Marion, NC 2021

We spent 3 days in Marion so that Kit & Joni could visit friends.  We took a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway where the road was built on cantilevers so that there would be less environmental impact.  Unfortunately, the fog was heavy in the mountains and we weren't able to see anything.

On the way back, we stopped at a wayside stand that had one vendor selling nuts and another selling jams and honey.  We bought some black walnuts to take back to our friend Bob.  And Cherie saw some F.R.O.G. jam, we've never heard of this before so had to purchase a jar to try out.  F.R.O.G. stands for fig, raspberries, orange peel and ginger. 

Gettysburg, PA 2021

Gettysburg was fascinating, especially when you see the amount of land that the battle took place in.

The Emancipation Proclamation

 

Big Round Top

rows of monuments from each State

Gettysburg Battle Field

Hershey, PA 2021

The end of September finds us enjoying candy at Hershey Chocolate World.  It was very interesting to hear about Milton Hershey and after he made his riches how he looked after his employees and community.  

a portion of the store

This picture and the few following are from a Hershey ride
where they tell you how chocolate is made.

 It was a cute ride.

vats of chocolate that they keep stirring at a consistent heat

A long time employee of Hershey's came up with this idea and
Hershey helped him to produce it. Hershey Company later bought out Reese's.

The old chocolate factory

Milton Hershey built this mansion for his wife. Spent $50K on the house
and $40K on the surrounding gardens.

Bar Harbor, MD (Ft. McHenry & Annapolis) 2021

One of the big highlights of the trip was to be able to see Adri.  

 We went to Fort McHenry together. This is the birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner.

Francis Scott Key was a lawyer and was sent to one of the British ships to negotiate the release of 

Dr. Beanes.  The negotiation was successful, however, the British was afraid that he may have overheard their  plans of burning Baltimore, so they kept him on the ship until the battle was over.  The battle lasted 25 hours and Key watched the battle from the ship, he wasn't sure until dawn who had won.  The poem was originally entitled, The Defence of Fort M'Henry.

harbor embattlements 

long range embattlements

During the Civil War, President Lincoln suspended habeas corpus and
subsequently jailed many government officials and dissenters to prevent
 Maryland and Pennsylvania from secession.  Some of these prisoners
were held at Fort McHenry

The pole from which Francis Scott Key could see the flag waving in the "dawn's early light."

Garrison living quarters and dining area

We are on the inside of the building while Graham
is taking the picture from outside through the window.

The next day we took an hour drive to go to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. 

Our tour guide was great.

Dahlgren Hall was designed by Architect Flagg in 1898
 designed many of the buildings.  It has been used for many purposes,
including an armory and indoor drill field.

 

Memorial for the Battle of Midway,
where both Graham and Cherie served while in the Navy
and began our wonderful life together.

The U.S. Navy Submarine Centennial Monument. 
Within the waves of water are ghostly human faces along with dolphins
representing those who are still "on Patrol" lost at sea.

LtCdr (Navy Seal) Erik Samsel Kirstense
Medal of Honor  recipient
KIA in Afghanistan by the Taliban
while attempting to rescue a seal team 

This memorial is for those who lost their lives in the Antarctic. 

Memorial to Stockdale who was a prisoner of war in Hanoi. 
The statue and others on grounds were donated by Ross Perot. 

"Bill" the goat is the mascot of the Naval Academy and now the Navy.
Originally the Navy mascot was a gorilla but as the story goes
 at an Army and Navy football game the Navy didn't bring their mascot so 
the Midshipmen improvised with a goat from a local farm.  
The goat was so well received and Navy won the game so the Mascot stuck.