Tag: pitman new jersey

Places & Pheathers – Town, Country & The Pied Pipers of Raptor

On By TimelessladyIn Pheathers, Place9 Comments

Small Business Saturday has arrived, and we supported the cause by window-shopping in one of the small towns near us, Pitman, New Jersey. I like the reflection of the Broadway Theater in the door.

It’s fun to check out how the small businesses decorate their windows to draw shoppers inside.

We went from town to a small woods and field behind our home. As we walked, a large bird swooped in front of us, almost as if it was showing off a bit, and flew to a tree on the edge of the field. What excitement filled us to see not just one very large hawk, but two. I zoomed in with my camera and after downloading was able to make out their markings. I believe they are a pair of red-tailed hawks, although one appears to be much older than the other. Not only did we see them, they were very aware of us and split up, one flying into the horizon beyond the woods and one towards the homes nearby.

I followed the hawk that flew to the trees near our neighborhood as if it was the Pied Piper of Hamelin, or as my imagination deemed it while I played catch up with it on foot: The Pied Piper of Raptor. I never did get close enough to get a photograph without using the zoom on my lens. Smart birds! What a perfect Saturday we’ve had, a little bit of town, a little bit of country.

This post is part of Skywatch.

Quirkiness – Weather Vane Wednesday Challenge/Dragons

On By TimelessladyIn Quirkiness10 Comments

This beautiful dragon weather vane, almost hidden amongst the leaves that shade it, is within walking distance of my home.

“My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Last week, Priorhouse Blog posted a great photo of a weathervane on top of a street sign. Take a look:
Two for Tuesday (Virginia Beach, Virginia- PART 2) A big thank you to Priorhouse for taking part in the challenge.

Keep looking up and link back to this post, and future posts, with your weather vane photographs or add your link in the comment boxes. Tag your post with #weathervaneweds.

Many thanks to Cee, of Cee’s Photography, for including this challenge in her listing of WordPress Challenges. If you love challenges take a look at this page and while you are there check out some of Cee’s terrific posts. Cee’s Photography. Thanks Cee!

Pheathers – Old Blue Eyes

On By TimelessladyIn Pheathers7 Comments

Near my home is a park I have visited since I was seven years old. I take my grandchildren to the same park, although now the “dangerous” playground equipment we adored has been replaced by a one-piece plastic structure. Yesterday, I took a bike ride, with a bag of old cereal strung across my handlebars. My destination was the park and the goose who rules there, the white goose with the blue eyes.

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I call her Old Blue Eyes, but she responds to anyone carrying a bag that might be filled with goodies for geese and ducks. The moment I scattered the stale Rice Krispies on the ground a feeding frenzy began. Some of the wild geese/mallard ducks in the park have become domesticated because of injury. At this time of year, when food is scarce, a little grain in the form of cereal might help them survive.

Old Blue Eyes Collage

Old Blue Eyes 2

Photographs – Challenges/Vibrant Top Ten Historical Sites on Tuesday

On By TimelessladyIn Photographs23 Comments

I love the challenges that WordPress, and fellow bloggers, extend to the blogging community. I enjoy the mental stretching and growth the challenges prompt in me. In today’s post I’ve fulfilled five challenges. Read or skim through the content of the post and see if you think I was able to incorporate all five as a coherent whole, and at the same time, stay true to my commitment to keep the word count in my posts low.

“This week, share a photo of Something Vibrant. Let’s wash the web with a rainbow of colors to keep the winter gloom at bay.” ~ Jen H./Wordpress Photo Challenge

These RAINBOW cottages stand in the Pitman Methodist Campground, now commonly called ‘The Grove,’ in Pitman, New Jersey. I couldn’t find a solid purple house, but did find some pretty lavender gingerbread to stand in its stead.

1. The Pitman Grove is number one in my Top Ten Tuesday Historical Sites, not because it is the best, only that it is the closest in distance.

Rainbow Cottage - Red

Rainbow Cottages - Orange
Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola. – Eggplant (Foundation Color of Cottage)

Rainbow Cottage - yellow

Rainbow Cottage - green

Rainbow Cottage - Blue

Rainbow Cottage purple

Below you will find the rest of my top ten historical sites for Top Ten Tuesday by Broke and Bookish Blog. I’ve kept this list exclusive to the U.S., but hope to someday compile a list of Top Ten Historical Sites Worldwide.

2. Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey – Site of Glassboro Summit Conference talks between Lyndon B. Johnson and Alexei Kosygin. I was in the crowd, but did not see Johnson or Kosygin, I was still in grade school. In the same crowd was a young man I would marry years later, he was able to shake the hand of Lyndon Johnson.

3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The City of Brotherly Love. There are so many historical sites in Philadelphia I have visited and loved. The Art Museum, The Zoological Society, Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, The U.S. Mint, Reading Market…the list could go on.

4. The Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore from Atlantic City to Cape May. The ocean beaches, the bays…I love all the Jersey Shore.

5. Red Bank Battlefield, Revolutionary War Site. – This is a lovely place to go and watch air and river travel.

6. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – Thousands of Americans from both the North and the South died here. There is still a sense of sadness in the atmosphere. It is hard to explain unless you have experienced it. Everywhere you walk and gaze, men died, giving their lives for the cause they believed in. A must-see if you are interested in American History.

7. Arlington National Cemetery – A place to honor those who gave their lives for our country. Also visit the grave of the 35th president of the USA, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

8.Mount Vernon – Mount Vernon – Home of the first president of the U.S. – George Washington.

9. Williamsburg and Jamestown, Virginia – One of my all-time favorite areas to visit. My grandparents lived in the Tidewater area of Virginia, and in many ways it still feels like a second home to me.

10. Washington, D.C. – U.S. Capitol

A few more favorite historical areas on the East Coast: New Hope, PA, Brandywine Valley, PA, Batsto Village NJ, Metropolitan Museum of Art NYC, Block Island, RI, and Jim Thorpe, PA, the Chesapeake Bay, Easton, MD, Tilghman’s Island, MD, and others!

I love visiting these amazing historical areas, and hope to continue doing so in the future. Like so many of us, to accomplish all these goals and dreams I definitely need “Twenty-five hours in a day, seven days a week.” I hope all the dips and turns and strange nuances in this post of challenges has not been confusing. 😀

Search out a few challenges to take part in here on WordPress . If you aren’t a blogger consider starting one. I enjoy the challenges and meeting people from all over the world. Thanks for reading!

People – C. Austin Miles

On By TimelessladyIn PeopleLeave a comment

Recharging…Resting…Rejuvenating… In the meantime, I’m re-blogging some of my favorite posts. Happy Spring!

The first meeting in the tabernacle in Pitman, New Jersey, was held in 1871. A history of the town and the camp meeting can be found here: History of Pitman, New Jersey. The tabernacle is at the center of twelve paths, or spokes, reminiscent of the twelve apostles.

C. Austin Miles, a prolific songwriter, wrote the hymn, “In the Garden,” while staying in the grove area. He said of himself, “It is as a writ­er of gos­pel songs I am proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most use to my Mas­ter, whom I serve will­ing­ly al­though not as ef­fi­cient­ly as is my de­sire.”

Here are a few pictures I took Sunday at about 10:00 in the morning.


These small cottages are just a sampling of the dozens and dozens that surround the tabernacle.

Many years ago when I first moved to the area with my parents, I called this cottage on the fringes of the tabernacle wheel my home. What I remember most about it was the amazing attic it had. When I lived there it had a long front porch which has since been enclosed.

Purpose – Finding/Creating Sanctuary

On By TimelessladyIn Purpose3 Comments

Cottages in Pitman Grove 007

In previous posts I’ve stated that during my childhood I lived for two years in one of the cottages/homes built around the Pitman Methodist Camp in Pitman, New Jersey. Today I live in the town next door to Pitman, and on sunny days you can often find me riding my bike the mile or two to the center of the grove to walk within the shadow of the tabernacle.

The blue cottage above is one of the homes encircling the tabernacle. The cottages form a wheel, with twelve paths, as spokes, leading to the sanctuary. These walkways, according to the camp history, signify the twelve apostles.

I find walking on these paths conducive to inner peace and an attitude of prayer.  My spirit is uplifted as I dwell upon the fact that many souls were saved and lives committed to God upon these grounds.

Cottages in Pitman Grove 004

Here is another view of the home in the first photograph. You might wonder why I am posting a photo of the back of the cottage. I ask you to take notice of the white door. Behind this door is a set of stairs that lead to the basement of the home. When I was in third grade, a precious elderly lady started a club called the JOY (Jesus & Others & You) club. Children from the nearby elementary school would gather within that small space, sit on the stairs as if they were the finest pews, and sing songs of praise. Within that stairwell, this wonderful woman of God created a sanctuary of hope and joy for a handful of grade school children. I often think of her, and thank God that she did what she could, and used what she had, to bring to us a sense of our Father in Heaven.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf…” Hebrews 6:19-20 (NIV)

“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)

Perspective – Saying Good-bye to Winter

On By TimelessladyIn PerspectiveLeave a comment


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The cold winds of winter are still blowing, but there is a brightness in the air. Birds are singing their courting songs. The calendar cannot be denied. Winter is ending…tomorrow Spring arrives.

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The trees are beginning to flush out in buds of red. Good-bye Winter…

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“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

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Photographs taken in the Pitman Grove Camp.

For more information on the Pitman Grove: Pitman Grove Camp Meeting

Proverbs & Photographs –

On By TimelessladyIn Photographs, ProverbsLeave a comment

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus give you all of his blessings, and great peace of heart and mind. I Corinthians 1:3

 

I consider feeding ducks and geese one of my blessings. It is also one of my earliest happiest memories. When young, I fed the ducks in a park near the James River in Newport News, Virginia, the hometown of my paternal grandparents. I visited ducks in McDonald, Pennsylvania too. My grandmother would walk me to her neighbor’s yard to see his flock of ducks. The waddle and quack of ducks brings me great peace of heart and mind.

The raucous cries and whistles on this short video are the seagulls flying about my head. They also had their fair share of stale Cheerios and bread.

Please excuse the shakiness of the video, it’s not easy to keep the camera steady while tossing bread with one hand and getting your fingers nipped by a hungry duck’s bill.

Place and Person – Pitman Grove and Camp Meeting and C. Austin Miles

On By TimelessladyIn People, Place4 Comments

The first meeting in the tabernacle in Pitman, New Jersey, was held in 1871. A history of the town and the camp meeting can be found here: History of Pitman, New Jersey. The tabernacle is at the center of twelve paths, or spokes, reminiscent of the twelve apostles.

C. Austin Miles, a prolific songwriter, wrote the hymn, “In the Garden,” while staying in the grove area. He said of himself, “It is as a writ­er of gos­pel songs I am proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most use to my Mas­ter, whom I serve will­ing­ly al­though not as ef­fi­cient­ly as is my de­sire.”

Here are a few pictures I took Sunday at about 10:00 in the morning.


These small cottages are just a sampling of the dozens and dozens that surround the tabernacle.

Many years ago when I first moved to the area with my parents, I called this cottage on the fringes of the tabernacle wheel my home. What I remember most about it was the amazing attic it had. When I lived there it had a long front porch which has since been enclosed.

Phascination – Unexpected Roadblocks

On By TimelessladyIn PhascinationLeave a comment

I was walking in Alcyon Park when I noticed a fallen branch. Oh…not a branch at all…

…A long, rather large snake.

I thought at first he was not alive,

until I prodded him with the toe of my shoe. Yikes!

He didn’t appreciate that at all.

He continued to advance and coil, and I retreated…quickly.

He was at least four feet long.

Of course, I posted my pictures on Facebook.

Friends thought he might be a…

Rat snake, King Snake or a
Black Racer.

I am not sure, I just know he was a “BIG” snake.

He/she retreated back into the woods.

I won’t be walking in there anytime soon.

After googling the names my Facebook friend suggested, and checking out the photographs on the sites I found, I am convinced he/she was an Eastern Black Rat Snake. This means he is a very good snake to have around. I’d rather have hundreds of this fellow living in the woods nearby, than have hundreds of rats and other destructive, disease-carrying rodents.

My slithery friend didn’t fall under any category I use for my blog, so I used my blogger’s prerogative, and took some creative license when I created the new category of “Phascination.” (fascination)