October 14th is Sher’s Birthday. She is the mother of my children, my wife and the love of my life. She is my soul mate, my lover, and my reason for living.
Feel free to share birthday greetings for Sher in the comments! Thanks!
A lot of stuff
Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge and 1.5 million bats
Back before the pandemic we were visiting our family in Austin. We all took a day trip to San Antonio one Sunday, and planned to see the bats of Austin that evening. This is a recap of that adventure.
Who would think that a winged visitor from Mexico would make such a splash in downtown Austin, Texas. Such is the story of the Free-tailed bat. These critters migrate to Austin in March and stay through November. The colony spends each day under the Congress Avenue Bridge and emerges en-mass at sunset. This daily event has become a famous local attraction in Austin.
View of the watercraft waiting for the bats
Mexican Free-tailed bat
We planned to see the bats after a day in San Antonio. Because it was a Sunday, free street parking was available if you could find it. A ten dollar garage was well worth the cost. When we got there I needed a restroom and found one at a great restaurant a block away. The restaurant staff where we had supper knew exactly what time the bats would emerge. After supper we walked the two blocks to the bridge. Because it was Sunday the crowds were not large and we walked right up to the bridge rail for a great view.
The bat colony takes flight
A viewing deck was on the river bank for a look up at the bridge. A wide variety of tour boats, canoes and kayaks were in place on the water of Lady Bird Lake waiting to see the show. And what a show it was! The first bats started to fly about 10 minutes before sunset. It didn’t take long for hundreds of thousands of bats to fly out from under the bridge. The sky was filled with masses of bats! It looked like they were flying along the river. Before the Congress Avenue Bridge was built where did the colony of bats spend daylight hours?
New Orleans’ famed above ground tombs in St Louis Cemetery No. 1
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 was established via a Royal Spanish Land Grant in 1789. It was originally outside the city limits, and was at least twice its current size. The Archdiocese of New Orleans now has control of this cemetery. Currently the only way you can get into the cemetery is with a licensed tour guide. Unfortunately vandalism has forced this action. This cemetery was definitely on our list of things to “be sure to see” when we visited New Orleans in January, 2018.
Multiple designs for the tombs, some fancy and some plain
The famed above ground tombs and wall tombs are designed for use by generation after generation. Many of the tombs are owned by individual families. Some of the very large tombs are known as society tombs where several families or groups have combined resources. The laws dictate that a year and a day passes before an additional burial is permitted. As you would expect, there are many well-known, famous and infamous people whose tombs are located in the cemetery.
We are standing in front of the tomb of Marie Laveau, the famed Voodoo Queen. This is reportedly the most visited tomb in New Orleans.
We decided to go on a St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and Voodoo tour put on by the Gray Line. Marcia, our tour guide, was a delightful host of our small group. As mentioned above, you must be with a licensed tour guide to gain entrance into the cemetery. Shop around, but we suggest going with the Gray Line Tour Company.
Plaque on the tomb of Marie Laveau, the most famous voodoo Priestess from New Orleans
Nicholas Cage had this tomb built in the cemetery. He says he wants to be buried here, and the IRS cannot touch a burial plot. We were told that Cage visited the tomb a year ago with his brother.
Not all tombs are as well maintained as others.
Multiple generations of the same family interred in a wall tomb.
Fort Lowell Park showcases 19th century military history of Tucson
Fort Lowell in Tucson takes you back to the days of the 19th century, primarily the military history of the Arizona Territory.
“The Chief Trumpeter”
Fort Lowell Park is now a large city park northeast of downtown Tucson. It is home to several ballparks and soccer fields. The ground is also the site of a former frontier Army fort. The original military post was opened in 1860 on the outskirts of the then tiny town of Tucson. This location was abandoned several years later and moved to the Fort Lowell site, seven miles northeast of downtown Tucson. The fort remained until it was decommissioned and abandoned in 1891.
The Fort was used as a staring point for several Army expeditions chasing down “renegade” Apache bands. Perhaps the most famous event that began at Fort Lowell was General Crook’s expedition that led to the “surrender” of Geronimo.
Today little remains of the original buildings. The old hospital building remains are the largest reminder of the original fort. The mud brick walls are now…
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Check the dryer first
At the time, this was an aggravation, but in retrospect it was kind of funny. Glad it wasn’t raining…
Yes, those are leopard sheets…
There is something about coming off of a long weekend festival and heading to a campground for a little rest, relaxation and doing some laundry.
The campground was nice, great roads, only 15 bucks with the Passport America discount and the laundry was only about seven sites away. Ok, it was small, two washers and two dryers. One dryer had an “Out of order: does not spin” sign on the door with the coin slots taped shut. Ok, I got that. A couple of loads won’t be bad, waiting for the one dryer.
Two loads started, no sweat. First load into the dryer: coins in, heat level set for high, start buton pushed. Well, 30 minutes later the laundry is still wet. Long story short, this dryer had no trouble spining. It just didn’t provide any heat. The result was turning the Four Winds 22E…
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Historic and haunted Stanwood Hotel and Bar
It is that time of year, waiting for Halloween! This is one of the more documented and investigated haunted sites in Washington State.
Several years ago we found this neat old place in the historic town of Stanwood, Washington. Stanwood was originally a lumber, mining and shipbuilding town. The Hotel was first opened in 1894, and a plaque on the front of the building proudly proclaims the local historical society taking note.
Stanwood Hotel and Bar
The hotel has a rather raucous history as you might expect from what in reality was a frontier town. Over the years some unseemly characters took part in rather unseemly activities at the hotel and bar. Some of these events have led many to believe that spirits of the past still roam the bar and hotel. Current staff and patrons have reported repeatedly seeing apparitions in Victorian age clothing. Some have been pulled at and pushed. I personally had a weird feeling of being observed in the hallway to the restrooms, an area with lots of reports…
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Do you see the ghost?
Look closely, do you see the ghost?
The photo was taken through the window of an abandoned and collapsed building in McLean, Texas. Some have seen a ghost in the photo. Others have not seen anything out of the ordinary.
What about you? Do you see a ghostly apparition in the photo???
Haunted Mt Baker Theatre burns a ghost light
A post from a past visit to Seattle
Ghost light on center stage at Mt.Baker Theatre
The historic Mt. Baker Theatre in Bellingham, Washington is supposedly haunted, as most old theaters claim. When we took a tour we saw the ghost light which burns on center stage at all times when there is no production going on. Ghost lights are a tradition among theaters and actors. The lights provide a means to placate ghosts who either want to perform or who want to watch.
The best well known spirit at Mt Baker Theatre is Judy, an amorous young lady. It seems Judy lost her house (or boarding house room, as some say) when the theater was built in 1926-1927. She is reported to be interested in young male projectionists, actors, or ushers. One theater staff member told me Judy is a flirt! Others ghosts who haunt the theater include a well dressed fellow named Geoffrey who appears in…
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Thrilling orca whale watch
There is just something majestic about these stunning maritime animals.
Orcas!
One adventure that we hope to repeat is another whale watching trip out of Bellingham, Washington. A few years ago we were blessed with the opportunity to take a day cruise around the San Juan Islands in the Salish Sea north of Seattle. So many wildlife sightings of both sea animal and birds happened. The highlight of course was the sighting of a pod of orca killer whales, part of which is seen in the above photo we took. Note it shows an adult and a juvenile.
St Joseph Center in North Little Rock
We stayed here for free as part of Harvest Hosts. A treat to have not only a sustainable farm but an historic site too.
Original 1910 orphanage
We found a wonderful and historic location in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The St. Joseph Center is a non-profit organization based on a historic building that was once a children’s orphanage run by the Catholic Church. The impressive structure was built in 1910 and currently there are several Artist’s Studios inside the spacious old building that houses other functions.
Currently the St. Joseph Center is an educational and working farm. The grounds are really beautiful. The first thing Sher and I did was to take a stroll around the main building, enjoying the old statuary and flower beds. We also got our first look at the garden plots. Turns out that there is a large citizen garden space where locals can come and, for a modest fee, have their own personal garden plot.
Bull, right and cow
Recently sheared sheep
The Farm Stand, in other words the…
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