On the Edge

I went to Grand Canyon for the first time a few months back. Here are a few pictures of tourists on the edge of the South Rim enjoying the views. The canyon is SO BIG that I was just in awe. Pictures won't do it justice.

On the popular overlooks, there are some bars to keep you from falling into the abyss, but most of the rim had no barriers. Click on the photos to get a closer look unless you get vertigo.

In the last photo, there is actually a gift shop, a small museum, and artist studio built right onto the edge of the canyon. From what I understand, there are several inns that are also built on the rim. What a sight that must be looking out your window during the day, but at night it could be a little eerie.





- Karen

Seek in the Sky

I saw this message in the sky a week ago while in San Diego. Skywriting is fascinating. I wonder how the pilots know where to cross the T's and dot the I's.

- Karen

I'm Baaack

After a long hiatus, I have decided to get back into blogging. I missed that camaraderie with other bloggers and sharing my photos, but I didn't miss the "pressure" of having to update regularly. Although, now that I'm sufficiently well-rested, I have decided to get back into the thick of it minus "ABC Wednesday" participation. Thanks to Neva, Dana, and Lilli for asking about me!

To start it off, I wanted to post one of my favorite statues that I have seen called "Unconditional Surrender". You may recognize it from a famous World War II photo. It is now a 25 ft. statue standing in San Diego harbor greeting sailors as they sail through. Compared to the people standing beside it, you can see the statue's enormousness.

Click here for more details about this statue.

- Karen

Old Red Museum

I was intrigued by this building and had to stop for visit. Being that it was a public building called The Red Museum, I could go inside for a visit. To read more about the history of this building, click here.

This is the Pegasus neon sign inside the museum. The pegasus was logo for the Magnolia Petroleum Company founded in 1911. When it merged with Socony Mobil Oil Company in 1959, they became known as Mobil Oil. The pegasus symbol is still quite popular in Dallas.

This is the hallway of the museum. I really like its half-moon shaped interior.

I apologize that I have not been posting lately. Life has just been busy, but I hope to resume my posts in a few weeks. Thank you for your patience!

- AV

R is for Rosicrusian Museum on ABC Wednesday

Did I go to Egypt? I wish...
In the middle of Silicon Valley is this interesting Egyptian museum called the Rosicrusian Museum. It has been here since 1928 when the founder of the Rosicrusian Order decided to have the headquarter here. To read more about its history, click here.


This is the recreation of King Tutankhamun's coffin. He became king at 9 years-old and died about 18. The two emblems held in the king's hands are symbols of kingship, showing his dominion over the lands of Upper and Lower Egypt. His false beard was added as a sign of royal power. It is curved at the end to indicate that the young pharaoh has become a god in the afterlife.


This is a tomb replica based on actual examples at Beni Hasan, Egypt. It includes elements from tombs of both the Middle Kingdom (2066-1659 BC) and the New Kingdom (1549-1069 BC).Beni Hasan is an important site because it contains burials of many regional governors. This reproduction was created from the photographs and measurements taken during the 1939 Rosicrucian Order Camera Expedition.
One can take the self-guided tour or the guided tour through the "tomb". I chose the guided tour so all the hieroglyphics and paintings could be explained.


You will see the Thutmosis III statue if you enter the museum from the garden. He ruled Egypt for almost 54 years and established himself as a great builder responsible for over 50 temples.

To see more ABC Wednesday photos, go to Mrs. Nesbitt's blog.

- AV

Wednesday Hero

Sgt. John F. Thomas(Right) & Sgt. Ronnie L. Shelley, Sr.(Left)
33 & 34 years old from Valdosta, Georgia
2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade, Georgia Army National Guard
July 24, 2005 & July 30, 2005


Sgt. Ronnie "Rod" Shelley and Sgt. John F. Thomas became best friends in the Georgia Army National Guard.

They both were ex-Marines, both about the same age, and both enjoyed searching for arrowheads and fishing together. As their friendship grew, Thomas often came over to Shelley’s house for steaks and ribs barbecued by his friend. And when their infantry unit was sent to Iraq in May of 2005, they went to war together.

When their unit was mobilized for combat duty in Iraq, Shelley promised to watch out for Thomas. "Ronnie said, 'Don't you worry, I'll bring him back safely,"' said Thomas' grandfather. But neither Sgt. Thomas or Sgt. Shelley made it back safely. Sgt. Thomas was killed July 24, 2005 by a roadside bomb near Baghdad. And Sgt. Shelley was killed six days later on July 30 by another roadside bomb, also near Baghdad.

Shelley was a family man, married with three children, who was obsessed with having a neat yard, his wife said. "The grass had to be two inches," she said. "If the neighbor mowed the grass, Rod had to mow. He also wanted the biggest, baddest lawn mower."

She said she fell in love with his "gorgeous blue ... eyes," and "he had a laid back attitude. I could not make him mad."

Thomas was married but had no children. His grandparents said he dreamed of becoming a forest ranger. "John wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail. Now the only trail he can walk is the trail in heaven," the grandfather said.

Mrs. Thomas, wiping back tears, said the soldier felt responsible for the others in his unit. "He cared for people," she said. "That's why he had so many friends. People cared for him."

Killed alongside Sgt. Shelley were Staff Sgt. David R. Jones Sr., Sgt. 1st Class Victor A. Anderson and Sgt. Jonathon C. Haggin and killed alongside Sgt. Thomas were Army Spc. Jacques E. Brunson, Army Staff Sgt. Carl R. Fuller and Army Sgt. James O. Kinlow.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Q is for Quanah Parker on ABC Wednesday

I found my Q when I was visiting Ft. Worth last month. While walking around town, I noticed this blocked off memorial in front of a hotel. I thought this was odd and decided to go in for a closer look and discovered my Q for Quanah Parker who became a Comanche Chief.
Click on the last photo below to read about his life.




To see more ABC Wednesday Q photos, visit Mrs. Nesbitt's blog.

- AV

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Cindy

Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Davila
From Sierra Vista, Arizona


On the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attack on the United States, Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Davila raised an American flag over Camp Korean Village, Iraq, he brought with him from Arizona.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008, Sierra Vista firefighter and emergency medical technician Chris Davila presented that flag to Fire Chief Randy Redmond as fellow firefighters looked on. Monday, May 5, 2008, was Davila’s first day back on the job with the department after being gone for nearly nine months, with seven of those months deployed as a Navy Reserve corpsman serving with a Marine unit near the Jordanian and Syrian border area in Iraq.

And, as luck would have it, on his first shift saw him responding to a blaze in Sierra Vista. "Right back to work," he said with a laugh.

You can read the rest of PO 2nd Class Davila's story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe

This is a beautiful church in Dallas' Arts District. During my visit, there were quite a number of people inside during a weekday noon mass. I quietly took a few photos and left. If you want to read more about this church, go to this link.

- AV

P is for Pottery & Propellers on ABC Wednesday

Here's two photos from my archives taken at the Old Town Pottery El Centro Artesano gift shop in San Diego last year. One can spend hours here looking at all the colorful potteries sitting outdoors and handmade gifts indoors.

For additional ABC Wednesday photos, visit Mrs. Nesbitt's blog.

- AV

Wednesday Hero

CSM Robert Prosser and LTC Erik Kurilla
1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment (Deuce Four)


LTC. Erik Kurilla and CSM. Robert Prosser's story is an amazing one. One that Michael Yon has told far better than I ever could. Warning. The site contains very graphic images. Some may want to turn off images before viewing.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Sixth Floor Museum

If you are familiar with 1963 U.S. history, you are probably familiar with this Dallas landmark. It was the Texas School Book Repository where Lee Harvey Oswald worked as a clerk and location where he allegedly assassinated President Kennedy from one of the open windows on the 6th floor.

This site is now a historical landmark with this plaque posted outside the building. Noticed someone underlined the word "allegedly".

The 6th floor of this building has been converted into a museum while the other floors are administration offices. The museum does not allow visitors to take photos, so here is an exterior shot. I visited the museum on a weekday and to my surprise, it was packed. Although the museum came about under morbid circumstances, it was quite informative. It will pique the interest of history buffs and conspiracy theorists alike. Here is a link to a brief history of this building.

- AV

Fort Worth's Old West - Part 4

In the early 1900's this was where cattle, hogs, sheeps, mules, and horses trading deals were processed. Now it is a museum and office building.

For 34 years, Cowtown Coliseum was where the annual livestock exhibitions were held and the site of the first indoor rodeo in 1918. Now rodeos are held here every weekend.

Interior of the Cowtown Coliseum where the rodeos are held.

This is the outside of Billy Bob's which is said to be the largest honky tonk in the world. If you're not familiar with the term "honky tonk", it's a bar with musical entertainment and a dance floor. This building was once an open-air barn, an airplane factory, and a department store. If you like country music, you probably have seen this place before in movies or music videos.

I had to pay $1 to go inside Billy Bob's. The host here welcomed me to his establishment.

- AV

O is for Old Sacramento on ABC Wednesday

This 1927 riverboat sits on the Sacramento River and was converted into a floating hotel with 44 rooms, restaurant, and a theatre. After falling into disrepair in the 1980's, it had actually sunk into San Francisco Bay until it was towed to Old Sacramento for a $9 Million restoration. Click here for more historical facts about this boat.

One of the 53 old buildings that are still standing in Old Sacramento since the Gold Rush days of the 1840's. Click here for more history.

The horse carriages you see around town are a novelty and used to shuttle visitors around the few blocks of Old Sacramento.

I happened to visit Old Sacramento during their "Living History" celebration where volunteers would dress up in 1800's period costumes and reenact those good old days. This woman was cooking what looked like beef stew and biscuits while I talked to her husband about digital cameras.

This is the town blacksmith and cobbler.

For more ABC Wednesday photos, go to Mrs. Nesbitt's blog.

- AV

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Mary Ann

Wednesday Hero was started to put a face to the men and women of the American Armed Forces and what they do for us. Vary rarely has there been a member of a foreign military profiled. In fact, in the two years Wednesday Hero's been going on it's only been done once before. Here's the second.

Lance Corporal Matt Croucher
24 years old from Birmingham, England
40 Commando Royal Marines


L/Cpl Matt Croucher is not only one of the bravest men alive, he's also one of the luckiest men alive. On the morning of February 9, 2008 L/Cpl. and his unit were searching a compound near Sangin in Afghanistan that was suspected of being used to make bombs to be used in attacks on British and Afghan troops. Walking in the darkness among a group of four men, Croucher stepped into a tripwire that pulled the pin from a boobytrap grenade. His patrol commander, Corporal Adam Lesley, remembered Croucher shouting "Grenade!"

As others dived for cover, Croucher did something nobody expected. He lay down on the grenade to smother the blast. Lesley got on the ground, another man got behind a wall, but the last member of the patrol was still standing in the open when the grenade went off.

"My reaction was, 'My God this can't be real'," said Lesley. "Croucher had simply lain back and used his day sack to blunt the force of the explosion. You would expect nine out of 10 people to die in that situation." L/Cpl. Croucher was that 1/10. Not only did he survive, amazingly he only suffered shock from the blast and a bloody nose. He was saved by the special plating inside his Osprey body armor. The backpack he was wearing was thrown more than 30ft by the blast.

"I felt one of the lads giving me a top to toe check. My head was ringing. Blood was streaming from my nose. It took 30 seconds before I realized I was definitely not dead," said L/Cpl. Croucher.

For his actions that day, L/Cpl. Croucher was in line for the Victoria Cross, the highest award for a British Serviceman, but it has yet to be awarded.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Fort Worth's Old West - Part 3

I arrived just in time to see the twice-a-day cattle drive show.

Here is a close up of the cattle who probably know this route in their sleep.

You can see the rest of the street as the cattle passes by.

Sign indicating the daily cattle schedule.

This sign was displayed on the exterior wall of a building showing herding techniques.

- AV