General Ulysses S. Grant

 I was thinking of going somewhere today but I was feeling a little on the tired side.  So that pretty much meant I stayed home.  I really should do a photo a day and I decided to do just that.

I found a figure of Ulysses S. Grant on Amazon and I decided to order it.  It doesn't look too bad, I guess.

Grant was born on April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio to Jesse Root Grant and Hannah Simpson Grant.  He was admitted to West Point and graduated in 1843.  He served with distinction in the Mexican-American War.  He resigned from the Army in 1854 and rejoined in 1861 at the breakout of hostilities.  He won several victories in the western theater of the Civil War.  This was topped by a brilliant victory at Vicksburg and by that, he managed to split the south in half with control of the Mississippi River.  This victory is often overshadowed by the victory at Gettysburg on the same day.

He was promoted to Lieutenant General after his victory at Chatanooga and then was transferred to the east where he led the final campaign against Lee.

After the war, he was elected to terms as President.  He died in 1885.

Catching the Nickel Plate 765

 Like I said in the last post, it has been almost two years since I've seen the Nickel Plate 765.

The last time I saw it was at the Nickel Plate Museum in Ohio.  When I saw it, it was running backwards and I didn't get a chance to go back.

I think they had to do work on her last year and she didn't go out.

It was nice to see her.

It took them a while to load it but it finally got going.

I was in a pretty good spot too.

There were a few people there.

I like the shirt of the guy to the right.

She comes closer.

I like this angle.

I wasn't shooting to much into the sun.

She's about to pass.

I'm not normally a fan of stern shots, but I like this one.

The trailing diesel that would pull it back.

One more shot before heading home.

Visiting Angola, Indiana

 Today, I decided to head down to Angola, Indiana because I heard the Nickel Plate 765 was doing an excursion.  It has been over two years since I last saw it.

Angola, Indiana is in the northeast corner of Indiana.  It is the county seat of Steuben County and has a population of almost 9000.

It was founded in 1838 by Thomas Gale Cornelius Gilmore.  It is home to Trine University.

I liked the look of this sailors and soldiers memorial.  It was in the center of a traffic circle.

Of course it is dedicated to the union.

The plaque in the center has the names of people from Steuben County that died.

Looking down the street.

Looking at the other side.  It looks like it could be a nice town.

I think this is the courthouse.  It looks pretty nice.

On a Quest

 After the ships and the wildflowers, I decided to head up north.  I was going to continue my quest from last year for a Kirtland warbler.

First I went to a road where I thought I heard some.  Also I saw some signs saying that they were breeding grounds for them.  I didn't see any there, so I went to another spot where I know that I heard one.

As I was looking at the trees, I saw a bird land on one of the branches.  Sadly, it was a ways away and I was shooting into the sun.  AFter some cleaning of the image, I think I got one.

Another angle.  It definitely looks like one.

I thought this was one but it turns out that it is just a sparrow.

Stopping at Embury Road

 After catching the ships, I decided that I wanted to head up to Mio.

I ended up taking a circuitous route that took me by Embury Road.  Most of the flowers were gone but I did catch this trillium.  It looked sad but not as sad as the other flowers.

I think this Canadian anemone.

But I'm honestly not sure.

But it's a pretty flower.

Just a Cessna

 This plane was circling around with a banner.

It is a Cessna 150 and was flying out of Grosse Ile.  I didn't get a picture of the sign though.

Catching Up With the Right Honourable Paul J. Martin

 It has been two years since I've see the next ship.

It seems like I always keep missing her.  Sometimes the cycles don't match up with my work schedule.

She's a nice enough looking boat.

She is one of the last ships to be built in Canada.

A bow shot.

Again, I'm not sure where she was heading down from.

But like the last ship, she was also heading to Windsor.

I think she was heading to one of the stone docks.

So it might be safe to say that she was delivering stone.

The fishing boat kept tracking with her.

Windsor in the background.

An almost clear background.

She passes under the Ambassador Bridge.

The bridge almost centered.

I kind of like this angle.

Lined up with her pilothouse.

She starts to make the turn for her dock.