Space Shuttle Challenger

    It's been 30 years now since that fateful day, January 28, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just after take off. Remembering those lost on that day:

• Francis R Scobee, Commander
• Michael J Smith
• Ellison S Onizuka
• Judith A Resnick
• Ronald E McNair
• Gregory B Jarvis
• S Christa McAuliffe

   One of those moments where you "know where you were at that moment". I was living with my mom. Out of school, but not working. My best friend had just been killed a few months earlier. I was in a constant state of depression, either crying or sleeping. I was sleeping at that moment. Mom was at work, a kid's clothing store at the local mall. There was an electronics store just across from them. The launch had been playing on all of their televisions out front. Mom saw it and called me. I will never forget that phone call. "Wake up! The Space Shuttle just blew up!" I couldn't believe it. Turned on the tv and watched in disbelief. I was obsessed with the Space Shuttle. Did a full science fair project about it in like 3rd grade, had the models, photos of myself with one of them when they flew through and stopped in Houston. It was pain on top of pain.

   This is the memorial for the Challenger astronauts at Arlington National Cemetery, taken in June 2003.

  We will never forget them, not the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of Earth' to 'tough the face of God'

P-38 Lightning

   On January 27, 1939, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning took its first flight. Nicknamed the "Fork-Tailed Devil", this particular P-38 is on display at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
    P-38s were used extensively during World War II for everything from reconnaissance to bombing to combat fighting. Production of them only went on during the war, ceasing in 1945 with the surrender of Japan. They were still used until being retired by the Air Force in 1949. Many were then sent to Italy and other countries air forces. Eventually most saw the scrap yard.

Audie Murphy

   Audie Murphy was born June 20, 1925 in Kingston, Texas. He tried to enlist after Pearl Harbor but was rejected by all branches for being underage and too small. Sounds like Captain America doesn't it? His sister forged papers for him and he was finally taken into the United State Army.
   His first tours of duty were in the Mediterranean, where he was promoted all the way to platoon sergeant and received a Bronze Star for helping take out a German tank in Italy. His platoon eventually took to the European campaign through southern France. Near Ramatuelle, he advanced on a house alone that was occupied by German soldiers, where he killed six, wounded two and took eleven of them as prisoner. For this he received the Distinguished Service Cross.
   He received his first Purple Heart after being wounded by shrapnel on September 15, 1944 in L'Omet, France. Over the next month he helped attack and capture more German held areas and prisoners and was also shot in the hip. He was back with his unit by January 1945, in the Colmar area of France. Near the town of Holtzwhir, the platoon came under attack and he was wounded in both legs. Despite his wounds, he was made commander of his company.
   On this day in 1945, January 26th, his company was forced to take position in the woods after the Germans had destroyed one of their tanks, though he remained at his post. He alone fired upon the Germans and directed artillery fire at them. He climbed on the destroyed tank, fired the massive machine gun mounted on it, and killed a squad of Germans who were crawling toward him. He killed or wounded nearly 50 Germans, only stopping when he ran out of ammo. He had been wounded again in the leg. He insisted on staying with his platoon. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Two weeks later he would be promoted again and removed from the front lines.
   Murphy was one of the most decorated combat soldiers of World War II. He would go on after the war to be a Captain in the Texas Army National Guard. He also starred in nearly 40 movies including playing himself in the film "To Hell and Back".
   He died on May 28, 1971 when a small plane he was riding in crashed in the mountains of Virginia. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Real Mayberry-Mt Airy, North Carolina

   Birthplace of tv actor Andy Griffith, it is believe that he based the town in the show "Mayberry RFD" on Mount Airy.

Snow Day, Not Exactly a Blizzard

   We don't get lots of snow here. And yes, we kinda freak out when we do. I desperately want to live somewhere that two feet of snow at all times is normal. Forgive me for taking a day away from travel photos to post something extremely local. I'd love to get out and take photos around town, but (a) we don't have anything interesting to photograph in the snow and (b) hubby took the Rogue and I'm not driving the little truck on these roads! Sorry.

Forgotten Friday-McFadden Farm, Murfreesboro

   When I first moved to Rutherford County in 2002, one of the first places we explored was the Stones River Battlefield. One of the tour stops is known as the McFadden's Ford. It was in this area on January 2, 1863, near the McFadden's family farm, that the Confederates attempted to cross the Stones River from the southeast to attack the Union forces entrenched on the hills. Cannons pounded and the Confederates were killed by the hundreds.
   Currently at this tour stop you will see a monument, cannons, a small family cemetery, and you can walk down to the river where fighting occurred. But when I first visited(with my non-digital camera) in 2002, there was an old abandoned farmhouse. I took only this one photo of it, thinking I would take more in the future. And then one day it was just gone. I asked a park ranger who said it was removed because it wasn't original to the site. And that is rather sad, because it was still clearly a quite old home.

Throwback Thursday: Astrodome

    Took this photo most likely in 1994. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was in town, and I was apparently on the Ferris wheel at the time. I love the Dome. Opened in 1965, home to the Houston Astros baseball and Oilers football teams. I went to so many Astros games that I didn't know what it was like to watch a professional baseball game outdoors! It wasn't until I saw a game in Tiger Stadium in Detroit in 1999 that I experienced pro ball the way most people know it! I pray that they never tear the Dome down. It was the first of its kind and deserves to be preserved.

Weird Wednesday

   This Shell gas station was built in the shape of a giant shell in 1930. It is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in the day when people were just starting to get out in their cars and do road trips. The "heyday" of crazy buildings and roads like the Lincoln Highway and Route 66. Very few examples of this "literal architecture" have survived.

Back Roads on a Cloudy Day

   Went out for a solo drive on the back roads of Middle Tennessee last Saturday. I do more scouting for places I want to come back and photograph when I'm out solo for a few hours than I do actual stopping. I am usually too afraid to get out alone or can't find a safe place to pull over. Still got a few interesting pictures.

Lincoln Memorial

   Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC. Sight of the famous "I Have a Dream" speech given by Martin Luther King on August 28, 1963. 

 "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!"

National Hat Day

National Sticker Day

   Saw this Esso mascot sticker on a car at the Murfreesboro Cruise-In a few years ago.

Churchyard of St Helena, Beaufort, SC

Parish Church of St Helena's in Beaufort, SC

   This Episcopal Parish was established by Act of Assembly June 7, 1712. The first known rector, William Guy, conducted early worship services in homes of settlers. The parish suffered greatly during the 1715 Yemassee Indian attack; constructed the present building in 1724(enlarged 1817 & 1842);  and was given communion silver in 1734 by John Bull, a captain in the militia. According to local tradition,

Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

   I LOVE LAW ENFORCEMENT! Yes, I am shouting it because I want everyone to know! Obey the law and appreciate what Law Enforcement does every single day to keep you safe!

Thank God for those who put themselves in harms way to protect and serve!

Forgotten Friday-Abandoned in Beaufort

Beaufort, South Carolina

National Technology Day-My First Camera

    I got one of those 110 cameras for Christmas when I was a kid. But this one was the first real camera I had. I saved up my summer job money when I was 16 and bought it. After checking some Sears catalogs from the time, I must have spent somewhere between $200-$300 for it. A Pentax K1000. Came with the zoom lens and a carrying case. I had no idea how to use it.

    Soon after buying it, I took on the first test run to a concert at Astroworld. Before the concert, my friend and I headed over to the motel across from AW to look for the bands we were going to see. Sure enough, there in the lobby was the drummer of A Flock of Seagulls. I knew he was a photographer who had a K1000, that might have been the reason I chose this one. He asked if we wanted to take photos. I told him it didn't have film in it yet because I had no idea how to load it! He sat down, there in the lobby of this motel, and explained loading film and other things about the camera. Incredible. I'll never forget that moment.

    I wish I still had the photos we took that day. The concert rained out, so I never even got to try it that night. But I used it up until probably around 1998, when my hubby got me a Canon Rebel.

    But I don't do current technology well. I mean, the phone you see below is my current phone. Just got it a few days ago after a 6 year old flip phone finally went kaput. I have no interest in a smartphone, or apps, or a gps, or anything like that. I don't use an e-reader, I like real books. I don't order anything online, I only shop in brick and mortar. I'm not completely a Luddite, I mean I am on the computer(desktop, don't own a laptop). But I think I could easily go "off the grid" if I had too.

   I read about those who are "digital nomads". I absolutely want to be a nomad. The digital part I could live without.

National Bird Day

Gulf coast, Long Beach, Mississippi

Monday Motivation

   Today's motivation is LEGO. I got quite a few sets for my birthday, and I really need to build and photograph. But first I need to clean up, break down sets I'm not interested in displaying, organize, rearrange, dust, and generally get the whole LEGO section of the den together.

White Plains Baptist Church, Mt Airy, NC

Church and burial site of the famous "Siamese Twins" Eng and Chang Bunker. Located in northwest North Carolina just south of Mount Airy.

Hank Williams

   Hank Williams, September 17, 1923 to January 1, 1953. He is buried in Montgomery, Alabama in Oakwood Cemetery.

 "Praise the Lord, I saw the Light"

Resolutions, Sort Of

   It seems that everyone makes "New Year's Resolutions" each January 1st, though now it appears to be more 'hip' if you don't make them. Just call them "goals" or whatever. I don't think there is anything wrong with using the new calendar year as chance to make a change in your life, start something new. The last number on the date changed, so why not make a change yourself.
   These are the things I hope to change about my life this year:

• Get out of the house more. If it's a nice day and I'm feeling well enough, then I should get out and do something, take some photos somewhere, anywhere. 
• Take more photos. I keep reading that a good photographer is good because they practice every single day. It's no different than any other thing you want to be good at it. I don't think I'll ever be a good photographer, even if I do take photos every single day, but I want to try. The only problem is that taking photos around the house gets really really boring after awhile. I also use the excuse that my camera sucks. Well it does-it is 8 years old, is missing pixels, has so many dust spots, and doesn't take very clear pictures, ever. I'm not sure what to do except maybe start working all that crap into a new style. 
• Walk more. This goes with getting out of the house. I'm hoping that getting out more leads to walking more which leads to being healthier. Eating better goes with this. It won't be easy but I really want to try.
• Downsize my junk. The kiddo will a senior in high school this fall. It is hubby and my ultimate goal to perhaps get rid of nearly everything, get an RV and hit the road. But I have lots of stuff. Boxes of hockey magazines. A full cabinet of hockey cards. Shelves of books. So much stuff that I have a hard time imagining getting rid of, but know that is necessary. Anybody want a huge Def Leppard scrapbook? 

   I think that's really all. I am not going to be unrealistic, those are some pretty easy goals to reach. I dream of being on a "road trip" 24/7/365, photographing every single unusual or historic site out there. But I can't get there eventually until I start somewhere. Today is a good day to start.