Summer Evening At Bogert's Bridge ...

“Simplicity is the glory of expression.”

                          ~ Walt Whitman

                                     ~ 1819-1892

One of the sweet, simple joys of summer is savoring a beautiful July evening at the historic Bogert’s Covered Bridge in Lehigh Parkway, Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Bogert’s Covered Bridge spans 145 feet over the Little Lehigh Creek.

Built in 1841, its history traces back to the mid-1700s when the Bogert family moved into a log cabin next to the future site of the bridge. It is the oldest covered bridge in Lehigh County and among the oldest in the country. It is open only to pedestrian and bicycle traffic, as well as the occasional rider on horseback.

Bogert’s Covered Bridge is a wooden Burr Truss bridge with vertical plank siding and a gable roof. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

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.

The Art Of Victorian Days ...

“Art is much, but love is more.”

                   ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

                            ~ 1806-1861

 It's "horsepower" in tandem as a horse-drawn carriage crosses paths with a Chevy Bel Air – which sported an “historic” license plate – at the 27^th  Belvidere Victorian Days in Garret D. Wall Park on a beautiful waning summer afternoon in Belvidere, New Jersey.

Victorian Days, held the weekend after Labor Day, is a celebration of Belvidere’s Victorian heritage. Festivities include live entertainment; antique, craft and food vendors; antique/vintage car show; and Victorian era demonstrations.

Belvidere, one of my very favorite places, is a charming Victorian town located on the banks of the Pequest and Delaware Rivers. Victorian Days is a perfect time to stroll through the town and step back into a bygone era.

Patriotic Pony Bridge ...

 “Be in love with your life. Every minute of it.”

                    ~ Jack Kerouac

                           ~ 1922-1969

A man walks his dog across the historic and patriotically festooned 1860 Walnut Street Pony Bridge on a beautiful summer afternoon, painting a picture of the simple joys of life, and a reminder to enjoy every minute of it.

The bridge, built in 1860, is the last remaining cast and wrought iron bridge in North America. It is located on the grounds of the historic Heller-Wagner Grist Mill, just off the Saucon Rail Trail in Hellertown, Pennsylvania.