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A Blue Door in France

cruiseTraveling abroad was never on my bucket list. There are so many places in the U.S. that I have not seen.  

Then several years later I was asked to go to France with my oldest daughter’s mother-in-law.  The timing was right, and it felt good to have something exciting to plan and look forward to.   We took a Viking River Cruise in France. Continue reading

The Joy in the Journey

journeySome of my favorite trip memories all begin with the car ride there.  When I was little, we didn’t have car seats or required seat belts or anything like that.   Continue reading

Road Trip to Graceland

It was the spring of 1996. Tom and I took a creativity class together based on Julia Cameron’s book, “The Artist’s Way”. Not only did we develop a writing habit, but we also made our first dream boards, learned a basic sun salutation practice, and played around with dying fabric.

Not only did we expand our repertoire of self-discovery tools, but we also met some creative and adventurous people. Dave and Paul were two young men in our class. They had wanderlust and brought up the idea of a road trip to Graceland. Continue reading

The Search for Goodson Mountain

Goodson mountainOne of my favorite trips with my husband Michael was our trip to Galax, Virginia for his brother Rodger’s funeral. I had heard so many stories about Galax, Virginia, Michael and Rodger’s dad Price Goodson and about the land they call Goodson’s Mountain. I always thought it was an exaggeration, but it turned out to be as true as the stories. Continue reading

The Magic of Jewelry Making

I’ve had hobbies come and go. When I was a child, I would get craft kits as gifts. I created holiday ornaments that I painted and glued together. In Jr. High, I took lessons to play the guitar. I practiced for about 2 years but my progress was not impressive. I took up Caligraphy at one point and got special nib-tipped pens and bottles of ink. However, I only completed a single page of practice in my lesson book.

The Magic of Jewelry MakingOne hobby that had a longer life than most was jewelry making. I made necklaces, bracelets, and earrings…lots of earrings.

I enjoyed all the parts of the process. 

Walking into a bead shop is a lot like being a child walking into an old-time confectionary. You just stand there and drool. Where do you begin? Every tool, doodad, charm, bead, and book held so much…potential. Continue reading

Have to Have it All

crafting

Each box is dedicated to a different type of craft

I can’t say that I have a favorite activity or hobby.  I tend to start them, but never carry them to completion.  Over the years, I’ve tried crocheting, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, sewing, making earrings, bead making,  scrapbooking, card making, and more.   Continue reading

From Decorating to Grandkids

gradkidsFor years I considered decorating my hobby.  I love to plan and create beautiful rooms. I enjoy refinishing furniture.  Antiquing can be regarded as a hobby.  Nothing gets the old blood going better than entering an unexplored antique store.    Continue reading

Hiding in the Car Wash

dangerous weatherEvery summer, our whole family gets together for two weeks at the family cottage in Door County. When Michael, Matt, and I lived in Colorado, this trip home was a hike.

We had spent a very enjoyable time with my sister, her husband, and our two nieces and their families. Continue reading

Climbing to Kjeragbolten

It was the end of our Norway excursion. The one place my sister-in-law wanted to see was Kjeragbolten –but we were tired. Did I really want to go or should we pass?

According to VisitNorway.com “The hike to Kjerag is around 11 kilometers (almost 7 miles) long and the round trip takes 6 to 10 hours. You need to be in good physical shape before heading out on this mountain hike which has an elevation gain of 800 meters. In some places, you have to pull yourself up and slide down with the help of wires, so it is a demanding hike even for experienced hikers.” Continue reading

Irish Driving Drama

IrelandI don’t tend to do many dangerous things, but when prompted to write about a dangerous situation that I survived, what came to mind was driving in Ireland. Continue reading