Scenes from a visit to the Great Wall of China in 1987.
I first saw the Great Wall of China in 1987. I was in China with a group of other professors from our college on an exchange program. In some ways it’s hard to believe that so many years have passed since then, but the memories are still fresh. These are just some of the pictures I took on that memorable day.
To see other pictures from the Great Wall, click HERE.
Betsy’s ‘dream house’ in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. August 5, 2012.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)
When Betsy lived and worked in Houston, Texas, she often spent the week after Christmas on vacation in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. Since we were in the area while celebrating Betsy’s birthday, she decided to show me around.
After finding the timeshare she used to own, Betsy decided she wanted to drive down to the lake. She said this is something she did on every visit. On our way to the lake she told me about a beautiful house that she liked very much. She always told her friends (and her sons) that the house was her ‘dream house’ and that she would own it some day.
Another view of Betsy’s ‘dream house’, Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. August 5, 2012.
We drove by the house, and I must admit that it is very pretty. We only saw the front yard, but I liked the wooded setting. The house has a nice long deck along the front. I must admit that I liked it as well.
Before you read any further, I need to remind you that the first time I ever went to Fairfield Glade is when Betsy wanted to show me where she stayed during a vacation in Tennessee several years ago. You’ll see the relevance of this statement when you scroll down.
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Betsy has that mischievous look on her face. I wonder why?
Do you think Betsy is trying to tell me something?
Sunrise off St. Lucia in the Caribbean. September 13, 2001.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)
This is my post for Skywatch Friday, a meme for sharing views of the sky from all over the world. To see more, or to join and share your own photos of the sky, click HERE.
I went to my archives for these pictures of the skies above and around St. Lucia in the Caribbean. These photos are from the cruise Betsy and I took in September, 2001.
The day started with a beautiful sunrise over the sea (above) as we approached St. Lucia.
Clouds over St. Lucia. September 13, 2001.
We spent most of the day on a catamaran cruise along the coast. In the early afternoon the clouds over the island seemed to come down and touch the mountains.
Sunset in the Caribbean off St. Lucia. September 13, 2001.
The day ended as gloriously as it began, with a beautiful sunset as we headed back out to sea.
Morning at the Grassy Ridge Mine overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. April 4, 2012.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)
This is my post for the Our World meme. This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies. To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.
In early April Betsy and I spent a couple of nights in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Early one morning we went up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a beautiful day with a gorgeous blue sky, but we could see clouds blanketing the valleys below us. The picture above was taken at the Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook on the parkway.
The view from Grassy Ridge Mine overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. April 4, 2012.
This picture was taken at the same overlook. The leaves weren’t out yet on the trees, but the clouds in the sky above and the clouds in the valley below made this overlook an enchanting part of our world.
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I find it hard to believe, but this is the 1,000th post I’ve done on this blog. When I started, I would never have imagined that it would go on this long. But I do want to say ‘Thank you’ to all of the wonderful people I’ve met who have shared this adventure with me.
Calabash, North Carolina, waterfront. May 7, 2012.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)
This is my post for the Our World meme. This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies. To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.
Calabash, North Carolina, is known as ‘The Seafood Capital of the World’. It is primarily a fishing village with shrimp boats docking daily during the season, selling fresh-caught shrimp.
Sport fishing boat pulling into the dock at Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.
Sports fishermen often dock at Calabash, and there are also charter boats available.
Fish ready for cleaning on the Calabash dock, Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.
In the evening it is often possible to find one or more group of fishermen cleaning their catch on the dock.
Dockside restaurant, Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.
One of the major attractions of Calabash as far as Betsy and I are concerned is the Dockside Restaurant. The restaurant is right on the waterfront and, if you are lucky enough to get a window seat, you can watch all the activity on the dock while eating a delicious meal. This picture of the restaurant was taken from the dock, which shows how appropriate the restaurant name truly is.
Seafood platter at the Dockside restaurant, Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.
Calabash is famous for its ‘Calabash Seafood’, which is prepared with a special flavoring unique to the area. I know we’re supposed to avoid fried foods, but once or twice couldn’t hurt us, could it? It sure is good!
Betsy at the Dockside restaurant, Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.
Betsy, a tree-hugger at heart, is also a fan of the huge live oak trees at the front of the restaurant.
Betsy at the Chattahoochee River in the north Georgia mountains. May 5, 2012.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)
This is my post for the Our World meme. This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies. To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.
Betsy and I wanted to visit a couple of waterfalls in northern Georgia on our way to the beach last month. We had been to the area is February, so we had a good idea how to get to the falls we wanted to see. Unfortunately the Forest Service road we needed to take into the mountains was closed, so we had to go to Plan B.
We found an alternate road to one of the waterfalls we wanted to see, and this route would also let us see a couple of ‘bonus’ falls along the way. Our alternate route took us into the mountains along the Chattahoochee River, which has its headwaters near the waterfall we wanted to see.
As we drove deeper in to the mountains, we found a pullover where we could stop and go down to the river. The picture above shows Betsy on the bank of the Chattahoochee.
George at the Chattahoochee River. May 5, 2012.
Here’s another view of the Chattahoochee that Betsy took. I’m not sure where the old man came from, but he popped up in quite a few pictures that Betsy took on this trip.
The clear waters of the Chattahoochee River in north Georgia. May 5, 2012.
The Chattahoochee wasn’t very wide or very deep at this location, but it was running freely and the water was crystal clear. It’s a beautiful stream.
The beach and sky at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 10, 2012.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)
This is my post for Skywatch Friday, a meme for sharing views of the sky from all over the world. To see more, or to join and share your own photos of the sky, click HERE.
When we are at the beach Betsy and I enjoy the sand and the water — and the sky. Sometimes the blue of the ocean comes close to matching the blue of the sky. The white of the breakers in the ocean and the clouds in the sky only serve to emphasize the blue.
Reflections in the sand at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 10, 2012.
On this particular day the sky and the clouds were reflected in the wet sand left by the falling tide.
Clouds over the dunes at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 8, 2012.
We also enjoyed watching the clouds appear over the dunes on a lazy afternoon.
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I’m sorry for being behind in visiting your blogs, but Betsy and I went to visit Dad yesterday. He was better than we’ve seen him in several weeks. He still has trouble completing his thoughts at times, but he was walking better yesterday than he has in quite some time. He enjoys being outside, so the nice weather is a blessing. Dad will be 100 in August.
Moon off Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 6, 2012.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)
Betsy and I were in Simpsonville, South Carolina, on the Saturday night of the super moon. Unfortunately there were heavy clouds and storms in Simpsonville that night, so we missed the super moon.
Fortunately Sunday night, at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, was beautiful and clear. The not-quite-so-super moon put in an appearance over the ocean almost opposite our room. I was able to get this picture from the balcony of our room.
Moonlight on the ocean off Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 6, 2012.
We watched the moon rise in the sky and lay a silver stream of light on the surface of the water.
Moon rise at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 6, 2012.
The sight was so incredibly beautiful that we both felt it made up for missing the super moon the night before.
Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)
This is my post for the Our World meme. This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies. To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.
Betsy and I returned home on Saturday from a week at the beach. We went to one of our favorite places, Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.
One advantage of going in early May is that we often have the beach almost to ourselves, so we can lose ourselves in the beauty of this wonderful spot.
The pier at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 8, 2012.
The weather was just about perfect. We had some rain early one evening, but other than that we had blue skies and sunshine. But even so, the ocean was never the same on any two days. It seems to constantly change, but be constantly beautiful at the same time.
Dunes along the shore of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 10, 2012.
Even glimpses of the water and beach through the dune grass was fascinating.
Satellite image of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. Image taken from Google Maps.
We stayed at the Islander Inn, which is right on the beach as can be seen from this satellite image from Google Maps. All in all it was a wonderful vacation.
Waterfall on Little Fall Branch, Harmon Den, North Carolina. April 3, 2012.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)
Betsy and I like to break up trips, whenever possible, by working in a hike, preferably to a waterfall. We went to Asheville, North Carolina, in early April and decided to visit Waterfall on Little Branch along the way.
We had planned to visit that waterfall on our way home from Asheville back in January, but a rockslide in the mountains blocked our access to that area. The interstate has since been reopened, so we decided to try again. We took the interstate to an exit just over the North Carolina line, where we accessed a Forest Service road into the Harmon Den Wilderness Area. The gravel road followed a creek for about three miles before turning off.
We found the trailhead and hiked for about half a mile until we came to the beautiful waterfall above. We stayed for some time to enjoy the waterfall, but then we had to hike back to the car to continue our journey.
But what a great way to break up a trip.
Senior Moments 