The
day was sunny a chilly 50 degrees when I left the hotel at 9:25 a.m. The
odometer read 15843.0 and there was between half and a quarter of gas in the
tank. I waited for a break in the traffic and zipped across three lanes to get
onto an immediate Rte. 61 for a series of street lights after street lights.
When 61 veered to the left, I stopped at a Rite Aid, one I’d visited my first
time I came this way.
I
was at Middleton Place at 10:10 a.m. It was 45 degrees and I put on sweater and
coat, paid $25 to walk the grounds and headed out. I first walked out to the
Reflecting Pool and took photos of two swans. It was wonderful to walk down
paths soaking in the natural beauty and hearing nothing but bird song. I was
surprised and pleased that the camellia was still blooming. I couldn’t resist
taking photos. I think they’ve become my favorite flower.
After
meandering through that garden, I wandered out towards the swamp. I took photos
of bamboo. I always used to think, like with rice, bamboo all came from China.
It grows at least three times my height and can be as thick in diameter as my
wrist. It grows close together and no one can get through that without the
sharpest of machetes or big power tools.
The
sun created many shadows on the paths. Even though the sun was nice and warm on
this cold morning, I prefer less sun for taking pictures. Still I snapped away.
I came out to the Ashley River and followed along. I did get a few bird
pictures, but mostly I shot scenery. Occasionally, I’d run into a couple or
they would catch up to me and pass by. I am a slow walker with these short legs
and limp.
It
was too cold for alligators. I keep thinking that would be a nice book title, “Too
Cold for Alligators.”
Middleton
Place is beautiful. As I drew nearer to the house, the paths and gardens gave
way to a three tiered huge lawn from the river to the house. The bottom tier is
what they call the Butterfly Pond because there are two ponds each in the shape
of the butterfly wing with a grassy walkway between. I walked up stairs and
down and up hills and down. If it wasn’t for the walking stick, I’d never be
able to do it.
I
took a trail beyond the Rice Mill that I hadn’t taken before. There was a lot
of stairs along this path that was difficult because the rise was a little tall
on some. Still, it gave me some photo ops of the chapel and spring house across
the pond that were very pretty and at the bridge, I let a couple go past me
because they would be faster than I. They stopped on the bridge and looked and
took pictures and looked some more. The guy looked back at me waiting my turn.
I swear he lingered just to be a jerk. When he looked back at me, he had that
kind of smirk on his face.
They
finally moved on and I got my turn seeing the views from the bridge. I took a
couple pictures and moved on. I came across a cat and we had a conversation. I’d
speak, he’d meow. I climbed stairs and an incline (inclines are easier for me
than stairs) and came out next to the restaurant. Hmmm, it was just about noon,
but I wanted to check on a house tour and headed that way. However, I found
that the 12:30 tour was full.
The
house that’s standing was originally the south flanker which was built for
gentlemen guests. Flankers were building adjacent to the main house. The original
Big House (as the main houses were called) and the north flanker were burned by
Union troops in 1856 and the gutted walls were leveled during the Great Earthquake
of 1886. I took photos around the outside then decided to have lunch of Caesar
salad and a glass of water at the restaurant.
I
meandered through the stable yard taking more pictures, then of the former
slave quarters of which there is only the one left. The originals were burned
by the Union soldiers. This particular building was built around 1870 for freed
slaves. After the war, some former slaves stayed on the plantations continuing
to work for the planters. They often took on the last name of their employers.
It wasn’t easy for the freed slaves. They were free in name only. They were
still discriminated against, still had trouble finding jobs, or being allowed
to buy property even if they had money.
Walking
back by the house, I took another garden path past more open views on the right
and rows of camellias and azaleas of the left with paths every so often. Many
paths were straight for a long ways with bisecting paths as these sections had
been laid out in a grid pattern. I even liked some of the flowers that had
dropped to the ground and the many petals created a bright spot of color in the
old brown leaves and on the paths.
There
was part of me that totally enjoyed the aloneness and quiet of a solitary walk.
Sometimes, like when I’d see older couples strolling along holding hands, I’d
feel a bit lonely. Unless I stopped to talk to a stranger, and I did
occasionally, I had no one with whom to share the exact moments of wonder and
discovery.
I
found myself back at the Reflecting Pool and I made my way to the parking lot.
It was 1:45 p.m. and the temperature was 53 degrees. Driving back into
Charleston, I was reminded how much I am sick of the traffic and the multiple
lane highways and the speed. One thing I realized is that drivers need to be
more courteous and tolerant of one another with merging lanes and turning traffic
(and out of staters who don’t know where they’re going or what lane to be in.)
Back
at the Holiday Inn, I settled in my room and imported 310 photos. I still had
the ones I’d edited earlier to upload to Facebook. I’m a few days behind.
I
am so glad I returned to Middleton Place. It is amazingly beautiful.
No comments:
Post a Comment