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The city of Woodbine is the county seat of Camden County in the state of Georgia (USA). The US Census of 2020 counted a little over a thousand residents. The town is located on the shore of the Satilla River which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Waterfront Park which is the location of the annual Crawfish Festival, is located on the Satilla and includes a boat launch and the beginning of the Woodbine Riverwalk.

The Riverwalk is a boardwalk that winds along the edge of the river, under the US Highway 17 Bridge and connects with the Rails to Trails where the railroad crossed the river years ago.

The Woodbine Riverwalk is also a part of the East Coast Greenway, the Coastal Georgia Greenway, and the Rails to Trails Conservancy.

Walking along the boardwalk is a peaceful experience. With the river on one side and marshland on the other you are likely to see several different species of birds. There are informative signs along the way and a bench about halfway from one end to the other if you decide to rest while enjoying the sights and sounds of nature.

The view in today’s featured photograph was taken with the bridge and Rails to Trails connection behind me and the boat launch and waterfront park ahead.

We didn’t set out to visit the park and boardwalk when we visited Woodbine. Actually, we didn’t know it even existed. We saw a sign for the park as we drove along Highway 17 and decided to see what the park had to offer. Turning off the highway to explore turned out to be an enjoyable experience.

When have you “turned off the highway to explore” in life, either literally or figuratively? Be sure and share those experiences in the comment section. Let us know if those experiences were enjoyable or perhaps a lesson about life.

Before joining Fine Art America I hadn’t thought of everyday infrastructure items as being art. But Industrial Art, as it’s called, seems to be very popular. Hotel rooms and lobbies tend to display many photographs of old, wood or rusty metal items.

I suppose there’s a touch of nostalgia that makes such art in vogue. Modern electronics and digital life fill our days to the point that we might see non-digital material items as a soothing change.

My challenge image this week was a photograph taken in Charleston, South Carolina (USA). During last year’s visit there I photographed several meter box covers and processed one of the water meter box lids this week. I also captured images of sewer covers and gas meter lids. I will be processing those photographs at a later time.

I was looking down at the streets and sidewalks after I became frustrated with the white and gray skies and dormant trees and shrubs that I had photographed when attempting to capture interesting architecture.

In hindsight those uninteresting skies and dead looking branches provided me with many industrial type images.

Does this sound a little like life itself?

Can our frustrations actually be opportunities in disguise?

I set out on that road trip hoping to “go with the flow” and was disappointed with myself for being frustrated and upset at the beginning of the trip when we encountered rain and dreary weather.

However, I can look back and see that I was successful with going with the flow where my photography was concerned. I had used my frustration with the weather to take advantage of the opportunity to capture Industrial images that did not include the sky and were actually enhanced by being wet from the recent rains.

Real success will come when I learn to see my frustrations as opportunities on a daily basis.

Have you become successful at doing that?

Please share in the comment section. Thanks.

How many of you have a button collection? Maybe you have a button jar or box?

I’m not sure why I keep all those extra buttons that come with shirts and blouses but I do. Those buttons are sent with your garment so you will have a matching one if any buttons come loose and fall off of your shirt.

How many times has that happened and you actually lost the loose button, not knowing where it fell off?

The best that I can remember, that has never happened to me – so why do I still save those buttons?

Did your mother or grandmother have a button collection?

Was there a cigar box or mason jar full of assorted buttons of different colors and sizes in their homes?

Did you ever see your mom or grandma pour out those buttons, looking for just the right size or color to match whatever garment they were repairing?

Have YOU ever raked through a pile of buttons to find the right one to sew on a garment that was missing one?

I believe that I’ve viewed more art made with buttons than seeing someone sewing them on a garment!

My button collection is rather small, containing only a few more than what’s shown in the photograph accompanying this post. I must admit that I was tempted, before throwing out a worn out blouse, to cut the buttons off of that blouse.
The temptation passed when I realized I hadn’t replaced a missing button in years and the idea that I would use them for artwork was slim to none.

But slim chance showed up when I entered the Art Challenge with Buttons as a theme. That small button collection was featured in two different photographs of that three day challenge.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll throw out those few buttons. Or maybe I won’t.

After all, I can’t say for sure that I won’t need any of those extra buttons ever again….or my key collection, my wine cork collection, my seashell collection……….

Last November I wrote a blog post titled In Your Own Backyard. It was basically about finding beauty where you are as opposed to going out looking for it. This week I learned that lesson again but it was out our front door this time.

We had an entire week of warm, sunny days after months of cold weather. The Stella D’Oro Daylilies that are planted along the front sidewalk woke up from their winter nap and produced a healthy mound of deep green leaves.

A sudden spring shower left raindrops resting on those green leaves as they arched over each other. The clouds moved eastward and the sky became brighter. The afternoon light was then reflected in those raindrops.

What was actually drops of water appeared as shiny jewels, diamonds perhaps. Diamonds sprinkled and dropped on the new growth of those daylilies.

The sight of those shiny raindrops evoked a feeling of hope. Gone was the dread of another cold gray day and in it’s place was the anticipation of warmer, sunnier days ahead.

I had only to look out our front door to find nature at its best producing a beautiful sight. No travel required, only a willingness to see the beauty around me in everyday objects.

What have you witnessed or felt this past week in or around your own home that you found beautiful?

Please feel free to share your experience in the comment section as I have shared my experience in this post.

This week’s image was a photograph taken in Charleston South Carolina (USA). My sister is on a river cruise on the southeastern coast of the United States and boarded her ship in Charleston, South Carolina. Her cruise reminded me that I had visited Charleston early last year and had taken hundreds of photographs around the city.

Most of the photographs that I took in Charleston were not ones that I wanted to process and post because of the weather and season. Many of the historic or architecturally interesting buildings were behind bare branches. Those branches spoiled the view in my opinion. The skies were white and boring because it had been raining for days.

However, when I was going back through those photographs I saw the Brown Dog Deli sign. That name struck a chord with me, so to speak.

For over a year, soon after I moved to Florence, Alabama (USA), I had fostered dogs for an animal rescue out of Massachusetts. The non-profit rescue was called Brown Dog Rescue. The deli in Charleston is not affiliated with the rescue in Massachusetts but it sure brought back some fond memories when I saw that sign.

Brown Dog Rescue pulls dogs and cats from southern shelters, finds them temporary fosters homes, provides vetting and then arranges for transport to a quarantine facility in Massachusetts. From there the animals either go to their new adoptive homes or are fostered in that area until permanent homes can be found for them.

My experience with fostering was a positive one that lasted until we experienced a foster fail. For those who are not familiar with that phrase, a foster fail is when you foster an animal and then decide to adopt that same animal.

I am no longer fostering dogs through our local shelter or through Brown Dog Rescue. I do, however, support their efforts in other ways. For example if you purchase anything from my Going To The Dogs Collection, 100% of my markup is donated to Chloe’s fund (a fund that provides life saving treatment and surgeries for shelter animals in the Lauderdale, Florence Alabama area).

Shelters and rescues all over the nation are over capacity and begging for help to save the lives of these animals. If you are unable at this time to adopt then fostering is an awesome alternative. Shelter animals cannot go to rescues unless they are fostered first to see what their true temperament and personalities are when living in a home environment.

If you love animals please consider adopting or fostering a cat or dog from your local shelter or rescue organization.

The Shoals is a nickname for the area on the Tennessee River that includes Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia and Sheffield Alabama. This week’s challenge image was taken at the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa. The water feature in the image is one of many features you will find when staying or visiting the hotel.

The Marriott Shoals Hotel and Resort is also where the Renaissance Tower is located. That tower contains the 360 Grille, a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower that provides a 360 degree view of the area. You can find a photograph of the tower in the Alabama Collection on my site.

Lush green plants border a small pond with active water jets, creating a peaceful scene in an outdoor setting. A stone wall and metal railing add structure to the tranquil water feature set among a backdrop of trees and foliage.

I took the photograph after visiting the restaurant as we celebrated our anniversary. We walked around the property after our meal and enjoyed the warm late spring weather, the sound of the water jets and the soothing green foliage surrounding the bubbly pond.

Much of the United States is still in the grip of winter as I type out this post. I’m hoping that today’s featured image will warm your spirit as you look forward to milder, sunnier days ahead.

As always your comments are welcomed and encouraged.

This past weekend my husband gave me a birthday party in our former hometown which is also my “Happy Place”. I invited my girlfriends who live in different parts of the country. Three girlfriends drove several hours through three states and one flew in because it was too far to drive.

The lady who took a plane was a girlfriend that had taken a road trip with me the year before. She had flown into a city an hour away from where we are living and I drove to that city to pick her up. From there we embarked on our journey.

I have actually written several blog posts about that road trip and spending time with her this past weekend brought back many memories of the time we spent together.

The first major stop for us was Charleston, South Carolina (USA). The first day or two was damp and dreary and I was not enjoying the city at all. I did, however, get many photographs as we walked around the riverfront area of Charleston.

Today’s featured image is one of the photographs that I took on the day after it had rained. We were having trouble walking on the cobblestones as we crossed from one side of the street to the other and I decided to stop in the middle of the street and snap a few captures of the cobblestone surface.

Cobblestones have been used to pave streets for centuries. Cobble is a term for the size of stones that are used in architecture. They were originally laid in sand which helps with drainage. Those stone roads were much easier to navigate than dirt roads. However, because the stones are not all uniform roads were eventually paved with setts, uniformly quarried granite ((also called Belgian block).

Cobblestone streets can be noisy as horse carriages and motor vehicles drive over them. Although some people see this as a disadvantage, the noise can warn pedestrians of approaching traffic.

These stone paved streets can still be found in many of our older cities in North America, mainly in the historic sections, but are more abundant in Europe.

Our visit to Charleston took place in February as winter was winding down and spring was not far off. You can see brown and orange leaves scattered among the cobblestones with what looks like a pile of them in the upper left hand corner of the image. It appears that asphalt has been put between these stones, possibly covering an original layer of sand. I would think that the asphalt would help stabilize the stones now that heavy modern vehicles are driving on that street.

Do any of my readers drive over cobblestone streets on a regular basis? Please tell us what that’s like always bumping noisily along on those stones.

This week’s post highlights the cute train tanker car in Saint Marys, Georgia.

The tanker car was permanently parked behind the former train station. The front of the tanker had been painted to resemble a face with eyes that included eyelashes and eyebrows and large pink lips. A red bow and one single blonde curl were painted on the forehead area. At the base of the “face” was a sign that read, “I’M LOOKING FOR LOVE” and the two Os in the word looking are painted like eyes.

It was that face painted tanker car that prompted me to get out of the vehicle to take photographs as we entered the small charming city. As I walked back behind the building to photograph the tanker I found many small areas that had been set up with Halloween decorations.

None of the vignettes, however were as cute or inviting as that tanker car.

I couldn’t help but wonder who came up with the idea of painting a face on the front of that car? Did someone see the rounded front on that car and imagine a face? Did someone see something similar on their travels and came home to plant that same idea right there in Saint Marys?

None of that really matters. What matters is that the face painted train tanker car made me smile. It enticed me to get out of my vehicle and walk around. It prompted me to smile with a wide eyed look of enjoyment at what I was viewing.

Looking for love in Georgia? I certainly found it in Saint Marys, Georgia, a small coastal city built on the banks of the St. Marys River. You just might, too!

Comments are welcomed!

In last week’s blog I told about a Saturn Sky automobile that had a Ferrari emblem on the hood and elsewhere. This week’s image was a photograph that was taken of the Saturn’s front wheel and tire. There is a Ferrari emblem on the wheel and a Ferrari sticker on the brake behind the wheel.

Someone who was not familiar with the Ferrari brand may have initially thought that the impersonating Saturn was the more expensive Italian sports car. But it wasn’t. And learning more about those two automobiles exposed the impostor for what it was.

This reminds me not to judge people by their appearance. I need to become more familiar with a person before I decide if they are genuine or not.

Often women, especially, are judged by their looks. Their appearance is judged by their make-up, or lack thereof, name brand clothing and accessories or hairstyle.

But is that fair? Is a woman who wears name brand clothing and accessories, keeps a neat hairstyle and sports perfect make-up really more genuine in their lives as a woman who rarely or never wears make-up, name brand clothing or stylish hairdos?

The argument has been made before that the well kept/made up woman is just practicing self care. She has a high enough opinion of herself to take the time, money and effort to make herself as presentable as possible. She also feels better about herself when she’s “sporting her Sunday best”, so to speak.

But what about that woman who never or rarely gets “made up”? Is it possible that she has just as high of an opinion of herself? Is it possible that there are other issues at play? Maybe she’s very chemically sensitive and her skin actually looks and feels better without make up. Maybe she doesn’t see the benefit in those brand names. Maybe she has more important financial priorities in her life than expensive clothing.

This week’s image of that Saturn Sky gave a clue to it’s impersonation. Looking closely at the image we can see that the Ferrari brand logo on the car’s brake is actually a sticker. The bottom edge of the sticker is wrinkled up and torn.

This image is a reminder to me that before I make any judgments about a person I need to become more familiar with them. Get to know them better. Their outside appearance may not reflect at all how genuine a person they may or may not be.

That’s a lesson that many of our parents tried to teach us as we were growing up and today’s image and blog post can nudge us to remember that lesson.


Comments are always welcome and encouraged.

The image that I posted for this week’s challenge was what I thought was a photograph of a Ferrari. I’m not familiar with expensive automobiles so I was fascinated that a Ferrari would be parked in a Golden Corral parking lot.

After taking several photographs with my cell phone we went home and I promptly forgot about those photos until I uploaded them to my computer.

Imagine my surprise when I started researching Ferraris to learn which model this particular car might be and discovered that the car with the Ferrari emblems that I had photographed was actually a General Motors Saturn Sky!

The owner of the car had replaced all of the Saturn emblems with Ferrari emblems. A real auto aficionado would most likely have known immediately that the Saturn was not a Ferrari and I bet the owner had many a laugh watching people photographing his car thinking that it was an expensive luxury sports car built in Italy.

Knock off luxury goods are all around us. Purses, shoes, cars and electronics often have a luxury brand name or emblem on them. How often are we fooled by those emblems? Having that emblem does not necessarily mean that the object is “the real thing” with the high quality that the name brand promises. We need to look at all aspects of the object to determine if it is genuine or an impostor.

Could my experience with the Ferrari Impostor possibly be a life lesson on a deeper level?

I’ll let you chew on that food for thought while I process another photograph of the Impostor!