Posts Tagged ‘American Life’

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A Family Reunion

June 17, 2009
Mom, Dad, Janet, Ken and me. Gallatin, Tennessee. June 16, 2009.

Mom, Dad, Janet, Ken and me. Gallatin, Tennessee. June 16, 2009.

Last night (Tuesday) we had something of a family reunion.  We went back to the Nashville area (third time in two weeks) to meet Mom and Dad, my little brother Ken, and my baby sister Janet for dinner at Cracker Barrel.  Both Ken and Janet will object to my description, but that is how I think of them.

Janet is ten years younger than I am and lives here in Tennessee.  We take turns (alternate weeks) checking up on Mom and Dad, so we don’t see each other as often as we would like.

Ken is two years younger than I am.  He lives in northern Indiana, so he only gets down here once a year or so.  Since Ken and his wife are down here visiting, Mom and Dad got us all together for a couple of hours, at least.  It doesn’t happen often enough, but it is nice when it happens.

Betsy took the picture above.  Janet’s husband and Ken’s wife were making sure everyone was smiling.

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Posted in Family | 12 Comments »

Scenic Sunday # 48: Flag Day

June 14, 2009
Our flag. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. January 31, 2009.

Our flag. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. January 31, 2009.

This is my post for the Scenic Sunday meme, which shares beautiful scenes from around the world.  To see more Scenic Sunday posts, or to join and show your own pictures, click HERE.

I consider the photo above to be both scenic and appropriate for today.  That is the flag that flies from our flagpole here in the Glade.  The picture above was taken last January as you can tell from the trees.  I didn’t get a picture yesterday to use with this post.

One of the first things Dad did after he got us moved into the house he was building was put up a flagpole in the front yard.  My younger brother, Ken, and I had the job of putting up the flag each morning when the weather was good and taking it down and folding it in the evening.

Mom and Dad continued to fly their flag daily until they both lost their sight.  Ken still flies a flag at his house as do Betsy and I.  Our flag gets weathered over the year and so we have the tradition of flying a new flag each Flag Day.  There are now leaves on the trees around our house and the sky is not quite as blue as it is in this picture, but that new ‘Old Glory’ still looks pretty against the sky.

I know it’s old-fashioned, but I still thrill to see that flag unfurling in the breeze.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 11 Comments »

Meeting Old Friends For The First Time

June 13, 2009
Leedra, Betsy and Shelley. Cleveland, Tennessee. June 12, 2009.

Leedra, Betsy and Shelley. Cleveland, Tennessee. June 12, 2009.

Yesterday was a very special day for Betsy and me.  We got to meet a couple of our blogging buddies in person!

The picture above shows Betsy with Leedra (left) of Leedra’s Photos For Fun and Shelley of Building A Log Cabin.  We all have been visiting each other’s blog for many months.  Leedra lives here in Tennessee not too far from us, but Shelley lives in Michigan.  Shelley and her husband Greg came down to Chattanooga on business, so a get-together was arranged.  We all met in Cleveland, Tennessee, for brunch.

As soon as we met it was like a gathering of old friends.  We talked, and talked and talked.  I’m sure we ate somewhere along the line, but it was the fellowship that was  most important.

We’re hoping that Shelley and Greg will soon get back to Tennessee when they can stay longer.  Betsy and I are hoping that we can soon get up to Michigan as well.  Shelley and Greg have a beautiful log cabin in northern Michigan and Betsy and I know that there are some beautiful waterfalls up there.

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Posted in American Life | 10 Comments »

My World # 35

June 9, 2009
The shore at Indiana Dunes State Park.

The shore at Indiana Dunes State Park.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  Last week there were 100 people sharing their worlds.  To see more of our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

The picture above is a scan from a slide made about 40 years ago.  The slide was made at Indiana Dunes State Park, which includes more than three miles of Lake Michigan’s south shore.  The park consists of 2,182 acres of primitive, beautiful, historical and unique landscape.  Eighteen hundred acres are wooded and contain some of the most diversified flora and fauna in the Midwest.  Other area are made up of drifting sand hills, the dunes which give the park it’s name.  One of the tallest dunes, Mt. Tom, is nearly two hundred feet tall.

It was always a treat when Mom and Dad would take us to the Dunes to go swimming.  We lived about 40 miles from the park and would get to go once or twice each year.

Indiana Dunes State Park is still there, but it is now completely surrounded by the Indiana Dunes National Seashore.

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Posted in My World | 13 Comments »

Be Careful What You Wish For

June 6, 2009
Roses on our dining room table. June 5, 2009.

Roses on our dining room table. June 5, 2009.

As many of you know, we had two years of drought up here on the Plateau.  That meant carrying a lot of water to water the roses and other plants.  During that time we kept hoping for rain.

This year we have had slightly more rain than average, so everything is lush and green.  As a matter of fact, we’ve discovered a downside to all this rain.  It rained here on Thursday when we went to Hendersonville to check on my parents.  When we got home Thursday evening we noticed many rose stems beaten down by the rain.  Yesterday I spent an hour or so cleaning up the rose beds.

But I couldn’t just throw out all of those blossoms.  I try to bring Betsy a rose bud each day so we have several bud vases.  But yesterday I brought in enough blossoms to fill them all.  Our dining room table is a little crowded, but it sure does smell good in the house!

And speaking of the drawbacks to all of this rain, the grass is so lush and green that I’m spending more time mowing than I did last year.  And don’t even get me started on the weeds!

Don’t get me wrong — I’m delighted with the rain.  It’s just that between the trips to Hendersonville and the yard I’ve got way behind on visiting my blogging friends.  Please don’t give up on me —  I haven’t forgotten about you.

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Posted in Weather | 15 Comments »

Memorial Day

May 25, 2009
The Tomb of the Unknown, Arlington. July, 1992.

The Tomb of the Unknown, Arlington. July, 1992.

The picture above is a scan from a photograph of the Tomb of the Unknowns I took in 1992.  The original photograph is now very washed out, so I converted it to sepia.  It’s not a very good picture, but I wanted to include it in this post for Memorial  Day.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service.  There are many stories as to the actual beginnings of Decoration Day, but Waterloo, N. Y., was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson.  There is  also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was first observed on May 30th of that same year.  The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873.  By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states, although the South refused to acknowledge the day until after World War I, when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war.

The holiday has changed in many ways over the years.  In 1971 Congress changed the date to the last Monday in May to ensure a three day weekend.  As such, Memorial Day is now celebrated as much for the unofficial  beginning of summer as it is for a day of remembrance.

So I hope you will enjoy any special activities that you have planned for the day.  But I also hope you will take a moment to remember those who sacrificed so much to give us the freedom that we enjoy.

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Posted in American Life | 12 Comments »

Changes in Little River

May 14, 2009
The Little River, South Carolina, waterfront, May 7, 2009.

The Little River, South Carolina, waterfront, May 7, 2009.

I lived in Little River, South Carolina, from November, 1997 until  November, 2000. Most of the time while I lived there Little River could best (charitably) be described as a quiet fishing village.  There were fishing boats moored along the waterfront, along with a very few pleasure craft.  The buildings along the waterfront contained a couple of restaurants (definitely blue collar) and seafood markets that sold the catches brought in by the boats.

The picture above was taken last week while we were on vacation.  The two boats in the foreground are charter fishing boats which will take fishermen out to sea for a day or half-day of fishing.  But what is that large boat in the background?

A casino boat docked at Little River. May 7, 2007.

A casino boat docked at Little River. May 7, 2007.

Casino boats came to Little River  in 1999.  At first there was only one, but now there are two.  While this second picture isn’t from a very good angle, it does give some indication of the size of one of the casino boats.  This particular boat holds up to 600 passengers and makes two cruises daily.

So what changes have been brought to Little River?  There are definitely more people around than there used to be.  Many of the seafood markets have been replaced by bars or parking lots.  Little River now has a traffic problem.  Does that qualify as progress?

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Posted in Travels | 12 Comments »

My World # 27

April 13, 2009
Crown Point High School, circa 1960.

Crown Point High School, circa 1960.

This is my posting for the My World meme.  Last week over 120 people shared their world through this meme.  To see more of our fascinating world, or to join and share your world, click HERE.

The picture above is another taken from a slide made many years ago.  The school is Crown Point High School from which I graduated in 1960.  CPHS  was a city school and I lived out in the country, so I had to take the bus each day.  The school had about a thousand students when I was there.

I have to admit that the athletic teams were not very good while I was a student there.  An addition to the school which included a new gymnasium was completed in time for my senior year.  Our basketball team celebrated by losing every game that season!  The football team wasn’t that much better.  Fortunately our marching band (and other musical groups) was very good.  It was said in town that people went to the football games to see the band.

I wasn’t involved in either the athletic or music programs.  I did, however, write for the school newspaper my last two years.  Our school mascot was a bulldog, named George.  My senior year I had a column titled ‘George Sez…’, but they used a drawing of the bulldog in the header.  The editor said the bulldog looked better than I did!  (I hope she was kidding).

A new Crown Point High School as built about ten years ago, but this building was an important part of My World.

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Posted in My World | 20 Comments »

I’d Never Dated a Feminist Before

April 9, 2009
Betsy at Centennial Park. April 7, 2001.

Betsy at Centennial Park. April 7, 2001.

Tuesday, April 7, was the eighth anniversary of my second date with Betsy.  We had our first date (a dinner date) on March 29, 2001.

I was working in Nashville at the time, in an office building near Centennial Park.  I often walked in Centennial during my lunch hours and knew that the tulips and other flowers in the park were absolutely beautiful.  So I invited Betsy to go there on a Saturday morning.  She accepted — Mother Nature cooperated — we had a beautiful day in which to enjoy the park.  The picture above is the very first picture I ever took of Betsy.

Centennial Park contains a replica of Athen’s Parthenon and we enjoyed viewing the statue of Athena in the main hall.  The lower level contains an art gallery and they had an exhibit of paintings the day we were there.  I suggested we view the exhibit and Betsy agreed, but she didn’t want me to pay for her admission — she said she could pay her own way.  I pointed out that it was my idea and that I would be glad to pay the small price of admission.  After more discussion and great reluctance on Betsy’s part, she finally let me pay.  We enjoyed the exhibit a great deal.

By the time we left the park it was lunch time.  There was a small restaurant near the park which was recommended to me and I suggested we get some lunch.  Betsy agreed, but ONLY IF I let her pay.  I told her that wasn’t necessary, but she INSISTED and Betsy can be very persuasive when she INSISTS!  Since I didn’t want the day to end, I agreed, and we had a very good and enjoyable lunch.

When the check came, Betsy pulled out her credit card only to be told that the restaurant didn’t take credit cards.  She pulled her check book, but was told they only take cash.  Guess who didn’t have much cash!

By this time I was having a hard time keeping a straight face, but I did a pretty good job of not grinning from ear to ear.  But I will admit that I soon asked her out again.

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Posted in Betsy | 22 Comments »

My World # 19

February 23, 2009
My first home in Lakewood, Ohio, circa 1963.

My first home in Lakewood, Ohio, circa 1963.

I apologize for the quality of the picture above — it’s a scan from a slide made over 45 years ago.

This house was my first home after graduating from college — not bad, huh?

Actually, I only lived in part of the second floor.  I can’t remember how I found out about the house — I think I read about it in an ad in the Lakewood  paper.  But somehow I contacted the elderly couple who owned the house and who were looking for renters.  They had a bedroom with private bath and a shared kitchen for rent on the second floor.  There was a separate entrance for me to use to get to the room.  Since I thought what they were asking was very reasonable, I took the room.

The good Lord takes care of Indiana farm boys in the big city.  When I moved to Lakewood in August prior to beginning my teaching job, I found that the other room for rent had been rented to another new teacher at Marshall.  Larry taught English and was from southern Ohio, which is about as rural as my home in northern Indiana.

Larry and I were able to carpool to school almost every day that year.  The house, as you can see, was very spacious and in one of the older neighborhoods of Lakewood.  It was only about two blocks off the lake and I will admit that I enjoyed living there very much.

Unfortunately in the spring of that first year the owners sold the house to a younger couple, so I had to get myself another place to live.  But this house was an important part of my world for nearly a year.  When showing Betsy around some of my haunts in 2002, we drove past this house and it was still there.

To see more of our wonderful world, or to join and share your part of the world with us, click HERE.

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Posted in My World | 37 Comments »

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