A pair of Washingtonia 'robustas' along Osprey Avenue, flowering, towering in early summer.
A foursome left lining Orange Avenue
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Once a favorite, now (historically) disappearing
Southern Washingtonia palms, at one time, lined many of our local avenues. Of those that have died off - either hit by lighting, pests or of old age - few are ever replaced. Standing above the clouds, some swaying close to 100 feet high, these select palms are capable of living twice our lifetime - up to 150 years.
A pair of Washingtonia 'robustas' along Osprey Avenue, flowering, towering in early summer.
A foursome left lining Orange Avenue
A pair of Washingtonia 'robustas' along Osprey Avenue, flowering, towering in early summer.
A foursome left lining Orange Avenue
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Father's Day card ....
from Sandy.
Reminding me of those long ago journeys of forever, France, Spain and Morocco - and out there, out west in New Mexico, Utah and fiery Arizona. No father, no mother - no children present. Alone back then, and on a favored British bike, happy. Happy as a father's day card could be.
Reminding me of those long ago journeys of forever, France, Spain and Morocco - and out there, out west in New Mexico, Utah and fiery Arizona. No father, no mother - no children present. Alone back then, and on a favored British bike, happy. Happy as a father's day card could be.
Monday, May 25, 2020
Memorial Day
Army Sergeant, J. S. McCourtney, Jr,.
A father's service during World War II.
Serving under the 45th Infantry Division, the US Seventh Army commandered by Lt. General George S. Patton, my father's platoon landed on the shores of Sicily, July 10th, 1943.
Over a thousand miles, through 420 combat days, the 45th Infantry took everyone of their objectives - (Italy) Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, Rome, (France) Alsace and the Vosges Mountains, (Germany) Bavaria, finally arriving triumphant in Munich, in May of 1945.
Sgt. J.S. McCourtney, Jr. (last row seated, on the far left) 3rd Platoon, L Company.
Sgt. McCourtney #17080808 - 45th Infantry Division, under Gen. Patton's US Seventh Army.
An Armored Infantry Battalion entering Germany at the time of my father's Platoon's German offensive. Spring of 1945. (stock photo).
After allied bombing and heavy artillery shelling - a note below a photo from my father's scrapbook reads, "A G.I. And my tank guard a Main Street - snipers were still active but you wouldn't know it", Sgt. J. S. McCourtney. (April 16th-20th, Nuremberg, Germany).
Wikipedia: (a quirky back history)
In Memoriam - Memorial Day Services, Munich, Germany - following the German defeat in early May.
Then, in a final note, a promoted Staff Sgt. McCourtney, was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement after successfully organizing a ten man squad of machine gunners, after being outflanked by several hundred SS Troops, during that final battle for Munich, Germany.
A father's service during World War II.
Serving under the 45th Infantry Division, the US Seventh Army commandered by Lt. General George S. Patton, my father's platoon landed on the shores of Sicily, July 10th, 1943.
Over a thousand miles, through 420 combat days, the 45th Infantry took everyone of their objectives - (Italy) Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, Rome, (France) Alsace and the Vosges Mountains, (Germany) Bavaria, finally arriving triumphant in Munich, in May of 1945.
Sgt. J.S. McCourtney, Jr. (last row seated, on the far left) 3rd Platoon, L Company.
Sgt. McCourtney #17080808 - 45th Infantry Division, under Gen. Patton's US Seventh Army.
An Armored Infantry Battalion entering Germany at the time of my father's Platoon's German offensive. Spring of 1945. (stock photo).
After allied bombing and heavy artillery shelling - a note below a photo from my father's scrapbook reads, "A G.I. And my tank guard a Main Street - snipers were still active but you wouldn't know it", Sgt. J. S. McCourtney. (April 16th-20th, Nuremberg, Germany).
Wikipedia: (a quirky back history)
The 45th division's original shoulder sleeve insignia, approved in August 1924,[12] featured a swastika, a common Native American symbol, as a tribute to the Southwestern United States region which had a large population of Native Americans. However, with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, with its infamous swastika symbol, the 45th Division stopped using the insignia.[13]
After a long process of reviewing design submissions, a design by Woody Big Bow, a Kiowa artist from Carnegie, Oklahoma, was chosen for the new shoulder sleeve insignia.[14] The new insignia featured the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939.[1]
After a long process of reviewing design submissions, a design by Woody Big Bow, a Kiowa artist from Carnegie, Oklahoma, was chosen for the new shoulder sleeve insignia.[14] The new insignia featured the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939.[1]
In Memoriam - Memorial Day Services, Munich, Germany - following the German defeat in early May.
Then, in a final note, a promoted Staff Sgt. McCourtney, was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement after successfully organizing a ten man squad of machine gunners, after being outflanked by several hundred SS Troops, during that final battle for Munich, Germany.
Over the course of it's military history (1920-1968), proud and brave, the 45th Infantry Division sustained over 25,000 costly battle casualties.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
been reading
A comprehensive read spent (along with some other needed home repairs).
The Gulf, the Making of an American Sea.
Author; Jack E. Davis (2017) 592 pages.
One helluva history (lot of), including definitive environmental studies, historic land-grabs, acts of bravery and violent killings - sprinkled with a few warm narratives - and all written around a raw, non-fiction landscape.
The Gulf, the Making of an American Sea.
Author; Jack E. Davis (2017) 592 pages.
One helluva history (lot of), including definitive environmental studies, historic land-grabs, acts of bravery and violent killings - sprinkled with a few warm narratives - and all written around a raw, non-fiction landscape.
Friday, April 17, 2020
War of the Worlds
A long held Siesta Key public beach access has beachfront neighbors fighting for perceived property rights. Fencing has gone up, then forced to come down through county compliance - now back up once again.
Years of petitions and numerous lawsuits, by opposing property owners, have dragged through the courts over concerns of access to a beach and it's rights for public usage. Complicating the matter, and due to the current pandemic, Sarasota County has shut-down all of it's own public beaches and their beach accesses.
With this heated on-going dispute, at the far north end of Siesta Key's Beach Road, the area is now being patrolled daily - morning, noon and night by officers from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department.
A homeowner's beachfront solution - fencing.
The "Patriots Pier" has become a rallying point for an opposing next-door neighbor, with an installed flag pole, odd characters - and a posted 'proclamation of rights' supporting public access.
Somewhere in the middle, in-between their own installed fences, one lone property owner's supposed 'private' beachfront set-up, with their day's belongings.
UPDATE; May 1st, Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 'Letters to the Editor'.
(April 27th) A couple, new to the area, wrote about an unpleasant encounter with a certain (above) property owner when they recently approached that owners fenced beachfront unknowingly. Apparently (the owner) began shouting to "get off of his property", became belligerent and aggressive, and with a deputy standing nearby, told them, "How would you feel if I put five bullets in your wife's head?"
Years of petitions and numerous lawsuits, by opposing property owners, have dragged through the courts over concerns of access to a beach and it's rights for public usage. Complicating the matter, and due to the current pandemic, Sarasota County has shut-down all of it's own public beaches and their beach accesses.
With this heated on-going dispute, at the far north end of Siesta Key's Beach Road, the area is now being patrolled daily - morning, noon and night by officers from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department.
A homeowner's beachfront solution - fencing.
The "Patriots Pier" has become a rallying point for an opposing next-door neighbor, with an installed flag pole, odd characters - and a posted 'proclamation of rights' supporting public access.
Somewhere in the middle, in-between their own installed fences, one lone property owner's supposed 'private' beachfront set-up, with their day's belongings.
UPDATE; May 1st, Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 'Letters to the Editor'.
(April 27th) A couple, new to the area, wrote about an unpleasant encounter with a certain (above) property owner when they recently approached that owners fenced beachfront unknowingly. Apparently (the owner) began shouting to "get off of his property", became belligerent and aggressive, and with a deputy standing nearby, told them, "How would you feel if I put five bullets in your wife's head?"
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
the Three of us
Photographed through the 'looking glass' - my Dermatologist and his assistant amid the on-going coronavirus pandemic. Finally, I'm dressed properly.
Sunday, April 5, 2020
'Where Shopping Is A Pleasure'
Against the wishes of the family, I had made plans to go out shopping at our local Publix supermarket. I felt much better, and now I felt prepared.
While shopping, a panicked look of having lost, misplaced (or the possibility of having someone taken one's cart) - my shopping cart. Unfortunately, it happened. Finally returning home with four bags and a favorite cherry pie.
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