NedReck's blog, page 17

Online nowNedReck: Ned Reck is a 63 year old married guy from Memphis, Tennessee, USA.; Likes 2,423 pages, 8 videos, 58 photos • 364 fans • Received 178 reviews; Member since Sep 26, 2007

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Dec 27, 2007 3:39pm: Christmas is over. It was a good Christmas, but I felt a need to get out a bit after all celebrations, so I talked my wife into coming with me for a ride. It's overcast and gloomy, not good for picture taking. We drove south across the Tennessee / Mississippi border to Olive Branch.

I do not believe that this place is open anymore! It is pointing into some wooded area, whatever motel was there is long time gone.

Perhaps Sigmund Freud would have been able to once and for all explain to me, why I get this feeling of being guilty of some misdemeanor every time a police car is approaching...

There is a part of southern Memphis where the population mainly consists of Hispanics. Quite a business is growing up around their needs/problems, such as sending what they can spare back to their families. Apparently many get paid in cash.
They are also often targeted by robbers who seem to be well informed about when they get their paychecks. Since many of them speak little or no English and many fear authorities, these crimes are seldom reported to the police. It is a tough deal for hardworking people, trying to earn their living.

Dec 24, 2007 2:40pm: If you ever drive along Winchester blvd you will notice this statue on the south side of the street. It belongs to the church in the background, called "the Hub Cap" by irreverent people..for good reasons, the similarity is striking.

It has this inscription on the base:

Dec 23, 2007 2:15pm: I didn't sleep much last night and got up early. The heaviness stayed with me into the day (nope, no party last night)and in order to shake it off, I drove to Shelby Farms, a recreation area just outside the city. Not a bad place, "it has potential", I only wish the city would allocate a bit more funds for it. There are some artificial lakes in the area, you can almost muster up the illusion that you are standing on the shore by some mighty waters.. It was cold and windy, but the sun was shining from a perfectly blue sky.

I noticed a Heron sitting on the railing on a pier and decided to see how close I could get.

Finally it got irritated and flew over to the other side of the pond.

A final image from today's expedition; the field beyond the pond is a Bison reserve, unfortunately all the animals were hiding in some brush today. And further away is the county jail, where some unlucky brothers and sisters will be celebrating their Christmas.

Dec 22, 2007 11:30am: The Orion constellation and Christmas go together for those of us, who inhabit the Northern Hemisphere.

I follow the Orion all winter and note how it travels just a little bit more to the West every night until it disappears into the sunsets in March, thereby proclaiming that winter is over again.
Right now you will find Orion in the Eastern part of the sky after sunset and it will be high in the sky around midnight.

Dec 20, 2007 9:48am: Anders Zorn, 1860-1920, is a Swedish artist mostly known for his paintings of women, who by no means suffered from Anorexia, but he was also a skilled sculptor.
This bust is called "Grandmother". Wood carving.

He also, like no other, captured the summer light in his paintings, like this one, called "Midsummer Dance"

Axel Peterson, "Doderhultarn", is a totally different chapter.
He was a self taught wood carver. His figures are famous and highly valuable. This example is called "The Dance Floor"

Memphis Things To Do - Travel Guides - VirtualTourist.com: Dec 18, 2007 9:28pm 1 review travel
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/T...; There is more than Graceland in Memphis, really

I was taken hostage by my wife after I picked her up from the mall today and had to go with her on a shopping spree. My mood brightened a bit when I saw this living fossil in the parking lot. A truck that is almost contemporary with the author. And it is a beauty, too.

StumbleUpon - dakshns web site reviews and blog: Dec 18, 2007 9:27pm 1 review stumblers
http://dakshn.stumbleupon.com/; Please stop by Dakshn and say "Hi" to a young stumbler in more senses than one. He has a collection of great images and links, that are new to me.

Memphis Earthquake Hazard Mapping Project: Dec 18, 2007 5:22pm 1 review geoscience
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/ceus/urban_map/memphis/; Things you should probably know if you live in Memphis...

More about the seismic conditions in Memphis

Dec 18, 2007 3:19pm: We had to drive down to the old city today, "Downtown". Nothing spectacular, just a snapshot of parts of the "Memphis Skyline". Don't blame me, that's what they call it...

A bit further down, the bridge to Arkansas in the background.

We are following an ongoing trial, the court is held in the big gray building to the left. It lasted most of the day, it is a depressing place.

Since I really don't have very much else to publish right now, I add another snapshot from today and from Downtown.