Snowy Owl in Shippensburg

On my way home from my annual trip to the Harrisburg Auto Show I got a call. "The Owl is out in the field". Two weeks ago I heard about the rare visit to the area by a Snowy Owl. I was told, "Duncan Road and Mud Level Road". That is an intersection of open fields. I saw others driving and looking so I don't think I missed him. Yesterday there were half a dozen cars parked on Mud Level Road just east of Duncan Road and I assumed that the big white dot out in the field is why. The top two pictures I cropped in a lot and a little. The last picture is the best I could do with my 300mm zoom, handheld. Many moons ago there was a snowy owl living in the hanger I worked in out in Utah, so this is my second sighting.

Willit

These willits didn't seem to be too afraid of us as we passed by on our sunrise walk along the beach on Assateague Island, Virginia last summer.

North Myrtle Beach Fire Department Station 3

This is the only other fire station I got pictures of in North Myrtle Beach, SC. This is North Myrtle Beach Fire Department's Station 3 or the Windy Hill Station. Located in the Atlantic Beach neighborhood at 803 33rd Avenue. Built in 2001, Station 3 houses Ladder 734 and QRS 737. It is also home of Hydro the dalmatian. The statue out front reads:

When you hear the sirens wail

or see the flashing lights

Stand aside and look with pride

We're going to save a life

Wish I Was Here

Sunrise over Swan Pool. That is the ocean just beyond that last dune. Taken from the Beach Access Road crossing Assateague Island last summer.

Big Rollin'

I found this huge roller skate, just one of them though, along Route 17 near Bealeton, Prince William County, Virginia. Just a little eye catcher for Rollerworks.

Oak Island Lighthouse, NC

While at the beach over Christmas vacation  we spent a day and drove up to Calabash, NC to blunder around Callahan's Gift Shop and the St. Nick Nack Christmas Shop. We left there and headed a little further north, then east to Oak Island, NC. I knew from a little research that there where 4 lighthouses up in that area. Of course, the Oak Island Lighthouse was the easiest to find and drive to. Across the water you could see the Bald Island Lighthouse but you needed to take a ferry over to Bald Island first. We opted not to do this. The Cape Fear Lighthouse and the Price Creek Lighthouse were also out of reach. Cape Fear is only a foundation and it too is on Bald Island. And the Price Creek light has no public access. The Oak Island Light (shown here) was built in 1958 to be the last time they replaced it. It is 158 feet tall and is built from 8 inch thick concrete. And for durable colors they mixed paint right into the concrete. The lighthouse now belongs to the Town of Caswell Beach, although the light itself is still operated by the US Coast Guard, located right next door.

Sollenberger Barn at Norlo Park

Barn Charm 20. You know, I look at all the barns submitted weekly to Tricia's Bluff Daily Photo blog and I try, I really do. I try and find those neglected rundown barns with character that everyone else posts. And I drive around sometimes just looking for these barns. There just isn't a lot of those around here. Most barns are being used and well cared for. Some, like this one, have been re-purposed. Some have had steel siding put on to protect them. Some have had so many additions that it's difficult to see the original barn. This barn sits has been sitting here along Route 30, the Lincoln Highway, near Fayetteville, Pa. since 1881. The farm it once served is now a community park, Norlo Park, and the barn was completely restored in 2000 by the late Wayne L. Bowerman. The spaces in the bricks are vents to allow air to flow through the barn. I think these shapes are called goblets. I think you can rent this place and have your wedding reception there.

As always, check out all the other barns this week by clicking on the barn icon above. You'll be transported to a whole bunch of different awesome places.