Blue Skies and Trains

Mural in downtown Mattoon, Illinois. A mix of old and new.

Linking to Skywatch Friday

I'm terribly behind on visiting and commenting. It has been a long week both work days and evenings. Plus, Wednesday night I had no sleep. Autistic grandson went missing. I've never been so frightened in my life. The police were wonderful. He was found about 3 hours later. Seems he decided to go for a late night jog without telling anyone. He couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.

Have a great day!

Tattered and Torn

Last night was our local Camera Club meeting. The assignment was American Flag - tattered and torn.
Neither Hubs nor I were inspired by the topic. We have done flags, patriotic, or a similar topic many times before. We decided to go to the meeting, but not bring a picture for the contest, unless we found something we liked. I mean how many angles can you take a picture of a flag and make it interesting? Not many. They all end up looking like—you got it flags.

During last week's ramble, I saw a cool looking barn. Of course I slowed and took a few shots out the car window. Later when I downloaded my pics, I saw somehting amazing. There was a metal flag hanging on the side of the barn—tattered and torn. Now I was excited. So, I jumped in the car and drove back to the barn. I walked up to the house and knocked on the door to ask permission to get a closer shot, but no one was home. So, I had to settle for a long distant shot or risk getting arrested for trespassing. Which wouldn't look good for the Criminal Court Clerk. Below is the pic I entered in the contest.

It doesn't have quite enough stars, but I would consider it an American Flag, wouldn't you?

After I found the barn I got excited and located a couple of tattered flags for Hubs. After some convincing he drove off with his camera, after work, the night of camera club. Below is the pic he entered in the contest.

Of course there wasn't a breath of wind, but he got it printed in the nick of time. I really like the way he positioned the flag with the sky for background and the trees to the side.

How did we fare you ask?

The barn flag took 1st place. The limp flag took 3rd. I'm thinking everyone else might be a little tired of flags, too.

Next month is sunrise/sunset.

Happy Friday!

Good Fences

Linking to Good Fences

Wednesday, Yay!

The Red-Wings start yelling at me the minute I get out of the truck at the garden. The only difference this day was that Mr. was nowhere to be seen, this time it was just Mrs.

Guess she was distracted by an itch.

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

and

Linking to Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Since you weren't Hodgepodging last Wednesday, how did you pass the time?
Working extra hours at my day job. Missed the Hodge, though. 

2. What's the first word that comes to mind when I say marriage? Yes, one word.
Compromise.

3. Summer officially arrives in the Northern hemishpere later this week. Does it feel like summer where you live? Describe your idea of the perfect summer day. 
Yesterday is the first day we turned on the air conditioner. Now it feels like summer. My idea of a perfect summer day is a cold glass of ice tea, a good book, and a rocking chair on the front porch.

4. "Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."(Sam Keen) Is laziness ever respectable? Do you have a lazy summer planned, or something semi-ambitious?
See above. 

 5. Past or present, who's your favorite television dad? Why is he a favorite? Is he anything like your own dad?
Andy Taylor. He was an understanding father who knew how to guide his son with kindness. No comparison.

 6. June 18th is International Picnic Day...share a favorite picnic memory.
Not too long after we moved from the frigid north to Dallas, we loaded up the picnic basket and drove out to the lake. It was December. 

 7. The travel site Trip Advisor lists the top five islands in the world for 2014 as- Ambergris Caye in Belize Cayes, Providenciales in Turks and Caicos, Bora Bora in French Polynesia, Marco Island Florida, and Lewis and Harris in The Outer Hebrides (Scotland). Have you been to any of these? Of those listed (and if price were not a factor) which would you most like to book for a holiday?
I would have to pick Marco Island Florida. Why? It would be a shorter flight. Even though I logged a lot of air time during my last job, I no longer like to spend time on airplanes.

 8. Insert your own random thought here.
I woke up at 4:15 this morning. I'm too tired for random thoughts about anything other than my pillow, which is currently calling my name. Can you hear it?

Rubbish Tuesday #7

A little trip through a tiny town called Lerna, IL supplies this weeks Rubbish Tuesday post.

This is the very old water tower. It's been the same for as long as I can remember and I'm older than dirt.

 This was once a gas station in the heart of downtown. Not much left these days.

 This is one of the many houses needing a little TLC...

...as is this one.

This house is on a farm about a mile outside of Lerna. It once was falling down and in dire need of repairs. Someone brought it back to lilfe.

My idea was to have a place to post 'old things'.  Anything old and/or deteriorating such as old houses, barns, outbuildings, old cars, rusty things, antiques, interesting junk, or it can be something in pristine condition, but just old. 

1. Link to a post featuring photos of something old.

2. Link back to Rubbish by Roan in your post.

3. As time allows, visit other participants and comment on their posts.

Buzzards!

Camera Club's assignment for June is, American Flag—tattered and torn. Since I don't have a picture, Fergus and i went for another ramble through the countryside. I did find a flag, but I won't post it until after Wednesday in case someone is practicing the art of espionage.

I did see a cardinale, a bluebird, and a few doves. Will I be posting pics of those? Nope. They were all too fast for me. Instead I will be posting pics of one of the few birds I seem to be able to get in front of my lens.

 As I drove up toward Lerna, I saw buzzards on the roof of this shed.

 This one...

 ...and that one...

...and these two. Ugly old things don't you think?

Linking to the Bird D'pot

Take That!

Last Monday was Book Club/Writer's Group night. Since I was early, I decided to drive by the covered bridge to see if there were any birds lurking about. I didn't find any bird opportunities, but did find a dog. I thought he was a stray since I didn't see a collar, but he looks well cared for so he probably lives at the house up on the hill behind me. I dug out my camera to take his picture...

 ...and he promptly walked away, leaving me with yet another moon shot for my collection...

....lifted his leg, which is a 'lifer' for me...

 ...and then turned around and looked at me as if to say, "Take that!" I guess he didn't want his picture taken.

Then there is my beloved pup, Fergus. His pop bought him a new toy. He is obsessed with it. So much so that we had to hide it when he wasn't looking. We put it in the cabinet, which you see behind him. Unfortunately, the nose knows, so we had to give it back or risk having sawdust in the carpet. I think it is laced with the doggie equivelent of catnip.

Linking to Saturday's Critters

Signs, Signs, and More Signs

As I was driving along a main street in Mattoon, I happened to look down a side road and saw...

...this.

 So, of course, I went around the block and took a picture from the opposite direction. The man must love signs! I can't remember ever seeing this many in one place.

And then I saw this building in a small town called Janesville. His sign collection isn't quite as impressive as the other fella's, but impressive none the less.

It's Friday for all you working folks, like me, out there. Yay! Happy Friday!

Fences and Fields

Feeling nostalgic, I turned down an old country road...

 ...and found this fence.

 Linking to Good Fences

 On down the road I passed what once was my farm.

 There is a wheat field beyond those wild flowers.

The pond is to the right of that silo way over yonder. I have had sellers remorse since the day the papers were signed.

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Mostly Yellow

I'm out of interesting birds to post, so drug out one from the archives. I have posted this one before, but it is one of my favorites since this was a new bird to me and I haven't seen one since.

Yellow Breasted Chat

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

On the way to Bro O's to work in the garden we pass this field. Farmers consider them weeds, but I always think of it as a beautiful field of wildflowers. Wild Mustard.

I found these on my saturday ramble. There were growing alongside the road near a bridge. Crown Vetch.

I seem to have made someone angry because I missed commenting on their post last week for Rubbish Tuesday.I try to comment on everyone that links up and thought I had.  I admit to being an imperfect soul, and I apologize.

Happy Wednesday!

Rubbish Tuesday #6

Yesterday on my ramble, I decided to drive to Mattoon, IL to see if I could find anything of interest. As I drove downtown on Broadway I remembered the old theater.

It was called Time Theater. I never questioned why until now. Since it is no longer a movie theater, guess we will never know.

The Time replaced the Grand Theater which burned down in 1938. It was rebuilt in Art Deco style and renamed Time Theater. What you see is the original building, still in great shape.

It stopped showing movies in the 1980s and was transformed into a concert venue/banquet hall in 2002. It closed down a couple of years later.

While taking pictures of Time Theater, I remembered the old Skyway Drive-in that used to be on the outskirts of town. It is now a concrete company, but low and behold, even though the screen and concession standa re long gone, the old sign is still there!

I think I need to clarify the Rubbish Tuesday blog hop. Some bloggers out there seem to think it is only for posting trash, which isn't correct. Although, trash is certainly welcome if it's old and that's your cup of tea. I named it Rubbish Tuesday specifically to encompass the name of this blog, Rubbish by Roan.  My idea was to have a place to post 'old things'.  Anything old and/or deteriorating such as old houses, barns, outbuildings, old cars, rusty things, antiques, interesting junk, or it can be something in pristine condition, but just old. The only criteria I'm looking for is 'old'. I guess I should have named it something else, but too late now. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. My address is under the Contact tab below my header. I hope you will join in the fun.

Mistaken Identity

I didn't make it to the festival I planned to attend today. Hubs had to work and I didn't think it would be much fun walking around by myself, so I went on a ramble through the countryside instead. I looked for fences, rubbish, birds, and other critters. I found some interesting stuff, but only 2 birds.

I was driving slowly down a country road when I saw what looked like an unusual bird sitting on a wire. I zoomed in, but still couldn't tell what kind it was.

I will say I couldn't wait to get home and upload all my pictures so I could drag out my bird book and find out what he was.

 Sadly, I didn't need to drag out the bird book. Upon closer inspection, it was quite obvious this was a by no means rare bird. Just another European Starling.

 Guess I hadn't seen one from this angle before. I see them all the time out by the feeders, where I'm looking down on them.

Linking to  Saturday's Critters & the Bird D'pot

Reflecting Dusk

It's Friday! Whoop! Whoop!

Linking to Weekend Reflections



Linking to Skywatch Friday

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm getting low on things to post, so Fergus and I are planning a ramble tomorrow. A small town near here has a festival. Maybe I will stop by to see what they have to offer. Plus, I'm always on the lookout for fences and rubbish.  Do you have any weekend plans?

I'm a little behind on commenting. Too much work time and not enough play time! I'll play catch up this weekend.

Remembering Uncle O on this, the 70th Anniversary of D-Day.

Modern and Rustic

Note to self—running low on fences. Looks like it's time for a ramble!

 This is a flowering shrub of some sort that grows next to the fence in our back yard.

This is a terrible shot. Don't you love how that pole planted itself right in the middle of the picture? This is the only section that looked like it was made from limbs found laying around in the woods. Which, of course, is the most interesting part of the fence. The rest looks mostly like a normal old fence.

Linking to Good Fences

Mr. Camouflage

I saw this robin strutting around near a tree at The Rez.

He saw me looking at him...

...and ducked behnd a tree.

It was then I noticed part of him had disappeared.

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday


1. I've read several posts and status updates recently describing end of year school field trips. Do you remember taking school field trips as a kid? Where did you go and do you recall a favorite? For any parents responding today, have you ever chaperoned a school field trip, and if so where?

In grade school, we walked to The Rez here in town when we were studying trees and bugs. I loved getting outside and away from school. My favorite was when I was a Sophomore in high school, we went on a field trip to Turkey Run State Park in Indiana. It rained and I broke my glasses, but we had a blast.

2. What's something you're tired of seeing online?

Anything Kardashian!

3. June is the month for roses. Which of the following expressions would you say has most recently applied to your life-'everything's coming up roses', 'there's no rose without a thorn', 'came out smelling like a rose', or 'wearing rose-colored glasses'? 

All would have applied at sometime in my life, but right now I seem to be surraounded by negativity, so I think 'there's no rose without a thorn'.


4. When grilling outdoors do you prefer gas or charcoal? Who does the grilling at your house? What's the last thing you ate that was cooked on a grill?

I prefer charcoal, Hubs gas. Hubs grills and he fixed salmon last night.

5. Are you afraid of the dark?

Not particularly, but I can't stand to be inside with the lights on and the curtains or blinds open. If someone was lurking outside, they could see me but I couldn't see them. That scares me.

6. Share a favorite song with a number in it's title.

500 Miles

7. "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."(C.G. Jung). Do you agree? Why or why not?

I suppose, but I'll leave this question to the psychologists out there.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Daughter just booked the condo for our Floriday trip later this summer. I'm excited to have something fun to look forward to.


Linking to Wednesday Hodgepodge