Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflections

December 1, 2012

5 minutes

Always Write, blogging, history, Marsha Ingrao, Mooney Grove Park, Reflections, tchistorygal.net, Tulare County, Weekly Photo Challenge

As I reflect on my blogging experiment this first day of December, I realize that it has gone from experiment to addictive hobby. I am thankful to all of you for taking the time to visit my streaming thoughts started in April, 2012. While not breaking any records, this blog has attracted over 11,000 views, and 2,000 comments. I was awfully lonely the first couple of months, but on November 29th the site reached a high of 196 views. THANK YOU!!!

Back to the topic as I’m sure it was intended, I have almost no reflection pictures in my collection. I came across this picture that a friend of mine took for me. She is much more of a professional photographer than I, and I absolutely love Johanna Coyne’s picture of the little lagoon in Mooney Grove Park south of Visalia, CA, and north of Tulare, CA on Mooney Boulevard. 1102_Mooney_1285

Early Tulare County settler and saloon owner, Michael Mooney, like most European immigrants worked hard to acquire property in the United States. Mooney speculated in thousands of acres, and sold many of them at a profit. However this plot of land didn’t earn Mooney a dime, and it protected the largest native oak grove in the county. He purchased a 173 acre oak grove from another settler, Benjamin Willis in 1878 for $4,000. After Mooney’s death in 1881, his heirs sold 100 acres to Tulare County in 1909, thus saving the huge grove of native trees for the people.

Tulare County Supervisor, Bartlett “suggested in 1915 that the park should have a lake.” (Allen. p. 41), although it was not until May of 1933 that the lagoon officially opened. Stocked with fish to ward off mosquitos, the pond, with its “No Fishing” sign, tempted young poacher Stanley A. Clark, who brought home more than the bacon to his widowed mother and siblings during the World War II when meat was scarce in the market.

Through the years Tulare County residents swam, boated and were baptized in the reflective pond in Mooney Grove Park. Today the only swimmers are quacks – I mean ducks. At times photographers would have to Photoshop a reflective picture of this body of water because “goopy algae” scum covers much of the surface. Vast numbers of summer visitors feed the ducks, dropping food that decays in the water and feeds the scum. In the fall, when the weather is cooler photographers can capture pictures of clean water.

Anybody for a picnic in the park?

Bibliography

Allen William R. Mooney’s Oak Grove 1828-1881 Volume I
Allen William R. Michael Mooney 1906-2003 Volume II

Other Reflections

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28 responses to “Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflections”

mango.shenanigans

December 3, 2012 at 1:05 pm

congratulations on your blogs’ continuous growth!!
such lovely photos too!!

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soumyav

December 2, 2012 at 12:40 pm

lovely picture and congrats for your great going! its beautiful to see people getting involve din this world of blogging wth a passion

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 3:20 pm
  
  Thanks!!! It is fun, and rewarding.
  
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Cardinal Guzman

December 2, 2012 at 12:13 pm

Thanks for the pingback 🙂

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 3:18 pm
  
  You’re welcome.
  
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Rexlin Victor

December 2, 2012 at 7:22 am

Congratulation!! Amazing Johanna Coyne picture.

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 8:52 am
  
  Thanks! I’ll pass that on, and make sure she sees the link!
  
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adinparadise

December 2, 2012 at 6:52 am

Congratulations, Marsha, on the growth of your blog’s popularity. I’m not surprised at all. Love that Johanna Coyne picture. 🙂

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 8:51 am
  
  Thanks so much, AD I was feeling bad one day when I had just reached 10,000 VISITORS and I was reading another blog that had been in business for 2 months and already had 10,000 FOLLOWERS! Of course, I guess if I was JJ Abrahams and started a blog I could expect that kind of growth. Or maybe if I had come up with a video like Psy and gone viral in a day… Have you seen that one? Most watched video in you tube history!!!
  
  Isn’t that a great picture? She worked for a local newspaper.
  
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utesmile

December 2, 2012 at 5:37 am

Fantastic Marsh, it feels great doesn’t it! Great pictures! Have a fantastic day!

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 6:00 am
  
  You notice I copied you – somewhat. I forget to give thanks. It is the people that drop by and comment that make this experiment so MUCH fun! Your post gave me that gentle reminder. 🙂
  
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  1. utesmile
    
    December 2, 2012 at 6:15 am
    
    Oh no worries. I am happy you let us all know , how happy and thankful you are. Glad you had such a great response and continue with the happy blogging! It sometimes happens just so quickly, enjoy it. With love Ute x
    
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    1. tchistorygal
      
      December 2, 2012 at 8:45 am
      
      🙂
      
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Amy

December 2, 2012 at 5:24 am

… 11,000 views, and 2,000 comments, Wow! Congratulations! Thanks for sharing the story and the beautiful photo!

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 5:54 am
  
  Thanks! 🙂
  
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audiophileparadise

December 2, 2012 at 3:55 am

Congratulations for the tremendous response! The pictures are simply breathtaking!
After all, reflections may just be shadows or mirror images of an object;
but they are the only company when no one seems to be near them! 😀 🙂

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflections | Alastair's Blog

December 2, 2012 at 3:44 am

[…] Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflections (tchistorygal.wordpress.com) […]

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Alastair

December 2, 2012 at 3:42 am

It’s amazing how something just happens and “whap” everybody turns up like an open house 🙂

Great photos

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 5:24 am
  
  Yeah! Glad you are open, and best of all glad people are coming! There’s nothing worse than holding an open house to which no one comes!
  
  I used to sell real estate in Portland, OR. I listed a subdivision of houses for which the builder wanted about twice what they were worth at the time, but I was young and inexperienced. Few people except for the builder’s young son came. The house had no furniture, so it was not only boring, but uncomfortable. It was all I could do to stay awake. I decided that selling real estate wasn’t going to be my career path. Much better to have a blog where people can come – even if you’re not home! 🙂
  
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  1. Alastair
    
    December 2, 2012 at 5:30 am
    
    I started this blog (well, not this one, this one is yours) in February 2010 and for over two years I had three followers. Once, I uploaded a photo and had over 1,200 people come to look at it in one day, but none followed. Then April 1st this year, one person followed, and it was like she broke the door down or something. I went from 1 view every few days, to now 200-400 a day,
    
    I imagine though, that actually doing it would be boring as hell. With just coffee to keep you anywhere near awake
    
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    1. tchistorygal
      
      December 2, 2012 at 5:59 am
      
      Wow! 200-400 a day. That’s amazing. My first day was 75. I have no idea why, then it dropped to almost nothing. This month has been up and down, 20 one day 150 the next. I’ve been blessed with followers, and I probably follow about 200 now. I love it, but it’s hard to keep up, though! I can’t imagine having 1,200! That’s viral almost! It’s also weird that none followed! Go figure. This is an interesting experience! Thanks for sharing your comment!
      
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      1. Alastair
        
        December 2, 2012 at 6:04 am
        
        It was because of this post that I had so many:
        http://kattermonran.com/2010/06/24/r2-d2-makes-a-cameo/
        One person has it linked in his (or her) signature
        
        75 on your first day is awesome. I had 1 lol
        
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      2. tchistorygal
        
        December 2, 2012 at 8:44 am
        
        It makes sense. Lots of Star Trek and R2D2 fans!!!
        
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      3. Alastair
        
        December 2, 2012 at 9:24 am
        
        Yep 🙂
        
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Richard Tulloch

December 1, 2012 at 10:20 pm

Thanks for the pingback and well done on your entry to the blogosphere. Unfortunately, it does become addictive, but it’s fun too, Nice reflections story too!

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 4:35 am
  
  Thanks, and thanks for visiting me!!! You are welcome for the pingback. It’s fun to get those!! 🙂
  
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the eternal traveller

December 1, 2012 at 9:24 pm

That’s an interesting story. What a gorgeous place to preserve and thank goodness for far sighted people in charge. Johanna’s photo is lovely too.

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1. tchistorygal
  
  December 2, 2012 at 4:34 am
  
  Thanks, it really was farsighted because the settlers had logging fever in those days, and, of course, many of the giant Sequoia trees in what is now the Sequoia National Park was logged until it became a park. The most of the many groves of original oak trees disappeared as well. We still have lots of oak trees in this area because we continue to plant them every year, but much of the old growth is gone. 🙂
  
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Author

Written by

Marsha

Hi, I’m Marsha Ingrao, a retired educator and wife of a retired realtor. My all-consuming hobby is blogging and it has changed my life. My friends live all over the world. In November 2020, we sold everything and retired to the mile-high desert of Prescott, AZ. We live less than five miles from the Granite Dells, four lakes, and hundreds of trails with our dog, Kalev, and two cats, Moji and Nutter Butter. Vince’s sister came with us and lives close by. Every day is a new adventure.

Marsha Ingrao – Always Write