Wednesday, February 27, 2013

What's Wrong With This Picture???

Yep, that's my ironing board. I know, lots of people don't iron anymore. However, I still do a few items of ironing.

I have been home sick Monday, Tuesday and today. Each day I've tried to do at least one thing that was productive. Today's effort was to catch up on my 2 1/2 foot tall stack of ironing I haven't been able to get to for several weeks. I was beginning to miss some of those clothes. Time was not such that I could ever get it done. Being sick provided a grand opportunity since I could not be out and about and I could stop and rest as the need arose.

My habit is to plug my iron into the outlet on the end of my island in the kitchen. I set the ironing board up at that end by the breakfast table. Then I use my breakfast table to placed the items on after they are ironed. From this vantage point I can watch television while I iron. I usually don't turn on my television during the daytime. But, when I iron, it is a nice time to check out the History or Science Channel. Today I enjoyed learning about the gadgets made by Heron (not sure of that spelling) for the temples in Alexandria followed by how they built some of the colossal structures in Egypt. I love this kind of programming on television.

Somewhere during these shows I moved the item I was ironing to the next place I wanted to iron. Then I picked up my iron and started to place it in that spot on the clothing. I heard a big crash and looked down at my ironing board spread eagle on the ground. What in the world???

Ever so grateful the iron was in my hand, I placed it on the island. Then I lifted my ironing board to find the screw that goes through a little piece of tube and has a bolt on the other side to keep the legs of the ironing board together and allow them to make that lovely 'X' to stand, was completely sheered off. Okay, I'm sure I've had that ironing board 50,000,000 years but, really, I never expected that to be the reason it might need to be replaced.

Fortunately, in my aged condition and trying to keep life as simple as possible, I purchased a new ironing board for my sewing room in the basement after we moved here so I didn't have to lug an ironing board upstairs when I wanted to iron the clothes that would need to be put away upstairs. I just made my way to the basement and retrieved the nice ironing board from there and was able to finish my ironing project...after a brief rest. Goodness...

Such is the excitement of a girl in the country with a nasty head cold. Isn't life just grand???

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Hangin' With My Peeps...

Yesterday was another milestone in life. Another change that sets you thinking, remembering and learning.

For four years I had the privilege and blessing of serving with the sweetest ladies. This opportunity came out of the blue for each of us. And, if ever there was something that was just the right thing at the right time and the right place, this was it for each of us.

We were called to serve as the Stake Relief Society presidency in the Lexington North Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Relief Society is the organization for women. There is a Relief Society in each of the wards (congregations) and several of those wards make up a stake. We were called to serve as the presidency of the Relief Society at the stake level which included eight wards. We were able to train, encourage, support and sustain the activities at the ward level and then provide an event at the stake level for all the ladies living within those geographic boundaries.

We have maintained our friendship despite the fact we each live in a different portion of our stake and have lives filled with many different things.

This last week Lisa Adams accepted a job in Florida. She and David, her hubby, will leave the beginning of March. This will be the first of us to move away. Saturday we all got together at our home for dinner and time to visit before the Adams move to Florida.

It just so happened the Jessie's birthday was Friday. She was our photographer and very much a part of our group. We opted to include a little birthday remembrance for Jessie. Claude and I provided lasagna, Laura (Jessie's mom) brought bread, Barbara brought a salad, and Lisa brought an ice cream cake that had "Happy Birthday Jessie" on the top. 

We had a lovely dinner and great conversation. Then we gave Jessie her birthday cake.
I had a little cross-stitch piece I made and gave that to Jessie. It is always fun to give Jessie a gift. She just lights up and appreciates any gesture you make for her.
We retired to the living room to enjoy birthday cake and more conversation.  Howard and Laura Carter prepared a DVD with picture and video of our time serving together. We laughed and smiled and cried and our minds and hearts flooded with memories of truly wonderful bits of our lives. Howard gave Lisa the DVD to take with her.

Before we finished our time together, we posed for one more picture of all of us. We had a meal at our home the first week we served together. We took a picture of all of us then. It just seemed right to be sure we had another picture.
Okay, we gave the picture taking over to our hubbies and father. This is what Claude did. Seated are Lisa Adams and Sandi Christensen. Standing are Laura and Jessie Carter and Barbara Mason.

We loved our hubbies and father. They helped us with so many things we tried to accomplish from setting up and tearing down events to preparing and serving in the kitchen. Such good men and it only made our callings the more fun that they enjoyed each others company and really wanted to help.

It was a very fun and tender afternoon and evening for us.

I realized how important we all were to each other when I thought of how many people Lisa, a true Kentucky native, has that would want to spend time with her in the brief days before they leave. Her family is all here and it not a small family. She has many friends from her entire life here. Even with all these people to say good-bye to, she still wanted to have this time with just this little group of ladies whose time working together meant so much.

I realized how important we all were to each other when Howard started the DVD he and Laura put together so quickly. It took a lot of time to get that done but it was so worth it to share those memories again.

I realized how important we were to each other when we don't get to see each other very often and we just pick up like no time has past. We genuinely want to know what has happened in each other lives personally and with the family members and grandchildren.

I realized how important we were to each other when Claude said, "Okay ladies, what have you got planned for us (meaning the men) next, what are you going to dress us up in (Lisa made us camouflage aprons for one event and we had the guys wear them for our very last event.) and have us do for you."  Then as Lisa broke into tears after the DVD viewing we turned and saw tears in my big cowboy's eyes. Our guys know and we know that something very important happened to each of ladies in the four years of service.

We will miss having Lisa close enough to see her are meetings and events. But those miles between Kentucky and Florida will not separate the love and care we have for each other. I thank my Heavenly Father for seeing fit to place us together for that bit of service in his Church and kingdom. It was a tender mercy on his part for which I will be eternally grateful.

Friday, February 22, 2013

A Nice Way to End a Tough Day...

My Wednesday was just a tough day. It wasn't supposed to be. But it was. I was up until 2am Wednesday morning finishing off my lesson outline for Institute. The last time I looked at the clock before falling asleep it was 2:30am. I heard Claude leave and was out of bed early and knew it was going to be a day I would miss that sleep I really needed.
 
I had a 1pm appointment to take a friend from Church to lunch. I wanted to leave early enough to purchase flowers for my mother's grave. The rest of my day included getting my father and his musical instruments and going to the nursing home to sing. After singing, I was taking Papa with me to put the new flowers on Mimi's grave and then to dinner. Then I would come home and see what other things I could accomplish before Claude got home from his meetings. That was the plan.
 
I had my washer going and my dishwasher going and was feeling that at least I would be productive. I headed back downstairs to work in my sewing room until time to get my shower before leaving for the day. I waded through eMail and Facebook and weather and news on my laptop. I called another friend to see if I could visit her on Thursday as I went to Lexington to teach my Institute class. She said she was going to someone else's home for the day. We left it that she would call me Thursday if she was going to be home in time for me to visit.
 
I started to put some things away and finish up in my sewing room and the phone rang. It was the person I had just spoken with one the phone. She was greatly distressed and needed to talk. I told her I had some time before going to Georgetown. She poured out her heart and soul, I listened and gave some suggestions, and we talked for over an hour. I finally told her I had to get a shower so I could get to Georgetown for my 1pm appointment and assured her I would come Thursday afternoon to visit if she got home in time.
 
I showered and got ready as quickly as I could and hurried to Walmart to pick up some silk flowers. I was so happy to find two beautiful bunches of spring flowers with lots of pink in them. Papa's favorite color is pink and I hoped that would bring him some joy. When I got to the express lane it had a line. Another man got his cart there just before me. We stood there a minute and he said, "Would you like to go ahead of me? I have all day." I told him I would be ever so grateful if I could do that. I explained I had a 1pm appointment and really needed to finish this little bit of shopping. Feeling very blessed I took the place in front of him in line. It seems the first lady in this long 'express' line had issues and it was taking a good bit of time to resolve them. The gentlemen struck up a conversation about the weather. We exhausted that bit of chatter. Then in the course of our conversation he mentioned some about himself and used the name Varney. The Mayor of Georgetown, Kentucky is Everett Varney. I asked if this nice gentleman was related to Mayor Varney. With a deadpan face he said, "No". I am gullible and I assured him Varney was not a real common name and I just thought he might be related. Then he gave me that grin that old men do when they know they are having a little fun with you. He admitted Everett Varney was his brother. I explained Claude was the Mayor of Sadieville and he has occasion to do business with Mayor Varney. It ended up being a pleasant passing of the time.
 
I hurried to my friend's home and took her to Burger King for lunch. We talked for 2 hours. I looked at her and told her I needed to take her home so I could get to my father's home in time to get him to the nursing home for us to sing. Only on the way back did this friend begin to get into the things she really wanted to talk about. Several of the items frazzled my good humor. I pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex and tapped the clock in my car and told her I was sorry but I really needed to go get my father. Ten minutes later she is still pouring our her heart about things that are important to her for which I have listened and given the best advice I could many time in the past months. I kept wondering why she held this discussion in until she knew I had to leave. Goodness. Finally I just had to tell her I was leaving. She left and seemed in a huff. What to do.
 
I hurried to Papa's apartment and picked him and his instruments up and put them in the car and made sure Tiny was let outside. Then we were off to sing at the nursing home for an hour. I was so frustrated with all the earlier encounters and I found singing at the nursing home a healing balm. Lots of grins and waves of welcome as staff came through, hugs with residents we care about, and singing with Papa. It was just good to do that.
 
Afterwards we headed to the cemetery. I took the flowers out of the Walmart bag and pulled the price tags off them. I joked with Papa that if I didn't do that Mimi would have the Minnie Pearl thing going on with her marker. Papa got a chuckle out of that. If you don't know who Minnie Pearl is you will not get the humor there. She was a country music comedian and singer years ago. She was very well educated in real life. Her character for her career though was a country girl who always wore a hat with the price tag hanging on it.
 
Papa was so very happy with the new flowers. He loved the pink ones being in there. He took the red roses we have had on there since mom's passing out of the container and I placed the new ones in the vase.
 
Papa was concerned about the roses. Amazingly they had not faded at all. They were special because Mimi picked them out when I took her out of the nursing home and we walked the Peddler's Mall for an outing. She fell in love with the red roses so I purchased them for her and they were in her room at the nursing home all the time she resided there. Papa felt a connection to those roses as well. I told him I had vases at home and would fix them for him to have in his apartment if he wanted. I suggested they might make him feel like he has a bit of Mimi there with him. He was delighted with that idea so I put the roses in the bag to take back to my home.
After visiting with mom a bit, we headed to Zaxby's for some dinner. As we drove Papa talked of how much more he misses mom each day. He tells me this a lot more frequently. I'm happy he wants to and will talk to me about these feelings.

He also shared a concern he has had as he pondered death and what happens. He said I might think him a little silly if he shared it. I assured him he could share anything with me. He said, "I know when I die what I will be buried in. What I'm concerned about is when my spirit leaves my body and my body has on those clothes...(are you ready for this?)...what will my spirit have on if my clothes are still on my body?" I almost split my sides laughing. Papa started to laugh also. We drove on to the gas station with tears rolling down our eyes at this silly scenario. I assured Papa that as much as the Church counsels us to be modest there will surely be at least a ministering angel with a robe to cover him up. Then it was more peels of laughter.

We had a great dinner and enjoyed a time to chat and eat and be together. I took Papa home after that and left him safely ensconced in his big chair end of his sofa with Tiny at his side.

I got home to Sadieville and started to unload my car. What did I find in my passenger seat? A cell phone. Papa doesn't own a cell phone. The lady I took to lunch at 1pm left her cell phone in my car. It must have slipped out of her slacks and Papa never said anything as he sat on it. It was at the back of the seat and close to the big armrest between the driver's and passenger seats. This friend only has that cell phone, no land line. I was not going to back into Georgetown that late at night. I would be back through on Thursday and leave it at her apartment then. Goodness.

I was happy to be home. And I was so very happy for the beautiful visit with Papa and Mimi.

Thursday morning I found a vase, put the roses in the vase, then filled the vase with decorative stones I had on hand.  On my way to Institute I returned my friends phone first. Then I drove to Papa's and gave him the flowers in the vase. His eyes welled with tears as he accepted them. Such tender memories I just want to treasure.

Dayton - Fly Away...

This part is harder to write, not because I...oops...I just drifted off into an "Out of Africa" moment!!!

Seriously, this is going to be the hardest part of this three part Blog entry. We spent our second day of our two day weekend at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. It is located at Wright-Patterson AFB. The building space includes a lobby with an IMAX theater to the left and, to the right, a gift shop in the huge hallway that goes into the first of three hanger shaped building ending with a circular building. There are also a couple of things outside that, due to the ridiculously cold weather, we opted not to tour. When I say 'hanger shaped' you must also picture hanger sized. These are not small buildings.

The first hanger had the 'Early Years Gallery' on the right and the 'World War II Gallery' on the left. The passageway to the second hanger is separated by the National Aviation Hall of Fame Gallery. The second hanger has the 'Korean War Gallery' on the right and the 'Southeast Asia War Gallery' on the left. In the Korean War Gallery are two simulator rides you must pay for called the Morphis MovieRide. We did not ride these. A passageway between the second and third hangers has the 'Berlin Airlift Exhibit'. The third hanger hanger has the 'Eugene W. Kettering Cold War Gallery'. The 'Missile & Space Gallery' is located in the circular building at the very end.

Why is this particular Blog entry difficult? 

1st, I only kept 312 of the pictures I took at this location. That infers there were many, many, many more pictures and these are just the only ones I kept. I will definitely not be posting 312 pictures in this Blog. However, I must peruse all 312 pictures to find this ones I want to post in this Blog entry. Yike!!

2nd, I firmly believe my dear hubby bought me a digital camera because he knew I enjoy taking picture. But underneath that is the knowledge it will keep me amused while he really learns about the ins and outs of things. As a consequence, I wander around and take pictures while he reads and listens. Between the two of us we leave places we visit with a pretty good combined knowledge of what we saw. However, I clearly don't have a clue as to the planes I saw this time. Three huge hangers is a lot to ingest. So I determined when I entered this mammoth museum I would enjoy the colors, designs, angles and paintings on the planes and fore go trying to catalog so I could label pictures later. Hence, I have a lot of pictures with no names on them.

3rd, I found a fascination with propellers. The 'Early Years Gallery' had lots of propellers. The 'World War II Gallery' also had lots of propellers. Not so many in the 'Cold Ward Gallery'. So I pick a few of the propellers I found fun to look at.

We did walk the entire museum. The IMAX theater was closed as they renovate. It was 'Family Day' at the museum. They do this once a month and have special activities for kids of all ages. The museum was full of families and scout troops. The cost for touring the museum is $0.00. That's right. Nada, zero, zip. You would need to be prepared to pay extra for the IMAX and the flight simulators. You also need to be prepared to spend a lot of time on your feet on concrete floors.

So, here are a few pictures of a wonderful day spent in the company of aircraft.

Our visited started with a quick walk by this park to the side of the parking and the hangers. It actually looks like it might be some type of cemetery. But closer inspections lets you know it is a Memorial Park to many Air Force units through the years. Claude is in the bright yellow coat.
Here are two pictures of the outside of the museum. The first is the portion of the building with the IMAX theater on the left and the lobby and the gift shop leading to the first hanger. The second is one end of the three hangers.
These pictures were taken in the 'Early Years Gallery'. I will not post the picture of the carrier pidgeon. I took this because they had right next to a stuffed carrier pidgeon the teeny, tiny little tubes they attached to the pidgeon into which they would put the message. I just never thought about how the message was attached to the pidgeon before. Very tiny little tubes must have meant tiny little messages. 
Okay, this picture was also in the 'Early Years Gallery'. I told Claude that I was not going to name all these pictures I took...except this one. I told him I was just going to label it 'Oops!!'. So I did. Claude chuckled.
We opted to walk thru the hallway to the Korean Gallery next. In this hallway were two items of interest to us.

The first had to do with the official song for the Air Force. It was originally written in 1938 by Robert Crawford as an entry in a contest sponsored by Liberty Magazine for a song for the Army Air Corp. Army Air Corp wives picked his entry out of the 757 scores submitted. The Army Air Corp version had two verses and between the verses there were the words 'Clear, Clear, Contact, Grr, and Zoom'. In 1947 the Air Force split from the Army and the song was tweeked a bit. The score on exhibit now had three verses and the Batman like verbage was eliminated. The song actually changed names three times with the Army Air Corp version and was changed finally to The U.S. Air Force" for the 1947 version.

The first page submitted to the judging committe was carried to the surface of the moon in the Apollo 15 'Falcon' lunar module by Colonel David R. Scott and Lieutenant Colonel James B. Irwin on July 30, 1971 (my 21st birthday). At the moment the Falcon blasted off the surface of the moon, Major Alfred M. Warden, Jr., who was in the 'Endeavor' command module orbiting the moon, played on a tape recorder a rendition of 'Air Force Song' for the world to hear. This was the only 'All-Air Force' Apollo crew. Here is a picture of the original pencil score by Robert Crawford from May 1939.
Further down this hallway was a long wall of pictures. Some of these pictures were of the Air Force Chief of Staff through the years. I will include the four pictures I took along this wall. These pictures are significant because they were the Air Force Chief of Staff during the years Claude served in the U.S. Air Force. He personally met General David C. Jones. Now, this is where my mind flies off in quick directions to other things...I saw David C. Jones and read Davy Jones and immediately thought, "He should be in the Navy with Davy Jones locker."  Oh my!
 
We walked the entire middle hanger next. This hanger had the 'Korean War Gallery' and the 'Southeast Asia War Gallery'. We found aircraft that appeared to be flying whales. We walked through a B-29. I found this beautiful black airplane that I was trying to take pictures at different angles. When I got to the very front I realized it was two planes connected by a wing-like piece. It looked like an aircraft version of a Siamese-twin. I was bemused. I told Claude there was truly no way that could have flown. Each pilot would have had to be exactly doing what the other did. I further postulated that if this proposed aircraft had been given to me to approve payment for the making of it, I would have laughed out loud. Nonetheless, here it sat in this museum for us all to see and I had to get closer to the front to realize it was actually two separate cockpits in two separate bodies connected by this wing-like piece. Claude really laughed at me when we got to another part of this museum and there was another one in a different color. I just looked at Claude and said, "What do you know? They made two of them!"
This plane is just HUGE!!! As you walk this museum you must remember to look up and under and around to see all the aircraft. After we looked at this plane from this angle, we would have walked around the museum and looked at all these other planes in, over and around it. I'm pretty sure...that when we got to the back side of this plane the two picture I have posted next were of the interior where the bombs would have been located. They had that open for us to look in and on the floor below the opening was the painting of the bombs flying through the sky. I found this a well done exhibit to help you understand what it might be like.
The next picture is what I think of as a fighter pilot. Not sure what kind of plane the particular one is but it represents to me a fighter plane. The last for these galleries was just an interesting view of a carrier of some kind.

 
 
The hallway to the third and final hanger had the 'Berlin Airlift Exhibit'. Let me just say there was a lot that tore at my mothering heart-strings. All this military might so we can have peace was overwhelming. Then this little display in the Berlin Exhibit of children really filled me with emotion.
The final hanger contained the 'Cold War Gallery'.
This panorama picture was taken from a walk-out balcony area on the second floor of the 'Missile & Space Gallery'. It just gives you a sense of the size of this one hanger. Not all of the hanger is even visible in this picture. We are talking HUGE!
Claude and I were married during the Vietnam War. He served in the Air Force during this time. His job was totally secret. We couldn't ever discuss his work. He was locked in a vault when at work. All I knew was from the open house they would have every year. We would go and they would let us tour a carefully cleared out version of their office. I knew it had to do with mapping.
 
As we toured the 'Cold War Gallery', I came across this interesting piece of equipment.
I must assume, since it was sitting right there for the entire world to see, that it is not as secret anymore. It was in the early 70's when Claude worked for the Reconnaissance Technical Squadron. However, even after all these years, I felt concern in voicing anything about this object in front of me. I quietly called Claude over and whispered, "It this what you worked with all those years ago."  Claude, in typical Claude fashion, said, "If I told you, I would have to kill you." I am gullible but I'm also very curious. Continuing to whisper, I pointed out to him what was written on the sign describing this exhibit and told him I just thought it might have to do with his work many years ago. I asked him how long he would have to keep all that secret. He wasn't sure about the detail that he knew but he did lean over to me and said something about 'if I went behind that green door I might see something like this'. I felt satisfied with that answer. Clearly the table to read those maps was on display for everyone to see. No particulars were shared so Claude did not compromise any of his ancient knowledge. I believe we were safe and I feel safe enough to include this so our kids will have that bit of their father's history. Oh, this is a table and those microscope things move up and down so they magnify the objects on pictures that were placed under the glass table. The pictures they used for this exhibit were of the Cuban missile crisis.
 
We went into the circular building that is the 'Missile & Space Gallery'. There were space capsules which make one wonder at the type of person that could be in that tiny space for any period of time at all. There were rockets. I walked up the stairs to the second floor were there is a display of different types of gondolas that would have been used with a hot air balloons to study various things. As we exited this gallery, I saw the framework of a rocket in scaled down form. I glanced briefly at it and then did a double-take and went back to look more closely. Yep, there were two monkeys in this replica of the rocket that would have taken them into space.
Now we walked back through the second and third galleries to see the other half of the first gallery which was the 'World War II Gallery.
At one point I looked up. I saw this lumbering thing that could not possibly have flown because it truly didn't look like it could get off the ground. I called Claude to look at it with me and see if he could figure it out.
On further checking we found this airplane under it.
This airplane had hooks coming out from under the front. Again, these didn't make any since to me. Claude came over to check them out also.
Then we say the picture explaining all these pieces of our puzzle. The clunky plane that couldn't fly on its own was a glider. The plane with the hooks would fly over the glider and catch it with the hooks and carry that glider into the air and let go of it at just the right spot. Where, I am sure, it would plummet to the earth. I know, I know, I absolutely do not understand the mechanics of flight.
That was our tour. By the time we finished we were quite exhausted and ready to bundle up to get to our car in that balmy 20 degree weather. We stopped at Bob Evans for a nice warm meal on our way home.
 
We had a good time in Dayton. I can say we will now carry good memories of the city of Dayton, Ohio. We will still probably complain about I-75 through Dayton but we'll know that beyond the borders of the Interstate lie a nice city with some great places for tourist to visit.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Dayton - Part Dos...

Friday afternoon found us enjoying the capability of our new cell phones. We finished the SunWatch Village tour and knew we had time to visit one of the other possibilities on my tour list. Knowing Friday was cold and a bit snowy, it was still the best day to be outside of the two we had to be tourists. I checked my printouts and realized I had not included a map or directions to get to our next destination. That's when the new cell phones came into play.

We were going to Carillon Historical Park. I had the address and knew it was a major spot in Dayton. I opened the AT&T Navigator app and found a map of where we were currently located with a little blue dot that represented our car and it was moving on the map. How other worldly? I scrolled the map and found the park. Realizing we were heading the wrong direction, Claude turned around and I was able to guide him and watch that little blue dot take us right to Carillon Historical Park. My goodness, Claude and I might move into this new age yet!!

Carillon Historical Park has the most recognized landmark for the city of Dayton.
This carillon was donated to the city by Colonel Edward A. and Edith Walton Deeds. They also founded the 65-acre site that is Carillon Historical Park. Mrs. Deeds was inspired to build a carillon for Dayton by the carillons she saw and heard while traveling Europe. The Park opened in 1950, the year I was born, and today it focuses on all things Dayton.

We started our tour with another film in the Kettering Family Education Center viewing the story of Dayton. This story is told by five animatron men representing a significant part of Dayton's history. They included Colonel Deeds, the Wright brothers, John H. Patterson (founder of NCR) and Charles Kettering. These men tell the story of Dayton including all the inventions that can be attributed to Daytonian residents. We were amazed at all the inventions that originated in Dayton. We learned that Delco stands for Dayton Electrical Laboratories Company. And, among other things, that pop tabs were invented in Dayton. You feel a big part of the story they are telling because everytime rain or water is mentioned a little bit of mist comes down from the ceiling of the theater on the audience, when a plane takes off wind is blown onto the audience, when there is big movement the seats you are sitting in vibrate a little. It was a good start to our tour.

There is also a museum that is a part of the Kettering Family Education Center. We toured this museum with its amazing display of old cash registers, a carousel room, old equipment that Claude I remembered (Yike!!), shelves of toys made in Dayton through the years and the list goes on.

In the open lobby area outside the theater and the museum, a large screen television monitor attached to the ceiling showed a video of a man playing the carillon. Delightful to stand and watch and listen.

Then we headed outside to walk some acreage. Buildings that are a significant part of Dayton's past have been moved to this acreage and restored. You walk the street and enter the buildings you are interested in viewing. Here are some of my favorites:

Locust Grove School No. 12, a one room school house. I kept thinking of Sadieville's Rosenwald School and looking for features that might be used there.
Newcom Tavern (1796) the oldest building in Dayton. This building contained two pieces of furniture that fascinated Claude and me. There was rocking chair for Mrs. Newcom. She had a bad back and it was built to give her relief. I thought it would be a great idea for Papa. Claude fell in love with a 'table chair'. He wanted to be sure we had a picture so he could contemplate making one. Claude just kept saying, "That is so cool!!"
Newcom House, just because its a small house with huge pillars out front. It just makes the proportion all off but it is still simply beautiful.
Bowling Green Station, with its date stamped nails used to test the wood in the rail ties.
James F. Dicke Family Trasportation Center, unique old trains, buses and wagons.
There were also large open air things like the Morrison Iron Bridge (1881), the Miami and Erie Canal Lock No. 17, and the Smith Covered Bridge.
 
The final building we entered and spent time with an actual tour guide was the John W. Berry, Sr. Wright Brothers Aviation Center.
The end of this building is a reproduction of one of the Wright Brothers bicycle shops. There are actually several buildings that were added in stages to tell the Wright Brothers story. In the back was their research and development room. That is my name for it. It contained a wind tunnel they made to test for how to make the wings of their plane. This is the first windmill ever made. They made 200 possible wing shapes and tested them all only to find the 7th one they made was the best one. That is tenacity.
Also included in this building is the 1905 Wright Flyer III. It was the first plane to take off repeatedly, be controlled by a pilot for a length of time and land undamaged. As it turns out, Orville Wright was still alive when this part of the museum was under construction. He was the one who determined the layout of this particular room and which plane should occupy it. Others wanted an earlier version of a Wright brothers plane. Orville didn't want them to use any earlier version. He wanted it to be the one they could actually fly for extended periods of time and control. Once they knew how to fly using the winds and weight of the air in Kitty Hawk, they stayed in Ohio and did test flights in a field outside Dayton. This plane was the one that worked and Orville felt it was the one to display. He died two years previous to the opening of Carillon Historical Park but made sure they had the right plane in the right place (no pun intended).
To fly this one of the Wright brothers, Orville or Wilbur, had to lay on their stomachs for the flight. There was a stick used by their left hand to control something and a paddle things used by their right hand to control something else. In addition, there was a mechanism under their pelvis area that they had to control by moving their hips. It took a lot of dexterity to operate one of these planes. We have been to Kitty Hawk and I don't remember learning about the mechanism under their pelvis area.
The last room had a poster on the wall of a flight around the statue of Liberty on September 29, 1909 made by Wilbur Wright. Wilbur did not know how to swim. He realized he would drown if the plane took a nose-dive while flying over water so he fitted a canoe under the plane. If the plane started to go down, he could release the canoe and have a means of not drowning. When we entered this room I noticed a canoe hanging from the ceiling. I was grateful for the explanation at the end of the tour.
 
That was the end of our visit to Carillon Historical Park. This is another tourist destination I would recommend. There were few visitors on our snowy Friday visit so we could make our tour fairly quickly. We spent the entire afternoon. We didn't visit Culp's Cafe which was open for lunch. But I think we saw most everything else that was available to walk through. There is a small charge but it was well worth the price of admission.
 
We needed to find our hotel room. Out came the cell phone and the AT&T app was opened. I let it locate where we were and then entered our destination and asked for directions. Voila...we were headed to our hotel. We even scored by finding a Max and Erma's for a delicious dinner while the snow fell outside. A great first day of our two day adventure.