Shorts

Brief or Boxer?

I am confident that Macon has many interesting Street names.  Here is one I found yesterday.  I post this today to share and also ask my Blog readers to submit the interesting names they have also seen right here in Macon, Georgia.  This is not a contest with any rewards, but your opportunity to share.

True to the name, "Brief Street" is very short!!

Memorial Day 2013

Observance

Middle Georgia

Weekend Report

Friday, May 24, 2013.  The Joseph N. Neel, Jr. American Legion Post 3 conducted a Benefit Dinner in support of the Wounded Warrior Project.  This grand affair featured the Presentation of Colors by Boy Scouts from the Greater Bellview Baptist Church in Macon.  An official Wounded Warrior Proclamation by the Honorable Sam Hart, Chairman of the Bibb County Commission and a presentation by the Post First Vice Commander which was a show entitled "Prisonner of War/Missing In Action Rememberance.  Followed by a Dinner and then Entertainment by Stacy and Gena Cooper of Oolewah, Tennessee.  Their show featured music from their "The Legends Tour" which was focused on patriotic songs.

Saturday, May 25, 2013.  My Bride and I attended the Stratford Academy Commencement Exercises.  During the ceremony the Academy presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award to a Class of 1976 Graduate.  Lt. Col. Jeffery B. Henderson, U. S. Army, gave his acceptance talk which consisted of bonding with class mates even after graduation.  He briefly mentioned his experience when he was in an Army Hospital as a results of War Wounds when he had the staff contact one of his peers, a Doctor who was also a Stratford Graduate, for advice on how to handle a medical procedure. 

Sunday, May 26, 2013.  During our Worship Service the following U. S. Military were recognized:

Anthony (Tony) Bohling - U. S. Navy

Elizabeth (Liz) Bohling - U. S. Army

C.A. Buck - U. S. Coast Guard

Frank Crissey - U. S. Navy

Kim Leslie - U. S. Air Force

Mac McCrary - U. S. Army

Ned Myers - U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force

Clarence Riley - U. S. Navy

Alan Thiese - U. S. Navy

Bob Wells - U. S. Navy

Sunday Afternoon we attended a Cook Out to honor a recent High School Graduate on My Bride's side of the Family.  She will be joining the U. S. Marines later this year.

Sunday Evening My Bride and I took the opportunity to watch the annual Memorial Day Concert from the grounds of the U. S. Capitol which was broadcast live on Public Television. 

Monday, May 27, 2013.  My Bride and I attended the Macon Cemetery Preservation Corporation Memorial Day Program at Macon's Historic Linwood Cemetery.

The program consisted of the Presentation of the Colors by the Bibb County Fire Department and the Westside High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps - U. S. Air Force and the performance of our National Anthem by Bibb County Commissioner Bert Bivins. 



 Guitarist Tommy New performed several selections, including "God Bless the U. S. A." after which U. S. Army Staff Sgt. Timothy S. Hamlin, a Macon Native, gave a very inspiring and emotional speech. 

The Program was concluded by the performance of TAPS by Mr. Bill, President of the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Later this evening My Bride and I will visit friends for a Memorial Day Cookout.  It has been a wonderful, appropriate Week End which focused on honoring our Nation's Heroes.  Those who have gone on before us to protect our Freedoms and those who currently serve to insure that our Freedoms will be protected.

Thank You!!!

May God Continue

to

Bless the United States of America!!!

Observing

Memorial Day

2013

While these pictures are from December 2012, they are also most appropriate today.  I took these pictures at Andersonville National Cemetery.

As we take time to reflect on the Blessings we have in the United States of America today, please remember those who have served or are serving to allow us all to enjoy our Freedoms!!



God's Gifts To

Humanity

Earlier today I posted an entry concerning the future of our Society.  Now I will focus on appreciating God's Gifts to us.  Of course to enjoy the beauty and to appreciate these gifts sometimes requires some effort.

 There is plenty to appreciate near the Flower Child's Home in West Bibb County Georgia.  First of all there is an abundance of trees which provide much needed shade!

 This is a lily in bloom.  It is a potted plant which requires some water and application of fertilizer to see these beautiful flowers.

 A lace-cap hydrangea.  These flowers have flourished on the North Side for many years and they continue to bring beauty to the landscape.

 The abundance of rain fall this Spring has caused the Confederate Jasamine to flourish much better than recent years.  The fragrance is also wonderful to enjoy!!

 A mop-head hydrangea beginning to show it's wonderful beauty.  The climbing hydrangea on the chimney is also blooming, however I did not get the ladder out for a shot of the blooms.

 Another lace-cap hydrangea.  The name of this plant is "Lady in Red" so named because of the red stems of the plant.

 A cluster of mop-head blooms.  This plant will provide blooms through November if it is deadheaded.

A final view of a wonderful blue mop-head.  I do not attempt to adjust the soil to provide the pink blooms.  I enjoy and appreciate the beauty that these provide each Spring and Summer.

Concerns

by

The Flower Child

What is the U.S.A.

Coming Too?

Of course, I am seeing red.  Almost everyday I read of or view the tragic events that are happening in our United States of America.

I do not have to go into detail about this concern because everyone knows of what I speak.  Today I will focus on my concept of why this is happening in our Society.

For a good number of years now we have seen the social graces of living being eroded.  Recently I read that the former emphasis on "Cursive Writing" has been downplayed in our education systems since the 1970s.

All too often budget constraints cause the elimination of the arts in our public education systems.  You and I have all heard of these situations.

This is a picture of the Central High School Chorus taken by me after they had participated in the dedication of a Blue Star Memorial Marker at the Museum of Aviation at Warner Robins Air Force Base in November of 2012.  By the way, this group is terrific and well regarded whenever they perform!!!

Each of these young citizens represented themselves, their respective families, their school and the Community in an excellent manner.

Recently I received correspondence from the Central High School Book Club which indicated that this very successful program may not continue in the upcoming school year.  This is a tragic loss because as the Former Central Book Club Coordinator shared in this correspondence:

"There is nothing like books to help you understand life, especially those parts better not personally experienced."

I make these two observations today to simply out that there are are and have been excellent programs in our education system which are focused on developing fine citizens for our future.  Yet, we continue to hear and read of elimination of these worthwhile programs because of financial considerations.

I would challenge all, are really saving money?  Are we now producing citizens that have less respect for their fellow peoplekind?  Are we now already suffering the consequences of elimination of various programs by the results we now read and hear about.  For a good number of people/s it appears that their is a total disregard for human life!!!!

I would suggest that we are neglecting the nice things of live that allow us to be more human at the expense of life itself.

As a friend recently stated to me during a conversation about the ills of our Society, we are now living in the "Stainless Steel" age.  I understand that to be an age where nothing matters as long as it can be cleaned up quickly with no respect for the value of what really matters.

No longer do we as a society respect the beauty that surrounds us.  We as a society have become so self centered that we fail to appreciate the "good" we have.

So the bottom line is:

"Are we developing/fostering a future society of mis-fits that have no respect for each other or even life itself??

This Is T-Ball

The Dublin/Laurens County Georgia has a wonderful Youth Sports Complex.  Here is a video of a recent T-Ball game with the Cubs at Bat.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTvdj7IJT-U

Middle Georgia Art Association

3-D Exhibit
May 17, 2013 through May 31, 2013

I attended the opening reception of the 3-D Exhibit on May 17th.  The first place winner was a chain saw sculpture created by Matthew McCollum.  This sculpture is titled "Adam's Remorse."

I cannot comprehend any chail saw sculpture looking so great.  I was so impressed that I determined that I would do a Blog entry.

The Gallery of the Middle Georgia Art Association is located at 2330 Ingleside Avenue, Macon, Georgia.  The hours are:

Tuesday - Friday Noon to 5 P.M.

Saturday Noon to 3 P.M.

I would urge you to visit this exhibit.  In addition to this sculpture by Matthew McCollum, there are two others on display titled:

A Summer Swim

Rocinante

Graduation Day

15 May 1958

Thursday

Confirmation Day

for

Alan Frederick Ernst Thiese

11 April 1954

Palm Sunday

You may be wondering what this is all about.  I had planned to post this blog to celebrate the anniversary of this event.  I had thought it happened in May.  This morning I did my research and ascertained that I am over one month late.

When I was confirmed in my Faith as a young Lutheran I stated for myself what my Godparents had stated when I was baptized.

My Godparents were my Dad's Brother Ernst and my Mom's Dad, Frederick.  Now you know the genesis of my middle names.

I will quote my Certificate of Confirmation:

"This is to certify

That Alan Frederick Ernst Thiese

born February 19, 1940

having been duly instructed in the

doctrines of the Christian Religion,

as confessed, taught, and believed by the

Ev. Luth. Church

and having formally professed faith in our

Lord Jesus Christ, and vowed obedience to

His Gospel, was received into full

Communion with Trinity Lutheran

Church, Guttenberg, Iowa

by the soleum rite of Confirmation

on the eleventh day of April

in the year of our Lord one Thousand

 nine hundred and fifty four."

Signed:  Wm A. Reitz, Pastor

My Confirmation Memory Verse was:

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

John 3, 3

In addition to the above scripture verse my certificate also contains this:

O Great High Priest forget not me,

Though I have oft forgotten thee,

But give me strength for all the strife,

And all the toil and pain of life.



Flower Child's Texture

Images

On 7 May 2013 I took a series of images with the idea of capturing textures.  I photographed some of the trees and shrubs in the gardens that surround my home.  I then edited several in Picasa 3 to show what can be done with this free software.  I also placed borders on the images.

Crepe Myrtle

Tulip Poplar

Yoshino Cherry

Please leave your comments regarding these images. 

Second Sunday in the Park

Macon, Georgia

Mother's Day

May 12, 2013

The New Sign

The Sidney Lanier Bench
This has been here a long time

"The Stamp Bear"

A distant view of the crowd

It was warm enough that many enjoyed
the shaved ice!!

A very large crowd enjoyed

Music by the "Grapevine" sponsored in
part by State Bank

And then time for more shaved ice!!!

Macon, Then & Now

Historic Macon Foundation

 Today, May 10, 2013 saw the placement of the Macon, Then & Now exhibit in the lobby of the Historic Macon City Hall.

 Here you see one of two panels which display current structures compared to what was there in years gone by.  This project was funded by the "Knight Neighborhood Challenge."

The Historic Macon Foundation enlisted the talents of the Members of the Middle Georgia Camera Club to take the pictures of the current structures at select locations.  The "Then" pictures were gathered from the archieves and the Camera Club Members took the pictures of the current structures during the Spring and Summer of 2012.

Eleven members of the club took the current pictures of twenty-two locations for this display, which will be on view for the next month in Macon City Hall.

I took this picture of the "Now" Drug Store at College and Forsyth.  We all used the "Then" pictures to acquire the same view/vantage point for the current structure at the location. 

When I first arrived in Macon in the Fall of 1971 there were three homes on Georgia Avenue at this location.  The current structure is a at&t phone building.  I have been told that the columns on the current structure were from the former homes at this location.

Made In America

United States of America

Clothing for Men

For almost two weeks now I have been following the Building Collapse in Bangladesh that has now claimed 800 lives.  This tragic situation happened in a clothing factory.

I have been a frequent customer of Lands End and other widely known suppliers of Men's clothing.

In view of what is happening throughout the world regarding safety and respect for people I have now determined that I shall buy Made in the United States of America.

I just performed a Web Search with the caption of "Made in the U S A Men's Clothing."  It was refreshing to view the number of vendors that are available.

Recently I have acquired jeans made right here in the South by a firm known as "Diamond Gusett."  Additionally I have become aware of a company known as "Duluth Trading Company" located in the Upper Midwest.  They also carry jeans manufactured in the United States of America.

I realize that I may have to pay a bit more for these products, however I am also confident that I will be able to rest more comfortable each evening knowing that I have not contributed to the demise of my fellow people kind who labor in deplorable conditions in some far off country.

Eight Hundred people perished because of an unsafe building.  If I recall correctly a factory recently burned down in the Pacific Rim and many, many workers lost their lives.

I would urge everyone to think twice before they acquire items and clothing manufactured in another country.  We can also certainly help our own U. S. Economy and put American Citizens to work in useful vocations/jobs if we all buy "Made In the U. S. A." products.

Certainly something to consider!!!!!





Rain!!   Rain!!!!

Middle Georgia U. S. A.

2013 has been a wonderful year.  Thus far we have received an abundance of rainfall.  As everyone knows, this has not been the case in the recent previous years.  So far in 2013 I have recorded the following amounts of rainfall at my West Bibb County Home:

January - 2.70 inches

February - 12.45 inches

March - 4.45 inches

April - 7.10 inches

So far in May as of this date a total of 2.90 inches of rain has fallen.  Therefore the total is 29.60 inches of rain so far in 2013.

Today I read in the local print media where residents of the Huddersfield Road area of West Bibb County are experiencing flooding in their community. 

As I travel throughout Middle Georgia on a daily basis I have also observed an abundance of foliage on the right of ways of our roads, streets, county roads, state roads and interstate highways.  I make this statement because I am concerned about the upcoming problems that our governments at all levels will have as they strive to keep our communities nice looking.  It will take equipment, fuel and labor to keep the right of ways groomed.  Of course with the abundance of rain it will also require more frequent grooming/mowing.  This will impact the respective budgets of our governments.  

I make these observations today so that all concerned with keeping our respective communities looking good will plan ahead.  I certainly appreciate the abundance of rains so far this year and hope we continue to receive an abundance of rain.  After all we need to replace the ground water that we have used up in recent dry years.  Some may say that it is not good that we may be forced to expend additional funds to keep our respective communities groomed.  I would suggest that we need to also consider the long term impact of a lack of rainfall.

I am suggesting that it will indeed be prudent to maintain our respective right of ways as well as appreciate the abundance of rain that we need for the long term.  Yes, it will take some expenditure of our limited financial resources; however by prudent management I remain confident that our respective govenments can meet the challenge.

For those who do not know, I was a farm boy in my youth and then, as now, our nation's food producers continue to meet the challenges that must be met so that we can enjoy an abundance of food items. 

Certainly something for our thoughts as we continue to expect to enjoy our food resources!!!!! 

T-Ball Game

North Macon Park

Thursday, 18 April 2013

The April 18th meeting of the Middle Georgia Camera Club was held at North Macon Park so we could hone our skills on action photography.  I set my camera on "Hi Speed Sequential Shots" which captures 13.5 frames per second.  Here is one series where I captured a young "Dodgers" runner coming from second and rounding third base.

This proved to be an excellent opportunity to learn more about my camera.