Walking along the Pathway parallel to the Big Pond we spotted the BlackberryFlowers. Coleman notices them quicker than I do, he really likes it if they have ripe blackberries on the vines.
Aka European Blackberry
Getting a closer look we noticed the bee foraging the nectar from the flowers.
Aka Himalayan Blackberry
A little further down the pathway Coleman noticed some box-like structures through the grassy opening. As curious as he is he naturally wandered into the grassy opening to investigate the structures. After closer examination he informed me that they were Beehives.
Coleman walking towards the Bee Hives
Aka Common Eastern Bumblebee +Blackberry Flowers
After checking out the Beehives from a safe distance, we walked back towards The Trailhead Store hiking past the Himalayan Blackberry Flowers. Noticing more than just the flowers, I zoomed in to examine what was feasting on its nectar. Then I noticed not only the Common Eastern Bumblebee, but also the Cetonia aurata, which is called the rose chafer or the green rose chafer.
Aka Common Eastern Bumblebee +Himalayan Blackberry Flowers
Two for one foraging on the European Blackberry flowers. Think it’s nice that different species can share their delicacies.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.
Location: The Trailhead Store Pathway; The Village at Stowe; Belmont, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Admire its beauty and intricacies. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Backyard; Old Town; Riverside Community; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Enjoy Nature. Feel the Love. Nature demonstrates Love in abundance. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Coleman got a long over due Haircut. His hair went from hanging down in his eyes to really short for summer. For something different and unique, he received a design with his haircut.
Beforehand:
Before Haircut
Coleman is the grandson of a Vietnam Veteran and even though he didn’t take his own life he battled with PTSD throughout his life and addicted to drugs and alcohol which both slowly destroys the mind and body. In our home we remember all veterans and pray that they can find the courage to reach out for help to overcome their struggles and inner pain.
The sad fact is that approximately 22 U.S. Veterans take their own lives every day. The 22 design in Coleman’s hairstyle is to remember the 22 and to help create awareness of the invisible deaths of veterans within the United States who give in to the struggles they battle within and take their own lives. Everyday, 22 veterans lose their battle to post traumatic stress on American soil. That is 1 veterans every 65 minutes.
It is important to remember and honour our veterans. If possible whenever you see someone reach out in kindness. You never know the pain they hold inside or the struggles they are silently battling within.
Location: Landry’s Barber Shoppe; Gastonia, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a wonderful weekend. Remember our veterans and pray for them. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Have you ever had a child tell you something and you thought there’s no way that could be true? Let be tell you about an incident that happened this morning (yesterday 5/30). We go outside our front door to check to see if we have any mail. No mail, so what else is new. We don’t receive much in the way of snail mail anyway.
We go back inside the house and Coleman informs me there’s a frog in the house. I’m thinking there’s no way that there’s a frog in our house. He’s insistent that there really is a frog in the house. First he tells me that it went under the couch. Then he tells me it is hopping behind the couch.
At this point I’m not believing him. I’m not seeing any frog in the house, so how could there be a frog in the house. I inform him I do not believe him, he must be lying. He insists his not lying, that there really truly is a green groom the house.
After a little bit of time, guess what hops out from behind the couch and into the middle of the living room floor. Yep, you are right. Coleman was right. I had to apologize to Coleman and admit he was right. There was a green frog in our house.
Needless to say that the little green frog went mmm mmm ahhh hopping across the living room floor. The Little Green Frog reminded me of an old children’s song which starts out with “’Mmm Ahh’, went the little green frog one day, “Mmm ahh,” went the little green frog. “Mmm ahh,” went the little green frog one day, And they all went, “Mmm mmm AHHH!”. I’m not sure who wrote the song, however, the lyrics can be found online by searching in your web browser or by clicking here.
After my finally seeing the Little Green Frog I proceeded to capture the Little Green Frog and escort him outside. Once outside I set the Little Green Frog down on the porch by the stairs. The Little Green Frog merrily hopped down the stairs and into the vast greenness of our front yard. And we said goodbye Little Green Frog.
Next time Coleman tells me something I think might not be true, I’m gonna believe him that it is true until something or someone proves otherwise. Children may say the darnedest things, but often young people speak the truth.
Location: Our Home; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. God Bless the little children. Love your children/grandchildren. Believe in them. Listen and believe what they tell you. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
On Friday evening the Town of Cramerton held a concert in Centennial Center in Downtown Cramerton. The headliner was a Trio called Chairmen of the Board.
Chairmen of the Board is an American-Canadian Soul music group based out of Detroit, Michigan. The group saw their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The group underwent changes over the years and was reformed in 1978 with members General Norman Johnson, Danny Woods, and Ken Knox. In 1980, they founded Surfside Records and began playing beach music.
The Chairmen of the Board were inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 1999. The group still plays on with the exception of General Johnson (who passed in 2010 from lung cancer) and Danny Woods (who passed in 2018). Ken Knox (a 38 year member), at the request of General Johnson, has kept the legacy strong. He continues to lead the group, Chairmen of the Board, touring with current members Thomas Hunter and Patrick McGuire and 6 musicians.
Chairmen of the Board
The Town came out in droves to listen to Chairmen of the Board perform. The Center was packed with people from all age groups, and even a few dogs as well. The group put on a show stomping performance with people dancing, clapping, and really enjoying a tremendous good ole time performance. Coleman and I really enjoyed listening to them sing and play their songs.
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura CPL filter attachment
Settings: f/5.6 • 1/320s •250mm • ISO3200
Location: Goat Island Playground; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina
God Bless. When’s the last time you played Hide & Seek? Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
This is a bonus Train post (CWWC )/(CFFC) for this week showing what was seen on the Railroad Tracks up the road from our home and across from Coleman’s school bus stop. I also added Coleman’s Train. I’m also linking this post to Dan’s Thursday Doors and Debbie’s Six Word Saturday (sorry if it’s a tad bit over).
May the Trains of time bring your Easter basket filled with joy, happiness, and peace this season and always.
Coleman and I went hiking after he got home from school today (Friday). We walked downtown to Goat Island Park and Greenway. There weren’t any kids in the playground when we arrived, so I made a decision for us to hike along the trail first and then come back to the playground when we were finished hiking.
We started out along the paved hiking trail and meandered over to the dirt disc golf trail which runs simi-parallel to the South Fork Catawba River. While walking adjacent to the river, Coleman pointed out that there was a man standing in the river. This is not a normal sight when we are hiking. Therefore, we proceeded to investigate what the man was doing wading in the South ForkCatawba River.
At first, I thought the man Wading in the river was fishing even though most fishermen/women fish from one of the fishing piers or from the riverbanks. When we were close we asked the man what he was doing. It turns out that one of the disc golf catchers is on the opposite side of the river from where one is to throw the disc. According to the man wading in the river, many people miss the other side when they throw the disc across the river. So, it turns out he was searching the river for any golf discs that may have landed in the river. He had been searching for approximately twenty (20) to thirty (30) minutes when we approached him. Besides wearing waders the man was tethered to the riverbank by a rope to insure he wouldn’t be carried downstream if for some unpredictable strong wind and current tried to whisk him away. So you see, he wasn’t fishing for fish, but instead for golf discs.
This week when Coleman and I visited Goat Island Park and Greenway we noticed a few Canada Geese. We enjoy watching them around the South Fork Catawba River.
This one here was looking at the River and contemplating going for a swim. Looked back at his mate and seemed to say, “Wanna join me for a swim?”
Canada Goose
… Deciding to go on ahead, he slithered right on down the embankment slipping on in the River and waited for her to join him.
Canada Goose
… Not wanting to pass up the opportunity, she proceeded to join him and swim along and enjoy the River together.
We took a walk yesterday after Coleman got off the School Bus. We had a lovely walk around Riverside Park and Greenway. We took a new (to us) dirt path along the river.
On the way back home, we walked on the sidewalk parallel to the Railroad Tracks. When Coleman heard a noise coming down yonder on the tracks he thought it was a train chugging along down the Railroad Tracks. Imagine our surprise when we saw work vehicles running down the tracks. Oh my, that was such a sight to behold.
Locations: 1) Corona, California, USA; 2) Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a Swinging Good Time. Enjoy your weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
The F-4 Phantom II was built by the McDonnell Douglas Corporation ( McDonnell Aircraft Corporation). It was a supersonic, all-weather, twin-engine, two seat fighter-bomber and interceptor jet. It was originally designed for the U.S. Navy in 1953.
The F-4 Phantom II was the most produced American fighter jet. It had become a symbol of the Cold War. It was a formidable aircraft which played a pivotal role in military aviation from the 1960s into the 1990s.
The F-4 was designed around an all-missile armament system with the expectation that air combat would take place at a distance. Its combination of speed, range, and versatility made it a key player in air combat and ground support, leaving a lasting legacy in military history.
The F-4 Phantom II was retired from service in the United States Navy in the 1980’s. The F-4 Phantom II was also retired from the Royal Air Force in 1992. The last active duty F-4 Phantom II was launched from an aircraft in 1986. The last carrier landing of an F-4 Phantom II was in 1986. The last F-4 Phantom target drones were retired in 2004.
Pictured here is one of the F-4 Phantom II retiredU.S. military fighter jet which is on display at the CLT (Charlotte Douglas International) Airport Overlook. With this exhibit one can learn about the Carolinas’ aviation history and the types of planes that fly in and out of CLT.
Location: CLT Airport Overlook; Charlotte Douglas International Airport; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. I encourage you if you’re ever in the Charlotte area to visit the Charlotte Douglas International Airport Overlook. The views our amazing and children of all ages will love it. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
We decided to take a risk with the impending rain and meandered down to Goat Island Park and Greenway for Coleman to have some Funtime in the playground. He loves to swing. Even though he is learning to pump his legs to keep swinging, he still enjoys having me push him to go higher and higher towards the sky.
As you might could tell, he had loads of fun. Especially after a friend from school showed up to play in the playground. His friend, Liam, is a little bit older and rides the same school bus with him. He lives on the other end of our street close to the railroad tracks.
Camera:Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens.
Settings: f/4.5/5 • 1/800 • 79mm • ISO320-400
Location: Swings; In the Playground; Goat Island Park and Greenway; Cramerton, North Carolina, USA
God Bless. Have a Swinging Good Time. Enjoy your weekend. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
Location: Room Balcony; Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas Cruise Ship; Caribbean Sea; Gulf of Mexico; Near Cozumel, Mexico
God Bless. Travel through Books, On Land or Seas. Enjoy an Adventure. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.
On Monday, after our weekend winter weather, was a delayed start for school for Coleman. Therefore, we were at the bus stop an hour later than normal and were treated with an amazing Red Sky. I am not sure if we need to take warning, that bad weather is coming or not. The weather forecast keeps changing from possible more winter weather to only rainy days ahead.
Coleman was playing with his small soccer ball on the bank of the South Fork Catawba River. He tried making a blockade to keep it from sliding into the water, but alas it failed. His soccer ball with its geometric shapes rolled down into the river.
These depict the travel of his soccer ball floating down the South Fork Catawba River, lost to him forever. Bye, bye soccer ball. Click on each image ( if desired) for larger enhanced viewing.
The Helix/R coming soon to Cramerton has begun construction. The Helix/R Project is a privately funded partnership between Cramerton and the Carolina Thread Trail. The Helix was originally installed in Charlotte in 1983. It was donated to Cramerton in 2018. Its installation began this past week in Riverside Park and Greenway near the bridge. Riverside Park and Greenway is a part of the Carolina Thread Trail; connecting people to nature and the surrounding environment.
After we moved into our new place Coleman insisted, we needed a bird feeder. He watches the bird feeder every day to see if any birds come to eat from it. It was slow in the beginning, but after the birds investigated the feeder and spread the word, we have had plenty of activity on the feeder. However, the majority of activity seems to occur in the mornings after Coleman goes to school. He is delighted when he can see birds enjoying the feeder.
This week has been a week for Christmas Parades in our area. Have you been to a Christmas Parade yet this year? Coleman and I have actually been to two different Christmas Parades this week. One was in the neighbouring town of Belmont and the other one was in our Town of Cramerton.
To our amazement, one of the first people was saw as we approached the Parade site yesterday was Mr. Grinch all decked out for the Christmas Parade.
Who do you think kicked off the Parade? Well, what’d you know, it was Mr. Grinch himself. Mr. Grinch made his appearance throughout the Parade in one manner or another. We never knew when or how he would appear. It didn’t matter how or when, people enjoyed seeing Mr. Grinch and the entire Parade. You may click on each photo for enlarged viewing.
Christmas Music is in the Air at our home. The record player is out and ready to play. I have some very old 45’s that once belonged to my dad. Last week we listened to David Seville’s “Witch Doctor”. This week we have begun listening to Christmas music on newly acquired vinyl records. Coleman didn’t care for his mom and I listening to the Beach Boys singing Christmas Carols. We enjoyed it though. Coleman much prefers listening to Disney’s Mickey Mouse and other favorites singing Christmas songs from “his records.”
Has anyone else started listening to Christmas music? Is it too early for you? For us, the beginning of and all throughout December is the perfect time to listen the wonderful soundtracks of Christmas music. We especially enjoy listening to the classic Christmas songs on our vinyl records via my Crosley record player.
For larger enhanced viewing, please click on each individual photo. Sometimes the Sky seems like God painted a beautiful picture just for us to enjoy and be amazed at His Majestic Creation.,
Confluence, what is it you might ask? Coleman and I came across this place called Confluence when we walking around downtown Cramerton. We didn’t know what type of a place it was; curiosity took the better of us and we proceeded inside to check it out.
Confluence by definition is the convergence of two rivers, especially rivers of approximately equal width; an act or process of merging. In our area it is the Confluence of the Catawba River and the South Fork River converging into one.
Confluence, the place, is a place for the community where music, art, and recreation come together along the banks of the South Fork, the largest tributary of the Catawba River, in Cramerton, NC. Confluence is operated by Catawba Riverkeeper. Catawba Riverkeeper is the local nonprofit dedicated to preserving and protecting local waterways.
Children’s Play Area
Goat at Entrance to Confluence
On the Back Hallway Walls Catawba RiverKeepers
Confluence is about supporting the health of the river. Art is the convergence where inspiration, creativity, and talent combine to give life to beauty. It has the power to create social and cultural bonds within communities. Their goal is to support the lives of those who use their proximity to the Catawba River as their inspiration for the creation of art pieces, as well as enrich the lives of those living along the river by providing them access to affordable, local artwork.
Coleman & I enjoyed putting a puzzle together.
Confluence is about supporting lives along the river. Music is the ultimate confluence where a plethora of notes come together to create magic. It is the soul of a place, bringing people together to experience joy or sadness, to toe-tap together in sync to a blazing beat, or lean shoulder to shoulder and sing along to a melody from a bygone era. Their goal is to support and showcase local musicians while giving the community a central gathering spot to grab a drink, make new friends, and listen to good music.
Confluence is about supporting Fun at the River. Life on the river is about more than just watersports. It’s about movement, about getting your heart to pump a little bit faster, about acknowledging the air filling your lungs. It’s appreciating being surrounded by nature and feeling connected to the earth beneath you and the water around you. Their goal is to help you bring movement and fun into your outdoor recreation journey. Even if that includes a fishing pole, a competitive game of disc golf, a lazy game of cornhole, or a kayak trip down the South Fork.
Coleman and I met the ladies running Confluence the day we stopped in. They informed us of all their facilities, their programs, their children’s area, the opportunities for families to come together for quality time and fun.
Coleman and I came back the following Saturday and spent time in the children’s area. The children’s area is filled with books, colouring books, crayons, puzzles, blocks, and all sorts of stuff to do individually or as a family. Coleman and I worked on putting a puzzle together. After completing what we could, we discovered it was missing three pieces. That didn’t really matter. What mattered was our spending time working on it together.
We recently moved and our new to us rental home has a swing on the front porch which Coleman claims is his swing. We haven’t had a swing on a porch since we lived with my uncle years ago. The beautiful views from our front porch are amazingly beautiful (even the view that is not of the sky).
Coleman has been fascinated with “Flychines” (better known as Airplanes) since he was about two (2) years old. He loves to watch “Flychines” fly through the skies. He enjoys watching them takeoff and land whenever possible. Yesterday he had a terrific view and ability to observe “Flychines” flying into Charlotte-Douglas International Airport while his mom was working at the airport.,
Airplanes ✈️ Flying into Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
The video was created through Google Photos Highlight Video creator. In watching this video you’ll be able to see what Coleman was seeing and possibly understand his fascination with “Flychines.” Be sure to look closely, if you do you might just notice the windows on the Airplanes.
Hurricane Storm damage is heard all over the news and online media. What you hear about are the most heavily affected areas communities and immediate surrounding areas. What you do not hear about is how the storms affected other areas within the outlying areas of the Hurricane’s path. Trails in the Piedmont region of the Carolinas are southeast of the majority of heavily damaged areas, but still affected at a lesser impact level.
The Trails still need maintenance and repairs even though they are not as horrific as those in Western North Carolina. South Carolina Trails still endure erosion and other damages caused by the strong winds and heavy rains that occurred during Hurricane Helene’s passing through the area. The photo above pictures just one of the hiking trails that suffered severe weather damage erosion in South Carolina not far from where I live.
This week Cee is allowing us to post any type of road, path, step, bridge or sign. I have chosen to post some paths, steps, dirt trails, and wooden paths and bridges along the Lake Nature Trail at Andrew Jackson State Park. I took these photos when was camping there the summer after my mom passed. It was a relaxing, peaceful, meditative experience of communing with nature.
In the Winter of December 1978/January 1979 my parents flew over to Germany to visit my brother & his family. [My brother was stationed there for a few years while serving in the United States Air Force.]
I previously posted their visit to Heidelberg Palace/Castle; you can view that post my clicking here and hereto view the statues on Heidelberg Castle.
Germany, Heidelberg, Neckar valley, view of the castleHeidelberg, GermanyThe Karl Theodor Bridge (Karl-Theodor-Brücke), commonly known as the Old Bridge (Alte Brücke) Old lock on the Neckar, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Europe
Thank you for visiting and sharing my parents memories with me. They enjoyed their time in Germany, however, I do not recall seeing their slide photos before I began digitizing my Dad’s slides.
Who begins counting down to Christmas in August? Amazingly some people do, even Google & Siri are already counting down to Christmas. It’s not even Halloween or Thanksgiving yet. Why Count down to Christmas so early? Some people use an Advent Calendar to count down to Christmas, but they only start the count down at the beginning of December.
Retailers begin selling Christmas decorations in August to spread out demand and avoid the last-minute shopping rush.
Thinking about Christmas in August helps people to avoid last-minute holiday travel expenses, as well as helps you to budget your finances. Spreading out the cost of the Holidays helps to reduce strain and stress on yourself and your budget.
Mentioning Stress, why stress yourself out over Christmas? Save early — Plan ahead — Shop early — Make gifts ahead of time or perhaps throughout the year. These ideas help to give yourself a peace of mind and you’ll be more likely to enjoy the Christmas holiday season with friends and family.
Christmas 1978
Speaking of family, these photos with Santa Claus were taken in Germany in December of 1978. The first photo shows Santa’s arrival. The next photo shows my niece, Jennifer, on Santa’s lap. The third photo is of my niece, Sherry, on Santa’s lap. And the fourth and last photo is of my brother with his daughters and other children (probably at a Church Christmas party). [My brother was stationed in Germany while in the U.S. Air Force.]
Merry Christmas! Well just relax — you’ve got plenty of time to get ready for Christmas ( that is if you start early).
The majority of beaches are more than three hours away from where we live except for around the lakes. It has been awhile since I’ve been to any beaches, so I combed through my archives to see what I could sea.
Here are my findings from out along the WEST Coast and Pacific Northwest Coast.
Moving back to the East Coast, we can Sea these beautiful and interesting beach finds.
The Apotheosis of Washington is located in the eye of the U.S. Capital Building’s Rotunda in Washington D.C.. It was painted by Constantino Brumidi in 1865. The painting depicts George Washington rising to the heavens in glory, flanked by female figures representing Liberty and Victory/Fame and surrounded by six groups of figures.
The Apotheosis of Washington was painted in the true fresco technique. Constantino Brumidi was born and trained in Rome; having already painted in the Vatican and Roman palaces prior to emigrating to the United States in 1852. He was a master of creating the illusion of three-dimensional forms and figures on flat walls. He painted frescoes and murals throughout the Capitol from 1855 until his death.
The Apotheosis of Washington, was painted in eleven (11) months at the end of the civil war. A rainbow arches at George Washington’s feet and thirteen maidens symbolizing the original states flank the three central figures.
George Washington, The United States of America’s first president, had a substantial impact on the nation. He never actually graced the halls of the United States Capital, however, his presence, influence, and his likeness is everywhere. There are approximately thirty-five (35) pieces of art which include Washington’s likeness in the U.S. Capitol.
I’m hoping to have some sunny sunshine anyways. We’ve been having a tremendous amount of rain and wind from the outskirts of Hurricane Debby/Tropical Storm Debby ( now Tropical Depression Debby). At least I can dream of sunshine even if we do not get it for several days yet.
On our visit to the San Diego Wild Animal Park (Currently referred to as San Diego Zoo Safari Park) in May 1978; we saw some amazingly talented and delightful entertainers which included talented musicians and dancers from Africa. They were extraordinarily awesome-inspiring and spectacular performers to watch. They captivated and thrilled audiences throughout the day. Click on each photo for larger viewing.
San Diego Wild Animal Park’s Delightfully Amazing Entertainment
Location: San Diego Wild Animal Park; San Diego, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and watching the dancers performance with us. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with us. Have a delightfully amazing weekend. I appreciate y’all very much.
A walk back in time to visit a place my mom and dad visited with friends, remembering the love they shared. I believe this was a day trip they took with friends from their Sunday school class.
On this day trip from San Diego, California, in 1979, they ventured to The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens located in San Marino, California. The Botanical Gardens section of Huntington has approximately 120 acres of specialized botanical landscaped gardens, including the “Japanese Garden”, the “Desert Garden”, and the “Chinese Garden”.
Walking through a floral passageway with friends.
The Huntington’s Botanical Gardens showcase plants from around the world. Huntington worked diligently to make them thrive in the generous climate conditions of California. The gardens are divided into more than a dozen themes including the ones mentioned earlier.
Japanese Garden
The Japanese Garden creation began in 1911 with a donation from art dealer George Turner Marsh and was completed in 1912. However, it did not open to the public until 1928. In the Japanese Garden you can find three distinct gardens: the original stroll garden with koi-filled ponds and a drum or moon bridge, the raked-gravel dry garden which was added in 1968, and the traditionally landscaped tea garden.
Japanese Garden Bridge
An interesting side note: the gardens are frequently used as a filming location. Shits can be seen in the Carpenter’s music video, “Only Yesterday” (1975), in Star Trek the Next Generation’s episode Justice (1987), in CSI Miami’s episode of You May Now Kill the Bride (2008) and in many other productions.
The Huntington Botanical Gardens were honored on May 13, 2020 with a postal stamp as part of the American Gardens stamps. The Desert Garden was featured on the postal stamp.
Bugs Bunny & Wile E. Coyote at California’s Great America
Since the Opening of California’s Marriott’s Great America in 1976, the park featured appearances from Warner Bros. Looney Tunes characters. Some of the Looney Tunes characters included Bugs Bunny, Wile E. Coyote, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Tweety, and Yosemite Sam. The Looney Tunes characters would roam around the park greeting visitors as well as putting on a fun entertaining show.
Leanne’s Monochrome Madness is a non-themed week; my own theme this week is surrounded by photos I’ve recently digitized about Heritage USA. To make viewing easier, I have made a slideshow of the monochrome photos in the beginning and ending with the original photos from my dad’s slides.
Heritage USA was a Christian -themed amusement park opened in 1978 by televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, founders of The PTL Club. At its peak, it was the third-largest park in the USA behind Disney World and Disney Land, with almost 6 million visitors annually.
In the late 1980’s, Heritage USA was rocked by two debilitating scandals all while they were in the middle of a massive expansion. The organization had its tax-exempt status revoked after Jim Bakker was indicted on various federal fraud charges. Later he was accused of sexual improprieties with an encounter with a church secretary.
To add to the problems Heritage USA was experiencing, the park was heavily damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, it shut down for good shortly after.
In this present day and age, only a few remnants of the park are still visible. The abandoned 21-story Heritage USA Hotel stands as an eerie and empty shell looming over the suburban landscape. The Upper Room Chapel was purchased sometime after the park’s closing and is maintained as a prayer room for a local ministry. The Heritage Grand Hotel is now the Heritage International Ministries Conference Center.
Pixlr is a photo editing app available for smartphones and PC’s. It has several different editing apps available including background removal, a great number of filters and effects to try to enhance your creativity. What you see here is just my playing around with the Pixlr camera and a few effects. I was not doing anything except discovering what the effects might look like and exploring their effect on my photo of Coleman. I am not sure that I would use all of these effects, but I might try some more at a later time.
For this CosPhoChal, Dale has challenged us to post photos depicting Art for Art’s Sake. I chose to continue on our tour of Hearst Castle by allowing you to see some of the art and sculptures we saw when we were there that day. I formatted the pictures into a slideshow, while I was blogging on this post, for enhanced view and entertainment. Relax and enjoy the show.
Location: Hearst Castle; HearstSan Simeon State Historical Monument; San Simeon, California, USA
God Bless. Thank you for visiting and watching our slideshow. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts about my blogging posts. I appreciate y’all very much.
Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography 