Tag Archives: Downtown Tulsa

The Prayer Tower at Oral Roberts University

In pursuit of my geocaching hobby I paid a visit to the Prayer Tower at Tulsa’s Oral Roberts University. The tower is right in the middle of the campus and it is designed to be a three dimensional cross. It certainly is striking with a flame out the top and a bunch of bronzed glass covering it.

It is now back open to the public from 12PM to 4 PM Monday through Saturday. There is no charge. So I showed up and showed my ID and up the elevator I went to the observation deck.

They have several stations with quotes by Reverend Roberts around the deck. They also have a couple private prayer rooms and a larger room for groups. It was all tastefully done, quiet, and reverential. The quotes were all very commonsensical. Anyway I had to find another one of Robert’s quotes in order to complete a virtual cache, my 2000th.

The grounds immediately surrounding the tower have several sculptures, a topiary garden, and other things to look at. It has been years since I have been on the campus. Since the university has straightened out their governance to enhance credibility and accountability they appear to be thriving. The grounds are now well taken care of, the buildings have been revamped and updated and they are on another building campaign. It’s nice to see such an important part of Tulsa community on the upswing.

Meanwhile, in downtown Tulsa the world’s largest “Augmented Reality” mural was activated. Above is what the mural looks like without augmentation. It is really a nice mural and beats the big wall of beige they had.

To activate the installation you have to elbow your way to a spot and point your phone camera to the QR code above and then you wait, and then wait some more, and respond to some strange buttons that show up on your camera then the surrounds become alive. The murals become animated and butterflies and birds fly about. And it is in all directions not just at the murals. You see stuff to the sides, straight up in the air, down toward your feet. I’ve never been on LSD but it is quite a trip.

You can record a little bit of it but it won’t save on your phone. I was able to post 10 seconds on instagram but that’s it. I anticipated such a thing so I took along a point and shoot to a video of my phone screeen but there was too much reflections. If you are instagram check out my feed yogiab to look at it. It’s pretty amazing. The installation is called The Majestic. Hit the link to check out more of it. Here is an article from the Tulsa World discussing the project.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday. Come join me and bunch of other skywatching photobloggers.

End of the Week Thoughts

I went to the library Thursday to get a new book. “A Time for Mercy” by John Grisham. I’m only in it for a hundred pages or so but I love it so far. Amazing how on some books, even the ones I like, reading is slow and laborious and others one just flies through it.

While at the library I noticed the little symbolic sailboat was flying a pirate flag. Surprised nobody has said anything about it. The flag was flying the pirate flag so I took a video of it. I used the Hyperspektiv App on my iphone. I got lots and lots of photo and video apps and I use them quite a bit.

Rascal going to the groomer

I took the superdogs Abby and Rascal (above ) to the pet groomer. Oh they hate it. Look at that look on Rascal’s face.

Here’s our Lizzy, the kitten. I know she is not a kitten any longer but that is what we call her and she hates being held but she loves being petted. I petted her when she was laying on the back of the sofa and she ended up crossways. Silly cat!!

Hey I know that I have gone on and on about my jury duty and the case and all that. The other side of the story was that we had really long lunch breaks and so I was eating good. Above is some brisket pho from a new place downtown. Talk about good, and hydrating.

Another day I went to an old favorite and had their prime rib sandwich and tabouli. Marvelous. We got paid $20 per day for duty so I pretty much ate it all up.

I’ve been flying my drone. Here’s an overhead shot of our back yard.

And another shot. Only 8 seconds long. If you watch to the end you get to see the bald spot on my head as I look down at the controls.

So that is pretty much it for what is going on with me.

Weekend Reflections – Downtown Tulsa

Downtown Tulsa as I was headed to my car after getting released from Jury Duty. We had lots of breaks and so I got to wander around downtown. I worked there for twenty eight years and walked almost every working day at lunch. I was always looking for something I never saw before and almost succeeded. I knew people that worked there there whole careers and didn’t know where the post office was and had the impression that downtown was dangerous.

How can people be so uncurious?

I’m linking with Weekend Reflections. Those people are curious!! Almost all photobloggers are I think.

Shadow Shot Sunday – Turkey Mountain and Town Shadows

On Turkey Mountain late one afternoon on a beautiful sunny day.

At the Slide Vale at Tulsa’s Gathering Place early one morning.

Downtown Tulsa. The city is letting restaurants use the parking spaces in front of their businesses to make “parklets” for outside seating. Great idea in these pandemic days.

I’m linking with ShadowShot Sunday

Skywatch Friday – Town and Country Skies

TulsaSkyline1-1-Edit comics
Downtown Tulsa

Monday I went to my first session as a Reading Partners tutor and I think it went pretty well. The first grader is smart, well mannered, lively and has a great sense of humor.

PepsiLake1-1-Edit
Pepsi Lake

I read a story and then we went on a scavenger hunt and then I helped them with a book report. It took only about 45 minutes all told and I think we both had a good time.

Moon 2020-01-12
96% Waning Gibbous Wolf Moon

It was a great way to start the day.

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday – Tulsa’s Winterfest

DSCF9501

Today at noon I went for a little stroll in downtown Tulsa over to the Arvest Winterfest area. I guess that might be the city Christmas tree except you know we can’t have city owned Christmas trees.

DSCF9502

They put up a temporary ice rink and have food trucks and hot chocolate. At night. Nobody was around at noon.

DSCF9504

They even have a Zamboni to smooth out the ice.

And a full moon, almost

2019-12-11 full moon
Waxing Gibbous 99%.

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Our World – Tulsa’s Downtown Churches

Tulsa is unique for having thriving downtown churches unlike many big cities where they are just barely hanging on. Here are three of them and a bonus photo.

Holy Family Cathedral - Hdr - Topaz Studio

This is one of my favorite churches, the Catholic Holy Family Cathedral with its unusual three spires. This year it is 105 years old.

First Christian Church

Right down the street is the First Christian Church of Tulsa with its unusual tiled roof. It looks a little Middle Eastern to me.

Boston Avenue Church Topaz DSCN9548-Edit

And my favorite, the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church on the very southern end of downtown. An zig zag art-deco masterpiece designed by Bruce Goff and Adah Robinson. It was barely finished when the Depression hit and church legend has it that the leading members had to work like crazy to keep it from being foreclosed and turned into a movie theater.

Arkansas River Bridge Topaz Studio

This is the bonus photo. It is not of a church. It is the underside of the 21st street bridge over the Arkansas River in Tulsa. I caught it in the afternoon late enough to be lighted by the sun to the northwest (to the right roughly) and early enough where the light had some intensity to it. And I helped along a little with a Topaz Studio filter. It kind of looks like the inside of cathedral doesn’t it? Oh throw me a bone somebody!

There are several other very active vital churches downtown with interesting buildings. I’ll be posting about those later, maybe. I don’t plan my posts much.

I am linking with Our World Tuesday. Come join in!!

New Building in Town

20180109-114204-2

As my knee is getting stronger I am back to walking around downtown like I used to only not quite as far. Tuesday I strolled to the east side and checked out the progress on a new building. I swear they have been building this thing for a long time.20180109-114250-3

I kind of like its modern design with steel beams, lots of glass, balconies, and geometric theme. It is some sort of technology company I think and it looks almost ready to move in. Sorry for the dull pics. It was very overcast.

20180109-161823-1

I posted this photo on Instagram. It is the “Urban” filter on the Prisma app. I love prisma. Maybe I love it too much.

What have you been up to lately?

Hit and Run – Downtown Tulsa

DSCN6613

I was taking a noontime stroll Thursday on 7th Street, not too far from the Double Tree Hotel in downtown Tulsa when I heard some yelling behind me. I turned around and I saw this guy, looked to be in his late 20’s or early 30’s running toward me chased my two other guys. They were yelling at me to stop him!! I had no intention of doing any such thing and wouldn’t know how anyways. Then appearing out of nowhere was a police car that passed within a few feet of me, and then stopped. The lead guy running basically run into the car and the policeman was out of car in a flash and told the guy, “Back up!!” And then “Turn around and puts your hands together behind your back!” I was impressed, the cop wasn’t yelling but he definitely had his command voice going really well. I thought he was doing his job in a very professional manner.

This was all happening within five feet of me which I decided was too close so I started walking on and I stopped and turned a couple times to see what was going on and I noticed the cop studying me really hard but I guess that I didn’t look like a criminal or anything so besides the middle level bureaucrat that I am so I just kept walking on, wondering, “What did the guy do?” I had wanted to take some photos of what was going but the cop had his hands full and I didn’t want to be a distraction to his task at hand.

DSCN6615

So I walked a block west until 7th street diagonals into 6th street and I saw all sorts of firetrucks, fire rescue trucks, sheriff’s deputies, and policemen right near the county courthouse so I meandered down there and got up on the plaza of the adjacent police headquarters building and asked some ladies who were there also supervising the action what happened. They said a guy in a car ran into a truck and then took off on foot. I could not find any personal injury attorneys Platte River Injury Law. So I’m guessing that was the dude the policeman caught a few minutes earlier.

DSCN6617

Despite all the emergency vehicles there, I didn’t see any ambulances so I am hoping that nobody was seriously injured. There hasn’t been anything on the news either, according to the  Las Vegas injury lawyer, who handles injury cases. You can also get in touch with Mike Massey Law – Injury Law Firm to get legal help from the best attorneys for accidents and injuries.

With the help of the Tips From Recovering from a San Antonio Workplace Accident, my theory is that the great majority of criminals are just not very smart. It takes a real dummy though to take off on foot from an area with the highest concentration of law enforcement officers in the city.

Anyways that is the most exciting thing that has happened to me all week. What about you?