Macro Monday - Betty Boop

I have planted a rose garden all in big pots and arranged them on the perimeter of the deck behind the house.  This summer was brutally hot and dry and I had to water every single day to keep them alive.  The heat scorched the blooms as soon as they started to open.  Now that we are shifting into autumn they are beginning to put on a show. 

When we visited Sue's brother last May we admired a 'Betty Boop' rose they had planted by their back door. I just had to have it. It is classified as a floribunda, semi-double, ivory-white flowers with red edges borne in clusters over a long period. They are mildly scented. New leaves are dark red, maturing to glossy green. We will enjoy this rose all summer long.

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Sunday Bridges - 21st Street Bridge

The 21st Street bridge over the Arkansas River as seen from the terrace of the Blue Rose Cafe.

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Chainsaw Carving - Lighthouse

This house at 4104 South Norfolk has at least 2 interesting features. The first is the fine chainsaw carving of a lighthouse by Clayton Coss. The second is that the house itself is a kit home ordered from Sears, Roebuck and Company and assembled after delivery. This particular model is the "Westly". I have no date for the construction of this house but the picture is from a 1919 catalog.

Tulsa has quite a number of kit homes. I would guess that the availability of these houses coincided with the boom in housing during the 1920's when the growth of the oil industry spurred a rush of housing in Tulsa. If you are interested in knowing more about these kit homes see the excellent site Sears Modern Homes. and enter Tulsa in the search field.

Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa's Timeless Honky-Tonk

Cain's Ballroom is an historic music venue at 423 North Main in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Built in 1924 as a large garage it was soon to serve as a dance hall and prohibition speakeasy for Tulsa's nouveau oil rich.  By 1932 it was home to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, the pioneer of what became known as Western Swing. 

Because of the orientation of the iconic sign on top of the hall it is almost always photographed from the south.  When viewed from the north one sees the tall downtown buildings only a few blocks way.

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Sepia Scenes - Art Deco Station

Former 1930's era service station, now Greg's Auto Detail, East 6th Street and South Rockford Avenue.

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Wordless Wednesday - Tulsa at Night

Main Street Tulsa on a Saturday night.

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Ruby Tuesday - Red Mandevilla

This is Mandevilla, a vigorous flowering vine.  With showy red flowers and glossy green foliage it should look great growing on my pergola.  The problem is that I don't know that it will be winter hardy here in Tulsa.  Right now I have it in a big pot and plan to keep it in the pot and let it winter over in my garage.  I'll let you know next spring.

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Sunday Bridges - Lewis Avenue Over I-44

Lewis Avenue crosses Interstate 44 on a bridge built in 1956.  It is due to be demolished soon and replaced as part of the project to expand I-44 from Yale Avenue to the Arkansas River. 

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Weekend Reflections - Downtown Tulsa

Looking East down 6th Street from Cheyenne.  The Bank of America Center is on the left, The Petroleum Club is on the right.

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Railroad Crossing

"Railroad Crossing, watch out for the cars."  Can you spell that without any Rs?  T-H-A-T of course.

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Sepia Scenes - Central Park Apartments

Central Park Apartments, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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Wordless Wednesday - Dressing the Pergola

 Back in the early summer we had Tulsa Woodscapes build a beautiful Pergola on our deck behind the house.

 It looked very nice, but a little barren so we decided to add some potted plants.

Some climbing vines at the corners and roses in pots add quite a lot of color.  Now that the summer heat has broken and it is pleasant to be outside again we are really enjoying it.  Drop by for a glass of iced tea.

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Ruby Tuesday - Tropicana Rose

The salmon red Tropicana is the favorite rose of a lot of people.  Healthy, disease resistant, with a nice fragrance, it blooms all summer long. 

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Saint Frances Sunday

As I write this it is Sunday, October 2, and is Saint Frances Sunday.  Saint Frances was known for his love for animals.  In many churches it is the custom to bring pets to church to be blessed.  Of course we brought Smokey to receive his annual blessing.  At 11 he is a role model for the younger dogs.

Two years ago we went to Santa Fe, New Mexico and visited the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Frances of Assisi.  This church community dates back to 1610. The congregation celebrated its 400th anniversary last year in 2010.

The wall behind the altar is a panel of icons with a small statue of St Frances at the center.  I think he is quite old but he has been given a new sash.

For more information see their website HERE. For an excellent Wikipedia article with a virtual tour of the cathedral see HERE.


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Sunday Bridges - Loop around Tulsa

The Inner Dispersal Loop feeds traffic around central Tulsa from all directions.  I like this view from Central Park that at first glance joins the loop to the park's walking trail.  I know I am prejudiced but I think Tulsa is a beautiful city.

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Weekend Reflections - Bath Time

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Skywatch Friday - Central Park Apartments

Tulsa has a Central Park neighborhood  located just east of downtown.  The Central Park Apartments are new but with a retro look and a spectacular view of downtown Tulsa.  The sky is a lovely Autumn Blue.

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Sepia Scenes - Mayo Hotel

 The Mayo Hotel, 115 West 5th Street, Tulsa Oklahoma

Tulsa's landmark hotel, the Mayo opened in 1925 as an 18 story 600 room hotel. It has recently undergone extensive remodeling and restoration and now offers 102 hotel rooms, 70 luxury residences, and opulent event space with a restaurant and coffee shop in the lobby.
 
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Wordless Wednesday - A Prayer for David

My son David stopped by on Saturday to say goodbye.  He left Sunday for 2 months in Iraq.  He serves with the Air Guard here in Tulsa and is part of a group being sent to help get ready for the draw-down of our troops there by year end.  He is a very fine young man and much loved.  Keep him safe Lord, bring him home.


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Ruby Tuesday - Purslane

Purslane, a larger form or Portulaca.  I looked this up on the internet and discovered that numerous forms of this plant are not only edible but commonly used in salads and stews in many parts of the world.

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Macro Monday - Bumble Bee

Bumble Bee at work sipping nectar and pollinating flowers in the process.  Notice the full pollen  baskets on the hind legs.

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SOOC - First United Methodist, Tulsa

Last Sunday afternoon Sue and I attended  the piano recital of Haochen Zhang at the First United Methodist Church in downtown Tulsa. Mr Zhang was the gold medalist at the thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition held in 2009.   He was the youngest (19), and the first Asian (China) to win the competition.  In a word, he was sensational.

The recital was the first in a series of activities taking place this year in honor of the church's 125th anniversary, having been founded in 1886.  That is about as far back as anything goes in Tulsa.  This was the first time I had been inside this beautiful church and was struck by the stained glass and the ranks of copper horns that are part of the structure of the pipe organ.  As much as we enjoyed the music it was the the play of light on the window and pipes in the north transept that made the best photograph.

Straight Out Of the Camera (SOOC) is a meme for photos that have not been tweaked or altered. In other words, straight out of the camera.

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Weekend Reflections - Chicago Stock Exchange

The Chicago Stock Exchange Straddles the Congress Parkway at 440 South La Salle Street.


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Skywatch Friday - Lighthouse

Lighthouse on Lake Michigan just off from Chicago.

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Sepia Scenes - Arbor

Light, shadow, post and lintel all point the eye to some distant place.

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Wordless Wednesday - Hanging Baskets

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Macro Monday - Looking for Sugar

Bees and wasps enjoy sipping the sweet nectar from flowers.  Three are feeding here.  Can you find them all?

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Sunday Bridges - Jefferson Barracks Bridge

Here is another look at the Jefferson Barracks Bridge over the Mississippi River south of St Louis.  This shows the 910 foot spans on the Missouri side of the bridge as seen from the south.  Sue and I crossed this both going and coming from our trip to Chicago earlier this month as seen HERE.  

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Weekend Reflections - Rain at Last

Today we had a long slow steady rain and temperatures were in the 60's.  What a relief!  Here at the 41st Street Riverpark are my favorite Sycamore trees.  May you enjoy good weather wherever you are.

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Thursday Challenge - Ready, Aim, FIRE!!

The Thursday Challenge theme for this week is "FIRE" -- Flame, Burning, Hot Things, Matches, Lighters, etc.
For these boys sitting astride the turret of a World War II tank it is  Ready, Aim, FIRE!!   Just like in the movies.

Cantigny Gardens and Military Museum,Wheaten, IL.


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Wordless Wednesday - Ornamental Millet

Ornamental Millet at Cantigny Gardens, Wheaten, Illinois

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Double Delight Hybrid Tea Rose

This is a Double Delight Hybrid Tea.  It starts out as red with a bud that reveals a center of yellow as it opens, then fades to a white center as it matures.  The "double delight" is that this rose has a wonderful strong rose fragrance.  I have this rose in a large pot on my deck which is blooming as best it can in our heat.  This example was in the Cantigny Garden when we visited the Chicago area a few weeks ago.

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Macro Monday - How About a Little Honey

While visiting the Cantigny Gardens in Wheaten, IL last week we found some honey bees who were hard at work gathering nectar for honey. 

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Remembering September 11, 2001

Tulsa's twin towers are opposite sides of a large Oak tree.  Appropriately located in Veteran's Park at 21st Street and Boulder Avenue is this dramatic chainsaw sculpture by Tulsa's Clayton Coss. One side reminds us of the cost of our freedom and the other of its fruits. The 10th anniversary of September 11 is a good time to remember both.   An article written when the sculpture was created is HERE.

On September 11, 2001 I was using my computer and got a news flash that an aircraft had struck one of the World Trade Center buildings in New York City.  Assuming it was some sort of a terrible accident I turned on my TV set in time to see the second airplane strike.  I just sat and watched in disbelief thinking that it must be a mistake, that it looked like a special effects movie.  Most people can remember exactly what they were doing when they first got the news.  Where were you?

An extensive collection of photographs remembering 9/11 can be found at LIFE.COM.

Home Again, Home Again

We made it home about 2 PM this afternoon.  Our faithful dog Smokey was very glad to see us, and we to see him.  Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

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Jefferson Barracks Bridge Over the Mississippi River

The Jefferson Barracks Bridge is a pair of bridges that span the Mississippi River on the south side of St. Louis, Missouri. Both bridges are 909-foot (277 m) long steel arch bridges and carry traffic for Interstate 255.

Sue and I drove from Chicago across the Mississippi south to Lebanon, Missouri where we will spend the night.  We should be back home tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. 

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Chicago As Seen From Lake Michigan

Today was Susan's treat. She booked us for a 2 hour boat cruise to view Chicago from Lake Michigan.  The weather was perfect and the cruise served an elegant luncheon.  Chicago from the water is an amazing city.  Thank you Susan.

Cantigny Gardens and a Dip in the Pool

Sue and I spent a beautiful day at the Cantigny Gardens and Museum located in the Chicago suburb of  Wheaten, Illinois.  I have some wonderful photos to share, but will save them for later.

 When we returned to our motel Mark and family came over to swim in the pool and eat pizza.  It was a very nice day.  From left to right is Moira, Sue, Callie, Mark, Niamh, Elena, and Fiona.  The foot belongs to Fiona.

Labor Day in Chicago

The girls are Fiona 9, Moira 6, Callie 4, and Niamh 22 months.  The big folks are Susan, Mark, Elena, and yours truly, Bill.

Sue and I got to Chicago about noon today, Labor Day.  We joined her son Mark and family and took the girls to a small amusement park called Santa's Village.  Other than a greeter with a fake white beard there was nothing particularly Christmas like about the park but it was full of little kids having fun.  I lined everybody up for a picture when a kind gentleman volunteered to let me join the group for a family photo.  

Weekend Reflections - Piano Bar

Small Bar at the North window of Tulsa's Jazz Depot.

Susan and I will drive up to Chicago to visit her son Mark and his family for the week and this blog may go missing for part of the time.. We plan to do some sight seeing and will have new photos when we return.

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CDPB Theme: Perspective - Boston Avenue Bridge

Looking north up Boston Avenue from the front of the Jazz Depot.  The section of Boston Avenue connecting 1st Street and Archer is a pedestrian walk which crosses the railroad yard running through the center of Tulsa.  The tall slender object at the center is a strange steel sculpture known as "The Artificial Cloud". 

A City Daily Photo Blog (CDPB) is a blog that publishes a photo each day taken in and around a particular city. Currently there are 2,294 such blogs. Tulsa Gentleman is a City Daily Photo Blog for Tulsa, Oklahoma. The first day of each month there is a theme for all City Daily Photo Blogs. The theme for May is "Perspective".

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