tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33843848575465656702024-03-20T08:08:08.950-04:00View From The Back PorchMusings on two Mainers moving to KentuckyMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-16601685803604718412012-01-28T12:24:00.000-05:002012-01-28T12:24:25.730-05:00Busy two weeks...On Tuesday, 17 January, we attended the monthly meeting of the Boyle County Genealogical Association, where I tried out my new (well, new to me but used) LCD projector. I had bought the projector on eBay, and had to buy a special cable as well, which cost almost as much as the projector did. But I presented a video and slide show on the cemetery cleanup workshop we did back in October 2011. Everything worked quite well -- need to get a few bugs out of the projector because it didn't project ALL the picture, some on the right side was cut off. But it worked fine otherwise.<br />
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On Saturday, 21 January, we attended the monthly meeting in Frankfort of the <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AAGGKY/">African American Genealogical Group of Kentucky</a>. I think I mentioned that I'm a contributing member (meaning that I contribute records but pay no dues and have no vote). The meeting was a "meet and greet" in Frankfort, and we had a great time talking with many people, offering suggestions, and in general, just getting to know members of the group better. I'm probably the most active member contributing records and files to the AAGGKY Yahoo group, but it's important to me to get African-American records published.<br />
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Dinner at "Rio Grande" Mexican restaurant was good, too! <br />
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On Tuesday, 24 January, we again drove to Frankfort, this time to a college basketball game. I haven't attended a college game in person since January 1968, and we can't afford to see a UK game (plus I'd rather use the cost of tickets there to pay the electric bill). So off we were to the <a href="http://www.kysu.edu/">Kentucky State University</a> game against <a href="http://www.tuskegee.edu/">Tuskegee University</a>.<br />
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Earlier that day, we had gone to see "<a href="http://www.redtails2012.com/">Red Tails</a>," a just-released movie about the <a href="http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/">Tuskegee Airmen</a>. We had planned on seeing the movie as part of my homework in my African-American Experience class. And we had planned to attend a KSU game as part of that class as well, so to combine the movie AND a basketball game against Tuskegee was not co-incidental, but well planned on our part.<br />
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We had plenty of time between the movie in Danville, and the game in Frankfort, so for the second time in 4 days, we splurged on dinner. This time it was at La Fiesta Grande, our FAVORITE Mexican restaurant in Frankfort -- they have a branch in Danville where we go for special events, though another Danville Mexican restaurant is our usual (and inexpensive) fare. <br />
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The game was close nearly all the way, though KSU never did take the lead, and it reminded me so much of high school basketball only with a smaller crowd. Interestingly, the Lexington paper covers sports on about 90% of its pages, including every high school in the state and colleges in the southwest I've never heard of. However, there was not ONE mention, even in the score listings, of KSU. Why? I don't know, but KSU is an historically black college.<br />
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The KSU band certainly delivered some spirited performances, but their rendition of the National Anthem was arguably the worst band performance I have ever heard. A trumpet solo in the midst of the Anthem, tried to play it like a jazz tune, and the poor kid totally blew it. Why can't people leave the National Anthem alone? It's NOT a jazz, blues, or rock concert tune.<br />
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But what really concerned me was two groups of college women who were dancing to the music of the band. I'm not a prude, but when the author of my textbook talks about the sexual objectification of women as being harmful to Black women, I think he was talking about these girls. They were gyrating their hips back and forth, running their hands up and down their bodies, like the purely sexual objects one sees on music videos. Frankly, MY daughter would never have been allowed to display herself like that in public, nor would she have wanted to! And people wonder why rapes and teen or unwed pregnancy occur? If I were a young man, I'd probably have been aroused -- and this was in public at a basketball game, for goodness' sake! As an older man, I'm just disgusted.<br />
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OK, today, Barry is busy. The sun is out (for the first time in days), the house is warming due to solar heat, and he's PLANTING LETTUCE! Sunflowers got in their soil the other day, the portable greenhouses will be assembled today, and within a month, the greenhouses will be full. Yeah, it's only January 28, but the average high for the month so far has been 11 degrees warmer than last year, only 2 days with a high colder than 32, coldest temp so far is 15, and compared to last year when we had snow actually on the ground from early December until mid-February, the snow this year has not yet lasted a day. It's looked like November in Maine all winter here.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-6924975739021046112012-01-16T14:06:00.000-05:002012-01-16T14:06:12.834-05:00Late October through December events<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">On October 28-29, I participated in a cemetery preservation workshop, conducted by Jonathan Appell, from Connecticut. Appell was in Kentucky working with a large cemetery in Louisville, and we managed to get him over to Perryville for two days. We learned how to clean stones properly, how to repair and reset stones, and in general, how to preserve them for future generations. Just a few hints -- DO NOT use wire brushes, bleach, detergent, or other harsh chemicals. Different stones made of different materials require different treatment. Appell has a great website at <a href="http://www.gravestoneconservation.com/">http://www.gravestoneconservation.com/</a> for anyone interested in finding out more.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EnFbNZbpMngdMo-s3HPOHVNxH33ACqzoA4ZgNC8xQwt6-tAMVZN0KzsAH5UXnuxp3jVM6PFZuCBWxJMobupsIjaT_bq0b0rnop0iGp-DBG8_cmiuNLL-UbfeaIuXMoJMG-OY8r-TmeM/s1600/IMG_5769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EnFbNZbpMngdMo-s3HPOHVNxH33ACqzoA4ZgNC8xQwt6-tAMVZN0KzsAH5UXnuxp3jVM6PFZuCBWxJMobupsIjaT_bq0b0rnop0iGp-DBG8_cmiuNLL-UbfeaIuXMoJMG-OY8r-TmeM/s640/IMG_5769.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Re-setting a fallen stone.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> In December, one of our neighbors, being VERY pregnant, gave birth to a calf. Then a few hours later, ANOTHER calf. We've named them Christmas and Hanukkah -- even though they're not ours.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgLoPTMKdaK7LaylE1_iDD24B4fTC_VmAgmx_1fRJyaRGpyzHP-DNtB7-Q1tuzm7dxhV1nTPQXHN2RlOz1CLK8UCs2teSzuOjJyTc5qmdw354OKY_M8La_E_Dhw57qvBDkeRmho89PY4/s1600/IMG_6064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgLoPTMKdaK7LaylE1_iDD24B4fTC_VmAgmx_1fRJyaRGpyzHP-DNtB7-Q1tuzm7dxhV1nTPQXHN2RlOz1CLK8UCs2teSzuOjJyTc5qmdw354OKY_M8La_E_Dhw57qvBDkeRmho89PY4/s640/IMG_6064.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(L to R) Momma, Christmas, and Hanukkah</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7Ry15ofiz3LD3BNo-k3z_e8D6aA7xFzZjgMvg-AtsXDG7P-6pWxf5xvmv3NZX__C6DhhSVp3Jk_dNvdgsgOUPWCSVMz2msCFWTTqylCIUyzgjlzvsenqhoRiYMLm524cdsTgtevEDWI/s1600/Calf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7Ry15ofiz3LD3BNo-k3z_e8D6aA7xFzZjgMvg-AtsXDG7P-6pWxf5xvmv3NZX__C6DhhSVp3Jk_dNvdgsgOUPWCSVMz2msCFWTTqylCIUyzgjlzvsenqhoRiYMLm524cdsTgtevEDWI/s640/Calf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've named this one Hanukkah, born just after Christmas was born. She was so small, her owner is feeding her in the barn, probably until Spring.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-59535510051060237482012-01-16T13:05:00.000-05:002012-01-16T13:05:58.605-05:00Trip to Washington DC 13-18 October 2011 -- THANKS Don and Jean!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From 13-18 October, Barry and I took a trip to Washington, D.C. I've been there </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> many times, but the last 8 or 9 times were with a busload of 8th graders, and we only spent 2-1/2 days in the city. THIS time, for four days, we could go where we wanted, see what we wanted, do what we wanted. We stayed with two of my former students, Don and Jean, (and Chuck the Cat) who graciously opened their beautiful home to us. They live only a few miles from the Washington Metro, in Fairfax, so we never had to take the car into the city. The Metro is beautiful, efficient, fast, and CLEAN, unlike other subway systems I've seen (New York and Boston). Highlights of the trip, other than Don and Jean's company and hospitality, are shown in no particular order because I can't get this blog editor to do what I want...GRR!</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the National Archives</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Capitol - Rotunda, under the Dome</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Archie and Edith Bunker's Chairs, Smithsonian Institution</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Space Shuttle Enterprise, the NEW Air and Space Museum in Virginia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Occupy DC</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The President's helicopter, "Marine-1" leaving the White House</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Union Station -- still a working train station, but with a great indoor mall.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The White House, North Front (the one you usually see on TV news)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pentagon 9-11 Memorial</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZm9vJwze4qgPqXQ-AeCdQXeKBfs7y0NJOIKqtTfEtzZ3INqHyMUB6uGIRwoPDetqhE5USEA1bPNtLt3T1_0qzx-iEjQG4U17eyzdUBh3IYw1YwHItBikuOWkw0xGGhQTU3lr1aXuxrw/s1600/IMG_5417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZm9vJwze4qgPqXQ-AeCdQXeKBfs7y0NJOIKqtTfEtzZ3INqHyMUB6uGIRwoPDetqhE5USEA1bPNtLt3T1_0qzx-iEjQG4U17eyzdUBh3IYw1YwHItBikuOWkw0xGGhQTU3lr1aXuxrw/s640/IMG_5417.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A high school friend on the Viet Nam Wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBqDU3T4MmX8fcpyRbX2tjfi6Lvm1MxgMSHSf4ziM_9krjxoCTxsUoKiWAZIJ2LxDQQy-mG0sMZg3KGfFhQ0azbF4LyOf9Qr12Xl78qYkvG3BtCqRRHH9lBE5K8eZ3Mb5UFIX_kwXmIE/s1600/IMG_5420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBqDU3T4MmX8fcpyRbX2tjfi6Lvm1MxgMSHSf4ziM_9krjxoCTxsUoKiWAZIJ2LxDQQy-mG0sMZg3KGfFhQ0azbF4LyOf9Qr12Xl78qYkvG3BtCqRRHH9lBE5K8eZ3Mb5UFIX_kwXmIE/s640/IMG_5420.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Wall"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViQ6nmnQ6smQ_zNVdkcTffsEN3LrumUOHQGzQfiZE5hVehPhQaqQ5fSkp_DCjR0as4ITudbtlz4ISJJqX3byqriQ8uu-UalrZy31suBuuB4QAzs5aYG5b2BCyEE3XrZDVjXAf5Yc4cEA/s1600/IMG_5427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViQ6nmnQ6smQ_zNVdkcTffsEN3LrumUOHQGzQfiZE5hVehPhQaqQ5fSkp_DCjR0as4ITudbtlz4ISJJqX3byqriQ8uu-UalrZy31suBuuB4QAzs5aYG5b2BCyEE3XrZDVjXAf5Yc4cEA/s640/IMG_5427.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daniel Chester French's statue, Lincoln, at the Lincoln Memorial</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsA_ncVqFzqxjliHhI23xs5U7_wieO9NUcoTZr6kk4hwgwIAfv5ZUUBeh722FP-OMUFygXpfkpWTeZygyTMbQ2bfVTo125Jr48_-LPF7U3919cXxXATSrxyMNehU75WHcvKOtZAFcByY/s1600/IMG_5458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRsA_ncVqFzqxjliHhI23xs5U7_wieO9NUcoTZr6kk4hwgwIAfv5ZUUBeh722FP-OMUFygXpfkpWTeZygyTMbQ2bfVTo125Jr48_-LPF7U3919cXxXATSrxyMNehU75WHcvKOtZAFcByY/s640/IMG_5458.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A station on the DC Metro</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-p1FRAgDHMsSh706PgWbootOw3Sfxsj4f0SxXji1VogbVO8VcUKBOSz4ay_jIj-MBsA3b05B0kIPBlpl53JPOrVXQUHj3WahIRkRXmZ9qVFfAzVxHV6SgyXiDF2XWn3xvvx31JEuygZc/s1600/IMG_5469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-p1FRAgDHMsSh706PgWbootOw3Sfxsj4f0SxXji1VogbVO8VcUKBOSz4ay_jIj-MBsA3b05B0kIPBlpl53JPOrVXQUHj3WahIRkRXmZ9qVFfAzVxHV6SgyXiDF2XWn3xvvx31JEuygZc/s640/IMG_5469.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washington National Cathedral - damaged in the August 2011 earthquake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIX30YFUEAjlw4G5ZbI2bjPv25MdN-8w7JWWjoGggfbhip38L7KherFZjTEq0lzSvyIunso2Emgagxr7EiciOcPRtqghFQ5GbfHRXe2NMLEeMd8ld4CEAIiU2HIRorl-ITOj7BNhq6EfA/s1600/IMG_5470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIX30YFUEAjlw4G5ZbI2bjPv25MdN-8w7JWWjoGggfbhip38L7KherFZjTEq0lzSvyIunso2Emgagxr7EiciOcPRtqghFQ5GbfHRXe2NMLEeMd8ld4CEAIiU2HIRorl-ITOj7BNhq6EfA/s640/IMG_5470.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washington National Cathedral</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHulONbqFwo6gQvPdwmrnkrRp5hsQa4QTpEEVXMgNijCrdqGqVbzwfwIgkMp2GA12m_p11e7t0IzPUwZrQWi9yesm8rz5oJ65Yji4YFvTtbJse7j2YXH3dHBoZHGU6hoK9NV5J3zZiXlY/s1600/IMG_5525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHulONbqFwo6gQvPdwmrnkrRp5hsQa4QTpEEVXMgNijCrdqGqVbzwfwIgkMp2GA12m_p11e7t0IzPUwZrQWi9yesm8rz5oJ65Yji4YFvTtbJse7j2YXH3dHBoZHGU6hoK9NV5J3zZiXlY/s640/IMG_5525.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The US Supreme Court</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzt66qwxmgCRq3Pg8Dz2rWHEr9Sdu2uR9Ty3iPLgBHwBs7CXfSzk0sDIfcB6NhLfw36vEKIbX5AcMC2KWIWj4t0RhWuIve2ONzEgAOxALIqXMWHBTUd9-GOP7N7b52g50EusSYbXjJy1g/s1600/IMG_5574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzt66qwxmgCRq3Pg8Dz2rWHEr9Sdu2uR9Ty3iPLgBHwBs7CXfSzk0sDIfcB6NhLfw36vEKIbX5AcMC2KWIWj4t0RhWuIve2ONzEgAOxALIqXMWHBTUd9-GOP7N7b52g50EusSYbXjJy1g/s640/IMG_5574.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The US Botanical Garden, left, and the Capitol, right</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulPjVRtCq_k-IcsDQCESUycr7ONmkz4Tw0XPJ9dtj0M_suqCxUkQWKJmBh6Oo8zjBeGxi_7D8bDu9ZKRW9Vt0jXXSnGIwpg0ZIkexzCq4BPx5teqYJiQcnohTlNsFXxuLGl33UECk4qY/s1600/IMG_5558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulPjVRtCq_k-IcsDQCESUycr7ONmkz4Tw0XPJ9dtj0M_suqCxUkQWKJmBh6Oo8zjBeGxi_7D8bDu9ZKRW9Vt0jXXSnGIwpg0ZIkexzCq4BPx5teqYJiQcnohTlNsFXxuLGl33UECk4qY/s640/IMG_5558.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading Room, Library of Congress</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBh6IRiY6goXF62k9A7O0duGyUev1kBfDcgCxGSE6L43HmbTb7Gc3eKq8LxMHkVniWbRhX_JTFGxeyRnIhfKxySU-ipIcnoocGOTifq7nP5F5dNU2SwQNO2sv_3HrUpQ4HY4rjLTWw_Fo/s1600/IMG_5499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBh6IRiY6goXF62k9A7O0duGyUev1kBfDcgCxGSE6L43HmbTb7Gc3eKq8LxMHkVniWbRhX_JTFGxeyRnIhfKxySU-ipIcnoocGOTifq7nP5F5dNU2SwQNO2sv_3HrUpQ4HY4rjLTWw_Fo/s640/IMG_5499.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Capitol at night</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-jNyYr1YRHrrFTez_TzjUWyuiSx1L4lEqW43jazRqfoSXyJonA8ATJvseZ6hLALcAZ_7_uc-_OzOaHBOWS_M5OVN2QPaw99FEpRAUwwRQf2P6kOGcl4EaFmKpudkFWuDUFZdzUVJRno/s1600/IMG_5447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-jNyYr1YRHrrFTez_TzjUWyuiSx1L4lEqW43jazRqfoSXyJonA8ATJvseZ6hLALcAZ_7_uc-_OzOaHBOWS_M5OVN2QPaw99FEpRAUwwRQf2P6kOGcl4EaFmKpudkFWuDUFZdzUVJRno/s640/IMG_5447.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martin Luther King Memorial, the night before the dedication.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-4359983269232756172012-01-14T16:13:00.000-05:002012-01-14T16:13:14.307-05:00August, 2011 - To Maine and the Kentucky State Fair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvfcnJa-pV_Mn_4gFZYoiQdn7eh3mOkXVzznZ3RQerQ98HI9UE_Y45Nm6b_9KU3FdkgUtZUa-Y7gZhQ8IQJH6vN6B65sBMMtKFA1LccdQUslQIsLW26PK880GUuychmGb0kyl6c74cxE/s1600/IMG_4026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvfcnJa-pV_Mn_4gFZYoiQdn7eh3mOkXVzznZ3RQerQ98HI9UE_Y45Nm6b_9KU3FdkgUtZUa-Y7gZhQ8IQJH6vN6B65sBMMtKFA1LccdQUslQIsLW26PK880GUuychmGb0kyl6c74cxE/s1600/IMG_4026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvfcnJa-pV_Mn_4gFZYoiQdn7eh3mOkXVzznZ3RQerQ98HI9UE_Y45Nm6b_9KU3FdkgUtZUa-Y7gZhQ8IQJH6vN6B65sBMMtKFA1LccdQUslQIsLW26PK880GUuychmGb0kyl6c74cxE/s200/IMG_4026.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Since my last entry, many things have happened. Much I have not written on, because it had become commonplace -- not much sense about writing about things that don't change much from day to day, though if this were really a diary, I would do so.<br /><br />So, here's a run-down of events since June, 2011.<br /><br />Aug 2-6 - Barry and I went to Maine camping. Visiting family was great, but the weather didn't cooperate after the first two days. It's no fun camping with rain, so we actually left Maine two days early. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ke_Y2qESio_zWJeifn5Yztzdn1UmUHEjml0x4UWiglGdqkRCDMWWsYeRmGrvAgtaqT1CmhORF0-_4AD7rOGRvv6JkW3alN-lyYK4I-JNE4NUCSd5G9D0wGmeROhCDQo7fiE1lX8bNac/s1600/IMG_4144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ke_Y2qESio_zWJeifn5Yztzdn1UmUHEjml0x4UWiglGdqkRCDMWWsYeRmGrvAgtaqT1CmhORF0-_4AD7rOGRvv6JkW3alN-lyYK4I-JNE4NUCSd5G9D0wGmeROhCDQo7fiE1lX8bNac/s200/IMG_4144.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9t-WrrrtQeSERjVwC3lxM3f6i69g7lNFT-7rlkfFaqIbZwh0tFmotyNlqGoScg9zgytf06hNTGTyZnU5tOZMPtYf5m9KnSpQK8mGKohiMnfp3xV9C3-C30WhJR4TAe3Pr43RF-wE-ASs/s1600/IMG_4159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9t-WrrrtQeSERjVwC3lxM3f6i69g7lNFT-7rlkfFaqIbZwh0tFmotyNlqGoScg9zgytf06hNTGTyZnU5tOZMPtYf5m9KnSpQK8mGKohiMnfp3xV9C3-C30WhJR4TAe3Pr43RF-wE-ASs/s200/IMG_4159.JPG" width="200" /></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Seeing my grandchildren was a treat. Gannon explored our dish drainer, while Garnet simply enjoyed being held by Barry. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPhmYKK_EtRT5EhDmbYAsbDYZzqdkXj40xOOmmmgmxy8vjnZ1L7Pi51XfgH3D9AeDjlmgnSXaw1cvlFa_-QSavRhzIUOrX01zUQW-qI8v-sGOiOrP3a78EMOcHXZreZmWkNZ8roDmW4c/s1600/IMG_4276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPhmYKK_EtRT5EhDmbYAsbDYZzqdkXj40xOOmmmgmxy8vjnZ1L7Pi51XfgH3D9AeDjlmgnSXaw1cvlFa_-QSavRhzIUOrX01zUQW-qI8v-sGOiOrP3a78EMOcHXZreZmWkNZ8roDmW4c/s200/IMG_4276.JPG" width="200" /></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The campground showed a movie outdoors one night, so we took the kids to it. It was really their first drive-in, even though we "drove" the stroller. Garnet in particular couldn't keep her eyes off the "screen," actually a large sheet hung from two trees. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57f47YyOKcdy2ZYuet-uARWdrHhpYqTRchL-AVs9GqTl_myyk38vOi69f77GwOptkWNJRlSw1Oc3dQyIQuM9AM35xbEGAzQi7HCXyhq808qEgmTxkS_Pe5bE2snV56rhD_TlcL89NLhs/s1600/IMG_4087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57f47YyOKcdy2ZYuet-uARWdrHhpYqTRchL-AVs9GqTl_myyk38vOi69f77GwOptkWNJRlSw1Oc3dQyIQuM9AM35xbEGAzQi7HCXyhq808qEgmTxkS_Pe5bE2snV56rhD_TlcL89NLhs/s200/IMG_4087.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">A</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">s usual, when we go to Maine, we meet friends in Waterville at our favorite restaurant in the whole world, Ming Lee's. Alison and Glen, Pushpa, and Brenda joined us. The real treat though, was harassing Brenda about her "Smart Car." Here, Alison's trying to lift it with her cane. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9hYH8tAH7Jox-26F0vss7okujcRfJ5UUuUMXFNNC4F6TZHAJukbEM9csUh4KvzBt3XEhxV8gIeaQJkMEmmv30rQU0H-gkHWv27vvh7yrcfFJqMw4p_i5qP-sLm41EIuT4D07s0sMlgk/s1600/IMG_4117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9hYH8tAH7Jox-26F0vss7okujcRfJ5UUuUMXFNNC4F6TZHAJukbEM9csUh4KvzBt3XEhxV8gIeaQJkMEmmv30rQU0H-gkHWv27vvh7yrcfFJqMw4p_i5qP-sLm41EIuT4D07s0sMlgk/s200/IMG_4117.JPG" width="200" /></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another highlight of the Maine trip was being invited to the reunion of the Messalonskee High School Class of 1976. Guess who the bald guy with the "Kentucky" shirt is in the middle?</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PW3SXwTjwSdM8bORrZ3qvF1leOySY7k5woiX71B5X8DdqqAWzzYt3Jk22-aj9fKVugd_E5nBFjMOGnrKm931-V3MwNJFxIOrjilfOFqQhAiayxpdFnTKmg24c6QMpigmECvxBsm7dPs/s1600/IMG_4324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PW3SXwTjwSdM8bORrZ3qvF1leOySY7k5woiX71B5X8DdqqAWzzYt3Jk22-aj9fKVugd_E5nBFjMOGnrKm931-V3MwNJFxIOrjilfOFqQhAiayxpdFnTKmg24c6QMpigmECvxBsm7dPs/s200/IMG_4324.JPG" width="200" /></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-nyB9HHkKQeECAogqxlmDlC7UM5mXXYzHorRYzhjibif8a1tg1aumbhI_Em6YXAgx3Y7zBKahAFDzLPIFGOUBjPBacrk5Gm27_SGf55NvxtpAxIrFMByW5lcytZdx8I4VwFiPkkL6EE/s1600/IMG_4391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-nyB9HHkKQeECAogqxlmDlC7UM5mXXYzHorRYzhjibif8a1tg1aumbhI_Em6YXAgx3Y7zBKahAFDzLPIFGOUBjPBacrk5Gm27_SGf55NvxtpAxIrFMByW5lcytZdx8I4VwFiPkkL6EE/s200/IMG_4391.JPG" width="200" /></a> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">After returning home from Maine, our next event was the Kentucky State Fair, August 23, in Louisville. We spent the day looking at the exhibits, the dressage events, and wondering why on earth ANYONE would spoil a Krispy Kreme Donut with "Buffalo Style Chicken Breast with hot pepper cheese" or even a hamburger!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">In August, I was elected president of the Boyle County Genealogical Association. Barry had been attending meetings since we moved here, but this was the first time I seriously considered taking an office. Since then, I've been busy writing newsletters and organizing meetings.<br /><br />I also joined, as a contributing (non-dues, non-voting) member of the African American Genealogy Group of Kentucky. I've been transcribing Black marriage records, none of which have ever been published, and have become quite active in this group, working with the co-editor of the Kentucky African-American Dictionary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">The next "blog" entry will describe events in October -- a trip to Washington DC, a cemetery preservation workshop, and the birth of twin calves next door. </span></span><br />
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<br />Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-13896809824995012232011-06-28T13:30:00.000-04:002011-06-28T13:30:23.891-04:00Heading east and south in direction and 250 years back in time<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><i><b>Friday, June 24.</b></i></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhOxhf35dqKTHOTYq7z8H_nxSek_C5pOELEOIbxRBcQAI_KLd3HgaPLYndtD3p63tiZMzqosXdcWTzs0Gs9xmCRffKnFcIku2RFbPKB5ulM-d7LCI5vWjtN0BoNb3zCaFslo9YzygGc8/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhOxhf35dqKTHOTYq7z8H_nxSek_C5pOELEOIbxRBcQAI_KLd3HgaPLYndtD3p63tiZMzqosXdcWTzs0Gs9xmCRffKnFcIku2RFbPKB5ulM-d7LCI5vWjtN0BoNb3zCaFslo9YzygGc8/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-01.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Horton's, Ashland, KY</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgib3yYnN1Ja9UKOAU3t2P31U5Q9ja87KLnH2Vcz433EjTB0HMN-gXzDvJz1sFjMsE7WSLaUV0rh3I58mnZVFGZJwOW3kI6bSij7yB9oIB_yrwMluqkl5PbgzWcH4ddoSBa7tVakxVQ4/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgib3yYnN1Ja9UKOAU3t2P31U5Q9ja87KLnH2Vcz433EjTB0HMN-gXzDvJz1sFjMsE7WSLaUV0rh3I58mnZVFGZJwOW3kI6bSij7yB9oIB_yrwMluqkl5PbgzWcH4ddoSBa7tVakxVQ4/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-02.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paramount Theater, Ashland</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We left home for eastern Kentucky at a reasonable hour, for a change.<span> </span>Barry suggested that instead of staying over one night in eastern Tennessee, that we stay in eastern Kentucky, then move on to Eastern Tennessee.<span> </span>That proved to do the trick.<span> </span>Our entire trip was more relaxed, and we found more time to "shunpike" than we would have otherwise.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEz15xAX9ucgAkRAohttPcsQtpy-k8pXrYM7qE77C-C96ZnHxLvnkiM1RUpEGf_NcwpmIQ8pdyxKiR_Yxorv4T3u28LeQfsRIjd2AkxwZKmxVLQOGN1fY-gHYtX3KBagrP79PLbr9umzw/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEz15xAX9ucgAkRAohttPcsQtpy-k8pXrYM7qE77C-C96ZnHxLvnkiM1RUpEGf_NcwpmIQ8pdyxKiR_Yxorv4T3u28LeQfsRIjd2AkxwZKmxVLQOGN1fY-gHYtX3KBagrP79PLbr9umzw/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-03.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Our first highlight was in Ashland.<span> </span>Tim Horton's!<span> </span>Didn't know there were any of those in Kentucky.<span> </span>SOOO good.<span> </span>Next highlight was also in Ashland -- the Paramount Theater.<span> </span>Many country music greats got their starts or spent their early careers here. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Coal is life in eastern Kentucky. One sees coal trucks all over, and most of the small valleys have train tracks to get the coal out. Much of it is done by truck, but rail is still the most important way. Love coal or hate it, without it, eastern Kentucky would have nothing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNjfBiEYfc9xA5LLzChZG5pRccu-Z6Taj_quRCUZe_4ASEDRDMX_yhSf6JKMO_P0dcQJD10vHIrBTh4rCK1iH7RnKkxHtBCFr_1j8qqWwXFgloXEm7U6JliSZru4d2QSl99FV3KHv91w/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNjfBiEYfc9xA5LLzChZG5pRccu-Z6Taj_quRCUZe_4ASEDRDMX_yhSf6JKMO_P0dcQJD10vHIrBTh4rCK1iH7RnKkxHtBCFr_1j8qqWwXFgloXEm7U6JliSZru4d2QSl99FV3KHv91w/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-06.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Paintsville</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We headed south from Ashland along US Route 23, officially designated in Kentucky as the "Country Music Highway."<span> </span>Many of the greats of country music were born, lived, or died near this highway.<span> </span>Now, I'm not really a great fan of country music, but it IS part of American history, and some of it I really DO like, so this was OK by me.<span> </span>Barry on the other hand, can tell me details about each of the singers I'd never have known otherwise.<span> </span>This time, it was HE who was the history teacher.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgZgxl1EiAb5Yc5rjimb7SD-QRyIlO73-XAJ93HuM6jHv3TpdjVXboUa_Gc9nc5boM_NWnsJgbqofjb99jo0isabu_UXyeGDRqZwlsLinTGGRPUULNXGy6OGd39xCxCZjhk2KbqcdqKE/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgZgxl1EiAb5Yc5rjimb7SD-QRyIlO73-XAJ93HuM6jHv3TpdjVXboUa_Gc9nc5boM_NWnsJgbqofjb99jo0isabu_UXyeGDRqZwlsLinTGGRPUULNXGy6OGd39xCxCZjhk2KbqcdqKE/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-07.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Country Music Museum</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Near the end of the afternoon, we arrived in Paintsville.<span> </span>We were in the motel in plenty of time to visit the Country Highway Museum, have a great Chinese buffet, and walk around town for awhile, just taking our time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><i><b>Saturday, June 25.</b></i></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today was a really interesting day.<span> </span>Because we had plenty of time, we didn't have to stick to the highways and do 80 in a 55 mile zone like everyone else.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvSIoxS1cpFzTsDO65PzKB6U0rJ4hf1MIP64BmCDtwh4MzspKV08lHIwnoTD2OAYAQC-NW0QxLi0_9cCaFvmY9zPs6GS5bS8fn76f8_538Ydza20ev7y41g0GVRziS9RLokE6D95IEd0/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvSIoxS1cpFzTsDO65PzKB6U0rJ4hf1MIP64BmCDtwh4MzspKV08lHIwnoTD2OAYAQC-NW0QxLi0_9cCaFvmY9zPs6GS5bS8fn76f8_538Ydza20ev7y41g0GVRziS9RLokE6D95IEd0/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-09.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loretta Lynn's homeplace</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJs9s3dGGf73f1nbHv07OCVhUzBpHWTzRd6zt9cb1BZ7yKBsxTKxLnX4rJZtD3CSLa5ri0jF232AvClAa8ryUdRCcDp4hkZ8jqhMqQt465DDCjZ8RBmT0S1cuTpsmjY35kaKvWam23Q2Q/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJs9s3dGGf73f1nbHv07OCVhUzBpHWTzRd6zt9cb1BZ7yKBsxTKxLnX4rJZtD3CSLa5ri0jF232AvClAa8ryUdRCcDp4hkZ8jqhMqQt465DDCjZ8RBmT0S1cuTpsmjY35kaKvWam23Q2Q/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-08.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East Kentucky Road Sign</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We took off on a local road, found the community of Van Lear, and followed the signs to Loretta Lynn's birthplace.<span> </span>We went up a side road, then off to another smaller side road. Then we saw the hand-painted sign, "Butcher Holler", off to what was barely more than a paved path through the woods. <span> </span>Driving a couple of miles up the road, we came to the old home place.<span> </span>It's not the original (that is at Lynn's theme park in Hurricane Mills, TN), but it's a good reproduction.<span> </span>Hard to believe that the small one-lane road we were on was not even there when Lynn was born there in 1932 (not 1934, as most of her literature says).<span> </span>Her younger sister, Crystal Gayle, was born in Paintsville, the only one in the family born in a hospital.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7OwITga60Qos26z7ueqniO3WSzOhYVmNo7Hy5CzFMWxBn6oySMbwji-C1qnhNSfQ-iezL0gxxyfUQQ6zY-j_varvzx7HuPo9cNF3_afoqqnN8Pgs3pl6jK4Dkry9Je-Ar7zFi2Qqa6o/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7OwITga60Qos26z7ueqniO3WSzOhYVmNo7Hy5CzFMWxBn6oySMbwji-C1qnhNSfQ-iezL0gxxyfUQQ6zY-j_varvzx7HuPo9cNF3_afoqqnN8Pgs3pl6jK4Dkry9Je-Ar7zFi2Qqa6o/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-10.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Webb's Store, Van Lear, KY</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGekRPlKEw4jPXNTOxiLSnNulZuphIPJ6DUF170QCVaCIaVeNDlV7fnkcKoiItbdVh4MLLEzUDKJunD3x-FdVWhNXq7CKrbVVEDc_Iors1H6iNEsr8lu-QL-X_3hUp0TQC9wtA6gIQHs/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGekRPlKEw4jPXNTOxiLSnNulZuphIPJ6DUF170QCVaCIaVeNDlV7fnkcKoiItbdVh4MLLEzUDKJunD3x-FdVWhNXq7CKrbVVEDc_Iors1H6iNEsr8lu-QL-X_3hUp0TQC9wtA6gIQHs/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-11.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dewey Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">On leaving Butcher Hollow, we drove by the Webb Grocery, run by Loretta's younger brother, Herman.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZcCORP-d05TYdLx-j5225E2Ntwn55iedtpT08W9U_vXQo4cuzSiN1CmslLxOesdKwCVjVtHzgXTVxmwXjHwTpOfBoWkZ2tJv4Ok4O6h35eE9RADFZTjdoXOUGmA4pL5djtus5Cq7A-8/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZcCORP-d05TYdLx-j5225E2Ntwn55iedtpT08W9U_vXQo4cuzSiN1CmslLxOesdKwCVjVtHzgXTVxmwXjHwTpOfBoWkZ2tJv4Ok4O6h35eE9RADFZTjdoXOUGmA4pL5djtus5Cq7A-8/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-12.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenny Wiley Park marina</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We then took a back road, to get to Ky-3, which a fellow at the Van Lear post office said was the route the coal companies use nowadays to get the coal out of the hills.<span> </span>We kept going without taking the now-four-lane Ky-3, and ended up at Dewey Lake.<span> </span>It's a man-made lake on John's Creek, and the location of the Jenny Wiley State Resort Park.<span> </span>There's a music theater there, a huge marina, and the water is blue-green, unlike most of the water in Kentucky.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then, by back roads from Dewey Lake to Prestonsburg, which we expected to be bigger than it was.<span> </span>But it was back to the Country Music Highway, headed for Pikeville.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qufJs4YJXHpuCYN2x5yf2yX2jel3-l7BLIpxtZ5JqtyolULbHWH2yhrYT6YjWe5A38pllbZec_W2A9YFCydyrOLxM6iFCCTr4LT3Mb02sNLJvk0gbUgC22oFTaK1CqrX1Nw-hsFXu6M/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qufJs4YJXHpuCYN2x5yf2yX2jel3-l7BLIpxtZ5JqtyolULbHWH2yhrYT6YjWe5A38pllbZec_W2A9YFCydyrOLxM6iFCCTr4LT3Mb02sNLJvk0gbUgC22oFTaK1CqrX1Nw-hsFXu6M/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-17.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Betsey Layne, KY</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">On the way, we passed through Betsy Layne, KY, birthplace of Dwight Yoakam.<span> </span>Not much here but a wide place in the road with a liquor store!<span> </span>But when we got to Pikeville, I understood why the city wanted permission to remove a mountaintop to provide more flat land.<span> </span>The only flat land left apparently was the Wal-Mart, Lowe's, McDonald's shopping center.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then it was overland to Virginia.<span> </span>The Country Music Highway in Kentucky is now a four-lane divided highway, where the speed limit is 55, and it didn't take us much time at all to get to the Virginia border, the city of Wise, VA, then on to Tennessee at Kingsport.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihakE92vVnGDlVJlOzNZexmsqquDwmYOVB6lxl4Iu1IomRteM93MXz2s8GvgLWNwWFggVNMUyfBA3xTi85nKk-53nAVL-ty2vXaplaBeWAC4BaRQZQTFLUc5dwGA79qgS80EyoVvD_jL0/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihakE92vVnGDlVJlOzNZexmsqquDwmYOVB6lxl4Iu1IomRteM93MXz2s8GvgLWNwWFggVNMUyfBA3xTi85nKk-53nAVL-ty2vXaplaBeWAC4BaRQZQTFLUc5dwGA79qgS80EyoVvD_jL0/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-18.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering Tennessee</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Kingsport is a place of great historical significance to Kentucky.<span> </span>Settlers from southwestern Virginia would gather at a 4-mile-long island in the Holston River, called the Long Island of the Holston.<span> </span>From here they would go down the Holston then up to Cumberland Gap, where the Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky borders meet.<span> </span>This route in Virginia is called the "Old Wilderness Road," roughly the route followed by US-58 today.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJk8UJ-aWFjD5f96Cjq0tUtM2XHHq0mDJkQMVxJJxM-ZX6mi-wwGd2A3I5IXQHej25q4T2KDlSmJ2y_0sFGtxXuqxM1jtlN8sS2_l9r-F-knCGxHYDvQYsu62Jyqb94c92mCds7UqJA4/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJk8UJ-aWFjD5f96Cjq0tUtM2XHHq0mDJkQMVxJJxM-ZX6mi-wwGd2A3I5IXQHej25q4T2KDlSmJ2y_0sFGtxXuqxM1jtlN8sS2_l9r-F-knCGxHYDvQYsu62Jyqb94c92mCds7UqJA4/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-20.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhKBOKRvSr1iPWYaefkhwKdV6Ffl8gpi7hyO5JFQnxghvji5sxjtfXstQOImMkiImzektG477CepKTigh6IElBuK7yCFyvt9DJs4aNjVu-hlUI7m19VPxwJ2qa8FDRujj3iwyKuNVYIo/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhKBOKRvSr1iPWYaefkhwKdV6Ffl8gpi7hyO5JFQnxghvji5sxjtfXstQOImMkiImzektG477CepKTigh6IElBuK7yCFyvt9DJs4aNjVu-hlUI7m19VPxwJ2qa8FDRujj3iwyKuNVYIo/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-19.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barry at Hooter's, Johnson City, TN</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Then off to Johnson City, TN, where we again arrived early enough to tour the town -- about 65,000 people, but most business is now outside town at the malls near the main highways.<span> </span>Downtown is being restored, but almost no one goes there any more.<span> </span>The highlight of Johnson City was stopping at Hooter's.<span> </span>Neither Barry nor I had ever been in one, and we understand the food was good.<span> </span>However, we were going out for steak that night, so all we had was a drink there.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Sunday, June 26.</span></b></i></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2Bbc-fb1HdjZTuqlTtjrvHOHOS7HrJyJkE9DJnrYTXhvEVcNVy5-X29-vUkM4fXNHUxNqGodsG3mH37xR2ZZ7hJ8V7mFcxRD0ZW1PeTRA6EDc43Kff2hJ8CmRCbJIOv7dbYSxOj_uVM/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2Bbc-fb1HdjZTuqlTtjrvHOHOS7HrJyJkE9DJnrYTXhvEVcNVy5-X29-vUkM4fXNHUxNqGodsG3mH37xR2ZZ7hJ8V7mFcxRD0ZW1PeTRA6EDc43Kff2hJ8CmRCbJIOv7dbYSxOj_uVM/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-22.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chuckey, TN</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Two goals today -- visit Barry's niece in Chuckey, TN, then go through the Cumberland Gap.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We found Chuckey, and Lisa's house just fine, spent the morning with her while it stormed outside.<span> </span>We were very fortunate that all the rain got out of Mother Nature's system before we headed out.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c_MkdWwsXlqg7QUbHfPyyHzU1eHmrROFbOWTf1YVXvBYxjcrVKWdVKqshmoza_ZW1EhCgz8QCtwXCJJ7N-CJ9VWiT9QzfBBxp6DJIt0Yby82arlfEQoLoUWMBFn3qScHmTOt58pzYI0/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c_MkdWwsXlqg7QUbHfPyyHzU1eHmrROFbOWTf1YVXvBYxjcrVKWdVKqshmoza_ZW1EhCgz8QCtwXCJJ7N-CJ9VWiT9QzfBBxp6DJIt0Yby82arlfEQoLoUWMBFn3qScHmTOt58pzYI0/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-24.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Davy Crockett's birthplace</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Lisa took us to Davy Crocket's birthplace, a nice state park on the Nolichucky River, another route to the west.<span> </span>And no, he wasn't born on a mountaintop in Tennessee -- that's just another Disney myth; somehow, "born in the Nolichucky River valley" doesn't sound right.<span> </span>I somehow doubt that he "kilt him a bar when he was only three" now, as well.<span> </span>But it's a nice place, and an historic place as well.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1j4rycb8PqYueU1MioEIMksbavuUt832dE0tbtP9X3LZUE59nm2UNYYplTrB_tNs-wne0ijsmmCUBdNFgKImNgkJ8mQmNBHRAToPYRWYy7FJ9OMadzNWq-J7DwsVQZF0MYnrgLDi9Is/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1j4rycb8PqYueU1MioEIMksbavuUt832dE0tbtP9X3LZUE59nm2UNYYplTrB_tNs-wne0ijsmmCUBdNFgKImNgkJ8mQmNBHRAToPYRWYy7FJ9OMadzNWq-J7DwsVQZF0MYnrgLDi9Is/s320/KY-VA-TN%2524n-29.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherokee Reservoir on Holston River behind Barry</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">When we left Chuckey, we headed west, then turned to the north, passing through Greenville, and a number of other towns along US Route 25E, headed home.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvhgVZoLyCkbN9Ftk9XzQ7SZsVMwjHLIUdefgTvMoLhX_URXHEJE5oBniccFz-zsL5TlTwDkf-v-XQxxdsHqfeWcgTztOFQIhF0Cy8YPZlAAYtS-w7v4bti6Ak14fYzT2sw9QlWfdKt4/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvhgVZoLyCkbN9Ftk9XzQ7SZsVMwjHLIUdefgTvMoLhX_URXHEJE5oBniccFz-zsL5TlTwDkf-v-XQxxdsHqfeWcgTztOFQIhF0Cy8YPZlAAYtS-w7v4bti6Ak14fYzT2sw9QlWfdKt4/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-31.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cumberland Gap, TN/KY</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgsOC7T2sAiE5nQGvR6i-cszeaC0khqik2m-1BLQ_RSs4W15fSGbEprgcLuJsNK2WohxYlyoB6j8J3LAF8VejGDtg2xMOfa50fJpAIx5go5wh_T_UvazHMbJvZI8TFvvL-6yVbdL26gk/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgsOC7T2sAiE5nQGvR6i-cszeaC0khqik2m-1BLQ_RSs4W15fSGbEprgcLuJsNK2WohxYlyoB6j8J3LAF8VejGDtg2xMOfa50fJpAIx5go5wh_T_UvazHMbJvZI8TFvvL-6yVbdL26gk/s200/KY-VA-TN%2524n-28.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clinch Gap, TN</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We spent a great deal of time and mileage driving near the Holston River many miles down from Kingsport -- at Cherokee Reservoir.<span> </span>A bit after that, we began to climb Clinch Mountain, named along with the Clinch River, and went through Clinch Gap, an easier gap than Cumberland, apparently.<span> </span>But it wasn't long before we actually saw Cumberland Gap.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiNVOZKMnQCAjGPXGka2mQj_yhp8Jta4bJgg1cjSUUAe8rRzTCj5R2ZHgyZqJPB40dYF_gvcQbkmBkmHMKP_MCJ3wVdfTyYH6jN6XkHslKWixoWJqfvAmxqSKfyw58e-udx2rglH38bE/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiNVOZKMnQCAjGPXGka2mQj_yhp8Jta4bJgg1cjSUUAe8rRzTCj5R2ZHgyZqJPB40dYF_gvcQbkmBkmHMKP_MCJ3wVdfTyYH6jN6XkHslKWixoWJqfvAmxqSKfyw58e-udx2rglH38bE/s640/KY-VA-TN%2524n-32.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cumberland Gap from Tennessee</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal">For many people, Cumberland Gap is a place they may have heard of from their US history classes (at least those who stayed awake).<span> </span>But this was the gap through Cumberland Mountain which, other than possibly the Mohawk River in New York, funneled more people west than any other break in the Appalachian Mountains.<span> </span>The Gap was known well before Daniel Boone's day, long before 1770, indeed, as far back as the 1680s (just read that in "The Wilderness Road" by Dr. Robert Kincaid).<span> </span>But with the push west shortly before the Revolution, Cumberland Gap became THE place to cross.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Wilderness Road began in western Pennsylvania, followed the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, then down the Holston and Clinch Rivers, turning north to cross the Cumberlands.<span> </span>It then ran as far north as present-day Corbin, KY, where it split, one route going north to the Kentucky River (Daniel Boone and Boonesborough), the other heading northwest toward the Falls of the Ohio (present-day Louisville, KY).<span> </span>I'm more interested in the northwest route because it passed through or near present-day Mt. Vernon, Stanford, Danville, Perryville, Springfield, Bardstown, and in general, our area.<span> </span>In fact, our telephone book says "Wilderness Trace" on it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9kicXPQE1_PZ7YOrodOBjSZtJDgzIIDfkrC40ItCKJfMhxAQ4EatYFsouGL8E1vWpKhdp81cfjA1gxI7WQTYI-HLpAaTEYRiffgkJsJ8KfNP24-0GNJarPqTqEmGqfYV9DAuutp6K9o/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9kicXPQE1_PZ7YOrodOBjSZtJDgzIIDfkrC40ItCKJfMhxAQ4EatYFsouGL8E1vWpKhdp81cfjA1gxI7WQTYI-HLpAaTEYRiffgkJsJ8KfNP24-0GNJarPqTqEmGqfYV9DAuutp6K9o/s640/KY-VA-TN%2524n-33.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Middlesboro, KY from Cumberland Gap</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszrVjXJ0bL97t-gDtPEvr6WUDSHW3fmsMSF34XyB0km2Wnv3pzXYLKcYwrLSy1MEvcwPoecjCBQ7wmu0LxiZP87MvNs3WA8zkEvslwszV0rCJq0cMlLaQ18mSiiSbhHEujOIyeg4mTuw/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiszrVjXJ0bL97t-gDtPEvr6WUDSHW3fmsMSF34XyB0km2Wnv3pzXYLKcYwrLSy1MEvcwPoecjCBQ7wmu0LxiZP87MvNs3WA8zkEvslwszV0rCJq0cMlLaQ18mSiiSbhHEujOIyeg4mTuw/s640/KY-VA-TN%2524n-34.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fern Lake, and the meeting place of KY, TN and VA.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4d0zGM88DanMCbfetOkIvpLNYCqkU5PjzNrW6gKxzzdoCWMbHIcrB8csfLzc8muCEa2SRcoR42jM3YZ7E5-YnVb6YuxqvHLOTnh-UgMaPJj5dwAvIaslolGUCfsXLg4MEn2nvqJAS-SU/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4d0zGM88DanMCbfetOkIvpLNYCqkU5PjzNrW6gKxzzdoCWMbHIcrB8csfLzc8muCEa2SRcoR42jM3YZ7E5-YnVb6YuxqvHLOTnh-UgMaPJj5dwAvIaslolGUCfsXLg4MEn2nvqJAS-SU/s640/KY-VA-TN%2524n-35.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cumberland Gap Tunnel, TN entrance</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_F1cNIuIQAcgu8bkPvvajuE-J6pyNzi4GaUK3Z5UooMFDCewkB58l27Xk35ARfITLUtbQqESkxcVDXliE5gMZOPksqx9uRSjG7I3jZF8M1_iF5VQl8vZO967v0msK2ng44DAgm6VQow/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_F1cNIuIQAcgu8bkPvvajuE-J6pyNzi4GaUK3Z5UooMFDCewkB58l27Xk35ARfITLUtbQqESkxcVDXliE5gMZOPksqx9uRSjG7I3jZF8M1_iF5VQl8vZO967v0msK2ng44DAgm6VQow/s640/KY-VA-TN%2524n-36.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Town of Cumberland Gap, TN</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHCD-uxoX1HF3mz2CASVV1B63Tc2vkVIPzi8tgCTF29H0WZwC6qqPaf_V-n0jmyFlUpQd90Pn1anL1AZEQNoaO_y2YNBsGCxLYfWF-o3qIVQEuEivPRDkASbqhYczCdzKMNcEuiSqAaQ/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHCD-uxoX1HF3mz2CASVV1B63Tc2vkVIPzi8tgCTF29H0WZwC6qqPaf_V-n0jmyFlUpQd90Pn1anL1AZEQNoaO_y2YNBsGCxLYfWF-o3qIVQEuEivPRDkASbqhYczCdzKMNcEuiSqAaQ/s640/KY-VA-TN%2524n-37.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cumberland Gap and Harrogate, TN</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOtS1kcmK5q-Dc0UIQyX2AZntGNiUiJWBpATHWh32lRSVQbi3gOzspUTRyrSRZiashDqE0j0KkjSGge62oB1ZyLYV1BSIcHbo9MkaHQ0EBlXqm4iwtBUcaDt6pTVL0pjtmfYr8_h9LtE/s1600/KY-VA-TN%2524n-38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOtS1kcmK5q-Dc0UIQyX2AZntGNiUiJWBpATHWh32lRSVQbi3gOzspUTRyrSRZiashDqE0j0KkjSGge62oB1ZyLYV1BSIcHbo9MkaHQ0EBlXqm4iwtBUcaDt6pTVL0pjtmfYr8_h9LtE/s640/KY-VA-TN%2524n-38.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Powell River Valley, US 58 in Virginia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStWik6KG1pxKDtPCwCcNHqrIaAQv_2q636BBYGqQ0fGVkhA-16tc2hINrA9hn0WQSNc6FMU-DY_kaAgibeHdGVJgb0CqZkhvIyZVdRHasVXk8P4VsqTnKwbrKdWmboTf0Tw2HKIXkv4s/s1600/Cumberland+Gap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStWik6KG1pxKDtPCwCcNHqrIaAQv_2q636BBYGqQ0fGVkhA-16tc2hINrA9hn0WQSNc6FMU-DY_kaAgibeHdGVJgb0CqZkhvIyZVdRHasVXk8P4VsqTnKwbrKdWmboTf0Tw2HKIXkv4s/s640/Cumberland+Gap.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google Earth screen capture of the Cumberland Gap area</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The Cumberland Gap and Wilderness Road saw over 300,000 settlers come into Kentucky between 1774 and 1810.<span> </span>Many of those settlers stayed in Kentucky, but many also moved on to Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and points west.<span> </span>So the Gap was really our first great highway to the west.<span> </span>As more people came, the trail became a rude road, and by 1810, wagons could pass through.<span> </span>By the 1920s, US-25, running from Detroit MI to Jacksonville FL was paved for the most part, renamed the "Dixie Highway", and saw an enterprising guy nicknamed "The Colonel" in Corbin, KY, open a motel and small restaurant where he sold his "secret recipe" fried chicken.<span> </span>Today, US Route 25E from Corbin to Interstate-81 near Knoxville, is four-lane, divided, and one of the best roads around.<span> </span>The part through Cumberland Gap was known as "Massacre Hill" in the 1950s, with trucks and tourists not mixing well on the narrow road.<span> </span>So in 1991, Tennessee and Kentucky began work on the Cumberland Tunnel.<span> </span>This new road takes a four-lane highway 4000 feet through Cumberland Mountain, roughly half a mile west of the original road, which is now a hiking trail in the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The beauty of the area, and the historical significance were, for me, the highlight of the trip.<span> </span>Well, meeting Barry's niece was the highlight, too.<span> </span>And so was Butcher Holler.<span> </span>They all were wonderful experiences, all done in a nice, relaxing three-day weekend.</div><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-58052635017200307622011-05-29T18:25:00.000-04:002011-05-29T18:25:47.073-04:00Latest goings-onI know, I know. I'm NOT faithful about writing in this blog. I promise to do better, then I don't. My bad! But let's see how this one goes...<br />
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On Saturday, May 21, I attended the genealogy fair at the Forkland Community Center, about 10 miles from here. It was a well-organized meeting, and I learned a great deal about researching Kentucky land grants -- in Maine I never dealt with land grants -- so this is a whole new area for me to explore.<br />
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After the meeting, I came home, and Barry and I headed for Paducah for the weekend. It was his grand-daughter's third birthday, and we had a great time, seeing her, opening some presents, seeing Rick's law office, and helping him with some yardwork while there. He and a friend have a firm called "Sanborn and Pridemore law", and if you're in the Paducah area, needing legal assistance, give them a shout.<br />
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Back home, and Barry's been working in the garden. He does so well growing everything. I'm convinced he could stick a cane in the ground and it would grow.<br />
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The strawberries are gone by now, and unfortunately the mockingbirds got the last of the green berries. But we have enough to freeze, and he made several delights including strawberry-rhubarb pie (two). The chard is doing well, and tonight we're having the first peas. In Maine, salmon and peas are traditional for the Fourth of July; here it's for Memorial Day!<br />
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The garden now contains strawberries, lettuce, beets, swiss chard, peas, tomatoes, corn, beans, canteloupes, and probably some foods I can't remember. Before going to Paducah, we bought two "knockout" rose bushes which Barry planted along the walkway from the carport to the house where we'll see and enjoy them daily.<br />
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Next weekend it's the Harrodsburg Beef Festival, and it'll be our fourth time attending.<br />
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The weekend after, it's the Great American Brass Band festival in Danville -- brass bands, balloon races, a parade led by John Philip Sousa IV, in general a wonderful time.<br />
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Later in June, we're headed for eastern Kentucky, driving down the "Country Music Highway" through western Virginia and eastern Tennessee, back through the Cumberland Gap, where Daniel Boone first entered Kentucky, then back home. Looks like that will be a great overnight trip, and we'll visit Barry's niece while in Tennessee!<br />
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Then in August, we're headed for Maine for a week. We plan to camp out in Appleton at Sennebec Lake and also plan to eat good Maine seafood EVERY DAY while we're there. Also it'll be a great time to visit relatives, and Maureen and Josh and the kids will be camping with us. I've also been invited to the Messalonskee High School reunion for the Class of 1976, and will be attending and re-meeting many former students. <br />
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No photos to post this time, 'cause I just wanted to get something posted. But I've got some great photos of the garden and the grandkids to post shortly. If I don't do it in the next few days, REMIND ME!Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-64786098327272842762011-04-18T18:31:00.000-04:002011-04-18T18:31:16.122-04:00April Goings-on -- Random photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyj13f24UjNRS1aHfE5p84Ri_ofElY3zK4G7FVpPQInbk0tTW2NVtme_16cHFO9_zIQFsqDV262ibIbgnybjkc7DqbHtaCrsI4udP8TZnJJjE-KC-YuMCJXWQXWmmN-TmEn9Id-WgPC1c/s1600/Barry+and+Snowflake2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyj13f24UjNRS1aHfE5p84Ri_ofElY3zK4G7FVpPQInbk0tTW2NVtme_16cHFO9_zIQFsqDV262ibIbgnybjkc7DqbHtaCrsI4udP8TZnJJjE-KC-YuMCJXWQXWmmN-TmEn9Id-WgPC1c/s320/Barry+and+Snowflake2.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> Barry enjoying Spring with our new cat, Snowflake.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VQFYG5v6jJA1xQVHzNqxdhxS-xlWy82RPfkBZ2D37JsPL4Mg8pQsOyoUvSOqQF-T-Kmt-MV8uhrn8sd1V7WuoT9nAaG1R3f5aaT-gKVaCm_NM6r6W7lufh8cAOgBaLCRU5h1Tm3B6-Y/s1600/Bridal+Wreath+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VQFYG5v6jJA1xQVHzNqxdhxS-xlWy82RPfkBZ2D37JsPL4Mg8pQsOyoUvSOqQF-T-Kmt-MV8uhrn8sd1V7WuoT9nAaG1R3f5aaT-gKVaCm_NM6r6W7lufh8cAOgBaLCRU5h1Tm3B6-Y/s320/Bridal+Wreath+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> My mother's Bridal Wreath. It was dug up in Westbrook and left to die, so I brought it back to Oakland. Then it moved to Waterville with me where it blossomed twice in one year. Then we brought a small slip with barely no root to our first house in Kentucky. Then we moved it here. Apparently it likes it here in the Bluegrass.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oUZ1BMV9uoW3oHqvfldvUkSQeJneec73Xv4jwqI_6fwLIRNWEs6d7lnDIzxrvN9VxHfFJgmHDnhhJhbhquZZgsw4KbeaRvXLvjHtMbw4u3YgTAIEyxcoJYPA4Llr0cnbCB8XBV4mIdI/s1600/Dogwood.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oUZ1BMV9uoW3oHqvfldvUkSQeJneec73Xv4jwqI_6fwLIRNWEs6d7lnDIzxrvN9VxHfFJgmHDnhhJhbhquZZgsw4KbeaRvXLvjHtMbw4u3YgTAIEyxcoJYPA4Llr0cnbCB8XBV4mIdI/s320/Dogwood.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> One of our three Dogwood trees. The "petals" are actually modified leaves. They are iridescent at night -- wonder what they would look like under ultraviolet light... In the fall, the red berries are prime food for the starlings!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wPDvHkTODQk2ceegsRWa9ms33YBQqptSgi8r-_czTepweQ6jDILJlwwccEGvvI-mWUnCVCArH185lmNWPStpcUbzqQaADqoO3XWKYfUs7nqcSfxIGhqsfdhTE_LH767x10k1Edswt8o/s1600/Kwanza+Cherry+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wPDvHkTODQk2ceegsRWa9ms33YBQqptSgi8r-_czTepweQ6jDILJlwwccEGvvI-mWUnCVCArH185lmNWPStpcUbzqQaADqoO3XWKYfUs7nqcSfxIGhqsfdhTE_LH767x10k1Edswt8o/s320/Kwanza+Cherry+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Kwanzaa Cherry -- sure wish it fruited, but the blossoms are gorgeous. With the wind today, the ground is covered with pink petals.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jMOa-GiGaod__e1XdgDAjW-ZW2G4LSKDd6wVGKLKTS-kB0TAFmsQhQkmt0LinBHfEFo-Kwbos20Rl6rwE8Gks_p_2FJ89F9WCNeJVgdm_CMDbanIqx-bae-wWWTRsL7UyGZqQrpbJTo/s1600/Strawberries+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jMOa-GiGaod__e1XdgDAjW-ZW2G4LSKDd6wVGKLKTS-kB0TAFmsQhQkmt0LinBHfEFo-Kwbos20Rl6rwE8Gks_p_2FJ89F9WCNeJVgdm_CMDbanIqx-bae-wWWTRsL7UyGZqQrpbJTo/s320/Strawberries+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Strawberries are blossoming, so it won't be long now. They are almost gone by Memorial Day. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVTZtRIDiE6kZWz-qZNygUi8ydAEoQULmH67JXEr9j-gwnMugyIBSRO2AIzkofhC8Cd3PkpLXoK6xYz2Q8B6l8jKFbjs2mByBLWjylPoqBvtXOiWi_BHEwenrCP1qzrQ7jfxflAGfP0w/s1600/AppleBlososm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVTZtRIDiE6kZWz-qZNygUi8ydAEoQULmH67JXEr9j-gwnMugyIBSRO2AIzkofhC8Cd3PkpLXoK6xYz2Q8B6l8jKFbjs2mByBLWjylPoqBvtXOiWi_BHEwenrCP1qzrQ7jfxflAGfP0w/s320/AppleBlososm.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Apple Blossoms. We have three, but all are on the same tree, so we don't know if they will pollinate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhA6FdTcisWfDkVG4JigvVIBsqv4Q34YaNLA3ObRftgQZYOMN4DM6FJdoUW_Zkwx97uCsDCHr9Pk9j7tOT-gQHLrgpZYT-aT7bKp91d1zXY_zuIahiat__iBbsDlkOq8mbwMKM1kkUyg/s1600/Tennessee+iris.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhA6FdTcisWfDkVG4JigvVIBsqv4Q34YaNLA3ObRftgQZYOMN4DM6FJdoUW_Zkwx97uCsDCHr9Pk9j7tOT-gQHLrgpZYT-aT7bKp91d1zXY_zuIahiat__iBbsDlkOq8mbwMKM1kkUyg/s320/Tennessee+iris.JPG" width="320" /></a>Our Tennessee Iris. We bought this in 2008 on a trip to Knoxville and the University of Tennessee Botanical Garden. It actually blooms twice a year down here! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpXlsi2bAcv9BYhtV2cQQU5H_gWh3YP6JnwNLRGv_H463UnU9Ddn2pFm8JimrONSX6xmezT2C7E8YCUZbETOM_ybEGncOYoxL4Gwj-5qPMaZvMhJpURTdDse0v6Z8mmF1FgwP2wTQezY/s1600/Snowflake+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpXlsi2bAcv9BYhtV2cQQU5H_gWh3YP6JnwNLRGv_H463UnU9Ddn2pFm8JimrONSX6xmezT2C7E8YCUZbETOM_ybEGncOYoxL4Gwj-5qPMaZvMhJpURTdDse0v6Z8mmF1FgwP2wTQezY/s320/Snowflake+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a>OK, can you see the white cat? That's Snowflake, sitting on a stump, just watching the world go around!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVEqKv0Cc0PK7ugox80MDoOmkxZbucr9jtQJeTanAPyrXOTaKujaLU8a5mtqChF3jR3eCdQNiVl089-EW7AdY1BjerD5YXTayX0B4hISevpng7ZTYeFsmtuoFKbkBH589vNmViiwN7Ro/s1600/Snowball.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVEqKv0Cc0PK7ugox80MDoOmkxZbucr9jtQJeTanAPyrXOTaKujaLU8a5mtqChF3jR3eCdQNiVl089-EW7AdY1BjerD5YXTayX0B4hISevpng7ZTYeFsmtuoFKbkBH589vNmViiwN7Ro/s320/Snowball.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ6dxci0cUGBkt9iEQQz0UTj7Lh7BuPOy8d-7Cqi4mDIwQ-IXL78J_LWeI1dyDOlurj7HdCxUrF36xtc3wtsp-YKGVupRfZc6wTtrnffK5D37H44n45c22vlneyq2gLWYd_U4lY1bkss/s1600/Scones%2526Cookies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ6dxci0cUGBkt9iEQQz0UTj7Lh7BuPOy8d-7Cqi4mDIwQ-IXL78J_LWeI1dyDOlurj7HdCxUrF36xtc3wtsp-YKGVupRfZc6wTtrnffK5D37H44n45c22vlneyq2gLWYd_U4lY1bkss/s320/Scones%2526Cookies.JPG" width="320" /></a> Here she sits on the grill cover, hoping we're not doing steak for dinner.<br />
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Not everything happening is going on outside. I decided, after Barry did some baking, to do some of my own. The oatmeal-raisin cookies and the blueberry scones are to be RATIONED!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKf5lDuaF0mx6UyumFZ11j3lk8P54HD8VmVR3Yp0T9O9DdUKTg6CDOJ0_JWPLC_SCi76EgSpd_dSv-KDsETjVWADAfqf6IiN53-iqiXAHGro1apNz3mlI2_S9sMhodrEZNzIOKECzIPLE/s1600/This+isn%2527t+Purina+One%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKf5lDuaF0mx6UyumFZ11j3lk8P54HD8VmVR3Yp0T9O9DdUKTg6CDOJ0_JWPLC_SCi76EgSpd_dSv-KDsETjVWADAfqf6IiN53-iqiXAHGro1apNz3mlI2_S9sMhodrEZNzIOKECzIPLE/s320/This+isn%2527t+Purina+One%2521.JPG" width="320" /></a>Normally, he won't eat "people food." Well, this evening was no exception. You can see him sniffing and saying "Hey, this isn't Purina One!"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifp5AfdSOuvuzCcWEeA5P5s-SyS-CJe0tvLhL8bVPvC161lD6zgMiPlbSnANIFD7biwzJYjvauRSCnesKUB-Zd_MdyEJ0MTN_y9CHQg2TbmXNlYrS9ytDWZ1MxhBielP-l-7QK2T-K2k/s1600/Tomato.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifp5AfdSOuvuzCcWEeA5P5s-SyS-CJe0tvLhL8bVPvC161lD6zgMiPlbSnANIFD7biwzJYjvauRSCnesKUB-Zd_MdyEJ0MTN_y9CHQg2TbmXNlYrS9ytDWZ1MxhBielP-l-7QK2T-K2k/s320/Tomato.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Now, we took a little tomato plant in for the winter. This is the result. Grown in our own living room, with snow outside!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxS7cGwJ3HWyyZB4EXBN0aC726Z6dLR-6jtiHKmhOeapoE53aWZ6HBeNMzrWxv04iR3YdZJz-KnV00ViC9LQ3CQC38xo_cs3rvnBKQibLEkBWRSaQNrU33UvPa1PgwFmoQWO7zpcIPuUg/s1600/Night+visitor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxS7cGwJ3HWyyZB4EXBN0aC726Z6dLR-6jtiHKmhOeapoE53aWZ6HBeNMzrWxv04iR3YdZJz-KnV00ViC9LQ3CQC38xo_cs3rvnBKQibLEkBWRSaQNrU33UvPa1PgwFmoQWO7zpcIPuUg/s320/Night+visitor.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The other night, and apparently, MANY nights, we've been visited. This is a Virginia Possum. And we are NOT going to feed him. Bought a trap today, and plotting on where to let him go when we trap him!Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-47100638134479999202011-04-07T20:22:00.000-04:002011-04-07T20:22:35.230-04:00Spring in the BluegrassBarry and I worked outside today. Temps were in the low 70s, and the sun was shining brightly -- yeah, he DID get a sunburn. Pruning the crepe myrtle and purple lilac, transplanting a hosta into a more shady area, mowing the 1 acre of lawn we have here. We went to Wal-Mart and got a "Bruce" plum tree to replace the Methely that died, and in general enjoyed Spring!<br />
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This past week, Sunday and Monday, we were under another tornado watch, with a warning in the next county west. The winds were fierce for two days, but no tornado here. About 2.5 inches of rain, then it turned off cold, 45 for a high, but that has rebounded.<br />
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The citrus trees in Barry's bedroom and the living room are covered with scale, so we decided, reluctantly, to part with them. He picked 4 fruits off one -- sort of like a pomelo, but we're not sure -- then cut them all back to the stump. They are beautiful and comforting in the winter, but they've gotten to the point where we simply can't afford new, larger pots, and more potting soil for them.<br />
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We also had a tomato plant we took in last fall, which was about 6 feet tall, and actually produced 4 or 5 green tomatoes -- maybe they will ripen. He pruned that back too, and when we plant what's left in the garden, we should have tomatoes about a month earlier than otherwise.<br />
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The lettuce, buttercrunch and bibb, are all in, the peas are up, he's had a "mess" of collard greens, the chard is growing well, the horseradish is producing great leaves which he likes for sandwiches, and the rhubarb is up far enough to make a pie tomorrow -- with the frozen strawberries from last year.<br />
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The blueberries are budded and hopefully we'll get a good crop this year. The raspberries look very weird -- cut down to the ground in half the bed, left to grow in the other half. That way, the ones we left should produce summer raspberries, and the others should produce fall raspberries. Last year we were eating them from June until November, and actually had enough to freeze, and to make loads of raspberry jam.<br />
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Now, all the trees are pruned, including "Bruce", and we're awaiting the next round of severe weather coming in this weekend.<br />
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We went up to Frankfort yesterday. Rick's website and phone ads for his law practice had to be submitted to the Kentucky Bar Association, so rather than have him mail the info up to them, we just drove it up. It was a beautiful day, an we enjoyed downtown Frankfort, including the Kentucky Coffee Tree restaurant, rated by Tripadvisor, as the number one restaurant in Frankfort. I've been working on the website since December, and now it's in the hands of the KBA commissioners to tell me what I need to change in order to comply with the 35 pages of advertising rules for lawyers!<br />
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Anyway, it's been a long, but productive day, the kind of day when you lay your head on the pillow, you can say, THERE, I accomplished something!Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-18707815567207902462011-03-10T15:53:00.001-05:002011-03-10T16:44:47.489-05:00Where have I been?Wow, just checked. I haven't blogged since November, wen we got back from Key West. So to get caught up, I've been thinking...<br />
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I've been trying to write about all the wonderful, exciting things happening here with us. But frankly, since we've settled into a routine, there isn't much wonderful, exciting, or even interesting (to others) to write about. Maybe I should just do diary-type entries. Every day or every few days, rather than long, rambling blogs might be easier for me to do. It's not that I don't have the time, it's more that including pictures, and writing a long story is something I really don't want to get involved in most of the time.<br />
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So here goes. Brief run-downs of what's happened since we got back from Key West.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhce_hh7YgxRXJwJCAtxn6irEHsnHCbNKK8HMH2yRImiuzTHda-Zls8dpAOFjaRwbOdk6-eZZuyKNhWcTlIRB8dr1T1bzVujIlg_jiqgFSpspWB70c1c3VgRz23FVoaFgmyPjevJqpm2y0/s1600/Snowball.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhce_hh7YgxRXJwJCAtxn6irEHsnHCbNKK8HMH2yRImiuzTHda-Zls8dpAOFjaRwbOdk6-eZZuyKNhWcTlIRB8dr1T1bzVujIlg_jiqgFSpspWB70c1c3VgRz23FVoaFgmyPjevJqpm2y0/s320/Snowball.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowball or Snowflake?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In early November, we began to be "adopted" by a white cat, probably from next door. For the longest while, we called her "the outside cat" as opposed to Ramses, the "inside cat." She wouldn't come in, even in temperatures in the single degrees, so we rigged a shelter for her, with some hay, and worried. She made it just fine. Now, we have been officially adopted, and she goes in to the vet tomorrow to have her checked out. I guess we ARE hers now. And she now has a name -- "Snowball" or "Snowflake" -- cannot remember from one day to the next, so she's still unofficially "the outside cat" or just "Snow".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1V7-FJXTt8Tb_flzn_HeuuI2taZkvFOs0dD3QJFZqH0UYbTJDk4fyxdzirXUsmxmkW9RJvR9VNcLJRm8dMJfZH3azIE3DRiPFLH09XaOawKxUE9h11wjo9M0uf0jt7hGNwyPw2n-Oio/s1600/IMG_1793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1V7-FJXTt8Tb_flzn_HeuuI2taZkvFOs0dD3QJFZqH0UYbTJDk4fyxdzirXUsmxmkW9RJvR9VNcLJRm8dMJfZH3azIE3DRiPFLH09XaOawKxUE9h11wjo9M0uf0jt7hGNwyPw2n-Oio/s320/IMG_1793.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gannon and Grandpa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In early December, Barry and I drove up to Maine to visit family. The weather was quite good on the way up, and it rained some while there, but the problem was on the way home. Through western Maryland, we ran into snow, and West Virginia, where we really anticipated problems, was actually quite fine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBN75PZQuYmc6GxFCBJ72HXot23mAfULhBmGODnaeskRrBp7y-eHmJQmhYvGCFDFejWB-a_ou_17IS0S1mf_xxPyuMCgBXsPtydCLvyM8tlIY_ZmwmyOhXQymSJnsg-W0ZzNIe97rKOUo/s1600/IMG_1786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBN75PZQuYmc6GxFCBJ72HXot23mAfULhBmGODnaeskRrBp7y-eHmJQmhYvGCFDFejWB-a_ou_17IS0S1mf_xxPyuMCgBXsPtydCLvyM8tlIY_ZmwmyOhXQymSJnsg-W0ZzNIe97rKOUo/s320/IMG_1786.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garnet and Barry</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
While there, I got to see Gannon and Garnet and Maureen, and Barry got to see Karen, Shirley and Bruce, as well as Carol. We also made our pilgrimage to Ming Lee's where we enjoyed the company of Alison and Glen, as well as Brenda. It's too bad Pushpa wasn't feeling well, because we all missed seeing her. But next time...<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTClE-7cFRa4iZMp-K36HnJRqeQEAIkV4BV81aCGxh-CewjbA1aO3WCf4hTTa-ONBwam0z1EgIvdVap1nhbXX1rJeEIQQVN2s3qe-TZNQX0IqUjiCsF9mvRi1dNrlcFege07cY2YOpjrE/s1600/DSCF0404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTClE-7cFRa4iZMp-K36HnJRqeQEAIkV4BV81aCGxh-CewjbA1aO3WCf4hTTa-ONBwam0z1EgIvdVap1nhbXX1rJeEIQQVN2s3qe-TZNQX0IqUjiCsF9mvRi1dNrlcFege07cY2YOpjrE/s320/DSCF0404.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth's and Rick's snowman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Christmas was, as usual, celebrated in Paducah with Rick's family there. Got some great photos of Rick and Elizabeth making a snowman -- a rare sight in Paducah, by the way. It was funny watching people drive by, as though they had never seen a snowman.<br />
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Since Christmas, not much has been happening here, other than the weather. We snow on the ground most days from about December 8 until early February. Now that doesn't seem like much to Mainers, but many old-timers here said it has been the worst winter they remember in a long time. Not only was it snowy, but it was cold. In fact, much of the time, it was warmer in Maine than it was here. So we really didn't do much except watch Kentucky basketball, movies, and a few of our favorite TV shows. Oh, and cook. Yup.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9P8-M0Te0bDoE0DR0orAB6P64XmHRTfLPpkkGtMumfabwv243XzYF_n3Ftq6hk-vjTErvknUExY4X_XDaP9VlDxKEA74EAfa5blU_hwqu88mkpAsMl4OV8va9-iZMQS7NIW7wl5WVaY/s1600/DSCF0461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9P8-M0Te0bDoE0DR0orAB6P64XmHRTfLPpkkGtMumfabwv243XzYF_n3Ftq6hk-vjTErvknUExY4X_XDaP9VlDxKEA74EAfa5blU_hwqu88mkpAsMl4OV8va9-iZMQS7NIW7wl5WVaY/s320/DSCF0461.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farm Show, Louisville</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In February, Barry and I went up to Louisville for fun and games. We went to the largest farm equipment show in the world, stopped to get a dozen hot, fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts, some Nova Scotia lobster ($7 per pound) and some frozen minced clams. It was a fun day, doing some weird things, but satisfying knowing that we can get lobster any time we want right there in Louisville!<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qtoSr_FxNiBgdhohQvLDI-mH6q2L0QViS9hCAoi_roclmckblYChq56KA2jg__e6tCz6TPKrPPOcJBHj9iaqEZNntnez1z0h3W8dclC7yhFj7jzuswKVqEkB97kfetHudoaal27XqYk/s1600/IMG_2191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qtoSr_FxNiBgdhohQvLDI-mH6q2L0QViS9hCAoi_roclmckblYChq56KA2jg__e6tCz6TPKrPPOcJBHj9iaqEZNntnez1z0h3W8dclC7yhFj7jzuswKVqEkB97kfetHudoaal27XqYk/s320/IMG_2191.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barry wants one of these to harvest our corn!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
On one of our few warm days in February, Barry did get out to prune the fruit trees, and to cut back the raspberry canes. He had been waiting anxiously to do that. Now he's waiting anxiously to get the peas planted. Last year he had them in March 1. This year, with the cold and all the rain (and flash floods and tornado watches) they MAY get in this weekend, during what may be our only day of sun in March!<br />
<br />
<br />
Highlights in the kitchen? Barry made home-made English muffins last week. They were easy, quick, and TOTALLY delicious.<br />
<br />
Well, to counter him, I just finished baking some home-made raspberry scones. We'll see how they are once they cool off.<br />
<br />
Back in February, I was the guest speaker at the Boyle County Genealogical Association. My topic was "Turnpike Companies in Boyle County" -- for Mainers who are used to only the ME, NH and MA turnpikes, let's just say that nearly every road in this county was a turnpike. Twenty-nine separate companies in an area about a third the size of Kennebec County, smaller than the Norway-South Paris school district (whatever it's called now). Not many people there, but the talk went over very well, and I've agreed to give it again some other time.<br />
<br />
Other projects I'm working on?<br />
<br />
1. Transcribing the roster of the 12th US Colored Heavy Artillery unit, organized about 12 miles from here.<br />
<br />
2. Transcribing the Census of 1880 for Casey County, just south of here.<br />
<br />
3. Putting my genealogy and Barry's up on Ancestry.com, and continuing to add to both. Mine includes the ancestry of all four of Garnet and Gannon's grandparents, and Barry's actually includes all four of his grand-daughter, Elizabeth's grandparents.<br />
<br />
4. Working on a website for Rick's law firm.<br />
<br />
5. Planning possible trips to Memphis, Nashville, and a week's camping in Maine in August. I had hoped to get to Arizona to visit my Aunt Val, but the cost of heating oil and plowing for my house in Maine has left me with a deficit (so far this year) of over $1000, so there's no money for a major trip like that right now.<br />
<br />
OK, if there's anything else I think of later, I'll write it up in the next blog. I will try to write every day or so, even if it's only just to say the weather and our day-to-day doings.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-3532053906304453872010-11-06T12:54:00.000-04:002010-11-06T12:54:15.818-04:00Key West Trip - October 10-12, Leaving paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC9SjeuIXGrZvjdIksTkwHtS96PDxWYtb_DIJ7ABs7VfXMM3wupVpb03wXQ2tfOm38lJEcGrpAs2d8Q7ChKDG3k0hWjy3p4WpK3s_iEubR0FvuW9yLHYMAZLqCqsr5bjwNVJT2Pnlx0g/s1600/2010-10-10+%282%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC9SjeuIXGrZvjdIksTkwHtS96PDxWYtb_DIJ7ABs7VfXMM3wupVpb03wXQ2tfOm38lJEcGrpAs2d8Q7ChKDG3k0hWjy3p4WpK3s_iEubR0FvuW9yLHYMAZLqCqsr5bjwNVJT2Pnlx0g/s1600/2010-10-10+%282%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> One last shot of our hotel. It was like living in paradise for three days.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7G-PPnc3ASdx3aaqk78Y8mj-VoJjAKe7H_vMqF6Ab6MmkZyJ1CbARQLq2xZpEQTzjZvUW09DeBoAfS-4BgVp9IfXK6BBlIlDMKcKwpH5LPYnAYEnIbef6910SjB4xTCtXnvobkDMGimI/s1600/2010-10-10+%2831%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7G-PPnc3ASdx3aaqk78Y8mj-VoJjAKe7H_vMqF6Ab6MmkZyJ1CbARQLq2xZpEQTzjZvUW09DeBoAfS-4BgVp9IfXK6BBlIlDMKcKwpH5LPYnAYEnIbef6910SjB4xTCtXnvobkDMGimI/s1600/2010-10-10+%2831%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We're back on the mainland now, having taken a side-trip north of Key Largo, through the swamps and bayous to the only building for 20 miles around, Alabama Jack's. A television station in Key West did a story on the five best places to get conch, and this was the second one we tried -- the first was Louie's Backyard. Alabama Jack's is a haven for bikers, and it's a must-stop on the back road from Homestead to Key Largo.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTIeyW-3mpCzo_4JwD5ia-g2SG2U0ytdzm31zu1vGSgaqhvbmBNFqS2bk7mpkpKpgMeFf9eZ-qkRnmQYmBl4QB9Ul1kzkJgVaRMDuaNzZl91K7bzYavnSb0l58HpC_TpBc3tcHCpQEEk/s1600/2010-10-10+%2835%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTIeyW-3mpCzo_4JwD5ia-g2SG2U0ytdzm31zu1vGSgaqhvbmBNFqS2bk7mpkpKpgMeFf9eZ-qkRnmQYmBl4QB9Ul1kzkJgVaRMDuaNzZl91K7bzYavnSb0l58HpC_TpBc3tcHCpQEEk/s1600/2010-10-10+%2835%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> OK, now Barry LOVES conch! We had the fritters here, which are a lot like Maine clam cakes, maybe 6" in diameter, and so sweet and flavorful. Nothing else needed on them. It's too bad that Kroger's doesn't carry conch, or we'd be eating them here at home. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">All in all, we tried mahi-mahi, grouper, yellow snapper, and conch. So now I have three new kinds of fish I like -- and CAN GET! Down here in Kentucky, catfish is what most people call "seafood." </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">By the way, in Cancun in 2005, Barry was offered $10 for the Corona hat by a gal on the ferry to Isla Mujeres!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhp4QoWjrJ0Csr0VvTL_gW6Og9eVQxkp6DEmCJW1yxV9-O0iBknXgMwkvApokOzbmQwKj5YyfWSVBm7_eSi0KAKOsaiSuOD19djBJ7phhCPVkGGyd61Lfm7yAg6bRK2iMDlklLTcYZkcY/s1600/2010-10-10+%2836%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhp4QoWjrJ0Csr0VvTL_gW6Og9eVQxkp6DEmCJW1yxV9-O0iBknXgMwkvApokOzbmQwKj5YyfWSVBm7_eSi0KAKOsaiSuOD19djBJ7phhCPVkGGyd61Lfm7yAg6bRK2iMDlklLTcYZkcY/s1600/2010-10-10+%2836%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> A true roadside "dive" with fantastic food. Where's Guy Fieri when you REALLY need him? Goes to show that the best food isn't always in the fanciest or most expensive restaurants.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifs-CvjXDjeDx4izZFWTkX_VhDtElygS0TzZ6BY6bGNLPvuTICep3HPYvEFdSMrc2p9TNADVaWcFd_NjviaFeSQXiPDK5wGE-U8pm1fmS6a9vcXdU-iTzShBVuh2elKPcc536seH0QEqY/s1600/2010-10-10+%2853%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifs-CvjXDjeDx4izZFWTkX_VhDtElygS0TzZ6BY6bGNLPvuTICep3HPYvEFdSMrc2p9TNADVaWcFd_NjviaFeSQXiPDK5wGE-U8pm1fmS6a9vcXdU-iTzShBVuh2elKPcc536seH0QEqY/s1600/2010-10-10+%2853%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> In our quest to drive as much of US-1 as we could, we took the route through downtown Miami. Hardly any traffic, but of course, it was Saturday afternoon by this time.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRN4h4qg665ACFH9NfBA7vkeppzScXpm3hY_X4bsvGae_zMHyoVDR3U0gGDAkIrTMvR0z6Is_GBNkcK7CoUKS-s1yrq7xOeuWVz4cfBxT6HytD40fo6ESXd8XRUOKnCT8NIHswCqIk210/s1600/2010-10-10+%2866%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRN4h4qg665ACFH9NfBA7vkeppzScXpm3hY_X4bsvGae_zMHyoVDR3U0gGDAkIrTMvR0z6Is_GBNkcK7CoUKS-s1yrq7xOeuWVz4cfBxT6HytD40fo6ESXd8XRUOKnCT8NIHswCqIk210/s1600/2010-10-10+%2866%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> But we also had our sights set on Miami Beach. There it is, over the causeway, with its hotels lining the Atlantic Ocean. The Port of Miami is on the right, and below...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7LQ2utGSPSuvAtmORMZRCJWEy0OG8wfie_JWpD-H6vG4GgOW7ePQCUk6FfYGexMrH0ZDKtnU5VIiB8Gx_iVDHZpOZbhPrnUsEpZIJxgq7GaWhvXYYq8Z9Vr2N0TjYdgpEYWcUwpVXKE/s1600/2010-10-10+%2873%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7LQ2utGSPSuvAtmORMZRCJWEy0OG8wfie_JWpD-H6vG4GgOW7ePQCUk6FfYGexMrH0ZDKtnU5VIiB8Gx_iVDHZpOZbhPrnUsEpZIJxgq7GaWhvXYYq8Z9Vr2N0TjYdgpEYWcUwpVXKE/s1600/2010-10-10+%2873%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Ah, yes, the ubiquitous cruise ships...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8HxbFPCkKCBAq8O_J0yktPCqtJ8wmSqMGB9ieVaJ0sYFmHjETi6QcDNpIuD39Zf6M7-x7_mxpeiOPE0_SihmdhGMQsXDxD1hXFqOv2Ft2iIiwaJ_I3uVDa_2QI9TwEy8Vfgn1ou1aNU/s1600/2010-10-10+%2882%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8HxbFPCkKCBAq8O_J0yktPCqtJ8wmSqMGB9ieVaJ0sYFmHjETi6QcDNpIuD39Zf6M7-x7_mxpeiOPE0_SihmdhGMQsXDxD1hXFqOv2Ft2iIiwaJ_I3uVDa_2QI9TwEy8Vfgn1ou1aNU/s1600/2010-10-10+%2882%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> One of the art deco hotels in Miami Beach. The area prospered in the 1920s, when this style of building was brand new. Rounded corners, pastel colors, round port-hole windows, all are typical of art deco. The area was badly blighted by the 1970s, but a restoration effort has renewed the city.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFpq0a1u72PAx5kiO5n4T1Na4oBwhl9weMjnf9mfNmecEQsqZQtU9N9ZKy3vqIkeaZmdCBP68WAIzz7R_R7XHGyFqkoWh7ZZAQcMUAH6bw37jTx_oxlh5OBbW04xIUEEpONo16BVnBls/s1600/2010-10-10+%2897%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFpq0a1u72PAx5kiO5n4T1Na4oBwhl9weMjnf9mfNmecEQsqZQtU9N9ZKy3vqIkeaZmdCBP68WAIzz7R_R7XHGyFqkoWh7ZZAQcMUAH6bw37jTx_oxlh5OBbW04xIUEEpONo16BVnBls/s640/2010-10-10+%2897%29.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kelly's Landing, Fort Lauderdale. This was my birthday dinner -- Ipswich Fried Clams. By the time this photo was taken, they were mostly gone though!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsgSy9tbN2CtCeLJ6RbnAIni2bIAVzifS2lAeZuE1FYTVFngFbubuJ9C3whgY0feFxocavEE67ZZ63nVUnZtIs27qMb1pnooUD1502txQGL85qwtaWV5DSci_YTfLuVpboldj6giHlgY/s1600/2010-10-11+%284%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsgSy9tbN2CtCeLJ6RbnAIni2bIAVzifS2lAeZuE1FYTVFngFbubuJ9C3whgY0feFxocavEE67ZZ63nVUnZtIs27qMb1pnooUD1502txQGL85qwtaWV5DSci_YTfLuVpboldj6giHlgY/s1600/2010-10-11+%284%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> On Friday, we explored the Fort Lauderdale area. One of our goals was the Hard Rock Café in Hollywood. We had visited the Hard Rock in Key West, and since we drove right by this one, we stopped. Good thing we bought the tee-shirts BEFORE we lost all our money in the casino!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X38ZNq3L6WOyBKXSmigav-Gn1og9fT1SWXsXn1W3exxc2EEou31LgcsA7FucB4s6hnbRBIh__5gZ8UHFylYl4r78cSBnYzvod6faMa-5Yy__sZ8O78JxdSRTJwt3Xz-k0w3HFwdFZxM/s1600/2010-10-11+%2810%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X38ZNq3L6WOyBKXSmigav-Gn1og9fT1SWXsXn1W3exxc2EEou31LgcsA7FucB4s6hnbRBIh__5gZ8UHFylYl4r78cSBnYzvod6faMa-5Yy__sZ8O78JxdSRTJwt3Xz-k0w3HFwdFZxM/s1600/2010-10-11+%2810%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Seminole Nation has bought all the Hard Rock franchises, apparently world-wide!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51vACD4qVofx-EFlZFwOjekxUNCO3DeGRRsJgibBH5YLq6uXupP5dJcYNa8BUiSXkfExtz34QUipZgKuAtD0-o-7p4YeiTAIzbdZmYuXI907XeT-hLpbtStpYC8kmwMRcPxOuQkrutt0/s1600/2010-10-11+%2823%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51vACD4qVofx-EFlZFwOjekxUNCO3DeGRRsJgibBH5YLq6uXupP5dJcYNa8BUiSXkfExtz34QUipZgKuAtD0-o-7p4YeiTAIzbdZmYuXI907XeT-hLpbtStpYC8kmwMRcPxOuQkrutt0/s1600/2010-10-11+%2823%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Homes along a canal in Highland Beach, some of the many beautiful, and obviously expensive, residences in this city north of Fort Lauderdale. Because they're all water-side, one could take the boat about anywhere in the city, all the way down to Miami, probably.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAImfYw98oaAuX2WPJForl6lu-LGjrJ7YVzEkhroahUBpMLTVZcBziI-tpeUh1NnEm7xg1C6MWx4JfcSKGGGjHvV7NzUxnIR6laLVfTGV5iYDbrY4dm7ymmY2xnsbR7cuaBvEPcPO8-nQ/s1600/2010-10-11+%2839%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAImfYw98oaAuX2WPJForl6lu-LGjrJ7YVzEkhroahUBpMLTVZcBziI-tpeUh1NnEm7xg1C6MWx4JfcSKGGGjHvV7NzUxnIR6laLVfTGV5iYDbrY4dm7ymmY2xnsbR7cuaBvEPcPO8-nQ/s1600/2010-10-11+%2839%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Sea turtles nest on the beach from March through October, so the street lights are either turned off, dimmed, or hooded so the light doesn't shine on the beach. This is sort of Florida's answer to Maine's "Moose Crossing" signs.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJZHIMWhizYzn4IoR2XhbAEK1bFWIogDGVki61ReEPK4bdlRscUeVG9ept7pnv59_NBVsA5_J2pefqS19lArgMfqCz2EEB3YiuQiSMgUZ7FyJOwhg4SPEtQKRvBywZp8BxTU0op8V-BA/s1600/2010-10-11+%2856%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJZHIMWhizYzn4IoR2XhbAEK1bFWIogDGVki61ReEPK4bdlRscUeVG9ept7pnv59_NBVsA5_J2pefqS19lArgMfqCz2EEB3YiuQiSMgUZ7FyJOwhg4SPEtQKRvBywZp8BxTU0op8V-BA/s1600/2010-10-11+%2856%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The water was nice, not as warm as Cancun, but definitely comfortable. I could have stayed in for hours.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCn1FiQgg1wf9Y2PWM7rxAn3Z57ktUOC5undKp6zEAoqYqEIrNlYS8uzw-8JXBSWLKez0x89wGCnFblXUg4t3PHsJ65haeqccaoZPaQ2vrVM2mhCxHuuam23f_bwikDppf_cC77BxFQs/s1600/2010-10-12+%281%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCn1FiQgg1wf9Y2PWM7rxAn3Z57ktUOC5undKp6zEAoqYqEIrNlYS8uzw-8JXBSWLKez0x89wGCnFblXUg4t3PHsJ65haeqccaoZPaQ2vrVM2mhCxHuuam23f_bwikDppf_cC77BxFQs/s1600/2010-10-12+%281%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Our last day, and wouldn't you know, the rain and clouds had held off all week. You can see here the hoods on the sea side of the street lights to cut down the light for the nesting turtles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivB8VfDJ2rs-9oJvbE7cnnJTvE2b9ojHb43PdU2rRefvY7m4TBLHCwkb3zqx64UMu4AwdKAhT61wV70DzjE3AKvJL3_MEaFN7Nknt_1Jx-CQn7GJ_TlUYfKq-qLeoxRjKC_weK9dLJRbk/s1600/2010-10-12+%2818%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivB8VfDJ2rs-9oJvbE7cnnJTvE2b9ojHb43PdU2rRefvY7m4TBLHCwkb3zqx64UMu4AwdKAhT61wV70DzjE3AKvJL3_MEaFN7Nknt_1Jx-CQn7GJ_TlUYfKq-qLeoxRjKC_weK9dLJRbk/s1600/2010-10-12+%2818%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Pompano Beach and north, from the air (we're flying right over I-95 here). The marshland along the coast has been dredged, the land filled, and canals made everywhere.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmrG5SvE9UIiX_JcR4mabYn59NDp9HYKAqUYsm2TOXmEy0zQibS-1aexliDXFOGWaxDY1pTgymi64-gkqlVxuvP5faMmqWeSboJlqaVPuZsq8yDAkKti3qFMQxBLnYAuyfvakaWoIWEU/s1600/2010-10-12+%2824%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmrG5SvE9UIiX_JcR4mabYn59NDp9HYKAqUYsm2TOXmEy0zQibS-1aexliDXFOGWaxDY1pTgymi64-gkqlVxuvP5faMmqWeSboJlqaVPuZsq8yDAkKti3qFMQxBLnYAuyfvakaWoIWEU/s1600/2010-10-12+%2824%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Couldn't believe we were so close to Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral, maybe 200 miles north of Fort Lauderdale. I could almost see the place where we go to get our oranges and grapefruit...</div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-19628623363712753542010-11-06T12:04:00.001-04:002010-11-06T13:00:15.662-04:00Key West Trip - October 8, Doing the tourist thing in the Conch Republic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0Syog4N9tbOYWo5ppKfRZbYmhFA6b7XkvpYemqeR4WUnm13Yg_B-VI0etchsMjK2vU4qxN8AWkOWb_yb-FNqTF7E7yqOIBARPY8pZPj-Jee5o6d0zgCyX_eIS4bP61SaxDxUVt7n4xo/s1600/2010-10-08+%284%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0Syog4N9tbOYWo5ppKfRZbYmhFA6b7XkvpYemqeR4WUnm13Yg_B-VI0etchsMjK2vU4qxN8AWkOWb_yb-FNqTF7E7yqOIBARPY8pZPj-Jee5o6d0zgCyX_eIS4bP61SaxDxUVt7n4xo/s1600/2010-10-08+%284%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Breakfast at our hotel. It was about 9 a.m., and the temperature was already in the low 80s. Our room is just over Barry's head in the background.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePIoB71vWqIqGkaWxx0QbdhypisSB4z9fkwKzryYxS3YU1VsZR9hjEeDr07pviNZYeX-g3QV9G0cwjtx8Npjkt8RR4UZX_hzKC9XCmFgZjrVUoof1VZwvzpvamrdhawKZilgQvdRMXqg/s1600/2010-10-08+%286%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePIoB71vWqIqGkaWxx0QbdhypisSB4z9fkwKzryYxS3YU1VsZR9hjEeDr07pviNZYeX-g3QV9G0cwjtx8Npjkt8RR4UZX_hzKC9XCmFgZjrVUoof1VZwvzpvamrdhawKZilgQvdRMXqg/s1600/2010-10-08+%286%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> White tablecloths, a cream pitcher, and a wonderful breakfast await me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHihhBBz9BDg6lkfftiahnfuSOXVasYVcVATHlfuUfO0pNyp4RcXAVfKaddmv6nfUG_A6_B0W0X1WxM95be5NgyF1t-21PcJRrEj-wMe_yKgBiTtId5IgqNCSCPDdfcn134IvQ-jAZIxM/s1600/2010-10-08+%2812%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHihhBBz9BDg6lkfftiahnfuSOXVasYVcVATHlfuUfO0pNyp4RcXAVfKaddmv6nfUG_A6_B0W0X1WxM95be5NgyF1t-21PcJRrEj-wMe_yKgBiTtId5IgqNCSCPDdfcn134IvQ-jAZIxM/s1600/2010-10-08+%2812%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The pool. Cool and refreshing on a day when temps would get into the mid-80s with high humidity.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLkfk6o-QUuo2ncpLYPqZRm1ukf14kWbjtNJdw9W8O-SyWSOhubjvZ0zYofBiYtzZ66nb1Xd56HJno4eS7mtvt983uNqa0dfBHhIWjXX7cg586fvVR0tDLp9Bzh3UwAnDR6T_AVFkWgE/s1600/2010-10-08+%2831%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLkfk6o-QUuo2ncpLYPqZRm1ukf14kWbjtNJdw9W8O-SyWSOhubjvZ0zYofBiYtzZ66nb1Xd56HJno4eS7mtvt983uNqa0dfBHhIWjXX7cg586fvVR0tDLp9Bzh3UwAnDR6T_AVFkWgE/s1600/2010-10-08+%2831%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Southernmost. The most common word in Key West -- well except for "Conch". This is the southernmost house in the US.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCFJmBUHyfVFYMtaQMUwv1GN1ymvTjkcAvvNpouQWWanRXP6mw69YIm_4jijP8G97b8ZCVHAr8xP0fjgcy1KqCe9a3gy0wnMzcsQBixQl_bsi_ViQ1DXhQAvSo1e1DpEMDtNvMtLbdPg/s1600/2010-10-08+%2836%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCFJmBUHyfVFYMtaQMUwv1GN1ymvTjkcAvvNpouQWWanRXP6mw69YIm_4jijP8G97b8ZCVHAr8xP0fjgcy1KqCe9a3gy0wnMzcsQBixQl_bsi_ViQ1DXhQAvSo1e1DpEMDtNvMtLbdPg/s1600/2010-10-08+%2836%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The southernmost point in the US -- actually the navy base off to the right really is, but this is the southernmost point that can be ACCESSED. Cuba is 90 miles from here.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWWxSkMSQkG0XKdqHI-Aa0vs2ylA8-3tuhyLfK2ET1vCeiX6ZzJSPchp1sPFJiojaEuM4pLrGl5Pt1FrkOOFwCdRsja7wVIBtK-CucksKU3ijY3tsY7vWDiCEgNMRfSptmF_Qnksm43Y/s1600/2010-10-08+%2849%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWWxSkMSQkG0XKdqHI-Aa0vs2ylA8-3tuhyLfK2ET1vCeiX6ZzJSPchp1sPFJiojaEuM4pLrGl5Pt1FrkOOFwCdRsja7wVIBtK-CucksKU3ijY3tsY7vWDiCEgNMRfSptmF_Qnksm43Y/s1600/2010-10-08+%2849%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> South Beach. Tennessee Williams wrote here, saying "I work everywhere, but I work best here." We did go swimming, and it was only a short walk from our hotel.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySMB3-qvGEEuTpjaDvQb5B0xh6cCx0RUBi3Zx9DlZ95vusegT41oTJ8pXagUcEjAFEuOa0ShUbOGFqdF8Ow8M7wkXg1VUp5FhtfZN2s2egN3B0jDV6W4zu9rX5IiGYikQM0R6Zu0ZGCs/s1600/2010-10-08+%2851%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySMB3-qvGEEuTpjaDvQb5B0xh6cCx0RUBi3Zx9DlZ95vusegT41oTJ8pXagUcEjAFEuOa0ShUbOGFqdF8Ow8M7wkXg1VUp5FhtfZN2s2egN3B0jDV6W4zu9rX5IiGYikQM0R6Zu0ZGCs/s1600/2010-10-08+%2851%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> South Beach.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQq7e2BgGbH7irhSwGzsTedBonzAJX8EyFaSwnW_-2Il1T-_VdFusIHNNV6aklVnMlsJxmELrkYgz7sJh5ahPPWyabOQC2snDvoM5TcgN_OjiaEvxxDGoFwqaHHiGdBkQ_q1HXZOCpYD0/s1600/2010-10-08+%2858%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQq7e2BgGbH7irhSwGzsTedBonzAJX8EyFaSwnW_-2Il1T-_VdFusIHNNV6aklVnMlsJxmELrkYgz7sJh5ahPPWyabOQC2snDvoM5TcgN_OjiaEvxxDGoFwqaHHiGdBkQ_q1HXZOCpYD0/s1600/2010-10-08+%2858%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The view from the end of the pier at South Beach. Cuba is out there somewhere.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2O21FUlDR4PVmLd93QTOZrUfIDQ747itOLxDhXxwCf5x0gJP74S5MD11ymyXA0n-6Aylg_5ZA8FALcV3KLGyHIt0d6XXQ15a0s8Wve03Mx-rs6hw9xwzeFPUCsttj9ZVVPPW_pSAesMc/s1600/2010-10-08+%28102%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2O21FUlDR4PVmLd93QTOZrUfIDQ747itOLxDhXxwCf5x0gJP74S5MD11ymyXA0n-6Aylg_5ZA8FALcV3KLGyHIt0d6XXQ15a0s8Wve03Mx-rs6hw9xwzeFPUCsttj9ZVVPPW_pSAesMc/s1600/2010-10-08+%28102%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> After going back to the hotel and showering the salt water off, we walked around Key West. Must have done 10 miles. Our first stop was Louie's Backyard, where we tried the conch fritters. We'd had some bad ones a few years ago in Melbourne, so I really wanted to try them again. Barry pronounced them delicious!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgXi3CTsM7Y4phDNUuadzhXMD4yKN5dSB7rlh25LQBi8QtG3cwfeU7ffoYCNVnNSNaWw63Y5ajqbQne3OvE_8dqHG3bQkxCuGkDqtDj64xvrBuW2oC2P5FvTknD7l_BPURbuciysMgM0/s1600/2010-10-08+%28106%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgXi3CTsM7Y4phDNUuadzhXMD4yKN5dSB7rlh25LQBi8QtG3cwfeU7ffoYCNVnNSNaWw63Y5ajqbQne3OvE_8dqHG3bQkxCuGkDqtDj64xvrBuW2oC2P5FvTknD7l_BPURbuciysMgM0/s1600/2010-10-08+%28106%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Mosquito Board?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOWqDkzNjYyhP_tVz1xTxE4vH0hmzc6MkbVFUFyeqB0Ra_Ltzldv-w7203-ka_90SW8uiQliuKknh5-XhlVj6aZkmRTUPOfdodlUO00H_KzPmkfoSBR6qhvbWbZfzzPN3o-cDbrW0yyk/s1600/2010-10-08+%28107%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOWqDkzNjYyhP_tVz1xTxE4vH0hmzc6MkbVFUFyeqB0Ra_Ltzldv-w7203-ka_90SW8uiQliuKknh5-XhlVj6aZkmRTUPOfdodlUO00H_KzPmkfoSBR6qhvbWbZfzzPN3o-cDbrW0yyk/s1600/2010-10-08+%28107%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Bougainvillea shrubs (nearly trees) are everywhere, and they were still in full bloom.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAz2shBtO4Ybq8TSBT1mMSdei6Z4uKSKDqsdcm7YKJf7Rof_WxwccS97fjnjAu4ZfTQvpVLeYyci1go06MwdKwWhqVkhQ24WlRtQ-LOPV_uwBdquw7cpPYYxowokZ-kEqCT3lLMl9IZGs/s1600/2010-10-08+%28115%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAz2shBtO4Ybq8TSBT1mMSdei6Z4uKSKDqsdcm7YKJf7Rof_WxwccS97fjnjAu4ZfTQvpVLeYyci1go06MwdKwWhqVkhQ24WlRtQ-LOPV_uwBdquw7cpPYYxowokZ-kEqCT3lLMl9IZGs/s1600/2010-10-08+%28115%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The highlight of the day -- and probably one of the highlights of the whole trip. <br />
Ernest Hemingway lived here from 1929 to 1939.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dRzK31ie0uvnOHU3-5x7LrjZmZ3ajivnq7LED5fxMZE7Z0b_Pa1mCuOctbOl0RuyEy4IojKXXOqRKKcLXkRvnkVSLRXDsfWpnmjXD61JG4UzAFrIHMgqdojNXFOOhUUiLHdTsAB96ZU/s1600/2010-10-08+%28132%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5dRzK31ie0uvnOHU3-5x7LrjZmZ3ajivnq7LED5fxMZE7Z0b_Pa1mCuOctbOl0RuyEy4IojKXXOqRKKcLXkRvnkVSLRXDsfWpnmjXD61JG4UzAFrIHMgqdojNXFOOhUUiLHdTsAB96ZU/s1600/2010-10-08+%28132%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Hemingway's bedroom, with Archibald MacLeish in his usual place of repose. All the cats here are named, and well-cared for. Most are descendants of Hemingway's original "polydactyl" cats.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7e7USx5gNuGDoeNxQJ2__5kDayYL6mwTXpNAlKC45YZZVpSoJKDf-eP4UnDATZwqmetuyQIk8xOHHfXQY3etAGLtwM0UcCZkCwKIzgrohiYsnYvUUXSKNpn94L7BEuDIVswC0bjegbM/s1600/2010-10-08+%28139%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7e7USx5gNuGDoeNxQJ2__5kDayYL6mwTXpNAlKC45YZZVpSoJKDf-eP4UnDATZwqmetuyQIk8xOHHfXQY3etAGLtwM0UcCZkCwKIzgrohiYsnYvUUXSKNpn94L7BEuDIVswC0bjegbM/s1600/2010-10-08+%28139%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Wish I could remember this one's name. He has 6 toes on the front and 5 on the back; most cats have 5 and 4. Count them on your cat(s) -- if you can get them still enough.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgbeAUCGtOtHzeHRUCQ6Kj69Bk1j8CaJdi9LYegWEBwcY822m_sXSMVmfQIaqKgHqwWKHHFEi31mQWJ_ZpLid4VAphnMPlDOZpqf3ziX1toDK99DWTvfRpQHQzR1_P7rQA9pQC-tG8jc/s1600/2010-10-08+%28143%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgbeAUCGtOtHzeHRUCQ6Kj69Bk1j8CaJdi9LYegWEBwcY822m_sXSMVmfQIaqKgHqwWKHHFEi31mQWJ_ZpLid4VAphnMPlDOZpqf3ziX1toDK99DWTvfRpQHQzR1_P7rQA9pQC-tG8jc/s1600/2010-10-08+%28143%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Hemingway's studio. It's in a separate building, originally a carriage house, and was once connected to the main house by a skywalk. One wonders exactly what Hemingway wrote on that typewriter.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1lvaQjInGSvzbJjD1KeWnKMp7UKVqA8jw7VgtZUchXElIRsdOUu5LOKDocrwAanU_zjPRuso9LU75eEejyvM2MXVPg3TUdJ936vf3OF5LpoMRZLZr3KNkZpK_mBpGdjiNOgaoBb-XePM/s1600/2010-10-08+%28146%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1lvaQjInGSvzbJjD1KeWnKMp7UKVqA8jw7VgtZUchXElIRsdOUu5LOKDocrwAanU_zjPRuso9LU75eEejyvM2MXVPg3TUdJ936vf3OF5LpoMRZLZr3KNkZpK_mBpGdjiNOgaoBb-XePM/s1600/2010-10-08+%28146%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> OK, the urinal story. Hemingway brought one home from Sloppy Joe's and put it in the garden for the cat's drinking fountain. His second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer, was NOT going to have a bar urinal in her garden, so she camouflaged it with a huge Greek olive jar and had the water run out of that into the urinal. The cats often will drink the water running down the side of the jar instead. We purchased a print of Archibald MacLeish drinking from the side of the jar.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKghZSr70cO0XYO-nm7kf9qH1NDnVYVioseZDLWwVxD4CXy_Zlx3yI8f27ky1STBHaKYhYUSy9MIpnnGSj6m57hH0fdUBte2Bn7dPLiRkyOLPoAQ944OBR4h-itTIaNyUYtJiKtOb06U/s1600/2010-10-08+%28151%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKghZSr70cO0XYO-nm7kf9qH1NDnVYVioseZDLWwVxD4CXy_Zlx3yI8f27ky1STBHaKYhYUSy9MIpnnGSj6m57hH0fdUBte2Bn7dPLiRkyOLPoAQ944OBR4h-itTIaNyUYtJiKtOb06U/s1600/2010-10-08+%28151%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Pauline had a salt-water swimming pool installed, the first pool on the island. Even though she paid for it with her own money (much more than Hemingway had), he said she was spending his last penny on it. He threw a penny up in the air, and Pauline had it encased on the ground just where it landed.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnptnGOT1Ao7JsCzQcExfayc6ece4_fe6DZRPxPq4cQqZHYMs6zF1_DRXXdJ433m-9-Z9hpvK5SkwJm5D9WYALR8874x_W9TqB9bPwMa6UK59Dy_NZBrcfozkHFDOu9301vgYdjCtw2s/s1600/2010-10-08+%28153%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnptnGOT1Ao7JsCzQcExfayc6ece4_fe6DZRPxPq4cQqZHYMs6zF1_DRXXdJ433m-9-Z9hpvK5SkwJm5D9WYALR8874x_W9TqB9bPwMa6UK59Dy_NZBrcfozkHFDOu9301vgYdjCtw2s/s1600/2010-10-08+%28153%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Hemingway's studio. The ground floor is now a gift shop. The pool is seen to the left.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfEqtN9yD8YKPqMECiZcPWqFSeJxBnZ6FGgB4-h92UGorSAwdt3y9C8LoFxBly4OjzhLdDtaeqNe1y9OB7eiqk4O6J13cA2SXHPzqhxFRaPZIk5gYr2c1kNSLsAMkF_fHAHPXbksIe-I/s1600/2010-10-08+%28159%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfEqtN9yD8YKPqMECiZcPWqFSeJxBnZ6FGgB4-h92UGorSAwdt3y9C8LoFxBly4OjzhLdDtaeqNe1y9OB7eiqk4O6J13cA2SXHPzqhxFRaPZIk5gYr2c1kNSLsAMkF_fHAHPXbksIe-I/s1600/2010-10-08+%28159%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Just a reminder how close everything in Key West is to the ocean, this is the view of the Key West lighthouse from the balcony outside Hemingway's bedroom.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWj8teR3pTNIOCAtZ39FzG3Deg2UyVaDYxOvJvc8uYSpcgRF2cWuv2pjWj5coi4ymp0IOW8aAkT700h0cIwQzMSZxqn9a3Z40kUOhubrv2ir615UgwVeFWPj2B4roOa80eG12DMKgiNc/s1600/2010-10-08+%28161%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWj8teR3pTNIOCAtZ39FzG3Deg2UyVaDYxOvJvc8uYSpcgRF2cWuv2pjWj5coi4ymp0IOW8aAkT700h0cIwQzMSZxqn9a3Z40kUOhubrv2ir615UgwVeFWPj2B4roOa80eG12DMKgiNc/s1600/2010-10-08+%28161%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> One of the more famous photos of the author.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJMUvUJ46YHxAl9wWWjTDn68EAr-3LelY2VIOe9kduUraVd7N0vN8T-VzcL_plyZHmMHX6y_X5s13P5HdFb-WdiQuRjKaM3jd3JbBKAuK5rVOHjRrU5-uhyphenhyphenEcdREaZv-PfZO5w7HDvvM/s1600/2010-10-08+%28164%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJMUvUJ46YHxAl9wWWjTDn68EAr-3LelY2VIOe9kduUraVd7N0vN8T-VzcL_plyZHmMHX6y_X5s13P5HdFb-WdiQuRjKaM3jd3JbBKAuK5rVOHjRrU5-uhyphenhyphenEcdREaZv-PfZO5w7HDvvM/s1600/2010-10-08+%28164%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The front entrance. Every window is floor-length, and was opened to catch the ever-present breeze.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hAoVabCOE2in0R13Ljytfct0tf1kj-1DmCe3znJOJyCuzLQFXG4L7DrLy29prBfiiv9vP2OACuOB_DWuqt24HB5zLJ1KuD7OLKGgge2LV-KGrG3-IorF4ctb7wdv66xYrEqyIxkhRI0/s1600/2010-10-09+%282%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hAoVabCOE2in0R13Ljytfct0tf1kj-1DmCe3znJOJyCuzLQFXG4L7DrLy29prBfiiv9vP2OACuOB_DWuqt24HB5zLJ1KuD7OLKGgge2LV-KGrG3-IorF4ctb7wdv66xYrEqyIxkhRI0/s1600/2010-10-09+%282%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nothing to do with the Hemingway house here. Roosters, chickens and chicks wander freely around Key West.</div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-81325877280483189212010-11-06T11:05:00.001-04:002010-11-06T12:57:45.300-04:00Key West Trip - October 7, We head for Key West<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The second in the series -- Heading for Key West.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexBN_fNJqi-7DYkWuDrpXa0KKcnCho75z_PzUpgA-olJCus019-GGzk6nRD5AR4e0olOJu4ICcfQZV2LpiijB_tJKHp-JFTnKhyphenhyphen6Rktc7XvSIM4xzN6EJRtuQKh4hqmfz6eA7ptQXVSM/s1600/2010-10-07+%2816%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexBN_fNJqi-7DYkWuDrpXa0KKcnCho75z_PzUpgA-olJCus019-GGzk6nRD5AR4e0olOJu4ICcfQZV2LpiijB_tJKHp-JFTnKhyphenhyphen6Rktc7XvSIM4xzN6EJRtuQKh4hqmfz6eA7ptQXVSM/s1600/2010-10-07+%2816%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">We left Ft. Lauderdale and headed south on I-95. And just south of Miami, we reached the southern end.Our next goal was to get to the southern end of US-1.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0EWEI0ek2UXX1-dt3OeRRlo3i8HR13OqqktB-SurEMZDL9g8mlklzUQjessw6NkUA4ILXws7vtQCPAMpgMnDyAA3PghLmkSbqx9G0A6VbeGEL9IRiQEAf4BXH5uO9dtaz9u7xpofW4E/s1600/2010-10-07+%2854%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0EWEI0ek2UXX1-dt3OeRRlo3i8HR13OqqktB-SurEMZDL9g8mlklzUQjessw6NkUA4ILXws7vtQCPAMpgMnDyAA3PghLmkSbqx9G0A6VbeGEL9IRiQEAf4BXH5uO9dtaz9u7xpofW4E/s1600/2010-10-07+%2854%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Seven-Mile Bridge. Over open (but not very deep) water. The original railroad bridge (1912) is seen on the right. When a hurricane destroyed the railroad in 1937, it was rebuilt as a highway, but has now been replaced by the one we're on here.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3Y234VzrT6vypySWTfNo3FhrJGjLSvBpX40lRqx6irqVtUzNSWGJ52wiJofafTezNm1RX2Iq0insTQkHl-687PWdLB6nhoxsrdtmo7_p0lnYnuDSReW6HzjnQblapbFm1nKNeBh8fDM/s1600/2010-10-07+%2835%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3Y234VzrT6vypySWTfNo3FhrJGjLSvBpX40lRqx6irqVtUzNSWGJ52wiJofafTezNm1RX2Iq0insTQkHl-687PWdLB6nhoxsrdtmo7_p0lnYnuDSReW6HzjnQblapbFm1nKNeBh8fDM/s1600/2010-10-07+%2835%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3Y234VzrT6vypySWTfNo3FhrJGjLSvBpX40lRqx6irqVtUzNSWGJ52wiJofafTezNm1RX2Iq0insTQkHl-687PWdLB6nhoxsrdtmo7_p0lnYnuDSReW6HzjnQblapbFm1nKNeBh8fDM/s1600/2010-10-07+%2835%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Key West city limits! We made it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8ok-iqiTw6yG3Cps864iYC0JdEoFy8R9owr2K69Afe5gNzbCLg2-Xbqhe3s6tORqEWdjpcfDUq8HLN1B-z7_8_jhnGDp6P5r7xSvC0ewid6mmFQv7FEVtjRjQmkvrJd-4NOn_laz-jI/s1600/2010-10-07+%2864%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8ok-iqiTw6yG3Cps864iYC0JdEoFy8R9owr2K69Afe5gNzbCLg2-Xbqhe3s6tORqEWdjpcfDUq8HLN1B-z7_8_jhnGDp6P5r7xSvC0ewid6mmFQv7FEVtjRjQmkvrJd-4NOn_laz-jI/s1600/2010-10-07+%2864%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Here's where US-1 goes west then south; Fl-A1A (which runs along the ocean through much of Florida, heads east and south.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZqBSgqL1FG3ZL2B0mKLP7xTCFV2q8XQLt6Wa9JFY2rdjsAmy7BELyrqzkcWDYm_k3JA638KEQGaG0uq8MjQTo2m4RNsYK7bXXjN3Myubcxil1rGDWsZ-ivf5xjOKjLIMG__Fs5vt9tQ/s1600/2010-10-07+%2869%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZqBSgqL1FG3ZL2B0mKLP7xTCFV2q8XQLt6Wa9JFY2rdjsAmy7BELyrqzkcWDYm_k3JA638KEQGaG0uq8MjQTo2m4RNsYK7bXXjN3Myubcxil1rGDWsZ-ivf5xjOKjLIMG__Fs5vt9tQ/s1600/2010-10-07+%2869%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Duval Street -- where all the night life is in Key West -- crossing US-1.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNSUTwSjL9N1ae01Drc4pBhEh0BDPQl-XX0zOznp-CUXjwtXQATeRdgp80QTa_XWfbEczUEfOr9p8erO75_RfjDvNChfHkXaqEK6wknGm22DCjKapjpyA5LhkkJ1GN1ufrxYHf_GPUlU/s1600/2010-10-07+%2872%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNSUTwSjL9N1ae01Drc4pBhEh0BDPQl-XX0zOznp-CUXjwtXQATeRdgp80QTa_XWfbEczUEfOr9p8erO75_RfjDvNChfHkXaqEK6wknGm22DCjKapjpyA5LhkkJ1GN1ufrxYHf_GPUlU/s1600/2010-10-07+%2872%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Mile marker "0", the southern end of US-1. I've always wanted to drive US-1 from Fort Kent, Maine to Key West, FL. Well at least, I HAVE driven it to Key West.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9vYkWtEqgSwt5qw6yH2n7IThC0nGsx3SNwTPgwRK1Pyb15tfQnyHsJAe74VnEsm6nB9K1nxfqd3CaKsNAFTjWIrVuz6ea-7nBbKz6wPvGLG-_2pEysdEgtPzBV0A4HyoBqAcos5foPs/s1600/2010-10-07+%2875%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9vYkWtEqgSwt5qw6yH2n7IThC0nGsx3SNwTPgwRK1Pyb15tfQnyHsJAe74VnEsm6nB9K1nxfqd3CaKsNAFTjWIrVuz6ea-7nBbKz6wPvGLG-_2pEysdEgtPzBV0A4HyoBqAcos5foPs/s1600/2010-10-07+%2875%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The pool area at our hotel. It was like being in a lush tropical garden -- probably because it WAS a lush tropical garden.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTayzbNfM8ZkX7557EstXIC5h374tnxaPijf1_l15Gjr4KzqTnk92JPd5axIeAqkK7l1N56HQAG6DOIQ9yBQNidx_cNbRRUyWMBDhEvBvhpI5pdMckqqPkjiPDLyG_uqKEuixnFuYF_Rw/s1600/2010-10-07+%2877%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTayzbNfM8ZkX7557EstXIC5h374tnxaPijf1_l15Gjr4KzqTnk92JPd5axIeAqkK7l1N56HQAG6DOIQ9yBQNidx_cNbRRUyWMBDhEvBvhpI5pdMckqqPkjiPDLyG_uqKEuixnFuYF_Rw/s1600/2010-10-07+%2877%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> One of our first stops, Margaritaville. This was the first place where I tried mahi-mahi, which is also known as Florida dolphin, a VERY ugly fish; of course no one would EAT a dolphin (love ya, Flipper), so calling it mahi-mahi assuages the guilt, apparently.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGW5GA9OmPK8rCFiVSVLBsU-btLq8QueDjKzCoN2xX3hDbALI_VgR6JZxgkXngWRJ4rpfzmHfMjYUFLWAeQ6tQtZ91LezEF_o7vj7iC9qPGZI_8g4p2hYYUzCO2wH4XIoC3Zc98m1a8S4/s1600/2010-10-07+%2879%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGW5GA9OmPK8rCFiVSVLBsU-btLq8QueDjKzCoN2xX3hDbALI_VgR6JZxgkXngWRJ4rpfzmHfMjYUFLWAeQ6tQtZ91LezEF_o7vj7iC9qPGZI_8g4p2hYYUzCO2wH4XIoC3Zc98m1a8S4/s1600/2010-10-07+%2879%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The original Sloppy Joe's Bar. Ernest Hemingway practically lived here from about 1929 to 1939. Story goes that when the rent was raised about 1937, Joe ripped out all the urinals and threw them into the street. Hemingway told Joe he had spent enough on beer there to have bought one of the urinals, so he took one and brought it home. We'll see where it is now in one of the future posts.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2cZercEpDGjt9ZwWpNWCTzpq9soiqCqL0sBBvPTboxXDMrxTt5qV61BgwjVXcuvkUYMR1dIv1mexXp1OK8o3woDO8VdI0IvEd_xOTPgVODtAvcHbz47qG0z9c9faz770pGthT8EKi2s/s1600/2010-10-07+%2880%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2cZercEpDGjt9ZwWpNWCTzpq9soiqCqL0sBBvPTboxXDMrxTt5qV61BgwjVXcuvkUYMR1dIv1mexXp1OK8o3woDO8VdI0IvEd_xOTPgVODtAvcHbz47qG0z9c9faz770pGthT8EKi2s/s1600/2010-10-07+%2880%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The "new" Sloppy Joe's Bar. After the urinal incident, Joe moved here, to the next block. So did Hemingway.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_5SoKD1r7AgJwps2LB-6HLU-SmfAdh6kB-LZ94tBVrPlXOECiPCvVU3ZOwzRgbA6Nt7d6adWqwUWoOjkk98I0LGpP-oI_NHPy3DxY9IdsuzpeQhVBjTCvNHdwfuJ4nbj5F2Fz94Ho88/s1600/2010-10-07+%2885%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_5SoKD1r7AgJwps2LB-6HLU-SmfAdh6kB-LZ94tBVrPlXOECiPCvVU3ZOwzRgbA6Nt7d6adWqwUWoOjkk98I0LGpP-oI_NHPy3DxY9IdsuzpeQhVBjTCvNHdwfuJ4nbj5F2Fz94Ho88/s1600/2010-10-07+%2885%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Mallory Square. We'll watch the sunset here along with a huge crowd of merry-makers, in a carnival atmosphere. It's a daily occurrence and has been for 19 years. Watching the sunset, of course, not actually the sunset -- that's been going on for longer than 19 years.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT0Rd9fD-jLApk5L8dxRiWPKQpGmEv0gPaWf6XbKKb47WwJOaqvrmNVaPYViW9HmcqM5rM3YsG59Mw2DOxDrC8fr5mDgTo6UlLu2RR3BtZGRYBIX967L3hamfYHW0I_HkA5sC5Z8Zsbw/s1600/2010-10-07+%28101%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT0Rd9fD-jLApk5L8dxRiWPKQpGmEv0gPaWf6XbKKb47WwJOaqvrmNVaPYViW9HmcqM5rM3YsG59Mw2DOxDrC8fr5mDgTo6UlLu2RR3BtZGRYBIX967L3hamfYHW0I_HkA5sC5Z8Zsbw/s1600/2010-10-07+%28101%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Luxury yacht, tied up at Mallory Square. This is so big, it has another boat INSIDE the stern that most people would die to own!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5X2l6iUSSm7jm08HkCK3hxcp7H2otju_ny_KhgBj_Z3Xx_okrmHA2bkb9W4R_40eefjBSyCnv8RtoZM2pQYnUx_CHA3PP-Y4jR4SKdc2uvstAM-9GGRmzXoHlBEK9VXYtU9Q_eFzetA/s1600/2010-10-07+%28114%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5X2l6iUSSm7jm08HkCK3hxcp7H2otju_ny_KhgBj_Z3Xx_okrmHA2bkb9W4R_40eefjBSyCnv8RtoZM2pQYnUx_CHA3PP-Y4jR4SKdc2uvstAM-9GGRmzXoHlBEK9VXYtU9Q_eFzetA/s1600/2010-10-07+%28114%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Stopped in here for a beer. What a laid-back atmosphere, an such a cool name.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPwN9qdOnshA9Y0weSSsLAlG1aQnxBUaGTEBQ1MbGe89MJYUg8RCH5Z2lsXkT3sdd-pnUzc6o361WDmB9LHNpikt2MQToG3jUtBsDsj9wQJ6udkrRByTryBzE1SZ7TBJuB4WTARhKtqw/s1600/2010-10-07+%28124%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPwN9qdOnshA9Y0weSSsLAlG1aQnxBUaGTEBQ1MbGe89MJYUg8RCH5Z2lsXkT3sdd-pnUzc6o361WDmB9LHNpikt2MQToG3jUtBsDsj9wQJ6udkrRByTryBzE1SZ7TBJuB4WTARhKtqw/s1600/2010-10-07+%28124%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Schooner near sunset, Key West.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigySLNODWg8g29EZXeWpW4msZkHaAeDwu-9UCibsrlpUAisAXTXBAOwJJhYFOz2iqsMM4btZMvUj9-IXq-AlKQShY5WVGO42FC_wqMOBBvBD1QxMfxLavLLwwxFsAnMXBden9nwHiHGl4/s1600/2010-10-07+%28143%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigySLNODWg8g29EZXeWpW4msZkHaAeDwu-9UCibsrlpUAisAXTXBAOwJJhYFOz2iqsMM4btZMvUj9-IXq-AlKQShY5WVGO42FC_wqMOBBvBD1QxMfxLavLLwwxFsAnMXBden9nwHiHGl4/s1600/2010-10-07+%28143%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Almost down, split by a bank of clouds.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvGsrZG5ddzIICF37nzmJUWgl5sVLjgIRvHWtilnY4aJIGUmufns3b4gHPUBY3Z2v9iQiVMPShhPYSusKgrIXL1Rg0sXLZNWpJuLJA7XBdwcVkii8YuhOJApy_OciqjmlQRta98RS4eA/s1600/2010-10-07+%28155%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvGsrZG5ddzIICF37nzmJUWgl5sVLjgIRvHWtilnY4aJIGUmufns3b4gHPUBY3Z2v9iQiVMPShhPYSusKgrIXL1Rg0sXLZNWpJuLJA7XBdwcVkii8YuhOJApy_OciqjmlQRta98RS4eA/s1600/2010-10-07+%28155%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Gone, but the afterglow is still there. Like a good piece of Key Lime Pie.</div><div style="text-align: center;">From here it was off to dinner, and looking forward to really doing the tourist thing tomorrow.</div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-4549630881550064642010-11-06T10:37:00.001-04:002010-11-06T12:55:03.907-04:00Key West Trip - October 6, We leave for Ft Lauderdale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the first in a series of posts on our recent (well, a month ago now) vacation to Fort Lauderdale and Key West.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0p2LwzwYrj3AufDfWYbvRbooFTM5YjSbKvhL69vWv22CHwDn47YtVI0K2q12FioVMYKZoslTHpHHalXhSPa7r6-_TbD-wePhYAXo03HFWvJUDDjVnxPtbvz_7KAmma2WmxUJ7Y3tfpo/s1600/2010-10-06+%2819%29.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Our hotel in Fort Lauderdale, an older model, badly in need of upgrades, but practically ON the beach!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgMakv7tqnrBgYYaobC2tDsNTFnU7A8poWzyMvYvZoNxVMInRWKDnvh1-1ielC5FTPQKdaCkpKDAj5Wg_qStYTObfmGo1Ols3WnRP7x4bT-nKi6-kis38wpWx3yzVQEx53U1FQTlU-9k/s1600/2010-10-06+%2822%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgMakv7tqnrBgYYaobC2tDsNTFnU7A8poWzyMvYvZoNxVMInRWKDnvh1-1ielC5FTPQKdaCkpKDAj5Wg_qStYTObfmGo1Ols3WnRP7x4bT-nKi6-kis38wpWx3yzVQEx53U1FQTlU-9k/s1600/2010-10-06+%2822%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Fort Lauderdale Beach, looking north toward Pompano Beach; water was rough due to a hurricane offshore, and the wind actually whipped the sand into our faces!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8QDl-7gQOmsszy2hV1pVgVSvsaLmcI-gqEcGxD115he6mPmDrUHnCaNztfaAgcVSSYjiTKgO69ia82lH0cM7JoLP2uurOA3vHlMe6g_GLDkxhZHcBh-E-GfrETwOb-SsTuCKWcR_SwE/s1600/2010-10-06+%2836%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8QDl-7gQOmsszy2hV1pVgVSvsaLmcI-gqEcGxD115he6mPmDrUHnCaNztfaAgcVSSYjiTKgO69ia82lH0cM7JoLP2uurOA3vHlMe6g_GLDkxhZHcBh-E-GfrETwOb-SsTuCKWcR_SwE/s1600/2010-10-06+%2836%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Fort Lauderdale Beach, looking south; Miami is only about 25 miles from here.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvSDg7d_tLBWjB9KOZPmGGToxnKJ5riD6VoFLd-4WN6uexZdfkySTeGr9LLjO4ytQn-DOTEHqHZK8lGo4Nz-xH2lYdEY8W-vpIu-OXye1rq60zM_eaj3GHUvIkJ15Kf3ODT_C9T_ruwo/s1600/2010-10-06+%2839%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvSDg7d_tLBWjB9KOZPmGGToxnKJ5riD6VoFLd-4WN6uexZdfkySTeGr9LLjO4ytQn-DOTEHqHZK8lGo4Nz-xH2lYdEY8W-vpIu-OXye1rq60zM_eaj3GHUvIkJ15Kf3ODT_C9T_ruwo/s1600/2010-10-06+%2839%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> A sea grape. We have one in our dining room (seed came from Sebastian State Park about 150 miles north of Ft. Lauderdale. These trees grow to maybe 30 feet, and the grapes ARE edible, and make good jams and jellies. Now if our "Sebastian" would only grow this big, we'd need to add an open second floor to the house!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W5T8s6SeO_KpiqiVRzaAcYJaVb6K83MA_gdrzGwXftf0kr8sWU9uEiw1QbETZgOokIxeEyAWx5XZYZJY5SjViEGdgRtJZkNDbV7l6oEYsP0nNY7ekCPL2W2sRTBipSoI7uycoeHhEB8/s1600/2010-10-06+%2844%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W5T8s6SeO_KpiqiVRzaAcYJaVb6K83MA_gdrzGwXftf0kr8sWU9uEiw1QbETZgOokIxeEyAWx5XZYZJY5SjViEGdgRtJZkNDbV7l6oEYsP0nNY7ekCPL2W2sRTBipSoI7uycoeHhEB8/s1600/2010-10-06+%2844%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Marina in Ft. Lauderdale. It's called the "Venice of North America" and with all the canals, one can see why.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYKA6Kw_CWPA-AEIKMta7qNf3JGy7HEeBbBt5pYSIX3XTrETrH20l4rJigIKjgPQ1rziMe0BKYiJ1g14UMJTgaulD2kjkvWnqgklaJlobXT_bV06fuKk9xXg4vNkQooE8A_h_U6xJgTY/s1600/2010-10-06+%2848%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYKA6Kw_CWPA-AEIKMta7qNf3JGy7HEeBbBt5pYSIX3XTrETrH20l4rJigIKjgPQ1rziMe0BKYiJ1g14UMJTgaulD2kjkvWnqgklaJlobXT_bV06fuKk9xXg4vNkQooE8A_h_U6xJgTY/s1600/2010-10-06+%2848%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> See the boat? See the tourist?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNsMkqWOj87YivfH09miIoDi9dXkq9h0Sq1pg1_0HoSkMhi3ENjHc8O_G5A6bcklSxnzfUMyO8n-ImDLU6GZY1U7AZv1nQ0hEFZwPPop0Srys-P48kzLocHAScCHRyMGdT7Oy7r1RZeM/s1600/2010-10-06+%2853%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNsMkqWOj87YivfH09miIoDi9dXkq9h0Sq1pg1_0HoSkMhi3ENjHc8O_G5A6bcklSxnzfUMyO8n-ImDLU6GZY1U7AZv1nQ0hEFZwPPop0Srys-P48kzLocHAScCHRyMGdT7Oy7r1RZeM/s1600/2010-10-06+%2853%29.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Can you find Barry? We didn't eat here -- but we did next door, at Kelly's Landing -- little canal-side restaurant run by a guy from South Boston, MA. He flies in the clams and lobster from New England 2-3 times a week. I don't have a photo of the meals but I'll say the Ipswich Fried Clams were THE BEST -- even better than anything I ever had in Maine! We would head back to Kelly's for my birthday -- look for pics under Oct. 10.</div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-22770245847531162782010-10-04T17:03:00.000-04:002010-10-04T17:03:28.679-04:00More random liberal political thoughts -- and latest news, too.For our last major trip of the year (probably until Spring), we're headed out to Fort Lauderdale and Key West on Wednesday morning -- thank you, Delta Sky Miles for nearly free tickets. Plus it's off-season, so motel rates are great. One in Fort Lauderdale is $53 a night (WONDERFUL reviews on "TripAdvisor", our travel "Bible"), and it's 269 FEET to the beach. Water temps are about 80, and the seafood is already making both of us hungry! <br />
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In Key West, the place we're staying is $100 a night, but in September it was over $200, way, way out of our price range -- remember, we're not just poor, we're CHEAP and poor! Well, maybe just CHEAP! Even got a coupon for a free breakfast at Denny's on my birthday -- the morning we leave -- and Denny's is 2 blocks from our motel.<br />
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So, it's off to drive to the southern end of I-95, and US-1, sunset at Mallory Square, Hemingway's house with the polydactyl cats, maybe some swimming in the warm, tropical water, and just relaxing and eating great SEAFOOD(I want to try grouper, had pompano in Nashville and loved it) and home-made KEY LIME PIE!!<br />
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So we're off Wednesday! Pics when we return!<br />
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====================================================<br />
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OK, if you're anti-liberal OR closed-minded, you may not want to read the rest of this post. It basically credits liberals with many positive aspects of our every-day life -- and it IS historically accurate as far as I can tell. This is NOT my attempt to criticize conservatives -- most of them are good, hard-working Americans -- but rather an attempt to point out that not everything with the tag, "Liberal" is bad, either, as some conservative pundits would have people believe. <br />
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With so many people who are angry at those liberal, communist, statist, socialists for stealing away "their" country, I had to share this commentary. Please note that this originally read "Joe Republican", but with the change in outlook of the main parties, this isn't accurate today.<br />
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I have to wonder what those who hate liberals, and everything liberals have done, with a passion, would choose to give up on this list. Also note, in the past many of those "liberals" WERE Republicans, notably Teddy Roosevelt, who would be hounded and shouted out of the GOP nowadays as a "RINO."<br />
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Back a hundred years ago, both major parties contained both liberals and conservatives; then about 1964 with Goldwater, the Republican party began its shift to the right, furthered by Reagan and Gingrich (Bush isn't a conservative, TRUE conservatives say), which continues today. There is NO room in the GOP now for anyone who is to the left of Atilla the Hun. The Democratic Party, however, is still populated with both liberals and conservatives (at least here in the South), and that's a good thing to my mind.<br />
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There IS another side to this "big government" debate. There ARE wasteful government programs (some heralded by GOP members of Congress because their districts benefit); there ARE more people on welfare than there should be (and yes, some of them are Republicah); there ARE crooks and connivers in government (Democrats seem to be more crooked, Republicans seem to be more immoral), there IS more "soft money", untrackable, going into politics today (latest figures show 5-1 for Republicans). But does anyone actually BELIEVE that the "other party" is going to be any different?<br />
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================================================= <br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Day in the Life of Joe Conservative</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <br />
Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water to prepare his morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some <b>tree-hugging liberal</b> fought for minimum water-quality standards. With his first swallow of water, he takes his daily medication. His medications are safe to take because some <b>stupid commie liberal</b> fought to ensure their safety and that they work as advertised.<br />
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All but $10 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some <b>liberal union workers</b> fought their employers for paid medical insurance -- now Joe gets it, too -- EVEN IF he lives in a "right-to-work" state where he gets union benefits without paying union dues.<br />
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He prepares his morning breakfast: bacon and eggs. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some <b>girlie-man liberal</b> fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.<br />
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In the morning shower, Joe reaches for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient and its amount in the total contents because some <b>crybaby liberal</b> fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.<br />
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Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some <b>environmentalist wacko liberal</b> fought for the laws to stop industries from polluting our air.<br />
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He walks on the government-provided sidewalk to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some <b>fancy-pants liberal</b> fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.<br />
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Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some <b>lazy liberal union members</b> fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union.<br />
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If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed, he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment checks because some <b>stupid liberal</b> didn't think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.<br />
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It is noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some <b>godless liberal</b> wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression.<br />
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Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his below-market federal student loan because some <b>elitist liberal</b> decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime. Joe also forgets that in addition to his federally subsidized student loans, he attended a state funded university.<br />
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Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some <b>America-hating liberal</b> fought for car safety standards to go along with the taxpayer funded roads.<br />
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He arrives at his boyhood home. His was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans.<br />
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The house didn't have electricity until some <b>big-government liberal</b> stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.<br />
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He is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some <b>wine-drinking, cheese-eating liberal</b> made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.<br />
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Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that the beloved conservatives have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Joe agrees: "We don't need those big-government liberals ruining our lives! After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have." </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">==============================================</div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-73463346211154121512010-09-10T10:28:00.002-04:002010-09-10T10:28:59.593-04:00Wouldn't it be nice if ...To those who think that anything the "government" does is bad...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wouldn't it be nice if ...</span></div><br />
People were paid a fair wage and treated fairly by their employers? Then we wouldn't need unions.<br />
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All babies were born, wanted? Then we wouldn't need state agencies to take care of them after they are born.<br />
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All children were read to every day, and came to school prepared to learn? Then teachers wouldn't have to play catch-up.<br />
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People realized that there is more to life than making money? Then the arts would thrive.<br />
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People picked up after themselves. Then we wouldn't need sanitation departments in our cities.<br />
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Restaurants, hotels, and other places of public accommodation served all people equally, regardless of race, religion, ethnic background, disability, orientation? Then we wouldn't need civil rights laws.<br />
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Food processors only produced healthy safe food? Then we wouldn't need the FDA.<br />
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Businesses earned a fair profit, and paid executives what they were truly worth? Then we wouldn't need financial regulations.<br />
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Countries respected each other? Then we wouldn't have war.<br />
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People respected the property of others? Then we wouldn't need laws against trespassing and theft.<br />
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People settled their differences with words and agreements, instead of guns? Then we wouldn't need criminal courts.<br />
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People took responsibility for their own actions, instead of blaming and suing others? Then we wouldn't need civil courts.<br />
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Pay were commensurate with the importance of the job? Then football players wouldn't be paid much more than teachers or doctors.<br />
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Everyone gave of themselves or their wealth to support those less fortunate? Then we wouldn't need welfare.<br />
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Able-bodied welfare recipients sought or got work? Then we wouldn't need welfare.<br />
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Politicians said "I'll try" or "I'll do my best" instead of promising things they (and we) know can't be kept? Then maybe more people would contribute to their campaigns, and we wouldn't need government-funded campaigns.<br />
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People simply agreed to disagree? Then we wouldn't have hate, name-calling, character assassination.<br />
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Government used every single tax dollar wisely, and didn't tax one penny more than necessary? Then we wouldn't need Republicans. <br />
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People accepted that the religious or political beliefs of others are just as valid as their own ... but everyone knows the other side is made up of fools or idiots and is going to Hell.<br />
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All people worked to the best of their ability, and only asked for fair wages and benefits? Then we wouldn't ... oh wait, that would be Communism and we can't have that.<br />
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Unfortunately, the world isn't nice, it isn't fair, it isn't all sunshine and roses. <br />
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If all the above things were true, then most Democrats would have nothing to campaign on, most Republicans wouldn't have anything to criticize, and Libertarians would have their Nirvana.<br />
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Until then, I'll continue to be a social liberal, as many Democrats are, and I will not apologize for wanting to live in a better world, even IF it means (Heaven forbid!) actually having a government that "promotes the general welfare" instead of pandering to the wishes of special interest groups, and I'm willing to pay reasonable taxes (not wasting that money though) to support those ideas in which I believe.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-31093074930946627602010-09-03T20:59:00.001-04:002010-09-03T21:11:05.927-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><u><b>Tuesday, August 31.</b></u> We drove up to Cincinnati, only about 90 minutes away, and checked into the motel. It was a real bargain, good price, nice room, nice pool, and best of all, within walking distance of our main goals -- the <a href="http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/nl/GreatAmericanBallpark.htm">Great American Ballpark</a> in Cincinnati, home of the National League Central Division leaders, and the <a href="http://www.hofbrauhausnewport.com/">Hofbrauhaus</a> in Newport, KY.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxIU8f5sDr0IbVHqzMY61iqDoJ-tkUGqsECvw3kHqDwXk_vLXpVPUeGsxlYVmvrok20lXqPRpKsgel1tdcM6tCIyyw_Mwr7tZHiCM5erMpCGT73hJ5_3hIcdIsuBvxBRWzXv6YoHrnKk/s1600/IMG_0633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxIU8f5sDr0IbVHqzMY61iqDoJ-tkUGqsECvw3kHqDwXk_vLXpVPUeGsxlYVmvrok20lXqPRpKsgel1tdcM6tCIyyw_Mwr7tZHiCM5erMpCGT73hJ5_3hIcdIsuBvxBRWzXv6YoHrnKk/s400/IMG_0633.JPG" width="400" /></a>After checking in, we walked over to the Hofbrauhaus to use a $3.00 coupon to sample five of their beers -- our choice. From left to right they are, Oktoberfest, Hefe Weizen, Dunkel, Premium Lager, and Light. My favorite was the Oktoberfest; Barry's was the Hefe Weizen, with a slight hint of cloves. It's served in parts of Germany with a slice of orange, but NOT in Bavaria! I tried to alphabetize the beers, but our server said we needed to taste them from left to right. She was SO right. For me, it got better and better as I moved from one to the other.<br />
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We came back later for lunch -- ordered the Weiner Schnitzel and a beer, now that we knew what kind(s) we liked. Nice lunch, food not outstanding, but good. <br />
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After the Hofbrauhaus, we decided to walk over to Ohio. There's an old railroad bridge, now called the <a href="http://www.purplepeoplebridge.com/">Purple People bridge</a>, which now is a pedestrian walkway over to Ohio. So we walked over.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcdStHBjZh_16uLk5n7prLm-iIrZGRqdAU9ja8619bDda_8wKwbqzU_Js0FfjsWBF0vjXIiA27S8Kc7g-aJgkdYas-cx0lLqlQgPcLtFteprjFnTngh4spgV3tFzO0pso0c9IXrtnQqw/s1600/IMG_0653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcdStHBjZh_16uLk5n7prLm-iIrZGRqdAU9ja8619bDda_8wKwbqzU_Js0FfjsWBF0vjXIiA27S8Kc7g-aJgkdYas-cx0lLqlQgPcLtFteprjFnTngh4spgV3tFzO0pso0c9IXrtnQqw/s400/IMG_0653.JPG" width="400" /></a>At the Ohio end of the Purple People bridge is a park, with a statue of Cincinnatus. Cincinnatus was a Roman citizen who, when the Roman Republic was at war, put down his plow, led a Roman army to victory, then came back to his farm. He didn't want honor, glory, money -- he just did it because it was the right thing to do for his country -- civic virtue, it's called. During the American Revolution, the Society of the Cincinnati (plural for Cincinnatus) was formed, made up of many famous names who emulated Cincinnatus's civic virtue. One of the members was George Washington, and when Fort Washington was settled (in what is now downtown Cincinnati), the settlement was named for this society -- Cincinnati. We then headed for the US Bank Arena, the Great American Ballpark, then back over the US Route 27 bridge to Newport, and back to our motel. HOT! SWEATY! UNPLEASANT, but good exercise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwmUEMaP_iC_zygCCimTYJp13evaHGA185htMviWRg55FPd1cQUcObncWxeCMZsqD9Jn11kY2hOhMSNAtHGmTuBXQ5GkqLDADxU5iq-O3pGITCoc5K1dlJXDjZXowNm9lJR8K_WC46cU/s1600/IMG_0770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwmUEMaP_iC_zygCCimTYJp13evaHGA185htMviWRg55FPd1cQUcObncWxeCMZsqD9Jn11kY2hOhMSNAtHGmTuBXQ5GkqLDADxU5iq-O3pGITCoc5K1dlJXDjZXowNm9lJR8K_WC46cU/s400/IMG_0770.JPG" width="400" /></a>Later that evening, we again walked to Ohio, to the Great American Ballpark to see the <a href="http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=cin"><b style="color: red;">Cincinnati Reds</b></a> play the Milwaukee Brewers. We had seats about midway back from the Reds dugout on the third-base line, and it looked just perfect. Unfortunately, they were aisle seats, and I missed probably half the hits for both teams because people were walking in front of me, and the vendors seemed to be coming through about every 4 seconds.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDLWmS5MVJvDjxxb5KSjDalp4HywrkQtNxxRdW9laE7uNtl5uHLHqWl4clzFeNcEOoF7Qf-0tEGP4OLohHsoS7lk8azUF7kx-_30_JQnHBiQyCNhsg8CYdx1M3UTXM4epwIzzIgMpH4E/s1600/MVI_0747_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDLWmS5MVJvDjxxb5KSjDalp4HywrkQtNxxRdW9laE7uNtl5uHLHqWl4clzFeNcEOoF7Qf-0tEGP4OLohHsoS7lk8azUF7kx-_30_JQnHBiQyCNhsg8CYdx1M3UTXM4epwIzzIgMpH4E/s400/MVI_0747_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWfxP1N6U96i083z53sFG93LB8GJy0tDtee5KzKWCOI8ExFSuxS-n9u70WnU0a-BABz6ELJna3TEcGJvPF_tWTwKZYALReCElovrEIgqDCiSwZ5IS_yMEaed5aiXan-3gWroI1GMaa24/s1600/IMG_0784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWfxP1N6U96i083z53sFG93LB8GJy0tDtee5KzKWCOI8ExFSuxS-n9u70WnU0a-BABz6ELJna3TEcGJvPF_tWTwKZYALReCElovrEIgqDCiSwZ5IS_yMEaed5aiXan-3gWroI1GMaa24/s320/IMG_0784.JPG" /></a>Anyway, this guy came up and sat in front of us (not his seat), talking with a friend, and while this was going on, Barry called his sister, Carol, telling her that we were FINALLY at the Great American, the field we drove past when Carol visited Kentucky back in June. He mentioned how long it had been since either of us had seen a major league game, and that he had never seen the home team score a home run. Well, the guy in front turned around, we started talking with him and before we knew it, he said he had seats in Row F, right behind the Reds dugout, and that we were welcome to take those for the remainder of the game! An incredible act of kindness to total strangers -- wish I had a way to thank him again. So at the beginning of the 7th Inning, we moved down front. WOW! We could touch the dugout! Also, the Reds had a new pitcher, Aroldis Chapman, "The Cuban Rocket" pitching over 100 mph. We got to see his major league debut, and if you look closely in this photo, the gray streak going through the third-baseman's head is the ball jaunting away at about 103 MPH! The Reds won the game, and with St Louis losing, were now 7 games in the lead for the National League Central Division! Wednesday, they increased that lead to 8 games, as they beat the Brewers again, and St Louis lost to the Astros once more. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ytVcYvbPN6ITIpLX49s3sNXiW5prXtQxaneHFPchu_ThvYsipEenwboYhQvaVHKzq8fF6sU_a3RYy7piTQELKcjw4BGzLRzfreXo6H4fOVoRhqqIBVw_iB6W95m5EX17x8_u1gZsdis/s1600/IMG_0777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ytVcYvbPN6ITIpLX49s3sNXiW5prXtQxaneHFPchu_ThvYsipEenwboYhQvaVHKzq8fF6sU_a3RYy7piTQELKcjw4BGzLRzfreXo6H4fOVoRhqqIBVw_iB6W95m5EX17x8_u1gZsdis/s400/IMG_0777.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After the game, we joined thousands of fans leaving the stadium, many of whom walked back over the US 27 bridge to Kentucky.<br />
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<u><b>Wednesday, Sep 1:</b></u> Today was the day for "<a href="http://www.newportonthelevee.com/">Newport-on-the-Levee</a>." and a shuttle tour of Cincinnati, OH and Covington, KY. We <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYhIg8knrfFCg_CJkhcjFrNckJAdwNBEV6sIextp9otNZ9IUHlw9GIRrrYxMKX9BmFGbJJksL4rR7BMQzwuo2u10yOsast_Vq2YuREU9ktFgj2i33GhhVM_2F12J5torJs_EtGgLghSg/s1600/IMG_0814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYhIg8knrfFCg_CJkhcjFrNckJAdwNBEV6sIextp9otNZ9IUHlw9GIRrrYxMKX9BmFGbJJksL4rR7BMQzwuo2u10yOsast_Vq2YuREU9ktFgj2i33GhhVM_2F12J5torJs_EtGgLghSg/s320/IMG_0814.JPG" /></a></div>just lolly-gagged around Newport. Went back to the Hofbrauhaus for lunch and ordered the Bierwurst, a sausage made from beef and pork. It was OK, but the casing was very tough and chewy. The Oktoberfest beer I ordered was great, though, as was Barry's Hefe Weizen. We then moseyed over to Newport on the Levee. This is an interesting place. In the 1950s, before Las Vegas became the gambling capital (and maybe the organized crime capital) of the US, Newport, Kentucky, was "sin city." There were practically more houses of ill repute than there were churches, more casinos than schools. Crime was rampant, and the likes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin got the start of their organized crime reputations in good old Newport.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtGjWld4Fdqt6pT55eEC9fgwnk6atRJTirO86T0PzTO2gKc9SmCXd92mCpzUzd3Y9JjKalu74lz4p-SmwxSS13_eVyNqIZBpuhPNrJI7v1UE-DFGFFOf45z1cSVNcEwlL3BTsCAbvp0A/s1600/IMG_0818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtGjWld4Fdqt6pT55eEC9fgwnk6atRJTirO86T0PzTO2gKc9SmCXd92mCpzUzd3Y9JjKalu74lz4p-SmwxSS13_eVyNqIZBpuhPNrJI7v1UE-DFGFFOf45z1cSVNcEwlL3BTsCAbvp0A/s400/IMG_0818.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl2nXOp2tnb3cEybZjAopcK3XyyQwImwLZnUZQyUPXe4vzXS-gpSey_eFowkSnZoMeV5ZlsiBQiEr5jLRYYwVxeedRv2KBJgKcNutNwACXWpIoSI0p0xJdP5zQotkmsHDBBQBh5fFPZE/s1600/IMG_0817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl2nXOp2tnb3cEybZjAopcK3XyyQwImwLZnUZQyUPXe4vzXS-gpSey_eFowkSnZoMeV5ZlsiBQiEr5jLRYYwVxeedRv2KBJgKcNutNwACXWpIoSI0p0xJdP5zQotkmsHDBBQBh5fFPZE/s400/IMG_0817.JPG" width="400" /></a>Well, by the 1980s, after property values plummeted, and the sleaze factor increased (if that was possible), Newport decided to re-invent itself. The slums along the riverfront were cleaned up, and the area was reborn as "<a href="http://www.newportonthelevee.com/">Newport-on-the-Levee</a>." For those who don't know, a "levee" is a large dirt banking designed to prevent a river from flooding nearby land. Well, why have this perfectly good levee going unused except in times of flooding? Newport built a shopping mall right ON the levee. Today it's one of the premier attractions of the Cincinnati area. It has stores, restaurants, bars, theaters, and the <a href="http://www.newportaquarium.com/">Newport Aquarium</a> to entice tourists. The view at night is spectacular, particularly during warm weather, with music coming out of several bars, Irish music in particular, the night we were there. Not being really interested in the aquarium this visit (maybe next time), we chose not to go into the Aquarium, but we DID sample Bar Louie's food, Saxby's coffee, and Cold Stone Creamery ice cream!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9C_m3XsO3uiSBA2Bet1IrnZDfpNMaS24zF6E0qImf4UZYEnyui7M04E7v42RanpIgjKvQsd1LyPBg7ulAO_r-AWI3yhuSvKbm3UE2VRpQo9V8U2N7hzlnMSWZorjfTfYg-VS6Q5RG49Y/s1600/IMG_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9C_m3XsO3uiSBA2Bet1IrnZDfpNMaS24zF6E0qImf4UZYEnyui7M04E7v42RanpIgjKvQsd1LyPBg7ulAO_r-AWI3yhuSvKbm3UE2VRpQo9V8U2N7hzlnMSWZorjfTfYg-VS6Q5RG49Y/s320/IMG_0819.JPG" /></a></div><b><u>Thursday, 2 September:</u></b> Got up, got a picture of the levee overlooking the Ohio River. The grassy area is the levee, the cement and white opening allow vehicles to access the Ohio River. There is a gate in the white opening which can be closed during times of flooding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEECdTTt653RLQkIi6ij3RbAOHQ9CSO2eg71aN1DH-zu_lFd2x8eYaBUZGFq-qcX1KAUS3_v2BGoB2QfMoKLfFmyUGZdV2ip5EG5va0pIHDAO5d0m2h1FbSI-7bhaxhXCE2HzafcN031c/s1600/IMG_0834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEECdTTt653RLQkIi6ij3RbAOHQ9CSO2eg71aN1DH-zu_lFd2x8eYaBUZGFq-qcX1KAUS3_v2BGoB2QfMoKLfFmyUGZdV2ip5EG5va0pIHDAO5d0m2h1FbSI-7bhaxhXCE2HzafcN031c/s400/IMG_0834.JPG" width="400" /></a>Leaving Cincinnati, and taking the long way home. We took I-75/71 south out of Cincinnati, then followed I-71 as it went southwest toward Louisville. Our goal was US-127 at Sparta, KY, the location of the <a href="http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com/">Kentucky Speedway</a>. Now neither of us is a NASCAR fan, but I'm SO glad we came this way. The Speedway is located in a county about half the size of Sagadahoc in Maine, and apparently it's THE only source of income for the county. They have seating for 66,000, and hundreds of RV spaces. Next year, July 9, a major NASCAR race will be coming there, and plans are to expand the Speedway to well over 100,000 seats -- every one of which can see the entire race! The photo is of a poster, so we can see the entire speedway, but this only shows maybe 20% of the grounds. Parking for cars and RVs extends WAY out!<br />
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We stayed on US-127 all the way through Frankfort, and back to Danville, where the cat was (yawn!) sort of waiting for us, in a way. Guess he wasn't too upset about our leaving him; after all, he had food, water, air-conditioning, a recliner, three beds, and two toilets. What more does a cat need?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl2nXOp2tnb3cEybZjAopcK3XyyQwImwLZnUZQyUPXe4vzXS-gpSey_eFowkSnZoMeV5ZlsiBQiEr5jLRYYwVxeedRv2KBJgKcNutNwACXWpIoSI0p0xJdP5zQotkmsHDBBQBh5fFPZE/s1600/IMG_0817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-50225830084404278382010-08-09T20:35:00.001-04:002010-08-09T20:38:14.797-04:00Off to Nashville for a great weekendKathy has been working in Nashville for two years. Her husband, Kenn, and I have been best friends since 1958 and he is retired, spending about half his time in Nashville, while keeping the home place in Westfield, MA going. Kathy is ending her job in Nashville, and moving back next weekend, so this would be our last time to see K&K while they are in the South. We went down on Aug 6, came back Aug 8, and had a great weekend with them, and touring Nashville, as well as spending time in the city by ourselves.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZ7HNniAZGqeKZVdsr0oXgnRGdYfYBaVYLVpfce-1oY9_bMxWTsb0LWItVQ3wJA0LKvScs5A9FJuHz8WIq2Fg1ns5G8D6gbqiHyuk5OuDvH1YXX0LNViw2GYmwQHwNlmlecp4UTnVp78/s1600/Nashville-Parthenon+%2814%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZ7HNniAZGqeKZVdsr0oXgnRGdYfYBaVYLVpfce-1oY9_bMxWTsb0LWItVQ3wJA0LKvScs5A9FJuHz8WIq2Fg1ns5G8D6gbqiHyuk5OuDvH1YXX0LNViw2GYmwQHwNlmlecp4UTnVp78/s640/Nashville-Parthenon+%2814%29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>On Friday, Kathy was working, so Kenn took us downtown to Centennial Park, where there is an exact, full-sized replica of the Parthenon in Athens. Nashville is known as the "Athens of the South", so it's appropriate. We toured the building and its enclosed art museum, noting they had, among others, a Winslow Homer there (y'all can take the boy out of Maine, but y'all can't take Maine out of the boy)!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycRj5OhGnB76RfLdVeZ9uMCUoWqJpAHW2CAbNj_fPgSYyOxaWlUnUUBskCAexGx0oso6BJOuULPusWolJwTpZGz04F0g7bq-gouH4MLzIEvVIf2vvJX1wWoNHJVgtdbxikpfDy6PFPB4/s1600/Nashville-Parthenon+%282%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycRj5OhGnB76RfLdVeZ9uMCUoWqJpAHW2CAbNj_fPgSYyOxaWlUnUUBskCAexGx0oso6BJOuULPusWolJwTpZGz04F0g7bq-gouH4MLzIEvVIf2vvJX1wWoNHJVgtdbxikpfDy6PFPB4/s640/Nashville-Parthenon+%282%29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqlTqdzPnKtOq6Ja64JilLy6gK-AnESCtXL9ap8vMB8wuhkC5C9hD9WYtPBtQravWIWZcpPlxnqQAJdpXZSSXghJcb4rVnyzTxTd2dNk-6USMj_4BHAXV54psRAuC9MQJSwJS09cHjJU/s1600/Nashville-Parthenon+%2813%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqlTqdzPnKtOq6Ja64JilLy6gK-AnESCtXL9ap8vMB8wuhkC5C9hD9WYtPBtQravWIWZcpPlxnqQAJdpXZSSXghJcb4rVnyzTxTd2dNk-6USMj_4BHAXV54psRAuC9MQJSwJS09cHjJU/s640/Nashville-Parthenon+%2813%29.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwW1S8XHqe3cUx3sjHtpqNaZNTEMcwzwxh7LY2_I81EMdjjZB8DN-OYmUf7AGY0wvdIa_C_VjMhVFQ_17NRxLoV2cYyyw0KtID8ni5s4jjNVXNI_jr3hFlagQRj3wurMW3r82CYeNYRzI/s1600/Nashville-Parthenon+%285%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwW1S8XHqe3cUx3sjHtpqNaZNTEMcwzwxh7LY2_I81EMdjjZB8DN-OYmUf7AGY0wvdIa_C_VjMhVFQ_17NRxLoV2cYyyw0KtID8ni5s4jjNVXNI_jr3hFlagQRj3wurMW3r82CYeNYRzI/s640/Nashville-Parthenon+%285%29.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Then we did a driving tour of the southern suburbs of Nashville, the "ritzy" neighborhood, and past homes of many country music stars. Such beautiful homes, and such woodland preserved only a few miles from downtown Nashville, a city of nearly 500,000 people.<br />
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We picked Kathy up at work, then went out for dinner at a little hole-in-the-wall place called "<a href="http://www.theyellowporch.com/">The Yellow Porch</a>." It was one of the best meals I've ever had. I ordered the pompano, a southern whitefish, which was sweet, tender, flaky, and mild. Never had it before, but I hope I can have it again.<br />
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After dinner, we went back to their apartment, and headed for bed. The next day was going to be a touristy one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5Ly8jrV8t1-vuYfDBP7LZh6_EmtFOnI5vmfLl57rg21qC0OhKdBSB0vw-XgvywRtP6b5QURkQpZ9n7JxcbQjp8aiur4Zm5ROIR7-HWI4dGoVl4WqkLrJ30d0MKNTJTYPX-rCqraRbfs/s1600/Nashville+%2852%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5Ly8jrV8t1-vuYfDBP7LZh6_EmtFOnI5vmfLl57rg21qC0OhKdBSB0vw-XgvywRtP6b5QURkQpZ9n7JxcbQjp8aiur4Zm5ROIR7-HWI4dGoVl4WqkLrJ30d0MKNTJTYPX-rCqraRbfs/s640/Nashville+%2852%29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>On Saturday, we went into town, drove in by the Franklin Pike, lined on both sides with multi-million dollar homes. We parked in Bicentennial Park and walked around before it got really hot. In the floods of May, this whole area was under water, and even in August, repairs are still being made.<br />
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They took us to <a href="http://www.bigrivergrille.com/">Big River Grill and Brewing Works</a> for lunch, which was very good, reasonable prices, and substantial quantity. Whoa, seems all we do when we travel is EAT! Well, YEAH~!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7TKg8z4EVaRbjwSOO9qy6Ry2aGLRRk7IHIhwGRAUUNSOv3TXqkEz3Kr3Fqy8Q1R4wr4JOubJosG6XUhdegbyzV5qTbTLpPPAx2XZx40Tx5eLZdR1KyeFSGmRbHFE-l-zisu6EMAvv50/s1600/Nashville+%2832%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7TKg8z4EVaRbjwSOO9qy6Ry2aGLRRk7IHIhwGRAUUNSOv3TXqkEz3Kr3Fqy8Q1R4wr4JOubJosG6XUhdegbyzV5qTbTLpPPAx2XZx40Tx5eLZdR1KyeFSGmRbHFE-l-zisu6EMAvv50/s400/Nashville+%2832%29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEdPQ2Ewv4mB8LLU98Lpw1gyZGKFXAz-HszsvCLnv2r0LWea0DTmizXcST9Os2OYjbfRiS6W3pa7WKxfJasKQAL0lTHEP028dOxEwuO-V_gHzLcgLCpAqJyn_3NKCzwcvelIADkTzFqQ0/s1600/Nashville+%2836%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEdPQ2Ewv4mB8LLU98Lpw1gyZGKFXAz-HszsvCLnv2r0LWea0DTmizXcST9Os2OYjbfRiS6W3pa7WKxfJasKQAL0lTHEP028dOxEwuO-V_gHzLcgLCpAqJyn_3NKCzwcvelIADkTzFqQ0/s400/Nashville+%2836%29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After lunch, we said our good-byes, and began wandering all over downtown Nashville. We'd been there before, in 2004 I think, but this time, after having Kenn take us around town, we felt we had a better feel of where things were. We wandered down by the Cumberland River, looked over LP Field, home of the football Tennessee Titans, then up along First Street, turned left, and left again down Second Street, and browsed the touristy shops. Then it was right on Broadway, which has more bars and music clubs than anyplace else on earth!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNp3FUghHYyxkZGPIFjEhlUdm1wjDiRFUpp-maLuLmITFhvqgkHh3wKDzHhyJjwU0DoFzz3Kh-dUwswUAR51lz7Enn7juWzT4lSYnIVV8Kt_lequ_fZ42gPWlKd11nWzgvWU0ofNST5Y/s1600/Nashville+%2811%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNp3FUghHYyxkZGPIFjEhlUdm1wjDiRFUpp-maLuLmITFhvqgkHh3wKDzHhyJjwU0DoFzz3Kh-dUwswUAR51lz7Enn7juWzT4lSYnIVV8Kt_lequ_fZ42gPWlKd11nWzgvWU0ofNST5Y/s640/Nashville+%2811%29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We wandered into a couple of them, and actually had a beer or two, before heading for Legends Corner, THE country singer's launch pad, so to speak. Nearly everyone who is famous in any form of country music got a start here, or sang here. I've never heard so many good voices as I did this weekend. The Stage on Broadway was another great country bar. In some bars, the music is just too loud for my aging ears, but Legends and The Stage were just fine.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NFOEBMWaTL7jWi1vhrltJi1-YQHWifTlk-dk1BfjlDGjCvJxxaPsJEDFfwWTu5ovjq0FrxUtnEKG1zU9U4A2fusrVDISuI3ZjfVR88efFgZ0gEmduVvPfYihdenMtrVcAkjPQxynW2k/s1600/Nashville+%282%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NFOEBMWaTL7jWi1vhrltJi1-YQHWifTlk-dk1BfjlDGjCvJxxaPsJEDFfwWTu5ovjq0FrxUtnEKG1zU9U4A2fusrVDISuI3ZjfVR88efFgZ0gEmduVvPfYihdenMtrVcAkjPQxynW2k/s640/Nashville+%282%29.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We passed the Ryman Auditorium, original home of the Grand Ole Opry, and still a hopping musical venue. We passed by right as a Kris Kristofferson concert was ending. Too bad we didn't have tickets though. <br />
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After being sure we were able to drive, we headed out of town to our motel, about 5 miles north. We checked in, relaxed awhile, then headed back into town to OUR favorite restaurant -- <a href="http://www.demosrestaurants.com/">Demo's</a>. It's rated #4 of all the 785 restaurants in Nashville.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xvd4cEbwjLRy9E3nzioqEakDBMzv2jQDleQoAkFFKtgnC_dp2HTQOyZaLKzFvFnCXpPieGXDVvp0LWkXmE6QaN_yQXuX8AMgvKNzMJNxyoKXOOYnJdJrO-AjKsNMVaYiUZwCd7BhWYA/s1600/Nashville+%288%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xvd4cEbwjLRy9E3nzioqEakDBMzv2jQDleQoAkFFKtgnC_dp2HTQOyZaLKzFvFnCXpPieGXDVvp0LWkXmE6QaN_yQXuX8AMgvKNzMJNxyoKXOOYnJdJrO-AjKsNMVaYiUZwCd7BhWYA/s400/Nashville+%288%29.jpg" width="400" /></a>While waiting, we stopped at the bar for a drink. The bartender was a delight, and we could have spent all evening just talking with her. But alas, our table was ready, so off we went to enjoy some of the best steaks in Nashville. Erin, our server, was also a delight, friendly, attentive, yet unobtrusive. I ordered the Kansas City Strip Steak, and Barry ordered the huge Ribeye. Neither of us were disappointed -- as with the last time we were in Demos.<br />
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After dinner, we wandered around Broadway some more, stopped into a few more country venues, and in general had a great time. The high temps of the day had moderated, and it was just comfortably warm this evening. We went back to the motel, having enjoyed Nashville to the fullest, considering the time we had there.<br />
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And to realize it's only about 3 hours away, about from Waterville to Boston. We WILL go back.<br />
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After we go to Cincinnati.<br />
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And Key West.<br />
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And ???Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-16471122345934285552010-07-28T10:18:00.000-04:002010-07-28T10:18:54.811-04:00Summer happeningsFirst, the trip to Maine in June to see my new grand-daughter, Garnet Catherine Patrick. Beautiful little one, she is. We got to see about everyone we wanted to see while there.<br />
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Next, the trip back to Kentucky with Barry's sister, Carol. On the way down, we passed through Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and into Kentucky. While she was here, we drove her all over the state in 90 degree heat and humidity -- from Lexington and Louisville to Lake Cumberland to Paducah, as well as side-trips into Indiana, Tennessee and Illinois!<br />
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Then, Rick, Laura and Elizabeth joined us over the 4th to see the wonderful fireworks display at Millennium Park in Danville.<br />
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Next, it's down to Nashville in early August to visit my best friend from junior high and high school for a weekend.<br />
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Then, in October, we're headed south to Key West. Last year, we drove as far south as one can drive in Louisiana (Venice, LA, near the infamous BP "spill"). This year it's going as far south as one can drive on US Route 1. Now all I have to do is to drive from Miami north to Boston, and from Houlton to Fort Kent and I'll have driven ALL of US 1.<br />
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In the meantime, Barry continues to work in the garden. He's frustrated though, because we lost our entire crop of squash and pumpkins to bugs and fungus and virus...or whatever it was that took those out. The beans, though we got quite a few, were also infested with something; and the tomatoes won't produce enough for a good spaghetti sauce. About the only things growing well this year seem to be the moles, crabgrass, beets, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, and (cross you fingers) peaches. The pickling cucumbers (supposed to be small and thin) grew to football size, so we adapted some recipes and made Barry's mother's golden pickles, and some ripe cucumber relish. Both VERY GOOD! Motto: When life hands you football-sized cucumbers, make relish!<br />
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We DID trap two raccoons which got into most of the early corn, but at least, with the little critters now living in a wildlife sanctuary miles away, we will enjoy the rest of the corn.<br />
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Most of the days in July so far have been about 90, with high humidity. Can't wait to see the electric bill for air-conditioning, but without it, we'd just be puddles of blob on the living-room floor. Rain has been about normal, but it's come in spurts -- nothing for 2 weeks, then an inch an hour. That's probably what ruined the tomatoes -- splitting when they absorbed so much un-accustomed water. Thunderstorms have been quite heavy and frequent, too.<br />
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OK, guess I have to turn on the A/C. We have a nice breeze, but it's just bringing in humid air now, and my fingers are beginning to stick on the keyboard.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-58005602890399535732010-06-04T22:44:00.000-04:002010-06-04T22:44:38.494-04:00Busy two weeks aheadBroccoli is out of the garden, peas gone, strawberries all picked, and old plants tilled under. Freezer's getting full again. One of these days we may HAVE to get a second one! Barry has really done himself proud so far in the garden. The front garden isn't up to his expectations though -- peppers and tomatoes aren't doing well, melons aren't sprouting well, yet with the rain we had yesterday and off and on the past few days, the garden is just too wet to even walk into, so he's not able to correct the problem. And he won't have much of a chance over the next two weeks -- unless it's catch as catch can for time.<br />
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Here's why:<br />
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Sat, June 5, Harrodsburg Beef Festival. Steak, burgers, brisket, cooked by the best BBQ-ers in the area.<br />
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Sun, June 6, clean house, mow lawn, get in whatever we can get in from the garden, pack, and to bed early.<br />
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Mon, June 7, Off to PA. Drop off the cat, pick up the rental car, drop off Barry's car, next stop, Wilkes-Barre, PA.<br />
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Tue, June 8, PA to Maine. Long drive, but it will be good to see Carol, Bruce & Shirley.<br />
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Wed, June 9, probably spending the day with Maureen and the kids somewhere in the Portland area, then back to Waterford to visit.<br />
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Thu, June 10, Off to Waterville, see Karen, then Messalonskee High School graduation.<br />
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Fri, June 11, "Free" day? Do something with Karen and Wyatt, maybe Dalton and Brittany?<br />
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Sat, June 12, Wedding in Fairfield for two former students. Such good kids! Then back to Waterford.<br />
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Sun, June 13, Leave Waterford for Wilkes-Barre, and see Helen on the way. Carol will be returning with us, and seeing parts of ME, NH, MA, RI, CT, NY and PA today.<br />
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Mon, June 14, Wilkes-Barre to home. Carol will see the rest of PA and parts of OH (Cleveland to Columbus to Cincinnati) and KY (Covington to Lexington to Danville).<br />
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Tue, June 15 through Mon, June 21, Dragging Carol all around Kentucky, horse farms, Mammoth Cave, Lexington, Frankfort, Louisville, Paducah, side trips into Indiana, Tennessee and Illinois, plus a day with Rick, Laura and Elizabeth, then to Bardstown to "Stephen Foster The Musical", all the while, introducing her to Southern hospitality, food, and people.<br />
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Tue, June 22, Off to Keeneland, sightseeing in Lexington, lunch at "Cheapside", then getting Carol to BlueGrass Airport on time for her flight back to Portland. Hope she'll have a couple of days to recuperate after we drag her all over the Commonwealth!<br />
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CAN'T WAIT!Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-8183515514482668102010-05-26T20:23:00.000-04:002010-05-26T20:23:45.191-04:00Just like "High Summer" in Maine, only it's MAY!Well, the strawberries are coming almost faster than we can pick and process them, as well as the peas and broccoli. The spinach has gone by, and the lettuce is next to go. But tonight, in 80 degree weather, with a slight breeze, we had strawberry daiquiris (our own berries, of course) and dinner on the side porch, and watched the bluebird and cardinals. It's 8:15 PM as I write this, and we have another 45 minutes of sunlight, so Barry is out in the front garden spraying the tomatoes, beans, corn, and whatever else he has planted out there.<br />
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This is like an ideal Maine evening in late June or early July, only we don't have any mosquitoes, and the sun sets about 50 minutes later than in Maine. Of course, it also rises about 50 minutes later, but I'd rather have the extra light in the evening. In late June, we can work outside until 9:15 at least!<br />
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Went to <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Paducah</span> last weekend for Barry's grand-daughter's second birthday. Great time, beautiful decorations and Rick has really done wonders with the back yard, where the party was held. It was a very nice time.<br />
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Now, we're picking peas and strawberries, and probably beets by the weekend. Have to get in most of the work by noon, because the hottest time of day here is 1PM to about 5PM, and it's brutal -- the sun is at a 6 degree higher angle than in Maine, and it's VERY easy to get burned. Sunscreen and a hat (Yes, Maureen, I wear a hat when working outside since I have NO HAIR to shield my chrome dome from the sun's rays) are both necessities.<br />
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Interestingly though, for the past few days, it's been 5-10 degrees warmer in Maine than here. We have central air-conditioning, which almost no one in Maine has, and we set it at between 75 and 77, so we notice the difference when we come in from the outside, but it's not set so cool that it'll run all day. It just reduces the humidity a bit, so we come inside for a bit, then go back out. Today, for example, we were out most of the day because with the intermittent clouds it really wasn't that hot, though the humidity WAS very uncomfortable. And it's only MAY!<br />
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Tomorrow, we finish the mowing, picking peas (enough to freeze this year), more strawberries (when will we get a second freezer?), and some greens.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-35502848458288161102010-05-11T20:09:00.000-04:002010-05-11T20:09:45.524-04:00Spring in the Bluegrass -- Picture Fest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBMfsDh0XzHbPaB2QGgTds8Gk8PWYuhsfosAGqznOSm54DCf-SvDU5xIlBq7PhKFQTfyFhV-JXO73L8mGfBC4sWsPSTtYWBVmbOzk0kIMu1CUaW_-XlQ0eVGjaeTc5mGFQcEEThFvB4I/s1600/IMG_9109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBMfsDh0XzHbPaB2QGgTds8Gk8PWYuhsfosAGqznOSm54DCf-SvDU5xIlBq7PhKFQTfyFhV-JXO73L8mGfBC4sWsPSTtYWBVmbOzk0kIMu1CUaW_-XlQ0eVGjaeTc5mGFQcEEThFvB4I/s400/IMG_9109.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird are back. Maybe this time they'll stay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zlVKWqWtHE2ESUBnAcGcDo-6st8qNyx72b5b0Kjhs8Hr3BLhR3NmeoaYytlV-n3JbK2P6M1nBoWEUSwL9OcDoSr1nHKzVpss_T7WCRK_dfEtmhUYu1UMOr2nUWgkC33zFxMS7XcLi_I/s1600/IMG_9119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zlVKWqWtHE2ESUBnAcGcDo-6st8qNyx72b5b0Kjhs8Hr3BLhR3NmeoaYytlV-n3JbK2P6M1nBoWEUSwL9OcDoSr1nHKzVpss_T7WCRK_dfEtmhUYu1UMOr2nUWgkC33zFxMS7XcLi_I/s400/IMG_9119.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Baby" robin the day before all three fledged.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcU9DaYCOMcfYd3IxKpvyD11Kn9vCDaX8OgZpXrmXvwW4-k2AHBTNzhR_6FnNon3s0JTTDryHVEIrlcAt4tdR13X9tyCHFPrThcb1K4yyRyN1zUrZnB4M05dVO82BEfOhBGcxIfm9L1s/s1600/IMG_9128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcU9DaYCOMcfYd3IxKpvyD11Kn9vCDaX8OgZpXrmXvwW4-k2AHBTNzhR_6FnNon3s0JTTDryHVEIrlcAt4tdR13X9tyCHFPrThcb1K4yyRyN1zUrZnB4M05dVO82BEfOhBGcxIfm9L1s/s400/IMG_9128.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The back vegetable garden at sunset.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOX5bVtSkuuBMc8hRoDL8yNpRofzBVqAiTA3Ergq9x6PG6XGoeAsLtX6dosvWEm7FyJvQW3PMXnOBaYGRB2D8QTT4CTln9nyiNwxWFqBSCehDOoJjEA2qjFOKBu9gHXD2u57KXqhREg0/s1600/IMG_9132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOX5bVtSkuuBMc8hRoDL8yNpRofzBVqAiTA3Ergq9x6PG6XGoeAsLtX6dosvWEm7FyJvQW3PMXnOBaYGRB2D8QTT4CTln9nyiNwxWFqBSCehDOoJjEA2qjFOKBu9gHXD2u57KXqhREg0/s400/IMG_9132.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Iris in back flower garden.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0vhh7hiyuPcieAVjVIiDmFZswz44HRBNfSM1QjPZWfSzX7v8gLiNYEJyjylfEr5zHhhQDOdDGCbz0XGOfNYUphMrecT8U0oXO96Urbz-GrGZARTbP7Eybaro8UbHDC2IzCoo4mlSWOQ/s1600/IMG_9147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0vhh7hiyuPcieAVjVIiDmFZswz44HRBNfSM1QjPZWfSzX7v8gLiNYEJyjylfEr5zHhhQDOdDGCbz0XGOfNYUphMrecT8U0oXO96Urbz-GrGZARTbP7Eybaro8UbHDC2IzCoo4mlSWOQ/s400/IMG_9147.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pink peonies -- their fragrance lingers for DAYS in the house. We also have white ones.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzXgKxA4BHpZgy_tklAirh0tfYKQzrhg8lrXSRQ6bMGhcsFBB9ACDygeQ4EohgPK7Ms733Kf8wQqfLZJeZM4W70h2ILfE0G0kvmpwyD_JT2OTDurJbERNKcoOdJCoS22ZVUMTjZyd29I/s1600/IMG_9134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzXgKxA4BHpZgy_tklAirh0tfYKQzrhg8lrXSRQ6bMGhcsFBB9ACDygeQ4EohgPK7Ms733Kf8wQqfLZJeZM4W70h2ILfE0G0kvmpwyD_JT2OTDurJbERNKcoOdJCoS22ZVUMTjZyd29I/s400/IMG_9134.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous purple Iris -- wind knocked them down the day after I took this picture.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUIl4b8lFkrcuju1rbv8q8BG_3WMFdHrq-e-ctnX-xk-vCw0eqArRkNefaiSkRWTRsEsGEQ_FTaJiWQSZ61Ppgy12ngjNpHBdMrL8nmAyHQM8vfO5e6QLwlneC42kliNLiWS7gaXr7Tk/s1600/IMG_9152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUIl4b8lFkrcuju1rbv8q8BG_3WMFdHrq-e-ctnX-xk-vCw0eqArRkNefaiSkRWTRsEsGEQ_FTaJiWQSZ61Ppgy12ngjNpHBdMrL8nmAyHQM8vfO5e6QLwlneC42kliNLiWS7gaXr7Tk/s400/IMG_9152.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Weigela. Barry rescued this from the Lowes half-price rack last fall.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HYJeGcz3UvhX4pfSrTD80k-7odT417M5C3w-rl3_8eLefqVnMMrUtABgAQX6KnoriIgTW5LrZXpGarmH_WGm4qRlOo-Gb75w-kQTs1YLsssd9bSkwj_5Uqxey6Eklor1ig2C64ZjUCg/s1600/IMG_9153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HYJeGcz3UvhX4pfSrTD80k-7odT417M5C3w-rl3_8eLefqVnMMrUtABgAQX6KnoriIgTW5LrZXpGarmH_WGm4qRlOo-Gb75w-kQTs1YLsssd9bSkwj_5Uqxey6Eklor1ig2C64ZjUCg/s400/IMG_9153.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dianthus -- Again, Barry rescued this from a small metal plant pot when we lived in Butchertown. It's even MORE beautiful now.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oTbrVl3XV0alTGnBO2DZfbX4VjkmXKUv1khdUrMgcyokfkDcFOlfbaGZ-V8-9orQ09JhhL8ARF9wcQle77t6sC8zChs5pVojH8VrjxU7lTgZtFEMQsNAIFoOq6aLNV0bld0_1Ta8Edg/s1600/IMG_9137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oTbrVl3XV0alTGnBO2DZfbX4VjkmXKUv1khdUrMgcyokfkDcFOlfbaGZ-V8-9orQ09JhhL8ARF9wcQle77t6sC8zChs5pVojH8VrjxU7lTgZtFEMQsNAIFoOq6aLNV0bld0_1Ta8Edg/s400/IMG_9137.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of our two plum trees -- the only one that has plums on it.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0qBStuCBYwrSxuyhH3-vbZzPUbDxG5PDcvQT0qbu53lhwP5oucm8eQb6X_EHSz73uFtdJz17uauTYyrG8vCO2TExqAK-UdFZxy7fX1W8h9iDbb-xjLXFTdqD1GCLamLAOhLWq6Cz4Ok/s1600/IMG_9138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0qBStuCBYwrSxuyhH3-vbZzPUbDxG5PDcvQT0qbu53lhwP5oucm8eQb6X_EHSz73uFtdJz17uauTYyrG8vCO2TExqAK-UdFZxy7fX1W8h9iDbb-xjLXFTdqD1GCLamLAOhLWq6Cz4Ok/s400/IMG_9138.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Little teensy-weensy grapes, but they'll grow.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9TpzOzv14oCm_zsZP3Lkc2gGuORgblSx0Auj3evR7QxvO9NaYj6ft4i-z61nXwdTJIP236dDrqXCnxEuNlcQiAvQwI8OGp8Oe4B0oKKnxW_PvN-LfQFv0Ae7fDWq1PtyFSyE9qu6DMk/s1600/IMG_9148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr9TpzOzv14oCm_zsZP3Lkc2gGuORgblSx0Auj3evR7QxvO9NaYj6ft4i-z61nXwdTJIP236dDrqXCnxEuNlcQiAvQwI8OGp8Oe4B0oKKnxW_PvN-LfQFv0Ae7fDWq1PtyFSyE9qu6DMk/s400/IMG_9148.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The first strawberry of the season. Should've had it bronzed!</div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-49032385776866219302010-05-11T16:49:00.000-04:002010-05-11T16:49:20.055-04:00Strawberries, etc.Barry picked the first 3 or 4 the other day, and I got a large handful today. We'll be picking merrily by the weekend. The raspberries will be ready in a month and the blueberries shortly after. Unlike Maine, they will all have gone by, by the first of August!<br />
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We have all sorts of little baby marble-sized peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots which, if they stay on the trees in these 20-30 mile per hour winds, should be delicious.<br />
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Assuming our squirrel doesn't eat them all -- like we suspect he did last year!Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-17274705338751334442010-05-02T21:27:00.002-04:002010-05-02T21:34:14.969-04:00Ark, anyone?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaJE2KbXpW9cEAuLr4MUu-xZ4Tdc8hyp-2ZO0gQMgifc5ufv2aI0G87fUwv4LP058BOt8xdIpTbw4rp7TWY1F2qpKLzGrMQdA9BP79cns3qsSsmOaF5YNxOPxPoWsxDrFRV2eCJw99V0/s1600/IMG_9007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaJE2KbXpW9cEAuLr4MUu-xZ4Tdc8hyp-2ZO0gQMgifc5ufv2aI0G87fUwv4LP058BOt8xdIpTbw4rp7TWY1F2qpKLzGrMQdA9BP79cns3qsSsmOaF5YNxOPxPoWsxDrFRV2eCJw99V0/s400/IMG_9007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Any got plans for an Ark?<br />
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Yesterday morning, the first Saturday in May, was Kentucky Derby day. I made the spearmint syrup for mint juleps on Friday, so it was ready for the crushed ice and good Kentucky bourbon. It rained here ALL day, and with the thunder and lightning, I wasn't sure we'd even dare to keep the TV on for the Derby. Well, wouldn't you know it, just as the horses entered the track, the skies cleared and the sun actually came out, just in time for 150,000 people at Churchill Downs to begin singing, "The sun shines bright on the old Kentucky home." The chills went up my spine as they always do when I hear that song, and the eyes began to well up. How many people are lucky enough to live in a state where most people actually KNOW their state song? "Pine Tree State" -- come on! I taught history and I don't think I could have named that as Maine's state song.<br />
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Anyway, after furiously debating which of the 20 horses to bet (internet gambling on horse races is legal in Kentucky), I finally placed my bets. Only one of the five came in, but it did profit me about $56 above what it cost to bet! Plus the excitement of actually winning money on the Kentucky Derby!<br />
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After the race, the evening was spent on the Internet, tracking storm after storm after storm, and listening to the relentless rain. We didn't get a great deal of thunder or lightning overnight, but at 3:46 AM the weather radio went off with a "Tornado Warning" (re my earlier post this morning). It went off twice more, about every hour, and finally I decided to stay up. The scanner was busy this morning with reports of blocked and flooded roads, some of which we are familiar with, a boat evacuation a bit over a mile west of here, and reports of US-68 in Perryville down to one lane in most places, an blocked in one place. Yet people were STILL driving through flood waters to get to CHURCH! I mean, good Christians certainly want to meet their Lord, but should they help things along by being really stupid?<br />
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Barry and I decided to go out for breakfast, and survey the countryside. We did find a bit of water over the road in two places, but we know the road well, and knew it was not more than an inch or two, and it was not flowing quickly. On the way home, we passed Clark's Run, normally a little, mostly dry, 2-foot wide stream. It was maybe 50 feet wide in places, with brown, roiling water that cascaded over rocks on its way to Dix River. We got home just fine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4u4cOdlnnCm1VPQSgvhlvvtzxDKJWDqXw-hBBV8_Skh4UMWguva0_z8TzYZlRCy-YYhSl2LfDTfMPBOwKzsLB1lFmCeqyFTIsin6rB1FwnRYH_zj_u0eT3nlGcn89CLdtvQpVsblaYnQ/s1600/IMG_9065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4u4cOdlnnCm1VPQSgvhlvvtzxDKJWDqXw-hBBV8_Skh4UMWguva0_z8TzYZlRCy-YYhSl2LfDTfMPBOwKzsLB1lFmCeqyFTIsin6rB1FwnRYH_zj_u0eT3nlGcn89CLdtvQpVsblaYnQ/s400/IMG_9065.JPG" width="400" /></a>Then, as we were watching the rain cascade down like someone dumped giant buckets over us, something must have let go. We have two farm ponds across the main road from our driveway, and the neighbor's pasture to our east normally has the small, quiet Salt River flowing through it -- again, we can step across it most of the time, and there's seldom more than 2-3 inches of water in it. Well by last night, it had become another raging torrent, water moving maybe 15 miles per hour, brown, muddy, dangerous.<br />
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This afternoon, I looked out over the pasture and saw another whole river, maybe 50 feet wide, about 200 feet closer to us than usual. Seems where the Salt runs under the neighbor's driveway, something must have gotten blocked, or there was a sudden torrent of water, and it was now running directly across the pasture, parallel to our driveway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgUTpNHvooIciNpTfBQw_VUKJppJ_3tyYs2IHGM8ul0z6D6IDUpRUMSK9k7yRQtT0DewfEQkPMBdLwlXcacQP32mP7je_FNILhogUiWK7mNLCVG7p8SdU_-dUDtmKPjfKd9zsXhKGn2E/s1600/Pumpkin+Run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgUTpNHvooIciNpTfBQw_VUKJppJ_3tyYs2IHGM8ul0z6D6IDUpRUMSK9k7yRQtT0DewfEQkPMBdLwlXcacQP32mP7je_FNILhogUiWK7mNLCVG7p8SdU_-dUDtmKPjfKd9zsXhKGn2E/s640/Pumpkin+Run.jpg" width="640" /></a>On the Google photo, we're "A", the farm pond is "B" (at least we THINK this might be the one, though there's another further up the road which could have collapsed), the orange line is the Salt River, and the green line is the "new" and hopefully temporary Salt River.<br />
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Luckily, we were in between storms, so Barry and I went out and got loads of photos and video of this -- hopefully we won't see anything like this for a long while -- and we were more lucky than many around here, and IMMENSELY LUCKIER than many in Tennessee.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K3zdptQPxyraYlQBQYuY8Zf0rRsEFiUjJxABfD2E0klhIFB3oRrTJ2VvwbuDcnSgnXzCgrrnbFRjCdbPMl8aLM-jGSG6hksElN8dAGlUZBcv6-TERfggI758nWhu11KND_1v0QYHBEw/s1600/IMG_9079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1K3zdptQPxyraYlQBQYuY8Zf0rRsEFiUjJxABfD2E0klhIFB3oRrTJ2VvwbuDcnSgnXzCgrrnbFRjCdbPMl8aLM-jGSG6hksElN8dAGlUZBcv6-TERfggI758nWhu11KND_1v0QYHBEw/s400/IMG_9079.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>As I write this, the river is still up, but the "new" river is just a wet spot in the pasture. We still have a small rivulet running between our house and the front neighbor's, which we only have seen 2-3 times since moving here. The rain mostly will be over in an hour or so, and the rest of the week should be in the high 70s and sunny. Perfect for our strawberries!<br />
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A bucket on the side porch had 8-3/8 inches in it at mid-afternoon. It now has more than 10 inches. That's our normal rainfall for TWO MONTHS -- and that's since yesterday morning. Parts of Tennessee and Elizabethtown, KY (about 40 miles west of here) have had 15, so frankly, we're not too far behind. Tragically, two people in Kentucky have drowned in flood-related incidents, one east of Lexington, and one near Bowling Green. A dam on a small lake in Edmonson, about 40 miles southwest of here, is expected to give way at any time, so it's not over, by a long shot.<br />
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Jim Cantore, of the Weather Channel, on driving from Louisville to Nashville reported that Interstate-65 was in bad shape in many places. In places, it's impossible to exit the highway because the down ramps lead to flooded roads. Have you seen the photos of I-24 in Nashville flooded, with tractor trailers and dozens of cars floating? That road will be out of commission for quite a few days, and it's the main highway from Chattanooga to Nashville to Paducah.<br />
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Speaking of Paducah, here's the water that will pass that city in the Ohio River in the coming days. Keep in mind that many of these rivers are, or will soon be, at flood stage:<br />
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1. Part of western New York<br />
2. Most of western Pennsylvania, the Allegheny and Monongahela (which form the Ohio at Pittsburgh)<br />
3. Extreme western Maryland<br />
4. Most of West Virginia, the Kanawah and Big Sandy<br />
5. The southern half of Ohio, lots of small rivers<br />
6. The southern three-quarters of Indiana, the Wabash<br />
7. All of Kentucky, including our little Salt River, the Green, Kentucky, and the Cumberland Rivers<br />
8. A small piece of southwestern Virginia<br />
9. Part of western North Carolina<br />
10. Parts of northern Georgia<br />
11. A little corner of northeastern Mississippi<br />
12. All of Tennessee east of Memphis, the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers<br />
13. The northern third of Alabama, the Tennessee River<br />
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At Paducah, the Cumberland and Tennessee join the Ohio, and a few miles downstream, the Ohio joins the Mississippi.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-76091999027157154242010-05-02T03:57:00.000-04:002010-05-02T03:57:11.738-04:003:46 AM - Weather Radio Blues3:46 AM. That was the time the weather radio went off -- BEEEP, BEEEP, BEEEP -- this time it said "TORNADO WARNING." So naturally, here I am, at the computer, on Weather.com watching the weather pass to the west of us, on the WKYT (Ch. 27) weather app, watching three counties to the west of us light up with severe thunderstorm warnings, flood warnings, and flash flood warnings, and on my email, for WLEX (Ch 18) for yet another severe thunderstorm warning.<br />
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Now of course, I appreciate all the warnings. But, Saturday morning it was 5:30 when the warnings began, and got so severe that for a time, we had our meds packed, and the cat carrier out, ready to leave at a moment's notice. And last night, it was well after midnight, watching the weather channel, and seeing the enormous lake that is usually known as I-24 in Nashville, knowing that the weather in Nashville is often the weather HERE in a few hours. So yesterday was a long day.<br />
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Today promises more of the same. At least we HAVE a weather radio and the other resources, thankfully.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384384857546565670.post-10281568131794460172010-04-30T21:14:00.001-04:002010-04-30T21:16:03.296-04:00Post 1 - Ceremony in Frankfort<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfX5MfJ094yBj57igzf30CskYs-EXKpzKo425N9zwxWnMd2GWWVRXoTKpDlRhpiP-rsfRCH9HSVP75w1CWbKCKQdJz5XTbvgbAw2mFkHVzeAkX_GJ6rlCOxiwsOEC5y9BzVSvAvtFpLA/s1600/IMG_8975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfX5MfJ094yBj57igzf30CskYs-EXKpzKo425N9zwxWnMd2GWWVRXoTKpDlRhpiP-rsfRCH9HSVP75w1CWbKCKQdJz5XTbvgbAw2mFkHVzeAkX_GJ6rlCOxiwsOEC5y9BzVSvAvtFpLA/s200/IMG_8975.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJQZ3WpZp7Gw-0cwmTp5ywRsMcwRDUyT7DeBMb4roTfmT0Vrx56JM48Mswf9g3gUYaEDNMSdNkn37EeIIcuZA9qMZ4ewnXIgSxRF8qtl-RapBFlhDdmkSs8QpXIU_7dvOPwj4o54K7dY/s1600/IMG_8970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJQZ3WpZp7Gw-0cwmTp5ywRsMcwRDUyT7DeBMb4roTfmT0Vrx56JM48Mswf9g3gUYaEDNMSdNkn37EeIIcuZA9qMZ4ewnXIgSxRF8qtl-RapBFlhDdmkSs8QpXIU_7dvOPwj4o54K7dY/s320/IMG_8970.JPG" /></a>Today, Barry's son, Rick, was officially sworn in as an attorney. In an impressive ceremony, members of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, met in the House of Representatives chamber at the capital in Frankfort, where 144 new lawyers were given the oath of office. By the way, Kentucky is the only state that requires new lawyers (and other elected officials) to swear that they have never taken part in, or never assisted in, a duel! Apparently, it used to be a big thing, but nowadays, it's just one of those anachronisms that makes life interesting.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAB7nUApuxzACXKtyBDhvJycKlA09siIpdPZCHs9EVJiISY1M9-CFVSYtMnAzRxG27Ljb_V_VV8yAtGrw19jsggYgTpXOTQoj-5eKbI8j4RnNut656aL42l-olTtDVcT3EMfj2fpCZG4/s1600/IMG_8983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAB7nUApuxzACXKtyBDhvJycKlA09siIpdPZCHs9EVJiISY1M9-CFVSYtMnAzRxG27Ljb_V_VV8yAtGrw19jsggYgTpXOTQoj-5eKbI8j4RnNut656aL42l-olTtDVcT3EMfj2fpCZG4/s320/IMG_8983.JPG" /></a>After the ceremony, we met Mr. Justice Cunningham, representing western Kentucky, and he took us on a tour of his office and the Supreme Court chambers. Impressive!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqeH4C46OvHNB4VXNm3pH8OMEX6mXptjw8XXCPoDI5-7ba0y9P_0bRWNWkGUtA8zzYqb2Y5EjYpIWeUMnfziaFAOx7LT9YXC_JjuJ-nfDx6DJd5i9Wb90S6St-VO24RDAoXrusJprVqw/s1600/IMG_8991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqeH4C46OvHNB4VXNm3pH8OMEX6mXptjw8XXCPoDI5-7ba0y9P_0bRWNWkGUtA8zzYqb2Y5EjYpIWeUMnfziaFAOx7LT9YXC_JjuJ-nfDx6DJd5i9Wb90S6St-VO24RDAoXrusJprVqw/s320/IMG_8991.JPG" /></a></div><br />
So now, the lawyer jokes can begin in earnest.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sCOs_WCmHNXvQNyyInRVAeh_WZw_TNHvFwt55wTMRzk0TR5h7GbvNcmBYcVsVnzbAwKBqVqYlxI7oHMl5UVQ_SKzRJKxlWRWkDGuElynktOeTNA1u1ddoMAXOX3HebwDP8yt5Wd-hDw/s1600/IMG_8995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sCOs_WCmHNXvQNyyInRVAeh_WZw_TNHvFwt55wTMRzk0TR5h7GbvNcmBYcVsVnzbAwKBqVqYlxI7oHMl5UVQ_SKzRJKxlWRWkDGuElynktOeTNA1u1ddoMAXOX3HebwDP8yt5Wd-hDw/s640/IMG_8995.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00932438212694806705noreply@blogger.com0