Gene Bowker's RustedRail's Ramblings! Who knows what we'll find along the backroads of life.
Unexpected results
Last night we braved the cold (at least for South Carolina) to go downtown in Greer to see the festivities around the tree lighting and also grabbed some quick pictures in downtown
Rudolph and Santa
In 2024, Patrice, her mother and I went to the Center for Puppetry Arts to see a special exhibit which had the original Rudolph and Santa puppets from the Christmas Special. They had their own room and were sitting in the glass case. When we got there we had the room to ourselves and plenty of time to examine them in detail. I think the thing that shocked me was just how small they were. Somehow I had always imagined them being larger. However they were quite, quite small. Here is a video on Instagram that I took with my cell phone where you can see them in more detail. I was so happy that to learn the story of how they were discovered and lovingly restored and also the chance to see them. The Center is full of other puppets that are famous including a large collection of the original Muppets along with many other favorites. They have a nice gift shop and also lots of activities for the family along with puppet shows they present of course. If you'd like to see Rudolph and Santa they are on display again at the Center this holiday season. https://puppet.org/programs/festive-features/
x marks the spot
When I get a chance to visit a covered bridge or other older wooden structure I always enjoy the chance to examine the craftsmanship which when into building them. Patrice and I recently visited the Campbell's Covered Bridge near our home in the Upstate of South Carolina. The bridge was recently restored (again) and paint was added to the inside which somewhat covers the various carvings that people have felt the need to leave for years. As much as I hate the carvings (same for ones on old trees or even most graffiti), I understand the desire to say "I was here". For me, the images I make are my way to say "I was there..." The National Park Service always emphasizes "Leave no trace" when visiting historical sites and I believe in leaving the place the same for the next visitor and want my traces to be the images and words I leave behind.
Hey there! Thanks for stopping by!
Hey there, a quick snapshot from the office today. I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has been stopping by to read the blog recently! The blog is my outlet for sharing my images and thoughts on life. I've enjoyed being able to create more images this year and am looking forward to even more phototrips in 2025! If you haven't taken the time to explore the rest of the website: A good place to start is in the Gallery - these are some of my favorite photos from over the years I've been taking digital photographs! My newest images from 2024 can be found here. If you'd like to find out more about me.. then there is More About Gene which highlights my life's journey and some of my influences. Thanks again for stopping by and hope you enjoy the posts!
Springwood Cemetery
Cemeteries are a great place to explore history and also enjoy the artistry of many of the markers. I picked a few of my favorite images to edit in a similar manner highlighting some of the different memorials which are located there. The park is surrounded by downtown Greenville now, but the residents haven't seemed to notice all the new neighbors. |