Fifty /  by Dave Hileman

I was privileged to take photos at our friends fiftieth wedding anniversary. It was held at Johnson University’s White House where Jerry is a professor and Pam works in administration. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon.

Veterans Day - Thanks to all those who protect America /  by Dave Hileman

We honor across this country the men and women who have been a part of our military on this day, November 11, each year. The holiday was first called Armistice Day and celebrated the end of WWI on the 11 of November at 11:00. It became an official holiday in 1938 and changed after WWII to honor all who have served in any of the armed forces.

Thiis grave is found in an old mountain-side church yard near Elizabethton, TN. This man was a member of the Tennessee 13th Calvary and unit of Union volunteers formed in Strawberry Plains and was active from 1863 to April of 1865. Tennessee was a Confederate state that had over 50,000 men serving in the Union army.


Theme Week: Can't See Well /  by Dave Hileman

So I have had cataract surgery on both eyes now and will not get my new glasses until early December. It is quite hard to see clearly things that are close even with 2.5 readers. So, over the next bit I am posting photos that I have in the archives - most of them not ever posted but little commentary. Thanks!

The shot today is from a tool shed at the Lee family home, Stratford Hall, on the shores of the Potomac River in Virginia’s Northern Neck.

Theme Week: Can't See Well .3 /  by Dave Hileman

So I have had cataract surgery on both eyes now and will not get my new glasses until early December. It is quite hard to see clearly things that are close even with 2.5 readers. So, over the next bit I am posting photos that I have in the archives - most of them not ever posted but little commentary. Thanks!

Today the photo is from the Orchid House at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.

Theme Week: Can't See Well .2 /  by Dave Hileman

So I have had cataract surgery on both eyes now and will not get my new glasses until early December. It is quite hard to see clearly things that are close even with 2.5 readers. So, over the next bit I am posting photos that I have in the archives - most of them not ever posted but little commentary. Thanks!

Today our photo is from Virginia’s Eastern Shore on the Chesapeake with high winds blowing the Chesapeake Bay waters on shore

Theme Week: Can't See Well /  by Dave Hileman

So I have had cataract surgery on both eyes now and will not get my new glasses until early December. It is quite hard to see clearly things that are close even with 2.5 readers. So, over the next bit I am posting photos that I have in the archives - most of them not ever posted but little commentary. Thanks!

Today’s photo is from a small town in Tennessee north of Knoxville, Oliver Springs. I found this door on a back street or alley the building looked to be abandoned but perhaps not.

Food - Restaurant - Knoxville - Tennessee /  by Dave Hileman

Sami’s is a local place off Kingston Pike in West Knoxville. It is a gathering place, like his brother’s Pete’s in downtown was for decades. It is decent food, served quickly and they fill you coffee over and over. Nice. Lots of chatter among the 30 tables which is nice as well. You can order any number of combos but the unique thing is you can order one or two or three or eight of anything on the menu. Want 3 eggs, 1 pancake, I biscuit, and 17 orders of hash browns, no problem.

On the way in to Sami’s for good food and good conversation

National Park Theme Week Two .2 Canyon De Chelly National Monument /  by Dave Hileman

You have to plan to visit this site located on Navajo land in Northeast Arizona not too far from the more popular Monument Valley, site of many western movies. Canyon De Chally (de shay) has a nice camp ground run by the tribe and two drives along the north and south rims of the canyon. You can also hire a Navajo driver to take a jeep ride into the canyon. The day we were there that was a very limited option because of some flooding in the canyon. We did both drives and several short walks. There are people living and farming in the canyon much as they have done for many years.

National Park Theme Week Two, .1 (actually part 4) I know, confusing. /  by Dave Hileman

I am doing one more day at Wrangel St Elias National Park. Tomorrow we move to Arizona where I will post three more NP sites this week. HOWEVER, eye surgery is on Wednesday and I am having a difficult time seeing my screen and will for the next four weeks or so. Therefore I may miss a few posts, I may (snicker) misspell a few words - you have never seen that before! I will try to keep up but I am not sure how successful it will be.

Random shots follow: Sorry the captions did not work today.

Sunday Scripture: Photo from a Glacier at Wrangle - St. Elias National Park /  by Dave Hileman

Dazzling! A word used to describe being in God’s presence as well. On the glacier the brightness and the glare was so strong the rangers would not let you on the lice without sunglasses. it will of course pale in comparison with God’s presence, any analogy must be always less that what God is but it was a good lesson on the idea of dazzling presence and power.

Food - Restaurant - Kennecott - Alaska /  by Dave Hileman

At the Wrangle St Elias National Park you have two choices for food (plus a small enclave by the bridge that I did not visit that have some bars and food. Turns out both of the options were very good and fairly priced. They bring in a food truck. It was very popular, chef run and the food was really good. We also ate lunch on the porch of our hotel on the Fourth of July and had not only great food, fine service but spectacular views. Actually both places had nice views the food truck had a covered patio where you could eat.

National Park Theme Week .4 Wrangle St. Elias -- The Plant /  by Dave Hileman

The town of Kennecott derived from the copper mining company is now a part of the National Park. The railroad was built to here to haul the copper ore to the shipping areas on the coast. That RR is the base for the road into the park today. There were several mines but they all fed to this 17 story plant that dominated the town and the only way in or out was the railroad. The small structure in the foreground of the first photo was the station.

assayers office and lab

Ore from several mines was conveyed to the top of the processing plant

Entering the plant at the 17th floor

Looking south along the road that was the railroad line

End product loaded onto the railroad cars