Weekly Photo Challenge – AFLOAT
“Only by learning to live in harmony with your contradictions can you keep it all afloat.”
Audre Lorde
(10 Photos)
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
This week’s “afloat” challenge gave me an opportunity to use the capture above, showing two oddly-compatible creatures basking in the sun as pollen floats by on the water below. It’s one of many from our visit this past weekend to beautiful Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, SC.
GARDEN GAZEBO
“Our glories float between the earth and heaven; Like clouds which seem pavillions of the sun.”
Edward Bulwer-lytton
The gardens and swamp are simply magnificent – I try to visit them at least once each spring. This weekend the gardens were lush with azaleas and camelias, as always surrounded by ancient live oak trees dripping with Spanish Moss. The swamp was bustling with activity. Mama egrets and herons sat atop their soon-to-hatch eggs while fathers-to-be continued to spruce up the nests.
ANHINGA PARENTS-TO-BE
“Style is the gossamer on which the seeds of truth float through the world.”
George Bancroft
It was a beautiful day in Charleston, full of bright sunshine and warm, soft breezes. The site, founded in 1676 on the Ashley River, is brimming both with beautiful flowers and birds, and also with history. Originally established as a rice plantation – where the riverfront location meant critical access to transportation – the plantation housed both American and British troops during the Revolutionary War. Later, following the Civil War (which threatened to destroy the plantation) the gardens were opened to the public and happily, saved from ruin.
FLORAL REFLECTIONS
“The greatest part of mankind float betwixt vice and virtue.”
David Hume
As one approaches the Plantation, it’s a difficult choice whether to focus on the gardens or the swamp. For the energetic among us, it’s possible to do both in a single day. On the garden side, we find meandering paths through incredibly glorious flowers, lovely river views and a multitude of ponds with scenic, romantic bridges. Many of the ponds are filled with beautiful, tall cypress trees showing their water-bound roots.
SUMPTUOUS SCENE
“Dignity does not float down from heaven…it is a reward reserved for those who labor with diligence.”
Bill Hybels
MIRRORED CYPRESS
“Let go of the heavy pains of yesterday and you will feel lighter to float on top with your values.”
Israelmore Ayivor
Nearby but a bit further on, the swamp offers incredible opportunity for bird photography, as the egrets, herons and many other species build their nests very close to the paths which line the waters.
CHICKS IN THE MAKING
“Life is a tide; float on it.”
Prem Rawat
The BEST time to visit the swamp is when the chicks are newly-hatched. The activity level increases exponentially as parents call to one another, dive for food, and feed their demanding brood. During our visit last week we saw many nests with eggs but none of the chicks had yet emerged. I suppose that means I’ll just have to make another visit to the swamp in a few weeks!
NESTING
“Watching the clouds float across the sky is by no means a waste of time.”
John Lubbock
Gardens or Swamp–such a tough choice. I’ll close with examples of each. Perhaps you’ll see why my answer is — BOTH 😊
AFLOAT ON GREEN WATERS
“Souls are not designed to float around in thin air.”
Alex Chiu
GARDEN GLORY
“Sin is a stone which does not float.”
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
With apologies for my longer-than-most post, and encouragement that if you’re ever in the area you visit this very special place, I invite you to see some other bloggers’ float posts here.
Travels and Trifles 
Lovely. I enjoyed your choice of quotes mixed with your lovely photos. Thanks for sharing.
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Tina, a longer than usual post by you means more interesting pictures to look at. So I see no reason for you to apologize 🙂 Thank you for putting up so many interesting and diverse images in a single post.
Many thanks Uday – it was a gloriously beautiful day – hard to restrain myself!