This is another of the Redrock Falls near the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park. The stream is fed from several glaciers high up in the mountains and it is really cold. And a very neat teal color. This was a nice short hike, about 2 miles but it was a cold day and the weather was getting worse, by morning it was high 20’s and snowing. Not too bad for the end of June. We hope to stop here on the Alaska trek.
Glacier National Park
The first photo is a monument to the Angel of Saint Marye’s Heights. He provided water to wounded troops from either side at great personal risk. The second is a reenactor who just needed a drink on a hot afternoon demonstrating close order drills.
Fredericksburg National Battlefield Park
Monocacy National Battlefield
“Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:10 NLT
This is the first device Edison invented that recorded sound, ie the first iPod - or record player, or phonograph. Well, the prelude to all of those is this device that used a tin cylinder. I don’t think Edison would be too amazed with what we have now that he first explored, I believe if he were to “come back” he would expect that years later things would be different and better. I actually think the first thing he would do is take one apart and begin to understand how to make it better.
Thomas Edison NHS
One of my grandfathers fought with the 103rd Pennsylvania Volunteers. This tiny plaque is placed near the Confederate line in KInston, NC, about the location of the primary Confederate batteries. He was wounded by those barrages when a shell exploded in a tree over his head and a branch “fell and crushed his arm” (103rd Regimental History). He was taken to New Bern and after recovery sent on to Plymouth, NC, where he was captured and sent to Andersonville Prison. He survived and returned home to Western Pennsylvania.
Not much of the battle here is preserved, a replica church and a few earthernworks and a smattering of historical signs are about all you can find. And this small, deteriorating sign in a weedy field that likely means little to most people.
Early spring in the Nevada mountains. This neat grove of Aspens greening in the warming sun.
Great Basin National Park
A shot of the flooded Obed River with the Lilly Bridge in the background.
Obed National Wild and Scenic River
Oak Ridge was the “secret city” in WWII where a part of the first atomic bomb was developed. This whole city was created and “hidden” in a valley 30 miles northwest of Knoxville. The museum and VC shares space with the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge and is housed in one of the original school buildings built in the frantic expansion from four tiny sleepy rural communities to a bustling purposeful city. Driving around Oak Ridge you can see original buildings and houses across the town. Much of it is gone but lots still here to view. Amazing project. Not especially scenic - so a bit tough to get “nice” photos but what a great place to visit. I knew several people from our six plus years in the area who worked both during and after WWII. This is number 220 in our NPS quest.
Manhattan Project National Historic Site
This is number 219 in our quest to photograph in all 418 National Park Service sites. Obed Wild and Scenic River stretches along the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee through gorges that reach up to 500-feet. It is only an hour from West Knoxville and even though I lived here for three years did not even know about this river. The drive takes you past Oak Ridge, the WWII “Secret City” and with in another 40 minutes you are in what feels like another world. We were only able to explore a small portion because of the flooding and most of it is only accessible by kayak. Which we did not have! On another trip we will go to a different portion where there are more hikes. Still quite a neat place.
Spring is only three weeks away. We stopped for a very short walk on the Blue Ridge Parkway Thursday just to stretch our legs, had been in the car about 4 hours at that point. As we walked along a stream near Mabry’s Mill we notice lots of buds and both large and just getting started on the rhododendron. A few more cold days for sure but lots of flowers poking up, trees already in blossom and the nice weather last week in Tennessee are all welcome.
“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT
Our last stop on the “house” tour is the massive Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, NY. Visually impressive is was designed to simply awe people with the wealth that was on display. Inside is it impersonal and cold. My least favorite of this week’s tour, except for the location which is breathtaking. I like the “lodge: they built to stay in when they came to see progress on the mansion. It too is large but much more warm and cozy.
Our fifth stop is back to Pennsylvania and a small village in the eastern portion of the state that was dominated by iron making. This is the iron master’s home in the midst of the forge and homes of the iron workers. His was a highly skilled position often passed on from father to son as to determine the exact mixture of ingredients and temperatures needed to produce good iron.
Hopewell Furnace NHS
Day four of our old house tour brings us to this home in Boston on Beacon Hill. It is now a part of the Boston African American NHS. This home is privately owned but the exterior has been restored. It is directly across the street from the African Church that was the center of Black culture and ground zero for abolitionists. The home is not representative of African American culture of the first half of the 1800’s for many in this area. But it was a part of the heritage that there were at this time very successful men and women of color that we sadly know little about.
Boston African American NHS
Next stop is in central Pennsylvania at the home of Samuel and Jean Lemon along the Allegheny Portage Railroad. This was also a tavern for passengers traveling east or west on the canal barges that were hoisted up and lowered down the mountain. This was built by S. Lemon in 1832 and operated as a tavern for nearly 20 years. The house remained in the family until 1907.
Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS
Our tour of old American homes takes us today to the tiny village of Schuylerville in New York along the upper Hudson River. This was the summer home of General Phillip Schuyler and it was burned to the ground as the British tried to retreat from Saratoga. (It did not work they had to surrender!) The home was rebuilt the next year, 1777 and is now a part of the Saratoga National Battlefield. Schuyler was not present at the battle having been relieved of his command because of the surrender of Fort Ticonderoga. He was replaced by Gates who defeated the British here and the victory allowed the French to enter the war on the side of the US.
Saratoga National Battlefield
Some of you may recall or maybe it is still on - the PBS program This Old House. I watched it once or twice but not because I was intending to or capable of fixing an old house, or anything else for that matter. But I thought what a great title. So, here shamelessly “borrowed” from PBS is the first “This Old House” week at TLT.
Our first stop is in West Orange, NJ, at Glenmont, Thomas Edison’s estate in the first planned housing development in the country, Llewellyn Park. The sprawling grounds included formal gardens, greenhouses, pump house, power station, stables, garage, and numerous other dependencies.
Thomas Edison NHP
What is the value of life, to what extent ought it be protected?
“She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River.” Exodus 2:3b NLT
Acadia National Park
These solid rocks appear to be floating in an airy substance but are off shore in the Atlantic Ocean about 2 miles from Thunder Hole on the Ocean Drive at Acadia. Taking a long exposure with a dark filter on a cloudy day allows the surf to smooth out a bit and the spray to create neat areas of mist that seem cloud-like.
I really like taking long exposures photos! So, I should be trying some more types.
Acadia National Park
Looking back to where the photo I posted on Sunday was taken. The water at the Glen was just pouring everywhere including the sky as it was raining for most of our two mile walk. What an interesting place. It has been attracting people for generations. This is the kind of place that would be hard to build today because people would be upset for the intrusion of walks and steps but in reality, it may be less than pristine, but tens of thousands of people get to see and experience something that they otherwise would never be able to do. Sometimes our creativity is a compliment to the creation.
Watkins Glen State Park
So on the way to the top of Pemetic Mountain you get a nice view at about 550 feet….
However, we still have 700 feet of elevation to go. It was our prettiest day in Acadia this fall. The only one with no rain. But it was windy and a bit chilly in the open.
Acadia National Park
Walking in the woods the other day this Song Sparrow hopped up on this old log and voiced a couple of his distinctive songs. So even without seeing on this photo his identifiable center spot on the breast he was easy to ID. This may be the most common sparrow around this area of Raleigh.
iso 1600, f /5.6, 1/800 400mm handheld Fuji X-T2
