Dublin, OH

A recent work trip took me to the small town of Dublin. It's only about 20 min from Columbus. I found this short hiking trail that led me to an old cemetery. Most of the stones were dated in the mid 1800's,

I was able to attend a charity event for the Ronald McDonald House  at the Brothers Drake. The stories of these families were incredible.  The charity provides housing for families while the family members are seeking medical treatment. It was really encouraging to see so many positive people in one place.

The Del

Two weeks ago during a snow storm, my husband and I checked out of our winter wonderland to go experience some San Diego sunshine.  We stayed at The Del which is an amazing beach front resort built in the late 1800s. We toured the area, walked on the shore, ate amazing food, and just relaxed. We went sailing for the first time and saw dolphins, sea otters, and a sting ray.  It was a quick get away that went by in a flash, but I am thankful for the experience.

Colorado - other landmarks

We tried to make the most of our trip and hit some major landmarks that were within an hour or so of where we were staying. 

 We went to "dinosaur ridge". In 1877, some of the best-known dinosaurs were found here, including Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, Stegosaurus, and Allosaurus.

 The Red Rocks Park stage is amazing. My sister in law and her husband saw Hillsong United here. I can't imagine how beautiful that must have been.

We also went to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. It was pretty interesting to see these structures build into the cliffs. It's so hard to imagine what life was like long ago, but this provides a small glimpse into the past world.

Our last hike was to Garden of Gods. My phone died so I didn't get any pictures. It was kind of nice to just hike and enjoy the moment without photographing everything.

We all really enjoyed our visit. My son kept saying he felt like we were on another planet because the trees, rock, mountains...everything is just so different. And, no matter how much my sister in law tried to convince us we should move out there, we all agreed we LOVE where we live and were happy to come back home to the changing leaves of WV.

Colorado - Winter Park

Our second day in Colorado, we went to Winter Park so my husband could mountain bike. This was their last day of the bike season before prepping the slopes for winter. I'm so glad he was able to ride. It would have been disappointing for him to visit CO and not bike or snowboard. 

 While he was biking, my son and I rode the lift up the mountain to do the Alpine Slide. You can see it in the above picture, It was kind of scary, but very fun.

The Aspens were all turning yellow. They looked like fire on the mountain, they were so vibrant!

We took advantage of the activities they had at the resort and then drove to a neighboring town to this little antique shop.

Luckily, my son loves thrift and antique shops, so he was just as content as I was.

Colorado - St. Mary's Glacier Lake

We went to Colorado to visit family that moved there about a year ago. This was my first time as well as my son's. My husband has driven through the state, but never had the chance to site see.  Our first hike was at St. Mary's Glacier Lake. The lake is fed by a melting glacier - you can see the snow in the picture below. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. 

I just love this picture of us. I could never dream up such a beautiful backdrop!

An Excerpt: Elsie Venner by O.W. Holmes - 1861

On our recent trip to Colorado, I took this lovely, old book that was given to me from a friend.

I thought these lines were just perfect.

The garden was Abel's poem. Its half dozen beds were so many cantos. Nature crowded them for him with imagery such as no Laureate could copy in the cold mosaic of language.

The rhythm of alternating dawn and sunset, the strophe and anti-strophe still perceptible through all the sudden shifts of our dithyrambic seasons and echoed in corresponding floral harmonies, made melody in the soul of Abel, a plain serving-man.

Old Ruins

It's always good to take advantage of a sunny afternoon.  We decided to spend this one exploring Murphy's Farm which is part of Harper's Ferry National Historical Park.

I wonder what it was like to live here.  

The old fencing style along a field is such a pretty sight. I can just imagine a herd of cattle grazing leisurely here and a little girl running with a handful of wildflowers.

San Francisco, CA

I recently had to work a week in the financial district in San Francisco.  Being in a large city is way outside of my comfort zone.  The amount of traffic, people, towering buildings, and various smells overload my senses.  Since I was working during the day, I only ventured as far as I could walk and always went back to my hotel before dark. It's kind of awkward traveling alone, and while I try to be adventurous, I also have to be smart.  There were a lot of interesting "gardens" and sculptures and so many restaurants to choose from.  I do love all the food choices available in cities.

New York City - 2014

 Walking around in New York or any larger city makes me feel a bit like Stuart Little.  Looking out of my hotel window, I could not see sky or street just more windows.  Visiting a city has some charm and allure, but I never have the desire to stay longer than planned.  That being said, if you've never been to NYC - here's a snapshot of my highlights.

 TIME SQUARE

 GRAND CENTRAL STATION

 LITTLE ITALY

TRINITY CHURCH

 THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

 REALLY TALL BUILDINGS

STATUE OF LIBERTY (thanks France!)

 The new skyline - FREEDOM TOWER