Getting Ready for A to Z in April

I like thinking about April.  Perhaps by then the temperatures will no longer dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.  Any, by then, I will have written all of my A to Z posts and can just sit back and read what others are writing about.

I have my theme and all of my letters, save two, already planned out.  I got creative with 'Z' and will probably do the same for J and X.

I've looked up all of the reference material I will use.  But, and it is a big BUT, I have yet to label and edit all of my pictures that I will be using.  I did a good deal of sorting when I returned home from my trip last fall.  And then, I just sort of stopped.  I think it was the approaching holidays that put a dent in my computer time.

But now I have made up my mind to spend the next month putting my posts together and enjoying my trip all over again.

Are you joining A to Z this year?  New participant or returning veteran?  This will be my third year and I am looking for ward to finding new blogs to follow.

Here is the link to the official site of the A to Z Challenge.  Watch for the sign-up list and join the fun.

New Year, New Lists

I am not one for New Year's resolutions.  I am already dreading all of the weight loss ads on TV that typically start at this time of year.  I've already cleaned out much of my closets and basement, though that seems to be a never-ending chore.  But, I do have a few things I plan to do in the coming year and I will be happy to share my future plans with you.

One goal has already been started.  I plan to read all of the Agatha Christie novels.  In truth, I have seen more dramatizations of her works that I have read novels, thanks to Masterpiece Mystery and Hollywood.  Up until a few months ago, I had only read 'And Then There Were None'.  And I read that when I was quite young.  Like maybe 10?  And only after seeing the movie on TV.  But I was hooked on mysteries and can't for the life pf me understand why I never read her novels.  I am reading all of the Hercule Poirot first, but have to admit that I am tempted to also buy the complete series of the Masterpiece presentations.  (though, in truth, I would watch them once and put it on a shelf and I can borrow them for free from my library)

When I am not reading, I will be watching Netflix.  Currently I am not a subscriber, though I had been for several years.  Then I switched to Amazon.  Now I discover that one of my favorite TV shows will only be available on Netflix.  It seems that the audience for 'Longmire' was considered 'too old' for the A&E network so they cancelled it.  Season 4 will be shown on Netflix.  I enjoy westerns, probably because growing up that is what my dad watched on our one and only TV.  What teen-aged girl in the 1960's didn't have a crush on Rowdy Yates on 'Rawhide'?  (a young Clint Eastwood)

Of course, I will also be penning my blog posts for April's A to Z Challenge.  Which means I must finish labeling and editing all of my vacation photos.  And I still have some letters I need to associate with my trip to make my alphabet complete.

I will also be looking for a new blog to follow as regards the New York Times crossword.  For several years I have read a blog when I have been stumped as to the theme or lack thereof in a puzzle.  When I did the puzzle in the newspaper, I rarely checked the blog.  Now that I do the puzzle online, I usually check the blog to see what the author thought of it.  I have become more and more irritated with his whining.  Seems like if he has a hard time with the puzzle he whines about whatever - obscure cluing, not liking Scrabble, never heard of them - UGH.  This morning was another example of a puzzle I found to be fairly easy that he said was medium-challenging.  I didn't even bother to read his reasoning.  So, it seems I will be 'googling' for a new source of clarity and less frustration with someone who whines like a little girl.

Of course, when I am not busy with all of the above, I will be baby-sitting, going to yoga, and using my Christmas gifts.  One son bought me a great chef's knife from Shun and another got me a KitchenAid Pro Line mixer.  The secret to the knife is to ask your son to carve the turkey and give him the worse knife you have in the drawer.  I did give him the carving knife after I realized my 'error', but now I have a really cool knife for chopping.  And my old Kitchen Aid mixer had a hard time with bread dough and my shortbread cookies.  This new one with a 1.3 HP motor should solve those problems.

I wish each of you a very Happy New Year.  And if you are making resolutions, make them attainable and truly useful to you and your loved ones.

A to Z at Number 249

Well, I've signed up the the 2014 A to Z Challenge.  I've been home from Europe for three months and have not written one post for the challenge.  I think I need to get busy.

I have my list of places I visited.  I have all my pictures on my computer.  I am not sure how much I will talk about each place as a picture can often say more about the beauty of an area than I can.

This year I am number 249.  I meant to sign up earlier, but I would sit here and read blogs and just forget to do it.

Last year I found several new blogs I enjoyed, but after the challenge, several of them stopped posting.  I hope to find some interesting blogs this year.

With a grandchild due on April 4 I know that I need to have my posts written in advance. 

The temperature today is 4 degrees F.  If I was still in Europe, I would be basking in the high 30's and  40's.  I can look at my pictures of the snow covered Alps and remember how warm I was compared to today. 

Oh, 'A' for Alps.  Guess I can get started.

If you want to join up for this year, here is the link.  Happy Blogging.

S is for Snippets of Spectacular Cities and Scenery

When I decided to do a travel blog this month, I started writing down the places I had visited and then decided I would pick one to talk about.  And then I got to the letter 'S'.

Oh my.  How to decide.  And so I decided the S is for 'spectacular' and decided to mention each of them and some great things to see.

San Francisco, California - I love this city and its most iconic image, the Golden Gate Bridge.  Walk the waterfront, tour Alcatraz, ride the cable car, eat great food.  What is not to like here?  Or go over to another 'S', Sausalito.  Just cross the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Antonio, Texas - No question about it, you must visit the Alamo.  Take a boat  ride on the river, eat more food, tour the old missions.  Or just walk along the Riverwalk from one end to the other.






Seattle, Washington - Mt. Rainier looms over this City.  It is just amazing to see that in the skyline.  Go to the top of the Space Needle for great views.  Spend time in the Public Market.  If you are interested in cooking, take a class at Diane's Market Kitchen.  Or just ride the ferries, enjoy the views and visit the other communities when you arrive at your destination.  Tour underground Seattle.  Or how about a drive to Snoquamish Falls? 













San Diego, California - Go to the zoo.  My all time favorite zoo and I have been to a lot of them all around the world.  You can go over to Catalina Island by boat.  Or stay in town and have Sunday Brunch at the Hotel Del Coronado.  The eggs Benedict are fabulous.



Spring Green, Wisconsin - For architecture buffs, Taliesin, home of Frank Lloyd Wright and his architecture school.  Have lunch at the café and tour the school as well.

Scottsdale, Arizona -  Visit Taliesin West, the Wright winter home and school.  You can also drive north to Sedona, shop at all the artist markets or even go for a dune buggy ride.  And the scenery is great on the way.

Savannah, Georgia - So much history.  So much beauty.  My favorite square:   Forsyth Park.

You'll walk the waterfront, visit Mercer House (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), eat at the Olde Pink House, and have a great Southern time.

 

Seville, Spain or anyplace in Spain for that matter - I still remember walking through the Alcazar Palace and the Plaza de Espana. 

 

And for you scenery lovers, Skyline Drive, in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia -  This is a beautiful drive in the mountains, but my husband and I drove the almost the entire length in the fog,  all 105 miles, so I can't swear to it.

And there you have it.  Go call your travel agent.

P is for Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak, Colorado.  Elevation 14,115 ft.  A definite Rocky Mountain High.

The first time I was in Colorado in the 1970's, my husband and I were going to drive up to Pikes Peak.  There were notices posted that said that while the road was still open, it was getting treacherous.  At the time the road up to the peak was not paved.  We turned around and went elsewhere for the day.

When I went to Denver in 2002, I had three items on my 'to-do' list:

1.  See the Cirque de Soleil show that was in town.  (Is that where I saw 'Alegria?)
2.  Go white-water rafting on the Clear Creek, a fun adventure.
3.  Finally get to Pikes Peak.

Since I was there during the Hayman Wildfire and the air down in Denver was the stuff you could see in front of you, getting out of the city seemed like a good idea.  But this time, I decided to go up to the peak on the Cog Railway instead of making the drive. 

I knew it would be cold at the top, but I was not prepared for how cold.  I had to purchased a fleece jacket to put on under my coat when I got to the summit.  I then set off to enjoy the view.  And oh, what a view it was:

The air is thin up here and you need to heed the warnings of the park rangers.  One woman on the cog stood up and immediately passed out.  Others were sitting inside the park's shop with their heads between their knees. 

We dealt with lots of clouds and haze, but on a clear day you can see four states, the snow-covered peaks of the Continental Divide, the cities of Denver, Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs and the historic gold camps of Cripple Creek and Victor.

While in the area, you will also want to visit the Garden of the Gods for more luscious scenery.  Or go to Rocky Mountain National Park.  You could easily spend a week here enjoying yourself, especially if you enjoy the outdoors.  Here is a link to hiking in the park: Adventure

While writing these A - Z posts, I realized that I should do a post about my white-water adventures on the Niagara River, Snake River, Rogue River, American River and Clear Creek.  I would still like to do a trip on the Green River and the Colorado.  My tom-boy side still exists.  Any adventurers out there?

P is also for Paris, Prague, Pisa, Pompeii, Portugal, Prado Museum, Prince Edward Island, Phoenix, Pacific Coast Highway, Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania Dutch Country

O is for Oak Park, Illinois

Oak Park, Illinois is one of my favorite places to visit.  I actually think I have visited there more than any other place on earth.  That is because it is the home of Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and Studio (below) and where many of his designs were built. 

For starters, it is close to Chicago.  If you are staying in the Windy City (which originally referred to their politicians, lol), you can easily take the Green Line Train right into the center of town.   Walk a block up to the Visitors Center on Lake Street to get a map and get acquainted with what awaits.

Of course, for me, that is the walking tour of homes in the area.  You can go at a leisurely pace and find out about these beautiful places designed by Wright and others.  If I had to pick a favorite Wright home in this city, I think it would be the Thomas House, which I have had the pleasure of touring.

Every May, the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust sponsors a home tour of select homes.  This year it is May 18 and tickets are still available.  Maybe I will see you there.




Oak Park is also the home of Unity Temple, where Mr. Wright was a member.  This picture of the interior (from Wikipedia, thank you very much) gives you an idea of its grandeur.

 

There is another wonderful old home called The Pleasant Home that is open for tours and the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace and Museum below.

 

Of course, one can shop in Oak Park, if that is your thing.  Just walk up and down Lake Street.  They even have a Penzeys Spice Co there.

 

One can also eat.  There is a wonderful place that I enjoy called Marion Street Cheese Market.

The Brookfield Zoo is nearby for animal lovers and the Garfield Park Conservatory for plant lovers.

 

If you are a fan of architecture at all, this is a must see area.  (But if you are a fan, then you probably already know that.)  I have a Pinterest Board filled with Frank Lloyd Wright homes, as do many other pinners.  I'll be taking lots of pictures on my next trip and you can read about the trip right here next month.

O is also for Ontario, Orlando, Oregon, Oklahoma

N is for Nashville, Tennessee

Ever register for a conference and wonder why you are going someplace you have no interest in being?  Ever visit a place for business and get caught up in the moment?

For me it happened in Nashville, Tennessee.  I would never describe myself as a country music fan.  Yes, I have seen Kenny Rogers in concert twice.  And yes, I enjoyed it both times.  But he kinda crosses over to Pop.  And I admit that I sang along with everyone else in the audience when he sang 'Lucille'.

In 1999 I found myself in Nashville for the Government Finance Officers annual conference.  I was staying at the Opryland Resort and Convention Center.  One night I was invited to an evening at the Grand Ole Opry .  I could not imagine I would enjoy it.  But I did.  Loretta Lynn performed with two of her daughters.  I believe Waylon Jennings was there.  Beyond that I do not remember much else about the performers.

One night we went into the City for dinner and visited Music City.  We walked around popping in and out of music bars.  It was a lot of fun.

I spent an afternoon at the Ryman Auditorium while they were filming an anniversary program for the old country music network TNN.  There was Glen Campbell, Crystal Gayle, and a whole host of singers that I would remember if I was a true country fan.

We went on a paddle boat ride on the river late one afternoon.

We saw Faith Hill in a private concert.  She had agreed to the performance long before she became a huge hit.  Fantastic show.

I went to a performance of 'A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline'.   I came home and bought a couple of her CDs, I enjoyed it that much.

And when I wasn't going to conference sessions during the day and seeing the City at night, I just walked around the beautiful hotel.

I had not really thought I would enjoy it as much as I did.  There was really nothing in Nashville that I thought I wanted to see.  All in all, I had a 'Good Time'.  And instead of beautiful pictures, here is some country music.  I'll bet you can't listen to it without tapping your foot.



N is also for Naples, Italy; Nova Scotia; New Orleans; Nevada; New York City; North Carolina; North Dakota; New Mexico; and Niagara Falls.  I can't resist posting one of my many, many pictures of the falls, one of my favorite places.

M is for Monte Carlo, Monaco

From one gambling venue to another.  But oh so different they are. 

The Principality of Monaco is all about crystal clear blue water, not desert.  White buildings and luxurious yachts, not glitzy casinos and make-believe venues.  It was all so utterly surreal in its own way.

It was 1969.  I first heard of Monaco when American actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier in 1956.  The Grimaldi family has ruled Monaco for over 700 years.  It was a fairy-tale wedding of an American movie star to a Royal Prince. 

I never actually thought I would visit there, but we would be passing through on the train from Barcelona, Spain to Venice, Italy and a stop in Nice seemed appropriate.  My diary from that trip says that we took the bus from Nice into Monaco for the day, specifically into Monte Carlo.  Our visit cost all of $9.09.  Europe on $10 a day, lol.

We walked up to see the palace and went to the casino (but did not gamble).  But the highlight was the certainly the  Oceanographic Museum.  



At the time we were there, Jacques Cousteau was the director.  This is probably the best aquarium museum I have ever been in because of the very unusual variety of species that I saw.  We easily could have spent more time there.

Black and white alert:  Here I am standing at the museum:

We were only in Monaco for a single day, but it was very enjoyable.  It would be a great place to retire to and just sit and look out at the view.  I would not mind going back and seeing more of the Riviera.  Maybe combine it with a return trip to Majorca, which I almost blogged about for 'M'. 

Check this site for some beautiful photos.

We are now halfway through the A - Z Challenge.  I am having a great time doing this.  I have the rest of my letters picked and only have six more to write up.  I am so glad I started ahead of time.  Click here to see the list of other bloggers.  I've moved up to number 797.

M is also for Michigan, Mackinac Island, Minnesota, Maine, Mammoth Cave, Miami; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin; Manitoulin Island; Majorca, Spain and Melbourne, Australia

L is for Las Vegas, Nevada

This is a city where you can shop till you drop, eat up a storm, and enjoy lavish entertainment. 

I've only made three trips to Vegas.   I am not a gambler.  The draw for me is the architecture and the shows.  I love walking down the strip and roaming through the hotels.  I marvel at the re-creation of famous places.   Ah, the hotels.

Think you are in Venice, Italy?  No, you are at the Venetian. (L is for Lagoon)

Even inside looks like outside.

In addition to big name performers and cozy piano bars, there are Cirque du Soleil shows.  Definitely my all-time favorites.  (L is for Love)

And the food.  So many wonderful places to eat. (L is for L'Atelier) 

And shop, if you enjoy that sort of thing.  Just looking is a feast for the eyes.  And if you are worn out from shopping and eating, you can visit the Canyon Ranch Spa.  (O.K. I wasn't exactly worn-out, but any excuse for a relaxing massage will do.)

There are plenty of ways to spend your money in Las Vegas.  Nearby is Red Rock Canyon for scenery and hiking.  Vegas also serves as a starting point for tours to Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon.  Been there, done that. 

It's the kind of place where it would be hard to be bored.  Unless you gamble away all your money.  (L is for Loser)

L  is also for Louisianna, Louvre Museum, Longwood Gardens, Los Angeles, and Lisbon, Portugal

K is for Kentucky

Kentucky. The Blue Grass State.  My Old Kentucky Home. 

In 1986 I decided to take my sons to Kentucky for Spring Break.  We would have a road trip adventure.  Traveling with three boys under the age of ten would not be a 'vacation', but I had hoped we would at least see some interesting sights and they would enjoy themselves.

The plan was to drive south on I-75 through Ohio and start our trip in Lexington.  We would then make a loop through the eastern half of the state, going east to west and back again.

One of our first stops would be the Kentucky Horse Park.  I do not know a lot about horses outside of watching the big three horse races on TV each year when I was younger. 

The boys enjoyed seeing the horses and it turned out to be a pleasant afternoon.

 Since I love visiting old homes we next made a trip to Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate.

Trying to keep things interesting for the boys, we headed to Pleasant Hill and the Shaker Village.  The boys watched many craftspeople making everyday items like brooms and baskets just they way they were made before everything became industrialized.  We had a typical Shaker meal and had a wonderful day.
From there we headed to Bardstown, where we would visit My Old Kentucky Home State Park, enjoy some more outdoor time and visit Federal Hill. Later, a ride to Loretto took us to the
Maker's Mark Distillery .  This was a concession to my husband's interest in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Back to our history lesson, we headed to the Abraham Lincoln's Boyhood Home in Hogdenville.

Having traveled on all the back roads from Lexington, we now headed to I-65 to make the trip to Mammoth Cave National Park.  I think this was certainly a highlight of the trip for all of us.

Balancing out Mom's artistic interests (above) with her sons', our final stop of the trip would be Ft. Boonesborough State Park.  As luck would have it there were re-enactors there that weekend.  The boys (my oldest son in this photo) took turns learning how to fire a musket.

Ending our day at Mammoth we then drove the Cumberland Parkway to Somerset where we again hit the scenic drive to make our way to Berea to visit the Kentucky Artisan Center.  This still hangs in my foyer.

From here we made the return trip home up I-75.  The trip used up every bit of our week.  We had a good time and made lots of memories.  There was something for everyone.

K is also for Kalamazoo, MI and Knoxville, TN.

J is for Jamaica

Jamaica.  How did I end up someplace I never planned to go?  It was all thanks to a guy named Lenny.  First name was Hurricane.  Yep, Hurricane Lenny, 1999.  Also known as 'wrong way' Lenny.

We were going on a cruise to benefit DARE, Drug Abuse Resistance Education.  Sailing on the Norwegian Sky, we were supposed to go to the Eastern Caribbean.  We never got to any of the islands and now I can't even remember which ones they were.

Hurricane Lenny came late in the season and instead of tracking East to West, it was tracking West to East, hence no getting to the Eastern islands.

 Accuweather.com

After spending quite a bit of time sailing back and forth on the southern side of Cuba, we were informed that we were able to get into Montego Bay, Jamaica for the day.  We could leave the ship in the morning and return in the evening, even though we had no idea where we would be going next.  There were a lot of boats out there with no place to go in the storm.  This is what you don't want to see on your Caribbean cruise:

The only reason I would ever have considered going to the island would be to climb Dunn's River Falls.  The 1,000-foot falls are continuously rebuilt from calcium carbonate and sodium deposits in the river. One of the only waterfalls in the world that actually empties directly into the sea, Dunn’s River Falls was used for location footage in both the Tom Cruise movie Cocktail and the James Bond film Dr. No. So, I grabbed my swimsuit and set off on a bus that would take us there.

The ride from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios was in itself an eye-opener.  We traveled through what had to be the poorest areas I have ever encountered on a vacation.  We saw shanties that had been destroyed in a hurricane several years before and had never been rebuilt.  The poverty was heart-breaking.

Finally we arrived in Ocho Rios.  It was like being in another world compared to what we had driven through to get there.

As for the Falls - it was one of the best adventure's I have ever had.  I cannot think of anything that compares to that experience.  It was just so exhilarating!

The resort areas of the island looked inviting.  I suppose if I were a beach person, this might be a place to go - without Lenny or his cousins, of course.

I is for International Falls, Minnesota

I have never actually been to International Falls, but it is in my blood.  My mother was born there in 1921.

My maternal grandfather, Angelo, was born in 1883 in Cordenons, Italy (which was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire).  In May, 1913 he left his wife and two daughters in Italy to go to International Falls where his brother-in-law was already working.  The plan was to get settled, save some money, and bring the family over.  Old documents show that he worked in the Abitibi Paper Mills in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Working to raise the money for their passage took time and in 1914, World War I broke out.  He was unable to return to Italy or to send for the family to come to America.  Angelo was not reunited with his family until they came over in 1920, traveling through Quebec, then Fort Frances, Ontario and crossing into the United States at International Falls.  For whatever reason, they remained there until 1923, and thus, my mother was born in what is the coldest city in the continental United States. They moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and my grandfather died there in March, 1925.  My grandmother and her three daughters then moved to Detroit.

This photo is undated but shows my grandparents along with my mother's two older sisters and a cousin.  It is quite possible that my grandmother is pregnant with my mother in the photo.

I remember watching the local weather reports on television when I was growing up.  If it was winter, the coldest spot was always International Falls.  As I am writing this on Tuesday morning, the temp there is 16 and here it is 42, but it will not even get that warm there today.  They can keep their claim to fame.

The cold temperatures were all I ever knew about it until the appearance of 'Frostbite Falls'.  The fictional Minnesota small town of Frostbite Falls was the hometown of cartoon characters Rocket "Rocky" J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. The fictional town was located in Koochiching County as well (International Falls is the county seat of Koochiching). 

I loved these guys.  I even had a Rocky and Bullwinkle t-shirt and have the series loaded on my Amazon Prime account for viewing (when I am not sitting here at the computer).
The closest I've gotten to International Falls was 102 miles away in Ely, Minnesota.  There is an International Wolf Center there.  My sister did visit the Falls and Fort Frances, Ontario, which is linked to International Falls by a bridge over the Rainy River.

It will be on my to-do list but definitely in the summer time.

I is also for Italy, a country I've visited from one end to the other, or top to bottom.

H is for Hungary

In 2005 I decided to make a trip to Europe to see the castles of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.  I would visit Budapest, Hungary along with Vienna, Austria and Prague, Czech Republic. 

The Austro-Hungarian Empire existed from 1867 to October, 1918.  Its creation was the result of the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, under which the Habsburgs, who had been in power since the late 13th century, agreed to share power with the separate Hungarian government, dividing the territory of the former Austrian Empire between them.

After the end of World War I, the empire was dissolved.  Today the former empire has been divided into Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, large parts of Serbia and Romania, and smaller parts of Italy, Montenegro, Poland and the Ukraine. 

My trip to Hungary began in Vienna.  I boarded an early morning train (think 5:30 am) to Budapest.  While I had previously traveled by train through much of Europe, the border crossing from Austria to Hungary was surely the most interesting. 

When the Hungarian border guards boarded the train and asked for our passports, I was surprised at their demeanor and physical appearance.  It reminded me of old movies that were made during the Cold War and the time of the 'Iron Curtain'.  Even the female guard was intimidating.  We sat in stony silence while they looked us over and stamped our passports.

After the two-hour plus train ride, we arrived at the train station in Budapest.  The Keleti Station was absolutely gorgeous inside and was quite a surprise.

Armed with maps of the city, we followed our guide to a bus that would take us up to Castle Hill.  On the way we passed the Parliament Building on the Danube.  This view from the river side is much more attractive than the street side view.

Buda Castle, also known as the Royal Palace, was first begun in the 13th century.  It was added to over the succeeding centuries and was finally completed in 1904.  The castle was badly damaged during World War II and restoration is ongoing.  The picture below shows damage up on the hill from bombing during the war.

Today, the castle is home to three museums.

Budapest also has some beautiful churches.  Among them are St. Stephen's.

It is estimated that about one-third of Hungarians do not follow any religion or believe in God.  About half of the population is Roman Catholic.  The Catholic religion first became established in Hungary under the reign of King Stephen in the 10th century, hence the predominance of Catholic churches.

There is so much to see here.  There is a lovely city park filled with statues, the old bath houses, and you must visit the marketplace.

As much as I love old buildings and do not enjoy shopping, this was one time when I really enjoyed the markets.  The craft work was exquisite.  The people were so friendly.  I had a wonderful hour or so here just walking around.

I purchased a lovely embroidered runner for my dining room table and use it every Easter. 

This is a city I would like to visit again.  When I was there in 2005, there was so much being done to bring it back to its former glory.  Driving down the street you would see lovely old apartment buildings that had been turned into co-op units by the people living there.  They were cleaned-up and the grime that was there from neglect during the Soviet era was removed.  Next door there would be a dump.  I would love to go back and see how much progress has been made.

H is also for Halifax. 

G is for Giverney, France

Giverny, France ( French pronunciation: ​[ʒi.vɛʁ.ni]).  Got that?  How about Zhi-vahr-nee?  However you say it, I say 'Magnifique!'  Claude Monet lived in Giverny from 1883 until his death in 1926.   

I visited there in April of 1999.  April in Paris.   I decided to make the trip when I saw airfares advertised for $300 round-trip.  I always said that I would run off to Paris in a minute if given the chance and here was my chance to do just that. 

On previous trips to France, Giverny was not on my radar.  This time it was 'all art, all the time' and the side trip made sense.  I am so glad I went. 

Before our trip to Giverny we visited the Musee de l'Orangerie and the Musee d'Orsay in Paris to see the Monet paintings hanging there.  The trip to his home in Giverny was to be the 'piece de resistance' of our art tour in France.

Giverny is about 50 miles from Paris and easily accessible by train.  It is a small community; when we visited in 1999 the population was 524.

If it was not enough for Monet to have incredible artistic talent, he had this estate to inspire him.  He and his family lived in this large home on two beautifully landscaped acres.

There is a lovely water lily pond with a bridge that is covered in wisteria vines. (see background)

The pond was landscaped all the way around.

It was April so the tulips were in bloom.  If you slightly close your eyes you can see the colors merging into an Impressionist painting of your own.

Monet was an Impressionist painter, the term coming from his painting 'Impression Sunrise'.



The estate has an adjunct building where items are for sale. 

And if you just want to sit and enjoy the view, there is a lovely area that allows you to do just that.

While there are beautiful gardens in Paris and wonderful old buildings, for an afternoon of nature, this is the place to go.  The next time you find yourself in Paris, head to Gare St. Lazare, buy your ticket to Vernon where you can catch a bus and head to Giverny.

G is also for Greece, Grand Tetons, Grand Canyon, Great Britain, Gettysburg, Glacier National Park, Glen Canyon, Golden Gate, Georgia

What a Ride

I had no idea the A to Z Challenge would be such a challenge.  For my neck. 

I have disc compression in my neck, so I try not to spend too much time at the computer.  Usually, I can sit here and whip off a few hundred words and post.  With the challenge, I have spent more time googling information, scanning in pictures or finding them online, and concentrating on being interesting. 

Some days my shoulder, where I tend to feel the pain, is not happy.  But I am.  I am having so much fun doing this.  I am revisiting places I haven't thought about in years.

This morning I received a copy of my very old travel slides converted to DVD.  They are not great, but considering they were taken mostly with a cheap camera in the 60's, have faded, and seem to be off-kilter, they work just fine when it comes to 'remembering when'.

It warmed up here overnight, but it is very windy and rain is on the way.  So, no yard work yet.  But I am having fun watching the birds, ducks and rabbits running around the yard.

A few days ago there was a robin orgy in the side garden.  I don't remember ever seeing this many birds before.  I am sure we will have lots of nests.  Speaking of which, I shooed a pair of Mallard ducks out of the front shrubbery.  They have tried to make nests in there before and it is not a good place.  It is right in the area where I know the raccoons wander through at night.

This morning the bunnies were running around in the front when I went to get my newspaper out of the box.  There were all sorts of folks buying pansies yesterday at the local garden center.  I think of them as rabbit food and have decided to forgo them this year.

And the Cooper's Hawks have been flying high.  I hope they are hungry because I can see all sorts of small rodent damage in my backyard.  The hawks are a welcome sight around here.  I am posting a picture from last year when they were lunching in my backyard.

Have a great Sunday.  I'll see you tomorrow with the letter 'G'.

F is for Fallingwater

A vacation trip just to see a house.  Well, not just any house, but a very special and perhaps the most well-known of all Frank Lloyd Wright homes: Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.

Of course, it is pretty well-known that my first career choice was architecture.  (Well, if you knew me in the 50's.)  But after having my drafting instructor repeatedly tell me that women don't get hired as architects, (1950's ideas) I decided I needed to find a career that would put clothes on my back and food on my table.

But my love of architecture remained and I make an almost yearly trek to Oak Park, Illinois to see the Wright homes there.  So, it made sense that having already visited there, Wright's homes in Scottsdale, Arizona and Spring Green, Wisconsin, and many other side visits to his creations around the country, that I should finally see the masterpiece.

How beautiful:

Imagine living in a home built over a waterfall.  Construction of the home began in 1935 for wealthy department store owner Edgar Kaufman, Sr.  of Pittsburgh.  It was to be a retreat summer home for the family.

A trip to Fallingwater need not be the only Wright home you see.  Just down the road a bit in Chalkhill is the Hagan house, known as Kentuck Knob.

Built in 1954 almost 20 years later than Fallingwater, it shares some of the same aspects.  Both are built into the landscape around them.  And both have teeny, tiny bathrooms and narrow hallways.  At Kentuck Knob, in order for the owner, Lord Palumbo, to put a rocking chair in the master bedroom, they had to remove a window because it would not fit down the hallways.  Thank goodness for built-in furniture.

Traveling home from Mill Run I stopped in Pittsburgh to see the Frick Estate, Clayton.  'F' also brings to mind Frick and then Freer.  I invite you to explore the links if you have an interest in art.

It's been almost ten years since I've seen the home.  Check the dates on the photos.  Driving home on August 14 I was trying to figure out why traffic was backed up as I neared home.  I was less than four miles from home when all the lights went out during the power failure of 2003.  But despite that drama, the viewing of Fallingwater is what will stay with me as the highlight of my trip.

F is also for Florida; Florence, Italy;

E is for Erie, Lake Erie Circle Tour

Since I live in the Great Lake State, it seems only fitting that I blog about one of our Lakes.  I have actually visited and vacationed on all of them: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Superior, and Erie.  I've also spent a considerable amount of time on Lake St. Clair. 



If you drive south out of Detroit on I-75, you will come to Monroe, home of La-Z-Boy Furniture.  The eastern border of the City is Lake Erie and the Port of Monroe is the only Michigan port on the Lake.  The City sits at the lowest elevation in Michigan at 571 feet above sea level.  (West Bloomfield's highest elevation is at 984 feet just down the road from me.) 

There is a statue of former resident Major General George Armstrong Custer on Monroe and Elm Streets.



Travel another 14 miles down I-75 and you will arrive at Toledo, Ohio.  I've traveled here just to go to their Art Museum.  It was the closest museum holding the 'Star Wars' exhibit about ten years ago.

Wind your way out of the city and get on the highway traveling along the lakefront, Ohio Route 2.  Yes, it is slow, but you will have a better view and will not have to pay the turnpike tolls! Head for Port Clinton where you can fish, enjoy the beach, or take a ferry to Put-in-Bay.  Mind you I have never taken the ferry there, but I have been there by boat, specifically a 31-foot cabin cruiser I used to own, called 'Treasurer's Island'.

From Port Clinton you have just a short trip to Sandusky and Cedar Point Amusement Park.  The last time I was there my youngest son was in high school and I took him and a friend for the day.  I think I might like to 'rent-a-kid' and go again.  I've driven there and gone by boat.  I love it.  I even enjoy just walking around and people watching.  I've seen just about everything they have there including the infirmary where I was taken after passing out.  That part I do not recommend.

If you are going, there are accommodations on the island and I highly recommend staying there, especially if you are visiting the water park or are going on any waterfall rides.

After your adventure at the park, get on US-6 and head to Cleveland.  If you like rock and roll, this is the place for you, the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  I am not even a fan and I have been twice and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Cleveland also has a very nice art museum in the university district.  I have a couple of friends who will tell you to go to a Cleveland Indians ballgame.  I admit that I have been to their stadium.  Fortunately, they were not playing the Tigers when I was there so I could root for them, though not too loudly.
All in all, a pretty cool city with lots of restaurants downtown and great views of the lake while you are there.  But moving along, we can follow the shore all the way to Buffalo.  There are circle tour signs along the way to guide you and you will pass through Erie, Pennsylvania on the way.  You have another opportunity here to enjoy Lake Erie in Presque Isle State Park.



Continue following the circle tour and cross into Canada at Buffalo.  If you are feeling adventurous, detour to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.  If not, you follow Provincial Highway 3 to Windsor and take the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit.  But don't just drive straight through.  Thirty miles southeast of Windsor is Point Pelee National Park.  This is a must stop for bird watchers in the spring and monarch butterfly lovers in the fall.  I have so enjoyed my visits here just walking and taking in the peace and calm on the boardwalk.

The park does have something in common with the other stops along the lake.  It can get quite cool and windy, even on a good day.  When I was in college, a friend and I came over for the day.  The water was so rough we were body-surfing, not swimming.
Which brings me to my comments about my boating adventures.  I much prefer to make this trip in a car.  Lake Erie is a shallow lake.  I have never been on it when I wasn't being thrown around like a rag doll.  On a trip to Cedar Point with my children they kept their life preservers on and stayed below deck.  I was a wreck.  Every trip thereafter was by car.

And there you have a trip around Lake Erie.  Probably not as exciting as a trip around England or a ride out to Ellis Island, but for me, it is right around the corner.

This is Day 5 of the A-Z Challenge.  I am enjoying writing about past trips that never would have appeared on this blog if not for the challenge.  I have also discovered many interesting bloggers participating in challenge.  Thanks again to Arlee Bird for starting this.