Photography
Shutterbug Saturday: Land of Oz 2.0
Previous Post: Land of Oz
When the Land of Oz opened, Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher, were on hand for the ribbon cutting. Sadly, the owner of the park, Grover Cleveland Robbins, Jr., passed away due to cancer in March, prior to the opening in June 1970. His brother Harry carried on in their company Carolina Caribbean Corporation. Robbins created the Tweetsie Railroad Wild West Amusement Park.
Their father, Grover Cleveland Robbins, Sr., was the Mayor of Blowing Rock, NC (several terms), served as the postmaster, started the Chamber of Commerce in 1922 and helped start the first high school there. Our Blue Ridge Parkway, here in NC, is because Robbins, Sr., was sent to Washington, D.C., by our, then, Governor, to make sure it would not be built in Tennessee.
The designer of the Theme Park was Jack Pentes, a Korean War veteran and, creator of Carolina Clowns and soft-play equipment.
Land of Oz (Official Site)
Additional Reading:
Five Interesting Things (North Carolina Field & Family)
That Abandoned Wizard of Oz Theme Park? (Popsugar)
Ribbon Cutting: The Robbins Trail (Watauga Democrat)
POTD: Montiaceae
Genus is Claytonia, species is Virginica and common names are Virginia springbeauty, Eastern spring beauty, grass-flower or fairy spud. I like the last one. ~Vic
Picture of the Day
POTD: Strange Fish
On an evening walk, I passed by our local Board of Elections. This was sitting at the corner of the steps. I wasn’t sure if I was going to laugh or run away. ~Vic
Picture of the Day
Snapshots Sunday: Old Car
Update: I found a couple more pictures…
These were taken in downtown Georgetown, Texas, the County Seat of Williamson County. About a month later, I left Texas and returned to NC. ~Vic
04-09-2011
1931
POTD: Lavandula
This is broad-leaved lavender or spike lavender or Portuguese lavender. ~Vic
05-26-2019
Picture of the Day
POTD: Big Chair
I think it is this rocking chair.
I could only photograph from a distance.
10-21-2020
Picture of the Day
POTD: Silk Tree
Fabaceae family, Mimosoideae clade, Albizia genus and Julibrissin species. It is commonly referred to as a Mimosa tree but, that isn’t quite right. It’s also called a Persian silk tree, a pink silk tree and a pink siris. North Carolina State University considers it to be invasive. It’s still pretty and it smells so good. ~Vic
Picture of the Day
POTD: Don’t Laugh
This belonged to the gentleman that used to cut our grass. Unfortunately, he passed away a few months back. I miss him. ~Vic
Picture of the Day
POTD: Asteraceae
This could be a Daisy or a Mum. They are in the same family. Mums usually come out in the Autumn so, I’m going with some form of Daisy. ~Vic
Picture of the Day
POTD: Glass Jar
Out on an evening walk, passing by a house with a stone wall, I saw this. I have no idea why it was there or what kind of liquid it holds. No, I didn’t taste it. ~Vic
Picture of the Day
POTD: Lost Booties
[Update… blogger and skincare specialist Ruth has pointed out my terrible storytelling and possible crimes against proper sentence structure (I’m so laughing, Ruth…). No, I didn’t find these booties walking down the sidewalk all by themselves. I should have inserted “while I was” ahead of “walking”, hopefully indicating that *I* was doing the walking, not the empty booties. Thanks, Ruth. I really must behave myself in the future!]
Found these […] walking on the sidewalk. The stone on this wall is at the corner of the James Cheek house property (c. 1875). I guess they weren’t wanted anymore.
I am forever finding strange things in this town. ~Vic
08-16-2020
Picture of the Day
Flower Moon 2021
I’ve done two previous posts. I did the big write-up in 2019. The second post in 2020 had some older pix. My stupidphone still can’t get a clear moon shot but, it does make an artistic blur. Today’s Full Moon for EDT occurred at 7:13a but, tonight’s Moon rise was around 10:20p. Howl for me! ~Vic
Cosmic-Observation 