Monday, April 25, 2011

A Baja Easter Morning Stroll

One of the things Gatorville, Baja Georgia, did right a few years back was build north and south bank boardwalks along the St. Johns River downtown.  For some reason, I found myself alone on Easter morning and decided to take a walk downtown to see what was happening.  I enjoy center-city explorations on Sunday mornings when everything is quiet and this past Sunday was no exception.

 Downtown Gatorville, 10am Easter Sunday, 2011

Along the way, I came across two Gatorville treasures.  The first being the Chart House Restaurant.  I can't seem to find any historical info on the building but to the best of my memory it was built in the mid-70's and has been the Chart House since it's inception.  It's an architectural treasure.

 The Chart House, surrounded by condo and office towers.

 The building has a copper and glass facade and sits behind earthen berms.





I have eaten at this restaurant many times over the years and the food is always good to best.  The ambiance, five stars.  Of course, you pay for both.  This is not a budget restaurant.

Then, a little later on I came to my real destination, an old friend that my grandfather played on as a boy, my father played on as a boy, I've climbed all over as a boy, my kids and grand kids have played on as well.  This old man is at least 250 years old and has weathered the changes of time well.  If there are grander Live Oak trees, I've not seen them.

For years I have tried to capture the grandeur of this tree with photography to no success.  I offer up two photos here, one a straight-ahead shot, the other a three shot montage.




I apologize for the reduced resolution of these photos.  They were such large files that I simply got lazy and made them all 72dpi in deference to you having to open them online.  But you lose a lot.  I usually make my photos 96dpi for the extra crispness you get with high res monitors.


Sunday morning trash pick-up.  I'm glad someone is doing it.

Hope your Earth Day weekend was as good as mine.  Kids, grandkids, Easter egg hunt, ham and potato salad.  Easter in the Deep South, USA.

11 comments:

  1. You make Gatorville look like a spot I could love. If my house would sell. And that oak? Stupendous pictures!! You did it! Especially that second shot. I'd have to turn that into a header; would you charge?

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  2. That oak was awesome! They were all great pictures.

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  3. Oh, that tree is fabulous. Enjoying your pictures.

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  4. Thanks all... Nance, I can do a better job with the oak if you really want it.

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  5. I remember Traveling down the St Johns river to a ship yard in J'ville, First time I ever saw a brown wake turned as we moved through. Looks like they found a way to clean the water some.

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  6. Heavens to Betsy - that tree is made for climbing.
    Nice restaurant.

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  7. WM... the brown water is more from tannic acid (natural organic decay) than pollution, although there's plenty of that too.

    Trish... yes indeed, that tree is made for climbing and I've done my share of it.

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  8. Regarding the tree. Would that be on THIS planet?

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  9. Brewster... a lot of people believe that Gatorville is not of this planet so it's hard to say. Photos do not do this tree justice no matter how you try.

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  10. Beautiful place Mr.C. I'm dying to visit!

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