tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3575838946964213682024-11-01T06:36:37.148-04:00This blog serves as a place where I'll share information about the people I meet and the places I visit. It'll also serve as place for me to share photos and other aspects of my daily life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-17891741617534964762013-09-04T20:58:00.000-04:002013-09-04T20:58:40.222-04:00

I've merged this blog onto a new site. Please visit it here. I hope you continue to follow Small Travels and Musings and also check out more of my other posts. The most recent post is about Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-36219050373167552452013-06-02T11:36:00.000-04:002013-06-02T11:36:04.796-04:00

Chris took this photo of Findley Market on our recent trip to Cincy. We recently made a quick jaunt to Cincy to visit family. We checked out Findley Market in Over the Rhine on our last day. Love it! If we were to ever move to Cincy, I'd want to live close enough to the market to make weekly visits. You can buy all kinds of fresh meats, including sausages, ribs, fish and chicken, and other

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Findlay Market, Cincinnati, OH 45202, USA39.1153419 -84.51898289999996939.114571899999994 -84.52024339999997 39.1161119 -84.517722399999968tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-89131273072522051222013-04-13T08:51:00.000-04:002013-04-13T08:51:06.906-04:00

This spring is shaping up to be the best one we've had in a long time. Already we've seen and id'd lots of beautiful wildflowers, butterflies and birds. Here's some flowers we found Friday and yesterday evening. I've identified most of them. If I've mislabeled them or I've left some blank and you know what it is, please let me know in the comments! Dutchman's breeches Bloodroot

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-74143185987978237242013-04-04T17:33:00.002-04:002013-04-04T17:33:45.920-04:00

It wasn't that many days ago I sat at our patio table studying. It was sunny and warm. Who could ask for anything more in early spring? Today was supposed to be a cool 40 degrees Fahrenheit with some rain. Now? It's snowing. Here's hoping that the saying "April showers bring May flowers" also pertains to April snow. :) Cardinal     

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-80253642758395516992013-03-29T14:11:00.000-04:002013-03-29T14:11:00.905-04:00

J.C. Raulston Arboretum is a nice park to take an early morning stroll. There were lots of robins, cardinals and other birds singing from the trees as Chris and I strolled through the gardens, checking out the various shrubs and trees planned along the walks. Pups are not allowed, so Sydney had to wait in the car. Don't worry, it was a very brisk morning so there was no danger of her

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-19045710042952087332013-03-22T13:59:00.000-04:002013-03-22T13:59:00.079-04:00

On our Raleigh, N.C., visit we stopped at as many museums as possible. All free (except special exhibits). North Carolina Museum of Art My favorite pieces in the museum were photographs by Alex Soth, paintings and photographs by Page H. Laughlin and Pamela Pecchio and "Three Graces," by Mickalene Thomas. The museum houses a wide range of pieces,

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Raleigh, NC, USA35.772096 -78.63861450000001735.360211 -79.284061500000021 36.183980999999996 -77.993167500000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-34013167030536452142013-03-15T13:19:00.001-04:002013-03-15T13:19:16.824-04:00

Shelley Lake Park in Raleigh, N.C., is a great place to take a stroll or, as many people were on a recent visit, jog. The small lake is surrounded by trees and a 2+ miles of trails, including sections of a greenway. Walking around the lake we saw ducks, geese, turtles and, possibly, cormorants. The cormorants could also have been herons; the birds were far away and hard to see. There are also

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Raleigh, NC, USA35.772096 -78.63861450000001735.3602035 -79.284061500000021 36.1839885 -77.993167500000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-59279115841994769122012-01-05T12:02:00.000-05:002012-01-05T12:02:01.859-05:00

I'm going to begin this year with a sampling of photos from our final vacation/trip last year that I never got to. We didn't do much in the fall for various reasons, but we vow to do much better this coming year as time allows. First up, here's just a handful of photos from our walk at Riverfront Park and International Friendship Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, late last summer. Bridge we walked

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-3251730788756780952012-01-02T16:47:00.001-05:002012-01-02T16:47:39.962-05:00

There were several flurries today. We braved the cool weather to take our pup out on her daily W-A-L-K (we spell the word around here because Sidney knows what it means). The sky has cleared up so I don't think we'll see anymore snow today. A much colder week is ahead, though, so we may see more snow before the week is out.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-86028710086609344202011-12-17T16:21:00.001-05:002011-12-17T16:21:49.742-05:00

On our visit to Olney, Illinois, we visited the James F. Hoffman Memorial Prairie Gardens, which is located at the Olney Central College. It's a garden full of native prairie grasses and plants. On the day we visited there were tons of butterflies, dragonflies and other insects flying around. Here's some photos for you:

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-84276226763179907092011-12-09T08:12:00.001-05:002011-12-09T08:17:48.940-05:00

When I posted briefly about the white squirrels of Olney, I didn't realize I also had a picture of the marker that tells about the squirrels. They're actually albino gray squirrels, by the way. I'd forgotten that until I saw the photo.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-46769552782494041022011-12-05T22:22:00.001-05:002011-12-05T22:28:47.072-05:00

There are several posts I haven't gotten to share with you over the past several months. I probably won't post all of them, but will most photos and updates from some of my favorite trips over the past year. School has kept me away and very busy.  And, understandingly, my blogs have become a low priority. Several months ago, we went to visit Chris' family and one of the places we went to

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-88816007778323095312011-09-11T21:32:00.000-04:002011-09-11T21:32:58.743-04:00

I recently learned about a new flea market in Level Cross, N.C. A security guard at the Jackson Library told me about it after I stopped to ask her what she was crocheting. While watching the door to the library, she was whipping up a variety of hats in multi-colors. She said a lot of the college kids loved her pattern and she sold many to them. Other hats she sells on Saturdays at the Davis

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Level Cross, NC 27317, USA35.8890249 -79.80780941.5121639000000044 -139.5734344 70.2658859 -20.042184399999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-89327556716833789092011-08-26T15:27:00.001-04:002011-08-26T15:27:00.102-04:00

We've visited the Krohn Conservatory before and it's a great place to go, especially if it's not too pleasant outside for outdoor activities. The beautiful Art Deco Krohn building houses exotic and gorgeous plants. Besides my favorite Orchid House, there are rooms dedicated to palms, tropical and desert plants. For this visit we were there to visit the Butterflies of Brazil exhibit. Each spring,

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Cincinnati, OH, USA39.1031182 -84.51201960000003139.0186992 -84.683666100000025 39.187537199999994 -84.340373100000036tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-87675057266063582342011-08-19T15:10:00.001-04:002011-08-19T15:10:00.428-04:00

While we were out west, we stopped at New Harmony, Ind., the site of two former utopian societies. First, we walked down a path alongside the Wabash River. Due to ton of rain the area had gotten recently, the walk was pretty buggy. Even though we sprayed our hair, arms and legs with bug spray, we were still covered in little, black flying insects! We did see other insects on our walk, too.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0New Harmony, IN 47631, USA38.1297678 -87.93502990000001838.123384800000004 -87.945831900000016 38.1361508 -87.92422790000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-31940134260841704332011-08-10T16:17:00.000-04:002011-08-10T16:17:57.448-04:00

Not too long ago, Chris, Sidney and I headed out west to visit family. While there, of course, we made sure to visit some sites. Many of those Chris had visited often when he lived in the area, but this was my first time seeing a lot of these places. One place Chris has wanted to take me for several years is Angel Mounds Historic Site, Evansville, Ind. Since we usually visit in December, we

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Evansville, IN, USA37.9715592 -87.57108979999998237.9109082 -87.664858299999977 38.0322102 -87.477321299999986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-42051174037789188532011-08-05T10:00:00.006-04:002011-08-10T14:32:56.083-04:00

Updated: I had a plant mislabeled. See below We've visited the Big Bend Picnic Area twice in the past couple of months. Though it's a picnic site, we didn't take a lunch with us. We were there to explore the Big Walker Mountain area. A turk's cap lily. A mondara, or bee balm. A friend corrected me and said this is a "wild bergamot." Oops! Chris has lamented the lack of

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Wytheville, VA, USA36.9484528 -81.08481136.9188663 -81.1360535 36.9780393 -81.0335685tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-9231289486735340882011-07-28T19:49:00.001-04:002011-07-28T19:49:00.264-04:00

On our way home from our Charleston trip we visited the Francis Beidler Forest, an Audubon Center in Harleyville, S.C. It is an hour from both Columbia and Charleston. The 1,800-acre forest sits within the 45,000-acre Four Holes Swamp. We walked along the park's boardwalk and some of its dirt trails, though most were flooded due to the day's rain. We didn't see much wildlife, but we could hear

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Harleyville, SC, USA33.2146069 -80.44787450000001233.2047569 -80.463124000000008 33.2244569 -80.432625000000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-6004894740591561832011-07-26T14:39:00.000-04:002011-07-26T14:39:15.299-04:00

A few weeks ago, we checked out Big Survey Wildlife Management Area, which is a fairly new addition to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' land. It's located of Interstates 77/81 near Wytheville, Va. We parked at the trail head of High Rocks Trail and hiked about 1.5 miles to the top of a hill, which overlooks Wytheville. The trail has a fairly moderate incline. I was proud

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Wytheville, VA, USA36.9484528 -81.08481136.9188663 -81.1360535 36.9780393 -81.0335685tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-16265905996778210742011-07-23T19:33:00.003-04:002011-07-23T19:33:00.246-04:00

On our way to visit Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens, we stopped at the Charles Pinckney National Historic site, which is also located in Mount Pleasant, S.C. This house sits on the former site of Pinckney's home, according to info on the website. Here you'll find a home and foundations of former slave cabins of Charles Pinckney, a signer of the U.S. Constitution. This plantation was called

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Mt Pleasant, SC, USA32.7940651 -79.8625850999999932.711736599999995 -79.963528099999991 32.8763936 -79.761642099999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-55729832519542492472011-07-18T17:02:00.000-04:002011-07-18T17:02:41.649-04:00

On of our stops during our Charleston, S.C., trip was Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens in Mount Pleasant, S.C. It still produces vegetables and fruit, which can be picked out various Pick Your Own fields or bought at the plantation's market on Long Point Road. We ate lunch at the market after our visit. It's well worth the trip! Shot of Boone Hall. Long driveway to the plantation.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Mt Pleasant, SC, USA32.7940651 -79.8625850999999932.711736599999995 -79.963528099999991 32.8763936 -79.761642099999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-8840698814260828782011-07-08T17:11:00.002-04:002011-07-08T17:11:00.861-04:00

Fort Moultrie is part of the National Park Service and is an amazing relic of our history. I loved walking around the fort, imagining what it must have been like to work as a soldier there during the years. The current fort was built in the 1800s. Two other forts sat on the same site prior to the current structure. Interpretive signs point to the former fort locations and tell when they were

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-52354275034806260962011-07-01T16:17:00.002-04:002011-07-01T16:34:27.636-04:00

Our last stop on Charleston's Museum Mile was the Exchange and Provost Dungeon. To the right is our tour guide. An animontronic figurine is to the left. The tour provides a lot of historic info about the city, pirates, George Washington's visit and the city's part in the American Revolution. Down in the dungeon, you'll find animontronic figurines that'll tell stories about the prison and

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0Charleston, SC, USA32.7765656 -79.93092159999997632.6240251 -80.104233599999972 32.9291061 -79.757609599999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-63571694665362406162011-06-24T13:35:00.001-04:002011-06-24T13:35:00.239-04:00

The Nathaniel Russell House was the second stop on our tour down Charleston's Museum Mile. This is another merchant's town home and is built in the Federalist style. We visited this home with combined admission to the Aiken-Rhett Home (see prior post). Of course, like the Aiken-Rhett House, we were not allowed to take any photos inside. Though it was raining, we did get a couple photos of the

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-357583894696421368.post-56247510304737214362011-06-17T13:18:00.002-04:002011-06-17T13:18:00.244-04:00

On our tour of the Charleston Museum Mile, we visited the Aiken-Rhett House. This home was built in the 1820s and is an excellent example of town homes during this period. This home was built by merchant John Robinson and later sold to William Aiken Sr., another merchant. Aiken's son, William Aiken Jr., later became a U.S. representative and S.C. governor. The Rhett name comes from Aiken Jr

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05891536426446061750noreply@blogger.com0