Nature plays a trick on us

/ Roadtirementvintage / 25 Comments

Monday, 6/12

A couple of days ago we posted a picture of a white Asiatic lily bloom that was on an individual plant that has always produced colorful blooms. This was a puzzle, and we asked if anybody knew, botanically at least, what was the story here. (Thanks to those who responded to our questioning!) Imagine our surprise when we noticed a change in color of that white bloom this morning.

The color on Wednesday, 6/14

This transformation from white to faint coloring was not really expected, but has brought a great deal of interest. We had a long soaking rain yesterday, perhaps that had something to do with the change? It is going to be fun watching if further darkening of the color will take place. Nature is amazing, be it the complex cyclical changes of the seasons to the simple change in color of an intricate bloom.

So where did the white lily come from?

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We’ve been blessed with lovely Asiatic lilies blooming recently. Today a white bloom showed up. We’ve never seen one before on our plants, and can’t figure where it came from. A quick search found a reference to heat affecting coloration, however all of the blooms have been exposed to the same environment.

Any botanists or horticulturists  out there have an idea why we have this pure white bloom? This is the third year of blooms for these Asiatic lilies.

Hawaii’s Kīlauea Volcano is erupting

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Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). Kilauea and Mauna Loa active volcanoes are the main features of the park which receives thousands of visitors each year.

Screen shot of the USGS live cam

Right now the Kilauea Volcano is erupting. The molten lava so far has been contained in the Halema’uma’u crater. The United States Geological Survey has provided live cams of the eruption. The live cam  (seen above) is stunning to watch. This is the link to the live cam on YouTube. I’d highly suggest you take a look. You can see the lava bubbling up in the lava field, and see the progress of lava cones developing. The history of the National Park and the sacred significance of the eruption is also worthy of study.

Impressive Civil War Memorial includes an anachronism

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Sitting on the north side of the Johnson County Courthouse in Franklin, Indiana is a striking memorial/fountain commemorating the valor of Union Soldiers from Johnson County during the Civil War. John Vawter was a businessman and banker from Franklin. He donated the memorial in 1905. It includes a bronze statue by artist Rudolph Schwarz.

This is a wonderful memorial to the men who served in the Civil War. The anachronism? As a history nerd who has been interested in, and studied military history, I need to point out that the arms and accoutrements on the cavalry trooper looking out over the battlefield are of a kind that did not even exist in 1861 to 1865.

Detail of the Model 1873 Trapdoor Springfield

The carbine is a Springfield “Trapdoor” that fired a 45/50 cartridge. This firearm was not invented until 1873, and was issued in both rifle and carbine lengths. The cartridge box on the trooper’s belt appears to also be from the 1870’s and designed for brass cartridges. The statue is a very good portrayal of a trooper from the mid 1870’s on.

This is an impressive memorial, complete with all branches of the services represented under the lion heads fountains. It is interesting that the statue artist picked the wrong model for his rendition of the trooper. It doesn’t take away from the honor given to the Civil War soldiers from Johnson County.

Art Deco theater once showed silent movies

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Downtown Franklin Indiana is blessed to be the home of the marvelous restoration of a classic movie theater. The Artcraft Theater is on Main Street north of the courthouse. Currently owned by a local non-profit organization, all kinds of entertainment events are offered with a full schedule.

Impressive marquee over the entrance

Ticket booth and entrance. The front of courthouse is visible at the end of the street.

The Artcraft Theater in Franklin, Indiana was opened in November, 1922 as a silent movie theater and Vaudeville house. Over the years the theater saw the advent of “Talkies”, changes in seating arrangements, and a major renovation in 1948 to the “Art Deco” architecture style. There is fascinating history of the Artcraft on their website. There are tons of old photos worth seeing.

The Willard offers history, food and drink, and a ghost

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Franklin, Indiana is south of Indianapolis and is the county seat of Johnson County. One of the most noteworthy places in Franklin is The Willard, now a family friendly restaurant housed in an historic brick building a block north of the courthouse. Originally a home, the property has seen several uses and additions over the years. Check The Willard website for a detailed history.

Main entrance of the restaurant

We were in Franklin for a dental appointment and decided to try out the American cuisine at The Willard. There was a decent crowd when we got there, and as we ate there was a constant stream of customers coming in to the facility. We were seated in the main dining room, while lots of folks took advantage of the outdoor seating.

Vegetarian pizza, stuffed w/veggies

Outdoor seating visible left, background

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of Willard favorites is pizza, and Sher did order the small vegetarian pizza. As you see in the photos it was packed with veggies. I had to try the breaded tenderloin and fries. The sandwich breading was different and not as “crunchy” as most recipes. It was tasty however.

Full service bar past the arched brick wall

From the lobby, curved staircase visible

At the top of the main stair

Passageway past the bar and bistro tables

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The building has been around since 1860, and quite a few old details make the place very interesting. The main curved staircase has a beautiful stained glass window at the top landing. The marble fireplace and original Willard Hotel sign compliment main dining room where we ate. And even though there is no prominent mention of her, a ghost named Eliza, a former love scorned owner of the property can be seen moving about the building in a rage. Seems she caught her fiancé in a compromising situation with her sister on a table in the kitchen.

A relaxing Sunday luncheon date

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It’s been really hot and dry for the past week, high’s in the upper 80’s and low 90’s with pollen alerts and air quality warnings. Welcome to Indiana in June. Sher and I decided that a nice leisurely Sunday lunch date was in order for today. We enjoyed our last trip to the Blue Agave so off we went for a second visit.

We started with margaritas, chips and salsa!

The Burrito Boom is huge

Beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, onions, beans and rice! Whew!

Veggie Chimichanga filled with grilled onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and served soft or deep-fried. Topped with cheese sauce and red sauce. Includes rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole

Blue Agave Mexican Grill and Bar is on the north side of Shelbyville, Indiana. Good food, great drinks, lots of TV screens and great service make this a good place to grab a meal.

 

Highway 40 sale was hot but successful

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The US Highway 40 cross country yard sale concluded today after 5 days of very hot, sunny weather. Overall it was a successful sale, though crowds were slightly smaller than in past years.

Wide angle view of the interior of our booth.

The pictures show our booth and some of the other vendors who took advantage of this great site which used to house a church. There were close to 30 different vendors, restrooms and plenty of parking. The first time we set up here several years ago there were at most 7 or 8 vendors.