Thanksgiving Message: Don't Take Life for Granted

On the eve of Thanksgiving 2015 I am uploading to my computer photographs I took yesterday at Charleston's beautiful and historic Magnolia Cemetery, about which I have written two books.

I am always touched by the gravesite of little Annie Kerr Aiken who was not quite 3 years old when the throat disease diphtheria took your young life in 1856. Passersby often place small toys and stuffed animals at this site, or as I saw yesterday, coins. Thirteen cents someone placed here- bad luck?

Kizoa Slideshow: Magnolia Cemetery in All Its Splendor

Kizoa is a fun, easy to use, slideshow and collage program for creating colorful presentations put to music and an array of special effects and animation.

I created this Kizoa slideshow about Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston. I have written two books about this grand 19th Victorian necropolis. You can read about them on another blog I have called BirdsEyeViews.

Magnolia Birds - Kizoa Online Movie Maker

Another great thing about Kizoa is that it is free! Free up to a point. There is a nice assortment of music option with the program. But if you want to add other music, you may have to pay for that before your slideshow can be shared. 

Goodread Review of "In the Arms of Angels"

I was excited and pleased to recently come across online this very favorable review of the "In the Arms of Angels" book about Magnolia Cemetery that I published last year. The review is on Goodreads, a website that helps readers "meet your next book."

Thank you Courtney! I'm glad you like my book and appreciate the great time and effort I put into it!

My "Best of Magnolia Cemetery" Video

I just cannot seem to get enough of Charleston's Magnolia Cemetery! 

Books, videos, photographs, blogs posts, articles, taking friends and visitors there, even a special CofC class that ties in with "MagCem." In preparing to take my "Beyond the Grave: What Old Cemeteries Tell and Teach the Living" students on a tour there recently, I used the opportunity to record video of my favorite Magnolia Cemetery landmarks and memorials. 

So without further ado  (drum roll please!)...I present to you "Patrick Harwood's Best of Magnolia Cemetery" video:   

The music was found on my go-to free music website, Incompetech.com.

Santee Coastal Reserve Part II

Last Monday I had a very nice "staycation" outing back to the Santee Coastal Reserve Wildlife Management Area north of McClellanville, S.C.

It was warm day and very buggy on some pathways along the 24,000 acre nature site. But my friend Beverly Donald and I came away with some excellent photographs. The clouds were gorgeous, enhancing wide shots like the ones below.

Love this photo!

Santee Coastal Reserve WMA

I came across a "kettle" of Barn Swallows last month while exploring the Santee River region north of McClellanville, S.C. I was driving toward the Intracoastal Waterway to see if the ferry was running to the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center (it wasn't- it only operates certain times of the year)

A nice spot this ferry landing!

If only I had my own boat! 

The ferry to the Yawkey Center- I tried to get the guy to take me across but no luck there

College of Charleston Faculty Book Display

I was excited yesterday to finally see the display of recent faculty publications in the College of Charleston's Addlestone Library. My 2014 Magnolia Cemetery book is in the bottom right hand corner.

The display is on the third floor near the Special Collections/South Carolina Historical Society section. 

The CofC faculty books will be displayed throughout the summer. I'm quite honored to be part of this presentation!  "In the Arms of Angels: Magnolia Cemetery- Charleston's Treasure of History, Mystery and Artistry" remains available for purchase. See the column to the left for stores and other sales information. My two books are also on the shelves of the Addlestone Library and all of the public libraries in the greater Charleston area. 

Favorite BVI Photos

The beautiful British Virgin Islands was a dream vacation!  Alesia and I stayed for a week at the fabulous Scrub Island Resort. This is a five-star Marriott property of just more than 50 rooms. All of the views face the beautiful Caribbean Sea. 

Marriott's Scrub Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands- our room was in the building at top, second from right

Flurry of Talks in March!

This photo and short article appeared in today's Summerville Journal Scene. Many thanks to Louise Guy for inviting me to speak at The Village at Summerville Presbyterian Community. I really enjoyed the large attentive audience of residents and staff. Mrs. Guy has deep ties to Magnolia Cemetery, going all the way to its opening in 1850. A number of her Johnson ancestors are interred there, as is her late husband.

Mrs. Guy really surprised me with this beautiful display she and a staff member prepared to publicize my talk on March 12. She was kind enough to let me have the fine piece of work, which I have already used as a backdrop to me books at a presentation a few days later!

Wonderful Magnolia Cemetery Display!

March 12 was a busy day for me. After my Village at Summerville appearance I headed to Seabrook Island where I spoke to some 130 folks at an event sponsored by the Seabrook Island Natural History Group. Marsha Bird and her husband Ben treated me to dinner at the lovely Seabrook golf course club house. Wow, what a great view of the golf course and ocean from that restaurant! 

Marsha and Ben told me a great story about a photography book by Charles J. Moore that is all about the Great Egret rookery in their Seabrook backyard! I plan to accept their invitation to see all this firsthand! Thank you Birds and thanks to all the people who came to my talk. That's the biggest audience I've ever had! 

With Marsha Bird at Seabrook's Lake House on March 12

A few days later I had the privilege of talking about Magnolia Cemetery and my book to the Charleston chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society. It was neat for me to not only meet fellow history and research enthusiasts but also to be in the Masonic Lodge in West Ashley where they meet. 

I saw the large painting of late 19th century Masonic leader Peter Coburn. A local descendant of his who saw Mr. Coburn's artistic headstone and write up in my book (page 153) had told me about this painting in a Masonic Lodge locally. I didn't know it was at the Masonic Lodge where I speaking March 15 until I walked in and saw it in the lobby!

I'm looking forward to giving more presentations in the months ahead! Contact me if you're interested in me speaking to your group. Thank you! 

Winter 2015 Backyard Birds

(A number of new photos were added on February 15 and March 22, bringing to 17 the number of different birds photographed in my backyard recent weeks)

This weekend I spent some quality time on my back porch enjoying the warmer winter weather while photographing some of the visitors to my feeders and nearby trees.

A nice variety of feathered friends feasted on the array of seeds and suet hanging from my (warning: product placement!) Wild Birds Unlimited set up located several feet from my porch. I like the position because the birds are very easy to see and the squirrels can't jump onto it from tree branches or the roof. Also, quality photography is possible while I'm sitting on the porch or stealthily looking down through my upstairs bathroom window.

Chipping Sparrow Pair

I like this photo of Chipping Sparrows because of the front and back perspectives it has. It's neat how symmetrical the feather pattern and colors are in the bird on the left.

These small birds don't spook as easily as most types that come to the feeders. They are focused on their eating and don't mind my presence nearby clicking (silently) just a few yards away.

Fine People and Fine Day for Middleton Place Talk and Cemetery Tour

Yesterday helped get 2015 off to a great start! I had the honor of speaking about my Magnolia Cemetery books to a large group of guides at Middleton Place, one of the Charleston area's greatest and best attractions.

Beverly Donald speaks at the Smith Pyramid

After my talk at the Middleton Place pavilion (organized by Marty Turney), most of us drove to Magnolia Cemetery where superintendent Beverly Donald led a walking tour of Middleton, Alston and Middleton Place-connected burial sites. Lots of history and beautiful examples of funerary art. And we were treated to a beautiful, sunny and comfortable winter day. 

It was a truly great day and I'm very appreciative of the opportunity to speak to such a prominent group and to, with Beverly Donald, show these Middleton guides what's so special and interesting about Magnolia Cemetery! 

Click here for more information about Magnolia Cemetery and Middleton Place. 

Contact me, Patrick Harwood (843.224.3112 or birdseyeviewspublications@gmial.com), to hear more about my visual presentations to groups about Magnolia Cemetery, one of America's most beautiful and historic cemeteries. 

Middleton Place tour guides were taken on a tour of Magnolia Cemetery