Hartsville

If  you notice poor quality in my photos blame Verizon...I reduced the pixels so I wouldn't eat up all my data when I upload photos!  Today we went for another Townies Tour...this time it's HARTSVILLE, SC.....near the same  area geographical we went to on our last Town visit.  Back in the Pee Dee region, crossing the Lynches River  we traveled into Darlington County (from Kershaw County) where we live.  Back in Cotton Country!!

Mom and I were so ready to be out and about we've had lots of rain, been hard to get anything done outside so I took advantage and did lots of little inside things to get my house in order--- literally.  To get there its a quiet drive through farmland  and lots of roadside stops for photos...so we don't get in a hurry!

the burbs around us are not exactly upscale...

Fritillary 

We stopped near the river to help a turtle across the road, then not far from there we came upon a field of wild flowers... full of butterflies...

Buckeye

We made a stop at Kalimara Gardens part of the Coker College Campus...there is an awesome boardwalk there and lots of birds,,,but Mom really can't do the steps to get down to the boardwalk anymore so we hung around the garden to see what was in bloom And we saw all sorts of nice things!!  I always feel so wonderful when I stand under a Live Oak, especially one with a Northern Parula singing his heart out in it...

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Kalimara

Northern Parula 

The big bloomers of the day were def the Hydrangeas all colors...

and more butterflies--an American Painted Lady Butterfly

Here's something you don't see everyday can you guess what it is?

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A pomegranate!

When I was a kid our bus used to stop and let us pick pears and pomegranates, we would go home with that red stain all over our hands, face, and clothes! "Not too funny when our mom's saw us"!! I don't think I've attempted to eat one since becoming an adult only a kid would be enthralled with one. 

This five lined skink scared us when he jumped out of the bushes!! They make a lot of noise as they slither around and it sounds like a snake... this one is about 8 inches in length!

Then Mom started to wimp out and we hadn't even seen the Town yet!! Soooo  

... there was only one thing to do --take her out for lunch!! :o)

This helped! ...we scarfed down a salad and some of the crunchiest onion rings we've ever eaten --->good stuff <---but neither of us liked the sauce they served with the rings...

...as we left the restaurant the waitress came rushing out waving her hands at us...
Holy Hysterics

She was holding my camera and Mom's pocketbook!! OKAY a couple of country bumpkins come to town...JEEZE we needed a little wake up call I reckon!

Once we recovered our possessions we headed one more block to "down town" proper...

Mom  waited in the shade while I took some photos of the town square...and a few other sights in Hartsville...named after the Hart's who were sort of the founding family of the town as far back as 1818

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and the Coker family also had a lot to do with the economy of this town...and the College as I mention in my last town post is a center for education in this area...

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hope you can read this...

here is the store it's an entire city block it has now been segmented  into various businesses...

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est 1865

It sure was nice to see the Blue Sky!!  More rain is expected by Friday so gotta enjoy it while it's here...like so many other aspects of life!

another wonderful experience with MOM in our Townies Tour! 

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

One thing you can count on is...

SO  much can happen in such a short time....I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to move into my house. So I moved in last Sunday I can't believe its only a week seems like a yr. I don't know that this arrangement will be the best in the long run, will be permanent, or whatever....but for now its good! One day at a time eh? Mom is in full support of my decision...now I can have some space to prepare for my future whatever it may be...I love her God knows so I'm right here a stones toss away.  And now she has a spare room for the other sisters to pitch in and help out, and already that has happened much to my great happiness as we got a helping hand and a lovely visit from one sis this weekend. 

and there was light!

The electric has been shut off since 2013...finally it's back on.  

So all I've done is move stuff from point A to point B.  I'm probably the only person you know who moved using a garden tractor...LoL...it didn't make sense to use the van and trailer as I could bring the garden trailer door to door!! 

Good news --all my plumbing works...well  I haven't tried the dish washer yet as I am just happy its not leaking  I don't really cook I enjoy eating raw veggies--and I microwave a few things.. I have not  thrown the breaker on the cook stove yet...In case my wire repair sends me to  that old sparky home in the sky... so I have to purchase a new fire extinguisher first JIC. 

all I have is Antenna TV might get satellite when it's time for the Walking Dead 7 in the fall...or I'll watch it at Mom's she actually got to like it since I've put her through 6 seasons of it..lol but to be fair she put me through 10 yrs of Matlock, Bonanza and Virginian repeats. Her memory is such that she could watch the same episode every day and not recall it so it's always fresh and new to her. 

TV is not that important to me...I prefer music! And art projects so NOW I have place to do that.

 setup the 3rd bedroom as a multipurpose room for sewing, art, and other crafty projects. 

Found one problem with a switch that turns on a light it is NOT wired to...:o))?? Take it with a grain of salt.... will worry about that one later too...don't need that light right now.  I had all the rooms set up except the bedroom and that' s where I'm working now.  The bed is up of course and who knew I had so MANY books, CD's, Tapes, and such...The dogs are a bit confused but I think they will figure it all out in time...they can come and go between both homes so they are getting lots of exercise...LoL. 

I went with the blue green on the seat cushion. 

 I'm spinning my old LP's from the 70's its kinda neat to hear this old stuff again, eating veggies and  humus, and staying up late, (okay till 10:30 at least) and Mom can turn her Westerns up as loud as she wants them to be :o) --we got the medical alert thing for her and I pop in and out all day to make sure she is good and help with pills, meals, the cleaning, all that jazz you know. She is not to cook on the stove top but she can microwave the heck outta stuff...and today we cooked up a huge pot of her favorite Pinto Beans so she has only to heat and eat.  

It takes a village...this way the sisters can come and help out and have excuse as it has been there is on place for them to sleep and have a spot of their own for personal time and I completely understand that.  

It's impossible to be everything and have anything left over for yourself so this is to help me make it through the long haul, I need not explain that to y'all as I'm sure you can understand I need to get myself ready for the next stage of Mom's life the one where I am going to need more hands on deck.  I made the decision 10 yrs ago to move back to SC to help my mother, to buy my house back, and to eventually live in it..so this move is 10 years in the making--if I am nothing else, I never give up!

I still have a few projects to complete and soon work will begin on that and I'll update as I go along...

and we hope we can get back to our town trips...we need a break from all the work.

welcome home....

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

The Pee Dee Region!

Friday before mother's day...so as a gift to my Mom we did another town trip! This time it turns into 2 towns since they lay close to each other.  Society Hill and Bennetsville, SC .  Both of these towns are located in what is known as the Pee Dee region! Named for the Great Pee Dee River that runs through the region and that was named for the Pee Dee tribe of Indians who lived her before whites took over their world!

Mom viewing the Pee Dee 

Much of the history of these 2 towns are basically the same with deep roots in Pre-Revolutionary history and Civil War history..Would have loved to do the self guided walking tour but walking is one of Mom's big problems so we did some windows down looking, I got out for a closer look at a few spots.  The townies of Society Hill grew rich on the legacy of cotton...when blacks were slaves.

Society Hill Veterans Park Kiosk 

There is a cotton trail, it's a 90 mile stretch and I believe I'd love to do that when the cotton is high!..If you have never seen a field full of cotton, its quite a spectacle looks like snow!  There is a cotton museum in Bishopsville, SC it's only 18 miles from us.   We stopped and snapped this shot of the old Society Hill's 1828 library building.  

Then on to Bennetsville, we stopped at the visitors center, which is housed in the D D McColl house c-1826

I realize now I chopped the top off the house! Drat, my photography is not up to par...but you can see how charming this Queen Ann Style home was back in the day and it was moved here!! HOW in tarnation did they move this big brick mansion not once, not twice but 3 times!! 

I like this building it says McCall Block on top of it....and its across the street from the Marlboro Co. courthouse...

the Breedeen Inn 1886 a bed and breakfast in town...

At the end of town is Wallace Lake,...

We took a sandwich out and had it by the lake...saw a few birds there too..

A list of birds we saw included Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Killdeer, Northern Rough Winged Swallow, Cliff Swallows, Red winged Black Bird, Osprey, Cattle Egret and Blue Grosbeak!

Upon leaving the lake we passed a road sign that pointed to Colonel Kolb's tomb...had to go see that so we turned off and here is the story..

he is buried about 50 yards from the Pee Dee river..

And there was an American Redstart...

There's more to see in this town than one visit could bring back so who knows we may return!  I was able to Log these on my lists on Waymarking.  I am new to it and my first Waymark was rejected as it was already listed! Once I get the hang of it I know I would enjoy doing some geocaching. 

Time...well spent!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Townies...Orangeburg

Mom Stops to smell the flowers....;o)

But first.....

 Just need to put the Toilet lid on and the bathroom is officially done! Oh and I have a wee gap on my cabinet door an inside latch should solve that problem...Hung the hand towel and its all good!!

I also am not too proud to admit when I make a mistake so I repainted the yellow wall to match the color of the rest of that open space...I did not chose the yellow but hated to know that money and time was wasted but better to admit defeat than go forward with something that I was not happy with LOVE the same color all over so much better and Another Bad idea is the dark cabinets so did those over ...

only a little time is all since I had the paint already...I did like the dark wood but it gave an overall darkness to the kitchen and since it has little natural light I had to lighten it up...

I am keeping the open cabinet in the dark wood tho I really like it...

the Bathroom & the Living Space is done!  Just little projects to do. 

All work and no play is not the way so I asked Mom if she would enjoy a day out she said yes so we drove to a nearby town that we had never bothered to visit, Orangeburg, SC. Roadside scenery was awesome some wildflowers in the fields.....

We passed through the town called  St Matthews this old house is the first thing you see...

then this bridge over the RR Track that goes right down main street!!  Half the town is one side of this track and half on the other side!  

IN Orangeburg they have kept their downtown in the mid century modern style! It had that old feel would be a great set for a movie say in the 60's for any Hollywood producers reading this...lol..

On Golden Pond Showing at the Blue Bird

One reason we chose this town is  Edisto Gardens! There are rose gardens not blooming yet but the Azaleas were open..it was a beautiful day to be out and Mom enjoyed a walk...

Lots of cedar wax wings around that day and I spotted one Yellow throated warbler, he didnt allow a photo, but it was nice to see him and we heard black n whites too...

The Edisto river runs right at the back of the garden really nice. A slow flow this river passes thru Colleton State Park Miles  the south  of here...and there is a nice canoe trail there.

and some butterflies were out...

The Eastern Swallowtail Male...

And a couple of white throated sparrows were up in the budding cherry trees..

We have decided to do more of these town visit trips, towns we have never bothered to stop and smell the roses at! So stay tuned for more! Meanwhile its back to the Painting and fixing up!!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.