Kissimmee, Florida, USA

Only by casting magic spells is this wizard able to draw in tourist hordes. And, it has been working for decades. He used to be so typical of roadside Orlando, but those of his ilk are dwindling in number while placeless (and faceless) strip developments take over the retail landscape. [2018]

Savannah, Georgia, USA

Oglethorpe Street: It's fitting that Savannah has one. James Oglethorpe founded the city in 1733 and laid it out with such foresight that his plan endures today. How ironic is it that Oglethorpe staunchly opposed the importation of enslaved Africans while Georgia would later become one of the states that went to war to defend the "peculiar institution"? [2018]

Darien, Georgia, USA

No AAA needed. He will do it himself. The corner lot just happens to have a generator that seems to be protected by some orange traffic cones. And, he has figured out how to borrow some of that juice to charge his battery. Probably not the first time. [2018]

Brunswick, Georgia, USA

A few ornamental, fruit-bearing trees frame the yacht harbor in Brunswick. What kind of fruit is it? (a) Finger lime, (b) Persian lime, (c) Key lime, (d) Kaffir lime, (e) Bergamot lime, (f) Desert lime,  (g) Round lime. Bet you didn't know there were so many types of limes? Or might this be a lemon? [2018]

St. Marys, Georgia, USA

It may not be colonial, but First Presbyterian is one of the oldest churches in Georgia. Prior to the Revolutionary War, James Oglethorpe recruited many Scottish Highlanders to defend the American frontier. Their descendants were to loom large in the history of coastal Georgia, and it is refreshing to see their contributions celebrated in a fresh coat of paint. [2018]

Port Royal, South Carolina, USA

Port Royal is getting a face lift. It's always heartening to see an old town get some new construction. Like so many properties on the Sea Islands, this one is close to the water. If you can see through the Spanish moss and across the marshes, you can catch a glimpse of the Beaufort River. [2018]

Beaufort, South Carolina, USA

Beaufort is the urban kingpin of South Carolina's Sea Islands: Parris Island with its Marines, Hilton Head with its chic, St. Helena Island with its Gullah culture, Fripp Island with its loggerhead turtles, and Hunting Island with its state park. Beaufort itself is on Port Royal Island and its suburbs spill over onto Lady's Island. So many islands, so little time. [2018]

Benson, Arizona, USA

Visual reminders of Benson's past have been hauled off and stationed roadside to welcome everyone driving into town. Does that make them part of Roadside America? Or is that term reserved for the large and garish? [2018]

Lancaster, Ohio, USA

You know it's a mill because you can see the 'overshot' waterwheel even if you can't see the water. Rock Mill turned out meal and flour into the 20th century, then sat vacant until the 21st. Now, it is one of the finest mementos of the agrarian past in all of Ohio. And, there is a covered bridge just a slingshot away! [2017]

Cedartown, Georgia, USA

Like every structure erected in the antebellum South, the Old Mill in Cedartown was built by enslaved Africans. What a good job they did! The mill spent a hundred years grinding corn and wheat, then became a restaurant (when this photo was taken), and is now a residence. [1984]

Sahuarita, Arizona, USA

Here's the last of its species: a Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile (without its nuclear warhead!) still occupying its silo in southern Arizona. The silo was built in 1963 to assure (1) that the Cold War would not become a 'hot' war, or (2) that if the Cold War did become a 'hot' war, the U.S. would win it. Welcome to the Titan Missile Museum. [2018]

Oldtown, Kentucky, USA

Red, white, and weathered: These are the colors of covered bridges. This one is weathered. It's the Oldtown Bridge, which is not located in any park but which is still valued by its state and county: It was rebuilt in 1999. Its name invites the question: How old is it? 128 years. How old are you today? [2017]

Lancaster, Ohio,USA

Red, white, and weathered: These are the colors of covered bridges. This one is white. It's the Mink Hollow Bridge, now the centerpiece of a county park. It has a name that defines cognitive dissonance: The Mink Hollow Covered Bridge in Oil Mill Hollow over Amey Run near Borcher's Mill. So, is it located in Mink Hollow or Oil Mill Hollow? [2017]

Greencastle, Pennsylvania, USA

Red, white, and weathered: These are the colors of covered bridges. This one is red. It's the Martins Mill Bridge, now the centerpiece of a township park. It was lucky to be returned to its abutments after tropical storm Agnes swept it downstream in 1972. [2018]

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

The crape myrtle should be called the 'fireworks tree.' Why so popular? The flowers (1) come in almost infinite shades of red and purple, plus white, (2) are abundant and cover the crown of the tree for maximum showiness, (3) start blooming early and go on into the fall. Plus, the leaves are small and offer no competition for attention. [2017]

Lamesa, Texas, USA

Rot, demolition, or fire must have taken out one of the storefronts in Lamesa's downtown. But, the lot has not been abandoned. Instead, it has been turned into a vest-pocket park. No matter where you are, you can always use the colors and textures of brick, wood, bloom, and history to create a space for rejuvenation. [2018]

Coinjock, North Carolina, USA

Great Egrets are common sights in the brackish marshlands of the Carolina coast. They are usually seen wading, however, rather than perched high above it all in the branches of a recently deceased cypress tree. Perhaps, this one is scouting out the prey-worthy fish below. [2018]

Andalusia, Alabama, USA

The World Championship Domino Tournament is in full swing today! In Andalusia, Alabama. Really? May we be skeptical? Why would a domino championship be held anywhere in Alabama? Or in any small town? Answers (or conjecture) welcome. [2017]

Hamilton, New York, USA

Ubiquitous: "existing everywhere." Is spirea Anthony Waterer ubiquitous? Absolutely! It's been a popular garden shrub at least since the 1800s. It doesn't exude modernity, but rather nostalgia. Spirea's rosiness is a great way of turning back the clock to times past. [2017]

Stamford, Connecticut, USA

Ubiquitous: "existing everywhere." Are food trucks ubiquitous? With over 3 million of them in the U.S., the answer might be 'yes'! Is food ubiquitous? Again, the answer might be 'yes'. Never before has food been more widely available (or cheaper). Yet, 50 million Americans face some level of food insecurity. [2018]

New York, New York, USA

Are there any alternatives to 7-11? Try the food trucks that have come to dot roadsides, parking lots, and street corners around the country. Now, look at today's date and try not to succumb to a free Slurpee! [2018]

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Meet the world's largest rodent face to face: It's the capybara, a native of South America (where its distribution is widespread and its existence not threatened). This one, however, makes his home in Reid Park Zoo. [2018]

Jackson, Mississippi, USA

The pygmy hippopotamus is an endangered species. There are only about 2,000 left in the wild: where their Liberian forest habitat is disappearing or being degraded. Also important in their demise are those teeth: ivory. Yes, it is not just the elephant that is being hunted for the ivory trade. [2018]

Phoenix, Arizona, USA

The white rhinoceros is a native of the African savanna. The southern white rhino (seen here) has fought its way back from the brink of extinction but its northern cousin will become extinct when the last two females of the species pass away. The last male northern white rhino died just a few months ago. For an update, read this. [2018]

Washington, DC, USA

The horse population of the United States topped out in 1920 at 25 million. Today, there are fewer than 10 million, thanks largely to the mechanization of transportation and farming. For hippophiles, though, there are still a few professions that put you on horseback. For some, that's a few birthdays away; for others, a little longer. [2012]

Annapolis, Maryland, USA

It was only last week that yet another shooting rampage took place in the 'good ole' USA: Five people (count the ribbons) were killed with a 12-gauge shotgun. All five were local reporters. "Stay Strong Annapolis. Our Hearts are with the Capitol Gazette." And, Jesus wept yet again. [2018]

Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

What do you do the summer after graduating from high school? Get back to nature on Back Bay, which has been a National Wildlife Refuge since the 1930s when it was so isolated there was virtually no human footprint. Now, it's in Virginia's most populous city and a recreational mecca. If today is your birthday, here's to fond memories! [1995]

Marlowe, West Virginia, USA

Fireworks on Independence Day? It's a tradition that goes back to the very first anniversary of the signing: July 4, 1777. Three weeks earlier, the 'stars and stripes' had been adopted as the national standard. So, what seems like garish commercialism here is really a deep dip into the history of our democracy. [2018]

Washington, DC, USA

Lafayette Park is perfectly positioned to send a message of protest to the White House (hopefully, even if the President is not there). If you look closely, you can see two sentries on the roof. They've got a bird's-eye-view of how the next generation is getting ready to take over the reins of government. [2018]

Washington, DC, USA

"This is Insanity. Show Humanity." Separating parents and children, especially young children, seems like something we shouldn't do in everyday life, so why has the U.S. government made family separation a policy at the border? Unjustifiable! Families belong together. [2018]

Washington, DC, USA

Families Belong Together: That was the official name of the march that began in front of the White House and proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol yesterday. In reality, it was a march in support of all immigrants: past, present, future; children, parents, grandparents; black, white, brown. It was a march in favor of human rights. [2018]