tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91607853106065558282024-02-20T23:40:16.047-08:00Our Retirement JourneyOur Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.comBlogger215125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-84280586778755541862018-05-18T08:04:00.000-07:002018-05-18T08:12:03.948-07:00Polo at The Villages .........Yes, we have our very own Polo fields ................<br />
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The matches are fun to watch, but it moves so fast you miss some of the "smaller" details. I brought my camera and a long lens. I caught this moment where a mallet struck a nearby horse.<br />
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This is one of my favorite photos. It's rare to catch a horse and rider alone in the picture. Add the fact that the ball is right there and you have a good shot. Then I realized all four legs were off the ground. Let's elevate that to a great catch!</div>
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These horses are highly trained and get quite a workout. Riders have several horses at the end of the field and will change frequently, No time outs, they just ride off, jump on the new horse and continue playing.</div>
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You can see the clubhouse and table areas in this photo. What I didn't get is the other side of the field where we were - it is lined totally with golf carts who are set up for tailgating. So much fun!</div>
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Mid-way through the day's games, we do the traditional "stomping of the divots". My good friend, Cheryl, was visiting so I caught her doing her stomping!</div>
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You can see the horse trailers, trainers and extra horses at the end of the field. There is also a horse ambulance off to the side. Fortunately, it was a long lens so I didn't have to duck as that ball came forward!</div>
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Life in The Villages is one fun adventure after another!<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-68822887073184463332017-08-12T10:02:00.000-07:002017-08-12T10:02:43.890-07:00Frankie Avalon ..............................<br />
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With a moniker like "beachgal" you know I had to love those old beach movies with Frankie and Annette. On top of that, Grease is one of my all time favorite movies. When it was announced that Frankie Avalon was coming to The Villages to perform in our Fine Arts Center, I was one of the first to get online tickets. <br />
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We had 75 minutes of great music, great moves (very good for a guy who is 76 and had done an earlier performance today) , film clips, and family pictures. <br />
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The lead guitarist was none other than Edan Everly - Don Everly's son. They did a duet of a few Everly brother's songs with Edan doing his uncle Phil's part. Remember Wake Up Little Susie, Dream and Bye Bye Love....<br />
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Frankie also let us know about his family. He and his wife Kathryn (a former model & Vogue covergirl) had eight children in 10 years. Their oldest child, Frank Jr, was drummer for the show. </div>
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He talked about some of his rock & roll personal friends and did a song from each of them: Elvis, Rick Nelson, Bobby Darin and Bill Haley.</div>
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But most of all we got to hear Frankie favorites like Dee Dee Dinah, Ginger Bread, Bobby Sox to Stockings, Just Ask Your Heart, Beauty School Drop Out with more to come.</div>
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Remember I said I was one of the first to get tickets --- well, we were first row center. That in itself was fantastic, but he eventually came down into the audience to sing and ended up standing knee to knee with me for Venus and stayed in this area for a couple other songs. We heard Silhouettes, Twilight Time, Earth Angel and Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight.</div>
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We were immediately to the left of the couple in this shot. Thank you to the local newspaper for these pictures (it was a no photo show).</div>
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Thanks for the memories of American Bandstand, beach movies and so many songs that bring back memories. <br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-85284205038746426872017-07-18T11:52:00.000-07:002017-07-18T11:52:06.437-07:00Tarpon Springs, Florida - sponges everywhere........<br />
Tarpon Springs is a historic Greek seaside community near Tampa. It was settled in the late 19th century by Greek immigrants from the Dodecanese Islands. They were attracted to the area by the opportunities to dive for natural sponges here.<br />
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They had been harvesting sponges around the Greek islands for centuries and brought these skills with them. They also brought their heavy diving suits. These weighed about 177 pounds each and had a copper helmet with an air hose. Obviously this was a hazardous operation. At one time there were 1,550 divers who had settled in the area.<br />
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Today there are still a few divers harvesting the natural sponges. This boat was sorting and unloading its sponges. <br />
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I don't have pictures of the five types of sponges gathered in this area, but each type has specific recommended uses.</div>
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The wool sponge is named after its soft resemblance to sheep's wool and is perfect for bathing.</div>
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The yellow sponge facilitates exfoliating while bathing. I'll let you know if it works!</div>
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The grass sea sponge is firm, dense and fine. Used for washing, household cleaning and decorative painting.</div>
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The silk sponge is a cosmetic sponge ideal for facial cleansing and makeup.</div>
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The basket/vase sponge is self descriptive. They had them on display with air plants, but many are large enough to use as a decorative outer vase.</div>
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This third boat was also sorting and unloading their harvest.<br />
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We were not able to get inside the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral because of services. (I got this photo from google images)</div>
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It was built in 1941 as a replica of St. Sophia Church in Constantinople (Istanbul) which is said to be one of the most beautiful churches in the world. This replica has Byzantine architecture, 60 tons of Greek marble and a fine collection of religious artworks.<br />
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The mango sangrias were great. Lunch hadn't arrived yet but we are enjoying our bread and olive oil. RJ is so engrossed in the brochure he didn't even see the shapely, bikini clad woman who came out to sunbathe on the front of the boat moored right next to us!<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-91525548353168973992017-05-14T13:36:00.000-07:002017-05-14T13:36:34.135-07:00Wildlife on "Our" Preserve .........<br />
One of the things I love most about our new home is that we are right on the large Sharon Rose Wiechens Preserve. We hear and see wildlife all the time.<br />
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On April 26th this family of Sandhill Crane's walked within a few feet of us. For some reason I didn't have my camera handy, but was able to catch them departing. The feet on those little cranes were moving pretty fast. <br />
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As Bob and I were returning from lunch today, just 2 1/2 weeks later, we saw the family again a few blocks before our house. It's amazing how fast those babies have grown. The other parent was walking ahead - hopefully there wasn't a Mother's Day spat!</div>
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More babies on the way - I spotted this Common Gallinule sitting on the nest. Can babies be far behind?</div>
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My Magnolia tree is about 7 feet tall and spindly as all young trees tend to be. It did put on a beautiful show of blossoms, though. </div>
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Life is good in The Villages .....................</div>
<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-14087404058668183382017-04-11T07:58:00.001-07:002017-04-11T07:58:56.940-07:00Time to Relocate...............<br />
We were relaxing on the lanai during Happy Hour, thinking it was just the two of us. Little did I know that we had visitors, hundreds of them! Our new palm by the lanai had a new addition that had not been there earlier in the day.<br />
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By sunrise this morning, the hive had increased in size. (Yes, we were up very early as RJ had an early morning sports thing going on)<br />
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Fortunately, last night RJ googled for a friendly bee keeper. We called Scott (who just happens to sell honey at the Farmer's Market we frequent). Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to come over, but referred us to Johnny who was thrilled to start a new hive.<br />
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He was equally thrilled that it was only 4 feet off the ground and easily accessible. He just snipped off the dead branch and placed it in the box. <br />
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He leaves the box sit for a while to attract more of the bees that were flying around. He then sprayed a sugar concoction on the lid and waited to attract more of the bees that he could then place in the box.<br />
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Although Johnny is not a "Villager" he lives nearby and has been here over 40 years. He gave us lots of information about The Keys, where we plan to visit this summer. He has spent a month or more there every year most of his adult life. He's a diver, fisherman and also goes down for spiney lobster season.<br />
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He also talked about going to the Gulf coast with his kids and grandkids every September for scallop season. I learned you find them in the grass areas in 3-6 feet of water. Can you imagine how delicious they would taste! <br />
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Time to close up and head home. He has a box waiting for the bees with a honeycomb inside. <br />
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Johnny thanked us again for calling and gave us a bottle of his JB's Wildflower Honey as a parting gift. It's a win-win-win situation. I no longer have a swarm of bees outside my door, Johnny gets to start a new hive and the bees have a new home..........<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-92139984717937850232017-03-19T17:39:00.000-07:002017-03-19T17:39:04.781-07:00BOBCAT - very close ..........<br />
Bob and I had been watching this animal with the binoculars as it made its way closer and closer to our house while it walked the perimeter of the preserve.<br />
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Okay, the pictures are bad, but it was sunset (thus poor light) and I was nervous. This Bobcat was very close to our house, and of course I was outside trying to get a great shot. Granted, I was elevated a bit and there is a minor fence, but .... Look at his/her hind legs and you will understand why I wasn't sure I should be that close. Serious muscles there......<br />
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There were several minutes (okay maybe 1 or 2) of eye to eye contact.....<br />
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Right after I took this shot it crouched down and jutted his head toward me. I broke eye contact and walked (didn't run) away.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">I don't think I will be that foolish again (then again, ......... )</span></div>
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-78507928136796999722017-02-25T06:22:00.000-08:002017-02-25T06:22:53.969-08:00Landscaping is Done ..............................<br />
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We are so happy with the finished product. Susan did a great job designing it and rolling along with the on-the-spot adjustments that I made. <br />
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This is our backyard and the plantings along the lanai. You can see the magnolia and that smaller bed at the end.<br />
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Another view ......<br />
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This Roebellini is on the corner of our garage.<br />
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A view from the drive-way to the street. We added a couple planters so I have a place to putz when I need to play in the dirt.<br />
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The plants along the lanai and in this lower garden were primarily chosen for their height - we insisted that it's naturally full height would not block our view when we are seated on the lanai. <br />
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My pride and joy - the Pineapple Palm. This was the only plant I knew for certain I had to have.<br />
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Sunset and our new landscaping. Life is Good!!!<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-10385821177856357122017-02-23T07:01:00.000-08:002017-02-23T07:01:07.667-08:00Trees arrive.......................<br />
We are getting two large palms (along with 3 additional crew members)<br />
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The Canary Palm (also called Pineapple Palm) is going in the backyard corner bed where we can see it from the lanai. This is my favorite item of everything being planted today. We were able to tag the trees/plants we wanted at the nursery a few days earlier.<br />
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At this point the tractor is still hooked to the tree until the crew stabilizes it and Susan is satisfied that it is positioned correctly.<br />
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They keep the fronds tied together until it is completely planted, etc.<br />
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The sod cutter is back in business. The bed is at least doubled from the original size. A little more fine tuning of the shape (at my request) and we are set. RJ knows me so well. He says that we can always adjust it later if I want. It's easy to cut out sod. <br />
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It's time for the big reveal - the cords are cut...........<br />
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What do you think? I can certainly understand why they kept it tied until now!<br />
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It's now time to install the Sylvester Palm by the guest room window out front.<br />
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The process is the same, but this palm is a bit smaller and easier to manage.<br />
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The reveal..... <br />
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The rest of the afternoon (til Happy Hour) was spent planting all the smaller plants/trees and laying the pine straw.<br />
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Tomorrow's blog will be the finished product. We love it .........<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-1446499892641942172017-02-22T12:21:00.000-08:002017-02-22T12:21:24.198-08:00Landscaping begins..................We bought a new home, so we had typical builder landscaping - nothing too exciting. We've been in for three months and decided it was time to make it our own.....<br />
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Our front was nice enough with a magnolia tree, etc. I never did like the flowering tree next to the house. We donated that to the compost pile!<br />
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We moved in November 21st. The next day was my birthday and I decided the best gift I could give myself would be to pull out all the ugly shrubs they had planted along our lanai. It was actually a very easy job since they had been in the ground less than a month.<br />
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The designer and crew of three arrived around 9 a.m. and began unloading. <br />
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We have been working with Susan (lime green shirt) a landscape designer at a local nursery. She is one of those neat ladies who understands that while she is the expert, I am the customer. There were lots and lots of changes as the day progressed and she took it all in stride. In fact, after our two meetings at the nursery (and one at our home) she knew what she was facing and brought a few options for me that weren't in the plan. Smart lady!<br />
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The crew wasted no time in removing the Magnolia tree and moving it to the backyard.<br />
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They placed the muhly grass and flowering firecracker plants along the back. There is a bottlebrush shrub at each end (one of them also moved from the front yard)<br />
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It was time to remove sod and form the featured bed. It was obvious immediately that it was way too small. Susan assured me it will be adjusted once the tree arrives.<br />
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Our large tree bed will also have two sago palms, and filler plants. These two guys took turns digging the hole. Fortunately we are mostly sand and it was cool today (75 degrees) I delivered a lot of bottles of water! The bales are pine straw which we use as mulch.<br />
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This bed at the other end of our back yard also got enlarged a couple times. I am so glad Susan is a patient person. I was frequently changing placement of the plants (you know how I like spacing between things). I did agree that this smaller bed should be more closely planted - I can always dig a few out later if need be.<br />
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When we broke for lunch, I was sitting on the lanai and two finch were already in my bottlebrush bush. YES!<br />
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At this point the truck arrived with the trees. That, however, will be tomorrow's post.<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-64771857380149489692016-12-28T07:14:00.000-08:002016-12-28T07:14:44.304-08:0030 Days Later.............Yes, we've been in our new home for 30 days now. I thought I would give you a run down on our activities for that month.<br />
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First and foremost, RJ's charge card has had quite the work out: (over and above Christmas shopping)<br />
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Ordered two new cabinets for kitchen, washer/dryer, 2 sets of mattresses, vacuum cleaner, steam cleaner, pull down stairs to the attic, pest control contract, 55" tv, 43" tv, wifi & cable, registered car, new driver's licenses, registered to vote, contracted for poured edging for lots of shrubbery, etc., contracted for new palm trees, etc., contract for donuts to be installed on our sprinkler heads, toaster, coffee maker, Margaritaville drink maker (yes, it was necessary - the blender died making my first pina colada), mixing bowls, storage bowls (yes, I really got rid of lots and lots of things when I packed up 3 years ago!), sheets, pillows, PLUS.....<br />
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Table with 4 chairs for lanai plus chair, ottoman and side table for my reading relaxation:<br />
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Entertainment center, sofa and end tables, two side chairs:<br />
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Dining room set (the bar stools for the counter are on order - they match these chairs):<br />
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Master bedroom set, chair and ottoman: The chair picture was taken before the bedroom furniture was delivered - the cardboard box is gone and I do have an end table on this side of the bed.<br />
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Desk, chair, lamps and bookcase for the den: (the only room in the house with lamps)<br />
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The entry may be bare for a while..............<br />
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I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things, but you get the general idea - all we did was shop!!!!!<br />
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This is where we spend all of our time!!!<br />
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Next month: golf cart, lamps, guest room furniture, area rugs and accessories. Hopefully at a more relaxed pace!<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-73176931372584832472016-11-02T06:31:00.000-07:002016-11-02T06:31:34.687-07:00Homeowners Again .........................<br />
Our new home - or it will be after our closing on November 21st. It's a newly built home in a very new neighborhood. We will be putting up with construction for a few months, but it is amazing how quickly they will completely build out an area.<br />
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It is an open floor plan with plenty of room for guests (3 bedrooms 3 baths). We are going to be very busy buying furniture!</div>
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Our screened lanai was a major selling feature. You know how we love sitting outdoors for happy hour! This lanai is 48 feet long and about 21 feet wide in the center section. Plenty of room to sit back and enjoy life!<br />
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The true selling point, however, is this view. Sorry I don't have a better picture (yet) of the area to the left. The Sharon Rose Wiechens Preserve is 624 acres, which includes a Gopher Tortoise Preserve. We also get this view from all rooms in the house except the two guest rooms (sorry)<br />
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We can't wait to start having visitors!<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-49952125126600750612016-09-23T07:11:00.001-07:002016-09-23T07:11:09.769-07:00Brews and Brushes......Something new for us! A local Raleigh brewpub collaborated with the Cary Arts Center to create an evening of Brews and Brushes. The bar was open and we were encouraged to partake.<br />
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The word "Art" might be a stretch for some of the paintings that came out of this, but others weren't too bad. Fifteen artists tried their hand at creating a masterpiece.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qhoCANhD0jXzLJS9IUZ2S8Sm09eyZDuf7AYWN9CstA5G-FHFuQ4NXwhG0kUMzfjHR_95viKQoa4llW2Gdvh7A9wSh2CQRo14bdk4IkRlfiO58xkAD09FRnyiJLEDYW3MQ_UDY1zvwZZu/s1600/BLOG+2016+-+0922+-+42.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qhoCANhD0jXzLJS9IUZ2S8Sm09eyZDuf7AYWN9CstA5G-FHFuQ4NXwhG0kUMzfjHR_95viKQoa4llW2Gdvh7A9wSh2CQRo14bdk4IkRlfiO58xkAD09FRnyiJLEDYW3MQ_UDY1zvwZZu/s320/BLOG+2016+-+0922+-+42.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The theme tonight was "Paint Your Pride" by creating a football helmet. <br />
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Can you guess who created this masterpiece? You are correct if you said "Not Marti !!!"<br />
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Another masterpiece and the first one done in our group........<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QTutzPtA28Lj3U5l3baAcRx3irxgyWXlK_8_CekCDPfSn-PfY_0nkdMLe1R_rSUyH4V0H512Jmvu67yevMTtfFv4jBJBp0h9FnCuRRDiJ2mk2-Zduzdd5TtMyvnbjlhMkLFErmiXgNAL/s1600/BLOG+2016+-+0922+-+51.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QTutzPtA28Lj3U5l3baAcRx3irxgyWXlK_8_CekCDPfSn-PfY_0nkdMLe1R_rSUyH4V0H512Jmvu67yevMTtfFv4jBJBp0h9FnCuRRDiJ2mk2-Zduzdd5TtMyvnbjlhMkLFErmiXgNAL/s320/BLOG+2016+-+0922+-+51.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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What can I say - some artists think real football even when being creative!<br />
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This artist forgot to sign their masterpiece - it was later signed "Grandma"<br />
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Anyone want to hire us to create artwork for your home ?????????<br />
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The next challenge: Getting four wet oil paintings home (an hour's drive) without smearing them!<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-59796444194658806712016-09-18T04:23:00.001-07:002016-09-18T04:23:09.922-07:00Adventure on the Parkway................................<br />
We were approaching one of the look out points when I see two very unusual vehicles. This first one is owned by a British photographer for a major U.K. magazine. He must be very good since they shipped his "car" over for him to use on this assignment.<br />
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He has a seat belt, but if he is not wearing it he must wear the motorcycle helmet. If you look carefully on the box with British decor you will see one of his remote cameras. He also has one on his helmet.<br />
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The second car belongs to a retired couple from Washington State. They plan their trips (in the U.S. and Canada) based on scavenger hunts from some group they belong to. They travel independently to complete their hunt. <br />
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They have covered all but a small handful of States and Provinces over the past few years. They usually stay at hostels while they travel. Not bad for a couple who appeared to be easily pushing 70.<br />
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Next on our agenda - a single day in Asheville then on to an overdue visit with our great friends in Raleigh ......................<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-69982266484007699712016-09-17T04:38:00.000-07:002016-09-17T04:38:15.758-07:00Blue Ridge Parkway Revisited.....................<br />
We have visited the Blue Ridge Parkway many times on our trips to NC, but have never been to the Northern end of it. It starts in Virginia, so that's where we started. We are making it a three-day journey to Asheville.<br />
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As usual, there is a significant haze over the valleys. We are also here before fall color.<br />
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Our first planned hike of the day is a modest .8 mile hike to a look-out. What my limited literature didn't tell us is that it is a significant incline the entire 8/10 of a mile up. We made it over 6/10 of a mile before we had to give up. Both of are still battling our never ending colds and just don't have the stamina to continue. Keep in mind, this was all up, no level areas or up/down areas.<br />
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The trip down took as long as the upward journey (sans the catching my breath moments!). The decline is steep enough that you have to walk slowly, too.<br />
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My missed photo op of the day would have been incredible! We were driving in an area with absolutely no place to stop when I see a bear cub climbing up a rock wall. Unfortunately there wasn't a spot to turn around for over five minutes, so it was gone when we got back. <br />
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There's not much water on the Parkway, but this was a pretty spot. <br />
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I don't know if you can read this, it says: In June and July during corn-chopping time, this cliff serves the folks in White Rock Community as a time piece. Twenty minutes after sunlight strikes the rock face, dusk falls on the valley below.<br />
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Another hazy valley scene.<br />
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We saw this large group of cars and people with binoculars but had no idea what was happening.<br />
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It turns out this is a hawk viewing area. I spent a few minutes, but didn't see any. Oh well......<br />
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Unfortunately, the rest of our journey was non-photo worthy. Actually, it was pretty bad. Heavy fog all day 2, so we left the Parkway after four hours and drove in lighter fog on regular roads. We still haven't seen the pretty areas from the NC border to Boone. Guess that's an excuse to come again.<br />
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There was one "out of the ordinary" sighting on Day 1. I'll share that tomorrow.<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-67302633373121131182016-09-14T16:53:00.000-07:002016-09-14T16:53:48.649-07:00The Exploration Continues..............We are still in the Finger Lakes region. What a beautiful area. We start out exploring the Skaneateles Lake. This is the furthest East of the lakes and is also the highest (867 feet above sea level). It's 15 miles long and is surrounded by gentle rolling hills on the south and more majestic, near-mountainous ones to the north. It is spring fed, crystal clean and clear.<br />
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The only real village on the lake is of the same name. Handsome summer homes surround this north end, not far from Syracuse. <br />
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The first Europeans were Moravian missionaries who came here in 1750. From 1843 forward they advertised a short-lived Utopian community that advertised in NY newspapers for followers and advocated communal property, nonviolence, easy divorce and vegetarianism.. Quite a combination of guidelines!<br />
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The area also served as a stopping place on the Underground Railroad, with English born Quaker James Fuller spearheading the local abolition movement.<br />
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These two beautiful wood boats do wine runs on the lake, deliver the mail and give passengers a ride.<br />
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I loved the roof on this church.<br />
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In the lake front park is a Veteran's Memorial Park.<br />
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There are plaques throughout this small area recognizing the fallen heroes of various wars, starting with the Spanish-American War, The War of 1812 through the current time.<br />
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Although this Park recognizes our fallen heroes, this duck says it is also for the living.<br />
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Since RJ is a Navy Veteran, I am also including this bust depicting the Navy.<br />
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I can now say I truly know where Cornell College is located. What a beautiful area to spend four years of your life!<br />
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We moved on to Cayuga Lake. This is the longest of the lakes at 40 miles long. We visited a couple winery's. Our favorite today was the Long Point Winery. We have been slowly accumulating bottles to take to Ron & Mary when we arrive for an extended visit next week. RJ was set to buy 5 bottles, but I reminded him of our limited car space, so we finally settled on two.<br />
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This is a small winery (as most of them are in this area). They produce about 1,500 cases of wine per year. I got permission to photo their production room (and storage area for aging the wine).<br />
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Sorry about this first blurry shot. No excuses, just bad photography! The blur you see on the left is Gary, the owner, maker of the wines, etc.<br />
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The next two pictures are the extent of his brewing equipment.<br />
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Cases of wine awaiting sale/delivery.<br />
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The view outside the winery.<br />
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I couldn't resist getting a photo of this barn across the road.<br />
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We visited another winery down the road, but the wines couldn't compare to this place. Maybe I should have let him buy those extra bottles!<br />
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Tomorrow we hit the road again.........<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-4986571172370814892016-09-13T17:54:00.000-07:002016-09-13T17:54:54.851-07:00No Football Day - Time to Taste Some Wine .............................<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The wineries in the Finger Lakes Region are so much fun. You get a real wine glass plus 5 (or 6) samples for $3 - $5. Lots of friendly chatter and they are happy to answer your questions. </div>
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Today we are doing Seneca Lake, which is the most significant of the 10 lakes. It is also the deepest lake at 618 feet deep and it is 36 miles long. There are a large number of vineyards around the lake. We will admire most from the road, but have a few stops we want to make.<br />
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The town of Geneva (13,200 residents plus two colleges) is a community primarily constructed in the 1860's. You forget that most of the NE part of the country respects these old homes/buildings and they are well maintained for daily use. We determined that this large home on the lakefront is a summer home based on how closed up it appeared but still had impeccible landscaping.<br />
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Our must stop location is the Fox Run Vineyards. We had stopped here for lunch in 2010 and we both wanted to return. If you see me on FB, this is the lunch I posted. Their wine selection is limited, but they have a small, well stocked deli for lunch.<br />
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We decided to skip the samples and just purchased a bottle for lunch. Did you notice the bag of chips? We haven't tried them yet (they just don't go with quiche). They are sweet corn chips. Sounds interesting, right?<br />
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After the wine and lunch, we visited the two wineries recommended by our new "volcano follower" friends from yesterday. <br />
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This Wisconsin girl, however, can only take so much wine before she needs a beer. Fortunately there are a few microbrews in the area!<br />
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More exploration tomorrow..............................<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-42908999215611170542016-09-12T18:33:00.002-07:002016-09-12T18:33:50.211-07:00Finger Lakes, NY - Napa Valley of the East Coast...............<br />
The Finger Lakes Region of upper New York state is often called the Napa Valley of the East Coast. I would have to agree with them. <br />
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We were in Napa Valley for the first time in 1972. It was a fun place to visit. The Vineyards were happy to see you. They let you sample wines using real wine glasses for free (or nominal fee). We visited again in the 1980's and it was totally different. You were herded through (as if on a timer). You paid dearly and in return received a small paper "medicine cup" for your sample. Not fun!<br />
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Today I am touring the area on my own (after all, it is an NFL Sunday). No wine tours til tonight!<br />
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My first stop is the Watkins Glen State Park. It is described as more of a "walk" than a "hike". The gorge trail is paved with many stone steps, bridges and tunnels. The trail takes you along the river and 19 water falls. You have to admit, this seems perfect for me since I love waterfalls!</div>
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The first few feet is very doable and pretty. Many photo opportunities.<br />
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After shooting the above photos, I decide to read the signs. Guess what. There are 800 stone steps and zero railings over the course of this trail. Knowing me you understand that even if I really took my time and climbed those 800 steps, there is no way that I can come back down the steps with no railing or cane. I am, after all, alone on this journey.<br />
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I take one final shot and decide to look for easier photo ops!<br />
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A neighboring town beacons me with the promise of Chequaga Falls. Of course this has been a very dry summer, so we have more of a trickle than falls. The community does light it at night which I'm sure is beautiful in the spring.<br />
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I pick RJ up and we go to the Chateau Lafayette Reneau for a tasting. Their wines are very good, and all seem to be dry which I appreciate. Have you every tried a "Franc"? I'm either very wine ignorant or it's not common in the midwest. <br />
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We met a fun couple from Connecticut (mid 40's) who seem to travel almost as much as we do. They have a theme for their travels - they seek out active volcanoes. It was so much fun listening to their adventures around the world. They convinced me I was wrong to pass on a trip to Belize a few years ago! A couple of their adventures were in locations they had to describe to me since I had no idea where in the world they had gone.<br />
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They come to this area a few times each year and restock their wine cellar. They gladly shared a couple other favorite stops that we can try tomorrow.<br />
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Tomorrow RJ and I will tour together and try a few more local wines.................<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-76175622402212835382016-08-27T17:56:00.000-07:002016-08-27T17:56:59.940-07:00Evening on the River.....................We had plans with very good friends for tonight, but they had to be cancelled this morning. As fate would have it, we got a call about noon from Kathy asking if we wanted to go out on the river. Perfect!<br />
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We are in the back waters of the Mississippi River north of the I-90 bridge.</div>
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The water was so still. Love the reflections.<br />
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This is the spillway. The water is very high from recent rains. The water above the spillway is Lake Onalaska.<br />
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We were taking sides as to whether a large white object by the island was a bird or kayak. It was a very large bird.</div>
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The red flowers on the shore (albeit submerged with the high water) were beautiful. They were a very vibrant, clear red.<br />
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This photo was "borrowed" from Don's FB post. It was a very fun evening. Thank you Don and Kathy for the invitation!<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-53636045457129104652016-08-23T08:05:00.001-07:002016-08-23T08:05:24.068-07:00Pictures from the Past...........RJ and I have been busy visiting friends and family before we take off again. Our August has been busy: several days in Door County, I took a bus trip to Mpls to see Lion King, off to Bob's brother "up north", couple days in the Dell's visiting Dick and Sue, off to Chicago to the horse races with friends and this past weekend we were in Iowa to my brother's big barbeque and family reunion. It's only the 23rd - who knows where we will go next.<br />
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I thought I would share some of my favorite "back when" pictures with you. These were from 2010 and 2011. My external hard drives are packed away, but I am taking these from my camera club entries, thus the writing on the pictures. Hope you enjoy them!<br />
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This was on a boat trip in the UP of Michigan at Pictured Rock<br />
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Pinel Island in Ste Maarten<br />
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Scott Falls on the UP of Michigan.<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-32324299506308362812016-08-10T13:08:00.001-07:002016-08-10T13:08:17.552-07:00U.S. Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We were visiting family north of Eau Claire this week-end and had an opportunity to go to the U.S. Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championship competition. Everyone starts out with a log and have free rein to do their creations. They started working Thursday morning and judging will be Sunday afternoon. We were there on Saturday afternoon and it is amazing what they have been able to accomplish.</div>
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There are 11 contestants, two from Japan, one from Italy and one from England. The rest are from the U.S. Two women are among the U.S. competitors.<br />
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2nd Place went to Chris Kuehn of Minnesota. The detail in the moose and the underwater roots was incredible.<br />
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They used chainsaws of all sizes - some quite small for detail work. <br />
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3rd place went to Dave Parsons of Minnesota. His eagle was majestic. This also gives you an idea how large the original log must have been. Each sculpture has their own scaffolding so they can work on the higher parts of their creation.<br />
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If I were to go back, I would like to see the beginning stages of cuts. It's not like a mis-cut can be glued back on. Actually I couldn't find a site with the rules, so maybe they can. The opossum in this creation was a separate piece of wood and the tail slides onto the extended arm.<br />
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A close up of the artist working on his award winning Moose.<br />
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This one was my favorite. Can you find all seven animals?<br />
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It took me a while to figure out he was was working on the lower body of the giraffe.<br />
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And the winner is: Takao Hayashi of Japan<br />
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It would have been nice to get back on Sunday to see their finished works of art, but I was totally impressed with their works in progress.<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-64961744194877988412016-08-05T07:42:00.000-07:002016-08-05T07:42:14.386-07:00Can't go to Door County without attending a Fish Boil.......................We had gone to a fish boil back in the 70's, but my memory wasn't too favorable. Tonight we went to The Old Post Office Restaurant fish boil. It's a beautiful evening for an outdoor performance. I arrived early to get the only bench where the sun was at my back. <br />
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Our Boilmaster was named Torch. I rather doubt that is the name on his birth certificate, but he definitely earned the name tonight. In addition to tending the fire and food, he is a great story teller. We learned much about the process as well as his heritage in Door County. He was very entertaining.<br />
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We started out with a pot of boiling water and a healthy fire. <br />
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The potatoes are added first and are left to boil for a while.<br />
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There's a sizeable stack of firewood off to the side. He informs us that in the off season they cut and chop wood, making a stack the size of one of the rental cabins nearby.<br />
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It's time to add the onions. We are told they are the only fish boil that uses onions for flavor.<br />
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Finally, the star of the show, the white fish. These are caught by a local fisherman who cleans them and they arrive ready to boil the very next day. We are told that the fish get bigger as the season progresses as they prepare for the spawn in October.<br />
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It's time to get the "show" on the road. I'm not sure what he adds to the water at this point, but the result makes everyone gasp!<br />
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At this point you can see the water boil over, thus the name "Fish Boil".<br />
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Torch and a buddy quickly remove the baskets of food which we will be eating a bit later.<br />
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There are 110 of us here tonight, so Torch will need to "boil" a few more fish. Most of the people left immediately to get in line. A few of us, however, felt no need to stand in line rather than enjoy the rest of the evening. (After all, our tables were reserved just for us. Doesn't matter if we are first or last)<br />
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Torch proceeds to give us more tidbits of information, including the fact he feels the fish he is cooking now is better than the earlier fish because they are gently simmered rather than going through the hard boil that produced the majestic fire pictures.<br />
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We finally decide to head to the buffet and then our table. <br />
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Our Server promptly arrives to debone our fish. He does a good job, but there are still all those erratic bones to watch for.<br />
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The food, however, is much better than I remember. Maybe it's the melted butter I've poured over the potatoes and the fish. Maybe not, but ?????<br />
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I can't believe how lucky we have been with table locations. We are again given a front table so that we have this incredible view right across the street. Have to love Door County!<br />
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Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-28803909817103079192016-08-03T15:13:00.002-07:002016-08-03T15:13:38.168-07:00Exploring the area............Today was a day of side roads and stops to view Green Bay and Lake Michigan. A plaque says that Green Bay (the bay not the city) got it's name because of all the trees and the green shoreline.<br />
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We decided to do the "less visited" northern area which I always find more interesting than shops and traffic.<br />
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This old pier is actually a busy fishing area, mostly local commercial fishing. None of those fancy fishing boats and slick buildings. Function is the name of the game here.<br />
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This road was part of our many side trips - apparently preserving trees was more important than a slick road. You just drive around the trees.<br />
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Back to Bailey's Harbour and civilization. Doesn't this rescue boat remind you of "Jaws"?<br />
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I thought this mast was more interesting than another row of pretty sailboats.<br />
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Next up - a Fish Boil...............<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-50512464542916253522016-08-02T13:01:00.000-07:002016-08-02T13:01:36.208-07:00On the Road Again ... Door County is calling!We are spending a few days in Sister Bay on Door County. My first stop has to be Pipka's shop. I have been collecting their Santa's for many years. ( www.pipkas.com ) Most of mine are ornament size, but I must have a hundred of them. Each is only available for a year or two, so they entice you to visit their website every December (or year round if you plan ahead). Plus, you get free shipping on St. Nicholas Day. <br />
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There is a Swedish Restaurant in town, complete with five goats munching on the roofline.<br />
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Our choice for this evening, though, is a place called Fred & Fuzzy's. It's a bit hard to find, although you wouldn't guess so based on the crowd size. It's all outdoors, including the kitchen. Our wait was only 25 minutes, just time to sit back and enjoy the view.<br />
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Our appetizer was a smoked salmon plate. It was incredible! Wish we had ordered two and skipped the perch, which was good, but......<br />
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We stayed for sunset as we had a waterfront table - just lucked out on that one! A young girl was concentrating very hard on mastering her paddle board.<br />
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This sailboat made many trips back and forth.<br />
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A perfect sunset to cap off a fun day.<br />
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Tomorrow, more exploration on this fun peninsula that we first visited in the mid 70's. <br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-12262632886019046682016-07-16T13:54:00.000-07:002016-07-16T13:54:30.305-07:00Undiscovered Park so close to (former) Home......<br />
Our thanks to Jim W. for telling us about this beautiful city park in Lansing, Iowa. We've been in (or through) this river town many times but didn't know this place existed.<br />
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The view was incredible.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Harriet Goodhue Hosmer (October 9, 1830 – February 21, 1908) was a neoclassical sculptor, considered the most distinguished female sculptor in America during the 19th century. Among other technical innovations, she pioneered a process for turning limestone into marble. Hosmer became one of the leading female sculptors working in Rome in the 19th century and perhaps the only one to win complete financial independence through her artistic work.</span><br />
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<img height="300" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Beatrice_Cenci_Front_by_Hosmer.jpg/800px-Beatrice_Cenci_Front_by_Hosmer.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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Front view of Beatrice Cenci, marble sculpture (1857) by Harriet Goodhue Hosmer. Location of sculpture is the Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Image obtained on the internet.<br />
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Another view<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EOWwHtSq14vsC4StvA_Y9UsI1mJ21-GWZe497THlarixVHV1vl8t_zunfkB0q1WhHWOzdE5HcVI2FJwZawIRdM_jUcjF274SiBs_Cbpz2eLfCfOOQGazVic7Ry_zinpSi6Vn_S-J9pJW/s1600/BLOG+2016+-+0715+-+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EOWwHtSq14vsC4StvA_Y9UsI1mJ21-GWZe497THlarixVHV1vl8t_zunfkB0q1WhHWOzdE5HcVI2FJwZawIRdM_jUcjF274SiBs_Cbpz2eLfCfOOQGazVic7Ry_zinpSi6Vn_S-J9pJW/s400/BLOG+2016+-+0715+-+21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The park also has a Veteran's Memorial.<br />
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I know the Military Branches are the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard.<br />
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Does anyone know why this plaque refers to the Six Branches of the U.S. Military? One article I found called "The Home Front" the sixth branch. I know the five branches of the military plus the Public Health Service and NOAA are called Uniformed Services. Can anyone help me out here?<br />
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This is a very peaceful setting to remember all who have served.<br />
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The World War I Memorial is in a different area. <br />
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If you find yourself in Lansing, take 6th Street N to find the entrance. I think it's a local's secret place since I saw no signs until we reached the entrance. <br />
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They have a couple of picnic tables and grills, a playground area and two hiking trails that start at the top - no idea where they go.<br />
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We met my cousin and his wife for lunch at the newest restaurant in town. No free publicity here since I would rate it as just "so so". The conversations and "catch up" time was great however!<br />
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Think we'll take the Iowa side of the river home.....................<br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160785310606555828.post-40019246353619777072016-07-07T15:19:00.000-07:002016-07-07T15:19:14.059-07:00Split Rock Lighthouse ..........<br />
Split Rock Lighthouse -- A single, ferocious storm on Lake Superior in 1905 sent six ships to the cold depths of the lake in this area. This lighthouse was constructed to deter future tragedies. It was closed down and converted to a Historic Site in 1971. This lighthouse is considered the most popular one in the entire country.<br />
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This picture was taken from a wayside on Hwy 61, but you can go to the Lighthouse for tours or obtain access to a picnic area. <br />
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Illgen Falls is in the Tettegouche State Park. My Minnesota Waterfalls book gave directions to this one as it is not accessible from Hwy 61. There's parking for 4-5 cars on the side of the road but you can easily miss the small sign identifying it as part of the State Park. There's no sign for the falls, just a trail. This one had me traversing a rough trail, climbing on rocks and leaning out over the water while RJ held on to my waist band for protection. <br />
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I know the sky and clouds look fake, but that is exactly the way they came out of the camera. It was a beautiful day!<br />
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We hiked/climbed downstream a bit to find this second falls. Imagine the locations I could get to if I didn't have major balance issues!<br />
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Our return visit to the North Shore of Minnesota is now complete. I hope you have enjoyed the pictures. <br />
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<br />Our Retirement Journeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04721735555911873100noreply@blogger.com1