Sky Bridge

Our pleasant weather in Kentucky this week afforded me with the opportunity of another visit to Sky Bridge and the Red River Gorge.

Little Brown Heron Perched in a Tree

Taken in the Fall 2011 at Culler Lake, Frederick, MD.
Lil' Brown flew from the shore of our little lake. I had been watching him for some time pick up a piece of reed. He finally flew to a nearby tree. I approached with stealth and positioned myself below him about 6' away to capture this. Looking up toward the sky created a back-light that provided me a nice profile shot when he turned his head. This is cropped.

(Yashica FX-3 Super 50mm 1.8 prime lens & Fuji 400 asa color )

Maker's Mark(eting)

Visiting with my son and daughter- In-law, I observed a Christmas gift they had received. It is a bottle of Maker's Mark Bourbon Whiskey with a "Maker's" Christmas sweater. Appropriate for holiday "cheer"

Thos. Paine

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." 1776

National Museum of American History -- Christmas Party

Behind the jazz band is encased the Star Spangled Banner -- the Flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write that great poem "O say can you see" ..and include our motto, "in God is our trust". Which eventually became adopted as National Anthem. This is a very nice building and the first time that I have been in it since it was remodeled a few years ago. I must come with camera and capture all the wonders of the place.
msc

Chief Paducah

My son shot this with his IPhone 4 in Paducah, Kentucky. For many years the folk there about had a legend about the naming of their town, that there was a Chief Paducah

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paducah,_Kentucky

Another story goes that William Lewis (of Lewis and Clark) was the Indian Agent in St. Louis, and named the land bought from local Indians after the Paducah Tribe, a Plains Apache tribe.

Remembrance Sunday

I sit in a Memorial Chapel as I write this. The window shown in this post is above a simple altar of field stone and brown marble engraved "Semper Fidelis". The prayer below the Marine kneeling in the window reads. "Eternal Father, grant, we pray, to all Marines, both night and day, the courage, honor, strength, and skill their land to serve, thy law fulfill; Be thou the shield forevermore from every peril to the Corps.
About the windows around this glass chapel are the words cut in the glass: Sacrifice, Compassion, Courage, Patriotism, Service, Honor, Commitment, Integrity, Faith, and Vigilance. I believe I see a cross in the window. It is part of the barrel of the M14, and the barrel may be an anchor. Outside there is a ship's bell which I ring for those who this post is dedicated.