Early morning in Orlando Wetlands

Little green heron hiding among the greenery

Catching the early morning rays

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Tuesday's weather appeared promising as we left OB at 5am headed for Christmas, FL and Orlando Wetlands Park.  Cloud patterns as we got closer (the park is 72 miles from OB) did not look like the weather forecast. However, we were in luck...at least for a while.  So, the plan was to take a lot of pics while the light was good.

A portion of the wetlands

Unidentified flying objects

Great blue heron focusing on finding breakfast

Spectacular sunrise

Early morning sunrise and reflections on the Halifax River

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Yes, we've returned home to OB.  Our time in West End, NC was cool...literally, according to the thermometer.  So, why return??  Well, Oct. - Nov. are doctor visit months as are Feb., Mar. and Apr. And if you're heading for your 78th birthday in Dec. then you want to make sure that the parts you have left are functioning...like having the oil in  your car changed; the tires rotated and a tune up.
 

Time to stop and smell the roses

 In this 2004 pic an elk, with a great pair of antlers, stops to smell (or munch) wild roses near Jasper in Alberta, Canada.

A look back..76 years ago today (10/6)

WEST END, NC - -  It started out as a trip to a BBQ we'd not been to before.  And ended up as a look back at two military heroes of Moore County, NC.   James Rodgers McConnell died 103 years in World War I.  Robert "Hoyle" Upchurch 'vanished' 76 years ago on Oct. 6, 1944 in WW II.

     The Pic 'N' Pig BBQ sits right alongside the 2,500' runway of the private Gilliam-McConnell Airfield.  If you want to watch small planes take off within touching distance, this is the place.  But what really caught my imagination was the memorial to the fallen airmen mentioned above

     McConnell was a member of the famous "Flying Tigers" who flew sorties in China to fight Japanese Air Force.  He crashed while over mountainous terrain on a mission.  His remains were recovered in by locals and, although the Chinese could not identify him, they gave him a heroes burial.  They honored the pilot on the anniversary of his death each year.

     He was identified 60 years later (through DNA)  by individuals searching for remains of American individuals listed as 'missing in action.'  He is now buried in High Falls, NC.

     Flying for France.  James Rodgers McConnell, was a native of Carthage and where the airfield (in part) bears his name.  He joined the French forces (before US involvement) and hoped to fly. Instead he started out driving an ambulance and ended up being awarded the  "Croix de Guerre" for bravery.

     Soon after, he and 6 other airmen, became founding members of the Lafayette Escadrille.  This squadron of American pilots flew for France against the axis forces.  He died in battle with German aircraft on March 19, 1917.

     The top mural  depicts McConnell in a military pose with his biplane.  The bottom mural depicts aerial action.  The winged statue, on the University of Virginia campus,  is  tribute to McConnell as the first UVA alumni to die in WWI.  

     Of note is the sculptor of the piece...Gutzon Borglum, who went on to  create the monument on Stone Mountain (GA) and spend a good part of his life designing/sculpting Mt. Rushmore.

    

     

People will collect anything...and Santa goes foer a train ride

WEST END, NC
 

Persimmons, anyone?? plus NC humor

Fresh persimmon fruit, right near our front door

Light, shadow and sunken wood beams

 

WEST END, NC - - Sometimes photo ops present themselves, but don't always fit into a theme.  In that case,  why not toss them altogether?  This is especially true when there are signs involved such as below

If it's concealed how do you know...??

Everyday can be a cupcake day

The 'Roast Office' happens to be close by

It's time to decorate for Fall

WEST END, NC - - Less than a mile from where we are staying is this farm stand with everything you need to decorate your home ...inside and out..for autumn and Halloween. And that includes fruits and veggies plus jams and jellies.  And did I mention the large selection of lawn statues.

 
 

Builld it yourself...from scratch

 A lot of do-it-yourself builders buy a kit and put the pre-made pieces together.  Then, there are the folks who obtain a set of plans; buy everything needed and then put the project together.  If you end up with things leftover...no real problem.  Unless it's an airplane you're building.  Then, comes the real test .. will it fly..because, if it doesn't you may end up as bug-splatter.

    

This experimental open-cockpit replica looked pretty nifty in the air and on the ground.  Unfortunately, I didn't meet the builder / pilot.

     A bit of research by a good friend found BowersFlyBaby.com.  The bare-bones info states that the design is from  1960 and describes it as: "a single seat, open cockpit, folding wing mono plane powered by engines ranging from 65 to 100 hp."

Getting into the swing of things

WEST END, NC - - On any Sunday...and any other day of the week, the 9 18-hole links at Pinehurst Country Club are busy and so are the many other  golf courses in the area.  We drive by here nearly every day of the week...early; mid day; afternoon...and there are golfers all around.  This pic only shows the starting area / driving range / practice putting green near the club house.      

     The PCC has been the site of golf's U.S. Open three times with a 2024 date upcoming.  Maybe playing a round on a famous course is on you bucket list so how much is it going to cost???   You don't want to ask.   

Old time farming

WEST END, NC - - It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Or Eagle Springs to be exact.  The typical farm photo includes:  high, fleecy clouds;  a field of tobacco getting ready for harvest time;  a trio of mailboxes at the start of long road / driveway and railroad tracks...with a peach orchard nearby.  Seeing a tobacco crop is beginning to be an anomaly as tobacco products are falling out of favor.
     And the pine cone??  Just another fancy photo.

Long gone, but not forgotten

WEST END, NC - - The weathered wood of an out building or barn on a property near where we are staying shows the effects of the passage of time.  About 60 years ago, this area - -West End - - was a thriving location.  Not the quiet place it is today.
      There was a large factory making bedroom furniture; a sawmill; a railroad station where the locals used to gather; a post office; a handkerchief / scarf maker; a grocery store and more.
     Today, any remnants of some of the buildings left are vine covered skeletons or maybe a foundation.  Some brick and mortar hulks remain.  But not the furniture factory, the life blood of bygone WE.  There were empty buildings last year.  Now, there's a big empty field ready for highway expansion.

Toucan time at the bookstore

Just wandering around

A view from (almost) the end of the driveway

WEST END, NC - - Freight trains rumble by where we are staying day and night. Not many, but there are enough. Most are 15 - 20 cars, but some are quite long.  It's quiet country where we are so you can hear the warning whistles at road crossings a good distance away...even at 4:30am the past two nights.
     During the day, if I was quick enough, I could probably make it close to the tracks before the engine rolls by.  As you can see by the photo I need to work on my sprinting.

We've escaped...to North Carolina

WEST END, NC - - After a bit of van trouble on Thursday, we were able to get an early (5:30am) start on Friday heading to NC. Our destination was / is familiar as we head to West End both in May and October to bookend our summer travels. 
     After  nearly nine hours on the road it was an easy choice to stop at one of our favorite eating places.  Breakfast at 2:30 in the afternoon??  Why not. 
     Saturday and Sunday we ventured to Southern Pines where the railroad tracks split the town about in half.  With both freight and AMTRACK traffic the place has a good flow of train traffic.
     Saturday morning in SP is farmer's market time.  There were plenty of masks present except on the numerous four-legged versions of man's best friend.  However,  this very friendly female corgi with short legs which barely kept her tummy off the grass, has a female owner.
     The long-leaf pine is responsible for a good deal of lawn covering via pine straw.  The long-leaf does not have leaves nor does it look much like straw.  As the final photo shows, the LLP does have nice long needles.  

Sunrise & Sunset on the Gulf...Christmas week, 2012

It's Twilight time

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - If you're not a "young adult" you may never have heard of the 'Twilight' series of books and films featuring a young vampire hungering for love (pun intended).  You're not alone.  Last year, about Labor Day, we wandered into Forks, Washington as we headed for Olympic National Park.  Bingo.  This is the town/area where the books' author, Stephanie Meyer, set the action.
     So what?  Well, after 10 years the author has just released book number 5 ("Midnight Sun") in the series.  It's number one on the USA Today best seller list with one million copies ordered.  Sounds like a shot in the arm tourism/business-wise for a sleepy town of approximately 4,000 in logging country.

Hey, bro!!

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Sorry, I meant Hey, bromeliad ... as in the decorative plant seen above.  When we moved into our house 25 years ago there were a few clumps of bromeliads in the back yard.  Today, we've got a lot more. 
     Look closely at this photo for the snail clinging to the center of the 'bloom'.  Click on the pic to enlarge it.

Sole rebel Plus odds & ends

Let's detour right into this home owner's front yard

Mama sea turtles get help from the 'turtle patrol'

A line in the sand

This Great Blue Heron was playing 'shady character'

Cat pics are always good

And finally, a little color to even things out

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - While out wandering:  These running / walking shoes were clean; the laces tied; the soles not (very) worn and were tossed near the sidewalk at the edge of the OB Bridge.  It's definitely not a barefoot area to walk around.

Breakfast time

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Everybody deserves a good breakfast.  But sometimes it takes a bit of time to come up with the most delicious item.  This honeybee and a number of cohorts found the powder puff blooms in a local nursery to be enticing...and probably tasty, too.