Existing In BFE

The problem, and maybe blessing, with looking back is you have all the cards of the deck in front of you, face up.  That kid above, well, he's hampered, and maybe blessed, by an unknown and unknowable future.  Our problems, and blessings, are in direct proportion with the size of our personal universe.  At this moment my personal universe consisted of what wheels I'd have for the weekend, who was pitching that day for the Mets and, apparently, a Prom dance.  But I know now what this kid doesn't, "the die is  cast...all of yesterday's what ifs, deeds and thoughts, it is all history." His universe would expand through the decades and he would look back and think how lucky he was.  Lucky to have brothers to lean on, lucky to have parents who would sacrifice for his education.  Lucky to have friends who undoubtedly saw the flaws but extended their hands regardless.  Lucky to have a career that was in the helping profession.   Whatever cockiness is in

This is the third in the series of pictures I took at the Fourth of July celebration on July 2nd at North Henderson.  Neighbor Tim's was an invite I especially wanted to make as I have usually been in Floriduh during this annual party.  Once again, Tim and Carrie do an outstanding job for their family and friends.    Thanks for looking at these, it was a great display.   Hope to make it again next year.

This is actually the first part of the Barge In series.  Part 2 was last week.  Oh well, things have been jumbled and are slowly sorting themselves out.   These were taken in Keithsburg when I was up in June and July.  There were no barges running this last time because of the level of the river.   That will be all the barge action for awhile I suppose, unless they start running on Rosery Road here in Largo.  I am making plans for my return trip in a few weeks, so perhaps I can continue this strange fascination with the silent river workhorses.  The perfect night shot with these boats still eludes me so off I go.   Then again, maybe that shot with the lightening bolt is my Holy Grail.  Hmm.  No, there must be yet one more left in me.

These two desperately lousy iPhone pictures were taken on my last day in Northlandia this trip.  The top is at the bridge just past McCaws heading to Fisher's corner.  (Growing up and driving I never learned road numbers - just local landmarks.)  Strange picture of treeline.  It was actually much lighter since there was a new Harvest Moon that night.   The bottom picture is me heading toward Seaton with a bit of low-lying fog and a car approaching.  I really thought it could have been a good picture, but alas, not with a little cell phone camera.  I  had my good camera but to get it set up and on a tripod would have been a waste of time.   Just another example of the varying ability of a small sensored camera.  Go out and get a nice camera and take it wherever you go. ++++++++++ Reader, college classmate and old friend Russ "Rascal"  Foust sent me this picture of some place in Nebraska.  "Thought you might enjoy the photo.  Difficult to

Head Out On the Highway, Looking For Adventure Cozy Inn outside G-Burg a few miles was a landmark bar and grill for many years.  Heading up 150 at that junction if you turn right you'll end up in Henderson.  Turn left and you will find wonderful country  roads, surprisingly rolling.  With Mr. and Mrs. Wombie we notice an out-of-place fenced enclosure way too close to the road.       PHILLIP NANCE MEMORIAL 1935 ERECTED BY  HENDERSON WOMEN'S CLUB ASSISTED BY KNOX COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR FIRST WHITE PERSON BURIED IN KNOX COUNTY 1829 Within the wrought iron enclosure is a single grave.  The marker tells us that this is the final resting place of Phillip Nance.  His death in 1829 was 187 years ago,  a long while around these parts.   So who was Phillip Nance?  Naturally, since the social media of the day was virtually non-existent not much is known of the 17 year old buried in a lone plot 6 miles north of Ga

Shoeless Joe had nothing on Sockless Mike.  Well, except talent, athleticism and legend.  Here is your blogger having a seat on the living room couch.   The Mona Lisa-esque smile isn't hiding much except maybe a hangover.  Keeping vigil is Magic, boxer #2.  Most likely college years. Marj and her buddies redecorated periodically when they weren't feeding the family, shopping or on the phone discussing the happenings around town.   The above picture reflects the Oriental period of her decor at this time.  All three items shown (table, couch and wall picture) have a decidedly Chinese look to them.   Since this is an old Polaroid some degradation is to be expected, but the carpet was certainly not brick brown, but a light tan.   This could easily have been Christmas break but it still reminds me of a story I'm sure I have shared before.  But minds being what they are, it bears repeating.  One of the standard procedures of Spring was to lug all of one's belonging

Head Out On the Highway, Looking For Adventure Turn on the Big Island road just out of Milan, Illinois and you'll travel an almost deserted two-laner that takes you to where the Hennepin Canal flows into the Mississippi.  Look far northward and you'll see the Centennial Bridge.   Remnant of one of the locks of the canal system.  Finished in 1907 it was 155 miles long and saved nearly 500 miles of travel.  Built much like the present day lock and dam system, much of it remains, much of it doesn't.   This section, at the mouth of the river, still has water-level numbers etched into the deteriorating cement walls.     On up a bit, and unfortunately I didn't take a picture of it, was the remqins of the locking gate area which would ahve been closed with a boat in it and rising much like the river dam system. This is a Google earth picture of the area Mr. and Mrs. Wombie and myself were on this particular day.  Big Island apaprently is a

Last month we talked about black and white photography.  Neighbor Tim went out and did a little with his iPhone and came up with these small masterpieces.   There are grain bins behind his place in BFE and the light show provided quite a backdrop.  Thanks for the submission, Tim and keep your camera handy.