of the 1715 Magazine at Colonial Williamsburg an interpreter shares Revolutionary War tactics. Well-informed.
Symbol /
So how did this Bald Eagle make it to the National Park site? It is not because of his stature as a symbol of the United States but, simply, he was perched on Jamestown Island. But how appropriate.
1715 /
This is one of the six walls that make up the magazine at Colonial Williamsburg. This structure dates from 1715 and held gunpowder and arms for the defense of the colony. It also figured prominently in the history of the Revolutionary War - see the Gunpowder Incident https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Incident
Christ Church, New Bern /
This congregation was formed in 1715, the second church, was erected in 1750. It was in that church that Washington and Monroe both worshipped and Geo. Whitfield preached. All on separate occasions! This "new" church was built in the 1820s. The photo was taken at the end of an alley that was converted to a pedestrian walkway.
All a Flutter /
Amazing creature in an amazing creation.
"But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence.
Let them be filled with joy. Sing praises to God and to his name!
Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds.
His name is the lord — rejoice in his presence!" Psalm 68:3,4 NLT
Double Arch /
Arches National Park in Utah is an amazing place. The arches are cool but only a part of the story. We did several hikes, some across sands, some up rocks and some in canyons of boulders. Stunning place. This arch is in a cluster of arches - four or five you can walk to all of them in under an hour.
End of Sumer Garden Walk /
Behind the joiner in Colonial Williamsburg is a nice garden that is a bit hidden.
Happy One Hundred /
to the National Park Service. Your visit to a park can be greatly enhanced or a bit disappointing based often on the rangers you encounter. Most of them work for years to reach a permeant status, have to deal with inadequate budgets and, at least in some parks, hoards of visitors. And the occasional "bison in the car" scenario. Who would not lose their patience at times. I have found them to be enthusiastic, well-informed and really glad to assist you to understand the significance or and the beauty of their site. So, thanks. You do a wonderful job. What grander way to celebrate than a view of the Grand Canyon.
Masts in the Mist /
The red sails of the Margaret Todd. You can take various tours of Frenchman's Bay on the M. Todd including a sunset cruise. This was about thirty minutes after sunrise and the fog on the bay was very thick. The rocks on the shore were very slippery. Another story there.
The Street /
This was the place to be in the last of the nineteenth century and early twentieth if you were a successful African-American in Richmond. Among Maggie Walker's neighbors were lawyers, doctors and business leaders. But Maggie Walker stood out. She headed a national organization to assist black families, ran a newspaper and was the first woman to found and head a bank. Her home is the one with the awnings.
Deep Regret and Sincere Apologies /
The entire staff of Two Lane Touring regrets the disappointment caused by the failure to post the photograph yesterday of the Blue Crabs. We realize that our fan is grieved by the second failure in only 1302 days to properly post a photo. Words cannot express...
So, we announce the following staff changes.
The Director of Photo Placement for the No Itinerary blog has been let go. The Senior Executive Associate Art Director, Night Shift, has been demoted to Second Minion. Our entire Third Shift Proofing Staff will be on temporary cafeteria duty pending further training. And, most difficult, the Senior Acquisition Manager, Doughnut Division will be responsible for only the early morning donuts while we evaluate the role a lack of sugar played in this whole sorry mess.
Here is the missing photograph.
Blue Crabs in a White Bucket /
Caught off a pier in New Bern, NC. The man who was catching them said he would catch about a dozen, eat two and sell the others.
Birch Path /
About a mile from the Acadia Gardens across a long boardwalk you come to a meadow bordered by a path through a stand of birch trees. I find it impossible to not take a photo here. Every time.
"Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” Luke 1:78, 79 NLT
Maggie Walker Home /
This is the last site in Virginia that I had not visited. Not the last that still need photos because some of those visits were back before Mr. Kodak... well, not quite but before I had a camera. Maggie Walker was a significant influence in Richmond from the late 1880s to her death in 1934. She was born in Richmond during the last days of the Civil War. Her home is in the Jackson Ward district of Richmond a couple of blocks from the statue to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. More Later.
A Bit Different /
Friends of ours were in town for a couple of days and we went out to eat on Tuesday. They like Mexican food and so we chose to take them to Gonza Tacos y Tequila, the original place on Lead Mine Road. If you want an experience this is a good place; if you want superior food, this is a great place. Not your standard fare and not served in a standard atmosphere. The body outlines on the floor are just the first thing you notice not the most unusual. You do get to choose your own bobblehead creation if you are waiting for a table. And most nights you will wait for a table. But that is OK, well worth the line. On this night the owner, Gonza, stopped by our table and we chatted a bit. He asked if we like coconut or chocolate better. Silly question. He sent out to our table a chocolate flan with a complex sauce that had a citrus tang. We swooned. In our first year in Raleigh we have been here six or eight times. Far too few and we will correct that going forward.
Need a Lawyer? /
You went here is the 1850's if you wanted A. Lincoln to handle your case. Here is Springfield, Illinois. It seemed far too modern but it is the actual building not something restored. It is just a bit down the street from the train station where he would leave to become president and return to be buried. The new Lincoln museum is just two blocks away and was quite well done.
Anticipation /
Just a bit over a month and we will be back in Maine with friends old and new. It never gets old. The beauty of the creation often just overwhelms. This is a shot from Penobscot Mountain. That is Jordon Pond in the foreground and the Cranberry Islands at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Worth the climb!
Mesa Verde National Park /
This is the Cliff Palace or at least a portion of the Cliff Palace. The Cliff Palace was built in the late 1100's to about the middle of the 1200's over about 60 years. It it is the largest of the cliff dwellings and can be visited on a ranger led tour. About 100 - 130 people lived here. It was abandoned in the 1300's for unknown reasons.
No Fish, Super Mad /
This Great Blue Heron went three times into the water and came up empty. They are usually sure getting their lunch but this one just got wet.
In the Spirit of the Olympics /
Skill, training, discipline and preparation are required to do most things well but we must also trust those who instruct, those who supply equipment and the one who created limits in all of us past our perception of what is possible.
"Commit everything you do to the lord. Trust him, and he will help you." Psalm 37:5 NLT
