Battle of Midway

Midway Display South Chicago

The sailors that fought the battle of Midway are honored at the concourse at Chicago Midway airport.  Though Illinois is far from the sea this display is all about sailors and combat at sea.  Sometimes you find things in unexpected places.

Leaving on an aircraft

Boeing 737 in Southwest color scheme

Boeing 737 with the jet way mated with the door

If you are going somewhere you may fly to your destination.  Many countries have scheduled airlines.   In the U.S. Southwest is an airline many travelers choose.  The  aircraft in the picture sports a bright color scheme.  The lines of most airliners look like fish that swim in the ocean.  These aircraft look great in the sun.  Airfields and airplanes;  flying is a great experience.  It hasn't been that long since the Wrights did their airplane work at Huffman prairie in Ohio.  

On Lake Ontario

Irondequoit Bay, NY 

The Great Lakes are beautiful.   And they seem more beautiful when you think of the clean water they have.  This is Irondequoit Bay.  This bay connects to Lake Ontario. The bay was formed when a glacier was present at the site.   The town of Webster, New York is located on  Irondequoit Bay.

If you fly into the airport at Rochester, NY you will see a vintage airplane displayed in the terminal.  This is a reproduction of the airplane flown by Geraldine Grey, the first woman to get a pilot's license in Western New York.
The present day airport is a sucessor to Britton Field where Geraldine Grey flew.

Sounds of life on earth

Cicada Summer 2017

Keeping pace in our harried lives we lose our sense of hearing.  We don't hear the sounds of nature.  The sounds are there to be heard.  They can be encouraging or frightening.  Maybe part  of the difference is within you.

A treat, the paw paw

Jefferson Memorial Forest - Paul Yost Section

It is not too hard to see Paw Paw trees in Kentucky.  There is one in the Jefferson Memorial Forest that is easily seen.  It is a rebellious paw paw because the tree usually prefers moist locations.  This individual is living on a not so moist hillside.  A son’s father would go into the woods and find the fruits for a breakfast.  The paw paws easily seen in the outdoors have been too little to get for consuming.  But this September a friend made a bowl of paw paws.  The paw paws were very tasty.  These fruits must be allowed to ripen on the tree.  Once picked they must be eaten within three to five days.  Albany, Ohio and York, Pennsylvania have festivals celebrating the fruit.  So respect and appreciate the forest by you and its paw paw trees.

On the river

Braided Rug - Scribner House, New Albany, IN

The Scribner house is located in New Albany, Indiana near the water side of the Ohio River.  The first man to build and maintain the house was Joel Scribner. Then the son, William, Dr. William Scribner lived there.  Then the daughter Hatie lived there.  She sold the house to the Daughters of the American Revolution.  The house is under the care of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  Only Scribner family members have lived in the house.  For the Bicentennial of the house a book about the house was generated.  Ann Caudill coauthored the book.

A bridge and a river

Ohio River Bridge - I 64

If one looks at the through arch bridge at New Albany, Indiana the appeal of the bridge as art comes through.  This is one of America's most beautiful bridges.  No matter how sorrowful you are there is something of beauty for you. Have a safe journey.

Louisville, Kentucky - New Albany, Indiana

The railroad along the Ohio River

The railroad in New Albany, Indiana carries long trains.  One can see trains just down the slope from State and Main streets.

Fly Them Before They Are Gone - Update

MD 88 at Bush Airport (IAH)

I noticed a Delta Airplane at Bush Airport (IAH) in May that had the engines on the fuselage.   I looked and behold!  The distinctive skylights were on the front of the airplane.  Delta is flying MD 88 airplanes!
Now I find out Delta is flying MD-90 airplanes!  Huzzah!        

Getting Outside in Kentucky

Lodge - Rough River Dam State Resort Park

Music - Rough River Dam State Resort Park

A recommended way to see Kentucky is stay at a Kentucky State Park and then go to the things near that park to explore the area.  Although it may appeal to relax and stay at the lodge that will result in missing the experiences that Kentucky has to offer.  For example the log church built in the Scandinavian style at Buckhorn.  Leave the lodge and see the countryside.  All of the parks are located in regions that have music, arts and crafts or natural wonders.

One lodge where some daytime relaxing may be good for the soul is Rough River Dam.  This lodge has healthy nourishing food.  This lodge has wonderful bluegrass music once per month.

The Utah Wilderness

Highlands Zion NP, Utah

The scenic experience of  the Virgin River and the surrounding peaks draws one to this place.   Zion National Park is a place of beauty.   It has rocks and cliffs to be appreciated.  A peak called "The Watchman" is consided a special sacred place.   To see Zion National is to take back something worth remembering.

General William Orlando Butler - Carrollton, KY

The News Democrat - August 13, 1931

General Butler State Resort Park

The CCC built a park at a hilly site in Carrollton, Kentucky.  The News Democrat announced the park dedication in August 1931.  Originally the park was named the Butler Memorial Park.  The name on the plaque in the stone wall that faces State Route 227 is stated "Butler Memorial Park."

General Percival Butler served in the Revolutionary War before coming to Kentucky.  Major Thomas Butler was an officer under the command of General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. William Orlando Butler served in the war of 1812 and in the Mexican War.  The park name is now the General Butler State Resort Park; the person of the park name is William Orlando Butler.

The park owes its existence to the CCC.   The overlook with the stone steps and walls was constructed by the CCC.   The park stands as a model of growth and renewal.   Though the depression made millions jobless, the CCC was born out of the depression with a view to making places better than how they found them.  The CCC camps took lands and built shelters and trails on them with a vision for how much beauty could be at these lands with proper attention.

The forest

Christmas Fern - Jenny Wiley State Park

The Christmas fern, Polystichum acrostichoides, with fronds 1-2 feet high is probably the most common fern in Kentucky. The developing fronds are called fiddleheads. The newly developed fronds resemble the neck of a fiddle. It has been said that fiddleheads are edible and can be prepared like asparagus. The Christmas Fern is also a food crop for the ruffed grouse.  This plant also belies the idea that winter scenes are gray.  The plant is deep green and it is around throughout the winter.

A native Kentucky Tree

Persimmon Tree - Jenny Wiley State Park, Kentucky

The persimmon  (Diospyros virginiana)  is native to the Kentucky mountains and hills. Persimmon is often growing on drier upland sites that receive adequate moisture.  It grows naturally in open areas on rocky hillsides. Heights are typically 20 to 30 feet tall. It is best known for its fruit.  In Indiana at Spring Mill State park the lodge serves a delicious persimmon offering.  It is provided similar to a fruit pie.  Wildlife find and eat the fruit.  Persimmon trees are either male or female; the trees cannot self-pollinate. Only the female Persimmon tree bears fruit. The leaves are simple, alternate, 2 to 6 inches long, and 1 to 3 inches wide. They are ovate to elliptical and are shiny green. The bark is brown to dark grey and is very deeply furrowed giving it a distinct blocky appearance. The dark heartwood is very hard and takes a century to develop. Besides Dogwood and Ironwood Trees, the Persimmon ranks third in wood hardness and is used largely in the production of golf club heads.  The fruit matures in September to October and is orange in color.  The fruit becomes soft when ripe. Each  fruit is about round; about 1 to 2 inches across.  Animals of varying species love the fruit.  The wild animals may beat you to the fruit before you get a chance to find it. The fruit has a very sweet taste that some say mimic the taste of dates. It can be eaten raw or made into pies, or cookies. 

Natural Beauty in Kentucky

Ground Cedar - Jenny Wiley State Park, Kentucky

Here is another reason to go to Jenny Wiley State Park in Appalachia.  There are things that you don't see in other regions.  Take this ground cedar (Lycopodium digitatum) for example.  It is found in the eastern mountains.   Ground Cedar is very attractive and it grows in large patches of the forest floor.  It needs an acidic soil.  It is a club moss and it commonly grows to one to two and one half inches tall.  Deforestation has reduced its presence to limited areas of the east.  This plant is also known by names like “Wandering Cedar” and Crowsfoot.”  This plant also belies the talk that one hears about the end of color once the trees lose their leaves.  The end of fall does not bring the end of color.  This plant could not be any deeper in its own shade of forest green.

A tree in Kentucky

American hornbeam - Jenny Wiley State Park

This Kentucky tree is the American Hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana. The American Hornbeam is a small tree with one or more trunks that are angled with a broad, rounded crown. The elliptical leaves are 2 inches to  4 ½ inches in length and 1 inch to 2 ½ inches wide.  The leaf edge is saw toothed. The bark is blue-gray, thin, smooth and is “muscle like” in its appearance.  In some areas the tree is called “ Muscle Wood." The fruit is leaf like, three pointed and hangs on slender stalks in clusters. These hairy, greenish nutlets mature in late Spring. The word “Hornbeam” is from the words “horn” for toughness and “beam” for tree. This tree is a member of the birch family; however, many people talk of it as a beech tree because of its smooth bark. 

The Kentucky State Parks

General Butler State Resort Park - Carrollton, KY

It seems like the Kentucky State Parks with places to stay the night are located by federal lakes in Kentucky.  Of the seventeen parks with places to stay the night seven are located along federal lakes.  These are Lake Cumberland, Jenny Wiley, Buckhorn Lake, Rough River Dam Lake, Lake Barkley, Barren River Lake, and Dale Hollow.  Jenny Wiley is located along Lake Dewey in the Appalachian mountain chain in Floyd County.  

So seven of the seventeen are along lakes built as part of the national flood damage reduction system.  Two have a similar setting.  Kenlake and Kentucky Dam Village are along the huge Kentucky Lake in Western Kentucky.  This large lake was constructed by TVA so the Kenlake and Kentucky Dam Village locations may be placed in a TVA group.  Greenbo Lake in Greenup County was built by funds raised by a citizens group and is the only park with that construction background.
 

Five parks are sites of natural features; Cumberland Falls, Natural Bridge, Carter Caves, Pine Mountain, and Pennyrile Forest. Pine Mountain State Park in Bell County was the first designated state park in Kentucky.

Two are sites of unique historic significance; Blue Licks Battlefield and General Butler.

General Butler is located along the Kentucky River in Carroll County. 
So there is a lot of water to see and some rugged outdoors places to experience.