Old Things R New

Here Kitty Kitty 9

My Take

DiVoran Lites

This morning, Thea and I went out to the porch while it was still dark. I turned on a couple of lights, but we couldn’t see out. We heard a heavy rustling and I hurried in the house to get a flashlight. No animal makes a clatter like an armadillo and sure enough, the flashlight reveals the small, armored creaturemaking its way through some dead leaves along the side fence. Thea was beside herself with excitement and jumped up on the shelf to follow watch the action. The only thing that was between them was the screen.

Armadillos are not native to Florida, and they have few natural enemies, (dogs and probably cougars which are endangered). The small mammals can dig under almost any fence. Their armor is like incredibly thick tough skin. Stories abound about how they got to Florida. My favorite, but most unlikely is a mid-night escape from a de-railed circus train. They may have been here and multiplying for about 66 years.

I just looked up where they came from and didn’t find anything about that, but to my horror and dismay I just found this:

“Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is caused by the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria. The bacteria can be transmitted through fluids from the nose and mouth. (Some animal experts have warned the public this week that armadillos spit, and that, if you see one of these creatures, it’s best to keep a distance.)”
There’s another good reason for having an indoor cat. And it’s a reason to stay away from armadillos and try our best to keep them out of the yard.

https://www.newsweek.com/spitting-armadillos-blamed-floridas-emerging-leprosy-problem-356823

Except for certain diseases and dangerous animals, Florida is a fine place to live. Richer folks have homes here and also homes in the frozen north where they go to escape our summer heat. We call them snow-birds. They take that well. Most of us came during the early days of the Space Race. We’ve been here fifty years and have no plans to leave until we head out for heaven.

Thea enjoyed watching the armadillo in the light of the flashlight.The creature went around the yard looking for the squeeze-through place or self-made tunnel where it came in under the fence. This particular one has dug three holes in our yard.

So onward and upward. After being on alert for hours over the armadillo, the lizards, the squirrels, and the birds, Thea conked out on my bed. In the daytime, she sleeps so soundly and in such odd postures that yesterday I had to wake her up to see if she was breathing. I don’t think she gets bored, except maybe at night when she’s in the studio by herself shredding paper. Funny thing: she sliced open the Pine/Cedar bag of litter with her claws. Must get them cut! I know pine and cedar smells nice, but I’m sure she was disappointed that it wasn’t a giant bag of treats.

Author, Poet and Artist

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn. She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

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Categories DiVoran Lites My Take- Monday
Author divoran09

Fred Remembers~Part 7

7 Oct

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Sometime later, we drove down through Belgium. I honestly don’t remember where we stopped. But just on the other side of the French/Belgium border, we stopped at a French restaurant. I think it was part of a fancy hotel there. Dad had talked to the Maitre d’ there, and they set us up at one of the real fancy dining tables, and brought out a huge tray of filet mignon, and huge heaping trays of french fries. I’m sure we had other things, but those were the only things that I remember. I remember the filet mignon was so tender, you could cut it with a fork.

From there, we went to Paris and we stayed in a hotel, the Hotel de la Paix.

We did take a tour out to Versailles, and I remember being very impressed with the Hall of Mirrors;

Versailles – Credit Google Search and By G CHP, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72739008

Hall of Mirrors – Credit Google Search and By Photo: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15781169

Later we rode one of the elevators up the Eiffel Tower.

A much later picture – Judy, Karen and Janet – 1981

I remember being surprised that it was a two-stop trip. Partway up on one big elevator we stopped, then we got on a smaller one that went the rest of the way. I just remember it was a beautiful view from the top. We also walked around the Arc de Triomphe –

In the setting sun – 1981

and at the time we were there, there weren’t too many cars around on the Champs Elysees. We also toured the Louvre.

The Louvre and small arch – 1981

From Paris, the next stop was Neuchatel, Switzerland, on Lake Neuchatel, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

Lake Neuchâtel, Switzerland.Martouf – Credit Google Search

Sometime between Paris and Neuchatel, I had come down with a rash, and when we got there, and got settled in the hotel, they called a Swiss doctor, and he diagnosed me with German measles. The first thing the doctor did was close the curtains in the room to make the room dark. That cooped me up in that room, and the doctor said, “You’re stuck in the bed for the day.” While I stayed in bed, the others went out to see the sights. Because I stayed in bed, the spots were gone in a day-and-a-half, and I was able to continue my tour.

After we left Neuchatel, we went on to Lucerne, and Emily came down with the measles. Emily, being a little bit more rambunctious than I was, decided she didn’t want to be cooped up in bed, so she insisted in going with us everywhere. As I recall, it took her a week to get over the measles, where it took me a day-and-a-half to get over it.

I remember being very impressed with Lucerne – it’s still one of my favorite cities. We walked across the old covered wooden bridge, which is still there.

Covered bridge on Lake Lucerne – credit Google Search

I remember going to an unusual place – I guess it was out of the way – it was in kind of a base relief in large rocks. I remember some lions and some other animals in there. It had been dedicated to the Swiss guards that guarded one of the popes. Wikipedia states:

The Lion Monument, or the Lion of Lucerne, is a rock relief in Lucerne, Switzerland, designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and hewn in 1820–21 by Lukas Ahorn. It commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris.

Credit Google Search

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years

Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing.

Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.

She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins.

She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

Tags: A military man remembers his life., Hotel de la Paix, The Lion of Lucerne

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Judy Wills-Sunday Memories
Author ludyja

It’s Vacation Time

4 Oct

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I have the most amazing team of bloggers. They never miss a deadline and even send posts ahead when I am going to be offline.

I love them!

There won’t be any Fall color in this vacation but I hope to get some sand in my shoes and enjoy leisurely cups of morning coffee on balconies over looking the ocean. I’m expecting some interesting blends of tea to be a fun part of the adventure. Hopefully I will return with some fun pictures to share. Until then,

I'm a winner After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience. Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites, Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books where we frequently host the best in up and coming authors.

Tags: Family Vacation

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Onisha Ellis On the Porch- Thursday
Author Onisha Ellis

Memory Lane Road Trip~Part 14

3 Oct

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 14 – Monday 4/30/2018

My original plan was to head north this morning to visit a couple of smaller museums, and then turn around and head south to meet another of my cousins in Many, LA for lunch. However, I was getting off to a late start, and there was a good chance the museums wouldn’t be open, and I didn’t want to be late for our meeting. So after breakfast I packed up and headed south on US-171 to visit the Fort Jesup Historic Site located about six miles northeast of Many.

The site was closed, but Wikipedia tells me the fort was built in1822 to protect the U.S. border with New Spain, and to return order to the Neutral Strip (1806-1821). The fort was active until after the Mexican war, in 1846, when it was closed. The only building that remains of the fort now, is the Enlisted Barracks 4, which was restored and is currently being maintained by a private organization in Many.

Now I continued about six miles southwest on SR-6, from Fort Jesup into Many. My cousin Jimmy had said he couldn’t meet my other cousin Alfice and me for lunch. I thought maybe I’d drive over and see where his office was anyway. It was only 10 o’clock, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for the next two hours.

Just as I was pulling into town my cousin James Alfice called me to let me know he had to come to town early to run some errands. What a serendipity! We met at the local Burger King and as he got out of his car he said, “You must be Billy.” I shook his hand and said, “And you must be Alfice.” I got in his car and we started what turned out to be the very best four hour family history tour I have ever had. Alfice is four years older than me, and has lived a very active life there in the Many area. He and his family grew up and lived there, as has my family. At one time he was the police Chief of Many for several years, and later he was Sherriff of Sabine County, Louisiana for a number of years.

He knew everything there was to know about our family background, as well as, everything there was to know about what had gone on in Many and Sabine county over the years. He drove me around every part of Many, pointing out which of my relatives had lived in, or still lived in this or that house. He would point out which criminal had lived in some house, or the very spot in the woods where he and his deputies had turned the dogs loose on another criminal. Then he took me to the Mount Zion Baptist Church. According to Alfice, his grandfather and my grandfather were both instrumental in starting that church sometime around the late 1800s or early 1900s. That is the church my family attended those times we visited my relatives when I was a youngster. Most of my relatives who live in the Many area still attend there.

Next to the church is the Mount Zion Cemetery, where many of Alfice and my relatives are buried. This is a beautiful cemetery that dates back to the early 1800s, and has been kept up by the church families over the years. I found the grave of my grandfather (T.J. Lites) and grandmother (Mattie Lites) who started populating the area in and around Many with their 13 children.

We stopped for lunch at Alfice’s favorite restaurant, Fisherman’s Galley, located on the banks of Toledo Bend Lake. I had a plate of their Grilled Catfish with Sweet Potatoe Fries. The food was really great, and lots of it. While I was eating, I had this picture in my mind of two little black kids, sitting on a pier, fishing in the lake for catfish for the restaurant. As soon as they hooked one, they would run it up to the restaurant cook, and the next thing you know, there it was on my plate, fresh out of the lake. The catfish was that good!

Alfice continued the tour for a while after lunch, but then he told me he had to get his car back for his wife. We exchanged contact information and said our goodbyes, with promises to stay in touch. Then I went looking for my cousin Jimmy’s asphalt business, so I could take a photo of their sign. Jimmy had told me he was starting a new job in another town that day, and I assumed his whole crew would be on that job with him. As luck would have it, the gate was open, so I drove in to see who might be there. I was surprised when the mechanic told me that two of my cousins, Danny and Tracy, were in the office. They came out and we had a great impromptu visit.

After I said my goodbyes to cousins Danny and Tracy, I drove back into Many to check out The Robert Gentry Museum, there on San Antonio Avenue. I had seen this museum as I first drove into Many, and hoped I had time now to visit before they closed. But I found out the museum had closed and all that was left in the building was a pawn shop.

Now it was time for Greta to take me to tonight’s motel in Natchitoches, LA which was about 30 miles east of Many. After I checked in, I warmed up my delicious leftover catfish, for another delightful supper. As usual, there was nothing worth watching on the TV, so I recorded my notes for the day and then it was early to bed for me.

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 61 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

Bill

Tags: #Roadtrip

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Bill Lites A Slice of Life- Wednesday
Author billlites1

The Blessing of Service

2 Oct

This poem was printed on the back of our monthly church calendar. Are you like me, feeling at times, inadequate to serve other? Or do you feel discouraged that through age or health that you can’t serve others or even accomplish the daily tasks as you once did? Take heart, God has a plan for you to serve. Share love, be an encourager!

Tags: Blessing, Poem

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Onisha Ellis On the Porch- Thursday
Author Onisha Ellis

Here, Kitty, Kitty Episode Eight

1 Oct

My Take

DiVoran Lites

When we adopted Thea, we got an invitation for a free visit at the SPCA Wellness Center if we got there within a month. I didn’t want to pass that up, so I wrote it on my calendar. It has almost been a month since she came to live with us. Oh, my how time doth fly!

I sprayed an old towel for her carrier with something that’s supposed to make cats feel peaceful. All was well, no resistance, no meowing.

Thea weighsseven pounds, which really isn’t a lot, but when I added my purse to her weight and the carrier’s, it was all I could do to lug her to the car. When we arrived, I went into the wrong office, and the only reason I got in there was because a very nice man jumped up and opened the door for me. He had a tuxedo cat too and we had just settled in for a conversation about our pets when the associate came to tell me we belonged in the next building over. She took Thea’s carriage while I drove my car over there.

In the examining room, I let Thea out onto the steel table then kept my hands busy all over her silken fur to keep her from jumping down. Finally, the assistant came in and said I could let her explore. Thea did that then while we waited she got under my chair and relaxed. She usually wants to be where either Bill or I am, plus, I was playing soft music on my phone.

There wasn’t much to the exam. The vet asked if she coughed or threw up or had diarrhea. No, no, no. They asked how well she ate and drank and eliminated. I had a question as to whether she was getting enough water or not and the vet assured me that she wasn’t dehydrated. I decided to just give her wet food and keep making a sauce out of it with water.

When we finished with the young woman vet, an even younger assistant carried Thea to the car. This time Thea fought being crated, but I think she was afraid she was going somewhere besides home with me.

I appreciated the free visit and the assurance that Thea was doing well. The SPCA is a group I would definitely deal with again, and I will probably take Thea there whenever we need a vet. After reading all the symptoms of allergies to vaccinations, pills, and shots of which there are many I told the assistant that Thea stays either on the screened-in porch or in the house at all times and that I would like to avoid using any more pharmaceuticals if possible. She wrote something down, so perhaps she took me seriously.

Home time and a thorough bath.

I’m not sure she will like this picture of herself. Lately, she has been gazing into the door mirrors in the hall, so she does know how beautiful she is and might be embarrassed by this picture. An interesting tidbit: I read that animals that are able to see themselves in mirrors are the best show animals. I’ve only had a couple who could.

Author, Poet and Artist

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Categories DiVoran Lites My Take- Monday
Author divoran09

Fred Remembers~Part 6

30 Sep

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

The Heidelberg Schloss tour guide was an older man with a very white beard. He guided us both inside and outside. He looked to me like he was in his 80’s, but he may not have been that old. He told a story that, back during the 1500’s, they were under siege, I think by the French, and they ran out of wine. One of the men, in all his life, had nothing to drink but wine, so when they ran out of wine, he drank some water. He died the next day. I’m not sure what all that means, but anyway, it was an interesting story. We saw the turrets, ledges, and the house where Sigmund Romberg wroteThe Student Prince. The house was across the Neckar River from the schloss.

The Elizabeth Gate – Credit Google Search

From Heidelberg we went up to Cologne [Köln], Germany, and in Cologne we stayed in a hotel. As I recall, our room was on the second or third floor, and on about the fourth or fifth floor above us, they were still shoveling debris out. So that hotel we stayed in was actually still semi-damaged from World War II. I also remember driving around the famous cathedral in Cologne, and buildings all around it were totally demolished, but there was very little damage to the cathedral itself. I think that was because the U.S. decided to try not to damage the cathedral.

The Cologne Cathedral – credit Google Search and Andre M. Hunseler/MSH

From Germany we went to Holland. I remember one of the places we stopped was in a little town called Scherpenzeel. I was really taken aback while we were there – not only there but other places in Holland, just in driving around, we would see many, many women out in front of their house or the place where they worked, actually scrubbing the outsideof their building – to keep it clean! I don’t think I’ve ever seen that any place else where I’ve lived. We stayed in a little inn there, which was called the DeWitte Holevoet, and I think, as I recall, we even ate there.

Hotel DeWitte in Scherpenzeel – 1948

From there we went into Amsterdam, and toured around there. I think we even took a boat on some of the canals in Amsterdam, and went up to the Zuiderzee

Wikipedia states: The Zuiderzee Works (Dutch: Zuiderzeewerken) is a man-made system of dams and dikes, land reclamation and water drainage work, in total the largest hydraulic engineering project undertaken by the Netherlands during the twentieth century. The project involved the damming of the Zuiderzee, a large, shallow inlet of the North Sea, and the reclamation of land in the newly enclosed water using polders. Its main purposes are to improve flood protection and create additional land for agriculture.

The Zuiderzee Works in the Netherlands turned the dangerous Zuiderzee, a shallow inlet of the North Sea, into the tame IJsselmeer, and created 1650 km² of land. Credit Google Search.

The American Society of Civil Engineers declared these works, together with the Delta Works in the South-West of the Netherlands, as among the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

One of the bridges that went into the city was Vollendam and was still damaged from World War II. While there, we learned that Vollendam was known as the place where many people married their first cousin.

I remember seeing many people, especially out in the fields, wearing wooden shoes. While visiting the city of Delft, we visited a shop where they made wooden shoes. Some of the shoes were painted, probably for tourists. My parents purchased a pair for me and another pair for my sister, Emily. I still have mine.

Taken on our 2015 Viking River Cruise – Kinderdijk, Holland

Some place in Holland we took a tour through a cheese factory, and had free samples of Gouda cheese.

Gouda Cheese – credit Google Search and GourmetSleuth

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

Link to current day Hotel DeWitte https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1602352-d2162180-Reviews-De_Witte_Holevoet-Scherpenzeel_Gelderland_Province.html

Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing.

Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins.

She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

Tags: A military man remembers, Amsterdam

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Judy Wills-Sunday Memories
Author ludyja

Twelve ways to know you’re a good mom

29 Sep

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged September 29, 2018

“Summer is over and we need to get into a new routine,” my daughter-in-law said to my grandkids.

Being a young mom…and being blind.

Her comment took me to those busy days I had as a young mom. Mornings when my sons were in grade school and I was busy ironing their uniforms and packing those lunch boxes with nutritious stuff (most of which sadly, they brought right back home).

But that was the easy part, being blind; helping them with their homework was tough. How I wished I could see if they wrote the right answers, or how good it would be if I could read the teachers’ notes. My muscles tensed, thinking of how my blindness would affect them. Some days tears trickled down. And lamenting my days gone by when I could see added to my grief.

But God was good to me.

He sent a friend who opened the eyes of my heart.

“If you think about it,” she said, “your kids are really God’s children. He is their Father and He’s in charge of all big and small things.”

I wiped my tears, inhaled a deep sigh, and let that truth sink into my heart. It brought the encouragement I needed to sweep away those “poor-me” notions, and sparked a renewed passion to care for my sons.

What makes a good mom?

With a brighter outlook and a fresh love for my role as their mom, I compiled my own list of what makes a “good” mom:

A Mom who uses prayer as her powerful weapon to defend her children.
A Mom who knows mistakes will be corrected in the hands of a loving God.
A Mom who might go to sleep at night with dishes still in the sink, but a bedtime story in her kid’s heart.
A Mom who knows perfection will only happen on the other side of heaven.
A Mom who sees her kid’s weaknesses and still smiles at his strengths.
A Mom who places guilt in the garbage disposal of life.
A Mom who leaves fingerprints on the glass door to place an imprint of love in her kid’s heart.
A Mom who looks in the mirror and smiles because she is molding one of the leaders of tomorrow.
A Mom who picks shoes off the floor, thankful her kids can walk.
A Mom who listens to endless chatter, thankful her kids can talk.
A Mom who’s signed a partnership with God.
A Mom who stirs this sweetener in the coffee cup of her heart: “I can do all things through the Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

And while she drops exhausted in bed at the end of the day, truth shines through: It’s not the items checked off on the to-do list. Accomplishments managed. The applause never heard or the help always needed. But the certainty that echoes in her heart: her true greatness is in the Father’s eyes. Her sorrows are in his heart. And her triumphs are in His plans.

Let’s Pray

Father, thank you for your reassurance that my children are yours first. They belong to you and therefore, they’re under your divine care. Thank you for the peace that truth brings me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

What promise from God makes your job as a Mom easier?

Did you know I wrote a book about the days when my blindness came? But a beautiful journey took me to joy once again? It’s titled: Trials of Today, treasures for Tomorrow. I wrote it for you. Check it out here: https://janetperezeckles.com/store

Janet

______________________________________

Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

Source: https://janetperezeckles.com/blog/courage/twelve-ways-to-know-youre-a-good-mom.html

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

Tags: Parenting

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Janet Perez Eckles-Walking by faith, Not by Sight-Saturday
Author Onisha Ellis

Even Though, I Will Choose to Breathe

28 Sep

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

^{What a boost to my soul this morning as I read these words!}

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Onisha Ellis On the Porch- Thursday, Uncategorized
Author Onisha Ellis

Memory Lane Road~Trip Part 13

26 Sep

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 13 – Sunday 4/29/2018

Today I headed west on I-20 to visit the Vicksburg National Military Park in Vicksburg, MS. This national park covers 1,728 acres, and is designed to preserve the site of the Battle of Vicksburg, which took place during the Civil War in the summer of 1863. The park displays an impressive number of historic monuments (1,325), strategically placed along the nearly 16 miles of tour road that rings the park. Also there are a total of 144 period canons positioned in simulated high-ground battery locations that gives a person an idea of just how large the battlefield was.

I had originally thought the USS Cairo Museum was in a separate location, so I had to ask for directions to the Museum. It turned out to be located on the park’s Tour Road, toward the northern edge of the park, adjacent to the Yazoo River. This museum houses the restored remains of the USS Cairo that was built in 1861. One of the first ironclads to be built at the beginning of the Civil War, she served with the Army’s Western Gunboat Flotilla on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers until 1862 when she was transferred to the Navy later that year.

On December 12, 1862, while clearing mines from the Yazoo River, she struck a mine and sank. Not located until 1956, the gunboat was damaged in 1964 while crews were trying to raise her. After many years of hard work and many delays, the restored USS Cairo and its museum were finally opened to the public in 1980.

While in Vicksburg, I also visited The Old Depot Museum located just a couple of miles south of the USS Cairo Museum. This museum is housed in the old 1872 Vicksburg Railroad Depot, and consists of scale models of the Olde Town of Vicksburg, a scaled model scene of the Battle of Vicksburg, operating model train layouts, as well as model ships, boats and vessels dating from the time of the Vikings to the present.

Next I headed west on I-20, across the Mississippi River, to visit the Chennault Aviation Museum located in Monroe, LA. This small museum basically tells the story of Claire L. Chennault’s military career, from his initial involvement in aviation during WWI, to his part in the creation of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), known as the “Flying Tigers” in China prior to WW2 and beyond.

I continued west on I-20 to Ruston, where I turned north onto US-167 for a short side trip to visit the Bernice Depot Museum located in Bernice, LA. This very small museum is housed in the 1895 Arkansas Southern Railroad depot, and was one of the significant loading points for the surrounding lumber industry during the late 1800s. The museum displays memorabilia related to the railroad and local lumber industry that gave birth to this small town of Bernice.

Greta kept me with a question in my mind as to her navigating abilities for the better part of the next hour. She took me thru roughly 50 miles of Louisiana back roads to get us back to I-20. Then it was another 30 miles west so I could visit the Barksdale Global Power Museum (8^thAir Force Museum). This museum is located just outside the gate to the Barksdale Air Force Base, on the east side of Shreveport, LA. The museum consists of a building that tells the history of the 8^thAir Force by means of memorabilia, artifacts, and exhibits and some 20+ beautifully restored outdoor static displayed aircraft.

Now it was just a few miles west to visit the Shreveport Water Works Museum located on the southwest side of Shreveport adjacent to the Red River. The museum is housed in the old 1887 McNeill Pump Station building, and displays much of the original steam equipment, pumps, filters, and other machinery used to supply water to the city of Shreveport during the late 1800s.

Right next door to the Water Works Museum was the Shreveport Railroad Museum. This small museum is housed in one of the original 1887 Water Works buildings, and displays memorabilia and artifacts related to the civic and economical influence of the Kansas City Southern Railway on the Shreveport area, dating from the 1860s. The museum also has several pieces of rolling stock in various stages of restoration at an off-site location, including steam locomotive #1140.

Just a few blocks away I tried to visit the Strand Theater there in downtown Shreveport, but it was closed. Wikipedia tells me that the theater was built in 1925, and opened as a Vaudeville venue until the mid-1940s, when it became a movie theater. This 1,536 seat theater remained a movie theater until it was closed in 1977. It was renovated and reopened in 1984 as the “Official State Theater of Louisiana” where it serves as a performing arts venue featuring mostly off-Broadway traveling shows.

Another few blocks away, toward the Red River, I visited the Spring Street Historical Museum there in Shreveport. This small museum is housed in what was originally the Tally’s Bank building. Built in the 1860s, the building is one of the few remaining examples of New Orleans style cast-iron gallery grillwork in Shreveport. This museum displays historic artifacts and memorabilia related to the history in and around the early days of Shreveport, as well as displays of traveling costumes of the time period.

I wondered why my stomach was growling, and decided it was time to head for the motel and get something to eat. Greta took me to the motel with no trouble, and after getting checked in, I was able to relax, warm up, and enjoy leftover Zydeco Wrap from the Froghead Grill.

—–To Be Continued—–

is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 61 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

Bill

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is: John 10:10

Tags: #Roadtrip, Small museums in Mississippi and Louisiana

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Categories Bill Lites A Slice of Life- Wednesday
Author Onisha Ellis

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