Ruby Tuesday 2

4 Hydrants...No Waiting

During our recent trip to Memphis I was walking in the downtown area and happened by the Fireman's Museum.  I simply could not resist photographing this display in front of the building.  I didn't see any canines in the area, but I'm sure it's tempting.  Happy Ruby Tuesday all.

Ruby Tuesday II

Fire House No. 1, Memphis, TN

Ruby Tuesday II

Viva Las Vegas

One of the things that Elvis was most remembered for was the stage costumes he wore during his Vegas shows.  There is a collection of these outfits on display at his home, Graceland, in Memphis TN.  While I was never a big Elvis fan, I did truly enjoy the tour of Graceland.  If you're ever in Memphis, take a few hours and visit Graceland.

 

Ruby Tuesday II

 Red Headed Stranger

Every Saturday there is a farmers market on the square.  It is one of several in the area.  Fruits, vegetables, arts and crafts are not the only offerings.  There a couple of street musicians that are usually in attendance.  This young man is actually quite good and, as you can tell, he plays two instruments as well as sings.  I like to get to the market between 7:00 - 7:30.  Not only is do you get the best selection of vegetables (early bird gets the worm), but it's a little quieter and less crowded.  By 9:30 it is a very busy place. The street musicians are typically in place by 8:30 and they really add to the festive atmosphere.  If there is a farmers market in your area, I would encourage you to take it in.  It's a great way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday morning even if you don't purchase anything.

Ruby Tuesday II

I found this vendor at a local farmers market.  The name of the business is "Peddle Pops" and they sell homemade, handmade Popsicles.  Flavors include pineapple/mango/banana, blackberry, and cherry.  It was early so I wasn't in the mood for a Popsicle, but as the day wears on and the temperatures rise, I'm sure that this is a very busy vendor.

Ruby Tuesday II

My son-in-law is a jeep fanatic.  He would LOVE to have this new 4-door Jeep in Razorback red.

Ruby Tuesday II

If you're ever in Bentonville/Bella Vista, Arkansas you can see this for yourself in the spring of the year.  It is the entry walkway to the Mildred B. Cooper Chapel in Bella Vista, designed by E. Fay Jones.  It is worth the visit.  While the azaleas are what makes this image a Ruby Tuesday post, who wouldn't want that Dogwood in their home landscape.  In full bloom, this specimen is about a close to perfect as one could hope for.

Ruby Tuesday II

Last week-end we celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary in Branson, Missouri.  While there, we to a ride on the Branson Scenic Railway.  I have a fondness for trains since my dad worked for the Frisco Railroad and I grew up riding trains.  It is one of the most relaxing ways to travel.  So, what else did we do?

We arrived Friday afternoon and checked into our hotel.  For this trip we stayed at the Branson Landing.  You simply walk out of the hotel and into a shopping/restaurant mall area.  Since we were not planning on seeing any of the shows in town, this was a perfect choice.  We spent several hours in the shopping area.  Since there Bass Pro Shops is one of the anchor stores, I'm good with the shopping experience.  Now it's time to eat.

 Whenever we travel, we like to eat at places that do not exist in our home town.  The restaurant may be a chain, but it doesn't have a location where we live.  Cantina Laredo at Branson Landing is a very good place to eat.  We will almost always find an excuse to eat one meal here, whenever we visit Branson Landing.

Saturday's highlight was riding the train.  It is about an hour and a half trip through the Ozarks.  You actually cross into Arkansas.

 There were two tunnels on the trip.  These tunnels were built between 1902-1904.  One is nearly a half mile long and the other is almost two-thirds of a mile in length.  It boggles the mind what our forefathers accomplished.

Saturday evening found us celebrating our anniversary with dinner at White River Fish House on Lake Taneycomo, at Branson Landing.

We started with something a little different, fried gator tails.  They were great.

Sunday morning found us in "Historic Downtown Branson", which is just across the street and tracks from Branson Landing.  There is Dick's 5 & 10 store, which is a throwback to the late 50's & early 60's.  To say that they have everything is an understatement.

Just in case you were wondering, the 5 & 10 store is the predecessor to what we now know as Walmart, Target, and Kmart.  Well that was our anniversary week-end.  It wasn't terribly exciting, but it was relaxing and most enjoyable.  I'm sure we're going to do something much more adventurous for our 40th.

Ruby Tuesday II

 Shopping in the Rain

A dad and his daughter are buying some sweets on a rainy Saturday morning at the local farmers market.  The boots and umbrella are what caught my attention.  Quality time spent with our children and grandchildren is time well spent.  It may not seem like a big deal to the adult at the moment, but when the child grows up and can recall those Saturday mornings spent with their mom or dad or nana or papa, they become priceless memories for both parties.  This image is proof that great times with children aren't limited to Disney World or some other major attraction.  Kids love being around their parents and grandparents.  A quiet, rainy Saturday morning spent at a local farmers market can be more enjoyable to the child than standing in line for two hours waiting to ride the latest thrill at Universal Studios with 10,000 strangers.

Ruby Tuesday II

 

 

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Game of Colors 

Soccer is a game of speed, quickness, agility, and ball skills.  It is also a game filled with color.  Even the ref's get to wear brightly colored jersey's.

 Red is indeed on of the most popular colors used on the team uniforms.

 There are even the semi-patriotic, red, white, and blue combinations.

And yes, Soccer is a contact sport...even for eleven-year-old girls.

The uniforms aren't the only colorful part of the game.  We'll take a look at that in the next post.

Ruby Tuesday

Crystal Bridges - Part II

 This piece is called "Big Red Lens".  It can be found at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.  Last Friday my wife and I went to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit.  You can scroll down to see more.  After visiting the Rockwell exhibit we strolled through another part of the museum to re-visit some of our favorite pieces.  Big Red Lens is one of mine.  They have moved it from it's original location and I like it better now.

 No trip to Crystal Bridges is complete until I visit my favorite piece of art in the entire facility.  "The Lantern Bearers" stops me every time I visit.  

There are also some wonderful sculpture.  This piece is all glass.  No, I have no idea how you create a full size dress out of glass.

You would think that I have a fixation for lighted globes.  Again I found this piece really interesting.  So interesting, in fact, that I took a closer look.

Yes, this is a sculpture.  It is a larger than life sculpture of what the artist believes he will look like when he is older.  It is beyond life like.  The detail is amazing.  It actually borders on creepy.

Every hair has been individually place.  I don't know what medium was used to create the bust, but the results are beyond description.  This is a piece that you have to see in person to believe.

I am taking my team at the office to see the Rockwell exhibit in a couple of weeks.  I'm sure that I will also spend some time in the other galleries.  I noticed that they are setting a new display is one of the halls.  I can't wait to see what it is about.  Obviously, I'll share what I can later.  Have a great week.

Ruby Tuesday

 

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As you can see, I have no trouble finding Ruby Tuesday models on my back deck.  As long as I keep seed in the feeder and spread some on the rail, cardinals are constant visitors.  I feed them from first frost to about the middle of March.  Then they can fend for themselves through the spring and summer.  Of course there are several people in the neighborhood that feed them all year long, so I'm just fooling myself into thinking that they actually spend all summer searching for their own food.

Ruby Tuesday II

Winter Berries & Snow

 We had our first snow of the winter on Friday afternoon.  While it was only about an inch, it was enough to provide some winter mood to the photos.  I love living in this part of the country because we do get to see all four seasons.  While our winters are pretty mild, we will see two or three snowfalls each year, spring is just around the corner, summer can be pretty warm, and autumn is often spectacular.  Happy Ruby Tuesday all, and may you have a blessed New Year.