Plant Migration

23 Jan

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

Since we divide our time between the Western North Carolina mountains and Florida ( 6 months each) people ask if we are snow birds. I don’t consider us snow birds as we are not fleeing the snow and cold of winter (which I love) but fleeing the Florida summer heat. I tell them we are blessed irregular migrants, wandering between both places.

The dictionary defines human migration as “physical movement by humans from one region to another” and ecology migration as”the large-scale movement of species from one environment to another;”

The ecology part came into play when we began bringing my dipladenia or mandevilla hanging baskets, cold sensitive plants, to spend winters in Florida with us. They flourished, and make the Spring journey back to North Carolina in full bloom.

Initially I had one plant that hung by the front door but a few years ago purchased another to hang in the back yard for the birds to enjoy. This year I retired an old one from rotation and it will hopefully live happily in Florida. We have had to bring it inside several times this year due to the cold but so far so good. I wish I had a picture before our daughter trimmed it up yesterday. It was huge!. I think the yellow leaves are the result of adjusting to a different climate.

Poinsettia are a long time favorite of mine. During childhood my mom grew them outside and they bloomed beautifully at Christmas. She knew when to trim them back for blooms. Christmas of 2019 I bought some small plants at a home improvement store in North Carolina. They were only 88 cents each so why not! I found I preferred the small plants as they were easier to create a grouping in decorative containers for the holiday season.

Of course I became attached to them and took them with us to Florida. They did well over the winter but I didn’t think they would flourish in the summer heat so we found room in the car and took them with us along with the dipladenia.

We didn’t plant them, simply sat them outside in their pots and let nature care for them. They grew and began to get “leggy”. When our daughter came to spend Thanksgiving with us, I asked her to take the plants to Florida and see how they would do. To my surprise they overcame the “leggy” look and made a beautiful plant.

Moving into the fall of 2020. I posted here about finding a farm that sold a myriad of pansy varieties. I planted three pots of them. Unfortunately, the time to leave for Florida arrived before they reached full glory. So… you guessed it, I brought them with me, but only one pot. I left one on a shepherds hook by the front door and one in a large planter that supports a fountain.

I also picked up 88 cent poinsettias again this year. I set a grouping on the outside stairs as well as some inside. It was tricky trying to remember to bring them in after watering them, but I only watered once per week. They came to Florida too and along with the pansies are now providing cheerful color` to the walkway. If the pansies survive the heat of Florida spring (which begins in late February) I plan to take them back to North Carolina where they should thrive until late April. And yes, there is a good chance the poinsettia will go too. I think maybe my plants are snow bird plants!

We bought this dipladenia in 2020 and look forward to several years of migration. I love these plants because they take care of themselves and yet give us beautiful flowers.

I hope January has been kind to you. We’ve had some medical challenges but remain thankful and confident in the love and care of our Savior.

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Mount Rushmore Road Trip Part 14

20 Jan

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 14 Tuesday 

9/22/2020  

This morning I headed southwest 30 miles on US-56 to visit the Stauth Memorial Museum located in Montezuma, KS.  This museum tells the story of the world travels of Claude & Donnie Stauth with photos, videos, and artifacts.  The museum also houses the extensive Ralph Fry Wildlife Collection of North American & exotic game animals, and the Howard Wall Western Bronze Collection consisting of Frederic Remington and other famous western bronze artists’ reproductions.

Now I headed south 30 miles on KS-23 to visit the Dalton Gang Hideout and Museum located in Meade, KS.  This house and property, owned by then store owner John Whipple and his wife Eva, sister of the Dalton brothers, is reported to be where the Dalton Gang were hidden from the law in 1890.  There is also a tunnel under the house, said to have been used by the Daulton Gang, if they needed to escape into the woods to elude persuers in case of an emergency. 

After that informative experience, I headed southwest on US-160 & US-54 to visit the Mid-America Air Museum located adjacent to the Liberal Regional Airport in Liberal, KS.  This large museum  displays 100+ beautifully restored static aircraft, of all types, dating  from 1913 to the present.  I found it interesting to learn that the airport served as the Liberal Army Air Field, a B-24 Liberator training base, during WW II.

Next I headed northwest some 60 miles on KS-51 & KS-25, thru Moscow and Hickok, to visit the Historic Adobe Museum located in Ulysses, KS.  This small museum was built intirely of adobe blocks in the 1930s and tells the story of early life on the High Plains reagion of southwestern Kansas with a riverside Indian incampment scene, a sod house scene, and gold rush town scene and artifacts.  I found the story the tour guide told me, about the original town of Ulysses, to be as interesting as the museum displays.

Named for General Ulysses S. Grant, the High Plains town of Ulysses was originally founded in 1873, mostly by the efforts of George W. Earp (first cousin to Wyatt Earp).  By 1888 the  town was booming and it boasted a population of 2000.  But then the gold in the area began to run out.  Then came the crop failures, drought, and the financial crisis of the 1890s, and most of the residents began to leave for richer areas.  Finally, by 1909 only 40 people were left in town.  Due to increased county property taxes, over the years, and the lack of business in the area, the remaining families were about to be evicted from their homes and businesses.  So, they came up with an original idea.  They moved the entire town three miles (out of their local tax area) to its present location!  Problem solved.  How about that for American ingenuity?

      The Edwards Hotel was cut into (3) sections and moved on skids

—–To Be Coninued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 63 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.

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

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Who is Michael

19 Jan

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

My very talented friend, Mike Thomas has premiered a podcast, The Storyteller Almanac. Some podcasts will include a “mystery” character or story from the pages of history. Listen as he narrates the story of a famous man.

Who is Michael?

CLICK TO LISTEN

Did you guess? I didn’t.

Now, a little about Mike.

I’ve been ‘clickin’ the shutter since I was about 16. I morphed into video production when I went to work for The Walt Disney Company many years ago. Currently, I still work for Disney. But my real passion and path is utilizing my photography and multimedia skill sets for the greater good. Translated, anything or anybody that deserves recognition, appreciation or documenting for future history, I’m all over it. Too many important things just slip away in a fast moving, fast paced world / society. ‘If ya’ wanna know where you’re going, ya’ gotta know where ya’ come from’ (Sir Lawrence Olivier – The Jazz Singer 1980). 

To contact me for any reason, please click or copy & paste: 

MikeThomasImagery@gmail.com

http://mikethomasimagery.com/about-me

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Meditation Journal 5

18 Jan

Who do you trust? 

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Amazon Book for Children

Lord, I don’t like the way things are going. I’m scared and worried. I didn’t expect things to go this way. I thought they would get better sooner. Can’t you fix it? Can’t you make it all go away, so we can be happy?” After thinking a thought like that our minds set sail on a ship of can’t you and won’t you please…? We pour out suggestions to God hoping we can influence him to make things the way we think they should be. 

Today I saw an article online that was a slap in our president’s face. It made me sad. We pray for him and our country, and God hears our prayers. The only thing is, God already has his plan, and he knows what he’s doing. Things always turn out the way he wants them to. That’s the reason we are asked to give thanks in everything. We are the sheep of his pasture, not his bosses. He’ll pray through us and he’ll tell us how to pray, but he won’t be persuaded or even impressed with our thoughts of what should happen. God is the only completely trustworthy person both on earth and in the realms of heaven. He always knows what he’s doing, and he never makes a mistake.

This morning after I saw the insult hurled at the president. I started my meditation journal with a Bible selection in the Upper Room: Exodus 14 

It swept me away to read how when the Israelites were leaving Egypt because God had told them to, they were followed by a vast army with orders to bring them all back. They were too valuable as slaves to be let go.  

Egypt

That’s when God started putting his next plan into action.

The Israelis had to stop at the edge of the Red Sea. They probably demanded to be taken back to the life they knew, even though it was slavery. They with all their oldsters and children couldn’t swim it and it was probably too far to go around. With the Egyptian soldiers on their heels Moses heard God said. “I will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.” And then I slowly and carefully read the story and was enthralled with It. I would love for you to read it for yourself. It gave me a huge lift; I think the same may happen to you. If you wish, and have time, you can write it in your journal in your own words. Something like that is always good to see when you re-read your journals. Scripture: Exodus 14

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, and neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

“I Can Do all Things Through God who Strengthens Me.” 

You can see it in the movie the Prince of Egypt

Tell me about the Red Sea

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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Random Memories of Germany

17 Jan

BERLIN – PART 2

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

We always enjoyed our time in Berlin.  As I’ve mentioned in other posts, we never found a distasteful meal in Germany – ANYwhere in Germany!  And we found some of the best food at the Gasthauses where we stopped in small towns.  Our daughters didn’t understand that, until we told them that, in order to stay in business, they had to have good food, that the local people would enjoy and be repeat customers.  If the food was bad, the locals wouldn’t return.  And so we looked for out-of-the-way places to eat as we traveled.

As for Berlin, I don’t remember much about where and what we ate while in Berlin.  Only one instance that has stayed with me.  It was back in 1969, and Fred had a TDY (Temporary Duty) in Berlin, as the replacement for the Meteorologist at the Weather Station in Berlin, while that officer was on vacation.

Templehof Airport – Base Operations where Fred worked in the Weather Station

It was to be a two-week TDY, so Karen and I went with Fred.  Karen was just two years old at the time.  We were staying in the Columbia House hotel at Tempelhof Airport.  

I must add here our method of travel to Berlin from Wiesbaden.  We decided to take the train – which was a troop train. 

Credit Pixabay

We had heard stories of the train trip, but it wasn’t until we were actually on the train that they came to life.  We had a sleeping compartment, which was good.  However, there were about three or four stops along the way – probably going through the Russian Zone and checkpoints.  In any case, our train driver seemed to take great delight in….mmm perhaps trying to slam on the brakes at these stops!  We very nearly rolled right out of those beds each time he jerked us to a stop!  It was NOT a fun trip!  Fortunately, Karen slept right through it!

I don’t remember just what we had done that day, but for some reason, I remember that I was feeling rather ill that evening at supper time (it felt like either a cold coming on, or the flu).  There was a restaurant within the hotel, which was convenient for us, especially having a two-year-old with us at the time.  I believe all the servers, as well as the cooks in the restaurant, were German nationals.  When our server asked what I would like to eat, I informed him that I really wasn’t that hungry, and why.  His face lit up and he told me that he had “just the thing” to get me over it!   He returned with a bowl of the best-tasting lentil soup I’ve ever had! 

Credit Pixabay

It was mostly broth, with the lentils and a few shredded vegetable thrown in.  (As an aside – I’ve tried all these years since to find a recipe for lentil soup that even sounds like that soup tasted!  All with no success)  

After I finished the soup and started to head back to our room, he approached me with a tray that had a cup, some tea bags, with lemon and sweetener, and enough boiling water to make two cups.

Credit Pixabay

He told me to take it to our room and be sure I drank both cups before I went to bed that night.  Which I did.  By the next morning – I was back to normal!!  The soup and tea did the trick!  The following night, at supper, I thanked him profusely!  He went above and beyond his “duty” as server, to help me, and I was so very grateful.  I have always remembered his kindness.

~~~~~~~~~~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 as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Helping Hands-Impromptu Cold Shelter

15 Jan

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

Non-Florida readers don’t laugh. In Florida our county opens cold shelters for the homeless when the night temperature dips down into the 40s. For some reason, the cold shelter in north county is closed this week and the closest open one is 4o miles away.

A friend, Scooter Morrison, who pastors a small church located in a community center said his heart broke when he learned due to a temporary closure, the homeless would be left without shelter. As he related it to me, he felt God asking him, “don’t you have a building and heat? I will supply the rest?”

He put a call out on Facebook for donations of cots, blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags. I stopped by on Wednesday to drop off a donation and was thrilled to learn the community had met all of the needs including hot meals. I apologize for the blurry photos, I had to screenshot them from a video

Folding tables were placed on their sides to allow privacy between cots.

As evening drew near yesterday, volunteers with trucks drove through local parks where homeless congregate, offering a ride to the church.

The news channels shriek anger and division. The antidote is kindness. There is good happening in every community. Find a way to be a part of it. In the Christian community we call it being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Scooter Morrison is the pastor of Lifepointe Ministries in Titusville, Florida.

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.

My 2020 goal is to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.

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Mount Rushmore Road Trip Part 13

13 Jan

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 13 Monday 

9/21/2020 

This morning, after breakfast, I headed south 30 miles on NE-44 and US-34 to visit the Nebraska Paririe Museum located just north of Holdrege, NE.  This museum has indoor and outside displays that tell the stories of the lives and times of many of those who have been a part of the early development of Heldrege and the surrounding area, including the POW camp that was established near Holdrere during WWII. 

Now I headed 50 miles south on US-183, across the border into Kansas,  to visit the Fort Bissill Museum located in Phillipsburg, KS.  This museum was closed, but their website informs me that the old stockade fort was built to represent the 1872 fort used to protect early settlers.  It was not ever used by the military.  Artifacts are displayed inside the walls of the fort and include an 1872 log cabin, an 1887 one-room schoolhouse, and an 1885 general store, all of which were moved to the museum location over the years.

I continued south another 25 miles on US-183 to visit the Walter-Coolbaugh 20th Century House located in downtown Stockton, KS but it was closed.  So, I just took a photo to this beautiful mansion and headed on down the road to the next museum.

That took me another 40 miles south on US-183 to The Sternberg Museum of Natural History located just east of Hays, KS.  This large museum has two–floors filled with natural history displays that tell the stories  of the evelution of the Oceans of Kansas and the Central Great Plains area.  I was impressed with their live Rattlesnake collection which represents all 22 different species of Rattlesnakes found in the US.  The museum also conducts annual Science Camps for elementry, middle school, & high school students.

As I continued south about 25 miles on US-183 I came upon the Rush  County Historical Museum located in the Grass Park area of LaCrosse, KS.  This small museum is located in the old 1887 Santa Fe Railroad Depot and has on display artifacts and memorabilia related to the early history of LaCross and Rush County from the late 1800s.  In the same small complex there is the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum that tells the history of barbed with the display of 2000+ examples. There is also a restored 1907 one-room school house and a restored 1916 bank, both of which were moved to this location.

I thought I would never see the end of US-183, but I finally turned off at Kinsley, KS where I visited the Carnival Heritage Center. This museum is dedicated to the preservation of artifacts and memorabilia related to the traveling carnival companies that have made Kinsley their home from as early as 1907 to the 1980s.

Now I headed southwest 35 miles on US-50 to visit the Boot Hill  Museum, said to be, located on the original site of the old Boot Hill Cemetery in Dodge City, KS.  This is a great museum!  It is filled with literly thousands of old west artifacts and all kinds of memorabilia depicting the infamous Dodge City gold rush days of the 1800s.  

I had visited this museum, on another road trip several years ago, but things have changed since then.  They have added a new ticket and gift shop building, and have consolidated the original row of museum stores (each staffed with tour guides dressed in period costumes) into a single self-guided walk-thru type museum.

I was a tired and thirsty cowpoke today, but when I entered the Long Branch Saloon, there was no one to offer me a Sarsaparilla, or to play ragtime music on the ancient upright piano.  That was a real bumer, as I had been looking forward the that experience all day.  I was also disappointed that the museum was not conducting the Main Street Shootout dimenstration the day I was there.

Just across the street from the Boot Hill Cemetery was the Gun Fighters Wax Museum.  This small museum consists of full-size wax figures of the well known old west personalities such as Wyatt Earp, Buffalo Bill, Calamity Jane, Sitting Bull, and many others, that roamed this part of Kansas during the gold rush days of the 1800s.   

By now I was ready to head for the motel and get something to eat.  I settled for another quick and easy ‘Heat & Serve’ meal of Beef Tips & Grave in my motel room.  Yummm!  Then I recorded my days activities and hit the hay.

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 63 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.

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

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Meditation Journaling 4

11 Jan

My Take

DiVoran Lites

“Seeing God”

Photocredit Pixabay

Many years ago, when we were at Park Avenue Church under Peter and Johnnie Lord, we were given a twenty-year course in how to be Christians. One of the first things we learned was that it was good to keep in touch with our parents. I was already writing weekly letters to several of my relatives, including my mother and dad. Mother answered weekly. Infrequently a scrawl from Dad graced the paper. I loved to hear the mailman’s truck stop at our house and could hardly wait to run out to the mailbox to see what letters we might receive. Now, decades later, I still have a thick notebook of letters from Mother. 

Scores of folks wrote all kinds of letters in those days, which meant that penning a letter to God would be easy.  Those letters became my Meditational Journaling. 

One of the visiting teachers at our church was Mark Virkler. He impressed me with his writing descriptions to God, and I took an online course from him and bought some of his books. The first thing I really “got” from Mark’s teaching was that I could personalize scripture. When I go back and read what I have written, I am often startled by the wisdom in a journal passage. The Holy Spirit and the Bible gave me the words. The thought makes my heart leap with joy 

We sometimes write the word, paraphrased if we’re sharing with others. Fortunately, they can check in the Bible for themselves to see that hopefully we have not added or taken away anything.

Photo credit Pixabay

A long time ago, someone told me it wasn’t right to use written prayers. I’m sorry I believed that. I’ve missed years of praying the best prayers ever prayed. They come from the Bible. Until this minute. I have never realized that the writings in the back of hymn books are full of written prayers for the congregation.

Kynan Bridges, author of 90 Days of Power in Prayer, says, “Many people think that success in the Christian life is about following religious rituals, but nothing could be further from the truth. True success in the kingdom is a result of active faith in God’s Word and deep intimacy with the Holy Spirit.”

The Psalms are a wonderful place to start writing down what you want to say to God or personalizing what he wants to say to you.  I stay with positive scriptures because they give me peace.  If I need to be convicted of wrong doing, I trust God to alert me. It’s no good digging around in my soul for something to feel guilty about. Many people use written prayers and other scriptures when they can’t find any other words to say. 

Photo credit Pixabay

“Lord, I passionately love you, and I’m bonded to you, for you are the power behind every Christian. You’re as real to me as bedrock beneath my feet like a castle on a cliff, my forever firm fortress, my mountain of hiding, my pathway of escape.” 

Psalm 18:1-2 paraphrased

“God Will Take Care of You,” Choir, Fountain View Academy

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Random Memories of Germany

10 Jan

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Berlin-Part 1

We were able to visit Berlin several times while we lived in Germany – during each of our tours of duty in Germany.  We marveled at what we saw, each time we visited.  I remember (but not exactly when) I was describing being in Berlin and how much we enjoyed it, to the lady doing my hair.  I believe she was a German girl, working in the American beauty shop on base.  Her response surprised me, in that she said she didn’t think she could live in Berlin, since it was so “closed in” with the wall surrounding it.  And that thought surprised me!  I told her that Berlin was beautiful and felt quite “open” and not closed in at all!  But she was firm in her belief.  I was sorry I was unable to convince her.  The very air in Berlin feels like “hope” and freedom.

Our first visit was when my Mother came to Germany for a two-week visit in May, 1969.  We stayed in the hotel near Tempelhof Airport.

1969 – Tempelhof Airport.  U.S. Air Forces – Tempelhof  Central Airport

We were curious to see some sort of monument in front of the hotel, and later learned that it was a memorial to the Berlin Airlift.  And not only that, but it happened to be the 20th anniversary of the airlift.  The airlift, resulting from the Soviet blockade of the city in 1948, is quite a story unto itself.  I will not retell that story here, but would encourage my readers to Google “Berlin Airlift” and read about it there.  It was a major event in the Cold War, and Tempelhof was a major part of the story.

1969 – The Berlin Airlift Memorial monument. Judy in bright pink, Mother in blue.

We took a bus tour – to see the high points of the city, before we struck out on our own.  The Berlin Wall was up by that time, and we were unable to see the East side of Berlin, as it was controlled by the Soviet Union.  The difference between East and West Berlin was startling.  West Berlin was a modern, beautiful city, while the East side looked like a war zone still.  Amazing!

1969 – Looking into East Berlin from Checkpoint Charlie

One thing, especially, that fascinated me, was the ruins of Kaiser Wilhelm Kirche – right next to the new, beautiful Kirche.  I don’t have pictures of the new church during that time, so I don’t remember whether or not we went into the new church that visit.  But we did during our visit with our daughters in 1983.  It’s really beautiful.

Credit Google Search and art-days.com

It is along one of the main streets of West Berlin, Kurfurstendam, affectionately known as Ku’dam.

1969 – Looking down the Ku’dam at the old and new church

I had wondered why the ruins of the church were left there in the middle of the town.  I was told that the German people wanted it left – as a reminder of what war had done to their country – twice!  And to never instigate war again.  It is a vivid reminder!

The original Kaiser Wilhelm Kirche

Credit Google Search and Culture of Readers Journey – Edublogs

But there are some wonderful things to see there, as well.  We went to the Charlottenburg Palace.

1969 – The Charlottenburg Palace

1969 – The Charlottenburg Palace manicured grounds

In addition to all the “royal” stuff one might expect to see, we saw the original bust of Nefertiti in the museum.  There is much speculation as to why she is in Germany and not Egypt, but that’s another story, too.

1969 – the original Nefertiti bust

Walking along a lovely city street, we came upon an old hand-watering pump.  Apparently it is free water to any and all, and it looked like it was used by many to wash their cars there!  We showed it to our girls in our 1983 visit, as well.  Little things like that fascinate me!

1969 – the old hand-watering pump

1983 – the same pump. Karen, Judy and Janet

~~~~~~~~~~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 as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

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Mount Rushmore Road Trip Part 12

6 Jan

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Day 12 Sunday 

9/20/2020 

This morning I headed 30 miles south on US-83 to Vivian, SD where I took 1-90 west 25 miles to visit the Pioneer Auto Museum located in Murdo, SD.  This museum consists of some 185 beautifully restored antique and classic cars dating from 1902 to 2005.  Wow!  What a great collection!  There are also around 15 cars and trucks of all types and conditions for sale.

Now I headed south 25 miles on US-83, thru White River and  55 miles east on SD-44 to visit the Tripp County Historical Museum located in Winner, SD.  You might think you had entered a diner when you first walk into this small museum, but it goes along with the  Main Street displays and other exbitits showing the life of 1900s southeastern SD pioneers to the present.  The museum also has a steam engine tractor collection in another building.

I continued south 20 miles on US-18 to Colome, SD where I picked up US-183, south, another 60 miles to visit the Sellers Barton Museum located in Ainsworth, NE.  This museum resides in an historic log building and consists mainly of artifacts and memorabilia related to life in the north central Nebraska area during the 1800s & 1900s. 

I wanted to visit the Boneyard Creation Museum located in Broken Bow, NE but they were closed today, and besides that it would have taken me around 50 miles (roudtrip) out of my way.  So I just headed south on US-183, thru Basset and Westerville, a long and boring 160 miles to Kearney, NE where I visited the Classic Car Collection located at the intersection of US-30 & NE-10.  The long drive was worth it!  This is a fabulas collection of some 200+ beautifully restored 1930s to 1970s classic cars.  The collection includes rare and historic family cars, touring cars, sports cars, and mussle cars.  There is also a recreated 1950s service station and an origineal drive-in movie ticket booth.  I loved the videos projected on car hoods.

A few miles south I visited the Nebraska Firefighters Museum located adjacent to I-80 there in Kearney.  This museum is deticated to honoring the history and heritage of firefighters from all parts of the state of Nebraska, and has a large collection of firefighting equipment dating from the early 1800s.

From the Firefighters Museum I could look east and see the Archway spanning I-80.  This Historical Monument was built in 2000 and has a museum that chronicles the development of the Great Platte River Road, a throughfare thru this area dating from the mid-1800s (Fort Kearney).  Generational displays help visitors grasp the great western movement of american pioneer travelers to the west.

Now I heeaded into town to visited the Rails & Trails Museum located just off of NE-44.  This museum tells the story of the western migration thru southern Nebraska over the centuries with local artifacts and memorabilia.  The museum also has several pieces of restored rolling stock representing how the railroad helped expand Platte River Valley area over the years.

I couldn’t believe how tired I was.  After only 360 miles.  Come on Bill. What are you, some kind of a whimp?  I headed for the motel there in Kearney.  After I got checked in, I broke out one of my Heat-&-Serve dinners and heated it up in the micrrwave.  Then I enjoyed a great  Chicken Marsala meal while I relaxed with some TV.

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 63 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.

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

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