Poof.....ssssssss.....headache gone

Just a short note that my head is now back to normal and grateful for all the nice comments on the shootout.  I will swing by, if I get a chance, and see some I might have missed.

And, as I expected, some of you knew (Kerry and J9 ) peoplehole covers, as manhole covers are now called since we have become politically correct and women have succeeded through years of struggle to be allowed to work in sewers...

BUTLER:  "Not funny, Mark.  You are really going to get in trouble for that politically-charged tidbit of ironic sarcasm." 

...uh, sorry...

Anyhow, yes, sewer covers are round because it is the only shape that cannot accidentally slip into the hole.   I suppose it didn't take more than two or three accidents like that before people realized it was really really important to avoid having to rescue square covers from muck. 

I think I'd better quit while I'm ahead.

BUTLER:  "You think you're ahead?"

Reminds me of one of my grandfather's favorite jokes when I was a little kid and we were in the car.  He'd say, "Hey!  What's that in the road?  A head?"

For years I was too young to get it.   One day, I got the pun and answered.  "What's that in the road behind?" 

Bagman and Butler both give me long serious looks.  I think I'll just go start on my taxes. 

Friday Hometown Shootout - Circles

All week I've been singing, "For every thing, turn turn turn, there is a season, turn turn turn..."

When I started thinking about circles last weekend, I thought it might be difficult.  Silly me.  The difficulty has been trying to pick and choose.  It seems I have been subconsciously shooting circles all my life. 

BAGMAN:  "They're very female, you know!"

BUTLER:  "Shut up! He's got too many pictures to waste time in babble."

Of course, Butler is right on this one and I don't think I can create some sort of interesting story line.  And I'm running out of time as always.  So I'll just throw it together.   Ready, Set, Go...

BUTLER: "You realize that this looks like you took it with a Brownie."

Yes, I know it is out of focus.  I was in the car, scrambling to get the camera out of the bag, shooting with one hand through the windshield while accelerating.  

I'll start with a batch of old ones.  This post is actually quite discouraging to me because my old shots are all better, in my opinion than my new ones.  I don't seem to be improving with age like I expected.

I don't have a clue what this was...

Nature's own wind-direction meter

Got milk?

This was a pot in my sink in college...I think I was stoned when I shot it.

This hang in our bedroom -- a detail from a locomotive exhibit

in back of a conference center, where Karen and I met

 

Back when I first started digital and I thought 2 megapixels was great.

AND now for some new stuff, since I can't rely on archives forever.

Okay, okay, photographically dull but I wanted to add it to challenge all of you.  Do you know why manhole covers are always circular?   I'm guessing some of you know so I'll wait until after comments and reveal the answer Sunday or Monday.  Boooo.

In the basement of Drayton Hall Plantation in Charleston

Our local television station.  Whatever happened to rabbit ears?

Local swimming pool waiting for summer

(which in Charleston is expected any day now)

We'll have to re-inflate this when it comes.

Ho hum.  Whatever happened to my ability to take photographs?

(But it's a circle!)

Maybe photoshop can compensate for mediocre photographs.

(And maybe not)

I do kind of like this one.

(Of course I've posted it before, but I couldn't resist)

(And it's not that old)

Knock knock.  Who's there?  

Tire.  Tire Who?  Tired of circles.

Underexposed and hurriedly shot, but I wanted to add this because there are Sweetgrass Baskets which are really one of Charleston's unique attractions.  From the earliest days, as we all know with great guilt, were imported to the Carribean and then to Charleston to maintain the sugar, tea, and cotton industries.  From the Caribean, they brought with them the Gulluh culture which thrives today.  It has its own dialect and one of the most beautiful crafts are the sweetgrass baskets.  Route 17 in Mount Pleasant where I live is lined with rough shacks out of which they sell these handmade creations.  I've been meaning to stop and shoot some of the ladies, sitting in front weaving these things but I've been strangely shy about stopping and asking them to pose.  One of these days...   But recently the entire stretch of road has been named a National Heritage Corridor, whatever that means.   One of these days when it is warmer and I am braver, I want to sit down and do a story on these ladies. 

Okay.  It's time to stop now.

BUTLER: "And what's your excuse for the fact this one is out of focus too when you had all the time in the world to shoot it?

I don't have an answer for that.