The scent of intrigue and wine, the pull of antiquity, the allure of the countryside — all were calling us away from Florence. We were finished with the biggest of cities on our itinerary and were beckoned by olive groves, stone farmhouses, and imposing stone castles in the rolling hills of Tuscany. On this day, we would make our way from Florence to San Gimignano, stopping in several Chianti towns along the way. This region produces the grapes used in Chianti and Chianti Classico, world-famous red wines.
We had everything ready to go at our Florence Airbnb by 9:00, and we handed over the keys to Paula, Niccolò’s mother. We always leave our rental places in tip-top shape, so of course she returned our security deposit. She gave us suggestions of places to stop on our way to San Gimignano, along with a postcard advertising apartments she had available to rent near Florence.
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
As we bid Paula “Addio,” she encouraged us to drive to the top of a hill near the apartment for a panoramic view over the city.
view of Florence from a hillside near our apartment
One of the places Paula suggested we stop was the tiny hilltop hamlet of Montefioralle, about 2km west of Greve in Chianti. It is the ancestral home of Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512), the merchant, explorer, and navigator from whose name the term “America” is derived.
Tradition associates the image of Venus in Sandro Botticelli’s painting, Birth of Venus, painted sometime in the 1480s, with the famous beauty Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci, an Italian noblewoman from Genoa, the wife of Marco Vespucci of Florence and the cousin-in-law of Amerigo Vespucci. She was known as the greatest beauty of her age in Italy.
We stopped for a walk around the quiet, nearly deserted little town.
Montefioralle
irises outside of Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Mike with our car in Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Our next stop was Greve in Chianti, the hub of the local wine industry. If there is a capital of Chianti, apparently Greve is it. Here, an arcade with cafes, enoteche (wine bars), and craft shops cluster around the Piazza Matteotti, the gently sloping and asymmetrical central plaza. In the center is a statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano (1480-1527), the discoverer of New York Harbor.
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
We stopped at a butcher shop, where we were almost frightened off by the stuffed boars outside, Macelleria Falorni. We also browsed in a bike shop, where Mike bought a new biking shirt.
Macelleria Falorni
Macelleria Falorni
Macelleria Falorni
Macelleria Falorni
Macelleria Falorni
bike shop
We stopped for a coffee and pastry at a Pizzeria.
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
We strolled around the little town, poking into shops here and there, and simply enjoyed the small-town ambiance.
Windows opened onto
orange trees in
half-ruined buildings,
built to repel the world.
Desert flamingos,
a color of dark mustard,
stood at one end.
The air was filled with the smell,
of kif, dried fruits and fig jam.
Sand was blowing about
and they sat, listening to
precarious voices.
They had no idea what to say.
The world was close and far off
and the guitar fell silent.
They looked for the moon
and didn’t find it.
The facts were stifling them.
Found poem, from Lawrence Osborne’s The Forgiven. New York: Hogarth, 2012, 2013. Print
Orange tree in El Khorbat
ruins in Tinghir, Morocco
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“POETRY” Invitation: I invite you to write a poem of any poetic form on your own blog about a particular travel destination. Or you can write about travel in general. Concentrate on any intention you set for your poetry.
During this time of isolation and social distancing, please feel free to write poetry about any subject, whether travel-related or not. I’d love to read and share them here!
One intention for my trip to Morocco was to write a Cento, or Patchwork, poem, using either a poem by a Moroccan poet or a book I read to prepare for my Morocco trip. Unite lines from that author’s work. The new poem must find a new meaning that is not similar to the original poem.
The Cento can also come from a passage of prose, where you keep the lines in the same order or rearrange them; it’s important to make your own rules and then not break them. Centos can be rhymed or unrhymed, short or long. The poem should be casually cited, but not in a traditional way. Example: Found poem from Elizabeth Bishop’s “Sestina.”
Here, I used phrases from a scene in Lawrence Osborne’s The Forgiven, which takes place in Morocco. I set a rule for myself to use phrases in the order in which they appeared in the text, without rearranging them. Another rule is that I shouldn’t change the words of the phrases, by making present into past tense, changing singular to plural, etc.
You can either set your own poetic intentions, or use one of the prompts I’ve listed on this page: writing prompts: poetry. (This page is a work in process). You can also include photos, of course.
Include the link in the comments below by Thursday, July 2 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Friday, July 3, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation, on the first Friday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
After visiting Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska, I dropped in to El Museo Latino, which was quite shabby and hardly worth the $3.50 admission. No photography was allowed, which seemed ridiculous. I saw black and white photos of Latino people who came to Omaha and you could listen to their stories about why they made Omaha their home, but I didn’t take the time to listen to them. I enjoyed the beautiful Huipil, ceremonial clothes, or traditional garments worn by indigenous women from Central Mexico to Central America. The loose-fitting tunics were woven by Guatemalan women and were vibrant and lovely. I was disappointed I couldn’t take photos. The other exhibits were yarn weavings.
The surrounding neighborhood seemed to be a Latino neighborhood. I was in and out quickly.
I then went to the Gerald R. Fort Birthsite and Gardens, dedicated in 1976, and expanded in 1980 to include the Betty Ford Rose Garden. Former First Lady Betty Ford and Former President Ford visited Omaha July 14, 1980, for the Betty Ford Rose Garden Dedication, which took place on Gerald Ford’s 67th birthday.
There was just a garden here as the house burned down in 1971. No one was at the site (visits were by appointment only), but I could walk around the garden which was quite pretty.
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Jr. (July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) served as the 38th president of the United States from August 1974 to January 1977. Before his accession to the presidency, Ford served as the 40th Vice President from December 1973 to August 1974. Ford is the only person to have served as both vice president and president without being elected to either office by the Electoral College.
President Gerald R. Ford
In December 1973, two months after V.P. Spiro Agnew resigned, Ford became the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment (which deals with issues related to presidential succession and disability) by President Richard Nixon. After the subsequent resignation of President Nixon in August 1974, Ford immediately assumed the presidency. His 895 day-long presidency is the shortest in U.S. history for any president who did not die in office.
As president, Ford signed the Helsinki Accords, which marked a move toward the easing of strained relations in the Cold War. With the collapse of South Vietnam nine months into his presidency, U.S. involvement in Vietnam essentially ended.
Domestically, Ford confronted many of the same challenges faced by other Presidents. The country was in a severe recession with high unemployment and inflation rates, plus energy shortages and high gasoline prices. Many citizens felt angry and forgotten. Ford declared inflation “public enemy No. 1” and vetoed more than 50 spending bills. He also announced his inflation fighting program which he called WIN – for “Whip Inflation Now.”
In one of his most controversial acts, he granted a presidential pardon to President Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal.
Birthsite of Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States
In the Republican presidential primary campaign of 1976, Ford defeated former California Governor Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination. He narrowly lost the presidential election to the Democratic challenger, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. Though remaining active in the Republican party, he was at odds with conservatives due to his moderate views on social issues. In the end, he became close friends with Jimmy Carter, and after experiencing health problems, he died at home on December 26, 2006 (Wikipedia: Gerald Ford).
President Gerald R. Fort
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford’s birth home
One of the presidential debates in 1976 was held October 22 at the College of William & Mary, with questions from moderator Barbara Walters of ABC. I was a student at William and Mary at the time, and I stood with a crowd of people on Duke of Gloucester Street where I was able to shake hands with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter before the debate that night at Phi Beta Kappa Hall. I didn’t see Gerald Ford there.
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Also at the site was a sealing plate where documents, mementos and artifacts are stored. They depict the way of life in Omaha and the U.S. in 1976. The documents were sealed in the bicentennial year. The seal is to be broken in 2076.
preserved documents from 1976
After visiting here, I went to visit the Joslyn Art Museum.
*Wednesday, September 4, 2019*
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“PHOTOGRAPHY” INVITATION: I invite you to create a photography intention and then create a blog post for a place you have visited. Alternately, you can post a thematic post about a place, photos of whatever you discovered that set your heart afire. You can also do a thematic post of something you have found throughout all your travels: churches, doors, people reading, people hiking, mountains, patterns, all black & white, whatever!
You probably have your own ideas about this, but in case you’d like some ideas, you can visit my page: photography inspiration.
I challenge you to post no more than 20-25 photos and to write less than 1,500 words about any travel-related photography intention you set for yourself. Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, June 10 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Thursday, June 11, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation, every first, second, and third (& 5th, if there is one) Thursday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
Here we are, another week of stay-at-home orders, the last Saturday in May. Welcome to my ninth cocktail hour, a virtual world where we STAY HOME and enjoy a beverage. I offer you Cheers! À votre santé! 乾杯/ Kanpai! Saúde! Salud! May we all remain healthy, safe, financially afloat, and hopeful despite the barrage of bad news.
Here’s my Covid-19 diary for the last week. I’m still doing my project for May, which is to take a different walk every day, draw a map and write my thoughts for the day. I’ll now have a resource for when I want a new place to walk. 🙂
Saturday, May 23: I finished reading a collection of short stories by Alicia Erian, The Brutal Language of Love. I’m reading a lot more short stories this year; I bought them many years ago when I was writing a lot of stories myself.
Tonight, after listening to the sad WTF podcast by Marc Maron about the death of his girlfriend, Lynn Shelton, we searched for one of the deceased filmmaker’s movies, the 2011 Your Sister’s Sister, and enjoyed watching it after having Mike’s famous fish tacos on our screened porch. Finally, we had a sunny and warm day!
Saturday, May 23
Lake Newport
Lake Newport
irises
Free Library in Reston
roses are red…
Lake Anne
foxglove
azaleas
pretty pinklets
Sunday, May 24: We listened to the Seventh Sunday of Easter church service from Holy Comforter in Vienna. I found Jackie Thompson’s sermon calming and hopeful. She talked about the “in-between place” we find ourselves, much like the experience of the disciples in the time between Christ ascended and Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to them. She said there were three things we could do during this “in-between time” in our lives: 1) Pray, even if you don’t feel like it, even if you think you have nothing to pray about. Pray in communion, even if only on Zoom. Pray for guidance, for patience, for thanksgiving for the front line workers and helpers. 2) Strip down our lives and look at what we really value. 3) Live in hope, in expectation, that better times will come.
We took a long walk around Burke Lake. So many people were out and about, even with the cool and gloomy weather. I found myself getting annoyed by people who obliviously walked two or three abreast in large groups, pushing us off the path if we wanted to maintain social distancing. I find many Americans are incredibly selfish; many just don’t care about other people. Sometimes I wish we could afford to get an apartment in Europe or somewhere just to escape what our country is becoming.
Sunday, May 24
Burke Lake
Burke Lake
Burke Lake
Burke Lake
Monday, May 25: Today is Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May. It honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It was another gloomy day in northern Virginia. It didn’t feel at all like the normal kick-off for summer.
Monday, May 25 – Memorial Day
Dunn Loring Woods
Stonewall Manor
Dunn Loring Woods pool
Tuesday, May 26: I was finally able to set up a Zoom appointment with an Ear Nose and Throat specialist for Friday morning. They insisted on the video appointment even though I told them I already tested negative for COVID-19. I think it’s a waste of time to see another doctor over Zoom as they can’t take blood tests or do a proper exam.
Tuesday, May 26
flowers near Lake Newport
International Children’s Garden
Aldrin Elementary School
Buzz Aldrin Elementary School
Brown’s Chapel
empty tennis courts
Wednesday, May 27: Today, we had our regular Spanish class by Zoom. It was finally warm enough that I was able to sit outside on my screened porch. For dinner, we got Mexican takeout from Anita’s. They had refunded the amount they charged us for our botched order on Cinco de Mayo, so we felt confident in trying them again.
Since the one ENT doctor would only see me by Zoom, I called another allergist to see if I could make a face-to-face appointment with a doctor. I was informed the doctor is still staying home, but I could see a nurse practitioner. I need to know if I do in fact have allergies, and if so, what am I allergic to? I want to find a treatment that will work, because no treatments so far have done anything to relieve my symptoms. If I don’t in fact have allergies, I will still need to see the ENT about other possible underlying issues.
Today we passed 100,000 deaths in the U.S., higher than any other country. The country is not united in mourning; in fact our divisions are greater than ever. I blame our high number of deaths and our divided country on Trump and his Republican cohorts, who are doing an excellent job of Making America the Worst.
Wednesday, May 27
the gravel trail
ferns along the gravel trail
The gravel trail
St. Helena Drive
dogwoods in bloom
Little Difficult Run
Thursday, May 28: Today, as The Washington Post reported the U.S. now has 100,000 dead in four months, a front page article said there was a good chance the coronavirus will never go away, even after a vaccine is discovered. Experts say embracing that reality is crucial to the next phase of America’s pandemic response. The articles mentions there are already four endemic coronaviruses that circulate continuously, causing the common cold. Many experts see this being the fifth – “its effects growing milder as immunity spreads and our bodies adapt to it over time.”
Today, I finally was able to see a Nurse Practitioner at an Allergist’s office. After doing about 20 tests for allergens, all that came up were: cat dander (I knew about that), grass and dust mites. She prescribed a steroid nasal spray: ipratopium bromide nasal spray to add to my XYZAL and Flonase. I’m skeptical because grass allergies wouldn’t have started in early March, and I know the allergy meds I’m currently taking aren’t doing anything. But I’ll give it a try until I see her again on June 9.
Thursday, May 28
Fox Mill Estates
Pinecrest Swim and Tennis Club
Friday, May 29: Our country is unraveling. Since the police killing of an unarmed black man, Ahmaud Arbery, in Georgia and, later this month, of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests are erupting all over the country. Many are turning violent. Adding fuel to the fire is not only the systemic racial injustice that is built into the fiber of our society, but the out-of-control coronavirus pandemic accompanied by devastating unemployment, both of which disproportionately hurt people of color. In the White House, the criminal man-child tasked with leading our country shows zero leadership qualities, an utter lack of empathy, and a propensity to blatantly lie and spin things to cast himself in a positive light. Not only that, but for the last three and a half years, he has worked tirelessly to divide our country and to tout white supremacy. I lay all blame at the feet of this so-called president, and to all the minions and sycophants who continue to support him. If he is elected again, I will no longer want to be a citizen of this country.
On another note, this morning on a Zoom call, I saw an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. I told him everything I’ve been through. He said he’d have me come in for a Nasal endoscopy, a procedure to look at the nasal and sinus passages, on June 8. He honestly doesn’t think my problems are related to allergies because of the early onset. He told me not to bother to take the nasal spray but instead to take an acid reflux medicine because constant congestion can be caused by that. Again, I’m skeptical, because I haven’t had acid reflux since I was in my third trimester of pregnancy, and that was 27 years ago! He said it was possible to have the symptoms I have without having other symptoms of heartburn. I’m still holding hope that the endoscopy will reveal something.
As of today, Virginia will begin the first phase to reopen businesses and houses of worship. This phase eases previous restrictions on restaurants, fitness facilities, barbers and beauty salons, other retail businesses and houses and worship. Movie theaters, concert halls, bowling alleys and other indoor entertainment businesses remain closed. Restaurants, breweries, distilleries and wineries may serve dine-in customers at tables outside, at 50% of their normal indoor capacity. Tables must be spaced 6′ apart and no more than 10 people may sit at a table. A restaurant’s indoor bar area must remain closed. Disposable menus are required and servers must wear cloth face coverings. Fitness facilities can be open for outdoor activities only, and people and equipment must be spaced 10′ apart. Exercise classes are limited to 10 people.
Beauty salons, barbers, spas, massage centers, etc. are limited to 50% of normal capacity and customers must make appointments to come in. Customers and employees are required to wear face coverings. Businesses must keep a record of all clients served, including name, contact information, date and time of service.
Other retail businesses may open at 50% capacity and employees must wear face coverings.
Houses of worship may hold services at 50% of normal capacity. Congregants must sit six feet apart – except for families – and should strongly consider wearing face coverings. There are more details regarding every business reopening.
I’ve already made an appointment for next Monday, June 1 to have my hair straightened as it is chaotically wild and out of control. I also have scheduled a haircut for next Thursday. I’ll be so happy to feel human again!
I was finally able to walk at Meadowlark Gardens today as they are now open, except the Visitor Center and restrooms. It was nice to be able to walk there again.
Friday, May 29
Meadowlark Gardens
irises
Meadowlark Gardens
gazebo at Meadowlark
Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Gardens
iris
iris
irises
Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Gardens
ducks
Meadowlark Gardens
gazebo
water lilies
peonies
peonies
peonies
a glass frog
liriope
The Korean Garden
Meadowlark Gardens
The Korean Garden
The Korean Garden
The Korean Garden
The Korean Garden
The Korean Garden
Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Gardens
As of May 30, the U.S. has 1,747,087 COVID-19 cases and 102,810 deaths. Virginia has 42,533 cases and 1,358 deaths. Worldwide cases number 5,952,145 and there have been 365,437 deaths.
For June, I hope to do a daily practice (and I emphasize PRACTICE) of small watercolors. If there are any worth sharing, I’ll share them at the end of June. I also hope to add a bike ride each week into my exercise routine. 🙂
******.
I love this song, “Range Life” by Pavement. It plays in the final episode of the TV series, Flaked with Will Arnett.
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In the midst of all this, what can we do to make the most of our stay-at-home orders? I’ve created a page where I’ll share different ideas I’ve come across of ways to cope during the coronavirus. It is here: how to make the most of a staycation... or how to cope during the coronavirus #Stayathome orders. If you have any positive ways to get through this, I invite you to share: bits of humor, projects, what we can do to help others, how to keep our sanity, TV shows or movies to watch, books to read, exercises to do, etc. Please feel free to express your emotions during this trying time as well. I’m sure we can all relate to any and all emotions you are feeling.
I wish you all the best during this crisis. Stay at home, and stay safe, healthy and always hopeful.
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I’m going to write a cocktail hour/diary about this challenging time, but I’m only going to write one during the month of June, on Saturday, June 27. I invite you to share your own experiences with what we’re going through right now, either in the comments below, or in your own blog post, which I invite you to link below. I’ll try to keep writing this as long as we are suffering through this together. I hope that we will get through it unscathed, sooner rather than later.
Here we are, another week of stay-at-home orders, the next-to-last Saturday in May. This is Memorial Day weekend in the U.S.; the holiday is observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It usually marks the official beginning of the summer holidays, with picnics, outdoor activities, and pools opening. This particular Memorial Day will herald in summer without the usual fanfare, at least in Northern Virginia, where we are still in lockdown.
Welcome to my eighth cocktail hour, a virtual world where we STAY HOME and enjoy a beverage. I offer you Cheers! À votre santé! 乾杯/ Kanpai! Saúde! Salud! May we all remain healthy, safe, financially afloat, and hopeful, especially as countries around the world and some U.S. states begin to open back up.
jalapeno cucumber margaritas
our irises
peonies
peonies
Here’s my Covid-19 diary for the last week and a half. I’m still doing my project for May, which is to take a different walk every day, draw a map and write my thoughts for the day. I am so ready for this project to end, as it’s way too time-consuming to do these journals every day. However, I am determined to see it through to the end.
Wednesday, May 13: I’m still doing my Spanish classes on Zoom. I was feeling very depressed today, wondering when this will ever end. We were supposed to leave for Chicago this evening.
Wednesday, May 13
W&OD
mural near the W&OD in Vienna
W&OD bike trail
Trail Users Note
LOVE
Thursday, May 14: We should be in Chicago today. Illinois, and especially Chicago, remain one of the hot spots for COVID-19, and the state is still locked down, so it is good we cancelled our plans. Another 3 million people have filed for unemployment bringing the total to 36.5 million in 8 weeks.
I started a second round of antibiotics today; this time I’m taking Doxycycline Hyclate. It feels like poison.
Thursday, May 14
peony blooming
peony bud
pretty in pink
Governor’s Run
house on Sarah Joan Ct.
Sarah Joan Court
house on Sarah Joan Court
My friend Karen’s old house
Vale Road
Friday, May 15: Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia announced that Virginia would enter Phase 1 of reopening, but not Northern Virginia, which has more coronavirus cases than the rest of the state. He will reevaluate Northern Virginia on May 29.
Today, I finally walked the labyrinth at Church of the Holy Comforter. I love labyrinths and have been wanting to walk it ever since I found out they’d built it. It might have been peaceful and contemplative if not for the landscapers with their loud lawnmowers and weed whackers. I then walked over 3 miles in Vienna, past the first house Mike and I bought after we got married. The house has really gone downhill, as the yard is a shambles and looks like a jungle. I walked past my old friend Julie’s house. When my two boys and her two girls were little, they were all best of friends. I also walked by Nancy McBrien’s old house. She was killed at age 41 in a horrific car accident on the George Washington Parkway in 1996 when two dueling drivers went out of control. My walk was like taking a walk down memory lane.
This should have been our second full day in Chicago. 😦
May 15 – Holy Comforter Labyrinth walk and Vienna (my old neighborhood)
Labyrinth at Church of the Holy Comforter
Church of the Holy Comforter
McBrien’s old house on Beulah Rd.
Wolf Trap Elementary School
Message from Wold Trap
Beulah Rd.
Message from Wold Trap
House on Druid HIll Lane
House on Druid HIll Lane
trail at the end of Druid Hill Lane
trail at the end of Druid Hill Lane
trail at the end of Druid Hill Lane
House on Druid HIll Lane
Drive Like Your Kids Live Here
House in Vienna, VA
our first house, all unkempt
garden in front of Holy Comforter
Saturday, May 16: I’m so depressed about not being able to travel anywhere for who knows how long. I’m getting older and I don’t like having a year or more taken out of my life. I hope by the time I finish this May project of mine, where I walk a different path every day and do a journal page, that northern Virginia will start opening. The first places I’ll go when the time comes: hair salon for haircut and hair straightening, and a spa for a massage. Massages always help me feel better, and as I’ve been sick for so long, I look forward to therapeutic healing. I also look forward to getting back to Pilates. I doubt restaurants will open, but if they do, I’ll go and observe social distancing rules.
I’m on the third day of this antibiotic and it feels like poison. I have headaches, nerve pain in my face and mouth, and nausea and ear pain. Plus, I seriously doubt this round of antibiotics will help my problem any more than the first round I took.
I finished reading The Looming Tower today. I’ve been reading it for a long time, and though it’s not exactly current, it was interesting to read about the the long years of anti-American sentiment harbored by Osama bin Laden and others who brought about the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It also showed the bungling by the CIA and FBI and how the two ego-driven organizations could have stopped the attacks had they cooperated. It was an excellent book.
This would have been our third full day in Chicago. 😦
May 16 walk
murals at the end of Cottage St.
murals at the end of Cottage St.
murals at the end of Cottage St.
murals at the end of Cottage St.
murals at the end of Cottage St.
house on Cottage Street
Dead end off Cottage
Cottage St.
house on Cottage
house on Cottage
one for demolition
house on Cottage
house on Cottage
Sunday, May 17: Our church decided to do a Zoom meeting for the service today, but it failed because Zoom was overloaded with graduation ceremonies. I liked the services best when they were prerecorded on YouTube and we could watch them at our leisure (and in our pajamas).
Today, I finished Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. What a charming book to have read during the pandemic to take my mind off of the events of the world.
Today was another gloomy day and the temps were forecast to be in the 60s for the next week. I’m ready for sunshine and warmth! This has so far been the coldest May we can remember.
This would have been our last full day in Chicago.
May 17 walk
empty school buses parked at South Lakes High School
Langston Hughes Middle School
path off South Lake HS
chalk art
chalk art
chalk art
chalk art
stream
Reston National Golf Course
floral bouquet
Reston National Golf Course
more chalk art
Monday, May 18: The Dow Jones Industrial Average went up over 900 points today based on speculation about a possible vaccine showing promise in early stages, created by Moderna. However, the trial was based on only eight participants and no supporting data or studies have been released.
Today was my oldest son’s last day at the butcher shop in Denver where he’s been working for two years. He quit, so he can’t collect unemployment. He wants to start his own personal training business, online or in person, a dream he’s always had. He wants to spend time developing that, while working gig jobs to support himself and taking online classes. He was miserable in his job, and the timing of the pandemic was making him feel utterly trapped. I guess there is never a good time to make a big change like this, but sometimes, changes simply need to be made. I hope he has success, though I imagine it will be challenging.
We would have flown home from Chicago today.
May 18 walk
Franklin Farm (western side)
Franklin Farm (western side)
Franklin Farm (western side)
Franklin Farm (western side)
Franklin Farm (western side)
Franklin Farm (western side)
Franklin Farm (western side)
Franklin Farm (western side)
playground roped off
bench not safe
Franklin Farm (western side)
Franklin Farm (western side)
Tuesday, May 19: The Fairfax County Park Authority will beginning reopening parking lots and all 427 parks in the park system for the Memorial Day weekend. The parks will be for limited use in accordance with safety guidelines from the governor’s office and the CDC. Sadly, all facilities and restrooms will remain closed.
As of today, we have 1,508,957 COVID-19 cases in the U.S. This is less than 0.5% of our population. We have 90,295 deaths which is 0.02% of the U.S. population. Apparently 647,000 people die in the U.S. of heart disease annually, or 0.2% of the population. Of course all lives are important, but I wonder, is it worth it to keep the economy closed indefinitely, putting many at risk of losing livelihoods, not being able to eat or keep a roof over their heads? Not to mention mental anguish, domestic violence, alcoholism and drug addiction, and other fallout effects of the pandemic. I am in a real dilemma about this.
On one hand, the measure of a great society, I’ve read, is how well it treats its oldest citizens. So we should do the right thing and stay at home. Right? But. I am one of the elderly, so I think I have the right to say that this isn’t the way I want to live my life.
Under the dire economic situation, people can’t feed or support themselves and their families. People may die of hunger and be turned out onto the streets. Also, systemic racism and poverty make the poorest people most vulnerable to both the disease and to the economic downfall. It is all a real dilemma and I don’t envy lawmakers and governors having to make these decisions.
May 19 walk
Fairfax Cross County Trail
Fairfax Cross County Trail
stream crossing
Difficult Run
Difficult Run
Difficult Run
ferns
ferns at a slant
Wednesday, May 20: I had another Spanish class by Zoom. In the evening, Mike and I got take-out from our favorite Ethiopian restaurant, Enatye. I am so ready to be set free, although I would proceed cautiously in all interactions.
While I’ve been doing my walking project, I drive 10-15 minutes from my house to take my different walks. I’m always surprised by how many people are out and about. I wonder, where are they all going? Few businesses are open, parks are closed, so what is happening? When we drove out tonight, I insisted we drive through Reston Town Center. It feels like people are flower buds all closed up and ready to open, to unfurl, at any moment. There is more of a bustle in the air, a pulsing energy just under the surface, like everyone is preparing to burst out into our alternate reality. I wonder what it will look like.
May 20 walk
crossing under the Dulles Toll Road
Along the W&OD bike trail near Reston
Along the W&OD bike trail near Reston
Curbside Beer to Go
Washington & Old Dominion Regional Park
Yield
Sunset Hill Commuter Lot
Thursday, May 21: It looks like people are getting our local pool ready for a Memorial Day opening. Northern Virginia is still in Phase 0 (lockdown except essential businesses), and the governor will re-evaluate next Friday (the 29th). Maybe people are assuming the best. I can’t imagine pools opening, but who knows?
We are watching the Masterpiece Theater series, World on Fire. Every time I watch it, I feel grateful that we didn’t have to live through World War II. What a horrible time that was for our world. The pandemic is a relatively mild catastrophe, although it is still a dire time.
Thursday, May 21
Waples Mill School
Waples Mill School
Oakton Swim & Racquet
Oakton Swim & Racquet
Friday, May 22: Trump called on governors to open places of worship this weekend and he will “override” them if they don’t. It is questionable whether he has authority to do this, and even if he does, individual churches can decide to remain closed, and people can also decide not to attend. Our criminal president doesn’t care a bit about prayer (he said we need people to pray, but people can easily pray at home), but is trying to kowtow to his biggest supporters, Evangelical Christians. He never fails to disgust me every time he opens his mouth.
I got drenched on my walk today. As I got to the furthest point from my car, the skies opened, and I was wet through and through. When will the gloom and rain end? It seems determined to hang on through this entire pandemic.
Friday, May 22
Upper Glade Trail
a pretty little gate
Hunters Woods pool
As of today, the U.S. has 1,601,434 COVID-19 cases and 95,971 deaths. Worldwide, the pandemic has infected 5,235,452 people (0.067% of the world population) and killed 338,612 (0.004%). What a strange, surreal and unsettling time.
I’ve always loved this video by the Turkish Platonik, the song “Yakup.” I will never stop dreaming of travel…
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In the midst of all this, what can we do to make the most of our stay-at-home orders? I’ve created a page where I’ll share different ideas I’ve come across of ways to cope during the coronavirus. It is here: how to make the most of a staycation... or how to cope during the coronavirus #Stayathome orders. If you have any positive ways to get through this, I invite you to share: bits of humor, projects, what we can do to help others, how to keep our sanity, TV shows or movies to watch, books to read, exercises to do, etc. Please feel free to express your emotions during this trying time as well. I’m sure we can all relate to any and all emotions you are feeling.
I wish you all the best during this crisis. Stay at home, and stay safe, healthy and always hopeful.
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I’m going to write a cocktail hour/diary about this challenging time either weekly or bi-weekly on Saturdays, depending on how much I have to share. I invite you to share your own experiences with what we’re going through right now, either in the comments below, or in your own blog post, which I invite you to link below. I’ll try to keep writing this as long as we are suffering through this together. I hope that we will get through it unscathed, sooner rather than later.
Jude’s photo challenge this month is all about Being Creative with Light.
Her assignments are as follows: 1) Look for shadows. Strong light, casting well-defined shadows, can create interesting abstract images. Layering light and shadows brings a sense of depth to an image and can convey mystery (2020 Photo Challenge #18).
shadows of clouds in Oman
date palm shadows on ruins in Oman
shadows of an arbor at Meadowlark Gardens
shadows in Marrakech, Morocco
Merzouga, Morocco
the long shadow of the pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago
2) Study light throughout the day from one location / or one object returning to see how light changes and affects it. Compile 6 shots. Which is your favorite? (2020 Photo Challenge #19).
I didn’t have much of interest to shoot six times in a day, so I photographed the Japanese maple in my yard. I must admit I took them on different days, so sometimes the difference in light is due to cloudiness on some days. My favorite is the one I took at 9:48 a.m..
Japanese maple 9:48 a.m.
10:55 a.m.
1:12 p.m.
3:35 p.m.
3:51 p.m.
6:44 p.m.
3) Create one image using strong lighting which creates strong shadows and emphasizes contrasts in tones AND one image with much lighter tones. If you have post-processing software try experimenting with ‘low key’ and ‘high key’ effects (2020 Photo Challenge #20 and 2020 Photo Challenge #20 (Take Two)).
I don’t have a “low key” or “high key” effect on my post-processing software, so I just adjusted the light. I like the original and the low light the best. I can’t say I care for the black & white.
Original
Low light
medium-high light
high light
high light
low light
4) Use strong backlighting (i.e. shooting towards the light source, but do not look directly at the sun) to create a contre-jour image where the subject becomes a silhouette, OR shoot the light through flowers or leaves creating a transparent effect.
palm leaves in Oman
banana leaves in Oman
Joshua Tree National Park
Lake Longano, Ethiopia
Lake Longano, Ethiopia
Experiment in different weather conditions such as mist or rain, OR take a photograph indoors such as a still life or light entering a room streaming through a window OR experiment in capturing the color of light.
First, I have some rainy day shots from China and Japan. In Nikko, Japan, it was pouring the entire day.
a rainy day at the Longji Rice Terraces, China
Fuengheng, China
Nikko, Japan
Nikko, Japan
I like the way the light is so different on these sea grasses in Suncheon Bay, South Korea. In the first, I shot directly into the setting sun, and in the second, the light comes from the right of the photo.
Suncheon Bay in South Korea
Suncheon Bay in South Korea
This was taken at Jebel Akhdar in Oman as the sun was setting.
a different light than…
this one, where light is fading
Finally, I think these capture the color of light.
McKee-Beshers Sunflowers
McKee-Beshers Sunflowers
McKee-Beshers Sunflowers
McKee-Beshers Sunflowers
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“PHOTOGRAPHY” INVITATION: I invite you to create a photography intention and then create a blog post for a place you have visited. Alternately, you can post a thematic post about a place, photos of whatever you discovered that set your heart afire. You can also do a thematic post of something you have found throughout all your travels: churches, doors, people reading, people hiking, mountains, patterns, all black & white, whatever!
This particular post is to participate in Jude’s photo challenge, which in May is all about light.
You probably have your own ideas about this, but in case you’d like some ideas, you can visit my page: photography inspiration.
I challenge you to post no more than 20-25 photos and to write less than 1,500 words about any travel-related photography intention you set for yourself. Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, June 3 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Thursday, June 4, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation, every first, second, and third (& 5th, if there is one) Thursday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
“PHOTOGRAPHY” INVITATION: I invite you to create a photography intention and then create a blog post for a place you have visited. Alternately, you can post a thematic post about a place, photos of whatever you discovered that set your heart afire. You can also do a thematic post of something you have found throughout all your travels: churches, doors, people reading, people hiking, mountains, patterns, all black & white, whatever!
We spent a beautiful October day out and about in Washington, D.C. visiting a couple of museums. Since we’ve been unable to go into D.C. since early March, I thought I’d show you what a small part looks like in beautiful weather, before our endless winter and the current pandemic.
You probably have your own ideas about this, but in case you’d like some ideas, you can visit my page: photography inspiration.
I challenge you to post no more than 20-25 photos and to write less than 1,500 words about any travel-related photography intention you set for yourself. Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, May 20 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Thursday, May 21, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation, every first, second, and third (& 5th, if there is one) Thursday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
Our G Adventures tour was officially over, but Susan and I had one more day in Marrakech. After a late wake up and breakfast in the hotel, I chatted with Father Anthony in the lobby. His flight to leave Morocco wasn’t until Tuesday the 30th, but he didn’t want to stay in Marrakech that long, so our guide Aziz was helping him to book a stay in a mountain resort somewhere. Rene and Gabe moved to another hotel, and Edward and Elizabeth moved to a riad near the medina for the night.
The Chinese ladies would fly out later in the afternoon, and they looked like they’d had enough. Theresa from China was one person in the group I’d rarely talked to. She hardly knew any English. The entire trip she wore either a yellow rain jacket with a hood and a mask, or an orange puffy jacket. The mask was almost a constant. Many of the Chinese ladies got sick, as did Rene and Susan. It seemed Anthony was fed up, as were many of us.
Susan and I walked twenty minutes to Jardin Majorelle but the line was hundreds of people long and we weren’t game to stand in it. It was frustrating because I was looking forward to seeing the amazing gardens and the cobalt blue walls I’d seen pictured so often on Instagram. The original owner was French landscape painter Jacques Majorelle, who began to work on the gardens in the 1920s, opening it to the public in 1947. After abandoning the gardens due to health issues, it went into decline, until Yves Saint Laurent and his partner bought and restored the gardens beginning in 1980. He eventually gifted the entire garden to Marrakech, the city that adopted him in 1964 after he 1) launched hippie fashion, and 2) earned fame as a ground-breaking gay icon. The gardens are apparently now a psychedelic explosion of 300 plant species – water lilies, lotus flowers, cacti, palm trees – from five continents.
a peek at Jardin Majorelle
a peek at Jardin Majorelle
After giving up on the gardens, we walked back to the hotel and then up Mohammad V, passing by some of the 6km of walls around the old medina. Along the modern commercial boulevard, we stopped in H&M, where I bought a pair of baggy cotton white and gray striped capris to take to Italy, and Susan bought a skirt.
wall around the old medina
official looking building
We walked all the way to Ensemble Artisanal, a cooperative with most of the goods we had seen in the souqs. We spent a lot of time here. I bought a copper and brass hand of Fatima, another scarf in pinks and purples, two pairs of earrings and a bracelet. I loved the tiled walls, ornate ceilings and refreshing fountains.
Ensemble Artisanal
Ensemble Artisanal
Ensemble Artisanal
Ensemble Artisanal
Ensemble Artisanal
After our shopping spree, we had a lunch of mixed salad (pasta, rice, beets, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and boiled eggs) and frites. My stomach was doing somersaults after eating that.
Then we took a walk in the park across from the cooperative, Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam, which was pleasant, shady, and not crowded. The original park was built in the eighteenth century for Prince Moulay Abdessalam. The Cyberparc refers to its internet kiosks and WiFi, which were added in 2005. We wandered lackadaisically through palms, pachysandra, agave and grasses and bougainvillea.
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
Susan in Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
me in Cyber Parc Arsat Moulay Abdeslam
We then walked past Koutoubia Mosque, then up to the square Djemaa el-Fna, but we didn’t go all the way into it; we stopped short and turned back to walk down a line of horses and buggies.
Koutoubia Mosque
Koutoubia Mosque
Djemaa el-Fna
walkway to Djemaa el-Fna
walkway to Djemaa el-Fna
Walking back down Mohammad V, we stopped in a little bar for refreshing ice cream cones.
Ice cream cone to cool off
It was quite hot by then, but we walked all the way back to the hotel, stopping first at the Atlas Cafe for a cafe au lait. We then walked around checking out menus and found a Petit Thai restaurant near the Jus Bar.
Back at the hotel, I put up more photos on Instagram and texted Mike and stretched out a bit. I organized all my stuff to take on to Rome the next day.
Susan and I went out for dinner to the Petit Thai Restaurant, surrounded by Buddha faces, and pictures of stupas and bamboo forests. Here we shared a Pad Thai with shrimp and a dessert of chocolate rolls with two ice creams and strawberries. Then we headed back to the hotel to finish organizing for our separate onward trips the following morning.
Petit Thai Restaurant
*Steps: 20,548, or 8.71 miles*
*Monday, April 22, 2019*
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“PROSE” INVITATION: I invite you to write up to a post on your own blog about a recently visited particular destination (not journeys in general). Concentrate on any intention you set for your prose.
It doesn’t matter whether you write fiction or non-fiction for this invitation. You can either set your own writing intentions, or use one of the prompts I’ve listed on this page: writing prompts: prose. You can also include photos, of course.
One of my intentions for my travels in Morocco was this: Write about mundane places: markets, hotels, restaurants, etc. by describing three telling details about them. In this case, I’m writing about the most mundane day of our trip. There really wasn’t much to write about it!
Include the link in the comments below by Monday, May 25 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this invitation on Tuesday, May 26, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
Here is my art journal spread from my “Road Trip to Nowhere” trip on September 9, 2019; on this day, I traveled from Watertown, South Dakota to Fargo, North Dakota.
Watertown, South Dakota to Fargo, North Dakota
Here are some pages from my journal on September 10, from Fargo to Jamestown, North Dakota.
World’s Largest Buffalo Monument: Dakota Thunder
9/10: Fargo to Jamestown, ND
9/10: Fargo to Jamestown, ND
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“ART JOURNAL” INVITATION: I invite you to post a journal spread on your own blog about your travels. You can do collage, watercolor, acrylics, stamps, drawing or stencils — whatever art form your heart desires. These are my first art journal spreads and drawings, so I can only hope I’ll become more creative as I practice and play. I invite you to do the same!
One of my intentions for my “Road Trip to Nowhere” in September of 2019 was to “Make art journal spreads for each state (Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado) through collage, drawing or collecting items.” I’m having so much fun with this that I’ve decided to make a journal spread for each day of my journey.
If you’d like some ideas on creating an art journal, please see my page: on creating art from travels. I actually don’t have many ideas yet, but I hope to add more as I experiment with different art forms. Also, I would love to see any great ideas from the artists out there. Feel free to add a link to your own blog if you do bullet or travel journals of your own.
Include the link in the comments below by Thursday, June 11 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Friday, June 12, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation, once on the second Friday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
the ~ wander.essence ~ community
I invite you all to settle in and read a few posts from our wandering community. I promise, you’ll be inspired!
Pauline, of Living in Paradise…, creates some magnificent art journals, using sketching and watercolor, from her travels. Below are two separate posts with the same title. 🙂
On my Road Trip to Nowhere, I visited the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois at the end of a long day of driving from Cincinnati, Ohio.
Lincoln’s Home in Springfield
Springfield played a vital role in Lincoln’s development. In 1837, the year it became the Illinois State Capital, Lincoln rode into Springfield on horseback with all his belongings in two saddlebags. He was a bachelor, inexperienced lawyer, and two-term legislator.
At that time, the town had a population of 2,500 and had become the focal point of law, politics, and state government, yet livestock freely roamed its muddy streets.
Two decades later, Lincoln had started a family, won hundreds of cases, and forged connections that carried him to the White House in 1861.
He met and married the educated Kentuckian Mary Todd, in 1842. In 1844, they bought a small cottage. The cottage below is similar to the one the Lincolns first lived in, but the original cottage was expanded over several renovations into the two-story house at the corner of Eighth and Jackson Streets. Here three of their four children were born, and one died.
cottage like the Lincoln’s 1st home in Springfield before they expanded it
Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer with only one year of frontier schooling, became successful as an attorney here. He became one of the state’s best courtroom attorneys.
He served eight years in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1834-1842. In 1846, he was elected to the House of Representatives and served one term.
In 1858, he was nominated to run for the U.S. Senate, but he lost to Stephen Douglas. The Lincoln-Douglas debates set the stage for his election to U.S. President as the 16th President of the United States (1861-1865).
As soon as Lincoln was elected in 1860, the Lincolns gave away or sold most of their furnishings and arranged to rent out the house to Lucian Tilton, president of the Great Western Railroad. The home immediately became a tourist destination.
On February 11, 1861, the Lincoln family left Springfield by train, never to return.
On May 4, 1865, Lincoln’s somber yet grand funeral procession passed in front of the Lincoln home on its way to Oak Ridge Cemetery. After his death, the home became a shrine, and, in 1972, a National Historic Site.
Lincoln Home
The Lincolns entertained their guests in the parlor, the most formal and public room. In 1860, when the Republican Party convention, held in Chicago, chose Lincoln as its candidate for President, a committee traveled to Springfield and, in this room, formally notified him of his nomination.
the parlor
dining room
dining area fireplace
Lincoln frequently worked from home on both his political and legal careers. The bedroom suite was in a private part of the home, but Mary chose the furnishings (and the wild wallpaper) to reflect the taste of a prosperous family.
Lincoln bedroom suite
By 1860, the oldest son Robert Todd (1843-1926) was away at school, and the two younger, mischievous boys, Willie and Tad, shared the bedroom below.
boys bedroom
Mary spent most of her time managing the household and raising the children. Much of her activity was centered in the kitchen.
kitchen
In Springfield during Lincoln’s day, many children did not attend school, as attendance was not mandatory. Pigs freely roamed the city streets. The town supported one portrait painter, one churn manufacturer, one collar maker, 20 clergymen, 22 attorneys, and 23 physicians. Two policemen patrolled by day and nine at night. Nearly 50% of Springfield was foreign born, including immigrants from Ireland, Germany, England, Portugal and Scotland.
Lincoln left Springfield intending to preserve the Union and prevent the spread of slavery.
At the height of the Civil War, his friend from Springfield, James C. Conkling, invited him to return for a pro-Union rally. Lincoln declined, but asked his friend to read a letter “very slowly” at the rally. In the letter, Lincoln defended the Emancipation Proclamation and use of African-American troops.
Nearly two years later, Lincoln’s slain body was returned to Springfield. As president, he had accomplished his mission – the country united and slavery abolished.
Springfield layout
The historical neighborhood of Lincoln’s home shows everyday life in the 19th century, with uneven and slippery boardwalks, walking surfaces with loose stones, and narrow staircases.
streets of Springfield, Illinois
house in the neighborhood
house in the neighborhood
The Underground Railroad refers to the efforts of enslaved African Americans to gain their freedom by escaping bondage. Acts of self-emancipation made runaways “fugitives” according to the laws of the times. While most began and ended their journeys unassisted, each subsequent decade in which slavery was legal in the U.S. saw an increase in active efforts to assist escape. Abraham Lincoln’s neighbor, Jameson Jenkins, played an important role in the hopes of freedom seekers passing through Springfield, Illinois from the bordering slave states of Kentucky and Missouri.
Jameson Jenkins was born in North Carolina sometime around 1810. It is unclear whether he was born into slavery or free, but he was documented as being a free man by 1835. Within 10 years, he had left his home state making the risky trek through slave states to reach the state of Indiana, where he married Elizabeth Pelham. In 1844, after the birth of their daughter Nancy, the family traveled on to Illinois.
In 1848, Jenkins and his family purchased a small two-story home, which sat on the northwest corner of the lot pictured below. Jameson was an enterprising, relatively successful drayman (teamster). The Jenkins family contributed to their middle class neighborhood that also represented Lincoln’s dream: to rise by a person’s own abilities, free from the shackles of slavery that deprived a human’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Underground Railroad in Lincoln’s neighborhood
In 1850, Jenkins was involved in an incident that was reported in the local newspaper as a “slave stampede.” Jenkins enlisted a group of runaway slaves in escaping the hands of slave catchers, and took the fugitives north to Bloomington, Illinois. During the following days, newspapers reported contradictory stories regarding the runaway slaves, including reporting their capture and that they were betrayed by Jenkins. The newspapers later revealed that, rather than betraying the runaway slaves, Jenkins had indeed assisted them. The newspaper explained that the contradictory stories were passed on to them so that the railroad car that Jenkins traveled on to Bloomington would not be discovered. Jameson had risked his home, his livelihood, and his life to deliver freedom to those who had once been enslaved.
neighborhood house
Abraham Lincoln dreamed of making “the race of life” open to all Americans. As a frontier farm boy, failed store owner, and successful attorney, he epitomized the 19th century ideal of getting ahead through migration, education and hard work.
Lincoln’s Home
All information is from plaques or brochures from the National Park Service.
cancellation stamp
Soon after my visit, I checked in at Baymont by Wyndham Springfield, and went out to dinner at Dublin Pub, where I had a house salad, a cup of chicken noodle soup, and a cup of greasy pub chili piled high with mini-oyster crackers. 🙂
The next day, I’d be driving to Omaha, Nebraska.
*Monday, September 2, 2019*
*Steps: 5,999, or 2.54 miles* Drove 335.8 miles.
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“PHOTOGRAPHY” INVITATION: I invite you to create a photography intention and then create a blog post for a place you have visited. Alternately, you can post a thematic post about a place, photos of whatever you discovered that set your heart afire. You can also do a thematic post of something you have found throughout all your travels: churches, doors, people reading, people hiking, mountains, patterns, all black & white, whatever!
One of my intentions was to take pictures of strange and quirky places, or places that showed the essence of a place. Springfield, Illinois is all about Abraham Lincoln, so this photo series captures what the town is all about.
You probably have your own ideas about this, but in case you’d like some ideas, you can visit my page: photography inspiration.
I challenge you to post no more than 20-25 photos and to write less than 1,500 words about any travel-related photography intention you set for yourself. Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Thursday, May 14, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation, every first, second, and third (& 5th, if there is one) Thursday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
My path less traveled. Rediscovering self after surviving the abuse that almost sunk me. Goal of strengthening and thriving on my adult legs. 👣🙏🏻 #recovery #forgiveness
This blog is for those who wish to be creative, authors, people in the healing professions, business people, freelancers, journalists, poets, and teachers. You will learn about how to write well, and about getting published. Both beginning and experienced writers will profit from this blog and gain new creative perspectives. Become inspired from global writers, and find healing through the written word.
Explore, discover and experience the world through Meery's Eye. Off the beat budget traveler. Explore places, cultural and heritage. Sustainable trotter.
shareable tales of Meery is Meeryable
~ wander.essence ~ 
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