Skywatch Friday – Here, There, and Everywhere

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I had a little time in west Tulsa this afternoon so I snuck over to Route66 Village and took a photo of the Frisco 4500 steam powered locomotive on display there. I love the locomotive not only because of it being there at Route 66 Village but because me and and a couple of coworkers found it during a geocaching outing during lunch years ago. We found it out in the middle of nowhere in north Tulsa so I think we were in the know before it was cool. It is a huge engine. Those wheels that it has are each taller than I am. It is truly a monument to early 20th century technology.

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I had been gone from by beloved Turkey Mountain for two weeks and last night got to run on it for eight miles. I love running and knowing that nobody knows where the heck I am. I am fully cognizant that this can really truly bite me in the butt under the right (wrong) circumstances.

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I am a bad blogger. I am the only active blogger still hosting Skywatch Friday. Last week I got hte Skywatch Friday post up so my fellow Skywatchers could link to it but I didn’t get my own post up. Me an my family traveled to Idaho Falls, Idaho to visit my Dad. He is in a very nice assisted living facility but lately has had some difficulties. Sorry, I wasn’t into a blog post. As primitive as my posts are, I still have to be into doing them or they are not going to happen and when I am stressed I can rarely write a post. I can report that things are looking better now.

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One of the beautiful things about Idaho Falls is the Mormon Temple right on the Snake River. It is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. I am not LDS but I have to tell you that they do their temples right. I have been thinking that when I retire I would like to travel the country and photograph the various Mormon temples because the ones I have seen have been architectural masterpieces. One of them, the temple in Oklahoma City, I toured years ago right after it was constructed but before it was dedicated. The exterior and interior of the temple was sumptuous. Nothing but the best went into its construction and furnishings.

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The Idaho Falls temple just got through with a two year renovation and they got a refinished statue at the top. It is the Angel Moroni blowing his horn to the east.  It is fiberglass and has a new gold fill finish that should last 20 years. Speaking of Idaho Falls, it is in the prime viewing area for upcoming solar eclipse. If you were staying there, check your hotel reservations. Apparently some hotels are cancelling their reservations because they can make more money rebooking the rooms  to somebody else. Good old American Capitalism at work.

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Idaho Falls has a great green belt along their frontage of the Snake River. My wife Heather found some decorated rocks on the greenbelt. I just love stuff like this. People doing things for other people to find and appreciate.She spotted several rocks. I have yet to find my first. How about you? Have you found any decorated locks yet?

I am linking with Skywatch Friday

17 thoughts on “Skywatch Friday – Here, There, and Everywhere

  1. Alana

    Route 66 village? We live about an hour outside of Scranton, PA which has a national historic site called Steamtown. We went there with our then-young son when it first opened. And, we’ve also been to Route 66 state park in Missouri (formerly the town of Times Beach) which is fantastic and I highly recommend. I’m one of those people who booked for the eclipse (through a travel agent) back around February or March and people have been warning me to verify the reservation. And finally, I have an elderly in law. I wish you the best. I, and I’m sure many others, appreciate Skywatch and I try to always look for your posts.

  2. JM Illinois U.S.A.

    The wheels are really big on that train you posted. I thought you were the only one hosting SkyWatch Friday now. I want to thank you for all the effort you put into keeping the site active. Keep running. Keep shooting. Keep showing us your part of the world. It is awesome!

  3. Alexa T

    Lovely captures, great sky and interesting locomotive on display! And as you mentioned above “when I am stressed I can rarely write a post”… and there is lots of stress everywhere. Many thanks for Skywatch Friday and positivity shared!
    A nice weekend to you and whole family!

  4. Sallie (FullTime-Life)

    Really appreciate your keeping SWF going even when life happens (in spades I’m sure … I remember those days, and now pretty soon it will be my kids’ turn I suppose)……. anyway — loved the pictures today and no i have not found any rocks, but someone around town here posts signs with uplifting messages. Almost as good .

  5. Gaelyn

    You should visit the LDS Salt Lake City compound for awesome architecture. I don’t mind the painted rocks, but don’t want to see them left in our national parks.

  6. Lucy Corrander

    The locomotive in the first photo is truly impressive. And the sky is an integral part of the picture rather than something which happens to have come in shot.
    The path you run looks peaceful and impressive. Eight miles is a long way!

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