The Wandering Disciple

August 8th is International Cat Day and to celebrate the occasion here is a picture of a sleepy feline from the Philadelphia Zoo. From small house cats to the King of the Jungle, all cats are celebrated during this worldwide day. International Cat Day was established in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare to raise awareness about cats. The torch has been passed to International Cat Care and the mission has been expanded to help improve the health and welfare of cats globally.  Taken: July 12, 2023 at Philadelphia Zoo (Philadelphia, PA)

A hippo keeps cool by dipping in a pool of water at the Philadelphia Zoo. Animals of the zoo take a break from the heat of summer by going swimming, taking a nap in the shade or sometimes just hanging out in their air-conditioned exhibit buildings.  Chartered in 1859, the Philadelphia Zoo is the nation’s oldest zoo. The zoo features over 300 species of animals spread among 42 acres in urban Philly. Taken: July 12, 2023 at Philadelphia Zoo (Philadelphia, PA)

As the sun sets over the city of Philadelphia, the lights shine bright in the seat of American independence. Here in the shadows of Liberty Bell Center, the Liberty Bell shines bright as a symbol of American freedom.  The Liberty Bell was once atop Independence Hall and was rung to announce important moments in colonial history. Today the historic Liberty Ball is housed in the Liberty Bell Center located across the street from Independence Hall.  Taken: July 11, 2023 at Independence National Historical Park (Philadelphia, PA)

Walking the halls of Eastern State is part eerie and part humbling. The giant walls of the prison houses some of the most notorious inmates as the state attempted to reform them through isolation. Confined to a small cell with just a skylight connecting them to the outside world, inmates spent their sentence alone hopefully spurring a change in character as they served out their sentence.  The massive prison was almost lost to urban decay but today it is protected by the National Register of Historic Places. Some areas have been restored to show what life was like in the prison during its operations.  Taken: July 11, 2023 at Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site (Philadelphia, PA) 

As you stroll the grounds of one of the country’s most historic cemeteries, you will come across a gravesite covered in pennies. This marks the final resting place of Ben Franklin. Visitors from across the globe visit Christ Church Burial Grounds in Philadelphia and honor Franklin by leaving his namesake penny on the marker in tribute.  Franklin isn’t the only prominent figure buried at Christ Church Burial Ground. The cemetery is the final resting place for four other signers of the Declaration of Independence, government officials and military heroes.  Taken: July 11, 2023 at Christ Church Burial Grounds (Philadelphia, PA) 

As the new nation sought to obtain a new identity, it was determined that a new flag would be needed for the United States of America. A secret committee headed up by George Washington reached out to a local Philadelphian upholster to turn a vision into a flag. Betsy Ross helped create the Grand Union flag which would be hoisted over the Continental Army base in Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776.  Today the story of Betsy Ross lives on at the Betsy Ross house in historic Philadelphia. Here you can get a glimpse into the life of Betsy Ross and learn about her and her work in this historic home.  Taken: July 11, 2023 at Betsy Ross House (Philadelphia, PA)

When the colonist declared freedom from Great Britain, a war for independence was spawned putting the fledgling country against Great Britain. The conflict started with the Battle of Concord in April 1775 and raged for eight years before the British surrendered in Yorktown on October 19, 1781. Today the story of the American Revolution is told in the Museum of the American Revolution in downtown Philadelphia.  Located just steps away from where the Declaration of Independence was ratified, the museum tells the story of the American Revolution from Colonial America through post-revolutionary period.  Taken: July 11, 2023 at National Museum of the American Revolution (Philadelphia, PA) 

Here in this elegant brick building in Colonial Philadelphia, a group of American patriots met to declare independence from tyranny. The founding father penned the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution giving birth to a new nation and charting a course to maintain independence through the future.  Today you can walk the footsteps of George Washington, Ben Franklin, John Hancock and more as they changed history. Independence Hall and adjacent historical buildings have been preserved as part of the Independence National Historical Park.  Taken: July 11, 2023 at Independence National Historical Park (Philadelphia, PA)

Philadelphia is filled with iconic sites. There are historical and cultural sites spread through all parts of the city. One icon that spans decades is the iconic steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. On these steps, Rocky Balboa trained for his fight against Apollo Creed in Rocky I. Today fans of the movie franchise stop at this Philadelphia icon to recreate this famous scene from the movie.  But the museum is known for more than its connection to Rocky. It is home to a world renowned art collection spanning 2,000 years. It features works from Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and many more.  Taken: June 11, 2011 at Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia, PA)

Sarasota, Florida: Almost 7,000 fans packed Ed Smith Stadium on a sunny Sunday afternoon to watch the Cincinnati Reds face the Philadelphia Phillies in a spring training exhibition game. Those fans enjoyed a great pitching duel between the Reds Edinson Volquez and the Phillies Brett Myers, but when the game was over, it was the Phillies holding on to a 6-2 victory. Both Volquez and Myers clinged to a shut-out through five innings of play. It wasn’t until bottom of the sixth inning when the scoreless tie would be broken. That’s when the Reds stuck for two runs to take the lead. Ken Griffey Jr drove home Juan Castro and Alvin Colina to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. The Phillies struck in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of the Reds bullpen, rocking both Gary Majewski and Todd Coffey. The Phillies used two hits and four walks to score three runs and take the lead 3-2. The Phillies added three more runs in the top of the ninth inning to ensure their victory. Brett Myers picked ...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Phillies are a major league baseball team from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest single city professional sports team. The Phillies play in the Eastern Division of the National League and are two time world champions and have won seven National League pennants in their franchise history. The franchise was founded in 1883 as the Quakers. The name was soon changed to the Philadelphias which was ultimately shortened to the Phillies. The Phillies remained relatively quiet until the 1950’s. Their lone league pennant came in 1915. During this large stretch of mediocrity, the Phillies managed just one winning season from 1918-1948. With a new owner in 1943, the Phillies began to work their way out of the basement. The new leadership combined with exciting young players propelled the Phillies to win the NL pennant and sent them back to the World Series in 1950. But they fell apart following the season and struggled through the late 19...