1950's croquet set The history of croquet is long and storied, going back to the Middle Ages. Today's game of croquet was introduced to England in 1852 by Ireland who called it "crooky". The game's popularity spread and became a primary social activity of England's "leisure class" by 1860. The game's popularity spread around the … Continue reading Croquet
Category: Odds & Ends
Crazy Address Addresses with "1/2" added to the house number are not uncommon in the old parts of large cities. Why? During the Depression, people decided to rent out half their house to make ends meet, so they divided their house into two "residences" and "1/2" was added to distinguish the two. But, this picture … Continue reading 4147 1/2
Sarasota National Cemetery The first Memorial Day (called Decoration Day) was in 1868 at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the sacrifices made by both sides of the Civil War. Over 620,000 men gave their life for what they believed in, a number too large to comprehend. Memorial Day became an official national holiday over 100 … Continue reading Memorial Day
Hmmm, Now What? This pooch is a little too curious for its own good. Now I see why dogs/pets are not allowed in National Parks. Actually, this is a composite of two separate photos: 1) my Westie looking off the edge of a boat dock, and 2) view from Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. … Continue reading Lost Dog
Neema Orphanage Children in this Tanzanian orphanage remove their shoes and stack them neatly outside the door before entering their living quarters. After the initial wave of hysteria over the balloons, the children settled down and waited patiently for their care givers to blow up a balloon for each of them. The plaque below the … Continue reading Balloons
I met this little guy by accident, searching for the choo (toilet) behind a children's center in Moshi, Tanzania. He was alone, but I could hear distant sounds of a preschool classroom. His face was full of questions, but smiled when I greeted him in Swahili. Bashful, yet engaging, he didn't try to speak. I … Continue reading New Friend
Cedar Creek - 2019 Uggh, winter is still here. We've had enough winter already, so let's think about spring. Give someone you don't know a nice warm smile. Thought for the Day: One kind word can warm three winter months.Japanese Proverb
Oh, the colors of summer. Thought for the Day: Winter is on my head but eternal spring is in my heart.Victor Hugo
Nice Touch A new year, out with the old in with the new, a new beginning. Forget the mistakes of the past and look forward. Unburden yourself of past mistakes and boldly step forward with a positive attitude. Like the dawn of a new day, I like to think of it as a fresh start. … Continue reading New Beginning
Shadows Shadows can be deceiving. I know what this picture shows because I took it, but it might not be obvious. I thought it made a decent abstract. Give it a go and see if you can identify the shadow. Let me know your thoughts. Thought for the Day: Character is like a tree and … Continue reading Shadows
Coming in from the bright midday sun, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Surrounded by empty space, the cavernous interior of the Notre Dame de Rouen cathedral was lit only by natural light that filtered through the stained glass windows behind the altar, which was hundreds of feet from … Continue reading The Light
Clemantis We are barely three weeks into the winter season and I'm sick of it already. Three measurable snow falls and three days of single digit temps was a brutal wake-up call. The fields are brown, the trees are bare, the nights are long, the fireplace broken in, the garden a distant memory, the bird … Continue reading Clemantis
Thanksgiving - 2019 Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, second only to Independence Day -- both original American holidays. I have so many things to be thankful for; twelve are pictured here. Four others are not pictured, as they had commitments in Arkansas this year. While I missed the four, I treasured the time … Continue reading Thanksgiving
November Bonfire It was still dark as I plodded through the kitchen to check the outside temperature. A cold front was predicted last night, and I could tell it had arrived by the ice cold tile under my bare feet. My reliable thermometer, with digital readouts looked different to me, like it was missing something. … Continue reading Cold Front
firewood I like puzzles, especially word and number puzzles. Jigsaw puzzles, not so much, but I will probably like them more when I'm less ambulant. While stacking firewood, it reminded me of a giant three dimensional jig saw puzzle -- trying to place round pieces, flat pieces, triangles and rectangles together for a snug fit. … Continue reading Puzzles
Moseying across Nebraska near its southern border, a beautiful white church caught my eye. It was a mile north of US 136 in Jefferson County, but shined like a beacon against the cloudless azure sky. As I approached the church from the south, I noticed the cross was leaning to the west. Not much, but … Continue reading Crooked Cross
Pier Reflection When I'm searching for a photographic subject I look for lines: leading lines, intersecting lines, geometric shapes, repeating shapes, etc. I happened upon these pier pilings in the Matanzas River at St. Augustine, FL. The early morning light was fantastic, and the calm water allowed for a near mirror-like reflection. I wished I … Continue reading Symmetry
Joslyn Castle Joslyn Castle, located in Omaha, Nebraska, was built in 1903 as the private home for George and Sarah Joslyn. This is the man gate that leads pedestrians up a winding path through manicured lawns and flower beds to the 35-room mansion sitting atop 5.5 acres near downtown Omaha. The castle is a landmark … Continue reading Castle Gate
Monkey Bars YAY! School is OUT! Swimming, bike riding, picnics, fireworks, later bedtime, flip flops, cousins, the Lake, parades, campfires, bare feet, the zoo, smores, sleepovers, parks, ice cream cones, sun screen, chiggers, blowing soap bubbles, road trips, boat rides, Fourth of July, annual growth measurement, family vacation, popsicles, bug repellent ... AND, conquering the … Continue reading School’s Out!
Solitude A boy's version of a man cave is a tree house. When I was a kid, a neighbor and I used some scrap lumber and built a tree house in his elm tree. It was more like a platform spread across two sturdy limbs with no walls or any cover. Nothing fancy, but it … Continue reading Solitude
