163. Kids These Days

I am constantly amazed at how much kids are text messaging these days.  It seems like everywhere we go, we see kids with cell phones text messaging.  I was curious a couple of days ago and asked a teenager what must have appeared to be a dumb question, “Why don’t you just call your friends?”  She responded, “Well, like, ahhm, for example, you know, when you’re in a movie you may want to text one of your friends.”  Maybe it’s my age, but I thought you went to a movie to watch the movie.  Would someone help me, please.  What am I missing here?  This photo is of a particularly talented girl who can text with just one hand.  You gotta love ’em.

280. Shopping

Strolling  through the Northside District in Chattanooga on a Saturday evening is a great time to do a little window shopping.

20. Baked Goods

If your travels take you to Signal Mountain, TN, stop by the Sweet Gipsy Bakeshop Cafe at 1404 James Boulevard.  Grab a cup of coffee and one of Jennifer’s mouth watering desserts, sit on the front porch and enjoy the scenery and cool temperatures of Signal Mountain.  You’ll be glad you did.

175. Logs

In today’s time, you have to look hard to still find authentic log homes.  This one, the Toll House, was the home of the first sheriff of Signal Mountain, TN (James C. Connor), who built it in 1858.  His family operated a tollgate on Signal Mountain until the 1880’s and the house is believed to be the oldest structure on Walden’s Ridge.

12. Antique

This piano is inside the Little Brown Church in Summertown on Signal Mountain, Tennessee.

235. Places Of Worship

At a cost of $750, this “Little Brown Church” was built in 1908 to serve the community of Summertown on Signal Mountain, TN.  During that time, people from down in the valley (Chattanooga) sought cooler places to live in the heat of the summer and many had summer homes up on the mountain, thus the name Summertown.  Although running water and bathrooms have been added throughout the years, services are held with the windows open as there is no air conditioning.   Services are held only during the months of June, July and August.  The Little Brown Church is a popular place for weddings and reunions.

21. Bargains

Wow, what a bargain this Tennessee car is!  In Sarasota, we pay $12.95 for our car washes.

335. Transparent

Have you ever thought what it would feel like to walk across a glass bridge, looking through the glass and watching the cars zoom by underneath you?  I don’t know about you, but it makes me very nervous.  This glass bridge crosses over Riverfront Parkway and connects the art district to the downtown district in Chattanooga, TN.  I’m sorry I did not have a polarizing filter with me to filter out the reflections of the clouds which I think would have allowed me to see through to the street below.

191. Museums

This mansion sitting high upon the bluffs overlooking the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, TN is Chattanooga’s first art museum.  Built in 1904, it was later purchased by the widow of Benjamin F. Thomas, one of the founders of the World’s first Coca-Cola bottling company.  The mansion was eventually passed down to George Thomas Hunter, nephew of Benjamin F. Thomas, and was opened to the public in 1952 appropriately named The Hunter Museum of American Art.

119. Gatherings

Today seemed to be the perfect time for this gaggle of geese to gather at the marina.