Teamwork

Jack opening a present with the help of Ethan.

Little Boys and Trains

Jack, William and Ethan playing with grandpa's Lionel train - a Christmas tradition.

Christmas Morning

Annaka and Jack

Twas the Day Before Christmas

Broadway at the Beach

Pair of Cormorants

Reflection

Christmas Fishing

Broadway at the Beach

Ibis in Flight

Ibises are characterized by their curved bills. This one is an immature White Ibis whose coloring will become whiter as an adult.

The Led Zeppelin

Yesterday afternoon they had the first public test run of the new Led Zeppelin roller coaster. Giant water jugs weighing 170 pounds were strapped in the seats. From the talk of people watching, there were quite a few that would have volunteered to be a test dummy.

The coaster was christened not by champagne, but by breaking a guitar to pieces on one of the concrete supports.

Over the moon

It's Almost Chirstmas

Believe it or not

Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Mr. Reindeer

This is the first of a series of photos to capture the sights of the Christmas season in Myrtle Beach.

Broadway at the Beach

Happiness is a Good Book

Ethan

Nap Time

Ethan falls asleep during lunch.

Testing the Led Zeppelin

Late yesterday afternoon they were testing the new Led Zeppelin roller coaster at the Hard Rock Park scheduled to open this spring.

Sugar Cane Syrup - Video

Making the sugar cane syrup at Freewoods Farm
like they did over 100 years ago.

Sugar Cane Syrup - 3

Visiting the cooking shed.




Ten gallons of juice yields about a gallon of syrup.

Sugar Cane Syrup - 2

An old cane mill manufactured by the Chattanooga Plow Co. in the late 1800s is used to crush the juice from the cane.

A mule named Pete turns the cane mill.

Sugar Cane Syrup - 1

They are making sugar cane syrup this week at Freewoods Farm. This is a living farm museum which duplicates African American farm life from 1865 to 1900.

The process begins with the harvesting and shucking of the sugar cane.





Tomorrow we will meet Pete and see how they process the cane.

Last Butterfly ??

Yesterday a sulphur passed through the backyard quickly, but this gulf fritillary lingered long enough for a few photos. The rosemary bush is one of the few plants in the backyard with blooms. Butterfly season can't last much longer due to the colder nights and diminishing food source.

Christmas Train

Georgetown, SC

German Baden Band Organ

The organ was built by A. Ruth & Sohn in Waldkirch Baden, Germany and was first exhibited at the 1900 World Exposition in Paris. After the exposition, it was moved from town to town in Europe on a wagon pulled by a team of six horses. The Myrtle Beach Pavilion amusement park acquired the organ in 1957. When the park closed in 2006, the organ was moved a couple of miles to Broadway at the Beach.

The two-ton pipe organ features 98 keys and 400 pipes. The elaborately carved machine is adorned with 18 lifelike figures with 12 of them spinning and dancing to each tune.

It still runs on what it did more than 100 years ago ... hand-fed cardboard sheet music.

Boats at Anchor

Harbor at Georgetown, SC

Adirondack Rainbow

Broadway at the Beach

Twilight

Georgetown Steel Plant in Georgetown, SC


Georgetown Steel was started by German industrialist Willy Korf in 1969. In 2003 it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and soon ceased production. The next year the former International Steel Group (ISG) purchased the remains of Georgetown Steel for $18 million. And in 2005 Mittal bought ISG, making Georgetown a part of its US operations. The plant manufactures steel wire rod products.

End of the Season

The butterfly season is about over. Yesterday, this tattered gulf fritillary wondered through the backyard.

Good Boys

Santa checking his book for the names of William, Jack and Ethan.

Broadway at the Beach

Fishing Pier

Autumn Night

Full moon, a cloudy night and a river birch

Walking on the Beach

William at Myrtle Beach State Park

Honored Guest

For our Thanksgiving meal we had an honored guest, Chief Dragging Canoe, aka William.

Boardwalks

Broadway at the Beach