Still having problems

I cannot upload my photo program to my new computer, cannot upload my html program. Not much I can do right now.

Of course, nobody even looks at this blog so it is not like it really matters. Suppose I should take the hint.

If it's not one thing

...it's another. So my old computer was on it's last legs. And this past weekend we spent more than we have on a new one. I'm not a fan of change, and it sucks not having what I am used to at my fingertips. And the new computer is already having problems locking up.

So all of my photos are on another computer. And until I can get things straightened out, I will be on hold here. Not that anyone cares, I'm pretty sure nobody ever looks at this page anyway. God's way of telling me to move on because my stuff ain't that good? I dunno. Maybe.

Tuesday's Battle

Tuesday is named for Tyr, the Norse God of War. I believe it is fitting to show photos from the various battlegrounds, mostly Civil War, that I visit.

This is Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Despite what may be perceived by many people, this is not actually the "court house". And to be factual, this isn't completely the actual house where General Robert E Lee signed terms of surrender to General Ulysses S Grant on April 9, 1865, either-it is mostly a reproduction.

The town of Appomattox is located a few miles from here, in the county of Appomattox. The old court house(now reconstructed at the National Park) was located at this town, which was called Clover Hill. The town of Appomattox, a few miles away, is the location of the current county court house. The county seat was moved when a train station was built in 1854 at Appomattox Station. The Civil War culminated at this place, Clover Hill, in April of 1865 after several days of fighting.

This home, the McLean home, was where both sides met to draw up the formal agreement to end the war. After the war, the home was sold a few times. One owner wanted to move it to Chicago for the 1893 World's Fair, but it never happened. Then they decided to move it to Washington DC and put it on display. The house was taken apart and readied to be moved, but that idea fell through as well. The home then lay in piles for nearly fifty years. Environment as well as thieves and collectors took their toll on the home. It wasn't until 1940 that the National Park was created and the home was to be rebuilt. About 5000 of the original bricks were able to be used, but much of the wood had to be replaced. It was opened to the public on April 9, 1949.

We visited the park in March of 2006.

The Flooding of Middle Tennessee

Well, I haven't forgotten and missed my days on purpose. We have had historic flooding here around Nashville. Luckily my home and neighborhood is high and dry, but we have not ventured out at all to see where the damage is. We've been glued to the news on all channels and I simply cannot believe my eyes at the damage being caused.

One thing that really hurts is knowing that the Hurricane Mills Bridge that I just posted last week has been washed away by the flood. I can only imagine what other wonderful places we have lost in Middle Tennessee. I can only hope it isn't too many.

Photos will return tomorrow.

Thursday's in the Barn

Thursday doesn't have a connection to barns, that I know of, but I it was the only day left when I was setting up subjects with days. I'm going with it.

This little barn has a lot to say. "See Rock City" barns have been seen all over the South since the 1930s, not long after the Rock City Gardens opened near Chattanooga, Tennessee. This one is located south of Eagleville, Tennessee on Hwy 41. This photo was taken in 2003.

Wednesday Hump Day

Wednesday is Hump Day, and I am posting photos of bridges to get us over that hump.

This is the railroad bridge going across Saint Louis Bay from Bay St. Louis to Pass Christian, Mississippi. The photo was taken from the Bay St. Louis side in 2007. Much of the bridge was destroyed as the eye of Katrina came up this bay in August 2005.

Tuesday's Battle

Tuesday is named for Tyr, the Norse God of War. I believe it is fitting to show photos from the various battlegrounds, mostly Civil War, that I visit.

Today we visit the Stone's River National Battlefield Park, specifically the Hazen's Brigade Monument and Cemetery. Built just a few months after the battle in 1863 to honor those in the brigade of General William Babcock Hazen, men from the 110th Illinois, 9th Indiana, 6th Kentucky and 41st Ohio. They held this area throughout the Battle of Stones River on December 31, 1862. Buried here around the monument are 45 of the men from the unit who fell in battle. The monument has inscriptions on all four faces, including a memorial to 6 officers of these units who were killed at Shiloh in April of 1862.

This photo was taken after a snowfall in February of this year.

Animal Monday

Monday is for animals. Trying to post something cute to help get the week underway.

This little cutie is a Clouded Leopard cub that had been at the Nashville Zoo with his 2 siblings back in October of 2009. At the time they were about 3 months old and beyond adorable. I spent about an hour watching them, taking around 250 photos!

Sunday Sermon

It is only fitting that Sunday's photos are churches.

This church is St Luke's, also known as "Old Brick", in Isle of Wight, Virginia. It is America's only original Gothic church and the oldest existing church of English foundation. Construction on this church is believed to have begun in 1632 due to a date found on a brick during a renovation.

It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been declared a national shrine.

Saturday Cemetery

The one place I probably visit more and photograph than any other is a cemetery.

This is one of my favorite photos, taken at Maple View Cemetery in Smyrna, Tennessee in the Fall of 2005.

Forgotten Friday

Friday is my day to recall those places that seem to have been forgotten by all those who pass by-except for those of us with an "abandoned addiction". I don't usually go so far as to trespass or venture inside, but the look of old places whose time has come and gone draw me like moths to a flame.

This particular home is located in Surry, Virginia off of State Route 10. I can only assume that it was once the home of the Jameson's who are buried in a small cemetery out front of the home. This photo was taken in 2003. I'm not sure if the home is still standing, but it still shows up on Google Street View.

Thursday's in the Barn

Thursday doesn't have a connection to barns, that I know of, but I it was the only day left when I was setting up subjects with days. I'm going with it.

This barn is located in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. I believe this is the one at the Dan Lawson home place. Lawson died in 1905 and was buried in a small graveyard on a hilltop nearby.

Wednesday Hump Day

Wednesday is Hump Day, and I am posting photos of bridges to get us over that hump.

This little iron bridge is located at Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, the home of Country Star Loretta Lynn. You can almost see her house between the bars on the left of the bridge. It was built in 1911. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.


***Sad update-this bridge was washed away in the May 2 flood. I am heartbroken.

Tuesday's Battle

Tuesday is named for Tyr, the Norse God of War. I believe it is fitting to show photos from the various battlegrounds, mostly Civil War, that I visit.

Today's photo is from Manassas National Battlefield Park. The monument is of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, who supposedly earned his famous nickname here. It is near the park's visitor center, and in roughly the area where the First Virginia began their attack on Union forces. The artist is Joseph P Pollia and was dedicated at the park in 1940. Some folks call this the "Superman" monument. I can see why. It's one of my very favorites.

Animal Monday

Monday is for animals. Trying to post something cute to help get the week underway.

Today is a small bird that I saw outside a doctor's office this past winter. I'm not sure what kind of bird it is, but it's cute.

Sunday Sermon

I am changing yet again. I've decided against going by the subject dictated on the websites that I had been visiting and entering their contests. It seemed like it was doing me no good at all as far as critics, traffic or even regular visitors. So I'm going back to doing my own thing. I will be going by a certain subject according to the day of the week. Sunday is only fitting to be churches that I have photographed.

Today's church is Cummings Chapel. It was established in 1858. I am not certain if this chapel is original, but it is a log structure and is one of the oldest surviving log chapels in East Tennessee. It is located on Cummings Chapel Road, south of Old Newport Hwy, east of Sevierville in Sevier County, Tennessee. Adjoining it is a cemetery containing a few hundred graves.

Messy

The Arbor Station Apartments, Long Beach, Mississippi. Destroyed completely by Hurricane Katrina on Monday August 29, 2005. My mom's apartment was someone around here. She lived on the second floor. There was nothing left of it. The Gulf of Mexico can be seen in the distance on the horizon between the legs of the stairs on the left.

Photo was taken on September 17, 2005.

Bridge

The Wednesday photo site never did accept my entry from last week(it's still 'pending'), so I'm done with them. So I'll just post a photo from the set I'm working on right now.
This is the inside of the historic Shelby Street Bridge in downtown Nashville. It was once a major route from downtown to East Nashville, but the bridge had to be shut down to auto traffic in 1998. Built in 1909, it was placed on National Register of Historic Places in 1998, and reopened as a pedestrian bridge in 2003. Several country music videos have been filmed on and around the bridge.

The Titans

I don't really have a good photo that I can think of for today's theme(day-night), so I just went for this one of the Titans game back in August, with sort of a sunset outside the stadium. Meh. At least the Titans won the game.

Dog

See It Sunday. I'm not around dogs much, I'm more of a cat person. This is the War Dog Memorial at the University of Tennessee Veterinary School in Knoxville, a beautiful Doberman with a collar that says "Always Faithful".

For more information, please check their website.

Red

Thursday Challenge.
Her'n and His'n outhouses. Abandoned mini-golf course in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. July 2009

Storm

Lensday.
The Hurricane Camille fishing boat. Myth had that it washed up during Hurricane Camille in Gulfport, Mississippi in 1969 and was used as an attraction with a tourist shop built next to it. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 washed away the gift shop and damaged the boat. Photo taken August 2007. I've heard that it's been removed and/or destroyed since then.

Inside-Outside

Two For Tuesday
Barn along the Natchez Trace Parkway, July 2009

Belle Vue

This would be Moody Monday, but I haven't figured out to add a link to that one. So I'll just post it any old photo.
This is Belle Vue, the home built in 1797, and for which the town of Bellevue in west Davidson County is named. It was moved here, Red Caboose Park, in 2006 from its original location near the Harpeth River.

I don't usually manipulate my photos very much, but I have noticed that the photos that seem to get the most attention on Flickr are ones that have some editing done. So I thought I'd play around with a few photos.

Tower

See it Sunday. Biloxi Lighthouse, Biloxi, Mississippi 2007

Another Bedtime

There is no picture for today's Saturday Challenge, because they wanted a "self portrait" and I don't do those for anyone. So I thought I'd post another "bedtime" photo, just to have something up for the day.

Little Squirrel Sleeping in a Tree.

Bedtime

PhotoFriday entry. A tired little Clouded Leopard cub with his blanky. Nashville Zoo, October 2009.

Free for all

Thursday Challenge. One of my favorite photos taken in 2005.

Juvenile

This is for Lensday, but that is still last week's subject, as they haven't updated yet for today. I didn't feel like waiting, but it is probably too late to enter it.
Geese at Radnor Lake, Nashville, TN May of 2008.

River-Road

Two 4 Tuesday photo of the day. I'm not confident about this one, so I probably won't be entering it. This was taken two years after Hurricane Katrina in Biloxi, Mississippi. The road in the distance is Highway 90 being rebuilt. The broken bridge in the foreground is the old highway(prior to Hwy 90) from Biloxi to Ocean Springs.

New Year!

I am back with a new year and a new look. Going wide since I got a new widescreen monitor for my birthday. And hoping to add lots more photos, more often, and maybe even get over my fear of rejection and link some of my photos to some of the daily contests. Who knows.

I've also changed the subject back to photos of what I see, no matter where I take them. If you are new, I had changed the subject of my photos to only those I had taken from the passenger seat of our car. While I still have many of those that I could add, I was finding that I was limiting myself too much and the quality of the photos I had to post wasn't my best.

While I still feel that I'm not a very good photographer, I just freakin' love taking photos. And I love to travel. And I feel that the name, "Reconnaissance Photos" best fits the direction of where I'm going.

Reconnaissance:

1.	Military. a search made for useful military information in the field, esp. by examining the ground.

2.	Surveying, Civil Engineering. a general examination or survey of a region, usually followed by a detailed survey.

3.	Geology. an examination or survey of the general geological characteristics of a region.

My photos are historical in nature. Old homes, abandoned places, military sites, and anything related to my home, Tennessee.

I hope that maybe a few people will stumble upon this site and at least somewhat enjoy my photos and commentary.