Showing posts with label TRAVEL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TRAVEL. Show all posts

Monday, February 2, 2009

MY TRIP PT 2

On our way home we decided to stop at Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls and Rock City. Apparently it is all together. We only went in the gift shop of Ruby Falls because daughter wanted to look at the rocks.


Rock City was not what I was expecting. It is at the top of the mountain and you go through all these cracks and crevices and caves to different areas. There are waterfalls and bridges and interesting rock formations. In some of the caves/caverns they had put in fairytale characters which were not very pleasing to the eye in my opinion. I guess it is more of a draw for children. They do have lots of benches to rest on, quick exits, restaurants and restrooms available. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.



They have an area called deer park. I thought at first it was a fake deer. There were three of them and they are white. You can see them in the picture below. I wasn't really reading anything that was posted so I don't know what type they were.






Before you go into Fairyland they have the entrance lined with quartz, amethyst and other type of rocks. Once you enter the ceiling is covered with coral. I guess that was to enhance the "fairyland" aspect. I thought it was odd.




This narrow passage way had me worried. I made it through okay but I did hit my head really hard because it was dark and the walls slanted in towards me. It didn't feel very good. The last shot is what you see after I made it through and looked back. My big ol belly did scrape against the wall once.




This waterfall is very pretty. You can look at it from 3 different areas and elevations. The place really takes you back and forth but through different trails, bridges and heights. Other than the fake fairy tale creatures I thought it was quite beautiful.









As I walked out of the site I turned around for the last shot above and then I tripped. I would have been okay except that I was trying to protect my camera. I stumbled, fumbled and finally went down with my knee banging into the corner of the rock step. I got skinned up a little but I didn't bleed or have a lot of pain.


It was quite a work out for me since I rarely exercise lately. I was huffing and puffing but we didn't have to call 911. I only had to stop once to rest and I only sat for one minute. I couldn't wait to peel off my jackets when I got back in my car. It took me about 20 minutes to cool off wearing only a t-shirt on my arms.


It just strengthens my resolve to get off my butt and exercise. I just hate being outside when it is cold. I hate walking alone because it is so boring. I think I am going to have to get another exercise bike.


Quote of the Day


"The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started." – Norman Cousins


About Norman Cousins
American writer and editor Norman Cousins is best known for his book, Anatomy of an Illness, an account of how he used nutrition and positive visualizations, including laughter, to heal from an illness diagnosed as fatal. He was born in New Jersey in 1915. He served many years as editor-in-chief of the Saturday Review, a job he loved. Under his guidance, circulation increased from 20,000 to 650,000. He received the UN Peace Medal for his world activism. He died in 1990.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

MY TRIP PT 1

Friday I took off work to go to Tennessee. My grandson's father and family live there. My BFF also lives there. We left around 11 am and arrived after 5 their time. With 8K square feet and two stair cases my grandson was on the go and making me a nervous wreck. Finally we closed him off in the dining room, kitchen and breakfast room. They have a baby grand in the dining room so I introduced him to it.




He loved it. I think he has quite an ear for it. He didn't just bang the keys he went up and down all keys. You can see from the pictures his hands were flying.







This is my BFF and my daughter that we joke about being hers. She looks more like her than me and certainly acts more like her. The next pic is her and her stepdaughter.




On the way home we decided to take a few detours. We went to this cute little town call Bell Buckle. Here are some shots of the store fronts and some from one of the antique stores. Lots of awesome vintage things but the few tags I looked at gave me sticker shock.



This town has an annual RC and Moon Pie Festival.









We stopped along the way at a smoke house. The food was okay. The ribs were very good. Unfortunately I didn't feel that the 13.95 buffet was worth it. There really wasn't much on it that I thought was good except for the ribs.


This is at the check out. Many types of FUDGE...YUM. And a bunch of flavors of salt water taffy. I was good. I didn't buy or taste test any of it.







We saw a few wineries along the way. I really wanted to stop but it was getting late and we had already decided we were going to Rock City/Ruby Falls. I think part of it is in Georgia and part of it is in Tennessee. Or maybe when you go down one side it is Tennessee. Not really sure. I will post pictures tomorrow of that experience. It was very interesting.



NOTE: Please don't forget to check back for giveaways when I launch my new site. This will be happening soon but I don't know the exact date. Right now it is being tweaked.


Quote of the Day
"I searched through rebellion, drugs, diet, mysticism, religion,
intellectualism, and much more, only to find that truth is basically
simple and feels good, clear and right." – Armando "Chick" Corea



About Armando "Chick" Corea
Armando "Chick" Corea, the American jazz pianist best known for his
composition "Spain," epitomizes experimentation in jazz, incorporating
sounds from classical, rock, and flamenco traditions. He was born in
1941 in Massachusetts. Son of a jazz trumpeter, he began playing piano
at age four. He dropped out of Julliard to learn by doing. He played on
the seminal Miles Davis Bitches Brew recording, and formed his own jazz
fusion group in the early 1970's. He founded his own record label in
1992.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

DAY DREAMING

Since I really can't think of anything I want to blog about I thought I would post a few more pics from my trip last year to Florida. No...I can't stop thinking about it. I want to go there. Now...and not come back. This dreary weather bums me out. I know I shouldn't complain when so many others are iced and snowed in and have temps below zero. My high of 63 is quite balmy......












Friday, November 21, 2008

RETARDED NERD HERE

Okay. I am back. I tried putting this blog on my .com but it didn't work. So it will not be on my server until someone (not me) figures it out. I know my way around computers pretty well but sometimes when it involves things like putting your blog on your .com and it says 5 minutes.... it takes me 5 hours. Simply because I don't know what the hell they are talking about. Open mouth.... insert chocolate.

Cutie Tootie and I are listening to music from his guitar. That child loves to dance. He hears music and he starts breaking it down. Swinging those hips. We had a diaper change this morning and two minutes later we had a poo to clean. Hello... too much diaper duty. DH is still in bed. Lucky bastard. I wish I could sleep. But hey... it is after 10:00am.

Did good on the diet thing this morning. I made an omelet with 2 pieces of Canadian bacon, kalamata olives and Italian cheese blend. Probably not the best for a diet but better than some mornings. Hopefully today nothing major will happen to give me an excuse to Stress EAT.

Darling Boy, grandson #1, ended up with 4 stitches. Didn't seem to phase him though. Of course this morning I had to use a cattle prod to get him moving. I explained that this was why he was late the other day and ran into the brick building and cracked his head. I think it is a control thing with him. In the mornings he knows what he has to do but has to be prodded several times to get it done. He moves like a 70 year old. In the evenings I have to peel him off the ceilings. And take a nerve pill or several cocktails.... ahhhh.

Cutie Tootie is going through boxes in my office. No I haven't gotten everything unpacked yet. So shoot me. Can I just get a vacation here? I need a salt water injection. I need the balmy breezes of Southern Florida. I need to go live at Ernest's house in Key West. I want to go back. I went in February. It was great. Except for someone partying all weekend and getting sick and missing three days of work and making me have to sit at my laptop and do their job. I can't believe I didn't stroke out because I was so mad. I mean hello..... We paid almost 300 a night to be there and I didn't want to spend it working. That so sucked. But other than that.... absolutely MARVELOUS.

I took loads of pics. I still haven't read my camera manual. I know it can do so much more than what I use it for. I really need to experiment. I think I want a digital SLR but I am not sure I will know what to do with it. I took one course in college in photography, before digital cameras, and I had a hard time remembering all that f stop stuff. I still have the book. I guess I need to like... you know.... read it again.

But... anyway... I did get a few great shots. Let me know what you think.


This old truck was in the Everglades. I think the town may have been Okeechobee. But don't get me to lying. I thought this was an awesome shot.
One shot I didn't get was because going through the Everglades there are no places to pull over. There were power lines, maybe 4-5, with nothing but buzzards on them. Probably like 50 of them. We couldn't stop because there were cars behind us and no shoulder to pull over on. Dang it.



This is one of my favorite shots. I love silhouette shots. I thought it was cool to get a shot of the moon through the palm tree fronds. I really enjoyed all the trees and flowers that grow in that region. I found trees that had the most interesting bark. One type of tree that no one could tell me the name of grew all over itself. Kind of like the ones in Hawaii that the limbs will shoot out "roots" that grow down to the ground. This may be the same variety.


I absolutely LOVED Ernest Hemingway's old home. I wanted to stay forever. The family of his wife at the time bought this house for them. When they divorced the wife kept the home. I love the tall windows that lets in the fantastic breezes. I love the porches especially on the second floor. I loved all the vegetation around the home. I wanted to stay forever. Of course this was in February. They said you do not want to be there in September. It is probably like being in Mexico. Below is a vignette that I liked a lot. The pot has been converted to a water fountain. The colors of the patina caused by water and mold are fantastic. I really think the bamboo is great. I want to do a painting based on this photograph. Also notice the porch off the master bedroom on the second floor. It was so cool up there. Just awesome. Below that is a portrait of Ernest. He was an interesting person. He was a drunk but interesting.








I have photos of his writing studio. I loved that they had all his original things in the room just as he had left it. Since there were photos and paintings of it that wasn't hard to recreate. I would kill for that space. It was an upstairs room over an area that is now the gift shop. When I get a chance I will scan in the items I got there for a look see.
I could write about Key West FOREVER.... just dreaming of being there again. It is such an artsy place, full of creative people..... and loads of partying to boot.
Well while I dream of renting a cottage there some day.... as if.... I will be screaming for chocolate....





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