Photo of bat in cave
Mood:  a-ok

A recent trip to Cherokee Caverns provided the opportunity for the photographs found at this link: Cherokee Caverns Photos on Webshots

This bat is covered with moisture...a most unusual sight!

Ray

Sunrise and mist - photo
Here is a recent sunrise on the Clinch River in Oak Ridge, TN.  I like it and hope you will too.
Ray

 

University of Tennessee Colloquium

On October 31, 2007 Oak Ridge: Manhattan Project to Today was presented to the University of Tennessee Nuclear Engineering Department. 

To see the web cast:

Click Here

Ray

Met a new friend

Over the past few evenings, I have been communicating with the team at  www.FineArtRegistry.com.  They are interested in helping get the Nancy Ward Statue returned to Tennessee. 

My son, the ultramarathon runner

Today, my youngest son ran a 31 mile ultramarathon "The Stump Jump" at Chattanooga's Signal Mountain.  He finished in less than 7 hours!  This race consists of running down the face of Signal Mountain and back up again. 

These folks are sure in excellent physical shape!

We had a great day.  After the race was completed, we treated our son and his family to a dinner at Foodworks, a great restuarant in Chattanooga.

STOLEN Statue of Nancy Ward again advertised for sale!
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: History

A new development in the long struggle to return a stolen historic artifact to Tennessee.  The Nancy Ward Statue that was stolen from Maggie Farmer's grave in Grainger County in 1980 and resurfaced in Maine in February 2006 has again resurfaced for sale.  This time in Massachusetts.

To learn more about the famous statue, go to: https://smithdray.tripod.com/nancyward-index-5.html

Ray

Historically Speaking weekly newspaper column

The weekly column, Historically Speaking, is published in The Oak Ridger.  To view each week's installment, go to www.oakridger.com and search on "historically speaking."

The past two weeks have been devoted to the July 6, 1944, troop train wreck in Jellico, TN.

Ray

Nancy Ward Statue
Progress continues to be made on returning the statue to Tennessee.

Vanderbilt Retirement Learning Tour
Mood:  bright
Topic: History

60 members of the Vanderbilt Retirement Learning program were given a tour of Oak Ridge on March 30, 2007.  I met the tour at the K-25 Overlook.  Next the group had a wonderful lunch at the Flatwater Grill.  Then they visited the American Museum of Science and Energy followed by a drive by of Y-12, a lobby presentation of the Spallation Neutron Source, a visit to the Graphite Reactor and finally a driving tour of K-25.

Many members of the group indicated they left their tour with a much better appreciation for Oak Ridge than they had before the tour. 

Ray 

Mim Eichler Rivas coming to Oak Ridge
Mood:  a-ok

Mim Eichler Rivas, a native of Oak Ridge, is coming to visit her home town next week.  She will be the featured speaker at the Altrusa Club and the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club's Literacy Luncheon.

Mim wrote the wonderful story of Beautiful Jim Key, the world's smartest horse who lived from 1889 to 1912.  See the details at: http://www.smithdray1.net/bjk/beautifuljimkey.htm

She also ghost wrote "Finding Fish" and is co-author of "Pursuit of Happyness." 

Mim will speak at 11:30 AM on Wednesday, March 25, 2007 at the Community Room of the Oak Ridge City Center.  Tickets are available from the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club and the Oak Ridge Altrusa Club. 

Ray