2024 Photography Challenges – Page 10 – Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

Abandoned in California — Now Tourist Attraction

Janet from sustainabilitea.wordpress.com is offering us all to participate in her “One Word Sunday” word Abandoned. I am choosing to participate, how about you?

Alcatraz

Have you ever thought about visiting or touring a federal prison? How about touring an Abandoned maximum security prison like Alcatraz? It is possible, you know.

Alcatraz was not always a maximum security prison. It was first used by Native Americans long before Europeans arrived in the area. The Island has been used for camping, hunting, and at one point it became an isolated and remote place where law violators were held during its history. Based on oral history of Indigenous people, it appears that Alcatraz was used as a place of isolation or ostracization for tribal members who had violated a tribal law or taboo, and was utilized also as a hiding place for many Indians attempting to escape from the California Mission system.

***Alcatraz Barracks Building 64***
United States Penitentiary
Alcatraz Island

Building 64 was the first building constructed on the island of Alcatraz off the coast of San Francisco, California. The purpose of Building 64 was for the accommodation of the military officers and their families living on the island. It is located next to the dock on the southeastern side of the island below the Warden’s House. It’s a three-story apartment block that was built in 1905 on the site of a U.S. Army barracks which had been there from the 1860s. It functioned as the Military Guard Barracks from 1906 until 1933.

United States Penitentiary
Alcatraz Island

Nowadays, it is possible to tour Alcatraz. You may select from an Alcatraz Day Tour or an Alcatraz Night Tour, or the Bay Discovery Cruise, or Alcatraz Behind the Scenes Tour. All Tours except the Bay Discovery Cruise allows access via ferry onto Alcatraz Island. Each tour has its own unique itinerary and the opportunities are expanded with the Night and Behind the Scenes tours.

The Bay Discovery Cruise does not dock at Alcatraz, but does (weather permitting) encircle Alcatraz Island and provides breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay Area.

These photos were taken by my dad back in 1979 when we took a Bay Discovery Cruise. The San Francisco Bay Cruise lasts for Ninety (90) minutes sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, encircling Alcatraz Island and allows for sensational views of the San Francisco Waterfront, the Presidio, Sausalito, Fort Baker, Angel Island and a lot more. [More scenes from the Bay Area Cruise coming in later posts.]

Janet’s One Word – abandoned

Throwback Thursday

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Location: Alcatraz Maximum Security Prison; Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Wordless Wednesday: 06.12

Albatross

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Throwback Thursday

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

Location: San Francisco Bay Cruise; San Francisco Bay; San Francisco, California, USA

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Playing the Numbers Game #25

The number for Judy’s Numbers Game this week is 146. Time to play.

***Lesser Daisy Fleabane***
***(Erigeron strigosa)***

Lake Haigler
Anne Springs Close Greenway

Judy’s Numbers Game-#25_146

Cee’s Flower of the Day

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Sunday Stills: Pastels in California’s Beautiful Outdoors

California has some beautiful coastline. These were taken way back in 1974 in Long Beach, California.

This first one was taken looking over the Pacific Ocean and Pier J, Port of Long Beach. The view was taken from aboard the Queen Mary.

The next two photos are of the Shoreline of the Long Beach Harbor with skylines.

***Taken from***
***aboard the Queen Mary***

Just look at the pastels in the skyline and shoreline. It’s an amazing view looking out over the Pacific Ocean from the Queen Mary.

Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge: Can You Find #Pastels in the Great Outdoors?

Hammad’s Weekend Sky #129

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #223

Throwback Thursday

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

Location: Pacific Ocean; Pier J; Long Beach Shoreline; Queen Mary; Long Beach, California, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Monday Portrait: 06.10

Hidden in the Grass

Hey, what’s that over there? Can you see it too?

Come on, let’s go take a closer look … That’s not a flower I see. What do you think it is?

Is that a baby deer? Oh, look over there … there’s another deer.

What do you think? Is this one looking for the baby deer? I think they’ll be just fine.

Monday Portrait

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Monday Window: 06.10

Historic Windows/Doors

FDR’s The Little White House

Growing up we made several vacation trips to the Carolinas from San Diego. On one of our trips to the Carolinas we made a stopover in Georgia to visit Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s (FDR) The Little White House in Warm Springs.

When you arrive at The Little White House Historic Site you walk along the Avenue of Flags ( also called the Walk of Flags and Stones.)

***My parents and brother***
***on the Walk of Flags and Stones***

The Walk of Flags and Stones at the Little White House serves as a tribute to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. Each of the 50 states and Washington D.C. brought a native stone to be put on display at the site.

Moving Forward along through the Walk of Flags and Stones you may notice several stone benches in case you need to Pull Up a Seat and rest a spell. Another option, if you choose, would be to Sit on the bench just outside the front door of The Little White House.

***Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s (FDR’s)***
***The Little White House***

FDR’s The Little White House was his personal retreat and is located in the Historic District of Warm Springs, Georgia. It is a single-story, plain Colonial Revival constructed of Georgia pine.

Architect Toombs expanded the residence in 1932 with a detached garage/servants’ quarters, a guesthouse in 1933 and the Georgia Wilkins Cottage in 1934. The Cottage was later converted into a museum by Toombs in 1959.

The Little White House was originally approached from the cottage area of the rehabilitation center via an unpaved road; it was more secluded than it is today.

While you’re touring The Little White House, you might as well took a look at some of FDR’s vehicles. One of those “vehicles” is the “Tally Ho” stage coach.

The “Tally Ho” stage coach came with the Warm Springs property. FDR and Eleanor dressed up as George and Martha Washington and rode in it for the parade to celebrate his election as NY Governor.

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 23

Throwback Thursday

Location: FDR’s The Little White House; Warm Springs, Georgia, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Breaching the Waters of Time

Seven Seas Marine Life Park

Breaching the Waters of Time, we drift back to 1972 when my family stopped for some time of relaxing entertainment at the Seven Seas Marine Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

Seven Seas Marine Life Park was a marine mammal park, and animal theme park built and owned by the city of Arlington, Texas, United States. It opened in 1972, and closed in 1976. The 35-acre (14 ha) site was located in north Arlington off Interstate 30 near Six Flags Over Texas and adjacent to Arlington Stadium. The facility housed killer whale Nootka from 1972 to 1975.

Pictured here is the Killer Whale Stadium at Seven Seas Marine Life Park. If you look closely you might can see the two trainers and Orchin, the Seven Seas Mascot standing on the platform stage area within the stadium. The castle themed backdrop is visible behind the platform.

The theme park had seven (7) sections:

Arctic Ocean
Caribbean Sea
Indian Ocean
Mediterranean Sea
Sea of Cortez
Sea of Japan
South Seas

Newtka (also spelled Nootka) the killer whale: A 6,000-pound (2,700 kg) and 18-foot (5.5 m) female orca that resided in the park’s largest animal performance stadium. Other animals that were housed and performed at the park were: Jannie, Rodney, Debbie are three of the twelve bottle-nosed dolphins which performed in the Dolphin Show; Pancho the Elephant Seal; Over fourteen (14) California sea lions for the Sea-lion circus; and Several Rockhopper Penguins and one Magellanic Penguin for the Penguin Troop Performance. Seven Seas Marine Life Park also had a few rides and Pearl Diving.

The city council of Arlington voted to close the park in 1976 because it did not generate enough revenue to both pay its operating expenses and pay off the bonded indebtedness.

The property is now the site of the Arlington Sheraton Hotel and has several buildings on the property that date back to the park.

Leanne’s Monochrome Madness-Blast from the Past

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #222

Throwback Thursday

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Rise

Location: Seven Seas Marine Life Park; Arlington, Texas, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Seven Seas Marine Life Park with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 CWWC: June – Week 1

Choose Your Way

to the Land of Oz

Cee, I pray you’re better and home soon. In the meanwhile I’m continuing with the CWWC – Any Which Way in my Way until you are back well and able choose a theme. Anyone care to join me, let’s let Cee know we’re thinking and caring about her.

Back in the day there were three (3) ways you could choose from to get to Land of Oz. One could choose the Hot Air Balloon ride, the Gondola Lift, or a shuttle bus to reach the Land of Oz location in Beech Mountain.

People milling about deciding which option they want to take to reach the ***Land of Oz.***

The Hot Air Balloon ride up to the Land of Oz offers a different perspective, a different and unique experience and yet similar in approach to the Gondola Lift. Both the Hot Air Balloons and the Gondola Lift operate similar to a ski resorts ski lift would operate.

They are both aerial lifts that uses a continuous cable loop to transport passengers up a mountain. The cable is driven by a bullwheel at each end of the lift, which is usually connected to an electric motor or engine. The cable runs through sheaves at towers that support the cabins, or carriers, as they travel up the mountain. The cabins are attached to the cable by detachable grips that allow for secure boarding and exiting at slow speeds.

Having chosen our method of reaching the top of Beech Mountain for our Land of Oz adventure, we are delighted we are on our way up.

Up, up, up we go … look at our amazing climb through the air. It seems as if I chose to ride in a Hot Air Balloon while others in the family chose to ride in one of the Gondolas.

***Visitors to the Land of Oz walking along the trail after exiting their chosen path.***

The Gondolas continue throughout the day to carry visitors to the Land of Oz.

Once you’ve completed your ride, follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City and your adventure begins.

When your tiredness overwhelms you, take a breather from following the Yellow Brick Road and sit a spell and enjoy the show.

***Amphitheater hosting the***
***Magic Moment Show***

The Magic Moment Show was staged every half hour. During the show Dorothy appeared with her friends to meet the Wizard and entertain the park’s guests.

Cee’s Which Way Challenge

Throwback Thursday

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 22

Location: Land of Oz; Beech Mountain, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for joining our visit to the Land of Oz. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Floral Friday: 06.07 —Colouring Flowers #23

***Coloured by My***
***Via Zen Color App***

Floral Friday

Cee’s Flower of the Day

God Bless. Embrace joy, Seek out Light, and always Seek out the Sunlight in your life. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all.

Thursday Trios/ One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenges

Three Wizard of Oz Sculptures

The photo of these Wizard of Oz Sculptures were taken in the Summer of 1972 at The Land of Oz Museum at the Land of Oz Attraction in Beech Mountain, North Carolina.

***A Bit of Colour Splash, a bit of Dean effect, a bit of brightening, a little of this – a little of that …***

One-to-Three Photo Processing Challenge-June 2024

Thursday Trios

Processing done through Google Photos and Pixlr by Deb L. Waters

Location: Land of Oz Museum; Land of Oz; Beech Mountain, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 FOTD: 06.06 —

Hemerocallis ‘Cool Jazz’

Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Huntingtowne Neighbourhood; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 RDP: Older /|\ Rise

Welcome Friends, Guests, and Visitors! This is June 2024, I am realizing that the Older I get the harder it is for me to Rise. It is harder for me to Rise in the mornings, and harder for me to Rise from the floor. Let’s face it the Older I get the harder it is for me to do a lot of things. But, do I let that stop me? No. The Older I get the more determined I am to Rise above any and all obstacles that may arise.

Now that all that has been said, how about we take a ride down memory lane (or in this instance – tracks.) As I have been looking back through my dad’s Old old slides, I realise how much I do not remember about the family trips we took. I remember taking them, but the details are obscure. In the process of digitizing his old slides, the memories are Rising to the forefront of my mind.

On this trip down memory lane, I can see the photos and recall our ride on a vintage Railroad at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia.

The Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad is an open-air train that chugs around the 5-mile base of Stone Mountain. The ride takes 40 minutes and includes a live “train robbery” skit. Trains depart from Railroad Depot, an old-fashioned train station, where there’s a restaurant with all the fixings for a fried-chicken picnic, just in case you forgot to bring your own.

***Train Robbers***
***escaping from***
***the Sheriff***

The Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad, Inc. was formed in 1960 to construct a tourist railroad encircling the mountain. Three secondhand steam locomotives and several rebuilt passenger cars were purchased for hauling mountain visitors. Attempts were made to backdate two of the steamers to appear more like Civil War era engines, as the railroad’s theme was based on the “Great Locomotive Chase” involving the General and the Texas.

A single locomotive pulls a consistent of open-air cars and often a caboose around the 3.88 mile loop track. Two or more trains are run during busy park hours. Passengers board at the Train Station near the Memorial Lawn. On the far side of the mountain, trains often stop for skit entertainment in the small yard area that includes mock up building fronts, a maintenance shed, and several spurs that store previous rolling stock.

Don’t let the clown face fool you, this is no good guy. He is attempting to “rob” the train.

The Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad ride is just one of several activities one may choose to take part in while visiting the Park. Regardless of whether you’re into history, hiking, or want to enjoy some relaxing entertainment Stone Mountain Park can accommodate your interests. For more information about what to do and see at the Park click here.

Ragtag Daily Prompt-OLDER

Ragtag Daily Prompt-Rise

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday

Leanne’s Monochrome madness-Blast from the Past

Location; Stone Mountain Park; Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA.

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Words for Thought #21

***View from***
***Beech Mountain, North Carolina***

Think About It Tuesday

Hugh’s Wordless Wednesday

Camera: Minolta XG-7 35 mm

Location: Land of Oz; Beech Mountain, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Macro Monday: 06.03 —

Rubus occidentalis

***Another Common name***
***is Blackberry Blackcap***

Macro Monday

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Monday Window

Historic Windows/Doors

***The Davis House***
***Formerly Known as***
***the Dickey House***

The Dickey House is a historic home in Stone Mountain Park, Georgia. It was built in the 1840’s on a 1,000 acre plantation in Dickey, Georgia. The house was the manor house of the property. The descendants of the original owners lived in the home until it was moved 200 miles away to Stone Mountain’s Historic Square in 1961.

The roof, porches, and chimneys were removed and the house was quartered for transport, then reassembled by master carpenters. The house was filled with antiques from the 1800s and was considered a historic representation of the 1860s.

***Pull Up a Seat*** was once possible beneath the second story. Sadly, that is no longer possible as the house was destroyed by fire in 2023.

The Dickey House was the focus of the Stone Mountain “antebellum plantation” and the state’s effort to develop a tourist attraction at the site of the Confederate Memorial, a high-relief sculpture of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson that is carved into Stone Mountain.

The Dickey House opened to the public in 1963. More sophisticated than a Georgia “plain style plantation” such as the Tullie Smith House in Atlanta, and less grand than the Gone With the Wind image of Tara as the assumed typical antebellum plantation of the South, the Dickey Plantation, with its collection of period furnishings, collected outbuildings of the era, and gardens, provides a unique illustration of pre–Civil War architecture.

In November of 2023, Nearly 200 years of history went up in flames on a Tuesday morning when a fire broke out consuming the Dickey House in Stone Mountain Park’s Historic Square that predate the Civil War. The fire completely destroyed the home making it irreparable.

Ludwig’s Monday Window

Dan’s Thursday Doors

Throwback Thursday

Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2024-Week 22

God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Monday Portrait: 06.03

Bos taurus indicus

The Zebu (Bos indicus or Bos taurus indicus), sometimes known in the plural as indicine cattle, Camel cow or humped cattle, is a species or subspecies of domestic cattle originating in South Asia.

Zebu cattle are well known for being resistant to really high temperatures with high humidity concentrations (like we have here in the Carolinas.) They also have a greater resistance to parasites such as ticks, and have maternal behavior that allows them to take care of their offspring from possible predators, however, they are also docile if they are frequently handled.

Brahman are a breed of Zebu. This breed of Zebu is developed in the United States from cattle imported from India and Brazil. There are two distinct types of Brahman cattle; the Red Brahman and the Grey Brahman.

Monday Portrait

Camera: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Location: Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm; Anne Springs Close Greenway; Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA.

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

Stunning Views From Atop Stone Mountain

Further Adventures @Stone Mountain

As I continue to look back on time through the digitization process of my dad’s old slides I am reminded and am amazed by the wonderful world we live in and the freedom we have to create/recreate and share our experiences, our memories with others.

The slideshow is a digital representation of our adventures visiting Stone Mountain Park in Georgia. We, my family and extended family all came together to share togetherness while enjoying ourselves at Stone Mountain. My immediate family drove out from California, my paternal grandfather, from South Carolina, joined my dad’s sister and her family from North Carolina to visit the most popular attraction in Georgia, Stone Mountain Park.

We rode the Skyride to the top of Stone Mountain and the views were amazing. We could see the surrounding landscape, the parking lot, the other attractions in the park, blue waters of the lake & the pond, and the blue skies above. The most amazing part is that we were able to see the wondrous views together as a family.

Debbie’s Six Words Saturday

Weekly Prompts Colour Challenge-Blue

Throwback Thursday

Location: Atop Stone Mountain; Stone Mountain Park; Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA

God Bless. Thank you for visiting with us and for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Have a wonderful week ahead. I appreciate y’all very much.

2024 Last on the Card: May

On my Canon EOS Rebel T3i:

White Sultan Chicken
Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm
Anne Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA

From my iPhone 14 Pro Max:

Last on the Card

God Bless. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.

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