Sepia Scenes: The Haunting of Flinderation Station

Flinderation Station is supposed to be a haunted railroad tunnel near Salem, West Virginia. The story goes that three men working in the tunnel didn't realize a train was coming or at least as fast as it was coming. One man could not get into the side cubbyholes fast enough and the train derailed. The Travel Channel has evidently filmed a spot here at some time. After visiting the tunnel and doing some research there is the story but not the facts to back it up. No news articles about the derailment, no names of the deceased. There are a few YouTube videos of supposed paranormal activity. I wasn't impressed with any I viewed. I took three of the above views in sequence from the same spot. I do that to make sure I get a clear shot and one that's in best focus. When I downloaded them I noticed what some would describe as an orb in the middle photo. If you enlarge this maybe you'll see it. It's to the left of the top of the opening in the back.

This is about only about twenty feet inside the one thousand feet tunnel. As you can see there was water. A couple of places I could tell the water would be halfway up my leg if I stepped in it. Without boots and a flashlight this was as far as I ventured.

Like any good viewer of Ghost Hunters I did my duty and announced that I was friendly and asked are you here. There was no reply. :)

Years of mineral laden water running down the walls have left them discolored from the once red brick.

I love the different layers eroded away on this section of wall.

Upon leaving I was sitting on a nearby picnic table. The tunnel is part of the West Virginia Rail Trail across abandoned railroad tracks and a pretty spot to take a break. Again I took three images of the same spot. When I downloaded them the third one had those two bright spots of light. I didn't use a flash. The white you see hanging from the ceiling is actually part of the ceiling that is falling. What were the lights? I couldn't say; but. I'm thinking Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters could probably explain it all away.

I'd like to go back with a pair of boots and a flashlight and walk the entire distance to the other side. Oh, did I mention that there is a cemetery on top of the tunnel? I WILL only be going in daylight.

Posted for Sepia Scenes.

Watery Wednesday: Sepia Colored Water

(I think all pics will enlarge for a better view.)

Some of you will remember this image of abandoned locks on a nearby river. Hubs and I visit it frequently when we're out on a leisurely drive. I took the above photo in October.
Notice the old concrete wall of the original locks. Sometimes the river is low enough that there are no falls and fisherman fish from the top on the concrete shaped disks you see under the water.
In this photo you see the part of the locks where the boats would have gone through to get down river. I stood at the corner of this walkway to take the above photo.

This was the scene that greeted us yesterday. Yes, very high flood waters. The water in the foreground is usually where we park. The steps up to the walkway are covered.

I stood at the top of a small hill to take this overview of the scene. I could have gotten closer but I didn't want to get too close to this raging river. The end of the walkway that you see is where I usually stand to look across the river and take my photos. This is the highest I've seen this river in the last three years.

Lots of flowing muddy water. I wanted to try a slower aperature speed to capture the flow of water and this was my first attempt. I think I like it but want to try some more attempts when I can get closer in a somewhat safer water environment.

This is one more slowed down. Not as crisp but the high midday sun wasn't helping my efforts and I really was too far away. I do like the abstract look of this one and that almost blue strip of water in the foreground.

For more Watery Wednesday click here.

Hoping Mary won't object to my using the natural sepia tones of the last two shots I'm joining Sepia Scenes here.

Sepia Scenes: Are You Thinking Spaceship?

Every time I see this structure I think I'm going into the bowels of a spaceship! I imagine being drawn in slowly to the darkness and the doors closing behind me. In moments the silent takeoff is barely noticeable as I'm being whisked away to another galaxy. Somewhere in the darkness Richard Dreyfuss will be waiting to accompany me on this interplanetary travel. Ahh, such are the daydreams of a Sci-fi fan.....

I'm brought back to reality as my cat weaves in and out of my feet purring gently to let me know she needs to be fed.

In reality this massive structure is the entrance to the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel. It is a 4.6 mile-long crossing for Interstate 664 in the southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States. It is a four-lane bridge-tunnel composed of bridges, trestles, man-made islands and tunnels under a portion of the Hampton Roads harbor where the James, Nansemond, and Elizabeth Rivers come together.
The tunnel is named for the two ironclad warships which engaged in the famous Battle of Hampton Roads on March 8–9, 1862, during the US Civil War. The battle took place between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia. The latter ship had been rebuilt from the wreck of the USS Merrimack. The site of the battle was within 1 mile (1.6 km) of the bridge-tunnel structure named by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a memorial.

Hubs and I lived just down the road from the tunnel when we lived in Virginia. We still go through it when we visit our daughter.

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Sepia Scenes Celebrates 100

I'm betting big bucks that sepia scenes.....
'sticks' around for a long long time!

Happy 100 Mary!
Cheers!!!!

For more Sepia Scenes and to congratulate Mary click here.

(There are no longer 100 pretzel sticks in the bowl and the glass is empty.)

Coreopsis In Sepia and An Announcement

I have some coreopsis growing by my little yard pond. The day was hot and humid and the resulting image looked washed out so I converted the shot to sepia and used selective coloring to highlight the yellow bloom.

An Announcement!!!!!

This little sepia peanut is our next Grandbaby! That's right. I am going to be a Grandma for the third time and I couldn't be happier. Our son and lovely daughter-in-law are expecting their first child in November. AND....it's going to be a boy!!!
Yep, a Grandson to go along with our two lovely Granddaughters. All of us couldn't be happier!!!! For more Sepia Scenes join Mary by clicking here.

Sepia Scenes: Railroad Bridge

This is only part of a railroad bridge that crosses the Ohio river at Gallipolis, Ohio. I had the wrong lens in my camera yesterday to capture the entire bridge so I settled for this small section as I sat waiting for the Hubs to get us some cool drinks from the service station. It was a hot and hazy day which only added to the ambiance of the old steel structure. I'm always amazed at the stone supports holding up these old bridges. One would think they would have crumbled long ago and this one is well over a hundred years old.
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Old Mill In Sepia

Going through some old memory cards Hubs found this photo we took of an old mill almost five years ago. This was long before my foray into this photography passion I've possessed for the last couple of years. Enlarge the photo and you can see what I mean. The quality is way below my current expectations of myself but the sepia saves an otherwise just point and shoot attempt. It's the memories behind the shot that make it as beautiful as any well executed photo shoot.

This was taken on a trip with Hubs to the Smokey Mountains. It was one of the first trips there without children. We were alone for the first time in years and we had a great time. Getting ready to head home we decided to search for all the old mills we could find on our way out. We had some literature naming a few. As I recall we found about seven or eight that day. This was probably the best. We were on what could only be described as a one lane road and the mill was across the stream. I so wished it could be mine. At the moment I can't recall exactly where it was. I'm sure we were still in Tennessee and not far from the Smokies. There seemed to be some work going on that day so I feel sure it was being refurbished and is still standing today.
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Sepia Scenes and Yard Art

A few readers may recognize The Incredible Mr. Limpet who appeared in my Weekend Reflection shot a few weeks ago (here). I took these two shots the same day as the reflection one. We inherited Mr. Limpet when we moved to this new home almost three years ago. He sits and guards the larger of two fish ponds in our yard.

Some of you know I am dealing with a knee injury and still haven't been able to venture far from my own yard so I've had to resort to what's at hand. However, after a shot in my knee today (YES, very painful) I hope to be on the mend much faster as soon as the headache and nausea from the shot goes away. :)

For more Sepia Scenes join Mary here and for more Yard Art join Mary here. She'll be so glad you came by.

Sepia Scenes and Yard Art

I'm combining this week's Sepia Scenes with Mary's new Yard Art on Thursday meme. Last week my dear Hubs had a checkup with his doctor and as he was driving I spotted this 'outhouse' along the way. This was in someones side yard right along the highway. I have seen this done before but not as eloquently as this one. It sits in the center of a large flower bed with lights and plants and small shrubs arranged around the exterior. Hanging plants left from the last growing season adorned one side. I thought the moon and star cutouts the defining touch.
I converted the color image that's below to sepia and added some texture to make the image look like an old postcard.

Last week my yard art was a huge concrete cactus that my good friend Thom thought "why do I think that is so odd in your neck of the woods." I just KNOW he will think this much more appropriate.
However, should anyone think the outhouse is only indicative of American Appalachia the country of Australia for example was largely unsewered until the early 1970s with many suburbs having outhouses or 'dunnys' behind each house. That was a mere 40 years ago.

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Sepia Scenes: Sweet Shrub Bush

(The Original)

This is a pod from my Sweet Shrub Bush. This shrub is native to the Appalachian stream banks of the Smokies. Thomas Jefferson recorded planting Sweet Shrub at Monticello on March 7, 1778. He gave them as gifts to fellow gardeners and included them in a box of American plants shipped to Madame de Tessé in Paris. Sweet Shrubs have deep maroon flowers with sweet fragrance similar to strawberries in late spring and glossy, aromatic, leathery, dark-green foliage. Flowers are quite fragrant. At the moment this bush is sticks and pods.

The day I took the photo it was overcast and pouring down snow. The little streaks you see in the photo are snowflakes whirling by.

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Sepia Scenes: A Valentine Theme

A Face In ProfileAn Angel

Years ago when our family was new and we decorated our home in the country style of decorating I read Country Style magazine. There were many items I would have loved to have had; but with two small children to raise our budget didn't always allow for decorating items. This was especially true when simple items were pretty pricey. The angel above is something similar to what I had seen in one of my magazines. My wonderful Hubs took a piece of wood, drew an outline and carved out this wooden angel for me. What an Angel he was!

This is one of my valentine postcards from my collection. I have no idea of the date. The canceled postage mark is long worn away. However, it was mailed with a one cent stamp.

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A Winter Scene in Sepia

We had snow again Monday night and Tuesday. A larger storm is on the way for the weekend and more snow is forecast. Unlike many of you I love the snow. Bread, milk, and eggs are in the fridge and the pantry and freezer are stocked. Light the fireplace!

This photo was taken turning into my driveway. It was snowing and very overcast. The original photo was almost monochrome and very washed out. I sharpened the original just a bit and converted it to sepia. Hope you enjoy.
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My Dad

This is a photo of my Dad as a young boy. He is 15 years old as he sits on the old tree stump which would mean the original black and white photo was taken around 1941 or so. Dad grew up working hard on his family's farm and farms of others as well. This doesn't appear to be the old homeplace where he lived so I think it was taken on one of the farms where he often stayed and worked in his youth. With none of his five siblings in view I think it's fair to say this wasn't taken at home.
I like this picture of my Dad. It shows he was tall and lanky. He never lost that lush head of hair and it didn't turn gray until he was way up in age.
It will soon be fourteen years since my Dad passed away. It's hard to realize that many years have silently gone by. This coming Sunday the 17th would have been Dad's 84th birthday.

Love and miss you Dad.

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Noah's Ark - Say What?

"This steel skeleton occupies a sun-drenched hillside along Interstate 68 in the mountains of western Maryland. Reaching three stories high, its concrete foundation stretching the length of one-and-a-half football fields, the structure is an oddity -- as incongruous as, well, a boat on a mountaintop."
Hubs and I pass this monumental structure on our way to our son's home in Virginia. Research tells me that ground was broken in April of 1976 -- before the interstate was built. Now 30 years later it is still just a shell. It was the idea of Pastor Richard Greene who had dreams over a three month period in 1974. The Ark was to be constructed to the specifications of Noah's original Ark--450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.
To read more about the Ark's beginnings and to see an architectural drawing of what it would look like upon completion click here.

My original photo.

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Ohio Quilt Barn In Sepia

A couple of weeks ago Hubs and I were returning home from a trip to nearby Ohio when I spotted this quilt barn (so-called for the quilt patch that decorates the side of the barn) across four lanes of traffic. When I shouted quilt barn he knew he needed to find a safe place to pull over and bless his heart he did. Since we were in the state of Ohio it was quite appropriate that the quilt block is called 'Ohio Star.'

I've included the original image as well so you can see the weathered patina and rusting tin roof.

(Don't forget you can enlarge to see greater detail.)

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Sepia Scenes: Another Camera

Last week I presented a Brownie Camera that had been owned by my Mom. This week I'm going to continue with one more that sits on her shelf with the Brownie. The Agfa Ansco Corporation introduced the Shur Shot camera in 1932. The model above with its art-deco faceplate was produced around 1939.
How could you not smile with those two eyes and big nose staring back at you?

:)

The rest of the body is made of wood and cardboard and covered in stipped black leather.
My Mom and Dad found this camera in a box of goodies from an estate sale.
If you're interested in seeing photos taken with such a camera I found a site where someone found some film in one such camera and had it processed. Click here.
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My Mom's Brownie Hawkeye

I can remember my Mom carrying this little square box around when I was a young girl. It would have been mostly during holidays or special occasions. Back then we didn't just take pictures to be taking pictures like we do now. Of course it was film that had to be dropped off or mailed in, picked up or mailed back and by the time you got them the holiday was long past. That was especially so if you saved a couple of rolls to have developed at the same time. This was taken this week at Mom's house. The camera sits on a shelf with many other mementos of times gone by.

This is a picture of my Mom during the time frame that she would have been using this little Brownie camera. I'm probably the one who would have taken this photo of her. Being the oldest had its perks. Not just anybody got to hold the camera. I wasn't quite a teenager at the time and as you can see not too adept at taking pictures. The picture was taken on Easter before we headed out for church. A few years later I recall that I too wore this suit to church on one or two occasions. Cherished memories caught by a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Camera.

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A National Memorial

This is a section of the 56 pillars, each 17 feet high that helps to comprise the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. Each pillar is inscribed with the name of one of the 48 U.S. states of 1945, as well as the District of Columbia, the Alaska Territory and Territory of Hawaii, the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The columns are adorned with two types of wreaths that alternate in their facing. Wreaths of wheat represent the agricultural strength of the nation; while wreaths of Oak represent the industrial dynamism of the nation, supplying not only our own troops but also our friends and allies.

The U.S. Department of Defense has compiled estimated service numbers for 20th-century wars. It is believed that somewhere around 233,985 West Virginian's took part in World War II. One of those brave men was my grandfather.

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Sepia Scenes from India

This week's sepia highlights a piece of wooden inlay art that my daughter-in-law purchased on a business related trip to India. This means the picture you see isn't painted but made up of little pieces of wood. In reality it is mostly sepia toned except for a bluish tone to the sky.
I used my photo software to apply a cross-processing effect to the image. It is supposed to resemble a photo effect from the 60's. Cross processing is the procedure of deliberately processing photographic film in a chemical solution intended for a different type of film. I like the yellow golden effects.
This is the original photo I used before processing. I took this in low light without a flash. I kept getting the glare from the flash so I changed the camera settings so the picture wouldn't reflect the flash.

This is the true color of the art piece.

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Sepia Scenes: Korean War Memorial

Last week when we were visiting our son in Arlington, Virginia we wanted to visit a few memorials in DC. My son and his wife said they would like to take us to the Korean War Memorial which was one of their favorites. They felt it was more impressive at night. I found it a very somber experience in the dark. The nineteen stainless steel sculptures are just a little larger than actual human form. It really gave me the feeling I was standing off watching them on their patrol. A nearby granite wall bears a message inlaid in silver:

Freedom Is Not Free.

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