I found these at the Discovery Center near Blackville, SC on 3/20/10

Early flowers

Some early flowers in Aiken, South Carolina.

Iron fence detail #Photoblog

Ward Augusta Fence
Originally uploaded by Gene Bowker

At the Ward, SC cemetary, I found this wrought iron gate. The plate on it drew my attention as it was made in Augusta, Georgia.

The fence is over 100 years old and still in reasonably good shape.

Sharing your passions.. commentary

One of the reasons that I enjoy blogging and the internet is the chance to share my interests with others in a variety of forums...

My newest way to share with others is through my articles at Examiner.com. For the last few weeks, I've been writing a column about Road Trips in the Southeastern US. If you haven't read it yet, I hope you will check it out at: http://www.examiner.com/x-39809-Augusta-Road-Trip-Travel-Examiner. It is a lot of fun to share some of my favorite places with others and also learn about new places from the comments and emails I get.

Now, my newest adventure with Examiner.com is to write a column on Railroad / Railway History called the Historic Railways Examiner, which can be found at http://www.examiner.com/x-41880-Historic-Railways-Examiner. This really helps me come full circle since I got involved in photography as a way to document and share my love of trains and railroads. I do this through the pictures I share here, my Historic Railways blog at http://railfan.biz/ and my RailHistory account on Twitter at http://twitter.com/railhistory.

My loving wife Cindy, who co-writes the Moonlitbridges Blog with me, will be the first to tell you that all of this consumes time. Like any other hobby, it also consumes resources.  However, I really feel the chance to share my work and adventures is worth the investment, I hope you do too.

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Before it's gone... #Photoblog

Electrical-Cabinet BW
Originally uploaded by Gene Bowker

I'm learning quickly that it is a good idea to take photos even under less than ideal conditions of old buildings and landscapes.

Very quickly.. they can be removed and scrapped and we lose a picture of what existed in the past.

This is a picture of the electrical building at the Hamlet Depot in Hamlet, North Carolina. It provides an interesting case study of what equipment would of been used in such situations back in the 1960's and 1970's.

What structures do you pass everyday which you should take a photo of before they are gone?

Remember When: Small Town Post Office - #Photoblog

Remembering the small town post office, this one still in service in 2010.

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Spring almost here

Spring is almost here.. shot at the Vaucluse Post Office 3/14/2010

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Look skyward angel - #photo #SC

This is the monument for Clinton Ward's young daughter in the Ward-Satcher section of the graveyard next to Spann Church in Ward, South Carolina.

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Spann Church - Ward, South Carolina (1875)

Built in 1875, Spann Methodist Church is Ward, South Carolina still serves today.

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some boardwalk shadows

boardwalk shadows
Originally uploaded by Gene Bowker

I liked the contrast between the diagonal shadows and the boards in this photo.

It didn't look good at normal height so I lowered the camera and was much happier with the result.

This was another case too where I preferred the Black & White shot to the color shot. Since I was focusing on angles and contrasts it seemed to work better.

Saving money.. Comparison Shopping

I spend my workdays looking for ways to lower the cost of my company's products. This includes a lot of "comparison shopping" to find the best product value for our money. My motto is "Pretend it is YOUR money".

I keep telling my co-workers that the same idea applies outside of the office. There are many things that you can save money on, just be comparison shopping. One of these things is insurance.

With insurance, you have to weigh low costs versus the benefits from the provider. There are many website where you can go to compare many providers at the same time. A great website is NetQuote.com which shows you how much you will pay.
Take a second and see how much you can save on Pennsylvania insurance by visiting their website.

Heron - Edisto Memorial Gardens #photo

Heron - Edisto Gardens
Originally uploaded by Gene Bowker

The heron was not impressed by my attempts to photograph it, and finally decided the best course of attaction was just to ignore me.

You can see more of my Edisto Gardens photos and learn more about the history and activities there in my new Examiner.com article "Road Trip 101: Discovering Edisto Gardens" at http://bit.ly/a2g3Ya

Beach Flower, Edisto Beach, South Carolina (2009) #Photo

A flower on the beach at Edisto Island, South Carolina

Enjoying the ducks.. Edisto Gardens

Statues and ducks at Edisto Gardens in Orangeburg.

Advance in the direction of your dreams..

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If one advances confidently in the direction of their dreams,
and endeavors to lead a life which they have imagined,
they will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
--Henry David Thoreau

Bridge and Reflection

Shot this week at the Edisto Gardens in Orangeburg, SC

Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer - and often the supreme disappointment.
Ansel Adams

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Girl by the Lake

One of the statues which are located around Edisto Gardens in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Promises of Spring

promises
Originally uploaded by Gene Bowker

Walking around Edisto Gardens in Orangeburg yesterday, I saw these buds along the riverfront.

Unfortunately, I don't know exactly what they are, but they look like they are ready to bust with the on-coming spring.

I can't wait to visit again soon and see what the flowers look like.

Edisto Gardens Waterwheel

Spring Time: Fly away

fly away
Originally uploaded by Gene Bowker

Butterfly leaves the flower- Santee National Wildlife Refuge

"Need You Now" - Album Review - Lady Antebellum

I'm always scared when I listen to a second album from a new group that I like, afraid that I'm going to be disappointed some how. That they are going to be a one-hit (or at least one-album) wonder.

With Lady Antebellum, I'd already fell in love with Need You Now the title track from their new album which released on Tuesday. Cindy picked it up and after listening to it for the first time, I can defintely say in my opinion that it is as good as the first one if not better.

They have the ability to cover a variety of songs from ballads to more upbeat tunes. I love the harmonization that they have. I'm not the world's biggest country fan, but they also have appeal to crossover audiences. It's nice to have a new "favorite group" to listen to.

Flowers mean Spring is coming.

Spring is coming... Happy March