freebies

It is Fee Free Day this weekend in the National Parks around Rapid City, I think I will go and check it out - Badlands, Devils Tower, here I come!

My bags are all packed, plane tickets purchased, audio books downloaded and ready for all the hurry-up-and-wait times. Flying on Friday the 13th, good thing I am not superstitious.

I am looking forward to listening to The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, anticipation is high for this one, liked by critics and readers alike, reviews are touting a Hitchcock-like thriller. “The Girl on the Train has the potential to be extremely big,” ~ Wall Street Journal 

And on the lighter side, Billy Crystal will make any trip more enjoyable, his take on aging: Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys.

I am finding audiobooks more and more practical, good for when I am sewing or knitting, in the car, or on a plane! I still LOVE my Kindle and go to sleep reading it every night :)


~photo Devils Tower 2012

travelers

Melissa and Keith went to California

Carrie and Daniel went on a cruise after stopping on the way to do the Bacon Race 

Kyle and Madison went to Florida to see their cousin get married 

It seems like everyone in the family is traveling except us - we are usually the ones away from home, lately it is reversed! We are happy to keep the home fires burning, feed the pets, etc. Glad everyone is back home safe now!

working vacation

the view out my office window

new location

lots of history to explore

bikes to ride
lake view

We have arrived at our new location in central Georgia, and is it ever HOT here! Buddy is working in nearby Thomson, Georgia and we are staying at Elijah Clark state park, lots of trees and birds and deer, a nice place, sounds kind of like home. It is sort of like being on vacation except for the working part...

Greenwood, South Carolina

Greenwood, South Carolina

Greenwood is a pretty good size town,
has the essentials like Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel and Lowe's.

Did you know that Greenwood has the
'widest main street in the world'?
The perfect place for the
South Carolina Festival of Flowers.


Greenwood is also the home of FujiFilm's
North American headquarters:

The 500 acre complex boasts four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities for the production of QuickSnap recyclable cameras, color photographic paper, and digital printing plates for the Graphic Arts industry. Fujifilm South Carolina is also home of the Greenwood Research Laboratories and Fujifilm's largest distribution center in the world.

And don't forget the Park Seed Company
has their main facility and gardens here:

Park Seed obtained 500 acres on the northern edge of Greenwood, and designed and built there a total business complex to house the company’s offices, research facilities, seed storage and processing areas, temperature-controlled areas for storing plants and bulbs, computer facilities, mailorder department, and customer service facility, plus its catalog preparation area and a showroom and reception area for its rapidly growing wholesale division.

Just up the road a piece in nearby Laurens, South Carolina is the
Michelin Lauren Proving Grounds:

Consisting of over a dozen special tracks and surfaces for tire and suspension system testing, driver training, and event management, all situated on over 3300 acres. Our commitment to mobility safety is evident in our involvement through instruction of First Responder groups nationwide, teaching them a variety of handling and avoidance techniques.

Lake Greenwood

It is almost time to move on, we have enjoyed our time here in South Carolina, especially the little campground we found in Cross Hill. The owners, Alan and Marie Titus are really nice folks! So if you are in the area, stop by the All Seasons Family Campground, tell them we sent you!


Greenwood, South Carolina
been there, done that...

walking tour of Greenville SC

Liberty Bridge

Falls Park on the Reedy River

Reedy River runs through downtown

art along Main Street

tree-lined Main Street

azaleas and dogwoods


photo album HERE

mums the word

Mums the word at Callaway Gardens in the fall, 10,000 chrysanthemums!

back from vacation

Warning - vacation pictures ahead - road Trip 2010 - 6 states in 14 days!



We started out 2 weeks ago with a drive through the Smokies and ended up with a sunset over the ocean. Our mountains to sea road trip took us to elevations of over 6000 feet to sea level zero.

we camped by mountain streams

we saw deer in Cades Cove and elk in Cataloochee

we looked down over clouds on the Blue Ridge Parkway

we hiked to waterfalls in North Carolina

and even found mountains in South Carolina

we saw 10,000 mums at Callaway Gardens

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Florida

Our final destination was the peacefulness of the beach, where we sat for hours just watching the waves, waiting for the sun to drop into a spectacular sunset.

With renewed spirit we reluctantly return to work today... sigh


~ MORE PICTURES HERE! photo albums

virtual hiking

No time to plan a hike
or just too hot?
How about a virtual hike
to the beautiful Smoky Mountains...

start out by a cool stream


slow down, enjoy the colorful mountain laurel


stop and rest at a scenic vista


watch the sun set over the mountains


Let Doug McFalls at Reflections of the Smokies be your virtual guide. Doug hikes these trails daily, living and working atop Mt. LeConte in the lodge. Or visit him in person, take one of the many trails to the top of Mt. LeConte, spend the night or just go for the day. You won't be disappointed!

Or you could go on this virtual video hike with the llama train carrying supplies to the top of Mt. LeConte.

~all photos used with permission, thanks Doug!

virtual travel

No time to take a trip
or go on vacation?
How about a virtual trip
to all places near and far...

like Australia...


The Razorback - "Along Victoria's famous Great Ocean Road, between Lorne and Warrnambool, there is a stretch of coastline known as The Shipwreck Coast..." read more about it here by Alice.

See the wild horses and
ruins of Carnegie's Dungeness on Cumberland Island, Georgia, and more beautiful sights here by Sandra.

See the picture postcard shots
taken on a recent trip to Maine by June.

Hit the Barn Quilt Trail

and see how this form of art is done with Suzi who is writing a book documenting the phenomenon of this beautiful countryside palette.


Isn't this better than enduring the boring vacation slide show or home movies!



~all photos used with permission, thanks y'all!