The "You Just Never Know What Can Kill You!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about five of the deadliest critters you will find on the face of this earth.  Sure, there are the tigers and lions as well as the big snakes that can scare the crap out of you, but there are also five critters that may not be as scary, but are certainly as deadly as those found in the biggest cages of your local zoo.  In one recent year, over half-a-million people died at the hands of another human, but that number pales in comparison to what one of these deadly critters can do to the population of the world.  

The Polar Bear

The first animal is the Polar Bear.  While most deadly animals will protect their territory and their young ones, the polar bear is one of the few animals that will attack humans for food.  Not the food you have in your hand at the time, but for your body.  Luckily they do have a instinctual fear of humans due to a lack of natural exposure, but they can easily overpower a small mammal or a human and their attack is often fatal.  

The Emu

The Emus doesn't prey on humans, but don't care to have humans moving around in their surround- ings.  In the winter of 1932, Australian settlers found acquired lands encroached upon by emu migrations numbering in the tens of thousands.   The large presence of emus made agriculture nearly impossible and sparked what was knnwn as "The Goat Emu War."  Machine guns, bounties and organized parties proved no match for the flightless birds who evaded attacks and left settlers with an awkward truce and miles of barrier fencing.  Are you one who can stand to see a spider?  I find them fascinating, but at times worry they may have gotten me and I can't find them.  

Funnel-web spider

Well, the Funnel-web spider is in the list of deadly creatures of the Outback.  They are the most toxic species of spiders that there are on the planet.  They are attracted to water and are often found near swimming pools.  Most attacks are from the males and the bite can kill a child in hours or an adult in a day.  They were a significant cause of death during early human colonization of their habitats, though anti-venom treatments are fast and effective.  That's provided you know you were bitten and are close enough to a location to obtain the anti-venom.  Another large creature that can be deadly is the Hippopotamus.  

The Hippopotamus

Sometimes known as "River Horses", they are aquatic and live in herds.  They are so dense and heavy that they can walk under- water.  Their calves are frequently targets of crocodiles and adults have been observed engaging in anti-predator behaviors.  These creatures are a threat to wandering and fishing humans with the death toll ranging from 500 to 3,000 a year.  If you see a baby hippo, stay away since they perceive threats to their young as a good reason to attack.  The final deadly creature doesn't bear fangs or claws, but are responsible for the largest number of human deaths related to animals in the past few years.  They have fragile wings and a thread-like proboscis and carry diseases as diverse as dengue fever and Zika virus.  

The Mosquito

The mosquito has spread disease throughout the developing world with malaria being one of the top killers with about 212 million cases in 2015 and 429,00 of those cases resulting in death.  So hard to spot and at times you don't know they are with you until you feel that little prick on the arm or neck.  If you know you are in a locale that may frequent mosquitoes, use a spray before going out in the open.  That may prevent you from being the next victim of the deadly mosquito.  The five deadliest critters I have just told you about aren't necessarily large in size or easy to spot, but be aware of your surroundings wherever you go and try and avoid becoming a victim of a deadly attack.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Cutting Up A Tree In Your Underwear!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My wife had just located a story on Facebook written by a musical acquaintance of mine named David Gelatt.  Story was titled "The One Man Nudist Colony in Lancaster City."  It was a rather humorous story that told about one hot summer day in June of 1933 when a Mr. Bechtold Kroll, 55, of 34 W. Strawberry Street in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania decided to chop up a tree that had fallen in his backyard.  He decided that wearing clothes in the day's heat would make it unbearable.  So, he stripped down to his underwear and began chopping up his tree.  Well, it seems that a nosey neighbor, Miss Angelica Smeltz, didn't care see him in his skivvies and called the local police department.  When the police arrived they found Mr. Kroll completely clothed next to a large pile of wood.  He had evidently completed his chore and had put his clothes back on.  Miss Smeltz, her mother, brother and another neighbor Linnaeus Rathvon all insisted that he was "almost in the nude."  So, the police arrested him and hauled him off to the police station.  He told them that "Maybe I did run around in my underwear, but so what if I did?  Nobody could see me if they minded their own business.  Alderman Trapnell, police court magistrate, said that police would continue to be tolerant during the summer heat waves, but announced that nudist's colonies were taboo.  He ordered Kroll to pay a fine of $2 and costs or serve five days in the county jail.  He didn't care to pay the fine so he went to jail.  But, that wasn't the end of it.  Constable William Hubert, immediately after the sentence was pronounced, proceeded to read another warrant from Alderman Spurrier, charging Kroll with surety of the peace.  The complainant was Mrs. Czepull.  In default of the original fine of $2 and costs, Kroll was committed to jail where the other warrants will be lodged as detainers against him.  As I searched a bit more in the Lancaster Online Newspaper archives I found that Bechtold Kroll, Strawberry Street, on June 13, 1933, received a fine of $10 and costs when he pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and battery upon Mrs. Clara O'Toole, Strawberry Street.  According to Mrs. O'Toole, Mr. Kroll threatened her and struck her when she was unable to pay rent for a house on Strawberry Street which he owns.  Seems this guy must be the neighborhood trouble-maker.  But then, on June 17, the local newspaper reported that the cast against Bechtold Kroll of West Strawberry Street, who was charged with surety of the peace by Mrs. Angilica Smeltz, was dismissed by Judge Atlee.  Seems the judge felt that running around in you underwear wasn't a crime, but he was held in county prison for failure to pay a $10 fine and costs on the assault and battery charge against Mrs. O'Toole.  So who is this Mr. Kroll and why is he always in trouble?  Mr. Gelatt's Facebook story told the story of Mr. Kroll.  He was born in 1878 in Prussia to Heinrich and Henrietta Kroll.  The family sailed to America on the "Brennen" in 1883 and moved to Lancaster.  They lived on St. Joseph Street.  Bechtold worked as a cigar packer for the Lewis Cigar Co.  After his parents deaths, Mr. Kroll became estranged from his siblings and shortly after the nudist colony debacle he moved to Poplar Street in the city.  On January 28, 1938 he was found in his bed, frozen to death.  His death certificate listed cause of death as "excessive cold."  Wow, a guy who was charged with being a nudist died from excessive cold!  He was buried in the Mellinger Mennonite Church Cemetery along the Lincoln Highway in Lancaster.  Seems that Mr. Bechtold Kroll was certainly a colorful man during his life.  I'm wondering if he was buried in his underwear.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Pitmasters Of Maryland!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in a lounge chair watching my son-in-law Dave and his friend Art prepare the evening meal.  Started the procedure close to noon in hopes of having the meat ready by 5:00 PM.  They are going to give me a lesson in smoking meat which will take place in Dave's new smoker which he and Art and a few other friends built a few months ago.  

The Mencarini Smoker!  The guys that spent time building this piece of art.
 are from the left: Art Himes, Son-in-law Dave, Matt Bryne and Ed Radwinsky.
Click on images to enlarge them.

I was impressed with the quality of the smoking unit that they built.  They first poured a cement slab that is close to four feet wide by about five feet deep.  They dug into the ground a few inches in order to have the bottom of their smoker sitting below the ground level to give it a better base and to help prevent it from cracking in the winter weather.  After the base was poured and dried, they used concrete blocks and mortar to build the the actual unit that sits on the concrete base.  It stands four blocks high with one end having the bottom row missing with an opening that will allow a grate to enter on which the smoking material is placed.  Once the grate is pushed into the smoker, steel panels can be closed to keep the heat inside or opened to allow air to flow through the smoker to build up more heat.  A second grate sits about a foot from the top to hold what is being smoked.  The top is made of exterior plywood and is hinged in the center so it can be easily opened.  The top is the only part that may need to be replaced over time.  The smoke created in the unit escapes through a metal standpipe on the opposite end.  On top of the standpipe is a fitting that will prevent water from entering into it.  An opening was provided to place a temperature gauge to help keep track of the temperature inside the smoker.  I attempted to take photographs so I could show you how impressive a job they did in making Dave's smoker.  Hope you understand, thru my photos, how the smoker operates.  Now, why did Dave go to all the trouble to build it in the first place?  Well, smoked meat is freaking awesome!  Smoking adds flavor, tenderizes and turns some of the worst cuts into a wonderful meal. Follow my visual story to see what is needed to have your own smoking unit. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

Dave stands next to the smoker that he and his friends built in his backyard.

A better look at the smoker. The base of the smoker was poured concrete about half-a-fot thick.   The gray area is made of concrete blocks with an opening left at the bottom on the side facing the camera.  A  metal tray of steel mesh was constructed that can be moved in and out of the cement blocks with metal handles.  When it is completely inserted in the smoker, steel doors can be closed to prevent air from entering the unit.  The metal doors can be seen on either side of the smoker in this photograph.  The top is made of exterior plywood and is hinged in the center to make for easy opening.  The far part of the top holds a metal standpipe made out of sheet metal which has a cover on the top to keep rain from entering.

Art, Dave' friend, prepares the charcoal that will be used to create the heat.  On top of the charcoal is placed chips of hardwood that can carry flavoring for the smoking procedure.  Today they added an applewood to the mixture.

A fire had been started in the metal device to the right using charcoal.  It will be poured over the small piles, one on the left and one on the right.  The pile has the charcoal and flavored wood mixture.

Art is preparing chicken wings for smoking with a variety of spices.

Both piles are ready to be ignited with the burning embers in the small container.

Art is pouring the hot embers over the charcoal and wood pieces.

After both piles have been started, the metal grate is pushed into the smoker and the metal panels closed.
These panels can be opened or closed to control the interior temperature.

This tray of pulled pork was smoked a few days before and keep refrigerated until today.  Art is preparing it with apple juice and seasoning and it will be placed in the front of the smoker so it will warm while the wings and other meats smoke next to the charcoal and wood mixture.

This is the thermometer that is inserted into an opening on the top of the smoker.  It tells the interior temperature of the smoker.  Controlling the temperature is important.  The best temperature is close to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  

The top is opened and a second tray above the heat source can be seen.  This tray holds the already smoked pulled pork which can be seen in the far left in the back.  The two round trays in the foreground will hold the wings that have been flavored.

Art is adding the wings to the metal trays which are held on the upper level metal tray.  
They will be directly above the small fires that have been burning and producing smoke.

Art is checking the wings and making room on the metal interior grill for a few other types of meats.

Checking on the smoldering embers to see if they need replenished.

The heat source  seems to be smoking nicely.

To prevent them from smoking too rapidly and burning out too soon, the metal doors on either side must be closed to prevent extra air from flowing over them.

With the door closed and the unit working perfectly, you can see the smoke rising from the standpipe.

Another view from the other end of the smoker.

The top has been opened and a few other types of meats have been added to the upper level metal tray. 

Another check on the progress of the meats.  The smoking process began before noon and will be ready about 4:00 PM.  It is a slow process.  Most meets need to be smoked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees with poultry being cooked to 165 degrees.  Below...the wings look delicious!

The "Shot Through The Heart With An Arrow!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished my third trip around Lancaster Cemetery searching for the pyramid-shaped grave that is said to hold the remains of Lt. Cornelius Van Camp who fought in the Battle of Wichita Village in 1858 and died when he was shot through the heart by a Comanche Indian.  No matter how hard I searched I finally gave up and drove from the cemetery before they closed the gates and made me a permanent resident.  Van Camp was born in Lancaster in 1833 and attended what is now Franklin & Marshall College.  He then went to West Point Military Academy were he was an 1855 graduate.  

Lt. Cornelius Van Camp

He was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Second Cavalry Regiment and served as a topographical officer and adjutant.  It was in October of 1858 that he died suddenly when shot with the arrow by a Comanche Indian.  His regiment, under the command of Major Van Dorn, traveled from Texas into the Wichita Mountains of the Indian Territory which today is in Oklahoma.  The regiment came upon a band of hostile comanches and charged them.  Van Camp was one of the first to enter the Indian camp and was the first killed.  Several dozen Indian warriors were left on the battlefield.   His body was buried where it fell, but was eventually returned to Lancaster in March of the following year to the home of his parents who lived on the southwest corner of Penn Square in downtown Lancaster, PA.  His body eventually laid in State on the second floor of Fulton Hall (today's Fulton Theatre) on North Prince Street until March 16th when a funeral was held for him.  

Entrance into the Lancaster Cemetery

The Fencibles Military Unit along with Franklin College students and family members led an honorary procession to Lancaster Cemetery and fired three salutes.  Over 3,000 people crowded into the cemetery for the 3:00 PM service.  Now, if there had only been better communications before the battle when Van Camp was killed, he might have lived a longer life.  I recently read about the attack in a Lancaster Newspaper story written by Jack Brubaker, "The Scribbler" where he tells that Indian Chief Buffalo Hump had just completed preliminary peace talks with military representatives.  Van Dorn, not knowing this because of poor military intelligence, charged the Comanches when they came upon them in the fog at daybreak, and massacred 56 Comanche men and two Comanche women.  Four soldiers died in the battle including Cornelius Van Camp.  History can't be changed, but in this instance it might have been best if it could have been.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Homemade Musician Of Rohrerstowm" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in front of the TV watching "Press Your Luck" and "Match Game."  What else is there to do except watch TV and read the newspaper or a book.  I already read quite a few books on my Kindle so TV watching was filling my time.  When the newspaper came I decided it was time to see what was going on in good ole' Lancaster County, PA.  There on the first page of the "Living Lancaster" section was a big photo of a guy by the name of Michael Luckenbill who was playing homemade bagpipes.  

Al Reist playing as he passed by me.

I can still remember close to ten years ago when our friends Jere and Sue visited Alexandria, Virginia with us for the early December "Scottish Walk" Parade which wound its way through the town and waterfront.  One of the bands in the parade was a group of bagpipers.  Boy did they sound great.   The melodic sound of the variety of pipes projects an eeriely resonating sound at times, but also a soothing sound.  Then as they slowly passed I yelled to Jere to look at one of the guys playing the bagpipes.  We both had him as a student in high school.  Guy by the name of Al Reist.  He had a twin and when I yelled "Art" we got no response so I yelled "Al" and he got a smile on his face, while still playing his bagpipe.  Found out a year or so after that he lived about a block from me and plays his bagpipes outside from time to time.  Wondered why I never heard him.  Well, it seems like Michael Luckenbill begins playing his bagpipes at 6:00 PM every evening to entertain the neighborhood.  

Mike Luckenbill on the bagpipes.

The former music teacher is trying to give his neighbors something other than TV and reading as enter- tainment during the COVID-19 pandemic.  And, it's all free!  And, he has been doing it already for over 100 evenings!!  The only thing on his porch is himself, his bagpipes and  an iPad on a stand with a list of songs and musical notes.  He doesn't overdo it with only 15 to 20 minute concerts every evening.  No one has asked him to do it and no one has complained.  He's just a bagpipe musician with a nack to entertain his neighbors and anyone else who may be wandering along at 6:00 PM.  The story in the newspaper said that Mike only began to play the bagpipes about 20 years ago after listening to another bagpiper play "Amazing Grace" at a bar.  At the time, Mike's Rock N' Roll Band had just played at a wake at the bar and was paid about $25.  Then the bagpiper played "Amazing Grace."  The guy had played about two minutes of the song and made $300 for his efforts.  Mike now pairs his bagpipe with a small guitar app that adds droning notes, creating a sometimes eerie sound.  He can play about 50 songs on his bagpipe from Irish classics to movie themes.  During his past few months of 6:00 concerts, a neighbor stopped one evening and told him a neighbor was having a birthday that day.  

A photo on Mike's website.

So...Mike added his rendition of "Happy Birthday" to his concert.  Mike has a website that you can visit and see how accomplished a musician he really is.  Check out: mdlmusic.webs.com and see his array of music genres that he has listed.  This guy is phenomenal.  He can wear a gorilla suit at one concert and play the harp at another concert.  What a teacher this guy must have been!  I'm going to have to hop in the car soon and take in his 6:00 PM concert some evening.  It was another extraordinary day in the life fo an ordinary guy.

The "Hippodrome's Of Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Part II - Theatres In Downtown Lancaster" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking all the Lancaster Face Book pages as well as online sites for photographs of movie theatres that at one time graced the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

The Strand Movie Theatre on Manor Street.

Yesterday I told you the story of a favorite of mine from my childhood, but by the time I had become an adult, the Strand Theatre was no more.  And, as time went on, all of the rest of the movie threaders in downtown, or close to the center of the city, had also vanished.  The only "Theatre" that still remains in Downtown Lancaster is "The Fulton Theatre" on North Prince Street which has never been a movie theatre, serving as a live venue since it was built.  

The Fulton Opera House in downtown Lancaster.

Type in Fulton Theatre in the little white box at the top left of this story if you want to read about "The Fulton Theatre."  As for the other theaters in the downtown area, I have been to many of them over the years except the Hamilton which I knew existed, but never ventured into along North Queen Street.  The first large movie theaters in downtown Lancaster were built between 1910 and 1916.  They were The Hippodrome/Capitol, The Hamilton, The Colonial and The Grand.  

A very early photograph of the Grand in Lancaster.

The Grand Theatre was the smallest of the theatres in the 100 block of N. Queen with seating listed at 873.  It may also be the oldest of the downtown theatre being built in 1913.  It opened on October 6 with Robert Broderick in "Arizona."  The Grand was later operated by Warner Bros. and closed in 1969 when the Mayor of Lancaster decided to renovate the 100 block of North Queen and totally demolished the entire block.  

An old newspaper photo of the 2nd block of North Queen.
The Grand is in the middle of the photograph.

Over the past dozen or so years, many residents realize it was perhaps the biggest mistake ever made in the city of Lancaster.  It was such a disaster that another renovation of the area began a few years ago to correct what was done in 1969.  Stories I read about the Grand said that it did not have a curtain in front of the screen.  The Hamilton Theatre was across the street from the Grand and was opened on September 11, 1916 with Billie Burke in "Gloria's Romance" and Mary Pickford in "Hulda from Holland."  Seating was listed at 1,014 and was operated by Warner Bros. and its subsidiaries.  

The original Hippodrome Theatre on North Queen St.

The Hamilton was once one of the most ornate motion picture palaces in the East.  The building was part of the Wheatland Hotel, later the Milner Hotel.  The Hamilton closed in the early 1960s and was later demolished in the downtown renovation.  The Hippodrome was located at 150 N. Queen Street and opened in 1910.  It was destroyed by a fire and the Capitol Theatre was built on the same site in 1916.  It had a seating capacity of 1,161 and also closed in the mid-1960s and was later demolished.  

This photograph shows the Capitol in the foreground and
the Hamilton in the middle of the photo and the Boyd
Theatre at the end of the block.

The Colonial Theatre was opened on January 29, 1912 with 1,250 seats.  It stood on the corner of North Queen Street and West Chestnut Street.  The theatre was acquired by Boyd Theaters and renovated.  It reopened as the Boyd Theatre on August 14, 1956.  It closed in 1965 and was demolished in the redevelopment of the area.  

The King Theatre on East King Street.

There was also a theatre complex in the third block of North Queen Street called the Eric Pacific 3.  That also is gone.  The final theatre in Lancaster was located at 419 E. King Street. The King Theatre opened on April 27, 1950 with seating on a single floor.  The marquee and facade still remain today, but the theatre was converted into residences a few years ago.  I asked my wife if she knew of any movie theatres that are in the city anymore.  We both drew blanks.  Such a shame that all the theaters are located outside the city limits.  Maybe someday that will change and make it easier for city residents to walk to the theatre for an evening of entertainment.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Hippodrome's Of Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Part I - The Fall Of The Strand" Story

The Strand on Manor Street

It was an ordinary day.  Standing outside the Strand Theatre on Manor Street in Lancaster, PA waiting for my mom to arrive to take my friends and myself home from the Saturday morning movie.  I can remember heading to the Strand on Saturday mornings with my friends to watch a good western movie on the big screen.  Always began the show with a cartoon and sometimes had to sit through a newsreel before the main movie began on the screen.  The Strand opened in 1910 as a "nickelodeon" with admission being five cents.  The theater was first known as the Kuhn Theatre, then the Lancaster Theatre and later as the Manor Theatre before finally changing their name to the Strand Theatre in 1925.  I recently read a short story about the original theatre which was opened by Mr. Ed Kuhn.  His head projectionist was a guy named Charles C. Smith.  

The interior of the Strand before it was demolished.
The inset is Mr. Harry Chertcoff.

He was responsible for threading the plastic reel through the projection machine and making sure it ran smooth the entire movie.  Every so ofter the film would break and Charlie had to take time out and fix the reel.  A story from the March, 1962 Intelligencer Newspaper told his story and the fact that at the time he lived at 71 Buch Avenue in Manheim Township.  Mr. Smith recalled that Mr. Kuhn opened the movie theatre with proceeds from the sale of his family business which was known as The Adam Kuhn Bakery.  The building had been severely damaged by fire and was later sold and became known as Gunzenhauser Bakery.  

Newspaper advertisement for the Strand.

The original theatre had 400 seats and was about the only building on the city block.  It eventually was enlarged to 900 seats and hemmed in by buildings on all sides.  Mr. Smith operated the theatre for about 3 years beginning in 1918.  The theatre was then purchased by  George Benthan who had a chain of movie theaters in Reading, Pottstown and Philadelphia.  It was Mr. Benthan who renamed it the Strand.  Then in 1928 he sold the theatre to Harry M. Chertcoff who put the theatre in his wife's name.  She retained ownership until the date of the story in the 1962 newspaper, but had been operating under lease from her to the Harry Chertcoff Estate.  

They did have live shows
on the stage at the Strand.

Sound like something fishy going on to you?  Well, a Mr. Morton Brodsky, general manager for the Chertcoff interests said that the Strand had been losing money and couldn't continue to operate.  He thought of renovating it, selling it or even leasing it.  He did find a buyer for about 700 of the seats that had just been replaced two years earlier.  Another interested person was Mayor George Coe who once worked at the theatre as a part-time projectionist on days he wasn't working at the Grand Theatre or Hamilton Theatre in Downtown Lancaster.  Well, the newspaper article dated Wednesday, March 28, 1962 tells the the story of the closing of the Strand.  Happened to coincide with the local observation of "International Theatre Week."  And wouldn't you know it...Lancaster's Mayor George Coe honored the week with a special proclamation.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Another view of the Strand

The "Mountain Of Paint" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Same as every other day here of late.  I did spend a few hours working at Grebinger Gallery yesterday and after lunch mowed the lawn, but by 2:00 PM I was stretched out on my recliner with my cat Snickerdoodle sitting next to me.  Didn't take long before he jumped down and I grabbed my MacBook Air to read my email and decide what I wanted to type for today.  One of the emails told of five very unusual places in the United States.  One was an unusual science museum in Philadelphia known as the Mütter Museum which houses an extensive collection of doctor's instruments.  Another place was known as the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas that featured over 200 old neon signs.  One was the Renwick Smallpox Hospital on Roosevelt Island which is nicknamed "The Ruin", since it was built in 1854 and abandoned in the 1950s.  One was the Museum of Death that features serial killers and crime scene photographs.  As I read about that one I couldn't believe people actually visit a museum such as this.  The final place to visit was a place called Salvation Mountain which is located in Niland, California.  Not really a museum, but a massive structure built from clay, straw and lots of paint.  

Salvation Mountain (click on images to enlarge them)

The mountain stands 50 feet high and is completely covered by the owner's artwork.  The "artist" was a guy named Leonard Knight who spent three decades on his "art" project.  He used over 100,000 gallons of paint on his mountain.  Leonard died in 2014 at the age of 82.  He began building Salvation Mountain in the California Desert in 1984.  Mr. Knight wanted the art on the mountain to convey that "God is Love," painting biblical passages and hearts prominently featured in the artwork.  Even if you don't hold Mr. Knight's religious views, the island is still a sight to see.  All I had were photographs that I found when I "Googled" Salvation Mountain, but I was impressed.  Mr. Knight lived in a truck, on the site, and loved to talk with visitors to his mountain.  As I read on I found that Coldplay and Third Day featured his mountain on their albums and in their music videos.  Perhaps you are a fan of one of them and may have seen the mountain already.  I'm sorry to say I haven't the foggiest who they are!   I did find that Salvation Mountain does have a website that tells the story of Leonard's tribute to God and his gift to the world with it simple yet powerful message.  

Another view of Salvation Mountain.

Another site told me that the artwork was made of adobe, straw and thousands of gallons of lead-free paint.  In July of 1994, Imperial County hired a toxic waste specialist to test the soils around Salvation Mountain, with results showing high levels of lead toxicity.  But wait...someone just wanted to have the place taken down, since others hired another party who said tests came back negative supporting Mr. Knight's claim that he used non-toxic paints and that there were no toxins in the soil.  The more I read, the more I found that Salvation Mountain has appeared in movies, in videos, in television productions, etc.  Why had I never heard of this place before?  Might have been a neat place to visit years ago, but I'm not going to fly the entire way to the west coast to see a mountain of paint at my age.  I've gone through so much paint in my life that by now I could have made my own Salvation Mountain.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

One more view of Salvation Mountain.

The "A Remarkable Place Known As Marble Bar" Story

It was an ordinary day.  I'm now beginning to realize that my wife and I may miss a rescheduled trip to the island of St. Martin. We originally had made plans to travel in May, but that never happened due to the COVID-19 virus.  And now, it will more than likely be the same with our new plans to visit in mid-October.  Thus, we anticipate having to make a few adjustments once again.  To make up for the disappointment, we have taken to looking at websites that feature beautiful beaches and mouth-watering food.  A few days ago I opened a link to a place known as Marble Bar, Australia.  Town sounded really neat until I began to read about it.  Seems the remote desert outpost, where the temperature soars above 95 degrees Fahrenheit for an average of 200 days a year, calls itself the "hottest town in Australia."  The town got its name from a nearby jasper bar that was mistaken for marble.  The heat waves in the town are hotter and longer than anywhere else on the searing continent.  The town has fewer than 200 residents that just love the fact that the burning earth can melt the soles of shoes and that the water running from the "cold" tap comes out hot.  The past year the town broke its own record by having the thermometer hit at least 113 degrees on 32 days.  Standing outside on a "cool" morning can feel like standing in front of a roaring wood stove.  

The red mark shows where Marble Bar is located on Australia.

So why is all this happening?  Climate Change is the answer!  And, the town on the west side of the island is warming even faster than the rest of the world.  By the end of the century, Marble Bar could be an average of 3 to 4.5 degrees Celsius warmer.  Residents talk about their pride in being able to withstand the scorching heat while sipping a beer in a corrugated iron shack built in the late 1800s which has no air-conditioning.  A local government worker says they really don't want to know if they are going to fry or not.  Most of the residents were drawn to Marble Bar because of the promise of gold.  The entire island is beginning to feel the wrath of climate change with unpredictable and ferocious disasters from flood to drought to the catastrophic bush fires this past summer which razed thousands of homes and destroyed more than a billion animals.  The people who call Marble Bar home already know what others will soon call normal.  The trick is to stay hydrated, keep out of the sun in the hottest hours of the day, and never travel more than 10 minutes by car without water to last days in case of a breakdown.  In 2003 a British tourist perished miles from Marble Bar after his vehicle became bogged down and he left it to look for help.  In 2018 four others died in just two months in the Australian Outback's fiery conditions.  But, for some, the island is paradise.  One 72-year-old former photographer and goldsmith from Italy was lured to the desert since he felt that "nature here is untouched."  Some find the best way to cope with the extreme heat is by working underground.  Murray Millwood has built and runs his own gold mine 165 feet below the surface of Marble Bar where the temperature is a comfortable 80 degrees.  Mr. Millwood said time goes quick underground since "There's no sun to torment you."  After reading about this remote place on earth I felt so lucky to be able to visit a place like St. Martin where the temperature averages between 75-80 degrees year round.  So, if I don't get there in mid-October, I can wait until the spring of 2021.  At least I don't have to endure the scorching heat found in Marble Bar.  But, life is a journey with its ups and downs and after just going through a terrible "down", I'm hoping for a welcome "up" in the near future.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "You Had To See It To Believe It!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Traveling on Pennsylvania Route 324, south of Lancaster, looking for a building that is known as the "mosaic building."  I have read about the building a few times in the Lancaster Newspaper and even talked about it with friends a few times, but never once did I see the building that is on RT. 324 on the way to a small area known as Marticville, PA.  The air temperature had hit 100 degrees about an hour ago, so my windows are closed and the air conditioner is on full force.  I rounded a turn in the 100 block of Marticville Road and in the center of the road were bright red cones.  In a few seconds I saw a sign for a car show and thought of stopping when I saw an entire row of Vettes, but I continued on my way.  By now a few drops of rain were falling from the sky and I wondered if the convertibles at the car show were putting their tops in place.  About two minutes later I rounded a curve in the 200 block of Marticville Road and there to my left was the building for which I was searching.  

The front of the garage along Marticville Road. Click to enlarge.

Looked to be perhaps a gas station at one time, but without the pumps.  Or maybe it was just a resident's large garage with parking in front of it.  I pulled to the side of the building and grabbed my camera.  I did remember reading that the garage is on private property, so I looked for someone I could ask if they would mind if I could take photographs of the very unusual tiles on the front of about half of the building.  

A closer view of a section of the building.

It was then that I recalled the story in the newspaper written by Jack Brubaker, known to most of us as "The Scribbler." He said visitors should please look and then leave.  I called out my "Hello" with no response.  "The Scribbler" reported that about 90 years ago a Mr. George Johnson took up an unusual hobby.  The Lancaster man surrounded cement blocks with molded ceramic pieces and glass fragments.  

Another view of the garage wall.

Throughout these concrete blocks he would post what appeared to be postcards of United States Capitol buildings.  A few blocks were also said to have included money.  Then in the summer of 1958 Mr. Johnson gave many of these cement blocks to a Mr. James Booth who used them to build the front of his garage along Route 324.  They still remain just about the same, but for the money taken from the blocks that at one time had coins and bills on them.  When nobody replied to my calls I admired the concrete blocks, snapped a few photos to share and got back in my car to heading North on Marticville Road.  I wish to thank "The Scribbler" for the information he  wrote in his weekly column which drew my attention to the point that I had to see the place for myself.  And, I wasn't disappointed.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Photo of what I assume to be a U.S. President, but I'm not sure which one.

The Arkansas Capitol Building in Little Rock.

North Dakota Capitol Building in Bismarck.

Portraiture of President George Washington.

Wisconsin Capitol Building in Madison.