National Love Your Red Hair Day

Redhead and Bowl ~ Readhead painting and bowl are artifacts exhibited in the collection of The Met. The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the United States fourth most visited art museum in the world.

Christmas Greeting - The Met Angel Tree

A longstanding holiday tradition of the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, the presentation of its' Christmas tree and 18th-century Neapolitan crche. A 20-foot blue spruce is gracefully adorned with cherubs and angels, while at the base an elaborate collection of Nativity scenes that were traditional to 18th-centry Naples: adoring shepherds and their flocks, the procession of the three Magi, and spirited peasants and townspeople. The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the United States fourth most visited art museum in the world.

Veterans Day - Honoring All Who Served

The North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber was one of America's most famous airplanes of World War II. It was the type used by Gen. Jimmy Doolittle for the Tokyo Raid on April 18, 1942. The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 6 miles northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world, with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display. NMUSAF & Wikipedia

National Submarine Day

U-505 is a German Type IXC U-boat built for Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was captured by the U.S. Navy on 4 June 1944. In 1954, U-505 was donated to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. She is now one of four German World War II U-boats that survive as museum ships and, just one of two Type IXCs still in existence. In 1989, U-505 was designated a National Historic Landmark. The Museum of Science and Industry is located in Chicago, Illinois, in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood between Lake Michigan and The University of Chicago. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Wikipedia

Luke 2:8-14 & Byzantine Mosaic Dome

The Memorial Chapel at Lakewood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the architectural focal point of the cemetery. It was modeled after the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. The chapel interior was created by New York designer Charles Lamb and many consider it the most perfect example of Byzantine mosaic art in the United States. Artists created more than 10 million mosaic pieces, called tessellae, from marble, colored stone, and glass fused with gold and silver. Upon its completion in 1910, the Lakewood Memorial Chapel was the only building in the country with an authentic mosaic interior. The chapel dome is 65 feet high and ringed with stained-glass windows that serve as a sundial telling the time of day and season. Four large mosaic figures representing Love, Hope, Faith and Memory are situated on the side walls below the dome. Lakewood Cemetery is a large private, non-sectarian cemetery located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Lakewood Cemetery & Wikipedia

Geyser Basin Boardwalk

Midway Geyser Basin is much smaller than the other basins found alongside the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park. Despite its small size, it contains two large features, the 200-by-300-foot-wide Excelsior Geyser which pours over 4,000 U.S. gallons per minute into the Firehole River. The largest hot spring in Yellowstone, the 370-foot-wide and 121-foot-deep Grand Prismatic Spring is also found there. Wikipedia

Welcome To Lake Wobegon

Jenny Lake is located in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The lake was formed approximately 12,000 years ago by glaciers pushing rock debris that carved Cascade Canyon during the last glacial maximum, forming a terminal moraine, which now impounds the lake. The lake is estimated to be 423 feet deep and encompasses 1,191 acres. Jenny Lake is considered to be a major focal point in Grand Teton National Park, with many hiking trails, scenic boat rides, and quick access to the major climbing routes onto the tallest peaks of the Teton Range. Jenny Lake is named after a Shoshone Indian woman who married an Englishman, Richard "Beaver Dick" Leigh. Jenny, and their 6 children, died of Smallpox in 1876.—Wikipedia

Earth Day

Hoh Rainforest ~ The Hoh Rainforest is located on the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington state. It is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the U.S. Within Olympic National Park, the forest is protected from commercial exploitation. This includes 24 miles of low elevation forest along the Hoh River. The Hoh River valley was formed thousands of years ago by glaciers. Between the park boundary and the Pacific Ocean, 30 mi of river, much of the forest has been logged within the last century, although many pockets of forest remain.—Wikipedia

You're Off to Great Places!

Ruby Beach is the northernmost of the beaches in the coastal section of Olympic National Park in the state of Washington. It is located on Highway 101, in Jefferson County, 27 miles south of the town of Forks. Like virtually all beaches on the northern coast, Ruby Beach has a tremendous amount of driftwood. It is notable for the number of sea stacks there. The beach is so called because of the ruby-like crystals in the beach sand.—Wikipedia

Who Will?

Ruby Beach is the northernmost of the beaches in the coastal section of Olympic National Park in the state of Washington. It is located on Highway 101, in Jefferson County, 27 miles south of the town of Forks. Like virtually all beaches on the northern coast, Ruby Beach has a tremendous amount of driftwood. It is notable for the number of sea stacks there. The beach is so called because of the ruby-like crystals in the beach sand.—Wikipedia This image was processed as an HDR (High Dynamic Range) composition.

Aviation History Month

The Hughes H-4 Hercules (also known as the Spruce Goose; registration NX37602) is a prototype strategic airlift flying boat designed and built by the Hughes Aircraft Company. Intended as a transatlantic flight transport for use during World War II, it was not completed in time to be used in the war. The aircraft made only one brief flight on November 2, 1947, and the project never advanced beyond the single example produced. Built from wood because of wartime restrictions on the use of aluminum and concerns about weight, it was nicknamed by critics the Spruce Goose, although it was made almost entirely of birch. The Hercules is the largest flying boat ever built, and it has the largest wingspan of any aircraft that has ever flown. After being displayed to the public in Long Beach, California from 1980 to 1991, it is now on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.-Wikipedia

National Train Day

Shay Locomotive No. 10 -- The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad (YMSPRR) is a historic 3 ft narrow gauge railroad with two operating steam train locomotives located near Fish Camp, California, in the Sierra National Forest near the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park. Organized in 1961, utilizing historic railroad track, rolling stock and locomotives to construct a tourist line along the historic route of the Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company. Service began with the purchase of three-truck Shay locomotive No. 10 from the West Side Lumber Company railway of Tuolumne, California. Built in 1928, No. 10 was recognized as the largest narrow gauge Shay locomotive—and one of the last ever constructed. In 1986, the YMSPRR purchased Shay No. 15—also a former West Side Lumber Company locomotive—from the West Side & Cherry Valley Railroad tourist line in Tuolumne. The two steam locomotives operate daily during the summer months, while the railroad's Model A "Jenny" railcars, capable of carrying about a dozen passengers, typically handle operations during the off-season.—Wikipedia

Cook's Meadow Loop

Sentinel Meadow & Cook's Meadow Loop. Enjoy views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, and Royal Arches from the center of Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park is an American national park located in the western Sierra Nevada of Central California, bounded on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers an area of 747,956 acres. Designated a World Heritage site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. Also associated with the art of Ansel Adams, an American landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his black-and-white landscapes of the area.—Wikipedia

Dream The Impossible Dream

Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley along with Washington Column located to the north side of the valley in Yosemite National Park, California. This image was processed as an HDR (High Dynamic Range) composition.

We lose ourselves in things we love.

Monument Valley is a region of the Colorado Plateau characterized by a cluster of vast sandstone buttes, the largest reaching 1,000 ft above the valley floor. It is located on the Arizona-Utah border, near the Four Corners area. The valley lies within the territory of the Navajo Nation Reservation and is accessible from U.S. Highway 163. Monument Valley is officially a large area that includes much of the area surrounding Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, a Navajo Nation equivalent to a national park. Monument Valley has been featured in many forms of media since the 1930s. Director John Ford used the location for a number of his best-known films and thus, in the words of critic Keith Phipps, "its five square miles have defined what decades of moviegoers think of when they imagine the American West."—Wikipedia This image was processed as an HDR (High Dynamic Range) composition.

Great Spirit Prayer

Monument Valley is a region of the Colorado Plateau characterized by a cluster of vast sandstone buttes, the largest reaching 1,000 ft above the valley floor. It is located on the Arizona-Utah border, near the Four Corners area. The valley lies within the territory of the Navajo Nation Reservation and is accessible from U.S. Highway 163. Monument Valley is officially a large area that includes much of the area surrounding Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, a Navajo Nation equivalent to a national park. Monument Valley has been featured in many forms of media since the 1930s. Director John Ford used the location for a number of his best-known films and thus, in the words of critic Keith Phipps, "its five square miles have defined what decades of moviegoers think of when they imagine the American West."-Wikipedia

Monument Valley Pilot

Monument Valley is a region of the Colorado Plateau characterized by a cluster of vast sandstone buttes, the largest reaching 1,000 ft above the valley floor. It is located on the Arizona-Utah border, near the Four Corners area. The valley lies within the territory of the Navajo Nation Reservation and is accessible from U.S. Highway 163. Monument Valley is officially a large area that includes much of the area surrounding Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, a Navajo Nation equivalent to a national park. Monument Valley has been featured in many forms of media since the 1930s. Director John Ford used the location for a number of his best-known films and thus, in the words of critic Keith Phipps, "its five square miles have defined what decades of moviegoers think of when they imagine the American West."—Wikipedia This image was processed as an HDR (High Dynamic Range) composition.

National Zoo Lovers Day

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In August 2014, TripAdvisor proclaimed Henry Doorly Zoo the "world's best zoo", leading San Diego Zoo and Loro Parque, based on reviews for 275 major zoos worldwide. The Lied Jungle is one of the world's largest indoor rainforests, and the "Desert Dome" is one of the world's largest indoor deserts, as well as the largest glazed geodesic dome in the world.—Wikipedia

Neo-Classical Arched Fence

The Missouri Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located at in St. Louis, Missouri. It is also known informally as Shaw's Garden for founder and philanthropist Henry Shaw. Its herbarium, with more than 6.6 million specimens, is the second largest in North America, behind only that of the New York Botanical Garden. Missouri Botanical Garden features the Climatron greenhouse. The Climatron is a geodesic dome containing over 400-varieties of plant life and a Neo-Classical pavilion and garden. The dome climate ranges from the Amazon through Hawaii and Java to India. Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical institutions in the United States and a National Historic Landmark. It is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Garden is a place for many annual cultural festivals, including the Japanese Festival and the Chinese Culture Days.—Wikipedia This image was processed as an HDR (High Dynamic Range) composition.

National Flag Day

Fort McHenry is a historical American coastal pentagonal bastion fort located in the Locust Point neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy from the Chesapeake Bay on September 13–14, 1814. It was first built in 1798 and was used continuously by the U.S. armed forces through World War I and by the Coast Guard in World War II. It was designated a national park in 1925, and in 1939 was redesignated a "National Monument and Historic Shrine". During the War of 1812 an American storm flag, 17 by 25 feet, was flown over Fort McHenry during the bombardment. It was replaced early on the morning of September 14, 1814 with a larger American garrison flag, 30 by 42 feet. The larger flag signaled American victory over the British in the Battle of Baltimore. The sight of the ensign inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry" that was later set to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven" and became known as "The Star Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States.—Wikipedia

Memorial Day

Garrison Flag flying half-staff over Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. The fort is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy from the Chesapeake Bay on September 13–14, 1814. It was designated a national park in 1925, and in 1939 was redesignated a "National Monument and Historic Shrine". During the War of 1812 an American storm flag, 17 by 25 feet, was flown over Fort McHenry during the bombardment. It was replaced early on the morning of September 14, 1814 with a larger American garrison flag, 30 by 42 feet. The larger flag signaled American victory over the British in the Battle of Baltimore. The sight of the ensign inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry" that was later set to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven" and became known as "The Star Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States.—Wikipedia

You Are Never Too Old - C.S. Lewis

Cadillac Mountain is located on Mount Desert Island, within Acadia National Park, in the state of Maine. With an elevation of 1,530 feet, its summit is the highest point within 25 miles of the shoreline of the North American continent between the Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia and peaks in Mexico. It is known as the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise. Acadia National Park is an national park located in the state of Maine, southwest of Bar Harbor. The park preserves about half of Mount Desert Island, many adjacent smaller islands, and part of the Schoodic Peninsula on the coast of Maine. Acadia was initially designated Sieur de Monts National Monument by proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. Sieur de Monts was renamed and redesignated Lafayette National Park by Congress in 1919—the first national park in the United States east of the Mississippi River and the only one in the Northeastern United States. The park was renamed Acadia National Park in 1929. Native Americans of the Algonquian nations have inhabited the area called Acadia for at least 12,000 years. Samuel de Champlain named the island Isle des Monts Deserts (Island of Barren Mountains) in 1604. The park includes mountains, an ocean coastline, coniferous and deciduous woodlands, lakes, ponds, and wetlands encompassing a total of 49,075 acres.—Wikipedia