Flock of sandpipers at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. They are skittish birds and when one decides it is time to leave they erupt off the sand in an instant.
Morning Light /
The sun just beginning to light up the eastern range of the Sierra Nevadas as seen from the Alabama Hills.
Memorial Day 2021 /
A small portion of the National Cemetery where nearly 14,000 union POW’s were buried during the 14 months Andersonville prison was open. A truly horrific place. Grateful that my ancestor, George Washington Leasure, 103 Pennsylvania Volunteers, survived.
All that Glitters.... /
These canyon walls were a dull mustard yellow on the way into the canyon. We progressed about 1/2 past this point and turned around. On the way bak the setting sun lit this wall and it was dazzling. No need to wonder why this trail is named the Golden Canyon.
“Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold. Each of your commandments is right. That is why I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:127, 128 NLT
Slide /
These two kids found a natural slide in the Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley. They were having a lot of fun on the rock that had been worn smooth over years of wind and floods in the canyon.
132 Years Ago This Weekend (3 photos) /
May 31, 1889, on Friday to be precise, the dam broke 20 miles upstream from Johnstown, PA and in a short time more than 2000 people died. It is now a National Park Unit and one I was able to revisit with Kellen in April to get a couple of photographs. The first photo shows the area below the house that was the recreational lake and filled most of the valley. The second photo is where the earthen dam broke away.
One story. Cindy’s grandmother, Isabella Davison was in route from Northumberland, England to the Pittsburgh area. At that time there was one train line west from the Mid-atlantic and the Northeast and it was across Johnstown. Needless to say the railroad was destroyed in the flood and she was delayed on her journey. She - according to family lore- then made the trip after train service was resumed. It was one week and photo three shows the trestle that was built in five days. It was 400 feet long and 80 high. She was a brave lady.
Anna's Hummingbird (2 photos) /
I was pretty excited to catch this little fellow at a feeder in Henderson, NV. Both the male and the female were taking turns at the feeder. Brilliant colors on this Anna’s with startling reds and a strong white streak from the eye.
Low Down on Death Valley (2 photos) /
Welcome to the lowest place in North America. The Badwater Basin, a small salt pool of water, is 232 feet below sea level and is surrounded by 60 square miles covered in natural salt pans. It was hot here in the spring, well past 90 degrees but that does not compare to the 130 degrees set last August the 17th.
This iso the actual salt pool that is 232 lower than sea level. As the name implies it is not safe to drink.
Not Recommended /
While in Death Valley you may be tempted (see what I did here) to play a round of golf on the Devil’s Golf Course. There is no par and no one finishes well. This is a salt formation that averages about 30 inches high and they are filled with sharp edges so even walking too far in this is not a good idea. While we were here a man showed up with a club and a couple of balls and hit them out into the distance. And, no, he did not go after them.
Sand Curtains /
The dunes in Death Valley National Park are extensive and lead you quickly into a wilderness when you drop down off one or two ridges and suddenly it is much more quiet, hotter and you are not completely sure - except for your footprints, which way is back. It was disconcerting to think you might have to walk across acres of this - not that we did but what a challenge. I was also interested in the vegetation. Did not really expect too much but there were several shrubs and a few grasses. It was blooming time for the small trees and the yellow blossoms were attracting lots and lots of bees.
Awed /
Standing on the sand dunes in Death Valley National Park.
“We worship at your throne— eternal, high, and glorious!” Jeremiah 17:2 NLT
Could Have Been 399 /
This is what is now known as a Yellow-rumped Warbler. At one time the eastern variant, the Myrtle and the western variant, the Audubon were classified as unique species but a few years ago the ornithological society that keeps track of and names or renames birds decided that they were just variations not unique species. This is the first time I have seen what used to be the Audubon but it no longer counts for a new bird, so we stay at 398. Still a much more colorful bird than its eastern cousin.
Posing /
Another one from the Henderson Bird Watching Preserve. This is a Northern Shoveler with a bright yellow eye. Note the long flat bill that gives the bird its name.
Grand Prismatic - another viewpoint /
Simply a beautiful morning in Yellowstone National Park.
Mural too /
I really liked the art work here and the preparation of the side of the very old bar to create what appears to be a Henry J dragster. Very nice art work and look underneath the door and you will see a nod to the “Rat Fink” a 60’s icon.
Mural (2 photos) /
Kingman, AZ has a lot of murals. There were some on the water tanks as well as the expected places like buildings and fences. This one was both large and colorful. However I am not certain the artist did well in geography - or maybe it is because they don’t teach geography any longer that we get pancake OK, distorted Texas and Illinois that appears to have morphed into South Carolina. Still high marks for color. The Ford drag car seems to miss the feel of the Rt 66 Culture but there was a drag way here in Kingman so we will give a pass on that one.
Ginger /
This is a Redhead duck that I photographed in Nevada at a pond in the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. This a special place in the midst of the desert where you can see birds that congregate for the open water. This time I did not see any new species but got nice views of a few that I have rarely seen. This one I have seen more often but usually in the duller summer or winter plumage. Here we have the bright breeding colors. Note the bright yellow eye that almost appears painted on.
One More - then back to normal on Monday. /
Last weekend was our 50th Anniversary. On Friday we had a nice dinner (followed by ice cream) with our son, Gregg and his wife, Jessica. On Saturday -after Tom went all out to make things special at his house, we had brunch with Kathy and Dennis and saw their new house under construction, reminisced on an afternoon walk at CW and a nostalgic dinner at the Jefferson where we ate our on wedding night. We enjoyed dinner there Saturday with Tom, and David and Jean —- thank you Tom! And Tom provided a special blackberry lime cake for the occasion as well. Wow. On Sunday we went back to church for the first time in a long time at Lifepointe and while Cindy visited with a friend Tom and I ate at Pierces. I miss that place. On Sunday night we were treated to a special evening by Cindy’s college roommate, Beckie and her husband Phil that included lots of laughter and Disney robes for Cindy and me. I look stunning. We were back to work on Monday but the celebration was not quite over. Geof and Laura arranged for the four of us to eat at the Chef’s Table at the Angus Barn. Fabulous was coined just for this meal. We ate whatever the chef chose, five courses, five wines and one unforgettable evening. And sharing all of this with good friends and family, priceless.
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
And still more on the personal journey /
The photo on the top of the page is not mine but was taken by Dennis Mook (The Wandering Lensman) when we had brunch with Kathy and him in Smithfield last Saturday. So this has turned out to be our official 50th Anniversary photo. Please don’t tell Dennis his rate will escalate and I still have to figure out how to pay for this showing.
The other photo was a quick shot of where Cindy lived from the age of 7 until college. There was a big tree in the yard and all of that parking was grass then. She and her Aunt B occupied the upper floor and used the door on the right side of the house. She lived just over 8 miles from me and I made that 20 minute drive a lot. I also worked just a bit past her house at the American Family Raceway where I started before they opened helping to stock and assemble tracks and often managed the store for my boss, Ralph. Sometimes when Cindy was at college I would spend the night at her house, Aunt B was great, because it was occasionally very late or very bad weather. One of my memories of this place is sitting on her couch with Cindy and Christy Monroe, a college friend of Cindy’s, while we watched the first moon landing in 1969.
That stoop, as we called them in Pittsburgh, in front of the door is where Cindy and I shared our first kiss. I still remember that 56 years later.
More Personal Story /
This is the house I lived in in Cheswick, PA from the age of four to 11. When Kellen and I traveled through the area we stopped at Glenn’s for custard (yesterday) and then went to this house. I had looked up the owner on some municipal web site and it was H. Coelle. Now the story. Mrs Coelle is now 94 and still living in the house she and her husband bought from my mom and dad in 1960. She and her husband were both in Russian concentration camps after WWII and were released in the mid 1950’s as a part of an effort to prove the Russian were open to peace with the West. Actually she was released and he was mistakenly released. They both ended up in an American run facility to prepare them for reentry into society and that is where they met. Not sure how the got to the US. When they were at our house he told us that in the camp he was allowed to do two things, sing in a choir and play chess. Nothing else. I told him I played chess - what you don’t know at 11! He said lets play a game. Well he beat me in the classic four moves, then in about 9 moves - telling me after move two it would be checkmate in 7 more. Then he set up the board, me with the full complement of pieces and he with king, knight and 8 pawns. Needless to say I lasted a bit longer but still lost. He was a very nice man and went to to earn two degrees in the US and carved out a significant career. It was neat to see the yard now rather beautiful - it was mostly clay and rock when we lived there. Kellen and I had a nice visit with Mrs. Coelle.
