Saturday Centus - Sunday Edition

During these blissful summertime ventures, Saturday has a way of slipping into Sunday.

Jenny, from "Off on my tangent" blog is really shaking up the blogger's field today (okay yesterday, but it works all week long) with this super-duper (was Mary Poppins involved) kick-butt prompt idea!



FORBIDDEN

  The prompt this week is the word 'Forbidden'

Number of words:  Exactly one hundred.  Using the word 'forbidden' in your writing is forbidden. 

Style of writing: Any

Pictures: Any

I

 AM TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY 100 WORD EXCITED FOR THIS

 

( ...and Yes! I have begun already. That makes it up to this period 29 words as I've typed, so far.

 

Ha! Ha! I was just kidding, my Saturday Centus begins below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't think we can't describe our Saturday Centus in our own Saturday Centus either.

 

I mean, seriously,

 

 

is there a Saturday Centus patrol person lurking about near here?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I mean, other than Jenny herself.

 

Nothing here is never, not allowed.

 

 

 

 

Miss Jenny wouldn't ever be caught doing this with our offerings!

 

 

 

Jenny is by far the easiest woman in control of a blog

that we could ever hope to meet

and know

and cherish.

 

She's given out over-the-top give-aways too.

 

 

So, Yes! Anything goes.

 

Nothing is banned here

 

Well,

 

Except, it goes without saying shower scenes

 

 

 

 

that could result in murder!

 

This works!

To visit other Saturday Centus Posts, or hey why not toss in your own go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2013/08/saturday-centus-week-174.html

Sepia Saturday - 17- August 2013

"I really can't explain why, but the food we eat outside at picnics, especially with a campfire burning beside us, is the most delicious meal by far."


SEPIA SATURDAY



In honor of summer and the many memorable past picnics and all the future picnics, I'll share my "Sepia Saturday Ghost Post" next week.


Picnics come in incredible packages and are usually shared between family members, friends, co-workers, students or church groups and that's just to name a few.

Now in today's world, it's quite common (I know from experience) that one doesn't always have valuable time to prepare a precious hand-made meal from my own kitchen picnic and so we improvise.

 

 

 

Back in the old days, before the fast food joints you had to prepare your own meal, like below.

Is it me, or does this family appear as though they've been interrupted?

\

 

Girlfriends sharing a picnic snack.

 

Many folks brought along their phonographs as well.

 

 

Of course, I should include those private picnics, with celebrities like Rita Hayworth snacking on a sandwich.

 

 

 

 

I am very curious to what device is to the left and what kind of doll, or monkey that could be next to her.

 

"Ah yes, picnics! Where you eat the most delicious food ever!  Yeah, the sandwiches are pretty good too."

 

 

It's not carved in stone saying you have to enjoy every picnic outside.

 

 

I'm sure everyone here at sometime or another gathered their family together at least once a year for a family reunion picnic, like the family below.

 

 

 

 

Company picnics were often like being in another world.

 

 

 

Ah yes, you could have lots of exciting if not silly things to do at picnics once you finished eating.

 

Just another reason why summertime is such a perfect season.

 

 

 

 

 

Believe it or not, many picnics, especially those most important family reunions, if they didn't have a photographer in the group they often hired one, and without question he or she always were treated to a delicious plate of food too.

 

 

 

 

 

Often times after everyone had their fill of eating, their picnic led to other activities......

I still believe even today, most of us are diligent in seeing that there are several picnics to enjoy before old man winter returns.  The more exciting activities to enjoy along with them the better.

I'll close with an oldie but favorite photo of mine, after a picnic at Valley Fair Amusement Park a little dress-up and old photograph time was in order.

This is me with my daughter sitting on my lap, and about one week before her younger brother was born.  We shared a great day together (before her new little brother) would arrive, just a mother and daughter day out!









For other Sepia Saturday posts go here

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2013/08/sepia-saturday-190-17-august-2013.html

The One Thing

That We All Possess


CAN YOU NAME ONE THING 

WE ALL CARRY?

But Don't Always notice.


Here's a hint.

A DARKENED SHAPE OF SOMETHING IN THE LIGHT.

Are you thinking, shadow?


"What would your good do,

 if evil didn't exist,

 and what would earth look like 

if all the shadows disappeared?" 

- Mikkail Bulgakov

What is your meaning of shadows?

TRUE SPIRIT OF LIFE

YOUR SHADOW

Make good use of your shadow.

Doing good where 

Ever you shadow.

"If you don't have any shadows you're not standing in the light."

-Lady Gaga

TREASURE THE SHADOW

THERE ARE NO SHADOWS

SAVE FROM SUBSTANCE CAST.

Edith M. Thomas

"Mirage,"

The Dancers

Thematic Photographic - Downward

They say "Those things that go up, most commonly at sometime or another come down as well.  Downward is much more common when dealing with upward movement, but not so much in reverse.

THEMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC

Carmi is sending us on a downward motion this week with

Downward as our theme.

 

Downward

beneath the presence of eagles rests

the

downward gaze of a protector.

 

 

Eight of them to be exact.

 

There are eight, 18-foot-tall "Guardians of Health"

These "Guardians of Health" encircle the Washburn Park Water Tower to protect it from intruding water pollutants, with the assistance of eight eagles that reside atop the structure as well, to keep a watchful eye downward.

 

"Bad-tasting or bad-smelling water pollutants from contaminating the water supply were thought to be the cause of many typhoid fever outbreaks around this time." - Harry Wild Jones, Architect.

 

They've been looking downward since 1931.

"He rides in the game like heavy cavalry getting into position for the assault, trots about, keenly watchful, biding his time, a master of tactics and strategy." - Patrick Thompson

 

 

The Washburn Park Water Tower is located within the Tangletown neighborhood in south Minneapolis, Minnesota and is perched on top of one of the highest points in south Minneapolis and serves as an unofficial "beacon" for incoming planes landing at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport and yet it remains hidden from much of the residents and visitors that pass by the base of the hill.

 

Hopefully it will never be caught going

downward.

 

 

To view more TP posts or perhaps put down your own go here

 

http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2013/08/thematic-photographic-256-downward.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FkIoA+%28Written+Inc.%29

 

Saturday Centus - 10- August 2013

Hot time.  Summer in the city.

SATURDAY CENTUS


Jenny from "Off on my tangent" has declared the prompt of,
"Hot time.  Summer in the city."  Any style writing, no more than 106 words and any photos.


For more Saturday Centus posts- or to join in too,
go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2013/08/saturday-centus-week-173.html

It's a "Hot time.  Summer in the city."

 

Hot dog, summer at the lake,

Back on blogger after

 

Spending time in the city.

 

 

 

After getting all gritty in an itty, bitty pretty city.

 

In the summer, in the city having a blast!

Hope it can last!

Gee don't you know it's a pity

 if it can't last-

In the summer, in the city

 it's a real darn pity

when playing on a sand pile

can't last a long while.

 

 

I wish days happened like this all year too, in the summer time,

 in the city.

 

Surfing in my dreams, what could be better than watching a surfer dude!

 

In the summer, in the city

All around, flowers, water and sand.

A smelling and a picking flowers in the city!

 

 

You'd be here too

if you could.

 

 

 

 

Thematic Photographic - Repetitious

"Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex." Norman Vincent Peale

Repetitiously I completely enjoy ..... Thematic Photographic weekly!  How about you?

THEMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC

Carmi, from Written Inc. blog is calling for repetitious to be set in motion for this week!

"And the day came that the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin

All my tractors in a row!  Follow the leaders.

My oh my what do we have here?

 

One by one

 

 

Real live babies all ready to break out in a row!

 

Repetitiously for many a years.

So this is how beer is made in Stillwater, Minnesota!

 

He that sets sails to wind and sea

lives to see

the world.

 

He that never sets sail to wind and sea

sees nothing whorled.

 

 

Excuse me while I kiss my sails!

 

If you want to see more TP or post your own

go here

 

http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2013/08/thematic-photographic-255-repetitious.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FkIoA+%28Written+Inc.%29

 

Sepia Saturday - 3 August 2013 Off the Norm

"I thought how unpleasant it is to be locked out; and I thought how it was worse, perhaps, to be locked in." - Virginia Woolf


SEPIA SATURDAY


I'm drifting off the normal "follow the theme of the week" for a series of things-

Abandoned or  Ghostly Encounters.  This week is,


ABANDONED

My post for today begins in a field.  It's a hidden location where many folks from around here, may not even know about.  Of course, that entire business of not knowing, forces an incredible urge within me, and reason enough to uncover it!  Whatever it is, sitting out there in the middle of this field, we'll all know by the end of this post.

Welcome to SEPIA SATURDAY



I might as well warn you now, my post is taking you off the beaten path today.

Just remember, I warned you, we will be heading in uncharted waters, or rather fields.


There had to be a reason, that this oddly shaped building sat at the end of a dirt road with corn stalks engulfing the field, (as if to conceal it) or not.  First off, I knew some sort of human life existed here.  Why else would there be a propane tank next to it?

I bet you're as curious as I am right?   I had to discover the truth about this place.



Sure, you may be thinking it must appear to be something like this photo below right?

 

No way, I would never ever give this a second thought.  Obviously, it holds water.

 

 

 

Truthfully, it was much stranger than that.  Something I'd never seen before.  A description would be more like this.  An oddly designed, strange cylinder, with a peculiar styled tower in the center .  Which immediately brought this image to mind.

 

 

 But, no this isn't it either.

On the serious side.....

So far as yet, I haven't met any alien type folks wandering about the field.  Not yet anyway.

There won't be any need for Three D Glasses either.  But please do bring your binoculars if you can.

I uncovered this mysterious location while driving down a series of dirt roads not far from my own house.  It's so amazing (to me anyway) how you can spend so many years in one area and still come across places and things you never knew existed.  Just follow the dirt road. 


That's when I spotted something quite mysterious lurking in the center of a field all by itself, with an intention as if it were saying, "Please, come check me out.

Wouldn't you know it, the gate was secured by a padlock?

On closer inspection I didn't notice even one "No Trespassing" sign anywhere.



Still, I snapped a couple of pictures and left, to return home and consult my favorite friend, Google.  Sadly even the internet was keeping it secret and I couldn't discover one shred of information regarding this odd structure.  Yet, anyway.  So, I brought my (once licensed pilot) husband out here.


Don't laugh now, do you have any idea as to what this might be?


Okay, if you were to think about a list of things that have become obsolete, but still possibly waiting for the wrecking crew to remove it forever, then you may have already guessed what it is.


I know a list as such could be extremely long.  What with things like, Landlines, Long distance phone calls, public pay phones, dial-up, film development, maps, VCR's, Movie Rental Stores, dictionaries, telephone books and etc.  but, think about what we already know.


Here's a clue that might sway your thoughts.  Or, confuse you more.

Beacon Field Airport

Above photo just one extremely important reason why aircraft beacons were so necessary.

Are you asking, could it have something to do with aircraft beacons?

 

May 30, 1927

According to the Library of Congress Prints and Photos department

this is a photo of, "The first radio beacon is inaugurated.  Here is Dr. George K. Burgess, Director of the United States Bureau of Standards.

The aircraft radio beacon at College Park, Maryland, designed for guiding airplanes by radio.

This is the first radio beacon for use of civil aviation and this station is a forerunner of forty other similar installations to be established at 200-mile intervals along the 8,234 miles of civil airways.

 

 

 Here's a view of one from the east coast.

 

 

Chestnut Ridge Beacon House.

 

 

 

 

The photo below brings to mind a lighthouse for ships, but it's not.

 

 

The Black Beacon Orfordness

 

 

 If you guessed what it was before I mentioned "aircraft beacon" maybe you've already been by here.

 

Since that's just what my secret building is.

 

 

 

This is how it looks today.

 

I'm hoping to get a closer look, soon.

 

 

To view other Sepia Saturday posts go here

 

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2013/07/sepia-saturday-188-3-august-2013.html

Kibosh, It's a Sign of the times

 "Frog parking only.  All others will be toad."

Or in other words, kibosh! If you dare.

It's a different kind of KIBOSH, and why not?  We're living in a new age, a sign of the times!

A 2nd post for Thematic Photographic evolved along with the word-

"kibosh"

 for my Alphabe-Thursday post today! 

 It's all about signs as well, and how ignoring them could instantly put the kibosh on a person. 

Every voice can make a difference.

Signs all around us lead us to

where or what we need to do.

Every wheel that squeaks, gets greased.


All the wheels were spinning in this subdivision until they finally got results.

Their complaints were heard and their wishes delivered. 

The kibosh came down with these signs being posted at the only two entrances into the neighborhood.

But why the kibosh ?

Simply, far too many inpatient drivers during the morning and evening rush hours couldn't wait their turn.  Sure once in awhile everyone takes a short cut or two. Sneak a base, move up in line when someone isn't looking....

But these cheaters quickly became a nuisance to the people residing in this quaint, older neighborhood.  The two county roads surrounding the neighborhood carry a heavy stream of traffic during rush hours and many of them put a kibosh to waiting in line and just forgo the wait by cutting through the quiet subdivision.   Many of which were in too much of hurry to follow the posted speed as well.

KIBOSH!  A lot of speeding tickets were issued. 

I have to laugh at the folks that can't wait in line in traffic, but if it's the coffee line, they could wait forever!

Ignoring this sign comes with paying a hefty ticket too.

Even the residents cannot use this entrance during these hours, and must drive all the way around to the only other entrance.

 

Which would be where this sign is located.

I totally enjoy the power of people!
But, seriously, did they really have the right to do this?  I discovered this anomaly quite by accident after one of the residents stopped me.  "Did you miss the sign?" she asked.

Emergency vehicles are the only exception to this rule.

Another sign of the times inside this neighborhood is for a biking/walking trail.  I didn't have these kinds of things in my childhood. 


I'd have to check city hall to know which came first the signs or this tunnel that the subdivision requested as well, for a safe journey underneath the main thoroughfare.

Can you read the sign at the end of the underground tunnel?

I had to pull back tons of weeds so it could be read.

Do these sign makers really believe we would attempt to drive a vehicle down here?

Even this sign is hiding behind the weeds.

 

 

Enforced?  Absolutely, you don't want the Pooper-Scooper-Patrol to catch you not picking up your dog/donkey/Llama/cat's poop.

 

 

 

The letter for Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday is K

for Kibosh.

 

For more Alphabe-Thursday posts go here

 

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2013/07/alphabe-thursday-letter-k.html

 

I also am posting for Carmi's Thematic Photographic

 

for other TP posts go here

 

http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2013/07/thematic-photographic-254-signs-of-times.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FkIoA+%28Written+Inc.%29