September 24, 2016 Sandusky, OH

A great day in Sandusky

First of all, the story about Sandusky

A little library outside the Museum

Found Grammie

One of 3 Merry go round reindeers featured in the 2014 White House Christmas display.

 and 2 and 3

 Four Merry go rounds still in operation in Maine

 OOB

 In October, the Postal Service will be issuing new stamps.

 Grammie tracing with a crayon

The hand carved figures are put together in layers from a hollow shell.  See the vertical lines in the left side.The facing carvings are glued to the base.

The base figure

Don't be surprised if you get a call after December 10th

Grammie on her Sea Monster

Grammie switched rides

A flower clock...check out the date.

 A closer look

Finally, we arrive in town on the correct day.

Local talent playing the part

Belfast has bears, Sandusky has Lighthouses.

What he ordered was a small cone.  He had to get a cup, he couldn't eat it fast enough.

Ice cream straight from the plant.  All hard serve, and delicious.

The ORIGINAL MARGARITAVILLE

On the shore of Lake Erie

My son in law's dream boat

Thanks for keeping an eye out for Grammie.

September 23, Cuyahoga NP

This morning we hit the road on our way to Sandusky Ohio.  Before we got there we wanted to stop in at the Oakmont bakery but,  even though we were about 3 miles away the traffic would have eaten up a lot of time...and not just in traffic, also at the store.  Its can get so busy you may need to take a number to get served.    Oakmont Bakery

We did make a good choice to wait until we got to Ohio to buy gas.  The price dropped from the $2.30's to $2.02 in several places.

Planning ahead, we decided to make a stop at Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio.  Cuyahoga NP

The park had similar beginnings to the newest saved land in Maine.  The area had 2 paper mills at one time but have long since gone.  Here too, many people resented the NP but after a coming together, the park has many visitors on a daily basis including joggers, walkers and many bicyclists.  In the short 10th of a mile we walked, we probably saw around 30 bikers passing through.  There is around 85 miles of the Towhead trail in the Cuyahoga Valley that included about 20 miles within the park. 

A short walk in another location, a "Bridal" type of falls named Brandywine Falls, found a young couple walking up the stairs after their wedding ceremony.

 We stopped there where another couple and us exchanged cameras...and pictures.  No wedding vows though, the first ones are good for a lifetime.

Tom took a video of a heron catching a fish and having it's lunch.  This is only a still shot from the video and will not play.

We finally arrived in Sandusky OH and with the suggestion of a park worker, we ate at Berardi's and had a wonderful meal.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering where Grammie was, I caught her trying to read the map.

Thanks for looking out for her.

September 22, 2016 Latrobe Country Club

Good evening.
Today was spent at the Latrobe Country Club where Tom caddied for Devin Gee at the Arnold Palmer invitational.

When we arrived, the course was being groomed and the pins were set for the day, not once but twice as 36 holes were to be played.

 

The 1st hole, downhill to get you started.

Front view of the clubhouse from the 1st tee.

The load was light today as Devin packed his "walking bag".  He was looking out for me.  You can see I was smiling because I haven't carried the bag for any holes yet.

The Winnie Palmer clock donated to the course in memory of Arnie's first wife.

Equipment check, loading up the pockets.

It sure looks like we did more talking than playing/caddying.

 but the group in front of us was taking the game too seriously.

 Some of the holes have a great view of the area.

 No, this was not a good walk spoiled.

 At the end of the day, there were at least one  pair of tired legs but it was great... and fun.  It was truly a treat and an honor to walk the fairways of Latrobe Country Club with Devin as well as caddying for him. He played some terrific golf.

Thanks Devin for the opportunity.

Thanks to Grammie for taking the great pictures.

September 21, 2016 Gettysburg

Good evening everyone.

We got up, had breakfast and went over the day's plan.  With only 160 miles to New Stanton, PA we decided on a side trip to Gettysburg that was less than 40 miles away.
We were certainly glad we did because there were new things that weren't around in 2007 and also something we missed last time.
We arrived just in time to catch the shuttle bus to Eisenhower's home in Gettysburg.  The home is located on 189 acres that were adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield.  Eventually the land along with 306 more acres of his partners became the Eisenhower National Historic Site.  At times he used the farm for personal diplomacy, inviting world leaders to visit the house and cattle barns.  The home is now isolated by the park and adjacent farmlands from the daily traffic of the public.

This is a view of where the helicopter pad was located.  It was used to shuttle him and or visitors from Camp David located over the mountains in the distant background.

 The back patio, a favorite place to spend time for Ike and Mamie, is where he completed many of the 300 plus paintings.  He gave many away but several hang in the home.

 This table on the back patio is where Mamie liked to play Solitaire.

As the story went, this Marble fireplace was in the White House during the Lincoln years.  After replacement, it was kept in storage and finally ended up in his home.

After his term as president, he asked President Kennedy if he could be reinstated as a 5 star General for an official portrait.  So granted and done.  After his Presidency, he preferred to be known as General Eisenhower.

One of his paintings hanging upstairs.

The outside of the home from the front.  When purchased, part of the home was log cabin and part was brick structure.  It went through about 1 1/2 years of renovations and additions to make it look like this.

In the back yard is the flag that flies daily as well as a 5 star flag.

They said that after the house tour, we were welcome to roam around the property and look at whatever we wanted.  Here is Tom tending the flag on General Eisenhower's green in the back yard.

The Museum, new since our last visit features the new museum as well as a Cyclorama that circles around the top floor and is used as an audiovisual display of the 3rd of July, 1863 in Gettysburg.
There are many artifacts that have been found in the days and even years after.

Grammie resting at the Museum after a stroll around the cattle barns at the Eisenhower home.

 A panographic shot of half of the Cyclorama.  For more of the story behind it, go to the Cyclorama link.   Gettysburg Cyclorama

A couple of additional still pics.

Good thing the Union won!

Have a great day everyone.  Did anyone ever wonder why we no longer have billboards in Maine?? 
As we travel and see some of them, we are glad to not have any.