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.
“Tally Ho” stage coach
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.
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.
Newtka, a Killer Whale
Seven Seas Marine Life Park was a marine mammal park, and animal themepark 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.
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.
This long straight hilly 15-mile stretch of US 21 is the road that leads us to Great Falls, South Carolina coming out of Georgia. We would travel this road every three (3) to five (5) years to visit my dad’s parents and his brother and sister’s families. My dad grew up in Great Falls, but left when he joined the US Navy. It was only on these long summer trips that I was able to spend time with my dad’s family. Often when we came back to visit we would all go visit an attraction together on one of the days we were here.
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.
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.
Original Slight Colour PopBlack and White Monochrome A Bit of Colour Splash, a bit of Dean effect, a bit of brightening, a little of this – a little of that …
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.
This week’s number for Judy’s Number Game is 145. Come play along with us. You’ll never know what fun you’ll be missing if you don’t join in the game.
Rummaging through my photos I came up with a mixture of old and more recent photos for your viewing pleasure for this week’s challenge.
First up we have Farm Animals …
Donkey
At Anne Springs Close Greenway’s Stables Entrance in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Zebu Cattle Bos taurus indicus
Next, We Head Up to the Mountains of North Carolina …
View from Sunrise Overlook Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina View from Mount Jefferson Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Ashe County, North Carolina
And Lastly for this Week we have a Couple of Miscellaneous Throwbacks …
At Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Site Museum Warm Springs, Meriwether County, Georgia, USAThe Sophia Loren diorama Movieland Wax Museum Buena Park, California
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.
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.
Scarecrow Land of Oz Museum Display Beech Mountain, North Carolina, USA
The Land of Oz theme park based on Frank Baum’s Land of Oz books originally opened in 1970. In 1975 the Carolina Caribbean Corporation, the company who developed Beech Mountain into a tourist destination and built Oz goes bankrupt due to failed investments. The park had closed and after construction of the Emerald City it reopened in 1976 and later closed once again in 1980. The theme park was closed afterwards for many years. Oz then laid abandoned, succumbing to the harsh weather conditions and vandals.
The Land of Oz is a park in North Carolina dedicated to the iconic film Wizard of Oz. It’s a walk-through attraction that was once closed and now opens for the special Autumn of Oz event in the fall each year. The Autumn of Oz festival is currently held in September and the Land of Oz is only open for three weekends a year.
Location: Land of Oz theme park; Beech Mountain, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the Land of Oz with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. Have a wonderful weekend. I appreciate y’all very much.
We begin our journey in n July of 1972, having made it from California to Georgia we stop for a bit of fun. We were glad to pull into the park and finally be able to get out of the car and stretch our legs. After traveling cross country for days we were more than ready to enjoy some fun and excitement.
Driving into Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia
We enjoyed a time of Sun, Sand. and Water Fun relaxing on the beach.
Sun, Sand. and Water Fun
Next, we moved forward to wait our turn for a ride on one of the Paddle-boats. The paddle-boats are large Riverboats which give tourists and guests a thirty minute ride out on Stone Mountain Park Lake. [From what I have discovered, the Riverboats no longer operate on Stone Mountain Park Lake.]
Riverboat Marina Complex Area to wait for a Riverboat Cruise 🚢 ride.
Moving forward out into the lake aboard the Scarlet O’Hara, we had an opportunity to see a uniquely captivating side of the park. The Scarlet O’Hara was one of two (2) paddle boats in the Stone Mountain Fleet that once cruised the lake delighting guests with the beautiful scenic views. It was a side wheeler which could carry up to One Hundred Fifty (150) passengers on board.
Scarlet O’Hara
The Henry W. Grady was the name of the other Stone Mountain paddle boat. It was designed to carry approximately three hundred (300) passengers. Its sole purpose was to be used for private party charters.
The Riverboats departed the Riverboat Marina Complex approximately every half hour moving forward into the lake giving guests a chance to enjoy the waterways, and the beauty surrounding Stone Mountain. The short cruise lasted about twenty (20) to thirty (30) minutes. While out on the lake on one of the paddle-boats you might have noticed the sunken remains of the very first riverboat, the Robert E. Lee, seen at the bottom of the lake.
Location: Stone Mountain Park Lake; Stone Mountain Park, Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing in our memories of cruising on a Riverboat. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Stone Mountain Stone Mountain State Park Roaring Gap, North Carolina
Stone Mountain State Park is located in Alleghany and Wilkes counties 60 miles northwest of Winston-Salem. Within the Park lies a 600-foot granite dome which has been designated as a National Natural Landmark, and the historic Hutchinson Homestead, a restored mid-19th-century farm situated at the mountain base.
Lower Falls Stone Mountain State Park Roaring Gap, North Carolina
Stone Mountain State Park offers nearly all types of outdoor activity to experience a high country landscape adorned with beautiful waterfalls, winding creeks, and bountiful trout streams. A portion of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail runs through the park near the backcountry campsites.
Stone Mountain Park (GA)
At the bottom of the trail leading up to the mountain is an American flag and four Confederate flags for all to see.
Stone Mountain Park is Georgia’s most visited attraction. Its more than three thousand two hundred (3,200) makes the park a unique destination for guests and families to experience and enjoy an exciting variety of attractions, entertainment, and recreational activities.
At the center of the park is the largest confederate symbol in the country: a nine story etched carving of Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson, and Robert E. Lee.
Stone Mountain in Georgia is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock ( an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain) and is the location of Stone Mountain Park. It is located approximately sixteen (16) miles east of Atlanta, Georgia. The Park is owned by the state of Georgia. It is most famous for its artwork on the north face. An enormous relief sculpture carved on the stone itself depicting Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson, three (3) of the Confederate Leaders.
In comparing the two Stone Mountains one can realize that Stone Mountain, Georgia is larger and is not engaged in a series of ridges like its cousin in North Carolina. The one in Georgia is bordered by an actual city named Stone Mountain. It is also a fully developed park with a wide range of attractions to enjoy. The North Carolina Stone Mountain is a more traditional state park, with limited hours and access. Both Stone Mountains have a variety of hiking trails. The Georgia one has a Summit Skyride for easier access to the top. In North Carolina one would hike the Stone Mountain Loop Trail to access an area with breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
I visited Stone Mountain Park in Georgia with my family and extended family during the summer of 1972. I do not recall everything we did at the park, however, viewing & reconstructing my dad’s old slides does help to enable some of those memories. In October of 2017, my eldest son & I visited Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, North Carolina. One of his wishes that year was to drive the majority of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Stone Mountain State Park was just one of many places we visited on that trip.
Please I encourage everyone to be polite and I desire no controversy over this post or regarding Stone Mountain Park itself.
God Bless. Thank you for visiting the two (2) Stone Mountains with me. Thank you for joining me in viewing my memories of my dad’s reconstructed slides of our visit to Georgia. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Moving Forward into the Gulf Stream for some Deep Sea Fishing…
The South Wind pulls alongside the pier … excited fishermen watching “patiently” for their turn to go out on the boat.
Young Fisherman with his catch
This was a trip my dad made with my paternal uncle (my dad’s sister’s husband.) Not sure if anyone else went along or not, I do not recall. My dad & Shorty ( my uncle) decided to go deep sea fishing 🎣 and drove the three (3) hours to Murrells Inlet to go out on a charter fishing boat for the day.
Captain Alex’s Marina once stood along the creek front of Murrells Inlet and was first established in the early 1950’s. Murrells Inlet is a fantastic destination just thirty (30) short miles south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It is considered to be the “seafood capital of South Carolina.”
The land around Murrells Inlet has an historical record of human settlement that goes back thousands of years, before written history. The history includes English colonial settlements and plantations which raised various crops from indigo to rice. An interesting note is that the fishing village of Murrells Inlet was once the lair of the infamous pirate Blackbeard. Today, it’s an outdoorsman’s dream.
A tribute to Captain Alex who ran The Alex Marina and took many on tours or fishing excursions in Murrells Inlet and other areas can be read by clicking here.
Location: Alex Marina; Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, USA
God Bless. Thank you for Moving Forward with us as I continue to Reconstruct my dad’s slides and the memories of his adventures. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Flowers are given or sent to funeral homes, services, and placed on graves as a sign of sympathy and respect. Have you ever considered why flowers are given? Who are the flowers are meant for? They are not for the deceased, but in a way they are.
So why do we send them? Why do we bring them to the graves of those we love and care deeply about?
Flowers given to me after my mom’s passing. The Flowers my Brother & I got for my mom’s Funeral Service. Funeral Flowers at my Paternal Uncle’s Service Gravesites of my Paternal Grandparents & Paternal Uncle Grave of my Maternal Grandmother Grave of my Paternal Great Grandfather, John Thomas Waters.
Funeral Flowers are intended as a way to show our respect to the deceased. Sympathy Flowers go home with the family of the deceased. Flowers are for the survivors/surviving family members to know their deceased was loved and cared for as well as a sign of respect for the deceased.
[I remember the flowers in the upper right came back to my brother’s home after my mom’s service. He turned around and sent them home with my mom’s sister. I do not recall what happened to the rest of the flowers.]
Sending Flowers to a funeral is a means towards an expression of love, comfort, sympathy, and respect. The purpose of floral arrangements at a funeral are intended to honor the deceased, and show sympathy to the family. The flowers enable the mourners to feel like the deceased was cared for by many people close to them.
The placing of Cemetery Flowers or other objects on a grave marker or headstone is a way of paying your respects to the deceased. The flowers on a grave can show recognition of sacrifice of a deceased Veteran or admiration for a lost friend or family member. People have been leaving flowers on gravesites for thousands of years. In Ancient Rome they were used to create a comforting environment for the deceased spirit to wander around the grave.
I often bring flowers with me when I visit the graves of my family members and even place them on my grandparents & great grandparents graves when I visit the cemeteries. I try to honor the fallen soldiers by contributing to Wreaths Across America; an organization which places wreaths on the graves of fallen soldiers and deceased veterans.
One day a year we stop and pause to remember our fallen soldiers. Poppies spring up this time of year and are a tremendously beautiful sight.
Eschscholzia californica, the California poppy, golden poppy, California sunlight or cup of gold is California’s official State Flower. California Poppy Fields are burgeoning with beautiful blooming Poppies and are attracting many visitors.
However, It is the Red Poppy which is a significant symbol of remembrance. Red poppy flowers represent consolation, remembrance and death. The Red Poppy, often considered the Remembrance Poppy, is one of the world’s most recognized memorial symbols for fallen soldiers. It has been a remembrance symbol since the end of World War I. The Red Poppy is worn by millions of people Worldwide to commemorate Armistice Day or Remembrance Day. Here in the United States of America it is also worn on Memorial Day.
Today is the day the United States is observing Memorial Day. It was not always observed on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and was first designated to be held on the 30th of May in 1868.
Even though I have not known a soldier who lost his/her life on the battlefield during a war, I still keep the Faith. I have many friends and loved ones who during the course of war lost a little piece of themselves. Those friends and family members never forgot their friends and comrades who lost their lives during the wars they were fighting in. Let us all Keep the Faith and Never Forget those soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
“We shall keep the faith
Oh! You who sleep in Flanders Fields, Sleep sweet — to rise anew! We caught the torch you threw And holding high, we keep the Faith With All who died. We cherish, too, the poppy red That grows on fields where valour led; It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies, But lends a lustre to the red Of the flower that blooms above the dead In Flanders Fields. And now the Torch and Poppy Red We wear in honour of our dead. Fear not that we have died for naught; We’ll teach the lesson that we wrought In Flanders Fields”
Watching Races at the Cajon Speedway was one of my dad’s favourite things to do on a weekend. It is not something he was able to enjoy that often, but he was thrilled whenever the possibility occurred. When he wasn’t able to go to the Speedway, he would watch NASCAR or the Indy 500 when he could get control of the TV away from my mom. My dad would have been 95 this week. He’s been gone now for 28 years, however, I still miss him.
Location: Cajon Speedway; El Cajon, California, USA September 1970
God Bless. Thank you for watching the races with us. The Cajon Speedway races don’t compare to the Coca Cola 600 which many people watched this weekend, but for El Cajon and San Diego County it was an amazing pastime. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
For Cee’s Which Way Challenge this week I’m taking y’all on a hiking adventure back in time to Nineteen Seventy-One (1971). This adventure was a part of a church youth group outing to the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It started off as approximately an 8 hour and 35-minute drive traveling by bus for five hundred sixty-nine miles (569) east northeast loaded with enthusiastic teenagers. [Bus ride not pictured.]
Our first stop at the Grand Canyon was the South Rim where we happened upon the Trans-Canyon Waterline. The South Rim water is pumped up 3200 feet from springs at Indian Gardens, but flow is inadequate for today’s needs (the thoughts in 1971.) Thus the Trans-Canyon Waterline was constructed beginning in 1965 and took until 1970 to complete.
This waterline stretches from the current water intake at Roaring Springs on the north side of the canyon, down to Phantom Ranch, and back up to Indian Garden through extremely rugged terrain accessible only by trail or helicopter. It carries about 190 million gallons of drinking water to over 5,000,000 visitors and 2,500 residents at the Inner Canyon Corridor and South Rim developed area.
Besides the view of the signage, we could see the pipeline which transports the water up to the South Rim and have a terrific view of the Bright Angel Trail. The Bright Angel Trail is the trail which led us to the bottom of the Canyon and the Silver Bridge.
Before we started hiking on the trail we stopped at Hermits Rest to enjoy some spectacular views. Hermits Rest is an iconic and historic stop, at the conclusion of Hermit Road, and the Canyon Rim Trail. It also serves as the gateway to magnificent backcountry hiking trails that originate from the Hermit Trail, a steeply winding path into the canyon that begins 0.25 miles (0.4 km) west of this distinctive building.
Now that we’ve had an overlook of where we are going to be hiking, let’s Move Onward and Forward along the trail. We have a long way to go ahead of us before we’ll reach the bottom of the Grand Canyon and Phantom Ranch.
Once we reach the bottom we had to cross the Silver Bridge to reach our destination. The Silver Bridge is a 500 feet long steel suspension bridge spanning a green river with canyon slopes and cliffs on the opposite side. The Silver Bridge, is located a short distance downstream from the Black Bridge. Both the Silver Bridge and the Black Bridge serve as critical transportation links between the South and North rims at Grand Canyon National Park.
When you visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon don’t forget to stop at Yavapai Point to see some fabulous views. Make sure you have your camera (or at least your smartphone) with you to capture the beautiful scenic views.
Location: South Rim; Hermits Rest; Silver Bridge; Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and sharing in our memories of hiking the Grand Canyon. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Wow, we made it the Summit. It took all our energy and determination, but we did it. Look at the views, they are so amazingly beautiful. It was worth the strenuous hike to see the spectacular view.
Location: Zion National Park; near Springdale, Utah, USA
God Bless. Thank you for Moving Forward hiking up to the Summit of Lost Peak with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Remembering my dad through the years (in no particular order), the closeness we had, the good times we enjoyed, the one on one time we spent together, and wishing he good have watched my children grow into adulthood and met my grandchildren. I miss him still to this day. Happy Birthday in Heaven Dad!
God Bless. Have a terrific day. Thinking of y’all. Speedy recovery Cee!Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
Did you know that Barn Quilt Trails are located in 43 states of the United States of America and Canada has 3? Barn Quilts are believed to have originated in Pennsylvania almost 300 years ago when Europeans immigrated to America.
Have you ever wondered what a Barn Quilt is or their significance? A Barn Quilt is a large piece of wood painted to look like a quilt block and hung on the exterior of a barn, house, garage or other building. During the Revolutionary War, “Barn Quilts” were used to show American forces that an area was safe, secure, and supplies were available. Barn Quilts are a popular form of Americana folk art. They help to preserve the country’s quilting tradition and the regional heritage of various communities.
Barn Quilt Trails
Barn Quilt
Blue Ridge Parkway
North Carolina
The first Barn Quilt Trail was started by Donna Sue Groves. She came up with the idea while working for the Ohio Arts Council in the 1990s. Donna Sue shared her story in “Following the Barn Quilt Trail.” Soon barn quilts spread to other states, becoming driving tours, drawing in tourists and bringing the Appalachian way of life to the forefront. The Barn Quilts in the slideshow are located in the Ohio Barn Quilt Trails and the Appalachian Quilt Trail.
My Favorite Quilt
Even though this Quilt is not a Barn Quilt, it is extremely special to me. It was made by maternal grandmother with remnants of fabric used to make uniforms for me when I worked as a nursing assistant after high school. She lovingly made it with love to fit my bed. It was sewn on an old fashioned black Singer Sewing Machine to make each quilt top. She used colorful yarn to hand quilt and tie-off the quilt.
Movieland Doors Movieland Wax Museum Buena Park, California in May 1966Moving Forward on TWEETSIE RAILROAD Boone, North Carolina in July 1969It’s a Small World Disneyland Anaheim, California in June 1970Hopi House Pueblo Indian Dwelling Grand Canyon, Arizona in January 1971View from Angels Landing Angels Landing Trail Zion National Park, Utah in August 1971
Digital Conversion of my dad’s slides were done using Wolverine’s Digital Converter.
God Bless. Thank you for traveling back in time across America with us. We had fun moving forward with memories reconstructing my dad’s old slides to share and preserve. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
For Cee’s CFFC this week I have dug Theo my archives and chose what I hope y’all will enjoy. Sorry, I don’t have any alleys, but I do have Driveways, Parking Lots, and as always Dirt Roads.
Driveways
Driveway of Gastonia Fire Station #4 Gastonia, North Carolina Driveway of Waters home S. Meadowbrook Drive San Diego, California
Parking Lots
Parking Lot Rankin Lake Park Gastonia, North CarolinaParking Lot Charlotte Douglas International Airport Charlotte, North CarolinaParking Lot Consolidated Aircraft Corporation San Diego, California
Dirt Roads
Persimmon Trail Carolina Thread Trail Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Belmont, North Carolina Dirt “Road” Persimmon Trail Carolina Thread Trail Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Belmont, North Carolina
Walking along the Coronado Beach is a fun, relaxing afternoon pleasure filled with delight and beautiful scenery. The slideshow shows the walkways leading up to the Pacific Ocean, the Pacific Ocean itself, and various interesting sights near and in the water. The USS Midway Museum and, the “Unconditional Surrender” a 25-foot sculpture on San Diego’s embarcadero in downtown are just two of the interesting and impressive examples of the amazing sights that can be seen in beautiful Sunny San Diego.
Going back to our Disneyland adventure let’s take. Look at another attraction we rode. We are taking a look at our ride on Disneyland’s Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland.
The Disneyland Mine Train was an attraction through Nature’s Wonderland in Frontierland that ran from May 28, 1960 until January 2, 1977. It was previously called Rainbow Caverns Mine Train and later became Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Nature’s Wonderland Railroad
The Mine Train rode past the mining town of Rainbow Ridge where you could observe what a mining town would have looked like with a hardware store, the El Dorado Hotel. It allowed you to feel like you were in the old west. The train would take you through a tunnel and into Beaver Valley, where you could witness beavers at work chomping their wood, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, foxes and other forest animals.
After Beaver Valley the train moved forward going across a bridge by Cascade Peak, where you could feel the mist coming from the waterfall on your skin. At this point you could see jumping fish, mountain goats, and swimming bears.
The narrator would announce where you were coming to and what you would see at each destination. From Beaver Valley the train moved forward into Bear Country where you could see 2 large elk with their antlers intertwined, fighting each other.
From there the Mine Train would continue moving forward taking you in a circular shape around the Living Desert, with the other half being a forest filled with desert cottontails, rattlesnakes, waterholes, tortoises, badgers, and armadillos. The displays made everything seem so realistic and lifelike.
The last portion of the ride took you through Rainbow Caverns. In the Caverns you could see giant stalagmites, stalactites, and colorful falls on every side.And if you looked real carefully, you’d see geyser grotto, and the witch’s cauldron.
Thanks for climbing aboard and joining us for our ride on Disneyland’s Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland adventure.
Traveling back in time to December 1965, to a family day trip. Packed and loaded in our 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 with a cooler of drinks, snacks, and sandwiches; we began our approximately hour and fifty-one (1hr 51min) drive north moving forward through the city streets until turning onto CA-94 and eventually onto the recently constructed I-5.
Upon arriving at the Disneyland entrance, my parents purchased our admission and ride tickets. General Admission prices for adults at that time was $2.60 per adult and included a ticket for the Monorail. Junior prices were $1.80 and Children’s admission prices were $1.10. Tickets for the rides cost extra. A book of 10 tickets ranged from $3.00 to $5.00.
1965 Disneyland Ride Tickets A-ESelection of E Ticket Rides
In 1965, the cost of admission was considered a lot of money. However, people considered visiting Disneyland was a worthwhile family adventure.
After our tickets were purchased and we entered the park, we selected what rides we wanted to ride. We went to each ride or attraction as a family unit, not venturing off individually. Our first ride of choice was the Monorail.
Disneyland Monorail
The Monorail was considered as a mid-century marvel and captured the hearts and imaginations of the theme park and Disney fans. The Monorail was a Highway in the Sky which allowed for a unique experience viewing the park from above.
Our next selection was to ride the submarine adventure. The attraction features vehicles that were designed to look like submarines. It required the E ticket was in the Tomorrowland area of the park.
Early Disneyland Submarine
The submarines took us on an adventure under the sea simulating fish and other sea creatures allowing us to imagine we were really being submerged and viewing the undersea life of a tropical lagoon.
Next up was the Autopia adventure. This was where we could get in cars and race around an enclosed track. We could imagine we were actually racing the other drivers.
My mom getting out of the Race Car.
After a full day of adventures Moving Forward around the park, we selected a spot on the side of Disneyland’s Main Street to watch the Parade. The waiting was a time of excitement as we looked forward to the parade starting.
Mickey Mouse riding in a Vintage Car with Goofy1965 Disneyland Santa Claus Float
Well folks, that’s all for today. We had fun, but now it’s time to head home.
Growing up almost three thousand miles (actually 2,512 by today’s calculations) away from my dad’s family in South Carolina; we only traveled the long distance every three (3) to five (5) years. My parents always drove straight through switching off driving every several hours and/or miles as deemed necessary.
On every family vacation to visit my dad’s family, my parents would plan places for us to visit during our trip. One place would always represent a place of historical significance. The other place would always be some fun attraction. Sometimes it’d just be our immediate family visiting the chosen places and at other times my dad’s sister’s family would join us.
On our trip in July of 1967, my dad selected The Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia for us to visit. The Little White House was the personal retreat for Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States of America. It is located in the historic district of Warm Springs, Georgia.
When Roosevelt first started coming to Warm Springs (previously known as Bullochville) in 1924 it was to receive treatment for Polio. He loved the area tremendously, so he had a home built on Pine Mountain located close to Warm Springs. On April 12, 1945, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died in this home shortly after he began his fourth term in office.
In 1948, Roosevelt’s Little White Housewas opened to the public as a museum. Part of the Museum displays include his 1938 Ford V-8 convertible coupe and his custom built 1940 Willys roadster. Many of his cars were equipped with special controls that allowed the partially paralyzed Roosevelt to operate the foot pedals with his hands.
Death Car used in movie Similar to Car FDR was riding in when an Assassination Attempt Occurred
There was a movie made in 1933 that depicted the attempted assassination on Franklin D. Roosevelt. It references the assassination of Chicago Mayor Anton Joseph Cermak and hiswho was mistakenly killed during the attempt on FDR. The Death Car shown here and in the museum is the car that was used during that filming.
To learn more about the assassination attempt on Franklin D. Roosevelt click on Death Caror to learn more about FDR click on his name.
Pictures were Reconstructed from slide format to digital format via a Wolverine Digital Converter Renewing them for preservation and future generations.
Location: Roosevelt’s The Little White House; Warm Springs, Georgia, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and reminiscing with me. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me. I appreciate y’all very much.
For this journey of discovery we are beginning in Southern California at Knott’s Berry Farm. We are Renewing a remembrance by exploring a time of a family outing my dad captured with his camera and had developed onto slides which I Reconstructed into digital formatting for better visibility and preservation.
Stage Coach Ride at Knotts Berry Farm Buena Park, California Circa May 1966
The Stage Coach ride allowed people to seat inside the coach or on the Outside up top of the coach. Being up top allowed for a unique experience and perspective of the exciting surroundings.
Moving Forward we venture out towards the California desert for a weekend of camping and the freedom of the great outdoors for a time of refreshing recreation and a time for renewing the closeness of family togetherness.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Borrego Springs, California
We join friends from our church family at Anza-Borrego Desert StatePark for a time of food, fellowship, and tons of fun.
Whether we choose a seat at a table near the chuck wagon or close to an outdoor cook stove/oven is our choice. We may sit together or apart, however the point of the weekend is renewing and strengthening family bonds and friendships.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Borrego Springs, California
Moving Forward remembering the past by Reconstructing old slides renewing the photos for future generations.
Good Day! Be sure to click on each photo for larger viewing.
The Hotel Del Coronado has been a living legend for more than One Hundred Thirty (130) years. It has proudly hosted U.S. Presidents, movie stars, celebrities, and royalty as well as many beach loving guests (tourists and locals) for many many decades of generations throughout history.
With Non-Squared
B/W & Color Windows
The Hotel del Coronado was built in 1888 after much dreaming, planning, and inspiration of its founders Elisha Babcock and Hampton Story. Babcock and Story enlisted a local San Diego developer, Alonzo Horton to help them survey Coronado beach in 1886. The natural beauty of Coronado inspired the founders to buy the island and build the magnificent hotel.
Babcock and Story created the Coronado Beach Company and then proceeded to establish several enterprises to support and develop the Coronado Community. Those enterprises included a ferry company, a water company, a railroad company, and an electrical power plant.
Construction began on the hotel in 1887 with approximately 250 men working the construction crew. It was built entirely wood using many different types from across the United States. The lumber used included Douglas Fir for framing, California Redwood for its exterior siding; hemlock and cedar was also made available for use. The Hotel’s lobby featured Illinois White Oak while the Crown Room ceiling was done with Oregon’s Sugar Pine. Each type of lumber was selected for their unique qualities to enhance the hotel’s beauty and ensure its longevity.
Coronado Island and The Hotel del Coronado are wonderful places to visit. The beautiful landscape, the beautiful ocean views, the stunning elegance of the hotel are sites to behold and experience. I have to admit I have never stayed in the hotel (too rich for my blood), however I have visited and walked along the beach with friends. A truly wonderful experience for sure and for certain.
Getting out in nature always helps to renew my mind, refresh my spirit, and rejuvenate my soul. This view is from the side porch of the Gibson House.
On Sunday, Coleman and I drove into Fort Mill to visit the newly renewed and reconstructed Crandall Bowles Children’s Farm at the Anne Springs Close Greenway. The newly reconstructed children’s farm is accessible through the Greenway Stables Entrance. We are moving forward ( I know you can’t see our movements, but you can imagine them) to visit the Farm animals (chickens, rabbits, alpacas, and cattle.)
After visiting the farm animals, Coleman and I went back to the car to grab our snacks and put my backpack in it as my camera battery had died. So then I continued taking photos with my iPhone as we proceeded to Move Forward through the horse stables on towards the trails for a bit of hiking. We hiked along on the Dogwood Trail, made a loop onto Peach Loop to watch out over Lake Haigler before heading back to the car and home.
While gazing out over Lake Haigler, I reminisced for a short while remembering a time of apple picking, fresh apple cider, and fresh bread with a dollop of fresh homemade apple butter in Julian, California.
Now that I have your mouth watering for the delicious delightful aroma of fresh homemade apple delicacies, I trust you’ll have a wonderful rest of your weekend and a blissful weekend.
Come on and climb in the “boat” with us. We can make room for one or two more. It’s gonna be a fun ride, just you wait and see.
We’re moving forward, our turns coming up.
The ride lets boats go first from one side and then the other side. Our turn is next. Get ready. It’s our turn.
Moving forward along the ride we are going up, up, up …
And Splash … we zoom down almost to the end of our log ride. Did you feel the water 💦 splashing us? Oh right, you were in the back so you didn’t get oat all.
The photo was taken at the Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park, California back in 1966 by my dad when we visited. These are wax figures of Roy Rogers and Trigger. The sign in front of the display (not pictured here) states CO. REPUBLIC 1945; “DON’T FENCE ME IN”; ROY ROGERS; DIR. ENGLISH; PROD. DONALD H. BROWN; SCENE N. 20; TAKE NO; EXT: STABLE.
The photos have been reconstructed by digitizing them via Wolverine digital converter to create a renewed version for save keeping for future generations.
Today we are going backwards in time Reconstructing my dad’s slides to reminisce family journeys from 1963. These are from one of our vacations traveling from San Diego, California to Great Falls, South Carolina and back home again.We progressed along the interstate Moving Forward Eastbound and Down loaded up and truckin’ heading to see my paternal grandparents for the first time in five years.
Coming or Going Somewhere in Texas
The Six Flags can be seen from Interstate 20 nearing the Arlington, Texas. They signify being close to the Six Flags over Texas amusement theme park.
Which way are we going? From the photo I’m not sure if we were headed east or going back west at this point in time as I can barely remember the trip.
Stop 🛑 and Pay 💰 Toll Texas Toll Booths
Nowadays, there are over 50 toll roads in Texas. All drivers are required to pay the toll (fee) regardless of where you live. The first major toll road in Texas, which opened in 1957, was a 30-mile, six-lane stretch of highway between Dallas and Fort Worth. A drive from one end to the other cost 50 cents.
Passing through El Paso, Texas
After a long tiring vacation visiting family in the Carolinas, we are passing forward through El Paso heading home to San Diego. At this point of our trip we are excited to be almost home (over half way back across country.
I’ve been working on preserving and digitizing my dad’s old slides and thought these might fit the theme for Debbie’s OWS-Red Challenge.
3-speed GM Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic transmission in 1969Pirate Ship at Disneyland in 1965The Little Train by Lois LenskiLarry Dean Waters (my brother) and Debbie Lynn Waters (myself) in 1963
A Rainbow burgeoning across the sky captured many years ago by my dad as we were traveling to parts unknown (at least to me nowadays) somewhere in the USA.
I reconstructed my dad’s slides by Digitizing them via a Wolverine Titan 8-in-1 High Resolution Digital Converter renewing them for viewing for years to come.
We can’t go back to being young again, but that doesn’t stop us from feeling young once again. When we reminisce we remember how we felt when we were young, the excitement of getting on a bus for a week of adventure with friends.
Youth group loading onto the church bus for a time of fun and adventure in the desert. Children from an Orphanage in Tecate, Baja California.
We remember the fun times of venturing into Baja California ( or a place we’d never been to before), of sharing our time and helping others. We remember the dreams and ideas we had, the places we wanted to see, the things we wanted to do.
A Young Family resting a spell by the church’s Chuck Wagon
We remember sharing our love,passion, enthusiasm, and experiences with children and families. We remember how it was when we were young and smile at all our happy memories.
Done with reminiscing for a while; we share our memories, our stories, our experiences with the young of today … our grandchildren. Just maybe they will find joy and excitement in doing some of the same things we enjoyed doing when we were young.
Come on along for the ride, we’re just gonna meander around through the desert here in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Growing up in San Diego, California my church youth group would practically make annual camping trips out to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Several church families would bring their dune buggies, dirt bikes and give rides to the enthusiastic youth.
Ever since that time period, I have loved to go camping and hiking. I love being out in nature and my grandson, Coleman is learning to love and enjoy it as well.
Pictured here are actually two separate church camping trips; one in May of 1968 and the other in June of 1969. Those were the good old days my friends.
A Beautiful Sunset Pumpkin and Mushroom Counter Display Anne Springs Close Greenway Fort Mill, South Carolina, USAOrange Chrysanthemums Calendula officinalis, common marigoldOrange Life Jackets on my Spouse & Daughter in 1995 at Lake Fort Smith; Lake Fort Smith State Park; Mountainburg, Crawford County, Arkansas, USA
Renew may mean something different for each one of us whether it be being new again, being refreshed, or becoming strong once again. We all see and experience being renewed and refreshed every single year, every month, every day, and possibly every single minute.
Let’s take time to relax, refresh and renew ourselves at Glen Ivy Hot Springs.
Glen Ivy Hot Springs is a resort in Riverside County, California that has been in existence since 1860. That’s 164 years of history that has attracted many visitors to visit their mineral springs. People come seeking the benefits of nature, water and exercise. It is a pleasurable experience enjoying time of relaxation, renewal, and a deep sense of wellbeing which the hot springs can bring.
Close-up of the turtles and fishes in the Pond
Glen Ivy Hot Springs Resort offers many options for you to relax, renew, and restore your body. Those options include experiencing the Mineral Springs, the Grotto, and Club Mud.
The Mineral Bath entails spending 15 minutes soaking in the 104 degree geothermal waters. The sulfur-rich springs ease joint pain and soften the skin. These waters have powerful healing effects on the body and soul.
The Grotto experience is the resort’s Subterranean Treatment. It is a part of your skin softening, sensuous and subterranean journey. For this subterranean journey you descend into their secret cave and are painted neck-to-toe with a warm aloe vera, coconut oil, eucalyptus, shea butter and lavender masque. Your body is warmed in this gently heated cavern while your skin soaks in the silky formula as your body heats and your pores open.
Club Mud combines the detoxifying benefits of our geothermal mineral water with local red clay mud. The mud blends into a silky soft paste with our mineral water. Let the mud dry by baking in the sun or in our warm ‘Wafa’ cave. When the dried mud becomes loose and flaky, you simply wash it off noticing a baby-soft feeling on your skin.
A day at Glen Ivy Hot Springs is a unique experience. Who doesn’t need a little pampering once in a while. Be prepared though, the pampering at Glen Ivy doesn’t come cheap. They do offer many different options and plans to choose from. Everyone can find an affordable option to participate in this unique experience. Reservations are required.
If you’re coming from out of the area you might choose to stay just a short distance ( 2 minute drive or 10 minute walk) away in the Glen Ivy RV Park. Staying in the RV park is an opportunity to be close to nature and is a relaxing opportunity as well. If you’re inclined to visit Southern California, Glen Ivy Hot Springs is a fantastic and unique experience not to be overlooked. This is an experience and memory from the mid- nineteen eighties, when I lived in the Riverside County area of Southern California.
Cee’s Fun Foto Challengewas is a weekly themed challenge where Cee asks everyone to search through their photos and post photos they feel meet the criteria of the week’s current theme. This week Cee is challenging everyone to post photos of Locks, Keys, Knobs, and Handles.
My interpretation of this week’s challenge I know is different from what you might expect, but then again it is my insight for this challenge regarding Locks, Keys, Knobs, and Handles where I am focusing on Locks.
The Upper Lifting Locks Landsford Canal State Park
The land along the Catawba River, now apart of Landsford Canal State Park, played a vital integral role in the lives of the surrounding inhabitants for over a thousand years. It was used by the native people like the Catawba as a ford to cross the river, a long long time prior to Tomas Land acquiring the land in 1754.
The Ford’s importance as a river crossing was extremely significant during the American Revolution when it was used as a staging ground by Patriot general Thomas Sumter before the battle of Hanging Rock. The British Army under Lord Charles Cornwallis also used the ford as they withdrew from Charlotte after the Battle of Kings Mountain.
The Guardlock. Landsford Canal State Park
After the War of 1812, the Port of Charleston lost its significant importance to the Port of New Orleans. In an attempt to revitalize the port, projects were undertaken around the state to improve the ability of moving freight to and from the port and within the State of South Carolina.
One of those projects included constructing a series of four canal. The Landsford Canal construction was the last and northern most in the canal system. It was built under the supervision of Scotsman Robert Leckie by both Irish Masons and the local enslaved population. The Canal ran approximately two (2) miles along the Catawba River at its most treacherous point.
The Canal required a total of four lifting locks and a dread lock for the thirty-two feet of descent along its length. It was completed in 1823, was twelve feet wide, ten feet deep, and two miles long. Five locks raised and lowered barges through the thirty-two-foot fall of the river. Three bridges crossed the canal, and six storm culverts carried streams underneath it.
Today, Landsford Canal is the last of the Catawba River Canals and still accessible as well as one of the last in the entire state. The remains of the Canal still visible are the earthen walls of its upper side, four lifting locks and a dread lock. None of the bridges still remain, but the stone foundations are still intact. Ruins of stone culverts and retaining walls still stand in their original locations. The Canal Trail runs along the ruins of the old canal. Hiking the 1.5 mile length you can see the diversion dam in the Catawba River, The dead Lock upstream that let water into the canal, and the Lifting Locks near the south entrance. Along the way you can also see the ruins of much of the stone work and retaining walls. Interpretive signage points out major points of interest.
In Early May hundreds of visitors flock to Landsford Canal State Park. The majority of them are more interested in seeing the Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies. I have hiked the entire length of the nature trail and found the historical signage interesting and informative.
Union Church (Baptist) was originally constituted in August of 1866 in the Mountain Union Baptist Association. Some of the charter members were some of my paternal ancestors on my Waters ancestral line.
The Union Church has undergone several changes over the years and has existed for One Hundred Sixteen (116) years. More information about the early churches and the history of Ashe County may be found on the Ashe County Historical Society’s Facebook or Website.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 