Longwood Gardens

Saturday was spent at Longwood Gardens. I thought I was only here once, sometime back in the 1990's, but it looked too familiar to remember that far back. I am sure I've been here in the last 5-10 years.

Pierre du Pont purchased this property in 1906. The property originally belonged to William Penn, who sold it to a fellow Quaker, George Pierce, in 1700. It stayed in the Pierce family and was called Pierce's Park until Dupont purchased it.

Pierre du Pont had a love and facination with water and fountains since he was a child, so the very first garden that he had built was The Italian Water Garden. The Indoor Children's Garden inside the main Conservatory opened in 2007 in appreciation of du Pont's childhood love of water and fountains.

I wish I knew the names of all of the flowers. Alas, I am nowhere near a horticulturalist or botanist, so you just get to look at all the pretty pictures.

Wanamaker

After the flower show, we had a tour of Wanamaker's Department Store (now Macy's) and a behind-the-scenes tour of the repair shop for the Wanamaker organ. The organ was originally built in 1904 for the St. Louis World's Fair. It had more than 10,000 pipes. In 1909, John Wanamaker bought the organ and had it installed in his department store. It was first heard on June 22, 1911, at the exact moment when England's King George V was crowned at Westminster Abbey. 8,000 more pipes were added between 1911 and 1917, then from 1924 to 1930, another 10,000 pipes were installed.

The total number of installed pipes today is 28,482. The gold pipes that you see on the 3rd floor are not functional; they are only decorational. All the other pipes are behind the walls from the 3rd to the 7th floors. The pipes range in size from those of a drinking straw to over 32 feet in length with wood made 3" thick.

The organ is played daily with some days having two performances. Each performance is about an hour long.

Philadelphia Flower Show

Well, wasn't this fun. My first attempt at adding a slideshow to my blog. If you click on the slideshow, it will bring you to my Picassa site where you can view the photos in full screen and slow down the slide presentation. You will also be able to read the captions, which don't show up here. Ah, never mind. I figured it out. You need to click the little "comments" button on the bottom left side of the slide show. It's the one that looks like a little white message box. If you hold your mouse over the bottom edge of the slideshow, you'll be able to pause, fast-forward, or go backward by hitting the appropriate buttons.

This is the Philadelphia Flower Show. It is the largest indoor show in the world. The only larger show is in England and that is only larger because it is both indoor and outdoor. The first Philadelphia Flower Show was in 1820 and has been continuously showing every year since then. The theme this year was "Hawaii." There were many, many, many, many orchids on display.

Owl

I am so proud of my owl that I am posting him everywhere and what a perfect place to keep him permanently, but on my blog. I was driving down a backwoods, dirt road between Middlebury and Woodbury, Connecticut, when I saw a large bird fly down from an embankment and perch onto a tree branch close to the road. I slowed down, assuming that it was a hawk as they are so prevalent around here. As I got to the bird, I saw that it wasn't a hawk; it was an owl! I slammed on my brakes, pulled the car off the road as far as I could, rolled down the window, leaned over the passenger-side seat in ungodly contorted positions, and started snapping pictures with my iPhone, hoping that I was keeping it steady enough. My heart was beating heavily and my hands were shaking. Damn me for not carrying my camera with me at ALL times.

I was already late for an appt, so I couldn't stay there snapping any more pictures. I took off with anticipation of getting to my destination so that I could quickly view my pictures. To my utter dismay, there was no owl. How could this be? He was RIGHT THERE, not 20 feet from the car. With all the action of stopping the car and rolling down the window, he just stood there staring at me. How could he not be in the picture????

After my appointment, I got home and downloaded the picture to my PC. I blew it up to 100%, 150%, 200%. I searched every single inch of the photo and could not see the owl. The only conclusion I came to was that I was too far off to the right or left. I told a friend of mine and she said, "Are you sure it wasn't an apparition?" I was sure. I know I saw it. I know I saw it land. I know I saw it turn its head away and then back and stare at me. I know what I saw.

I looked at that picture every day for four days, searching ... searching .... searching .... when today, I FOUND IT! Can it be? Is this really it or did I want to see it so bad that I was imagining it? I e-mailed it to a few friends who confirmed that it was there. I also cropped it and posted it on Facebook. A few other people saw it, too, so I know, now, that it is no apparition. I got the snapshot of a lifetime.

Can you see it? It's just up and to the right of dead center

JPPM

On the shores of the Patuxent River in Maryland, the Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum is a state park situated on 560 acres. The land was donated to the state for the purpose of preserving and interpreting the archaeological resources and history of the property. It has been inhabited for over 9000 years by Native Americans, plantation owners, tenants, free and enslaved Africans, and indentured servants.

Jefferson Patterson purchased the property in 1932. Researching and using modern methods of farming, he established a model farm and raised tobacco, soybeans, corn, and cattle until his death in 1977. He raised prize-winning Black Aberdeen Angus cattle.

Also on the site is a replica Indian Village depicting the life of the Eastern Woodland Algonquian Indians, which is where I took all of my pictures.

Holly bush with berries. Holly is very prevalent in this area.

Indian village:

Facts and information from the various plaques around the village:

For the Native people in this area, the new year started in the spring, the time of 'budding and blossoming.' Summer was the second season, the time of the 'highest sun.' Next came the 'earing of the corn' season when the corn began to ripen which was celebrated with the Green Corn Festival. In autumn, the season of the 'falling leaf,' the Indians dispursed into smaller groups to gather nuts or hunt game. Winter, the fifth season, was called cohonks for the sound of geese flying overhead.

Clothing -- Men and women wore deer hide or woven plant-fiber aprons around their waists; children were generally naked until puberty. Bear grease mixed with red ochre was used to repel insects and to provide insulation in cold weather. Men in this region usually shaved the right or bow side of their heads so that the hair wasn't caught when they were shooting game. The hair on the other side grew long and was tied up with twine and feathers. They wore cloaks of deerskin, woven fibers, furs or feathers in the winter and for ceremonies. Necklaces of shell, seed and clay beads, animal teeth, and copper pieces were worn to show status and wealth.

Family, Customs, and Beliefs -- In the Chesapeake Bay region, typically one extended family lived in each house: mother, father, children, plus some grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even cousins. Inheritance of both status and posessions followed one's matrilineal line -- from the mother's brother rather than the father. Social responsibilities were learned from one's uncle(s). Elders were respected for their knowledge and wisdom.

Larger villages contained a chief's house; often the largest structure in the village. Governing was accomplished through consultation; the chiefs consulted their councils of priests, war captains, and elders when making decisions.

Eastern Woodland Algonquians believed that al plants and animals had spirits. Before and after a hunt, they gave thanks to these spirits to ensure cooperation in the future. They worshiped two main gods: one was a benevolent god, while the other caused bad things to happen. In an effort to avoid trouble, they held rituals to appease the malevolent god. Ceremonies occurred at special times of the year, such as at harvest, when children entered adulthood, or when guests were present.

Chestnut Trees -- Missing from our forests today, the American chestnut once made up 25-40% of the woods. People and animals competed for the plentiful nutritious nuts. The bark was used to cover houses, and the wood made strong, long-lasting tool handles. Sadly, the American chestnut disappeared from the Eastern Woodlands, including the Chesapeake watershed, when a fungus from Japan infected the trees in the early 20th century. Plant scientists are trying to develop a fungus-resistant variety. Hopefully, the small chestnuts planted here will survive for many years.


These posts were usually set in the middle of the village and near their "Quoiccasan" (House of Religious Worship). They were used for celebration and dance.

The Patuxent River:

Escape

Wow! It's been a long time, but here I am. Monday, Feb. 6th -- the second day of my escape. I had nearly 14 days ahead of me with absolutely nothing to do, so I decided to drive down to VA to visit my friends Karen & Steve.

This is a strange church somewhere in Maryland:

A strange stand of trees that I thought made an interesting picture:

One-room schoolhouse in Port Republic, Maryland.

Written on the plaque outside the school:

The schoolhouse served to educate white children in grades 1-7, all in the same classroom, usually with only one teacher providing instruction in all subject areas. In addition to the "3Rs" (reading, 'riting, and 'rithmatic), rural one-room school teachers also taught science, geography, and history.

One-room schools were built throughout the county so that no child would have to walk more than three miles to school (imagine that ... while today's children are forced to trek that long route down to the end of their own driveway). Only as roads improved in Calvert County did centralized schools begin to be built, and children were then transported by bus to Prince Frederick.

In 1976, the Calvert Retired Teachers Association restored the one-room school as a Bicentennial project, and they continue to run the educational programs that are available to all schools. It is open to the public on designated days and by appointment.

Vultures sunning themselves:

A typical class from the 1920's or 1930's

A bit of Americana:

I hate bridges. I have always hated bridges. I have hated them for as long as I can possibly remember. Most of them have me gripping the steering wheel so tight that I have a hard time opening my hands once I get back on land. I usually shudder once I land on the other side. Now the DOT's of the world have decided to make my adventure even more pleasant by putting up these Jersey Barriers. Do they really think that these 4-inch cement walls will keep me from flipping over into the abyss?

This is the bridge over the Potomac River that separates Maryland from Virginia

On the shore of the Potomac:

Pt Pleasant Beach

Today's destination was the New Jersey Shore. I went to Pt. Plesant Beach to Jenkinson's Aquarium. The aquarium, itself, was very small. I could have walked through it in half an hour, so I stretched my time as best I could. It took an hour to drive there, so I felt I had to stay there at least an hour. As small as it was, I really liked it. The atmosphere gave me a kind of homey, huggie feeling -- not sterile like the larger, more commerical aquariums are. I really wish I took more notes on what some of these creatures were, because I just don't remember now. I didn't take pictures of the harbor seals, but I loved their names: Seaquin, Coral, and Luseal

Can you see me now?                                                                                                   What am I? I don't remember, but I have feet.

Diamond backed turtle. One of these pictures was taken with my Sony camera; the other with my iPhone. Can you tell the difference?

Penguins                                                                                                              Egg case from a Whitespotted Bamboo Shark

Click this link to see the
Penguin Cam

Pictures of Pt. Pleasant Beach and the Boardwalk

Can you guess what kind of pizza this is? It is not popcorn

9/11

Today is the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in NYC. I went to the shore today and my intent was to take pictures of unusual ways I saw that the American Flag was being flown. I flunked miserably at this attempt. Too many of the flags that I saw were viewed from the Interstate and it is not easy nor safe to stop on an interstate. So instead, here are a few pictures of American Patriotism (the middle picture was not taken today):

Experiment

This is an experiment in video loading. The video below is of a piece of equipment at work. Ain’t it purty? I think it looked even better with the room lights on, but the camera just couldn’t capture what my eyes saw. Do you hear how loud it is? This is why I have to wear headphones or ear plugs at all times.

Moore Haven

I left Naples today and came east to Lake Okeechobee. There really isn't much here except sugar cane and fishing, but I wanted to see the area anyway.I stopped at a park along one of the canals that parallels Lake Okeechobee. 

What is this????? It is totally dried out. When I first saw it, it was upside down and I thought it was a rattlesnake skin.

One of the dams that separates the canal from Herbert Hoover Dike:

A truly cool rock:

Sugar cane. I heard that when they burn it, it smells wonderful. It is only about 6" tall right now. I don't even think that the sugar cane stalk has started growing yet. There's a notice on the bulletin board of the RV park I am staying in that advertises a tour of a sugar cane farm. I think I'll call about it tomorrow and see if I can take the tour. When I think of sugar cane, I think of the mini-series, "The Thorn Birds," when Meggie's husband Luke followed the harvesting.

TandG

I spent nearly two weeks with Tari and Gordy. Not much happened; it was a much needed rest after being on the go for three weeks. Besides, I had to take care of the brutal cold I caught due to getting far too chilled in Orlando and St. Augustine. One day Tari and I went shopping and another day I did a lot of running around doing stuff that needed doing (post office, oil change, new coach battery). Other than that, I just hung out at Tari's, took Hope for a few walks around the neighborhood, and caught up with three weeks of e-mails.

Here's a picture of Hope and Mosamo waiting to go outside:

On the last day of my visit, Gordy took us out on the boat. We went down to Marco Island and around the other islands off the shore of Naples.

I think these are osprey. There was a nest on nearly every channel sign:

This is THE party island. There were boats along the beach almost as far as you could see.

Spending the day out on the water made me miss my boat. Not enough to wish I could afford to buy one, but I still had twinges of a broken heart.

As is my usual mode of operation, I did not have much luck with my camera. At least I remembered to bring it with me. Whenever I tried to take a picture of something that was worthy of picture-taking, it either passed too fast -- or -- as with my luck, my battery died.

We saw a lot of dolphins and a pair came up and surfaced directly in front of the boat. I tried to get a video of a pelican flying overhead. He dove down into the water, again, directly in front of the boat. The best thing we saw was a stingray jump up out of the water. Tari saw it first and as she was telling us about it, I saw it jump again. That's a sight I would have never had the fortune to get a picture of.

Vanderbilt Beach Naples FL

A day at the beach with Uncle Ted and Auntie Rose. Not much to do here except people watch and get burned. Luckily, I didn't get burned, but I do have a mysterious red stripe down one side of my back. I guess someone didn't get sunscreen in all the right places.

Like to people watch? Go to the beach! There were white people and brown people (and I'm talking about intensity of tan, not race);  skinny people and fat people; tatooed people and empty people; long haired people and short haired people; fully dressed people and nearly naked people. I really wanted to take pictures of all the contrasting people, but I just didn't think it was right.

Here are the bathing beauties. Don't they look great for being in their 80's?

What is this girl doing? Whatever it is, it's quite popular.

I was mesmerized by the different bands of color in the ocean. These two pictures show them. The turquoise bands would come and go and I couldn't figure out if it was reflection of the sun or something within the water itself. While photographing the colors, I happened to catch a parasailer.

Advertising technique at it's finest:

OK, so I took one picture of someone while I was people watching. You don't see a guy in a business suit (right down to his dress shoes) at the beach too often. I even saw him on the phone once, but I couldn't get a good shot of him -- between him moving and other people walking in front of me.

A gust of wind came through, blowing this umbrella inside out.

Myakka State Park

I am now on my own. Peggy and Jean went north for Savannah, GA and Sandy stayed to visit with friends in St. Augustine. I went south and stayed with Darlene, another Roadtrekker, for one day, and then started my trek across and down the state of Florida to Naples. About two hours' drive from my destination, I stayed at Myakka State Park. I got into the park to register and I was so enthralled with its beauty (and finally having warm weather) that I stayed for two days. There is much to do here. Some of the activities include bird walks every morning; air boat rides on the lake; tram rides through the park; rental of bicycles, canoes and kayaks; entertainment on the weekends; a variety of ranger-assisted programs; and miles and miles of trails. Myakka is Florida's largest state park consisting of 57 square miles of wetlands, prairies, and woodlands. In comparison, all of Disney World is 44 square miles.

With these two pictures, I first need to flash back to the FMCA rally I went to this past summer in Burlington, VT. I took a seminar on dutch oven cooking. Ever since then, I've grappled with the thought of purchasing a dutch oven. The problem was the cost, as cast iron cookware can be very expensive. The other problem was storage for the oven, cooking plate, charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid. As I was passing through Tennessee on my way to Alabama, I noticed a Lodge Cast Iron Outlet Store. I succumbed and purchased a 6" dutch oven, a cast iron plate, and a wooden trivet to hold the plate. I nearly stopped at the next outlet to return everything because I was having a hard time justifying the cost for something so frivolous. One of the day trips Pat and I took while I was visiting her in Alabama was to an indoor flea market. I saw the same dutch oven I purchased three days before selling for $10.00 more, so I felt much better after that.

Sooooo, after carrying all the necessary supplies around with me for three weeks, I finally got the opportunity to try dutch oven cooking. This is the cooking process. For a 350-degree oven, you take the diameter of the pot and add three charcoal briquettes for the top and take away three charcoal briquettes for the bottom. For my 6" dutch oven, it was bottom: 6-3=3 and top: 6+3=9. I don't quite understand how this works because in a normal oven or on a stove top, the heat source is underneath the pot; but in this case, the majority of the heat is at the top of the oven.

My vegetables came out perfect. The next day, I made apple crisp and cooked it too long. I also neglected to put any liquid in with the apples. I didn't burn it, but came pretty close to cooking it to death. After using this cooking method only twice, I noticed that the wooden trivet is pretty much charcoal itself, so I will need to re-think my lower heat plate

The campground was home to flocks of vultures that also roosted in the trees overhead every night. Olly decided that this was the safest place in the park and still get fresh air and sunshine

I took a cruise on the lake on the largest airboat in Florida. This boat seated around 50 people and hit a top speed of 8 mph. These are some of the birds and alligators we saw on the lake:

Great Blue Heron

Tri-colored Heron

Alligators

Swimming along side the boat

Snowy Egret

A cormorant drying its wings

And back on land, looking across the prairie