September 6

Country vs. City-Folk Chickens

When I drive onto the property owned by my parents, Alec and Geneva Vaughan, I always look for the chickens.  Generally, they will hear my truck and come out from beneath the azaleas.  The area has been a rural place in the country for years and years. Being rural, chickens can free-range and roam the land only worrying about the hawks and racoons. Now-a-days it has become more populated with city-folk, neighbourhoods, people and cars zooming up the long road.  

My parents, who bought the Westside property in the 1960’s, have been gone for some time now but there are still chickens on the property.  I bought a 50 lb bag of corn and when I come, the chickens get a nice meal.  For a time there was a group of chickens, then a handful and finally just one lone hen.

When the lone hen began to nest, I went to a neighbour on the south end of Milson, a dirt road and bought 4 fertilized eggs for $5.00.  They were exchanged for the unfertilized  eggs under her.  In twenty-one days, she hatched three of the four eggs. They were tiny yellow birds that turned brown over time. She is white and she was one happy mama.

For a time I would see her and the babies in the front yard but for at least a month I would drive in and there was no sign of them until yesterday.  All three of the babies were with her and what a happy sight it was. They look like teenagers now, bigger and darker brown.  Of course, they were fed a nice meal.

Hopefully they will free-range nearby in the coming days.  The concern now,  is more than hawks and racoons getting them but cars, and trucks. ‘Hoping for the best.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Animals, Country Life | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 5

Mother

Geneva Kathryn Long Vaughan was born October 20th, 1924.  She was born on the South Carolina home place and grew up in that tiny Estill town which is considered the Deep South.  She was a twin with Geneer Long Thompson and her older brother and sister, Dennis and Dorris were twins as well.   Too, their grandfathers on the Long side were twins and their brothers were twins so there were 2 sets of twins in both of those Long families.   These twins have been known in the area as the “Famous Long Twins”.

Geneer- Geneva

My Mother was the older of the two twins.  The two were completely focussed on being together and spending their lives devoted.  Even into their adult years dressed alike and stayed close in their relationship.  

Geneva, my Mom died at the young age of 49 of a brain tumor.  What a tragedy to our family at any age but 49 was just too early to be taken.  As a young person in Estill, she worked in the local drug store owned by her Aunt and Uncle.  She graduated from Estill High School and attended Nixville Baptist Church.  Her father was a farmer and her mother a housewife.

Somewhere around 1943, she met my Father, Alec P. Vaughan, Jr. at the Sandy Run Baptist Church.  They had a Baptist Association meeting and my Father was serving as a seater.  He seated my Mother and her sister to a bench on the front row.  This caused a great deal of fuss and from there, they began to get to know one another.

Alec-Geneva

World War II was raging and my Father was drafted into the Army where he went abroad.  Times were hard and through a turn of events, my mother’s dad needed work and found it in Jacksonville, Florida  at the shipyards.  The family moved to Duval County while my Father was over seas in the war.

When the war ended, he came home by way of Florida’s Camp Blanding where my mother met him.  They were married in December of that same year and have lived in Jacksonville, Florida until their deaths. In 1974 and 2015 respectively.

My Mother was, in my eyes a beauty.  She had big and full brown hair, sky blue eyes and a wide and happy smile.  Her voice and actions were sweet.  She was a nurse, not certified but sweetified to be one and spent her working days helping others feel better.  Mama was kind-hearted and tender.

She went to be with the Lord on this day. She is still miss her.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Family, People | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 4

Fishing Boxes in Jacksonville

“Back-In’the Day”

‘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.  

Those were the days, blue finger nails and all.

See you tomorrow.

Category: Animals, Business, Random Posts | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 3

Incomplete Jacksonville Visit Guide

This is an incomplete list of places to go In and around Jacksonville

Indian Head in the Ball Building
  • Alligator Farm (St. Aug) Amelia Island
  • Alhambra Dinner Theatre
  • Amelia Island Boat Tours
  • Arboretum and Gardens-1445 Millcoe Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225
  • Baldwin Trail
  • Beaches Town Center
  • 0 Atlantic Blvd, Neptune Beach, FL 32266
  • Big Talbot Island- State Road A1A North, Jacksonville, FL, FL 32226
  • Bike Trails
  • Boat Tour in Fernandina
  • Boneyard Beach
  • Caddy Shack- 1860 Starratt Rd, Downtown, FL 32226
  • Castillo San Marcos Fort
  • Castaway Island Preserve- 2885 San Pablo Rd S Jacksonville, FL 32224
  • Center for the Performing Arts
  • 300 Water Street, 32202Celestial Farms
  • Chamblin’s Bookmine
  • City Hall ( Old May Cohen’s Building)
  • Civil War Memorials in Jacksonville
  • Clark’s Fish Camp
  • Conch House
  • Columbia Restaurant (St. Aug)
  • Cross Creek Restaurant
  • Cummer Museum and Gardens- 829 Riverside Ave, Downtown, FL 32204
  • Cumberland Island
  • Dalys Place Arena and events
  • Deep Sea Fishing from Jacksonville
  • Downtown Jacksonville
  • Downtown Riverwalk(North and South Side)
  • 1001 Museum Circle Jacksonville FL 32207 North: 201 East Coastline Drive Jacksonville FL 32202
  • Dreamette
  • Fernandina
  • Florida Theatre
  • 128 E. Forsyth Street 32202
  • Fort Caroline- 2713 Fort Caroline Rd., Jacksonville, FL 3222
  • Fort Clinch
  • Fort Matanzas
  • Friendship Fountain
  • 1015 Museum Circle Jacksonville FL 32207
  • Geocaching in and around area
  • Gold head State Park
  • Guana State Park
  • Hontoon Boats on the St. Johns River
  • Hugeonot Memorial Park- 10980 Heckscher Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226
  • Jacksonville Airport
  • Jacksonville Beach
  • Jacksonville Beach Pier
  • Jacksonville’s 8 major Bridges
  • Jacksonville’s Parks
  • Jacksonville Jaguars Football Games
  • Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Baseball Games
  • Jacksonville Memorial Arena
  • Jacksonville Underground Tunnels Tour
  • Jacksonville University Campus
  • Jacksonville Zoo
  • 370 Zoo Parkway, 32218
  • Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park-500 Wonderwood Drive 32233
  • Kingsley Plantation
  • 11676 Palmetto Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32226
  • Little Talbot Island-12157 Heckscher Dr, 32226
  • Lucky Dolphin Tours
  • Main Library
  • Mickler’s Landing
  • MOSH-1025 Museum Cir, 32207
  • Museum of Southern History-4304 Herschel Street
  • North Florida Campus
  • Okefenokee Swamp(Folkston, Ga)
  • Olustee Battlefield Reenactment(1864)
  • 5815 Battlefield Trail Road
  • Olustee, Fl 32087
  • Painting With a Twist
  • Pecan Park Road Flea Market
  • Reenactment Weekend for 
  • Riverside Art’s Market-715 Riverside Ave, 32204
  • Riverside/Avondale Area
  • Scooter Rides in Downtown
  • Springfield Tours
  • St. Augustine
  • St. Augustine Lighthouse
  • St. Augustine Horse and Buggy Rides
  • St Augustine Trolly Rides
  • St. Augustine Water Tours
  • St. Johns River Ferry
  • St. Johns Town Center-4663 River City Dr,  32246
  • Sweet Pete’s downtown
  • TIAA Bank Field and Stadium-1 TIAA Bank Field Drive, 32202
  • Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve-12713 Fort Caroline Road
  • Trader Hill Farm
  • Treaty Oak
  • Tree Hill Nature Center
  • U.S.S. Orleck Ship and Museum
  • Visit Jacksonville Office
  • White Oak Plantation
  • Whitey’s Fish Camp

See You Tomorrow,

Sources: Busy Tourist, Facebook, Google Search, Planetware, Trip Advisor, Visit Jacksonville, Vacation Idea

Category: Travel, Visit This | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 2

The Records of All People are Being Preserved- Yes, Even Yours and Mine

How do you think God will reward His people for the things done in His name and also one day, see the devil and his bunch cast into hell for their horrible works, if things are not being recorded?

Why can’t people see that?  When talking to even Christians sometimes, I hear them diss the fact that deeds are being recorded including those in the negative realm for “them”. They somehow believe that their deeds won’t be exposed? The fact is, we are all sinners.  ALL. Even the Christian is a sinner. It is ONLY by the grace of Jesus that the Christian can and will stand in the day of judgement. That does not though, take away from the fact that even the Christian’s sins must be known to show God’s fair and just rewards.(I don’t know how it will play out, but that is true).

Every single one of us, Christian or not, sin.  The Bible is clear, “We have all come short of the glory of God”.  

That… my friend is precisely why we ALL need a Savior.  What I hear so many times with the Christian though is, that because he or she has the Savior, his or her deeds are forgiven thus somehow not recorded and kept.  NO. ALL things are recorded whether you have trusted Christ or not. The difference is that God will show His love and reward to those who took His Savior as the payment for that sin.

Yes, when we trust Jesus Christ as Savior, our sins are forgiven but NO, that does not mean we will not see a “play back” of our sins one day.  YES, they have been forgiven as far as the “east is to the west” but… here is the kicker…. Lk 8:17: For nothing is secret, that shall not be revealed; neither anything hidden, that shall not be known and come light.

It is the just God who will be able to sort out the whole display of events one day. He will be judge and jury.  He will be right and fair. He will expose all so that everyone is aware of why people find themselves in heaven or hell.  

Here are other scriptures about exposing ALL and that means, my sins and yours one day. ALL-

Numbers 32:23 says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (KJV).

Heb 4:13: And there is no creature hidden from His sight: but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.

Psalms 33:13: The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.

Lk 8:17: For nothing is secret, that shall not be revealed; neither anything hidden, that shall not be known and come light.

Rom 2:6: Who will render to every man according to his works.

Rev 22:12: And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

1 Cor 4:5: Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Our only hope to be in heaven is to trust Jesus Christ as our Lord and King but by that, do not think that your sins will be hidden.  ALL will one day be exposed so God’s righteousness can shine through. It will be through Christ that ALL are saved from those sins. Praise God.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Faith | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 31

The Jacob’s Jeweler Clock

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?

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Category: Buildings, Random Posts | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 30

Looking Back

In a recent post, I wrote about a sorry excuse for a person who dumped a helpless dog out in the country.  Who would do that?  Who has absolutely NO heart so as to drop off a dog into a totally wooded area with country homes miles and miles apart?  

As I was looking through the photos on my computer, I came again, across the image of this poor helpless pup and noticed how after putting him in that woman’s car, he was tenderly looking back at me.  My heart breaks.

As noted in that post, it appeared the woman was in a B line to come get this dog. Thinking back, she had probably seen him there earlier and returned to rescue him. It all happened so fast and I did not ask questions. It was all so crazy how I stopped to take a simple photo and ran across this hungry and thirsty animal.  Then out of no where, the lady appeared asking about him and took him right away.  How kind!

People can be nice too.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Category: Animals | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 29

Birds Eye View of Jacksonville, Fl

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

See you tomorrow,

Category: Government, Neighborhoods, Random Posts, Visit This | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 28

The Story of Two Dogs

On Sunday, August 28th, while traveling from Augusta to Jacksonville, I decided to go “the scenic route”.  The GPS took me through the little towns in Georgia and down the back roads where there were loads of flora, fauna, farms, and such.  Upon stopping at a forever-field of pecan trees, I got out of my car to take a photo because it was so impressive.   There were trees as far as the eye could see.

While heading back to my car, I noticed in the not-too-far distance a rather big dog; a blonde lab type.  It startled me, being so far out and seeing it by the ditch.  Not knowing if he was friendly, I walked straight to the car and just after closing the door found the dog looking in the window at me; paws on the glass!  His tail was wagging and that long wet tongue lapping so obviously, he was friendly. Up close, he looked skinny too, so someone had apparently let him out and driven off.  How horrible!

My car was a load full of wagon wheels to decorate this fall, 3 very huge ligustrum trees, luggage from my trip and items from shopping with my sister over the weekend. I wondered right then and there where he was going to sit.

Immediately, I got my glass of water and opened the door giving him water to drink.  He savoured every lick.  Then I thought, about what to do.  How would I take him?  Where would he fit?  What would I do with him once I got him home?  I already have a dog and cats galore!  The very dog I have was rescued. I have cats galore because when tenants walk away from their homes leaving them there, they end up in my home.   Oh my!

It wasn’t long when a lady turned the corner.  She rolled her window down and said, “Are you going to rescue that dog?”  I said, “Well, I’m from Jacksonville. I just saw him and didn’t know what to do”.  She said, “If you help me get him in my car, i’ll take him”, and she did!

Reaching down, he was picked up and put in her front seat. She had already laid down her jacket for him.  She said, “People can be awful”.  I totally agree but I was totally grateful she wasn’t awful but kind-hearted instead. She must have known he was there and headed to get him.

What would I have done with another animal?  For sure, something! There is no way I could have driven off leaving that dog on that lonely road but was so thankful for this woman who took in that stray.

Traveling along further, I saw on a hill a pretty home.  On the front lawn was a black, healthy looking dog laying on the lawn looking as if he was waiting on someone.  I slowed and passing by noticed he watched me carefully.  I turned my car around so as to get a photo. When I did, he ran at me barking as if to say, “Don’t bother my home”.  

The story of two dogs…. One dog skinny and hungry for attention; lost and in need of help.  The other, waiting on his master, full, happy and protecting the land.

What kind of person would leave an animal out on a lonely road?   God Bless the lady who took him.  There are good people out there too. 8-28-22

Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely. Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways. Proverbs 28: 5-6.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Animals, Travel | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 27

“I’ve Got A Little Extra Time”

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.

See you tomorrow,

Category: People, Random Posts, Travel | LEAVE A COMMENT