Timpanogos Cave National Monument...

All lit up-click

...Utah, high up in the Wasatch Mountains, an unusual location...
..for a cave.  Found in the 1800s by a hunter, by vocation..
...following a cougar he found there was a cave..
...with rooms quite large, it became the local rave.

I think the surrounding country looks better by far,
it's in American Fork, you can get there by car;
just a little north of Salt Lake City, is where it's found,
so, it you get the chance, why don't you come around.

The entrance, the walkway, even inside, is paved.-click

..and a little walk outdoors, very nice.-click

Reclaiming the American Fork River, of mining trails (piles of rock)-click

Thomas Edison National Historical Park...

Glenmont-Edison's home, his lab is on the grounds-click

...West Orange, New Jersey is the proud city with this home...
...that celebrates the man who invented everything except the phone,
I'm guessing that's not true, but he sure came up with a lot,
motion pictures with sound, batteries, cameras - there's a plot!

Mr. Edison serves as an example-don't forget your good ideas,
something may come of them, so keep spinning all of those gears,
put it down on paper, build a model and there you are...
..it's really not that simple is it?  Give Edison a cigar!

A curator cleans a phonograph-click

One of the labs-click



Edison's storeroom, better hold on to that, might need it later



Autism Awareness Month..

At a check out counter in some store,
can't say which one, was a long time ago;
the girl at the register noticed something was strange,
maybe she wondered if those were our names.

The clerk was quizzical I could see in her eyes,
I knew what she wanted, but I wanted to surprise;
"Hollie" I said "tell her all about you", a twirl..
Hollie thought and then said, "I a autism girl"

Hollie did a fine job I thought,
information given where information was sought.
It's not all that easy to do anymore,
not that we never go in a store.

But Hollie is now a full grown adult, a woman at that,
she'd be glad to explain, at the drop of a hat;
but I'm the one not quite sure what she should say,
so, what I think I'll tell her to do, "thank you, have a nice day".

Some time in the future, I'm not sure quite when,
people won't notice someone not like them,
I often wonder how all that would be like,
but all we can do now - is walk up to the mike…

…April is Autism Awareness Month!!
Thank you and have a nice day!



A little girl, age 2



Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial....

The footbridge to the island, nice walk

..District of Columbia, a memorial the man would like,
it's just the sort of place that would give his life a spike,
animals are here, nature abounds,
he would come and visit, to listen to the sounds.

It's proper and respecting, maybe a little too unknown,
but that may be a good thing, some deer are still not grown;
you may be able to see them, in the early morning light,
but please don't go and shoot them, especially at night!

The deer making their rounds-click

The fountain

A close up of the statue

Hollie would approve used with a President

Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area...

Shiloh Battlefield today-click

..."Telling the whole story of America's Greatest Challenge",
that's what the motto says;
and there are many places, that show so many ways,
from battlefields to prisons, and hospitals too,
field walks to museums, plenty of things to do.

It's not all in one place, but kind of follows a trail,
covers a lot of distance, you'll see things that are frail;
paper objects and photographs for 150 years ago,
they won't last for ever, but their worth the price to the show.

Soldiers set up a temporary home-click

Getting ready for battle-click

Civil War Christmas, a drawing by Winslow Homer-click

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve....

Where the buffalo roam.. click

...Kansas, one of the last remaining stands of the tallgrass prairie here,
it was important to preserve some things as just the way they were...
...when the settlements began, there were cattle being raised;
and to those "preservers", we should give thanks and praise.

It is more than fitting that Kansas is the place, it's in the song...
...Home on the Range, it was written here, the State Song;
and this is where it happens so Kansans can boast,
they can show us all this place, and be gracious hosts.

Fox Hill School-a reminder-click

A trail is provided for day hikes/walks-click

Purple Sage in flower-click

Steamtown National Historic Site...

Canadian National 3254 comes out of the Factoryville Tunnel

...if your looking for a place, steam powered and fun,
come to Pennsylvania and see these engines run.
They have a large collection, the best money can buy,
oh what fun it is to watch these trains go by.

It reminds me of my youth, and a trip to Eastwood Station,
just to watch those locomotives, a boys best for the nation;
they really have an engine, but the photo was too small,
it's from Poland Springs, I guess a lot of water to haul.

Five in the Roundhouse

A Baldwin 26 locomotive

CN 3254 at full steam, I can remember the sounds, and cinders.
Whoo-whoo, choo choo chaboogey