This beauty is a 1934 Teraplane KU Coupe made by the Hudson Automobile Company in the USA. Designed and built during the Great Depression, between 1932 to 1938, the company wanted to capture a larger segment of the auto market by capitalizing on the burgeoning aviation craze of the era. Even Amelia Earhart helped to introduce the Teraplane to the American public. It was also sold to other nations,
Equipped with a six cylinder engine and hydraulic plus mechanical brake systems, the Teraplane was offered with a high output V8 which was favored by gangsters of that era because of its superior speed and acceleration.
Hudson marketed this model under the name of Essex Teraplane in the effort to connect it to its well-known Essex sedan. They didn’t want to put too many embellishments into it so as to keep the price within reach of more car buyers, but she still featured some quality adornments.
The rumble seat with foot pads to climb into it gave this model a distinctive appeal, as rumble seats were all the rage for a few years. The Teraplane was phased out after 1938, but during the early days of its debut, one of the sales slogans went like this, “On the sea that’s aquaplaning, in the air that’s aeroplaning, but on the land, in the traffic, on the hills, hot diggity dog, That’s Teraplaning!”. By today’s standards this is a pretty corny slogan, but it may have been effective in the early thirties.
This is a rare automobile in any condition, however this baby is in pristine shape. I considered it a privilege to have come across her while I ate lunch in midtown and to have had the opportunity to shoot these photos-albeit with a cell phone. I hope you enjoy seeing them and appreciate a masterpiece on wheels.
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Floral Artistry
I am of the opinion that nature produces the most breathtaking artistry known to man. And, flowers are near the top of the list when it comes to sheer variety and beauty. I am also of the opinion that I am most fortunate to enjoy every facet of God’s creation. Not everyone is so lucky.
If I couldn’t see this yellow flower, then perhaps I could touch it. But if I couldn’t feel it, then maybe I could smell its fragrance. If I couldn’t detect it by smell, then someone would have to describe it to me. Should I know only silence then I would be in a real pickle. I can think of one solution to this dilemma; a kind person would have to pick this flower from the base of its stem and gently brush the bloom across my face. Once I know it exists in softness and glorious fragility, the kind individual would put it in a vase for others to experience. Just because I couldn’t fully comprehend or enjoy the presence of a fresh flower doesn’t mean others shouldn’t. So, go ahead, inhale, feel the unopened blooms, touch the stamen, admire the form and color of this blossom and be so bold as to taste a droplet of water clinging to the chiffon petals..
Then, plant a seed or bulb for the next sojourner to enjoy. Natural beauty is too precious not to share and celebrate. And, should you come across another who is limited by physical or mental disabilities, be creative and share a portion of the art that surrounds (or is in) all of us, especially the art of a kind and compassionate soul.
A Splash of Color
How can something as simple as a zinnia be so wonderfully magnificent?
Let Freedom Ring
“My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountain side, let freedom ring”.
Samuel Francis Smith wrote the lyrics to this song in 1831. It later became known as America and was one of several national anthems for a short while. The melody came from Thomas Arne of England where the tune was created for the queen. In 1963, Martin Luther King gave his famously inspired speech, I Have A Dream, wherein he reminded us to let freedom ring amidst a backdrop of racial inequality and segregation. Dr. King eventually paid the ultimate price for the freedom he dreamed about. So have many others.
There is a saying that goes like this, ” Freedom is a luxury not everyone can afford “. In America we state our freedoms as rights and not privileges of the few. How blessed we are to enjoy such liberties. We are free to worship, vote, protest, write whatever we want, say whatever we want, and pretty much do whatever we want (within reason and the context of the law). We are free to think, to achieve, and simply to be.
Thomas Campbell reminds us of the cost of liberty when he wrote, ” The patriot’s blood is the seed of Freedom’s tree “. Since the birth of our nation to the present, Americans have shed their blood for freedom’s sake…for you and for me. Whether you hop in your car on a whim and drive across the great expanse to see the waves crash against the shoreline or sit in a lawn chair sipping a glass of iced tea after you just mowed the grass of your own lawn-these are fruits of freedom we seldom consider as such. But they are fruits of the most precious kind because they involve a personal sense of well-being that oppression can never provide. We enjoy what others have fought for.
So, as we celebrate this Fourth of July, our Independence Day, let us pause and consider the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for our benefit. Generations past, present and future are all recipients of other’s heroic deeds. Whether on the home front or the front lines, sacrifices have been, and are being made. We can all do little things to express our gratitude for the defenders of our liberties: hug a vet, shake the hand of a soldier, assist those left behind, encourage the distressed.
Inscribed on the Liberty Bell is a quote from the Bible, Leviticus 25:10, which states, Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof . May we be so bold to proclaim and defend our freedoms, for future generations are depending on us to do so until they can take up the mantel. Sometimes this means going to war. It also means to fight for our constitutional rights which are periodically attacked from forces within. One thing is certain; anyone who has been deprived of personal freedoms cherishes them. They will fight to keep them, and not simply for themselves, but for the sake of their neighbors, as well. Defenders of freedom aren’t selfish.
Let freedom ring loud and clear…I like the sound of that. It reminds me of WW II movies when towns were liberated from a sinister enemy and the church bells would ring and ring in celebration of regaining lost freedom. I thank God for living in a country where freedoms abound. If you do not know such liberty, may you find freedom from above where no enemy can steal your soul even though you may not be allowed to speak your heart. Let freedom ring!
Perspective
Optometrist: With the spoon over your left eye, please read the top lines, and then the bottom numbers.
Optometrist: Now, with the spoon over your right eye, please read the top lines and then the bottom numbers. Which is clearer: the first image or the second? Patient: Well doctor, it all depends on what I am focusing on. Optometrist: What do you mean? Patient: When I stare at the object in the distance I can see it clearly. And, conversely, when I focus on the object up close I can also see it clearly. However, I can’t seem to focus clearly on both objects at the same time. What should I do? Optometrist: That’s simple. Open both eyes when you stare at something and all will be clear. Patient: You mean I don’t need corrective lenses? Optometrist: No, but don’t be mistaken…you need vision correction, but that won’t be achieved with glasses, contacts or LASIK. Patient: Then how? Optometrist: By changing your perspective. None of us can see clearly when we view life from a narrow point of reference. We must expand our field of vision which allows more light to enter through our eyes, into our minds, and which eventually illuminates our hearts. By developing a greater point of view we see more clearly. The result will be an objective perspective.
Chasing Shadows
This past weekend we returned from a trip we made to Ft. Worth, Texas, where we visited relatives. There is a section of Interstate I-35 between Emporia and El Dorado, Kansas where the famed Flint Hills are intersected by the highway. The Flint Hills are a geological feature with tall mounds covered with natural prairie grass and gullies cut into the rock. These hills stretch across the eastern portion of Kansas at a North to South direction for 200 miles and are approx.80 miles wide. The elevations vary, but average about 1,400 feet above sea level. They are similar to a mini-mountain range. Due to the flint (chert) near the surface of these hills, farming is not possible. However, the great stand of Blue Stem prairie grass is perfect for cattle grazing. Cattle dot the landscape like trees do mountains at the timber-line. When atop one of the many hills, the visibility is astoundingly far, as if one were looking across a great ocean of blowing grasses. To view photos and learn more, please check out the Flint Hills via your browser as there are multiple sites which display this region.
On our return trip, as we were well into the Flint Hills, there was broken cloud cover. These clouds were moving very quickly. As the shadows of these clouds blocked the sun momentarily, racing shadows swept across the ocean with great beauty. Only a video camera could really capture the essence of what I am trying to describe. A still photograph would give you a static version of a moving thing which would be of some benefit, but it could not convey the race that was taking place. Although we were traveling at the designated 75 miles per hour speed limit, these shadows swept over us like planes. I wanted to catch a shadow, but knew it would be a futile effort so I chased them instead. As the highway would wind and climb then drop and climb again, each group of shadows would laugh at us. They were free of the restrictions of earth and gravity and pavement.
So, I thought as I drove. I marveled at the sheer beauty of clouds and their offspring. I calculated their speed and distance. I was in awe of their ‘light as air’ design, and the ability of each cloud to obscure our view of the sun…even for only a few seconds. The shapes and heights and colors of clouds amaze me, especially at sunsets when white becomes gold or possibly red-orange. And the shadows. They are swift and elusive. They ply across the ground, covering everything in their path as they dart past our field of vision. Magnificent is the word for what I saw. I wish you could have witnessed it for the heavens put on quite a show Monday afternoon.
Have you ever chased a shadow? Caught one? Why not try? Free yourself from anything that holds you back and simply ‘go for it ‘. While you’re busy chasing shadows and staring at clouds, consider who made them and rejoice that we have been given yet another reminder that this world was created for a reason and not by accident. That reason just happens to be you…and me. By enjoying the simple, yet most profound things this world has to offer, you may discover a new dimension to living…peace.
Does Father Know Best ?
Father Knows Best was an idyllic weekly show that aired on television from 1954 to 1960. It starred Robert Young and Jane Wyatt, along with their three fictional children. The show was based on a middle class family in a suburban midwest town. It was a drama / comedy type show which portrayed dad as a thoughtful father who offered sage advice and a mom who was the voice of reason. Much of my description comes from Wikipedia, and is accurate. Fast forward to 2014 and what does father look like in today’s culture. Here’s my observation. Hollywood and advertisers have made father to look like a buffoon and is generally the laughing-stock of most shows and commercials. Gone are the days where father may have known best, and instead we find father (if he is even around) as not knowing how to do anything. If he attempts something which requires any degree of difficulty or intelligence, he fails. However, mom can do no wrong and performs the man’s tasks with relative ease.
The feminist revolution which began in the 60s turned our culture upside down as far as roles and perceptions are concerned. I will be the first to acknowledge that there were (and still are) inequalities among the sexes in America. Many of these have been corrected, but often at the expense of our understanding of what real fatherhood looks like. But, it goes deeper than that, as the change in roles and perceptions are really about men in general-the American male, to be exact. And, if he happens to be a Christian father with moral convictions, watch out as the rhetoric can become ugly.
Was there ever a perfect father like Jim in this TV show? No. Was there ever a mom who always was the voice of reason as was Jane? Again, no. But why have the tables flipped so drastically that men have been demoted to bumbling idiots and yet women are portrayed as smarter and better equipped to handle any situation or crisis? This is not to say that in some cases women are better equipped, but not unilaterally so. Also, I do recognize that guys can act like children at times. and deserve some criticism.
I acknowledge that Father Knows Best created a quasi-accurate portrayal in its presentation of the common family. To begin with that family was white middle class and only dealt with issues of little cultural significance. Then, like today, our culture was diverse. There were many classes, many colors, many economic variances, many social issues and many barriers. Fortunately, many of the negative issues of that time have been corrected, or at least have improved. But not the American male. No sir. He is portrayed as incompetent, bigoted, foolish, silly and dumb. Actually, I know some of those folks myself, but they are in the minority and not the majority as we are led to believe. Wow, I really do know some of those guys!
One of the few times the media portrays fathers (and men in general) as being reasonable, smart and manly is around Father’s Day. The reason…consumerism and the selling of goods to make money. Once this holiday is over the advertising media will revert to its previous froth that men are no longer manly.
Most of the men I have known, and now know; and most of the fathers I have known, and now know are not morons. Imperfect, yes, but they have brains, they work hard, they make wise decisions and give prudent advice, they lead by example and are humble. Of course, there are always exceptions. I submit to you that fathers, when they can be found with their families, are much better creatures than we have been led to believe over the past fifty years. As a side note, the case of the missing father is a deep issue which requires more time and space than I can offer in this post.
Is there room for improvement? Yes. However, let us start from a better premise which states that fathers (and men) in America are thoughtful, reasonable, intelligent, creative, strong, kind and wise human beings who care about their families and our culture. Some respect would be a nice change of pace. Does father know best? Not always, but more often than not. If my dad were here, I would tell him so. Perhaps you should, too. Hopefully, he is deserving of such praise.
P.S. The photo is of my father-in-law, taken recently with my cell phone. I love Charlie.
P.S.S. This post is not a rant, but simply something that has bothered me for a while and is strictly my opinion. I hope no one has concluded that I do not value women because I do very much. Also, this dynamic about males not being respected in our culture (my perception) may not apply to other cultures, and I understand that.
After the Rain
After the rain when the earth is cleansed and flowers bloom. After the rain when rivers rush and ponds overflow. After the rain when birds sing and sunlight breaks forth. After the rain when tears dry up and hope sprouts. After the rain when God smiles and rainbows appear. After the rain when babies jump in puddles and parents laugh. After the rain when clarity returns and dark clouds disappear. After the rain, yes, after the rain, when the world seems strangely right.
PROJECTION
Yesterday morning’s routine was like any other Monday with the exception of this photograph. The difference is simple. Rather than look at the sky and crane and piers, I stopped and shot a photograph of them. Most likely, it won’t win any prize, but I found the image captivating; nature’s beauty with her array of colors and swirls as a background for the projections of steel sprouting up from the earth like trees. God and Man…genius and ingenuity… creator and created. Some see a disparity between the two, but I see unity. Soon, a hotel and convention center will replace the crane. Then, the piers won’t be visible, nor will the rest of the foundation system. However, without these unseen supports this structure could not stand. All of this is rather similar to our existence and God’s foundation of eternal influence and grace; without these man and his civilizations would quickly crumble. As the old saying goes, you can’t always judge a book by its cover, and in this comparison, one can’t experience our reality without the unseen foundation of God’s love for His creation. So, enjoy what we’ve been given even if it is only a glimpse of the sky or the possibility of a vacation in a luxury hotel.
Stone Walled
A castle it is not, but at one time this structure served as a Kansas City Parks & Recreation maintenance facility. It was a rather unique structure when first constructed in the heart of urban KC. Unfortunately it caught fire many years ago. All that is left are a few walls of stone upon stone, along with some boards and steel bars in window openings. Vegetation has taken over the floor. The roof is long forgotten. An arched doorway still welcomes the occasional visitor as an afternoon’s shaft of light draws the unsuspecting passerby.
I find this structure fascinating because its architecture doesn’t fit the surrounding areas’ buildings, and because what is left of it remains standing. I can almost visualize the thousands of footsteps that crossed the threshold, the horses and machines which passed through the missing barn doors, and then the plethora of vehicles which filled the now vacant garage and parking areas. History can certainly be fun to imagine.
Ironically, this place reminds me of some people; hard on the outside and empty on the inside. Often intriguing to look at, yet tragic when one realizes there is hollowness. If you know someone who resembles this description, rather than turn away, consider illuminating their inner being by shining your own light upon them…even if it’s only for a short time. Every ray of light displaces darkness and every kind word or thoughtful action bears fruit; even if only as a seed. For seeds grow and light illuminates which is why we must, as often as is realistically possible, be seed sowers and dispensers of light. Sow and shine…simple concepts, but often difficult to execute. Try anyway.
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