Midwest Art

November 27, 2011

Thanksgiving in Washington DC

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     We had a wonderful time visiting everyone in Pittsburgh and spending Thanksgiving with Tom , Gail and the kids.  We’re still stuffed – with pumpkin pie and pecan pie , turkey and dressing , cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes –yum!  Hope everyone had a good holiday !  More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/ThanksgivingInWashingtonDC?authuser=0&feat=directlink

October 25, 2011

Duluth , Minnesota

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    Duluth doesn’t seem like it would be a tourist destination but an old waterfront warehouse district has been given a new life with shops,restaurants ,museums and hotels. The best part in our opinion is a four mile trail along the shoreline of Lake Superior. It’s also a good place to watch the huge tanker ships coming through the ship canal heading to the docks to pick up loads of coal ,iron ore , gravel and grain.
  Some amazing facts about Lake Superior -
1.  Lake Superior is, by surface area, the world's largest freshwater lake.
2.  The surface area of Lake Superior (31,700 square miles or 82,170 square kilometers) is greater than the combined areas of Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. 
3.  Lake Superior contains as much water as all the other Great Lakes combined, even throwing in two extra Lake Eries.
4.  Lake Superior contains 10% of all the earth's fresh surface water.
5.  There is enough water in Lake Superior (3,000,000,000,000,000--or 3 quadrillion-- gallons) to flood all of North and South America to a depth of one foot.
6.  The deepest point in Lake Superior (about 40 miles north of Munising, Michigan) is 1,300 feet (400 meters) below the surface.
7.  Over 300 streams and rivers empty into Lake Superior.
8,  The average elevation of Lake Superior is about 602 feet above sea level.
9.   The Lake Superior watershed region ranges in size from 160 miles inland near Wabakimi Provincial Park to only 5 miles inland from Pictured Rocks National Seashore.
10.  The Lake Superior shoreline, if straightened out, could connect Duluth and the Bahama Islands.
11.  The average underwater visibility of Lake Superior is 27 feet, making it easily the cleanest and clearest of the Great Lakes.  Underwater visibility in places reaches 100 feet.  Lake Superior has been described as "the most oligotrophic lake in the world."
12. The lake is about 350 miles (563 km) in length and 160 miles (257 km) in width.
13.  In the summer, the sun sets more than 35 minutes later on the western shore of Lake Superior than at its southeastern edge.

 More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/DuluthMinnesota?authuser=0&feat=directlink

September 28, 2011

Fall in Alaska and Canada

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   It doesn’t last long , only a week or two , but for that short time the forests are a glow of gold and yellow aspens,birch and cottonwood against the dark green pines. Completely different from the slow turning , multicolored, hardwood fall  that we’re used to in the east but just as spectacular.
   Fall also brought an abrupt drop of ten degrees in  the temperature so we’re heading south – mostly through Canada but dropping down into the states as we get close to Pennsylvania. See all of you Pittsburghers in a month or so!  More pictures - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/FallInAlaskaAndCanada?authuser=0&feat=directlink

September 11, 2011

Kenai Peninsula,Alaska

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   Almost half of the population of Alaska lives in or near Anchorage so the Kenai Peninsula ,which juts out into the ocean just south of the city,gets a lot of visitors. This is the place to catch the big salmon that swim up the streams or take an ocean charter boat out for halibut. It’s also a good place to see glaciers and take a cruise to spot marine life.  We decided to skip that after getting so seasick the last time we tried it. : 0
 More picture here - https://picasaweb.google.com/101444951349944784520/KenaiPeninsulaAlaska

August 28, 2011

Palmer, Alaska

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   During the depression the Roosevelt administration started a program to relocate families who were living in areas with poor economic conditions. Palmer,Alaska was one of the places chosen as a new agricultural community. Most of the 203 families who moved to Palmer came from the Great Lakes states. They had been living in an area called the cut-over , a swath of clear cut forest land that wasn’t fertile enough to support their farms.

  Each family was supplied with 40 acres of land,a small house and a line of credit to buy supplies.Only about a third of them stayed past the first year but they were replaced by other families and Palmer thrives today as a farming community,supplying the rest of Alaska with vegetables.  More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/PlamerAlaska?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKj3-YjN2a3fRQ&feat=directlink

August 18, 2011

Alaska and the Yukon

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   We made it to Alaska! It’s been a long drive through a lot of beautiful scenery. We’re a little late for tourist season and Alaska is already emptying out. Hopefully we’ll get to see everything before it gets too cold. It never did warm up so winter may come early. If it starts to snow we’re leaving!  More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/AlaskaAndTheYukon?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMjcw9S92_O_0AE&feat=directlink

August 6, 2011

Driving to Salmon Glacier,British Columbia

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    Salmon Glacier is the fifth largest glacier in North America and one of the easiest to get by car. Even so it’s a pretty long trip. The jumping off point is Hyder ,Alaska which is about forty miles from the main highway and at the end of the paved road. From there it’s another twenty or more miles on a rough gravel road but it’s definitely worth the trip. The glacier is huge and the view is awe inspiring! Pictures do not do it justice.  More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/DrivingToSalmonGlacierBritishColumbia?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJqQg-qinu_ddg&feat=directlink

July 26, 2011

British Columbia

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     We’re finally on our way to Alaska!  We’ve been going slowly because of the weather. While the rest of North America has been baking in a heat wave ,the north west is experiencing a very wet cool spring and summer.  We wanted to avoid all of the flooding ,landslides and washouts plus British Columbia is a beautiful province to meander through rather than just rushing by on the way up to Alaska..   
     The photograph above is one of the buildings from Barkerville , a  gold mining town that is now a historic park. Most of the town dates to 1868 and it’s pretty unique ,at least to visitors from the states ,because all of the buildings are wood ,either frame construction or log.  Many US gold mining towns burnt down and were rebuilt with brick and stone.  Others were never rebuilt because  the gold had played out and any remaining buildings crumbled and decayed. More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/BritishColumbia?authkey=Gv1sRgCPSAyYG6qZyEogE

June 18, 2011

Columbia River Gorge (again)

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   Yeah , I know – we were just here a little over a year ago but this is one of those places that we will never get tired of visiting. The scenery is so spectacular ,constantly changing with the terrain and the seasons. Plus it’s on our way to Eden and Burt’s house.Open-mouthed smile   
More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/ColumbiaRiverGorgeAgain?authkey=Gv1sRgCP3bgduUipW4Gw

June 1, 2011

Nevada’s Ghost Towns

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   Nevada has two large cities-Las Vegas and Reno and the accompanying  suburb sprawl that has overtaken nearby smaller cities. The rest of the state is dotted with widely spaced towns. Most of them are old gold and silver mining towns slowly sinking into partial or complete ghost towns.  Very rarely did the easily mined gold and silver last for more than twenty years and then most of the miners moved onto the next big strike leaving behind equipment and buildings. Fire was also responsible for accelerating the demise of these towns so in many places the only thing left standing are sections of concrete and stone foundations and walls.  Berlin ,the one pictured above, managed to survive pretty much intact probably because at least one person was still living in the town until 1970. Kind of unbelievable to us - imagine having to drive over 100 miles to get groceries! But the night sky is incredible this far out in the middle of nowhere. More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/NevadaSGhostTowns?authkey=Gv1sRgCPSC_qnr6er1owE

May 9, 2011

Indian Country

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     We’ve been driving through the Navajo Nation for the past several days. It’s the largest Indian reservation in the US,about the same size as the state of West Virginia. The Navajos migrated to this area of the US ,north eastern Arizona, from Canada  around 1400. They found an empty land but evidence of older settlements and a vanished people who they called the Anasazi which means ancient ones. The Anasazi are actually the ancestors of the Puebloan people  who now live in northern New Mexico.  The Navajo and all of the Puebloan tribes fared a little better than many other American Indian tribes because they were allowed to return to or stay on a portion of their ancestral lands which has resulted in a much more intact culture.
 More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/IndianCountry?authkey=Gv1sRgCMCbqL6gyMDZ4wE#

April 20, 2011

Texas Wind

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    It’s so windy that all of the cars at Cadillac Ranch have been blown over at an angle!!  Winking smile Just kidding-they were stuck in the ground like this. It’s a public art installation where spray painting and even taking pieces of the cars is considered part of the project. More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/TexasWind?authkey=Gv1sRgCKu8isWgxqDiswE#

March 30, 2011

Texas Oil and Hurricanes

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    and pink spoonbills. We drove along  the Gulf coast through Mississippi and Texas passing by large areas that are still devastated from  Katrina and Rita. Most of coastal property for miles west of Biloxi,Mississippi is empty land where beautiful old houses once stood. In 2008 hurricane Ike flattened the entire little town of Gilchrist, Texas. It had been a thriving fishing,vacation and residential community spread across the narrow Bolivar Peninsula.  Many places are reverting back to a more natural state which the animals seem to be enjoying. These spoonbills were nesting in a wildlife preserve which is protected but now gets even fewer visitors because of destroyed roads and recreation areas.  More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/TexasOil?authkey=Gv1sRgCKXWtsulodmN7QE#

March 9, 2011

Mardi Gras – Mobile, Alabama

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   We have beads! And more beads and more beads. Our  buddy , Joe, has a request in for a couple of grocery bags full but if anyone else wants some let us know otherwise they’ll be donated to Goodwill and recycled for next year’s parades.

  Celebrations start in early January  and as Lent gets closer parades get more numerous ending with the big blowout on Fat Tuesday.  We usually go to the parades for two days before we have to take a break. People who live here do it for a month or more!

  Mobile had the first Mardi Gras in America in 1703. It was part of French Louisiana and soldiers in the fort brought the tradition with them from France.  New Orleans became the capital in 1723 and quickly took over the top spot in Mardi Gras celebrations. More pictures here -  https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/MardiGrasMobileAlabama?authkey=Gv1sRgCMug7qmWtbX0dw#

February 24, 2011

Ringling Museum,Florida

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  Yep , we’re still in Florida! The picture above is the magnificent house that John and Mable Ringling built in Sarasota , Florida. John was the youngest of the five brothers who created the Ringling Brothers Circus empire. Each had distinct responsibilities – John was the booking agent. He eventually became the sole owner and very wealthy from investments in real estate , oil and railroads.

  When John died he deeded the land and buildings of his compound to the state of Florida. John and Mable also built a spectacular museum  to house their art collection. Both the house and the museum plus two circus museums are opened to the public but that almost didn’t happen. For ten years after John died the estate was tied up because creditors  wanted  money that was owed to them. Everything was allowed to deteriorate and had to be restored. Then again in the 1990s it was in very bad condition because money had not been spent to maintain it.  Fortunately enough money , half from the state , half from donors ($100,000,000!) was raised to restore everything.  More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/RinglingMuseumFlorida?authkey=Gv1sRgCITEmMf7lYer8AE#

February 10, 2011

Birds

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   Hope everyone is keeping warm! We’re staying here in Florida until the rest of the country warms up a bit. Even down here some days are a little cool so when the sun doesn’t shine we head for a museum. This one is a showcase for small aircraft. Most of them were built by hand with plywood bodies  and wood framed wings covered with stretched cloth. 
More pictures here -
https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/Birds?authkey=Gv1sRgCNzl2svVhKQz#

January 26, 2011

More Florida –House of Refuge

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    It’s hard to imagine that just a little more than 100 years ago,the east coast of Florida was a total wilderness. There weren’t any roads,few towns and all traveling was done by ship. Tropical storms ,sand bars and coral reefs caused ship wrecks so houses were built as shelters for the survivors. The keeper and his family lived on the first floor and the second floor was a dormitory. The shipwreck victims would be fed ,clothed and sheltered until another ship could pick them up and they could continue their journey. This is the only house of refuge that is still standing.  More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/HouseOfRefuge#

January 15, 2011

Southern Florida’s Unique Places

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   We’re so glad that we’re in Florida now –sunshine and 75 degree weather! It’s been wonderful.  :D
   We love to stop at quirky little places and this place fits right in.  It was built by Edward Leedskalnin as a tribute to a girl from his hometown in Latvia. She broke off their engagement and he moved to the US. Then from 1923 to 1951, he single-handedly and secretly carved over 1,100 tons of coral rock, and his unknown process has created one of the world's most mysterious accomplishments. Some of the rocks weight 58 tons but he set them in place without any help!
  Another interesting spot was the Fruit and Spice Park. It’s a educational county park and has tasting tours of the exotic fruits and nuts that grow on the park grounds. The guides pick samples right from the trees. Any fallen fruit is also fair game –but we were too chicken to try that stuff!  More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/SouthernFloridaSUniquePlaces?authkey=Gv1sRgCNWNq7ik4O6qfw#

January 9, 2011

Everglades National Park

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   Alligators! They’re most famous resident of the Everglades but it’s also  home for many other animals , birds and of course mosquitoes. We were pretty lucky because it’s been just cool enough to keep the mosquito population down.
   The Everglades has even been a home for humans. There are still traces of Calusa  Indians villages but the inhabitants  disappeared around the 1700s , wiped out by white man’s diseases. Later Indians fared a little better and still live on the edges of the Everglades. They’re descendants of the Seminole and Miccosukee who escaped into the maze of grass, mangrove and small hardwood islands to avoid the mass deportation of the Indians to Oklahoma.
  This is such a unique place. It’s the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and has been designated a World Heritage Site. So many people want to live in south Florida which has caused a lot of damage to the Everglades – draining the swamps , diverting water with canals and polluting what is left with heavy metals and agricultural runoff. It’s a constant balancing act to provide for the people while trying to control further destruction and preserve what is left. More pictures here - https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyandkaren1/EvergladesNationalParkFlorida?authkey=Gv1sRgCOnEj_f4tsKfNw#

About Me

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We have been fulltiming in our motorhome since 1993. We've traveled through all 50 states and most of the Canadian provinces.It's a great life!