Today we literally wrestled throngs of crowds. The beloved Her Majesty’ Queen Elizabeth II lay in state in Westminister Hall and thousands and thousands came to pay their respects. While many were able to pass her coffin, droves and droves could only pine for the loss to never see her again.
We were able a glimpse of William and Harry in the late afternoon as it was said the grandchildren were there to pay respects .
There will be many stories coming when the internet situation works better.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has died. Her son, Charles III is now king. Here is his statement:
“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
Royal Photo of King Charles and QEII
We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.
During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”
Many in the United Kingdom have only known a woman as the “Defender of the Faith” and now comes King Charles III, her son as King.
We, in Jacksonville mourn Her Majesty the Queen’s loss too.
As reported by the Royal website and The New York Times-
“I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow.
King Charles III-Royal Photo
Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen — my beloved Mother — was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.
Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today. Alongside the personal grief that all my family are feeling, we also share with so many of you in the United Kingdom, in all the countries where the queen was head of state, in the Commonwealth and across the world, a deep sense of gratitude for the more than seventy years in which my mother, as queen, served the people of so many nations.
In 1947, on her 21st birthday, she pledged in a broadcast from Cape Town to the Commonwealth to devote her life, whether it be short or long, to the service of her peoples. That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life.She made sacrifices for duty. Her dedication and devotion as Sovereign never wavered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss. In her life of service we saw that abiding love of tradition, together with that fearless embrace of progress, which make us great as Nations. The affection, admiration and respect she inspired became the hallmark of her reign. And, as every member of my family can testify, she combined these qualities with warmth, humor and an unerring ability always to see the best in people.
I pay tribute to my Mother’s memory and I honor her life of service. I know that her death brings great sadness to so many of you, and I share that sense of loss, beyond measure, with you all.”
Queen Elizabeth’s son, now King Charles III- September, 2022
The Royal Family announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, “Published 8 September 2022”. She was the longest living Monarch ever at 70 years and 214 days.
Royal Photo Press Release
“The following announcement has been issued by Royal Communications: The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to Long tomorrow”.
Somehow, many feel as if we knew Queen Elizabeth II, even those who live in Jacksonville. God Bless her legacy for it will live on into Eternity.
“It is true that the world has had to confront moments of darkness this year, but the Gospel of John contains a verse of great hope, often read at Christmas carol services: ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’… Despite being displaced and persecuted throughout his short life, Christ’s unchanging message was not one of revenge or violence but simply that we should love one another.” (Queen Elizabeth II, Christmas message, 2015)
We had no dryer. We had the clothesline, the sunshine and our clothes smelled like summer breeze.
Simply put, we had no real money. There was a daily struggle to build the house, live life and put food on the table. Looking back, the financial struggle was real. As a kid, I had no idea though. Our lives were rich and full. We were happy doing what we could do and Mama would say all of the time, “We’ll just make do”. Daddy was creative in all that he did regarding fixing up the someplace. He did all he could to fix and take care of the home goods while saving money. When we cleared the land years after their home-going, we found a lawn mower spark plug used as a plug for the water system. Mama could be seen in the bent-can aisle of Solomon’s trying to get a “deal”. Mama was a stay-at-home Mom and Daddy worked a civil service job with the Navy on Cecil Field. When at home, they both tried to be smart saving money by the do-it-yourself plan.
By the time I was in high school, we had a complete washer and dryer area but up until that time, we used the good ole’ fresh air to dry clothes.
clothesline-wikipedia
While clearing out places on the property recently, one of the two clothes lines that we had was exposed. It brought back many memories. The clothes would be washed in the washer, place in a wooden basket and walked out to the line. There was a bag of clothes pins hanging at the end of the line which had a wire used to whisk it up and down the line for ease. The clothespins were used to attach the clothing at the top or bottom to the line for drying.
Mama said it was best to put like pieces together so as to be able to fold them together but sometimes pants, shirts, or underclothes might be hung all on the same wire side by side.
We had two clotheslines. One was on the right back side of the property behind the house. The other was on the east side of the swimming pool. Both were used over time to hang our wet clothes out to dry. It would take a few hours to dry clothes on a full sun day.
The upside to drying clothes outside was the fresh air smell. The downside to drying clothes outside was the stiffness of the clothes after they dried. If you were to forget them on the line, the would have a very different feel and smell from the fresh one day line dry. If it rained and they got wet by rain there was even a more odd smell and feel which would mean another wash and dry before wearing them.
‘Crazy, but I do not remember the man’s name. He lived at the South end of Milson Road, off of Crystal Springs on the Westside. Milson was and still is a dirt road and very much in the country. Now a days it is still a single lane dirt road but the city has definitely come to the area including large subdivisions nearby. His home was just behind our 10 acres. He provided fish boxes for the fisheries in the Duval County area.
When I was about nine or ten a bunch of us kids would go to this house and nail together fish boxes. The side strips and ends were already cut and all we would do is line up the sides and two ends and nail it together, stack it and begin a new.
The old man needed the help and we loved the change. It would be used to go to Anderson’s Dairy on the Northeast side of Crystal Springs Road to buy a honey bun and a coke. So, I guess my first job was a fish box nailer.
The old place is pretty much gone now but as I rode past there recently, all of those memories of learning how to nail together fish boxes came rushing back. The remembrance of the heat, hitting my finger with a hammer and then the happiness of getting paid for such, rushed back.
Jacksonville, being on the St. Johns River and having the beaches has always been a huge industry for fishing. The United States Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service put out a circular in 1963 called “The Annual Report of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological laboratory”. It highlighted programs such as “The Blue Crab” program, “Sampling the Catch” program, “Florida Studies, St. Johns River” and more. This business helped meet the needs for those in this important business.
This photograph hangs in the Brandenberg Room of the Oaklawn Cemetery. You should go see it if you have some time. There are other Jacksonville photos in that room and it would be worth a 30 minute stop.
Time Union writer Sandy Strickland wrote of the clock “Once dubbed the handsomest of its kind in the South” that it was later designated “local landmark status”. When I was a kid growing up and we would ride the bus from the Woodstock area, and would say at some point, “I’ll meet you at the clock at certain time” and a time would bring us there. I was about 7 or 8 when we spent a good deal of our lives in downtown Jacksonville. Some of that time was definitely spent near that landmark.
It was by that clock that our little red Simca stick shift wouldn’t crank and my Dad could be seen popping the clutch and with all 4 doors open, each of us hopping on one leg trying to push it for a crank. My Mother ended up almost falling as we were yelling to her, “Jump in!” Oh, that was a day and it occurred right there at the corner of Laura Street and the clock.
The clock dates back to the rebuilding of Jacksonville after the Great Fire of 1901. At the top of the clock it reads “Jacob’s” and is located outside of the Greenleaf building. Jacob Crosby and D. Greenleaf had a jewelry store and the clock, a Seth Thomas was placed on the corner of Laura and Adams.
Over the years it has had its own tragedy including being hit by a city bus in 1974 and clock parts stolen causing it to be out of commission for a time. In 1996, the clock was refurbished again as voted on by the City Council. According to theFlorida Times Union, the restoration was paid for by city and private funds. It was also renovated in 2011 and in 2022, it still sits there as Jacob’s Jewelers move from that location where they have been for over 132 years. Jacob’s gave the clock to the city so it will remain. What are your memories about this clock?
On the wall in the Brandenburg Hall of Oak Lawn Cemetery off of San Jose Blvd, there is a massive and beautiful map of Jacksonville, Florida dated 1876. If ever you can, you should drop by and take a look. It will cause you to want to take a photo. The same arial view of Jacksonville can be found in the Library of Congress.
This map has the seal and number so I assume it is one of the authentic copies of the city, like the one donated to the Library of Congress by Alvord, Kellogg and Campbell dated 1840. This seal indicates 1876.
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14
So, I did not even think about the gas gauge. It never occurred to me on this trip to Augusta that I needed petro, again. I filled up before I left Jacksonville so in my mind, I’m good to go.
This morning as I left Columbia County on “E”. I didn’t realize it until the car made that dastardly sound of rapid “ding. ding. ding”. It was then that I panicked. First of all, although I know that particular area sort-of-kinda, Wayne, the brother-in-law sent me a different way because of area construction. That way, I have almost no idea how far it is to anything. If you know anything about Georgia’s countryside, you know the blocks are actually “country blocks”…. Long and far.
With the radio, and AC off and anything else that I thought might use more gas, I headed to where I thought was a gas station. With knots in my stomach and a prayer, off I went headlong in that direction. “Whew”, I said as I pulled into the empty parking lot of the gas station. It was then I realized it was Sunday and not open at that time!
I saw a young man there hoping to go in as well and ask him where the nearest station was. He said, “Oh, a couple of miles. Why?” I explained that I was in a pickle. Right away, he said…”Don’t worry. Follow me. I’ve got a little extra time”.
So I did. I followed him right into the station and he waved me off to go do whatever he was going to do. People can me nice. His mama did a good job.
Today, August 23, 2022 there was a chance to change or solidify the way you feel about this great country. If you really care about America, you’ll vote in one of the primaries. Polls open at 7:00a.m., closing at 7:00 p.m. If you’re still in line at 7:00 you’ll still have opportunity to vote. So, go vote.
In recent months those in Jacksonville received new voting cards which included your basic information and a precinct location in which you can go cast your ballot. Here are requirements as provided on the My Florida website:
Florida driver’s license
Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
United States passport
Debit or credit card
Military identification
Student identification
Retirement center identification
Neighborhood association identification
Public assistance identification
Veteran health identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to s. 790.06
Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality.
If your photo ID does not include your signature, you will be asked to provide another ID that has your signature.
If you do not bring proper ID, you can still vote a provisional ballot. As long as you are eligible and voted in the proper precinct, your provisional ballot will count provided the signature on your provisional ballot matches the signature in your registration record. 8-23-22
I voted in the early voting opportunity. I hope you voted too and vote to make and keep America great.
