little free library

There are a bunch of these showing up in the neighborhoods in Ocean Beach.  The boxes are built (per specs) by the property owners and stocked by them, as well.  It is sort of a lending library with books being taken and read and then returned or another book is returned in its place.  User friendly.  Terrific idea.

rough surf

There were some very tall waves today at Ocean Beach in San Diego.  Great for the surfers.

potato tacos at Lutes

When I'm in Yuma I know where to go for a great lunch.  LUTES!!  The potato filled fried tacos with  cabbage, tomato and mayonnaise is particularly delectable especially with cotija cheese sprinkled on top.  Yum.  And, they make their own root beer.  Double yum.  

Tombstone

I travelled to Tombstone, Arizona yesterday.  This town, of course, is best known for the gunfight at the O K corral during it's wild west days.  The old courthouse has been turned into a museum and it has the most interesting historical displays.  Everything pertaining to the founding of the town by a silver prospector to the infamous Earp/Clanton shootout is on display here.  The town once was a thriving community with three theaters that brought in well known entertainers.  Now it is more of a tourist-y trap.  The main street is filled with western wear and antique shops.  I am glad I stopped, though, if just to get the feel for the area.

Steins

I have passed Steins, New Mexico a number of times on my way back and forth along I-10.  It is located just off exit 3 by the New Mexico/Arizona border.  You can see the old rickety buildings from the highway.  It is a ghost town.  It used to be a mail stop on the route from El Paso to the west coast.  The town was abandoned a long time ago and the structures that make up the town have fallen into disrepair.  At one time this was a sightseeing stopover with guided tours of the town.  Now the town is surrounded with a barbed wire fence.  The old mercantile is still standing.  I cannot imagine life here over a hundred years ago.  Isolated, for sure.  Dependant on the mail supply stage for all the necessities of life.  The introduction of a rail line to the north put an end to this thriving community.  Dust to dust.

University UMC

Today I attended church in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  I attended the traditional service at 8:30 am and enjoyed my experience here.  The singing was wonderful, especially the acapella duet sung by two men.  Their voices blended beautifully.  Very inspirational.

Odessa

While in Odessa (about 15 miles from Midland) I decided to check out the full size reproduction of Stonehenge.  Yup, there it was.  Right before my eyes.  I walked the path around the circle of stones and read about the history of the building of Stonehenge (the one in England).  It took about two thousand years to build.  How many project managers would you say that would take?  This replica was built in six weeks using Texas limestone.  The stone circle is located on a local college campus.  

In a different part of town on a different college campus is a working theater built as a replica of The Globe Theater, another English landmark.  And guess what's next door.  A replica of Anne Hathaway's cottage.  Of course.  Well done.  Well done.  Bravo.

                                              Oh, by the way, it was 105 degrees out today.

Midland

I stopped in Midland, Texas for the night and today I took the opportunity to visit The Petroleum Museum.  Midland sits on top of the Permian Oil Field and oil drilling plays a major part in the development of this area.  The museum presents a very detailed history of the formation of the oil field over millions of years as well as the early discovery of the reserve and the "wildcatters" who built the wells.

Behind the museum is a parking lot, of sorts, filled with antique oil rigs.  The rigs vary in size and shape and their design changed along with the changes in technology and materials over time.

           I thought this neon Pegasus was particularly nice looking.  Lots of old signs were on display.

The museum was also home to a racing car collection (they use gas, don't they), an extensive oil painting collection depicting life in West Texas during the early oil rush days and a beautiful display of shiny rocks.  Yep, shiny rocks.  

Great museum.

Abilene

I'm heading west, again.  I have been traveling along I-20 and last night I landed in Abilene, Texas.  Today I took in some of the sights.  First, I stopped at a museum called FRONTIER TEXAS!  This museum covered the history of the area with interactive displays and a very good surround movie in the circular theater.  The historical information on display was well done.  Outside the museum was a grassy park with giant buffalo weather vanes over to one side.  As the wind blew the buffaloes moved with a loud groaning sound.  Today it was windy on the plains and the temperature was about 100. 

After leaving the museum I took a tour of the Grace building.  It is a restored hotel that has been                              renovated and now houses an art gallery.  Three floors of art!!  Perfect.   No pictures allowed.

Abilene has the distinction of being named the storybook capital of Texas and it is home to the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature.  I walked through the gallery filled with illustrations taken from children's books.  This month the featured illustrator is Mark Teague.  Around the downtown area the city has placed a variety of sculptures as part of the Storybook Sculpture Project.  Follow the map and you will see some very interesting sights.  Be sure to look high and low and don't forget to look in the hidden places like planters and bushes.  The above sculpture is entitled Duck on a Bike from the book of the same name.

            Dinosaur Bob from the book Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lazardo.

                                 No, David! and Fergus from the book David Gets in Trouble.

                                                    The Lorax from the Dr. Seuss book.

Sanderson Mansnoozie from the book The Sandman: The Story of Sanderson Mansnoozie.  He is the guardian of dreams and it is his job to give sweet dreams to kids with magical dream sand at night.

                          History and art and a scavenger hunt all it the same day.  What fun for me!!

as I leave

I am leaving Vicksburg after two weeks of visiting friends and spending some quality time doing pretty much nothing.  Although there is a very large national park within the city limits dedicated to the Siege of Vicksburg (1863), there are also many monuments commemorating the various infantry battalions scattered around the town, some in unexpected places like medians, dead end streets and, of course, the mall.  

 

The entire city is a living memorial to all of those brave soldiers who came together in battle so many years ago and if you keep your eyes open as you drive around Vicksburg you will find something special dedicated to all of them.  

10:55

Not 11:00.  10:55.  On the dot.   No question about it.  The Sunday morning service at the old stone church on the corner of Crawford and Cherry starts at 10:55 and this is why.  The greeting and announcements are given in the first five minutes and promptly at 11:00 the church bell in the tower rings as the congregation sits quietly...listening...while we are called to worship.  So, please...be there by 10:55.  Then, listen for the bell.  And, don't be late.

waffles!!!

                                 One of Vicksburg's finest.  There are two.  mmmmm.....waffles.

a pretty good-looking tree

I was driving around Vicksburg the other day and I spotted this perfectly, wonderfully manicured tree.  It's a tree!!  (not a shrub, mind you)  It looks like an umbrella...or a giant toadstool.  The circular shade pattern looks so inviting for lounging around in except for the fact that Southern grass is very course. (scratchy, not soft)  It's a climate zone thing.  Still.....hmmm.

two churches

I have attended church on the past two Sundays at two different churches in two different cities.  On the Sunday before Memorial Day I went to church with my sister in Smyrna, Georgia.  The church sanctuary is very formal, yet serene, with it's white painted walls and chandelier lighting.  Patriotic music prevailed as the dominate theme during the service.  The music was wonderfully presented by soloists, a male vocal group and by the choir.  It was very inspiring.  On patriotic holidays the church lines the front sidewalk with flags donated by members of the church.  Again...inspiring.

This past Sunday I attended the church in downtown Vicksburg, Mississippi that I had attended during the years we lived in this city.

This old stone building has stood at the corner of Crawford and Cherry for decades.  During the Spring of the year the dogwood tree in front of the church is in full bloom just as Easter approaches.  It is quite a magnificent sight.  The sanctuary is simply laid out with the side balconies reaching toward the dark oak beamed ceiling.  This church has always had a very good choir and the music, as always, was wonderful.  The sermon was well preached and communion was served.  I was able to reconnect with old friends and I am so glad I was there...third pew from the back...on the right.