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Pandemic 2020 in Jacksonville

In February of 2020 the news media began stories about COVID-19. Words like COVID, pandemic, medicines, sickness, world-wide, virus spread, “Center of Disease Control and Prevention” and the like were being talked about. Experts were being brought into news stations to talk about virus spread, SARS-CoV-2 and such. Many of those experts knew absolutely nothing about this virus.

By March 2020, many business, churches and families began to restrict activity in their lives. Some churches and businesses completely shut down narrowing their activities to online only events. In Florida , Governor Ron DeSantis gave an executive order that restricted all activities except for those considered “essential”. People stayed in their homes and did not even go to their family members homes during this time for fear of disease spread.

By September of 2020, many restrictions were rescinded, however the public was well aware of the possible dangers and in Florida, sought to manage within safety conditions. DeSantis encouraged wise decision and allowed the people of Florida to live their lives while the Federal Government in many cases took liberty and freedoms from the people.

Those who kept the records completely failed the American public, counting those who had the actual sickness with those who were in the hospital with other conditions so we will never really know the extent of the number of cases. The news media, particularly, CNN played eerie music during their showing of virus cases, with a sidebar ticking away virus case numbers which were not even true numbers. This proved to be a tactic that caused much fear among those watching these programs.

The Center of Disease Control pushed vaccines, and serious mask-wearing for even young children. Certainly, a lot of the restrictions, school board decisions and business regulations were controversial. Considering the numbers, which more than likely are not even correct, depending on who collected them and how, Florida choices during the pandemic proved to be more positive overall than others with complete lock downs.

Now that the virus is considered under basic control, there are a lot of businesses offering sale items of masks and other pandemic things. We as a people are still all affected by this world-wide pandemic but we try to move forward.

In Jacksonville and I’m sure the world, the pandemic changed everything. I do believe every part of our lives were affected by this virus often called the “China Virus”. It is believed that the virus began in Wuhan, China.

From the loss of seeing our family members for weeks and weeks and weeks, to the loss of work which affected our financial situations, this sickness changed even our mind-set. The way business is done, our personal actions and behaviors have been changed.

Even the Church and the way the fellowship of believers meet has had an impact. During the pandemic, the number of people were restricted as to how many could gather in a room affected membership roles. Chairs were closed off and covered, ropes were places on designated areas for seating and online services were enhanced which even affected followers today. There are some members who have not returned to church using the online programs as their church service. For sure, the financial situation has been impacted at the fellowship with many do not see the importance of keeping open the doors of the church.

As we all rebuild after this horrible pandemic event, we observe many of the see-through plastic walls in front of registers come down, no masked faces and less hand sanitisers on counters. We’re now over two years out and things seem to be getting more normal. I say “more normal” because things will never be the same. I wonder about your thoughts concerning the pandemic of 2020. 8-18-22

See you tomorrow,

Category: Churches, Family, Health | LEAVE A COMMENT

August 17

Our Old Country Barn

We could not save the barn of our childhood. It was built about 1963 using railroad cross ties and tin. My Father had a way with putting things together, using the old and creating a new look. The old barn held up until about 2001 when it began to show serious disrepair. At that time, my Father, in his 90’s, was not going out to the barn area much and no attention was being paid to the lagging sides and caving-in roof.

In 2021, we finally came to the realization that it could not be pulled, pushed or braced enough to save it so, we took it down with an excavator, burned the wood, and removed the brick flooring. We are now in the process of repurposing the camper barn instead.

Many memories are attached to that old barn even though it is gone and almost no evidence of it once being on the 10 acre property. We spent many days playing on the 75 bales of hay that would be delivered for our horse and cows. While we only had one horse, Smokey, and 2 cows, Betsy and Lambert. It was still a farm; a small one, but a farm. We milked Betsy, rode Smokey and Lambert was a prize cow so that was our animal fix.

Over the years, we had chickens, geese and of course, dogs and cats. We once had a weasel and certainly saw snakes a-plenty.

Those were the days. 8-16-22

See you tomorrow,

Category: Buildings, Family | LEAVE A COMMENT

August 16

Dinsmore Dairy

The Dinsmore Dairy that was in North Jacksonville probably dating back to the early 1900’s to the 1970’s is no longer producing milk for the Jacksonville and beyond community but there are still artifacts and remaining relics of the business. Today, I came across a metal milk jar container and was glad to find it.

The dairy at one time had one of the largest groups of Guernsey cattle and the Johnson family were known for producing milk for the community. I went to school with Earl A. Johnson’s son, Andy, graduating in 1971 so I remember those days.

The house where the milk was processed has been turned into a pretty home set back among beautiful oak and pecan trees. Hanging from them are wispy Spanish moss. Some of the old milk barns can be seen from the dead-end street but much of the farm out-barns and other farming structures like silos’ are gone. Around the old farm are two subdivisions dotted with brick homes. While there is still a semblance of the country, the country has come to town out there.

See you tomorrow,

8-16-22

Category: Business, Neighborhoods | Comments Off

August 15

My Parents Were Married in RBC

Today, I left my church, the FBC of Jacksonville, a little early and headed to the St. Vincent’s Hospital to visit a 96 year old friend. As I rode past the Riverside Baptist Church I noticed the front doors open wide. Pulling over, I decided to drop in to see where my parents were married in 1945.

It’s actually jaw-dropping to walk into that beautiful sanctuary. The 11:00 am service was at a close so I sat on the back pew and just marvelled at the beauty of that space. In looking it up, it is on the United States National Register of Historic Places since 1972 and won a spot on the Florida Arcitechture: 100 Year. 100 Places.

Riverside Baptist Church. Ramey Collection

The architect was Addison Mizner of The Winter White House fame.( President John F. Kennedy’s place). He had also designed work in Boca Raton and the Everglades.

This church was completed in 1926. My parents were married in 1945 just after WWII. The best man was Tommy Thompson and the Maid of Honor was my Mother’s twin sister, Geneer. It is interesting to note that Tommy Thompson and my Mother’s twin, Geneer, married in this same church in January of 1946 with my parents being their support system.

Geneva and Alec in front of the Aberdeen home in Riverside

See you tomorrow,

Sources: Google, Wikipedia, RBC, 8-13-22

Category: Churches, Family, Visit This | LEAVE A COMMENT

August 14

Northeast Florida

Jacksonville is in Northeast Florida. Just about the time you pass the FLORIDA sign, you are in the Jacksonville range. Also considered Northeast Florida is Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, Green Cove Springs, Mayport, Fort George Island, The Beaches, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach and Palatka.

Jacksonville’s claim to fame is the fact that the “earliest civilized history dates to the 1562 landing of French explorer Jean Ribault on a point high on a bluff above the St. Johns River. Ribault was greeted by Timucuan Indians, who thrived on the area’s plentiful game and fish and shared their stores and knowledge with these visitors. Jacksonville was named in 1822 for Andrew Jackson, Florida’s first territorial governor and later U.S. President.” It is also known for an extensive park system, one of the largest, if not the largest in the nation.

Jacksonville is a beautiful city with a pretty skyline that emphasises blue skies, for the most part and of late is filled with new condos and corporate life. There are multiple bridges in Jacksonville that span across the rivers and water areas of the town.

It has a most massive oak trees, called the “Treaty Oak” that is quite aged and kept with care in a park near the Southbank of the downtown area.

Northeast Florida is a great place to visit and Jacksonville is a hallmark place to come if you’re far or near. It’s worth the drive.

See you tomorrow,

Source: Visit Florida.com

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August 13

“Love, Love”

Our family is originally from the low country, South Carolina. They were from a family of farmers, living off of the land, and worshipping God in a tiny wooden church in the back woods of Estill. For the most part, family members were both their friends and relatives. They could hardly see the shadow of their neighbor’s homes due to the distance from property to property. These working people planted their own seeds, worked the land and enjoyed the harvest.

My Mother, Geneva, passed away in 1974 leaving her siblings, Dorris, Dennis and twin sister, Geneer behind. After the loss of my Mother’s twin; Geneer, over 20 years later, her daughter, my “twin cousin” sent a few things found among her belongings:

The funeral home information for my Mother’s Mother, Lula Hoover Long-

A poem read by Pastor King at my Mother’s funeral-

Tatting for a pillow or pillow case done by my Grandmother, Lula-

“Love, Love”, as our family saying would go.

See you tomorrow,

Oh, and just for the sake of Jacksonville history… My Grandparents, Clifford and Lula Long came to Jacksonville in the 1940’s. They lived first on Aberdeen Street in Riverside and then bought a home on Fitzgerald Street in the Lackawana area. 8-13-22

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August 13

The Seminole Hotel

The ole’ Seminole Hotel once sat at the SE corner of Hogan and Forsyth Streets. Complete with three elevators and 10 stories high, it was quite the structure. The hotel was a beauty and the “place to be” and the place to be seen. With the theme of Indian lore, it had a dining area decorated and called “The Indian Room”; canoe and all. If you look carefully at the postcard, you can see the hanging canoe in the front of the room.

If you go to the Ed Ball building at 214 North Hogan Street, you can see and even touch the huge terracotta decorations that once were on the building’s structure. There are two pieces at that location; the Seminole Indian and the eagle flanked with a flag.

The building was built in 1909 by architect, Henry John Klutho and demolished in 1974.In its hey day, people took sightseeing tours to the building, had grand parties and events there and it was quite the show piece for the city of Jacksonville.

After it was demolished, it was used for a parking lot. Now the Bank of America Tower is located in the space. Gee, things change. I wonder if they’re hot in those clothes?

See you tomorrow,

Category: Buildings | LEAVE A COMMENT

August 12

The Tree Trunk

As I’ve been saying, there are many trees on our parent’s property. With that and trying to make changes, some have had to come down. While we’ve tried to get up most roots, some are in places that digging is not a good idea so we’ve had to improvise.

As you perhaps are ( or not?), you may see things on the side of the road and think…”I could do this or that with that piece”. If you’re like me, you heave-ho it onto the back of your truck or in the trunk of your car and off you go. That’s me.

I push, shove, grunt and groan to get whatever it is onto my truck bed, tie it down and off I go. When I get where I’m going, I figure out a way to use it. Such was the case for this slay bed that I found some months ago.

With the help of a friend, it is now a birdhouse slash tree trunk cover. I’m just waiting for a bird family. I already have lizards occupying it.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Family, Flora and Fauna, Random Posts | LEAVE A COMMENT

August 11

Jacksonville is so Beautiful

I love this city. Do you love it as I do? There is so much to love. Jacksonville has so many attributes. It has huge open spaces, a lot of greenery, the oceans and beaches, sand hills and sand spurs. You can raise animals, cattle, horses , cats or dogs, or even birds and iguanas…. Take your choice.

Jacksonville has more than 20 miles of beautiful beaches! It has one of, if not the largest park systems in the nation. Jacksonville offers incredible fishing including the great King Fish Tournament! Oh, it has the St. Johns River, for goodness sake and it runs right through the downtown area. Beautiful.

It is the place where one of the first Bibles was brought to the shores of America and where the first Protestants sought to bring the Gospel of Christ. (Fort Caroline).

Located in Northeast, Florida, the weather is fine; sometimes too hot but rarely too cool. It’s perfect for the sports enthusiast.

On both sides of Jacksonville there are really historic places like Fernandina, an early land grant provider and to the south, the oldest city, St. Augustine. Not to mention Amelia Island and Daytona Beach, not too far in either direction.

Jacksonville is a beauty. Just sayin’.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Parks, Visit This | LEAVE A COMMENT

August 10

My Dad, the Arborist

My Father was a tree hugger. He was. When he visited his home in Hampton, South Carolina, he would return to Florida with a bag of seeds, seedlings, potted plants and the like. He loved flora and fauna and he and my Mother’s ten acres proved it. The entire property has been filled with plants large and small and mostly large.

In the front yard there are trees; huge and so big they are not even huggable. Many are live oaks, magnolias and cedars. On the corners of the land area there are the large, large trees. Down each property line, cedar trees stretch from one end to the other and this, so he would know his parameters, side lines and middle area.

In 2019 the state of Florida banned local governments from regulation regarding tree removal on private properties. Fees and the need for a permit was stopped and private owners could manage their own properties. My Father needed no such ruling. He would hardly trim the bushes, he was so driven by green growth.

So, today, over 50 years later, my parents property is full and green and that is to say full and green. We can hardly move. As a result, we have, by no choice of our own had to cut and trim in order to do some things to the property.

With little restriction, I find that I still have a huge restriction….my Dad. The “permit” in my mind is definitely my Dad. Before I trim too much or cut down a tree or really even a twig, my Dad lives in my head about it and I carefully make a choice.

We have, of late removed some of the old buildings, barn and swimming pool on the property in a way of sprucing up the land and adding new features. It’s been very difficult in that I really have to think twice before cutting or trimming.

And, yes, as we remove, we’re already in a mode to replant new trees and bushes. It would make my Daddy happy.

See you tomorrow,

Category: Country Life, Family, Flora and Fauna | LEAVE A COMMENT