This weekend, I visited my mother in law with my spouse and son in an area North of New York City. We wanted to spend Mother's Day with her.
Tired, my mother in law went to bed early Saturday, and I turned on my computer. Trending on Facebook was a news item. It got my attention quickly.
A transformer at a nuclear power plant had exploded about 6 pm.
The Governor of New York was giving a news conference.
At first, we were told all was well - well, sort of. There had been a fire. But the reactor had shut down safely, as it was designed to do.
My mother in law lives about 16 miles from that nuclear power plant, which is called Indian
Point. On the highway, near her exit, is a sign announcing an
evacuation route. We passed it Saturday without much thought.
Now, the public is being told that runoff from fighting the fire may have entered the Hudson River.
Indian Point is about fifty miles north of New York City, and the Hudson empties into the ocean at New York City. This is not news welcome to anyone living along the Hudson, including the eight million odd people living in New York City.
I had a nightmare thought about what would happen if my mother in law and my developmentally disabled brother in law did have to be evacuated. It could happen, but, more realistically (I think) it would be due to weather than due to nuclear disaster. Yet, living some 150 miles from them, it has worried us for years. In a snowstorm, for example, it might be difficult to reach them as we have to pass through the Catskill Mountains.
A potential nuclear disaster 16 miles from family? Just another day in the life of a long distance caregiver.
Monday, May 11, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
The Best Revenge
Today is Mother's Day in the United States.
I hope you had a mother, a mother in law, or a special "mother-someone" to spend the day with.
I had to travel this weekend, and on the way back, my spouse, son and I drove through Delaware County in New York State. I had been thinking a lot about my childhood recently, and memories immediately flooded my mind.
When World War II came, the life of a woman living in Germany would change forever, along with those of millions of other people. After surviving the Holocaust, she moved to the United States, married another Holocaust survivor and had three children with him. One of those children became a very good friend. Their marriage would last 57 years.
The best revenge, sometimes, is survival, and making a difference in the lives of the next generations.
The 70th anniversary of the death of the man who set these events in motion passed last month. He died in secret, taking his own life. In contrast, when this woman died several years ago, she was 94 years old, and left three children , six grandchildren, and a remarkable legacy.
Her obituary said in part: "She will be missed terribly and although her own feet were very small, she leaves behind shoes so large, they are impossible to fill."
Obituaries don't begin to tell a story. In her life's story, besides her family, was a 13 year old girl whose mother had recently died. This girl probably drove her crazy in some ways, but the girl was always welcome in her home. She taught the girl to do some household tasks. She gave love and attention.
Later, as an older teenager, she invited me to her father's home in Delaware County. It was in a rural location, on an unpaved road. They were the last house on the road with electricity.
There, this girl who grew up in the Bronx walked through her first garden ever. She got sick from eating raw, fresh peas, because she didn't know any better. Then she got sick off their fresh blueberries, because they were so good she couldn't stop eating them. But amazingly, she got invited back for a week the following summer.
Yes, you've guessed it. That girl was me.
I had several substitute mothers in my life after my mother's sudden death. My father, who raised me. The woman I am blogging about today. And, in some ways, my friend, her daughter. She has been a good friend to many.
My friend, as I blog this, is seriously ill. This is a hard time for her family.
Mothers aren't only the people who birth us. I hope that, if you have such a person in your life - either male or female, who was a mother to you - that you think of them today. If they are alive, I hope you called, texted, or emailed them, or thought of them.
My son, whose basket is pictured above, only met this woman twice, and probably has no memories of her. But, in my mother in law's house, hangs a picture of my son taken at the home of this remarkable woman.
Without her, my life would have been different, and probably poorer.
Do you have a special someone whom you would wish a Happy Mothers Day?
I hope you had a mother, a mother in law, or a special "mother-someone" to spend the day with.
I had to travel this weekend, and on the way back, my spouse, son and I drove through Delaware County in New York State. I had been thinking a lot about my childhood recently, and memories immediately flooded my mind.
When World War II came, the life of a woman living in Germany would change forever, along with those of millions of other people. After surviving the Holocaust, she moved to the United States, married another Holocaust survivor and had three children with him. One of those children became a very good friend. Their marriage would last 57 years.
The best revenge, sometimes, is survival, and making a difference in the lives of the next generations.
The 70th anniversary of the death of the man who set these events in motion passed last month. He died in secret, taking his own life. In contrast, when this woman died several years ago, she was 94 years old, and left three children , six grandchildren, and a remarkable legacy.
Her obituary said in part: "She will be missed terribly and although her own feet were very small, she leaves behind shoes so large, they are impossible to fill."
Obituaries don't begin to tell a story. In her life's story, besides her family, was a 13 year old girl whose mother had recently died. This girl probably drove her crazy in some ways, but the girl was always welcome in her home. She taught the girl to do some household tasks. She gave love and attention.
Later, as an older teenager, she invited me to her father's home in Delaware County. It was in a rural location, on an unpaved road. They were the last house on the road with electricity.
There, this girl who grew up in the Bronx walked through her first garden ever. She got sick from eating raw, fresh peas, because she didn't know any better. Then she got sick off their fresh blueberries, because they were so good she couldn't stop eating them. But amazingly, she got invited back for a week the following summer.
Yes, you've guessed it. That girl was me.
I had several substitute mothers in my life after my mother's sudden death. My father, who raised me. The woman I am blogging about today. And, in some ways, my friend, her daughter. She has been a good friend to many.
My friend, as I blog this, is seriously ill. This is a hard time for her family.
Mothers aren't only the people who birth us. I hope that, if you have such a person in your life - either male or female, who was a mother to you - that you think of them today. If they are alive, I hope you called, texted, or emailed them, or thought of them.
My son, whose basket is pictured above, only met this woman twice, and probably has no memories of her. But, in my mother in law's house, hangs a picture of my son taken at the home of this remarkable woman.
Do you have a special someone whom you would wish a Happy Mothers Day?
Saturday, May 9, 2015
My 2000th Post!
Welcome, my dear fans and readers, to the 2000th post party at Ramblin' with AM! It's been an exciting journey these past six years since I started this blog in April of 2009.
Yesterday, I had asked my readers to tell me what they would like to read about in my 2000th post. I incorporated two responses in this post and I'll use the others in future posts. Thank you, commenters!
So, here's a little mini-interview with myself.
Let's start with Kimberly, who asks me to describe what I consider the "most surprising thing about your blogging journey."
I am tempted to respond "I'm surprised that I'm still doing it six years later" but I must explain further. What surprises me the most about my blogging journey is that, after a two year start up period of blogging to an Internet full of crickets, I found the world of blogging communities and blogging challenges. This was thanks to a writer and blogger who happened to be dating one of my cousins (well, it was more complicated than that). Thanks to Billie, I joined a daily blogging challenge just hours before its registration ended, struggled and completed it, and then kept posting daily because I wanted to. I still am posting daily.
Librarian Katy Manck asks "How about favorite food or flower for the biggie? Something that you could enjoy 2000 times in your life!"
Well, Katy, that would be most flowers. I could not imagine a life without flowers. But let me pick out several as my favorites. I could enjoy all of these 2,000 times.
The lilac, because it smells so sweet, and is with us for only a few days each year. Its scent reminds me of Lilacs and Roses, an old brand of talcum powder my Mom (who died in 1965) loved.
The day lily, because they are so indestructible, and come in so many varieties.
The pansy, because I love those little faces.
And the zinnia, because they make such wonderful cut flowers, and they are so easy to grow here.
Finally, the food I could enjoy for the next 2000 days? Guacamole.
Again, thank you again for taking this blogging journey with me. I hope you will stick around for the next 2,000 posts.
What are you going to do this weekend?
Yesterday, I had asked my readers to tell me what they would like to read about in my 2000th post. I incorporated two responses in this post and I'll use the others in future posts. Thank you, commenters!
So, here's a little mini-interview with myself.
Let's start with Kimberly, who asks me to describe what I consider the "most surprising thing about your blogging journey."
I am tempted to respond "I'm surprised that I'm still doing it six years later" but I must explain further. What surprises me the most about my blogging journey is that, after a two year start up period of blogging to an Internet full of crickets, I found the world of blogging communities and blogging challenges. This was thanks to a writer and blogger who happened to be dating one of my cousins (well, it was more complicated than that). Thanks to Billie, I joined a daily blogging challenge just hours before its registration ended, struggled and completed it, and then kept posting daily because I wanted to. I still am posting daily.
Librarian Katy Manck asks "How about favorite food or flower for the biggie? Something that you could enjoy 2000 times in your life!"
Well, Katy, that would be most flowers. I could not imagine a life without flowers. But let me pick out several as my favorites. I could enjoy all of these 2,000 times.
The lilac, because it smells so sweet, and is with us for only a few days each year. Its scent reminds me of Lilacs and Roses, an old brand of talcum powder my Mom (who died in 1965) loved.
 |
| Basket pansies, 2015 |
 |
| Weren't mine. I think this was taken in 2013 |
Again, thank you again for taking this blogging journey with me. I hope you will stick around for the next 2,000 posts.
What are you going to do this weekend?
Friday, May 8, 2015
Partying Like It's Post #1999
On Saturday I am going to hit a blogging milestone - post number 2000.
Which means that this post is #1999.
That's a lot of blogging since April of 2009, when I first started my blog.
Some people would celebrate with a giveaway. I am going to indulge in a little nostalgia.
Blogging has been an unexpected journey. I never would have imagined, when I started, that one day I would have readers in Nebraska, in Florida, in Texas, in Michigan, in Kansas. Internationally, I have readers in Canada, in India, in the United Kingdom, in France.
I am 62 years ago. The Internet was just a science fiction dream when I was born. The world has changed tremendously.
I have met (cyber-met, if you will) many interesting people. I even got to meet one of them in person, in Charleston, South Carolina several years ago.
Today, on post #1999, I want to thank each and every one of you. You have enriched my life.
So, for my 2000th post tomorrow, is there anything you would like to see? More pictures of spring at my home in upstate New York? A Local Saturday post? A post about mothers? A rerun of a post from my past 1,999 posts?
Let me know by 9pm tonight, Eastern Time, and I'll see what I can do.
I will leave you with a flower picture. I took this yesterday in my front yard.
And now, let's party!
May you have a wonderful day and I hope to hear from you about what you want for my 2,000th post.
Which means that this post is #1999.
That's a lot of blogging since April of 2009, when I first started my blog.
Some people would celebrate with a giveaway. I am going to indulge in a little nostalgia.
Blogging has been an unexpected journey. I never would have imagined, when I started, that one day I would have readers in Nebraska, in Florida, in Texas, in Michigan, in Kansas. Internationally, I have readers in Canada, in India, in the United Kingdom, in France.
I am 62 years ago. The Internet was just a science fiction dream when I was born. The world has changed tremendously.
I have met (cyber-met, if you will) many interesting people. I even got to meet one of them in person, in Charleston, South Carolina several years ago.
Today, on post #1999, I want to thank each and every one of you. You have enriched my life.
So, for my 2000th post tomorrow, is there anything you would like to see? More pictures of spring at my home in upstate New York? A Local Saturday post? A post about mothers? A rerun of a post from my past 1,999 posts?
Let me know by 9pm tonight, Eastern Time, and I'll see what I can do.
I will leave you with a flower picture. I took this yesterday in my front yard.
And now, let's party!
May you have a wonderful day and I hope to hear from you about what you want for my 2,000th post.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Tulipmania
Can you imagine, between 1624 and 1637, that something we moderns call "tulipmania" swept the Netherlands. Fortunes were made and lost using tulip bulbs as investments.
It is estimated that, at the peak of tulipmania, an average tulip bulb cost more than what a typical skilled tradesman made in an entire year.
Then, the bubble burst, and we were left with tulips for beauty instead of tulips as financial instruments.Fortunately, we don't have to go bankrupt to own a tulip - we just need to own a small piece of land, and live in an appropriate climate. And, can keep the squirrels or some other animals from eating them.
If you look at some of these tulip pictures, imagine each of these flowers costing a fortune. These pictures were all taken this past week - some yesterday.
Red.
Orange.
Tulips I posted yesterday, and I am going to post again, because I love them so much.
Pink and white tulips (bottom of photo - daffodils on top).
Let's see, at $48,000 each, we would have a lot of rich gardeners out there.
Tulip flowers - priceless.
What is your favorite flower?
It is estimated that, at the peak of tulipmania, an average tulip bulb cost more than what a typical skilled tradesman made in an entire year.
Then, the bubble burst, and we were left with tulips for beauty instead of tulips as financial instruments.Fortunately, we don't have to go bankrupt to own a tulip - we just need to own a small piece of land, and live in an appropriate climate. And, can keep the squirrels or some other animals from eating them.
If you look at some of these tulip pictures, imagine each of these flowers costing a fortune. These pictures were all taken this past week - some yesterday.
Tulips I posted yesterday, and I am going to post again, because I love them so much.
Let's see, at $48,000 each, we would have a lot of rich gardeners out there.
Tulip flowers - priceless.
What is your favorite flower?
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Spring Things - All or Nothing
April 5, 2015: snow, here in upstate New York.
(No, I refuse to post any more pictures of snow until next winter.)
May 5, 2015: It's a late spring, and Nature is doing whatever it can to catch up. Combined with warm weather the last few days, watching Spring unfold is more like watching a quick action film. You know, one of those films where they film a flower once or twice a day over several days, and then you watch the flower bud and unfold in a matter of seconds.
Instead of a progression of flowers, Nature is throwing everything at us, all at once. Not that, after our harsh winter, I am complaining.
Oh no. Not at all. Spring, bring it on.
All of these pictures were taken yesterday on the West Side of Binghamton, New York.
Magnolia.
Violets.
Redbud with creeping phlox.
Tulips. (I assure you, this vibrant photo was not photoshopped.)
Finally, the first of the rhododendrons.
I am grateful for today, and for the opportunity to bring some of Nature's beauty to your computer.
Is anything blooming where you live?
(No, I refuse to post any more pictures of snow until next winter.)
May 5, 2015: It's a late spring, and Nature is doing whatever it can to catch up. Combined with warm weather the last few days, watching Spring unfold is more like watching a quick action film. You know, one of those films where they film a flower once or twice a day over several days, and then you watch the flower bud and unfold in a matter of seconds.
Instead of a progression of flowers, Nature is throwing everything at us, all at once. Not that, after our harsh winter, I am complaining.
Oh no. Not at all. Spring, bring it on.
All of these pictures were taken yesterday on the West Side of Binghamton, New York.
I am grateful for today, and for the opportunity to bring some of Nature's beauty to your computer.
Is anything blooming where you live?
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Punner's Holiday
May 4th: May the Fourth be With You.
May 5th The Sinko De Mayo (old, bad joke about the Titanic having a secret cargo. No, I won't spoil it for you.)
Two punner's holidays in a row.
Another one from earlier this year: Pi Day (March 14).
Puns. You hate them or you hate them. We wince, we boo, and then we come back for more.
It isn't just us. Humans all over the world enjoy word play. Too bad puns in one language don't usually translate well into other languages.
Except, maybe the Chinese. Is it true that China has banned word play?
Seriously, I am married to a spouse who loves puns. My guest photographer friend is an expert punner. One of my cousins, an electrical engineer, loves punning. People all around me, it seems, pun circles around me. But, for some reason, my mind can not create them.
All I can do is appreciate the puns. I found this website with some good ones.
One more for you. The PUN-isher.
I wish I could write puns.
Do you?
May 5th The Sinko De Mayo (old, bad joke about the Titanic having a secret cargo. No, I won't spoil it for you.)
Two punner's holidays in a row.
Another one from earlier this year: Pi Day (March 14).
Puns. You hate them or you hate them. We wince, we boo, and then we come back for more.
It isn't just us. Humans all over the world enjoy word play. Too bad puns in one language don't usually translate well into other languages.
Except, maybe the Chinese. Is it true that China has banned word play?
Seriously, I am married to a spouse who loves puns. My guest photographer friend is an expert punner. One of my cousins, an electrical engineer, loves punning. People all around me, it seems, pun circles around me. But, for some reason, my mind can not create them.
All I can do is appreciate the puns. I found this website with some good ones.
One more for you. The PUN-isher.
I wish I could write puns.
Do you?
Monday, May 4, 2015
Reflections from A to Z as Spring Awaits
My faithful readers are used to me joining blogging chllenges But never has a challenge asked me to reflect on my experience - until now.
Spring is awaiting me - tapping its foot impatiently - so I will keep this short.
I had heard of the A to Z Challenge three years ago - and, for the first two years, I had all kinds of excuses not to join in the fun. Vacation. Planting a garden. But this year, I did it.
I survived it and I learned from it. I picked up several new followers, and I hope those who enjoyed my posts on the theme "America the Beautiful" enjoy my regular content, too.
These, as an experienced daily blogger, are my takeaways.
1. This is a big challenge, and there is something for everyone. If you don't find several new blogs you like, you haven't read too many.
2. At the same time, I am going to miss some of the themes. I'm not the only blogger who modified her normal blog posts, and I am going to miss some of the other themes. A sometimes (well, many times) off-color sendup of Martha Stewart. The Roaring Twenties. Vintage cookbooks. Memories of a Texas childhood. Travel photos that have inspired me to, perhaps, get back on a plane one day.
There were a couple of more blogs I enjoyed - I will need to hunt down their links.
I will miss their themes, but I am also eager to see what they do the rest of the year. I hope to be able to blog daily (which I have done since late April, 2011) for months to come, and I hope you will come back to my blog time and again.
3. There are some excellent bloggers out there!
There were disappointments in the challenge, yes. The links I clicked on, only to find no recent posts. (I appreciated the one woman, whose blog I had started to enjoy, who told her readers that she had to drop out.) The posts that were way too long. (There's a place for that, but a blogging challenge is not it,.) Captchas. I have moderation on because, without it, I would be flooded in spam, but having a capcha is an extra step for commenting that will drive away traffic. Trust me on that.
There were several days I could not devote much time for the Challenge due to a family situation. I will try to pre write more posts next year. Some letters were truly hard (and I suspect we all know which ones those were.) Some of my posts were poorly edited because I didn't have the time.
And one surprise - the post that got the most traffic? One on earthquake bolts in Charleston, South Carolina. Maybe I should blog more about Charleston. I'll give it some serious thought.
And now, I have to get back to my enjoyment of Spring. But first, I will leave you with some jokes you will love if you love puns.
To all my new readers - thank you!
Spring is awaiting me - tapping its foot impatiently - so I will keep this short.
I had heard of the A to Z Challenge three years ago - and, for the first two years, I had all kinds of excuses not to join in the fun. Vacation. Planting a garden. But this year, I did it.
I survived it and I learned from it. I picked up several new followers, and I hope those who enjoyed my posts on the theme "America the Beautiful" enjoy my regular content, too.
These, as an experienced daily blogger, are my takeaways.
1. This is a big challenge, and there is something for everyone. If you don't find several new blogs you like, you haven't read too many.
2. At the same time, I am going to miss some of the themes. I'm not the only blogger who modified her normal blog posts, and I am going to miss some of the other themes. A sometimes (well, many times) off-color sendup of Martha Stewart. The Roaring Twenties. Vintage cookbooks. Memories of a Texas childhood. Travel photos that have inspired me to, perhaps, get back on a plane one day.
There were a couple of more blogs I enjoyed - I will need to hunt down their links.
I will miss their themes, but I am also eager to see what they do the rest of the year. I hope to be able to blog daily (which I have done since late April, 2011) for months to come, and I hope you will come back to my blog time and again.
3. There are some excellent bloggers out there!
There were disappointments in the challenge, yes. The links I clicked on, only to find no recent posts. (I appreciated the one woman, whose blog I had started to enjoy, who told her readers that she had to drop out.) The posts that were way too long. (There's a place for that, but a blogging challenge is not it,.) Captchas. I have moderation on because, without it, I would be flooded in spam, but having a capcha is an extra step for commenting that will drive away traffic. Trust me on that.
There were several days I could not devote much time for the Challenge due to a family situation. I will try to pre write more posts next year. Some letters were truly hard (and I suspect we all know which ones those were.) Some of my posts were poorly edited because I didn't have the time.
And one surprise - the post that got the most traffic? One on earthquake bolts in Charleston, South Carolina. Maybe I should blog more about Charleston. I'll give it some serious thought.
To all my new readers - thank you!
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Civil War Sunday - When Reenact?
150 years ago today, Abraham Lincoln, the assassinated 16th President of the United States, was buried in Springfield, llinois. His body was brought there by train, the main long distance mode of transportation in 1865.
The route of the train was, itself, a type of reenactment, as it retraced (in reverse) the train trip that Lincoln made from his home in Springfield to his first inauguration in 1861.
At each stop, except for New Jersey, Lincoln's body lay in state. Over 10,000. people watched the train leave Washington, DC. Thousands more mourned at each stop: Baltimore, Maryland. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. New York City. Albany (the capital of New York State). Buffalo, New York (where, in 1901, another President would be assassinated). Cleveland, Ohio. Columbus, Ohio. Indianapolis, Indiana. Michigan City, Indiana. Chicago, Illinois and, finally, Springfield.
The route wasn't a straight line but made a loop. It was a long journey home.
All this weekend, solemn remembrances and ceremonies were held in Springfield. Many observers dressed in Civil War era clothing. Over twelve hundred Civil War reenactors participated. Blogs carried live coverage. Six descendents of the 12 pallbearers who bore Lincoln's casket in 1865 attended.
Why? Why, when we have photos (some in stereo), and written accounts, do we need to dress up in costumes and reenact events? Well, it may surprise you to discover that Civil War reenactments were already being held even while the Civil War was still being fought.
The earliest men and women reenacted successful hunts. As for the Civil War reenactments held prior to the end of the war, there are various explanations- fund raisers, battle practice, and to educate the people back home supporting (or not supporting) the war effort.
Reenactments are how we touch the face of history. It is how history comes alive for us. Instead of reading history in some history book (I have to admit I am not big on reading books on history, despite my interest in history) I would much rather go to a well-researched and historically accurate reenactment.
Apparently, many people feel the same way I do, and it isn't just the United States that does this. In June of 2015, there will be a major reenactment of the Battle of Waterloo in Europe. It will be, after all, the 200th anniversary of the final defeat of Napoleon.
Have you ever been to a historical reenactment of a battle or other historical event?
The route of the train was, itself, a type of reenactment, as it retraced (in reverse) the train trip that Lincoln made from his home in Springfield to his first inauguration in 1861.
At each stop, except for New Jersey, Lincoln's body lay in state. Over 10,000. people watched the train leave Washington, DC. Thousands more mourned at each stop: Baltimore, Maryland. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. New York City. Albany (the capital of New York State). Buffalo, New York (where, in 1901, another President would be assassinated). Cleveland, Ohio. Columbus, Ohio. Indianapolis, Indiana. Michigan City, Indiana. Chicago, Illinois and, finally, Springfield.
The route wasn't a straight line but made a loop. It was a long journey home.
All this weekend, solemn remembrances and ceremonies were held in Springfield. Many observers dressed in Civil War era clothing. Over twelve hundred Civil War reenactors participated. Blogs carried live coverage. Six descendents of the 12 pallbearers who bore Lincoln's casket in 1865 attended.
Why? Why, when we have photos (some in stereo), and written accounts, do we need to dress up in costumes and reenact events? Well, it may surprise you to discover that Civil War reenactments were already being held even while the Civil War was still being fought.
The earliest men and women reenacted successful hunts. As for the Civil War reenactments held prior to the end of the war, there are various explanations- fund raisers, battle practice, and to educate the people back home supporting (or not supporting) the war effort.
Reenactments are how we touch the face of history. It is how history comes alive for us. Instead of reading history in some history book (I have to admit I am not big on reading books on history, despite my interest in history) I would much rather go to a well-researched and historically accurate reenactment.
Apparently, many people feel the same way I do, and it isn't just the United States that does this. In June of 2015, there will be a major reenactment of the Battle of Waterloo in Europe. It will be, after all, the 200th anniversary of the final defeat of Napoleon.
Have you ever been to a historical reenactment of a battle or other historical event?
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Local Saturday-Ithaca New York Farmers Market
Nw that the Blogging from A to Z Challenge is over (except for one more post Monday), I am getting back to my normal weekly features.
For the benefit of new readers: On Saturdays, I have a "Local Saturday" feature; Sundays "Civil War Sunday" (about the United States Civil War and its immediate aftermath), and Wednesdays "Spring Things". I am thinking about participating in the "Throwback Thursday" meme, but haven't made up my mind yet.
For today's Local Saturday, I am celebrating the return of the outdoor farmers market season in upstate New York by today's visit to the farmer's market in Ithaca, New York.
Ithaca is the home of both Ithaca College and Cornell University. Interest in "ethnic" and organic food is high. Unlike some farmers markets in this area, the Ithaca Saturday/Sunday market at Steamboat Landing requires producers to grow their offerings within 30 miles of the market.
Today, we purchased some Senposai Japanese greens. We love these, and we can not get these where we live, a bit more than an hour's drive from Ithaca.
Local greens.
We also purchased a bunch of ramps, a wild plant which we would like to try to cultivate in our shady back yard.We wonder if the harvesting of ramps, almost all of which are obtained from the wild, is endangering the plants or not.
Red mustard greens and spring greens.
The market also had radishes and some beets (which I suspect were from last year). After our hard winter, we are so thrilled to have our farmers markets again.
Happiness is a warm green. Hopefully, our community garden plots will be ready soon. We are ready to plant. More on that Tuesday.
Do you have a local farmers market? Is it your growing season yet?
For the benefit of new readers: On Saturdays, I have a "Local Saturday" feature; Sundays "Civil War Sunday" (about the United States Civil War and its immediate aftermath), and Wednesdays "Spring Things". I am thinking about participating in the "Throwback Thursday" meme, but haven't made up my mind yet.
For today's Local Saturday, I am celebrating the return of the outdoor farmers market season in upstate New York by today's visit to the farmer's market in Ithaca, New York.
Ithaca is the home of both Ithaca College and Cornell University. Interest in "ethnic" and organic food is high. Unlike some farmers markets in this area, the Ithaca Saturday/Sunday market at Steamboat Landing requires producers to grow their offerings within 30 miles of the market.
Today, we purchased some Senposai Japanese greens. We love these, and we can not get these where we live, a bit more than an hour's drive from Ithaca.
 |
| Ramps are in top of photo |
We also purchased a bunch of ramps, a wild plant which we would like to try to cultivate in our shady back yard.We wonder if the harvesting of ramps, almost all of which are obtained from the wild, is endangering the plants or not.
Red mustard greens and spring greens.
The market also had radishes and some beets (which I suspect were from last year). After our hard winter, we are so thrilled to have our farmers markets again.
Happiness is a warm green. Hopefully, our community garden plots will be ready soon. We are ready to plant. More on that Tuesday.
Do you have a local farmers market? Is it your growing season yet?
Friday, May 1, 2015
Zozzled with Spring
Zozzled - a 1920's term for being drunk.
In upstate New York, we are zozzled with spring.
It's been a long time a'coming.
First it was the crocuses.
Followed by the forsythias.
Then, some more snow last Thursday and Friday. Not just snow, snow squalls. Winter wanted one last dance with us.
Now, we turned the corner. 70's yesterday. 70's today. It makes you want to dance. We even had sunshine.
Daffodils.
The last of our back yard bloodroot.
And grape hyacinths.
Weather forecasters are predicting 80F (26.6 C) by Thursday
Winter is done. The Zombied Snowcopolyse is over. It's time for some zozzling. Happy May Day!
Speaking of zozzling, I should be reaching my 2000th blog post later in May. I just "may" prepare a special post for my 2000th.
In upstate New York, we are zozzled with spring.
 |
| Rest Area, Catskill Mountains, New York Easter Sunday |
 |
| Broome County Public Library April 13 |
First it was the crocuses.
 |
| April 24 |
Then, some more snow last Thursday and Friday. Not just snow, snow squalls. Winter wanted one last dance with us.
Now, we turned the corner. 70's yesterday. 70's today. It makes you want to dance. We even had sunshine.
 |
| Our Front Yard 4-30 |
Daffodils.
The last of our back yard bloodroot.
And grape hyacinths.
Weather forecasters are predicting 80F (26.6 C) by Thursday
Winter is done. The Zombied Snowcopolyse is over. It's time for some zozzling. Happy May Day!
Speaking of zozzling, I should be reaching my 2000th blog post later in May. I just "may" prepare a special post for my 2000th.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Zone of Twilight
Z - the final letter in the alphabet. It's the last day of April, and the last day of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.
It's the last day of writing a post based on the day and the letter of the alphabet it represents. The last day of repressing my almost-boiling-over desire to blog about Spring.
But wait. There's one more post needed, for a word beginning with "Z".
The choice is obvious. It's time to honor the Zone.
The Twilight Zone, that is.
As I write these words, I wonder how many people reading this post (given that I have a number of international readers, and readers who weren't born when this show aired on U.S. network TV) remember Rod Serling. How many would recognize these words: "Submitted for your approval".
We remember him well in Binghamton, well enough to have a local museum partially devoted to him.
I want to submit this post about a TV show called The Twilight Zone to you for your approval, because I have come full circle in my theme of America the Beautiful. But don't expect me to show up at the end of this blog post, smoking a cigarette.
On the last day of this Challenge, I mention Binghamton, New York, the city where I work, the city where I lived for a brief time many years ago.. This was where Rod Serling, the man responsible for The Twilight Zone and other TV shows, grew up. I've blogged about Rod Serling's childhood neighborhood and the junior high and high schools he went to.
I've blogged about the park he played in, which Serling incorporated into several Twilight Zone episodes. I can even show you an old library circulation card with his oldest known signature.
But I haven't blogged that much about the Twilight Zone TV series itself. These shows, first broadcast between between 1959 and 1964, had a big influence on me. Even as a child (I was born in 1952), I knew there was something special about this TV show that was unlike the normal run of Westerns and variety shows filling TV schedules in those years.
And, somehow, Serling kept coming back to the beautiful Binghamton and upstate New York of his childhood again and again in these shows.
There was always a twist in the story. They were stories that made you think, made you question, made you angry, made you wonder. Nothing was ever what it seemed, in the Twilight Zone.
Many featured actors and actresses who were either already famous or would become famous played roles on The Twilight Zone. Burgess Meridith. Cloris Leachman. Charles Bronson. Elizabeth Montgomery. Robert Redford. William Shatner.
Here is a sample of episodes for your approval. (Note, if you click links, you will find full length videos. Some are 30 minute shows and others 60 minute shows.)
Eye of the Beholder: A deformed woman is awaiting the results of her plastic surgery...surgery she hopes will make her beautiful, like the people around her....
The Hitch-Hiker - a young woman survives an incident with her car and continues a drive cross country, where the same hitchhiker keeps trying to hitch a ride with her, over and over...
It's a Good Life - I still get chills when I see a cornfield.
Living Doll - why you should never mess with your children's toys....
The Monsters are Due on Maple Street - if you think you live in a neighborhood where everyone cares about everyone else, think again...
Time Enough At Last - what would you do if you were the last man on Earth?
Walking Distance - what happens when a harried man tries to return to his childhood? (People who know Binghamton will recognize a certain park and carousel...)
The Midnight Sun - the Earth's orbit has changed, and the Earth is heading towards a fiery end - or, is it? This is one of my personal favorites.
This is a Zone you may or may not want to enter. But if you dare (I've included links above to several full length episodes available on IMDb above), you will be richly rewarded.
Tomorrow - back to my regularly scheduled blogging except for May 4. Stay tuned!
It's the last day of writing a post based on the day and the letter of the alphabet it represents. The last day of repressing my almost-boiling-over desire to blog about Spring.
But wait. There's one more post needed, for a word beginning with "Z".
The choice is obvious. It's time to honor the Zone.
The Twilight Zone, that is.
As I write these words, I wonder how many people reading this post (given that I have a number of international readers, and readers who weren't born when this show aired on U.S. network TV) remember Rod Serling. How many would recognize these words: "Submitted for your approval".
 |
| Rod Serling on the cover of a classic TV Guide |
I want to submit this post about a TV show called The Twilight Zone to you for your approval, because I have come full circle in my theme of America the Beautiful. But don't expect me to show up at the end of this blog post, smoking a cigarette.
On the last day of this Challenge, I mention Binghamton, New York, the city where I work, the city where I lived for a brief time many years ago.. This was where Rod Serling, the man responsible for The Twilight Zone and other TV shows, grew up. I've blogged about Rod Serling's childhood neighborhood and the junior high and high schools he went to.
 |
| This and above photo taken at Bundy Museum of History and Art Binghamton, NY, with permission |
But I haven't blogged that much about the Twilight Zone TV series itself. These shows, first broadcast between between 1959 and 1964, had a big influence on me. Even as a child (I was born in 1952), I knew there was something special about this TV show that was unlike the normal run of Westerns and variety shows filling TV schedules in those years.
And, somehow, Serling kept coming back to the beautiful Binghamton and upstate New York of his childhood again and again in these shows.
There was always a twist in the story. They were stories that made you think, made you question, made you angry, made you wonder. Nothing was ever what it seemed, in the Twilight Zone.
 |
| The original Cobra Phone featured on the Twilight Zone, Bundy Museum |
Here is a sample of episodes for your approval. (Note, if you click links, you will find full length videos. Some are 30 minute shows and others 60 minute shows.)
Eye of the Beholder: A deformed woman is awaiting the results of her plastic surgery...surgery she hopes will make her beautiful, like the people around her....
The Hitch-Hiker - a young woman survives an incident with her car and continues a drive cross country, where the same hitchhiker keeps trying to hitch a ride with her, over and over...
It's a Good Life - I still get chills when I see a cornfield.
Living Doll - why you should never mess with your children's toys....
The Monsters are Due on Maple Street - if you think you live in a neighborhood where everyone cares about everyone else, think again...
Time Enough At Last - what would you do if you were the last man on Earth?
Walking Distance - what happens when a harried man tries to return to his childhood? (People who know Binghamton will recognize a certain park and carousel...)
The Midnight Sun - the Earth's orbit has changed, and the Earth is heading towards a fiery end - or, is it? This is one of my personal favorites.
This is a Zone you may or may not want to enter. But if you dare (I've included links above to several full length episodes available on IMDb above), you will be richly rewarded.
Tomorrow - back to my regularly scheduled blogging except for May 4. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Ybor City
For Y day at the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I want to show you some of the beauty in a neighborhood of Tampa, Florida that is one of only two National Historic Landmark Districts in the State of Florida. And, since my theme is America the Beautiful, and my secondary theme is using photos buried in my iPhone, this Y day was not a challenge for me at all.
Ybor City was not a desirable neighborhood when I lived in Tampa, but it has been transformed over the past 40 years, with the history and the Latin vibe shining through. Daytime, it is family friendly. Nighttime, more of a party atmosphere.
Here are some pictures of Ybor City, including a Saturday market I went to in 2013.
One of the highlights of Ybor City (named after a cigar manufacturer) is the Columbia Restaurant, which opened in 1905.
Here are some pictures taken near or at the restaurant.
It's been many years since I last ate at the Columbia, so I can't endorse the food, but I'd like to try their "1905" salad one day. You will get some good Cuban food here.
And it is even more beautiful inside. Maybe, I'll eat there the next time I visit Tampa (next year, perhaps?)
Ironically, for a neighborhood named after a cigar maker by the name of Vincent Martinez Ybor, the cigar industry Ybor City was once known for is fading away.
But, despite that, Ybor City is well worth the visit.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Xeriscaping
Ah ha, fooled you! Bet you many of you were waiting for me to come up with the name of an American city or town beginning with the letter X, and then come up with photos from my camera.
Dear readers, there are such places, but I have never been to any of them. Well, I was within 20 miles of one such place once, but I have no photos.
So, for X day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I am not going to blog about a place, but rather a practice that more and more residents of the United States are being forced to learn, due to continuing droughts in part of our country. As my theme is America the Beautiful, I think this word is appropriate:
Xeriscaping.
So, what is xeriscaping? Put simply, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, xeriscaping is:
It is said that some 50% of household water is used to maintain landscaping. We can no longer afford to use water wastefully for that purpose.
Years ago, I lived in Wichita, Kansas. Our first friends were a couple originally from West Virginia. This man had tried, and tried, and tried, to grow the bluegrass he loved in his native West Virginia.
Here's a tip: don't try to grow a bluegrass lawn in Wichita, Kansas, a city that gets less than average rainfall, and gets hot in the summer.
The purpose of xeriscaping is NOT to create a landscape full of white rock. No, far from it! Rather, the purpose is to create a landscape that has water conservation as its major priority. It is a landscape with plants that are grown in harmony with the environment. You don't have to give up lawns, but you minimize lawn grass, and use clumping grasses that don't need lots of water. You grow plants that do well in your area, instead of growing a landscape full of "exotics". You use mulches effectively. Pruning and weeding are still needed - this is not a "plant it and forget it" method.
Many plants we are familiar with are suitable for the xeriscape: juniper, lilacs, lavender, butterfly bush, catalpa, day lilies, iris, sedum, creeping phlox, daffodils, lily of the valley, sweet woodruff, hyssop, gazania, alyssum, sage, grapes, hens and chickens and potentilla. There are lists online for specific climates, including those intended for California. (If only I could grow rosemary as a perennial. Sigh...)
Yes, we can keep America beautiful, while conserving water.
We can even grow plants on our roofs, and I actually have a picture of one here in Binghamton. Yes, this is also a form of xeriscaping. Imagine, one day, growing food on your roof? Or even sedums?
Are you in one of the drought affected areas? How are you coping?
Tomorrow, for the letter Y, I return to Florida, and some man made beauty.
Dear readers, there are such places, but I have never been to any of them. Well, I was within 20 miles of one such place once, but I have no photos.
So, for X day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I am not going to blog about a place, but rather a practice that more and more residents of the United States are being forced to learn, due to continuing droughts in part of our country. As my theme is America the Beautiful, I think this word is appropriate:
Xeriscaping.
So, what is xeriscaping? Put simply, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, xeriscaping is:
"a landscaping method developed especially for arid and semiarid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques (as the use of drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation)."The word "xeriscape" comes from the Greek word xeros, meaning "dry" and - well, landscape. It was most probably first used in this modern sense by a special task force of the Denver Water Department in 1978, following a drought in 1977. Now, with a major drought in California, where a lot of food consumed in the United States comes from, water conservation is a must on farms, and in residential and commercial landscaping.
It is said that some 50% of household water is used to maintain landscaping. We can no longer afford to use water wastefully for that purpose.
Years ago, I lived in Wichita, Kansas. Our first friends were a couple originally from West Virginia. This man had tried, and tried, and tried, to grow the bluegrass he loved in his native West Virginia.
Here's a tip: don't try to grow a bluegrass lawn in Wichita, Kansas, a city that gets less than average rainfall, and gets hot in the summer.
The purpose of xeriscaping is NOT to create a landscape full of white rock. No, far from it! Rather, the purpose is to create a landscape that has water conservation as its major priority. It is a landscape with plants that are grown in harmony with the environment. You don't have to give up lawns, but you minimize lawn grass, and use clumping grasses that don't need lots of water. You grow plants that do well in your area, instead of growing a landscape full of "exotics". You use mulches effectively. Pruning and weeding are still needed - this is not a "plant it and forget it" method.
Many plants we are familiar with are suitable for the xeriscape: juniper, lilacs, lavender, butterfly bush, catalpa, day lilies, iris, sedum, creeping phlox, daffodils, lily of the valley, sweet woodruff, hyssop, gazania, alyssum, sage, grapes, hens and chickens and potentilla. There are lists online for specific climates, including those intended for California. (If only I could grow rosemary as a perennial. Sigh...)
Yes, we can keep America beautiful, while conserving water.
Are you in one of the drought affected areas? How are you coping?
Tomorrow, for the letter Y, I return to Florida, and some man made beauty.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Wilson Park
We're winding our way to the end of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, and I'm sorry, in some ways, to see the finish line. I've had so much fun planning the posts, but I also am eager to get back to my normal blogging topics. (I still plan to post daily, which I have done since late April of 2011.)
Today, W day, I'm continuing my theme of America the Beautiful and rescuing some more photos from the depths of my iPhone.
Back in the 1980's, my spouse and I lived in the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas for a brief time. I worked in Fayetteville for nearly five years.
Years have passed and Fayetteville has grown tremendously. When we returned for a visit in 2013 for the first time since leaving, we had a list of places we wanted to revisit, or visit for the first time.
Wilson Park, a park almost at the middle of Fayetteville, was towards the top of the list. Let me show you why.
The Castle is perhaps the most beautiful part of the park. But it has plenty of competition.
Another view.
How about these gardens?
A bench.
One of several mosaics.
Finally, a plaque tells the story of the park.
Wouldn't you love to spend time in this park?
Only three posts to go, and tomorrow is the hardest day - the letter X. What do you think I will pick for my theme?
Today, W day, I'm continuing my theme of America the Beautiful and rescuing some more photos from the depths of my iPhone.
Back in the 1980's, my spouse and I lived in the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas for a brief time. I worked in Fayetteville for nearly five years.
Years have passed and Fayetteville has grown tremendously. When we returned for a visit in 2013 for the first time since leaving, we had a list of places we wanted to revisit, or visit for the first time.
Wilson Park, a park almost at the middle of Fayetteville, was towards the top of the list. Let me show you why.
How about these gardens?
One of several mosaics.
Finally, a plaque tells the story of the park.
Wouldn't you love to spend time in this park?
Only three posts to go, and tomorrow is the hardest day - the letter X. What do you think I will pick for my theme?
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Civil War Sunday -Worse than the Titanic
It took more lives than the sinking of the Titanic, but many people today have never heard of this disaster.
And we still don't know exactly why it happened.
What was this secret disaster that was related to the United States Civil War?
It barely made headlines on April 27, 1865, because this disaster took place during April of 1865. So much had already happened in this incredible April, perhaps the most incredible April in the history of the United States. But April, 1865 was not yet done with our country.
Let's recap:
The Civil War had effectively ended. Richmond, the Confederate capital, had fallen on April 3. On April 9, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Union General U.S. Grant. On April 14, President Abraham Lincoln was shot in the head while watching a play, and his Secretary of State, at a different location, was seriously injured. The President died early the next day, changing the course of our nation post-war. Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, escaped, but was cornered in a barn near Port Royal, Virginia on April 26, and was mortally wounded. And, also on April 26, the largest Confederate surrender occurred at Bennett House, near Durham, North Carolina.
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles from North Carolina, Vicksburg, Mississippi had become a gathering place for former Civil War soldiers in transit. Many of them were released prisoners of war, some survivors of one of the most notorious POW camps, Andersonville (Camp Sumter) in Georgia. All were eager to go home.
The Mississippi River was at flood stage. Many levees had been destroyed during the war. In the best of times, the Mississippi was a treacherous river to navigate. Riverboat pilots were well trained. The best known perhaps was Samuel Clemens, who later became famous as author Mark Twain.
Under the circumstances, the river was even more dangerous than usual.
With the crush of soldiers waiting for transit, a luxury steamboat called the Sultana was pressed into service. Built in 1863, it had a legal capacity of 376. But when it left Vicksburg it was crammed with over 2,100 soldiers. Many were weakened by their recent POW experiences.
On April 26, the Sultana arrived in Helena, Arkansas, having successfully navigated the flooding river. Perhaps the last known photos of the ship was taken there, clearly showing the overcrowded conditions. From there, the next stop was Memphis, Tennessee. The Sultana arrived in Memphis around 7pm on April 26 and left Memphis about midnight.
Around 2am, the Sultana, by then only about seven miles north of Memphis, exploded. Many survivors were just too weak to save themselves. Others were severely burned, or suffered from hypothermia in the ice cold river. Hundreds went down, clinging to each other. Others survived by clinging to trees jutting out of the flooded river.
The exact death toll is not known, as some bodies were never recovered, but the official death toll stands at 1,800 (mostly men, but also a handful of women). Some survivor accounts are available online, if you are interested, and there are other resources available online, and on Facebook.
Why did the Sultana explode? Was it due to the overcrowding? Or, was it, as some believe, sabotage? Or was it due to the design of the tubular boilers that powered it, a design known to be dangerous? There has been speculation over the years, not only about the explosion, but why the Sultana was so overcrowded. Who benefited financially from the overcrowding? There are many online sources filled with information about this disaster - I invite you to read more (and the purpose of this blog post is not to speculate.)
Why is this disaster not well known today? I speculate that, in the four years prior, we in the United States had become inured to massive death tolls in Civil War battles. Gettysburg. Chickamauga. Spotsylvania Court House. The Wilderness. Chancellorsville. Shiloh. Stones River. Antietam. When you have 51,000 casualties (dead, injured, captured) in one battle (Gettysburg), what is 1,800 in comparison?
And, with the war basically over, people were still dying. On the Sultana, some 1,800 humans died, not due to battle or POW camp, but because of a maritime disaster unknown to many today.
Perhaps the 150th anniversary tomorrow will change that.
And we still don't know exactly why it happened.
What was this secret disaster that was related to the United States Civil War?
It barely made headlines on April 27, 1865, because this disaster took place during April of 1865. So much had already happened in this incredible April, perhaps the most incredible April in the history of the United States. But April, 1865 was not yet done with our country.
Let's recap:
The Civil War had effectively ended. Richmond, the Confederate capital, had fallen on April 3. On April 9, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Union General U.S. Grant. On April 14, President Abraham Lincoln was shot in the head while watching a play, and his Secretary of State, at a different location, was seriously injured. The President died early the next day, changing the course of our nation post-war. Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, escaped, but was cornered in a barn near Port Royal, Virginia on April 26, and was mortally wounded. And, also on April 26, the largest Confederate surrender occurred at Bennett House, near Durham, North Carolina.
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles from North Carolina, Vicksburg, Mississippi had become a gathering place for former Civil War soldiers in transit. Many of them were released prisoners of war, some survivors of one of the most notorious POW camps, Andersonville (Camp Sumter) in Georgia. All were eager to go home.
The Mississippi River was at flood stage. Many levees had been destroyed during the war. In the best of times, the Mississippi was a treacherous river to navigate. Riverboat pilots were well trained. The best known perhaps was Samuel Clemens, who later became famous as author Mark Twain.
Under the circumstances, the river was even more dangerous than usual.
With the crush of soldiers waiting for transit, a luxury steamboat called the Sultana was pressed into service. Built in 1863, it had a legal capacity of 376. But when it left Vicksburg it was crammed with over 2,100 soldiers. Many were weakened by their recent POW experiences.
On April 26, the Sultana arrived in Helena, Arkansas, having successfully navigated the flooding river. Perhaps the last known photos of the ship was taken there, clearly showing the overcrowded conditions. From there, the next stop was Memphis, Tennessee. The Sultana arrived in Memphis around 7pm on April 26 and left Memphis about midnight.
Around 2am, the Sultana, by then only about seven miles north of Memphis, exploded. Many survivors were just too weak to save themselves. Others were severely burned, or suffered from hypothermia in the ice cold river. Hundreds went down, clinging to each other. Others survived by clinging to trees jutting out of the flooded river.
The exact death toll is not known, as some bodies were never recovered, but the official death toll stands at 1,800 (mostly men, but also a handful of women). Some survivor accounts are available online, if you are interested, and there are other resources available online, and on Facebook.
Why did the Sultana explode? Was it due to the overcrowding? Or, was it, as some believe, sabotage? Or was it due to the design of the tubular boilers that powered it, a design known to be dangerous? There has been speculation over the years, not only about the explosion, but why the Sultana was so overcrowded. Who benefited financially from the overcrowding? There are many online sources filled with information about this disaster - I invite you to read more (and the purpose of this blog post is not to speculate.)
Why is this disaster not well known today? I speculate that, in the four years prior, we in the United States had become inured to massive death tolls in Civil War battles. Gettysburg. Chickamauga. Spotsylvania Court House. The Wilderness. Chancellorsville. Shiloh. Stones River. Antietam. When you have 51,000 casualties (dead, injured, captured) in one battle (Gettysburg), what is 1,800 in comparison?
And, with the war basically over, people were still dying. On the Sultana, some 1,800 humans died, not due to battle or POW camp, but because of a maritime disaster unknown to many today.
Perhaps the 150th anniversary tomorrow will change that.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Vandalia
Vandalia, Illinois was not even on our trip itinery when we passed nearby in late August, 2013, on the way to Arkansas. We were in a hurry, trying to make a nearly 1,300 mile (2,093 km) car trip in only two days. But then, we found out the importance of this small city of 7,043 people to the history of the United States.
We were going to take another route home but circumstances forced a change - and, suddenly, we were traveling near Vandalia again.
For V day at the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I want to talk about a road almost not taken, and what happened when we did take it and took the detour to Vandalia.
For example, we found the Madonna of the Trail statue.
I was amazed to discover that,by 1909, the old Santa Fe trail used in the 19th century for transportation purposes between Franklin, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico, was disappearing. Eventually, a plan was formed by the Daughters of the American Revolution to both honor the old trails but also the pioneer women who traveled those trails, sometimes with young children in hand.
This is the Madonna of the Trail statue in Vandalia, Illinois, one of twelve such statues erected along the old "National Road".
Nearby, you find this sign. Of course, being lovers of Civil War history, we had to spend some unscheduled time in Vandalia.
Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President and the President during the Civil War may not have slept here, but he began his political career in Vandalia, in the building that preceded this building.
No tours were scheduled on the hot afternoon we walked into this building, but a knowledgeable woman talked to us for some time, before we had to leave.
Lincoln, she told us wanted to move the state capital to a site more in the center of Illinois and eventually succeeded. But first, Vandalia built this structure above, trying unsuccessfully to convince legislators to keep the capital in Vandalia.
For years, Lincoln was not a popular person in Vandalia, but all is forgiven. Now, they honor their link with him.
I was so sorry to leave- I could have listened to her all day.
If only this staircase could talk,what tales would it tell us.
I highly recommend a visit to the Old Statehouse if you are in the area of Vandalia, or St. Louis, Missouri. I wish I could let the woman who talked to us know how much I enjoyed listening to her.
Tomorrow, is my Civil War Sunday feature. Monday, the Blogging from A to Z Challenge resumes with W. And, for W, I have a treat in store for you.
We were going to take another route home but circumstances forced a change - and, suddenly, we were traveling near Vandalia again.
For V day at the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, I want to talk about a road almost not taken, and what happened when we did take it and took the detour to Vandalia.
For example, we found the Madonna of the Trail statue.
I was amazed to discover that,by 1909, the old Santa Fe trail used in the 19th century for transportation purposes between Franklin, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico, was disappearing. Eventually, a plan was formed by the Daughters of the American Revolution to both honor the old trails but also the pioneer women who traveled those trails, sometimes with young children in hand.
This is the Madonna of the Trail statue in Vandalia, Illinois, one of twelve such statues erected along the old "National Road".
No tours were scheduled on the hot afternoon we walked into this building, but a knowledgeable woman talked to us for some time, before we had to leave.
Lincoln, she told us wanted to move the state capital to a site more in the center of Illinois and eventually succeeded. But first, Vandalia built this structure above, trying unsuccessfully to convince legislators to keep the capital in Vandalia.
For years, Lincoln was not a popular person in Vandalia, but all is forgiven. Now, they honor their link with him.
I was so sorry to leave- I could have listened to her all day.
I highly recommend a visit to the Old Statehouse if you are in the area of Vandalia, or St. Louis, Missouri. I wish I could let the woman who talked to us know how much I enjoyed listening to her.
Tomorrow, is my Civil War Sunday feature. Monday, the Blogging from A to Z Challenge resumes with W. And, for W, I have a treat in store for you.
Friday, April 24, 2015
Udall
On U day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge,
I want to talk about a town in Kansas I passed through several times in
the four years I lived there, but never stopped and investigated it.
Nor did I ever take any pictures. But this town is part of America the Beautiful.
When I moved to Wichita, Kansas, after growing up in New York City (my husband was stationed there by the Air Force in the mid 1970's) I quickly learned about the power and terror of tornadoes. I learned about tornado sirens. I learned to recognize the signs of hail and possible severe winds in the color and look of a sky.
I learned this lesson well enough to warn co workers, back in New York State, moments before an F1 tornado touched down a couple of blocks from our office in 1991. Fortunately, no one died in that small tornado. But the tornadoes that hit the middle of our United States get much larger and powerful than an F1. Sometimes they wipe out entire towns in a fury that is unimaginable except to people who have lived through like storms, or through wars.
Beauty isn't just in scenery or in artwork. Beauty is within the people of a city, a town, a village. It is in their resiliency, the ability to pass through crisis and emerge stronger.
I have no pictures of Udall, but I can offer you this video. This man explains he survived a tornado in the small town of Udall, Kansas, on Memorial Day, 1955. This tornado killed 89 out of the 610 residents, including one of his brothers. It is rated an F5, and is considered one of the 25 most deadly tornadoes in United States history.
Why would I want to talk about Udall when my theme for this month is "America the Beautiful"?
Because Udall lived through their trauma, and came back better than ever. They aren't the only town in Kansas to come back stronger from a tornado, either. In fact, another small Kansas town, Greensburg (another town I was through a time or two) was hit by an F5 tornado and came back - green.
Perhaps, if green had been "in" in 1955, Udall would have gone "green", too. And THAT would have been even more beautiful.
But, in my memory, those small Kansas towns built around large town squares survive in my memory - and, one day, I may be back.
When I moved to Wichita, Kansas, after growing up in New York City (my husband was stationed there by the Air Force in the mid 1970's) I quickly learned about the power and terror of tornadoes. I learned about tornado sirens. I learned to recognize the signs of hail and possible severe winds in the color and look of a sky.
I learned this lesson well enough to warn co workers, back in New York State, moments before an F1 tornado touched down a couple of blocks from our office in 1991. Fortunately, no one died in that small tornado. But the tornadoes that hit the middle of our United States get much larger and powerful than an F1. Sometimes they wipe out entire towns in a fury that is unimaginable except to people who have lived through like storms, or through wars.
Beauty isn't just in scenery or in artwork. Beauty is within the people of a city, a town, a village. It is in their resiliency, the ability to pass through crisis and emerge stronger.
I have no pictures of Udall, but I can offer you this video. This man explains he survived a tornado in the small town of Udall, Kansas, on Memorial Day, 1955. This tornado killed 89 out of the 610 residents, including one of his brothers. It is rated an F5, and is considered one of the 25 most deadly tornadoes in United States history.
Why would I want to talk about Udall when my theme for this month is "America the Beautiful"?
Because Udall lived through their trauma, and came back better than ever. They aren't the only town in Kansas to come back stronger from a tornado, either. In fact, another small Kansas town, Greensburg (another town I was through a time or two) was hit by an F5 tornado and came back - green.
Perhaps, if green had been "in" in 1955, Udall would have gone "green", too. And THAT would have been even more beautiful.
But, in my memory, those small Kansas towns built around large town squares survive in my memory - and, one day, I may be back.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Terra Studios
One day, a young glassblower and his wife moved from Colorado to a rural studio in Arkansas, and there they.....
...made glass bluebirds. Lots of bluebirds. Little glass bluebirds of happiness. And then they started to sell them, a few at a time, and, eventually, over nine million of them (here are a few hundred more).
For T day on the Blogging with A to Z Challenge, I bring you to Terra Studios, in rural Washington County, Arkansas. Arkansas is not a normal tourist destination for many where I live in the Northeast United States. However, I lived in Arkansas for four years in the 1980's and can tell you it is well worth a visit.
This post for my America the Beautiful series is about an art glass studio.
In 1982, while I was living there, the glassblower started to sell his Bluebirds of Happiness at the then-semi annual War Eagle Fair. Eventually, he expanded and opened his studio to the public.
Each bluebird is individually hand blown and dated. I packed away the two bluebirds I bought in Arkansas in the 1980's - I'm not sure if I bought them at War Eagle, but by the time I left, they were being sold locally in some other places.
Of course, nothing has prevented other people from making their own glass birds, and this has been a challenge for Terra. So now theirs are called the Original Bluebirds of Happiness.
The original glassblower is retired, and his son runs the business now. If you visit their 160 acre studio you will see sights like this.
And this.
And this.
But the star of the show is still the bluebirds. Now, they've been joined by birds of other colors - pink Bird of Hope, rainbow, green (some of these are limited edition colors) and birds with candle holders, but my favorite is still the bluebird. They come in various configurations, now, and I purchased this little guy in 2013. I hope I can return one day.
Tomorrow - what will I pick for U?
...made glass bluebirds. Lots of bluebirds. Little glass bluebirds of happiness. And then they started to sell them, a few at a time, and, eventually, over nine million of them (here are a few hundred more).
This post for my America the Beautiful series is about an art glass studio.
In 1982, while I was living there, the glassblower started to sell his Bluebirds of Happiness at the then-semi annual War Eagle Fair. Eventually, he expanded and opened his studio to the public.
Each bluebird is individually hand blown and dated. I packed away the two bluebirds I bought in Arkansas in the 1980's - I'm not sure if I bought them at War Eagle, but by the time I left, they were being sold locally in some other places.
Of course, nothing has prevented other people from making their own glass birds, and this has been a challenge for Terra. So now theirs are called the Original Bluebirds of Happiness.
The original glassblower is retired, and his son runs the business now. If you visit their 160 acre studio you will see sights like this.
And this.
But the star of the show is still the bluebirds. Now, they've been joined by birds of other colors - pink Bird of Hope, rainbow, green (some of these are limited edition colors) and birds with candle holders, but my favorite is still the bluebird. They come in various configurations, now, and I purchased this little guy in 2013. I hope I can return one day.
Tomorrow - what will I pick for U?
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