This Is Elvis Country ...

“Well, it’s one for the money

Two for the show

Three to get ready

Now go, cat go

But don’t you

Step on my blue suede shoes

You can do anything

But stay off of my blue suede shoes …”

           ~  “Blue Suede Shoes”

            ~ Written & recorded by Carl Perkins

                           ~ 1955

            ~ Recorded by the great Elvis Presley

                             ~ 1956

There’s a cool slice of Elvis country tucked into Charlotte Fay’s Main Street Diner, Slatington, Pennsylvania, as showcased in this poster on the diner’s wall promoting Elvis Presley’s August 10-11, 1956 appearance at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida.

Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes” may well be one of the hits you hear playing at Charlotte Fay’s, where retro is king at this cool and cozy eatery.

The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll is well represented at Charlotte Fay’s, joined by photos showcasing retro icons such as Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean in the 1956 film “Giant,” Marilyn Monroe, Route 66, and a young Elvis and Johnny Cash posing for a snapshot. There’s also a nod to the New Jersey Seashore and Steel Pier. The large map behind Elvis depicts President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, championed by the then-president when it was formed June 29, 1956.

And of course there’s the tasty food, wonderful to nosh on as you drink in the nostalgic atmosphere. Owner Jason Ruff named the diner after both his great-grandmothers, and uses their recipes.

The menu and atmosphere are the perfect mix to stir up a recipe for success fit for a king.

Background texture by Jai Johnson added for artistic effect.

An Early Fall ...

“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”

                                   ~ Oscar Wilde

                                          ~ 1854-1900

Beautiful goldenrod sways in the gentle late August breeze, a sure sign of an early fall along the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L Trail) at Lehigh Gap on a waning summer afternoon.

In the shadow of the Kittatinny Ridge, also called Blue Mountain, the Lehigh Gap in Slatington, Pennsylvania, is a crossroads where the Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s trails connect two historic trails – the Appalachian Trail and the D&L Trail. 

The Appalachian Trail, a foot path, follows the ridge on both sides of the Lehigh Gap, running 1,245 miles south to Georgia and 930 miles north to Maine. Running from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol, the D&L Trail passes through the Lehigh and Delaware rivers and their canals in Pennsylvania.

Goldenrod is the state flower of Kentucky (adopted 1926) and Nebraska (adopted 1895) and was recently named the state wildflower of South Carolina.

Summer Supper ...

“A forest bird never wants a cage.”

                 ~ Henrik Ibsen

                        ~ 1828-1906

A male American goldfinch - also known as a wild canary - and a female house finch share a birdfeeder as they enjoy a summer supper on a beautiful August evening at Lehigh Gap Nature Center.

In the shadow of the Kittatinny Ridge, also called Blue Mountain, the Lehigh Gap in Slatington, Pennsylvania, is a crossroads where the Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s trails connect two historic trails – the Appalachian Trail and the Delaware and Lehigh Heritage Corridor (D&L Trail). 

The Appalachian Trail, a foot path, follows the ridge on both sides of the Lehigh Gap, running 1,245 miles south to Georgia and 930 miles north to Maine. Running from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol, the D&L Trail passes through the Lehigh and Delaware rivers and their canals in Pennsylvania.

Kittatinny Cascade ...

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”

                             ~ William Shakespeare

                                    ~ 1564-1616

Cascading waters along the Kittatinny Ridge, also called Blue Mountain, flow like silk in harmony in late summer, my most favorite of seasons - oh that it would last longer! I shot this long exposure capture on a beautiful August afternoon at Lehigh Gap along the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L Trail).

The Lehigh Gap in Slatington, Pennsylvania, is a crossroads where the Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s trails connect two historic trails – the Appalachian Trail and the D&L Trail.

The Appalachian Trail, a foot path, follows the ridge on both sides of the Lehigh Gap, running 1,245 miles south to Georgia and 930 miles north to Maine. Running from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol, the D&L Trail passes through the Lehigh and Delaware rivers and their canals in Pennsylvania.