One More

Actually we have a few more but I may not post more of them. This one is especially colorful and bright. It was made by Cindy’s Grandmother, Sadie Bird Sherrieb. We understand it was a “machine” effort unlike the others we have and some of the folks at the time (we were told) apparently thought that made it inferior - I like it. They have a neat connection to the past and hold a lot of meaning in the present.

“Remember the days of long ago think about the generations past.

Ask your father, and he will inform you. Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you.” Deuteronomy 32:7 NLT

Somber

The Little Big Horn battlefield is a very moving place. Unlike the rows of neat tombstones you find at the various military cemeteries across the United States, these markers were placed where the soldiers of the 7th Calvary (oops, Cavalry, what happens when you write lots of sermons!) fell in the battle. It provides a unique experience and the chaos of the battle is made more real. In later years the men on the side of the fight from the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho also have markers where they fell when known. The official name of the site is different from the Lakota name, Battle of the Greasy Grass, or the popular name, Custer's Last Stand but each reflects a unique perspective on a single engagement. There remains a great deal of uncertainty about aspects of the short battle.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monumen

The Quilt - Neat Story, Precious Heirloom (10 photos)

The year was 1939 and Rev. Jackson was being transferred from the Natrona Methodist Church in Western Pennsylvania to another parish. Someone in the congregation suggested that they make a “remembrance quilt” and send it with him. So they did with the names of all or most all of the congregation. The following year or perhaps the same year his second wife died. In late 1940 or early 1941 he returned to the area, specifically Birdville on the top of the hill from Natrona, to ask Jean Sherrieb to marry him. And she did. In 1950 Cindy was born. In 1958 both of her parents, Jean and Robert died of cancer only a few months apart and Cindy began to live with her Aunt Bernice Sherrieb or Aunt “B” to many people. At some point Aunt B passed the quilt on to Cindy as a part of the things she had kept for her. As Natrona Methodist Church is where Cindy attended from 8 years old through college the people named on the quilt were well known to her and many of her family members have their names embroidered on the quilt, including her great-grandmother, grandfather, grandmother, mom, two half brothers, her Aunt B and more. It turns out that I have a cousin or two on the quilt and my Aunt Goldie as well. Maybe more we are still exploring. There are nine close-ups of the quilt circles with names in each pie sliced shape, the class name in the middle and the class teachers and officers around the outer edge. See who you can find or might know.

Her mom, Jean Sherrieb and grandmother and grandfather are here. My Aunt Goldie is also here, M Bowser.

My cousin, Mona McGinnis is here. I hardly knew her.

Ralph Jackson, one of Cindy’s half-brothers but we never knew him.

Martha Collins is a lady who was a great friend of Aunt B. C and I helped move her one time and Aunt B lived with her briefly.

This is the class Aunt B and Rev. Jackson taught. It included Ward Jackson, Cindy’s other brother and we knew them well. He and his wife Bonnie were very special people and greatly missed.

Sarah Bird, CJH’s great-grandmother it was her husband that organized Birdville.

First Landing

For thousands of Immigrants this was the first stop on American soil. Processing, medical, and more occurred on Ellis Island. I think this foggy morning view was the more typical of the trip.

Ellis Island, NYC

Sky

Driving across a portion of Utah at night with this interesting light showing for at least half and hour and giving eerie light all the time.

somewhere in the high desert

Other Side of the Moon

This is Bass Island Lighthouse and if you search the internet you will find scores of images of BIL. But like all of mine but this one, they are from the other side looking up and including the dramatic coast and rugged rocks. This is from a few yards - and ten thousand mosquitos from the parking lot and not often photographed.

Acadia National Park

Lost & Found

This is a very early image for me, from 2006, and the learning curve was steep (ie not many really came out very well) but I liked this shot. The entire year of photos was lost - in that I could not extract them from the discontinued software but Luminar allowed me to get them from the one program and import into Luminar. Enough of that you say, where is this? The lighthouse is in Lake Huron at the entrance to the harbor in Mackinaw Island. It is called the Round Island Lighthouse and was completed in 1895.

Moving

This is the actual ink and pen set that the 56 men used to sign their name to a document proclaiming freedom to live their lives not subject to a king. I found just the fact it was there to be a moving experience. What they must have been thinking as they signed what was a pledge that would cost most of them dearly. Yet it was only a temporal fix to the issue that plagues people and we now live under far more rules and vastly higher taxes than those that spawned the American Revolution. So when we look at the Christian Scriptures and read about the yearning for freedom it was both temporal and spiritual but only one will endure.

“He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” I Timothy 2:6 NLT

Independence Hall

Dune Walker

We just so enjoyed our one day at Cape Cod. It was one of the rare days on this trip that it was not raining. Actually a perfect day just cool enough to be comfortable. We were able to do five hikes - all short - this one on the bay side was the longest at about three miles but we did not get to explore everything we wanted to do even on this one trail. We were both impressed with the scope of the park and the dunes in two areas were really fun.

Cape Cod National Seashore

Chips?

This is another perspective on a Cape Cod lighthouse that I posted in September. This is the lighthouse on all the Cape Cod Potato chips packages.

Cape Cod National Seashore

Winter Trees

These three trees are in the Gettysburg battlefield at the farm adjacent to the more famous Edward McPherson's farm.

Gettysburg National Military Park

Local Residents

These are the residents at the village where the pump and window shot (yesterday) was taken. I don’t think they were too impressed that the entire Two Lane Touring photography staff was there to capture their pictures. Much more interested in a bit of hay. Probably a good choice for them.

Hopewell Furnace NHP

Well and Window

Walking the small village that remains from the early 1800’s in rural Pennsylvania I found this neat scene. I like the colors and textures of the photo. This would have been a hub of the village as people gathered here to get water. This social activity would be familiar to people from thousands of years ago. Here technology allowed them to pump instead of wind or haul a bucket. Conveniences!

Hopewell Furnace NHS

Not Far Away

Since this morning is to be the coldest of our season, I thought a reminder that we roll through the seasons and that Spring is only 60 days away. We get to walk the trails in this great space, really a nice place.

North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh NC

Outstanding

These Birch trees are the result of a fire in the 1940’s. It was the difficult circumstances that enabled them to thrive and create the beautiful backdrop to many trails and scenes in Acadia National Park. How do we allow the challenges in our lives to shape us and enable us to be what we are designed to achieve. These two are growing for their season from a small niche in the massive rock wall.

“Be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:1 NLT

Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye

Proto-Bird. Or at least that what some folks believe. I liked this shot taken in a swamp in Mississippi.

Gulf Islands National Seashore, Mississippi unit

Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye

On my own in a box canyon north of Las Vegas I found this Spotted Towhee who was more curious about me than I was about him. It kept dipping down into the foliage and then popping back up to look at me and then the cycle would repeat. Pretty bird, nice song.

Near Las Vegas @ Red Rock Canyon

Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye

Roaming across most of the marshes of the Southeast US you might find an example of the Tricolored Heron. They prefer salt water ponds and marshes but you can find them spotted across the country. About half the size of the more familiar Great Blue this guy prefers to work solo snaring fish in shallow water.

Florida - Canaveral National Seashore

Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye

A Greater Yellowlegs stalking prey in the shallows of a salt water marsh. The more successful I think my bird photos are the more likely I am to be eye level with the bird. Hard to do usually. That’s why I suspect really good wildlife photographers wade into the water and sit in blinds. Maybe I need some boots.

Florida - Canaveral National Seashore

Bird Week VI: Eye to Eye

This is one of my favorite photos of this bird, the Yellow-Rump Warbler. I find this bird nearly everywhere I go in the US and see a small warbler - all of whom are difficult to identify, and by the time I get to ID it - another YR Warbler. Not that they are not neat but like Robins, you get tired of seeing the same type of bird over and over. And, unlike the Robin, this one always gets your hopes up that it is a more rare warbler and then, no, you are crushed. Until you see something else flit bye and off you go to discover what may well be another one. I had great hopes here in this Louisiana swamp that I might see a more exotic bird. Saw three or four dozen of these but at least I got a shot.

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve - Barataria Preserve unit