Cape Cod Drive-In Labor Day. Last big weekend for this classic 50's drive-in on Cape Cod before entering the "off season". I found this piece of Americana on US 28 in the vicinity of West Harwich. Driving by at dusk, I thought I was in a time machine. Gull wing shape, garish florescent bulbs following … Continue reading 50’s Drive-In
Only two more days until the Nebraska Cornhuskers open their 2019 football season against Southern Alabama. The entire Husker nation, which is world-wide, is excited for this season to get underway, hoping to make last year's 4-8 record a distant memory. Husker t-shirts are even being sold by street vendors in Jerusalem. Is this escapism … Continue reading Husker Fan
Giant Sunflower Sunflowers are in full bloom, peak time for butterflies and Nature's warning that the lazy hazy days of summer are numbered. The first plant to show up in my new "prairie" this year was a volunteer sunflower -- center stage, like it was the star of the show. Not knowing if anything else … Continue reading Sunflower
Village near Juno Beach Luc-sur-Mer is one of many beautiful sites in France's Normandy region. One could spend weeks along the Normandy coast visiting one small village after another. Each one is picturesque and filled with WW II memorials and moving stories of D-Day. Located near Juno Beach, where the British forces landed, Luc-sur-Mer is … Continue reading Luc-sur-Mer
Baptist Church, 1827 This photo was taken in Cades Cove of Smoky Mountains NP. The church was built by the congregation of the Primitive Baptist Church in 1827. A building's foundation is the most critical element of its structural integrity, and ultimately its longevity. To prevent heaving of the soil during a hard freeze, the … Continue reading Foundation?
11 years old There are two things that this handsome lad absolutely loves: playing baseball and following the Huskers. Playing baseball at the highest level for his age group, he maintains a great attitude for the game. Win or lose, he gives his best effort and leaves the field with a smile on his face … Continue reading Birthday Boy
Notre Dame, 2019 There are 87 cathedrals in France, all of them named Notre Dame meaning "First Lady" as in the Virgin Mary. All but one of those cathedrals include "du ______" in their name describing its location; e.g. Notre Dame du Rouen is the cathedral in Rouen, France. The Notre Dame in Paris is … Continue reading Notre Dame
2019 Monarch It seems late in the season to be seeing the first Monarch butterfly in my yard. I've found a few caterpillars, but this is the first adult Monarch. This shot was taken with my new "bridge" camera: f5.6 , 1/320th sec, and 400 mm . I'm experimenting with it, hoping to use it … Continue reading Monarch
Les Invalides - Paris The beautiful gold dome of Les Invalides can be seen from all parts of Paris. It was established in 1670 by Louis XIV as a hospital and home for aging and sick soldiers. The complex includes a large church, 15 courtyards and many buildings. The National Military Museum is located here, … Continue reading Les Invalides
Livonia City Hall Livonia, MI is a prosperous suburb of Detroit. An incorporated city, it has a population approaching 100,000, making it the 9th largest municipality in the state. The local economy is driven (pun intended) by the automotive industry, with Ford being the largest single employer. Based on the city hall and other public … Continue reading Livonia, MI
Chateau Gaillard - 1196 King Richard I of England, aka Richard the Lionheart, and feudal Duke of Normandy, built this fortress in 1196. Sitting on a limestone cliff overlooking the Seine, it overlooks the small town of Les Andelys. A large sum of money was spent by King Richard to complete the chateau's construction in … Continue reading Chateau Gaillard
Monet's House and Garden Two surprises awaited me when I visited Claude Monet's house and gardens in Giverny, France. One, his house was much bigger than I thought it would be -- a mansion for the times he lived, and two, his gardens were less formal than imagined. Mid summer was the perfect time to … Continue reading Monet’s House & Garden
Castle Ruins Walking around the charming village of Vernon, France I found the remains of a medieval castle wall and tower. Surrounded by gardens now, it was a pretty sight. The old town center is near the Seine River, where it's been since William the Conqueror marched through. It was an easy walk from the … Continue reading Vernon, France
Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye Located in the Paris suburb of St. Germain, this little fixer-upper is formally called the Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Louis VI built the first castle on this site in 1124. A chapel (not shown here) was added in 1238. Expanded several times over the centuries, Louis XIV was born here in 1638, but … Continue reading St. Germain
Arc de Triomphe From the hotel, I walked 4-5 blocks to catch the sunrise over the Arc de Triomphe. With the tree-lined streets, I couldn't see the Arc during any part of the walk until it was right on top of me. Boom! Boy, that thing is huge. Sunday morning, not much traffic, but loads … Continue reading Paris Sunrise
Wild Turkey Along a trail in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains NP, I caught up to a group of 10-12 people moving off the trail in both directions to make room for this wild turkey rooster. He was all fanned out, strutting with purpose, looking for a fight. No one was approaching it, let alone … Continue reading Tough Turkey
Anonymous Beach This is NOT a beach in France's Normandy region, but I am on Omaha Beach today, celebrating the 4th of July, America's Independence Day, on the 75th anniversary of D-Day. I am humbly paying my respects to all WWII veterans, and praying that younger generations will learn to appreciate the privilege as well … Continue reading Normandy
John Oliver's Cabin - 1820's This idyllic setting is John Oliver's cabin in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee. Following the one-way eleven-mile loop around Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains NP, one of the first points of interest is John Oliver's cabin. The log cabin was built without nails or wooden pegs. Notched corners in … Continue reading John Oliver’s Cabin
Hoover's Birthplace Just east of Iowa City on I-80 is a sign, "Herbert Hoover's Presidential Museum." Literally, just off the north side of the Interstate is the entrance to the 31st president's birthplace and museum. Born in 1874 in West Branch, Iowa, Hoover was the first president born west of the Mississippi River. Prior to … Continue reading Hoover’s Birthplace
Commercial Street Once you've been to Provincetown, MA, that wild and crazy town on the very tip of Cape Cod, you are allowed to call it "P" Town. You know, its chic when you abbreviate things that are sooo blase. Commercial Street is the main drag; it's less than a mile long, but everything happens … Continue reading “P” Town
