Thursday, June 28, 2012

I got ahead of myself....

I should have did this post first, rather than the post from Patton's Corner that I did yesterday. But better late than never. When we started our drive, I asked Roger if he minded sticking close to home...I just did not feel like a long drive to get somewhere, then a long drive home. So, most of our little drive day before yesterday took place in Parke County. I had hopes of seeing an eagle...but that did not happen.
Instead, one of the first things we came across when we got out to where I considered the drive beginning was this view! And let me tell you, my photo does not do it justice. It was just so pretty to come upon this view. I had Roger pull over for me to take photos...

If you click to enlarge the above photo, you will see a gentleman walking out to his garage. I did not notice him when I took the photo.

I was busy trying to figure a way to get a good close up view of the flowers. I had take probably half a dozen shots when I looked up and here came someone riding up to me on a 4-wheeler. I stood up and greeted him...and told him how beautiful I thought the flowers were...what a glorious view to have come into view.

He and his wife had retired and moved back to this part of Parke County. They had planted this strip of wildflowers, and plan to extend it all along the edge of this property in the coming years.

We talked several minutes, and during the time I told him who I was, and told him where my husband had worked...don't know why I didn't tell him where I had worked. Anyway, when I told him about Roger, he had to go down and talk to him and tell him a story about the place he retired from. So I took a few more photos, and went back to the car...

Well, they were having a good talk...and during that found out that besides having a great love for wildflowers, this gentleman loves black powder/muzzleloading/mountain man type of stuff. This is stuff Roger loves.

And he knew a lot of history...I did not ask him what he was retired from, but wondered if it was from being a teacher or something.....I sure would have loved to have had him for a history teacher.

He told us some things about our area that we had never known. For one there is a little bitty town not too far from here by the name of Mecca. Roger asked him something about the name....and at one time the town had had a going concern making bricks and tiles, I think. He said there had been about a 140 Arabs come and work there....and if you go to this cemetery near there, you will see in the back some headstones with Arabic writing on them.

He also told us other things we didn't know, but would probably bore you to tears...but I could not leave out the part about Arabs living near here. It is just hard to imagine and you have to wonder what they thought of this area. And wonder why they left and where they went.
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Edited to add:
I forgot I had this set to post. I meant to wait and add the temperature high for the day. The weather station reported 106.5º...here our thermometer said 108º...and I believe it. It is like walking out into an oven here.

14 comments:

  1. What a peaceful view! Interesting to meet new folks, too!

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  2. The gentleman you met was a wealth of interesting information! Just love his butterfly garden.
    It's an oven here too; just under 100 with the humidex.

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  3. The wildflowers are beautiful; just imagine how pretty they will be when they cover more ground!

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  4. This path of wildflowers going to the barn is just divine, and do I see poppies in there? Now you know what you need to do, go to the graveyard and find those graves with the foreign language on them.

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  5. Hi Rose, Neat that you met that man ---and that he and Roger had so much in common... Hope you all will meet up with him/them again... Neat!!!!

    Beautiful wildflowers...

    Hot here too and very very dry...
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  6. Those flowers are stunning - such beautiful colours.
    How nice to meet some lovely people too.
    Just shows you don't have to travel a long distance to get some lovely pictures.
    I don't know how you manage to cope in that heat. We never get temps like that here - thank goodness.

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  7. i much rather see the wild flowers and the barn than an Eagle. i love widld flowers and these are wonderful. what a great story and to find someone you could relate to.

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  8. What a great visit for the beautiful view, the flowers and especially for the conversation you had with this gentleman. Perhaps you'll return there to see what other wildflowers are blossoming.

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  9. I bet he was thrilled to have someone interested in his stories. How lovely these wildflowers are.

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  10. these wildflowers are beautiful. they certainly catch your eye. the story of the Arabs is very interesting. i too have to wonder why they left their home to come here. you have to find those graves and take some photos of the arabic writings. have a great weekend~

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  11. What a lovely way to make a new friend! On the side of the road amid lovely wildflowers! The flowers are beautiful and I am happy he thought to plant them. What a perfect country drive you guys had!

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  12. The temperature sure was HOT. WHOA! Turn the temperature down, PLEASE!

    I love hearing about the history of your area. It's not boring at all. :)

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  13. Those flowers are so pretty! Hard to keep flowers nice in this heat. I just love poppies. Interesting about Mecca and the Arabs! Did you go to the cemetery and see the graves?

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  14. Those flowers are so awesome! What fun to get to talk to the man. Learn stuff you didn't know.

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