Walking our city on hot summer nights provides many new scenes for me to photograph. Come along with me and I'll show you what night walks look like here in Charleston.....
It's quieter as the moon rises. The horses and carriages have all been put to bed. The restaurants are getting quieter and most folks have had their supper.The scent of many of the summer flowers is intoxicating...you can't help but breath it in deeply.
Not too many cars whooshing by on the old streets. There are still plenty of people out walking their dogs. Friendly ones curiously sniff noses and not-so-social ones bark and lunge at one another, pulling their leashes until their people get them interested in something else intriguing--perhaps a night bumbling moth or the scent of frying pork chops through an open window.
Visitors to our city have mostly gone back to their hotel rooms to rest their tired feet and plan their next day of sightseeing and locals are either in rocking chairs on their porches with a dripping glass of iced tea-- or have given up the battle with the aggressive mosquitoes and gone inside. I made the mistake of forgetting to don PANTS this particular night and walked in my dress---mistake. The no-see-ums got me. My legs got bit---alot. And there is nothing worse than getting those dang things in your HAIR.(misery--pure misery I tell you)
"No-see-ums rivaled the mosquito for the position of state bird. They were all but invisible ferocious little bugs that would devour you like piranhas. Well, almost. My Daddy used to call them 'flying jaws'.
........Dot Frank, Lowcountry Summer
On a big moon night this house photographs beautifully and shimmers in the white light:
It's sweltering summer and the thick heat causes us to walk slow. The relaxing sound of the many splashing fountains fools us into thinking we are somewhat cooler. Most of the fountains have been here since the 1800s.
Stopping to admire window boxes heavy with summer blooms.
Looking up.....we see alot of this:
City streets are well lit and gas lights flicker.
Brick walls hold the heat of the summer day. Church bells ring and ship horns bellow in the harbor.
We meet up with many many other "night walkers". So many of us walk in the evenings....avoiding the brutal sunshine of the summer days. We greet each other, maybe remark on the high temperatures, and politely make room for each other on skinny city sidewalks. We carry water and handkerchiefs to wipe our faces. We can't wait to get home for a cool shower and a slice of cold key lime pie.
I like to come upon pretty little shops--with interesting things in the windows.
Which item would you buy?
Perhaps now that Fall is officially here, some cooler days will arrive and we will even wear sweaters on our walks!
