CLARISSA'S CORNER

It never seems to fail...with only one night free to visit Summerfest ’09 in Lexington, the weather forecast was not in our favor. Not only rain, but thunderstorms and I mean “Biggie-sized” thunderstorms. To go or not to go? Being it was just us girls (Polly, Jeanette, Sarah and me), we decided to go since we could always shop!

So, first we stopped by the mall to do some quick shopping and get a bite o eat (waiting for some ominous black clouds to pass on by). Then headed out to the Arboretum! Wow! This botanical garden is quite lovely and deserves a trip back just to appreciate its beauty. At first, it was the ideal summer evening complete with a gentle breeze and the setting sun. We settled back with Italian ices watching the people and enjoying ourselves! Wouldn’t you know it…as soon as the play began, here they came….rolling, dark, black clouds – right over the field. Holding our breath and hoping the storm would pass over, we enjoyed the first act. Ah, but then things got interesting!

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen or heard of “Once upon this island”, I hadn’t so I did a little research but think I should have done a little more!! What I read was that the play/musical was a mix of the Little Mermaid and Romeo and Juliet. Cool Beans, I thought! The Little Mermaid portion was the location: Caribbean Isles and the Romeo and Juliet portion – definitely star-crossed lovers! At this point, I probably need to make a disclaimer: This blog does contain spoilers! If you want to see the play for yourself, please do not read any further!!



That said…here is the short version: A village, destroyed by a storm, leaving a lone survivor, a little girl. The orphan was found by a childless couple and raised in their home. She was called Ti Moune (little orphan) and grew up into a beautiful young woman who rescued a wealthy young man, Daniel, who was in a car accident. She cared for him many days until his family could arrive across the mountains. In the meantime, the angel of death came for him and she made the ultimate sacrifice for true love trading her life for Daniels. His family came and took him home. Okay – so far!

Of course, Ti Moune later followed her true love, leaving her parents and village behind. After a long journey, she found the hotel and was reunited with Daniel until the night of the gala ball when it was revealed Daniel was promised to another…a wealthy, beautiful young woman. Just as this revelation was unveiled…a major storm came – for just a few minutes – poring rain – lightning – no shelter – a LONG ways from the car…to go or to stay or to wait! Three times we headed to the car as it rained and then stopped, so on!

We were giving it up, taking our chairs back to the car as they were canceling the show! The least they could do is tell us how the story ends! Sarah was asking everyone she met – what happens at the end? No one seemed to know except one girl who said it has a Happy Ending! Then, again, it stops raining and the shortened version goes on!

We ran back, yes, I said we RAN back to the staging area!! The very long pathway, in the dark, in the sprinkles! We got there just in time to find out that Daniel chose his beautiful, wealthy fiancée over a poor beautiful peasant girl. Ti Moune went out to the woods, heart broken, where the angel of death claimed his prize. She died!!!! SHE DIED!! This is a happy ending? Who wrote this play? Because Ti Moune forgave, the Goddess of Nature made her into a tree (A TREE!) which split the gates of the hotel so that there could be no more division between the wealthy and the village peasants. Then Daniel’s children played under the shade of her branches! This is a HAPPY ENDING????

We waited in the rain, lightning and thunder, got our exercise for the year running around like crazies, and she turned into a tree!!! To say we were shocked and disappointed is probably an understatement! (Honestly, I would have loved to see the look on our faces! I am still laughing at our shock!) It was definitely an experience! But on the bright side, it wasn’t all bad…an actual band with flute, drums and keyboard which played some really cool island music, very talented and beautiful singers! Just an unusual play or maybe we country girls are just not up on the hip side of art and culture!!

Summerfest Tickets - $10
Parking and Good Seats – Free
Mango and Cherry Italian Ices - $3
Lots of Laughter and Shocked Expressions – Priceless!!

Until next time…joy 2 u! “C”

I don’t care what people say or the statistics show. Yes, I realize unemployment is high, we may not rank the highest on the education stats, and maybe we have some of the highest rates of depression in all of the 50 states (personally, I think they tested depression after severe snow and ice of the winter or during the spring storms of devastating consequences).

Normally, I am not a back roads kind of girl. But, as I was driving home from an auction in Garrard County yesterday, I had time to enjoy the scenic countryside. Time to make a mental list of a few of the things I love and appreciate about living in southeastern Kentucky, the bluegrass land of four seasons.



History around every corner – Daniel Boone, Abe Lincoln, and so Many Moore
Coolest State Parks and Natural Wonders (like the Moonbow)
Country Fairs and City Festivals
Large Country Homes with Balconies and Wrap Around Porches
Gently Sloping Green Fields of Pasture filled with Cows and Horses
Crops and Crops of Corn and Tobacco
Steep Mountain Vistas
Flags upon Flags Displayed Down the City Streets
Stately Oaks, Beautiful Gardens, Wildflowers Everywhere
Horses, Horses Everywhere
Good Shopping and Big Cities Close to the Country
Friendly Faces and Southern Hospitality

I am so blessed and thankful to live in this little piece of God’s Country!

Joy 2 u… “C”

Events of this week have brought back a lot of memories!!! When we first moved to Kentucky to build a home missions church for the Lord, times were hard but the Lord always supplied! During the summers, we always had a garden (not a very productive garden but a garden). Actually, I think the only thing our garden produced was green beans so we always had tons and tons of green beans. The only thing Grandma, our neighbor lady’s garden grew was potatoes and she stored them in her barn until huge eyes grew on them! (I always found those potatoes quite scary!) So there was always green beans and potatoes any way you liked them! Although I still can do potatoes, I must admit I don’t do Green Beans as often.



So this weekend, our cousins gave us some green beans – plenty enough to make my family decide to prepare a canning! What? After all these years? Breaking! Stringing!! Canning Green Beans!!! We all pitched in but after a couple of hours, the bags were still full of beans to be strung and broke, we thought a miracle had taken place. Just like the Lord miraculously blessed the loaves and fishes back in his days, we believed he was blessing the beans in our bags. We just weren’t making any progress (maybe we were out of practice!!!). But we kept right on working till the last bean was broke.



So Dad, Mom and Gran spent all day Wednesday canning the beans – 56 quarts all together. How comes when you are on the last canning – you always need just a “few more beans” for the last jar? Dad went to our neighbors to pick a few beans…bringing home enough for the one last jar… and then some!! To say the ladies were a little upset at him might be an understatement! It had a been a loooonnnggg hot day and he brings more beans home to fix!! You just gotta love it!!



Once again, with a thankful heart, we know that if rough times are ahead, we are blessed with green beans. I wonder who has some fresh new potatoes?

Blessings to you and yours...until next time! "C"

While on vacation recently, I came across an in depth study of the parables of Jesus called “Live Deeply”. Growing up as a preacher’s kid, I was surrounded by preaching and teaching of God’ Word. Yet sometimes, I find myself struggling to find the “newness” of a familiar passage of Scripture. I don’t want God’s Word to ever become just a good read or a study source. I do believe the Bible is a love letter to us TODAY and is just as current as any book on the best seller’s list. So the title spoke to me and I am so glad I made the purchase.

The first parable, the Sower, has come alive to me. Although I have been around farm and gardening all my life, this parable never “clicked” like it did this time (maybe all the “farming” I’ve been doing on Facebook has had an added influence! – cultivating a good crop is hard work!)

I don’t consider myself a Bible scholar nor have I ever been privileged to visit Israel. Could it be that I missed a geology lesson in Sunday School? Did you know that there were volcanoes around the Sea of Galilee covering the limestone rock of the area with volcanic dust? There were also areas that had been covered with a good layer of volcanic dirt but other spots only have shallow soil and rocky protrusions.

The multitudes sitting on the shore listening to Jesus relate the parable of the sower. As the sower sowed the seed, some of the seed fell on the wayside, some on the stony ground, some on the thorny ground and some on the good ground. These eager listeners totally got the illustration. They worked the ground and knew how hard it was to reap a bountiful harvest – in fact, to them a harvest of thirty or sixty-fold was amazingly blessed but a hundredfold harvest was miraculous.



As I reflected on this thought, I was reminded of my trip a few years ago to “Hell” a tourist attraction in the Grand Cayman Islands. (Gotcha – did you think I had a vision of the fiery eternal destination?) This area of the island was formed by volcanic eruptions leaving a large field of rocky protrusions. Yet in the midst of all the cool formations, nothing can really take root, grow or produce. So I got it…a different perspective on the parable of the sower.


So I leave you with these final thoughts from the lesson:

* The root of the tree determines the fruit of a tree. The branches have little or nothing to do with the process. The key is for the branch to stay connected to the root so they can hold the fruit.

* A Christian should resemble a fruit tree not a Christmas tree! For the gaudy decorations of a Christmas tree are only tied on whereas fruit grows on a fruit tree. – John R. W. Stott

May you grow in the Lord "C"

I have often wondered but was never sure – just where do butterflies sleep? Then tonight as I was checking on the hummers, here was a large beautiful yellow butterfly! As I watched he (or she) landed on a tree leaf way up high in the tree. And stayed there and stayed there! Wow!! Was it bedtime? I was simply amazed!





Oh, but there is a rest of the story…I checked back on him a little later and he was gone! Could it be that he thought the green of the leaf was camoflauging his bright yellow wings?

I’m always amazed and in wonder at God’s creatures. I’m also sure he gets a good laugh at me sometimes, too (the funny girl following a butterfly around the yard - Really!)

Take Joy In This Day! "C"

Growing up, my brother, cousins and I were always begging for a horse. But all the pleading in the world never persuaded our parents to “invest” in the care of horse.

One of my dreams has been to take a sunset ride along the beach. But I could never find a “taker” to ride with me on my adventure. Until now…I found, as some of you may know, that my “girls” in Charlotte are up for anything fun and adventurous. Herein lies my problem: how to ride a house and stay on while taking pictures at the same time. There is no way I can go on a sunset ride without my camera – seriously now!!!)

So I called the expert, Roy Adams, and he generously agreed to help, even offering his own horse. But, boy oh boy, was I ever nervous when it came time for my lesson. Roy’s wife, Judy, came out to the barn and took pictures of this momentous event.



Pepper is a pretty good sized horse for a short girl but he is quite gently and calm (except around wheel barrows! ) for an inexperienced greenhorn who doesn’t have a clued. All in all, I think we had a pretty good ride. I got up on Pepper on my first try, was able to get him to turn right and left, and I stayed on. I won’t say that we had a rip-roaring ride but a good one and I still have a lot to learn. Now if I just master the mechanics of riding in a skirt and get a tan (I think Pepper had ever seen such white legs!), one day I just might get my ride of the lifetime.

If you’re ever in the market for a good horse, then be sure to see Roy and the boys at the Adams Horse and Mule Company – www.adamshorseandmuleco.com. These guys will take good care of you. Thanks Roy and Judy for this memorable opportunity.

P.S. I can’t figure why I am so sore today…until next time…joy 2u! “C”

Once again..we were able to visit Cumberland Falls on the night of the moonbow. I had forgotten though it is summer and the sun goes down later so the moon rises later. We "marked our spot", read, took some daylight photos, enjoyed a curious raccoon, and met some interesting people. Then, about 9:30 p.m., although the moon hadn't risen, we could already see a small bow. However, we were already drowned - I can't remember there ever being so much mist...It was nearly as bad as the Niagara! We looked like we had been out in a thunderstorm.



But the moonbow certainly put on a show and was worth it all. There were even colors in the moonbow which is highly unusual. So it was a very cool visit!! If you've not seen the moonbow, you really should!

Until next time...blessings to you! "C"

Now that I’ve realized we have hummingbirds living in our flower garden, they have become one of my “photo-obsessions”. Since the hot pokers are no longer in bloom, I worried the hummers would seek nectar elsewhere so I setup a feeder!

However, I have discovered a problem with my feeder. Honeybees from all over the country have also found the sweet nectar quite tasty. So my little hummers sit on the electric line looking down at the feeder and the bees. It’s quite heartbreaking to watch I tell ya!



As I watched this scenario, I’m wondering if I need to be like Isaac in the Bible. He would dig well after well only to have the neighboring herdsmen fight for it and steal their hard dug wells. Finally, after several wells, one day there was a well and no fight. The Lord had made room for everyone.

Maybe I need to put up some more feeders so everyone can drink in peace.

Joy 2u "C"

Just when I think I can’t be surprised by one of my Dad’s “ventures”…I am! As I was out in the garden, suddenly I noticed something. Whatever was hanging across our driveway? My mouth dropped open and truly I was speechless (and I most certainly was NOT going to be the one to tell Mom!)

My dad recently came into some heavy duty rope..hundreds and hundreds of feet. So he decided to try his hand at selling it…from our driveway! He rigged the rope across the drive with a huge sign “Rope for Sell!” And, to beat it all, He’s already made two sales!!!

Thursday morning, Jeanette and I are all set for a trip down the road to adventure: breakfast(check),GPS (Check),Opera Tickets (check), Camera (check).

On the drive to Asheville, I had time to think and come to realizations: First, I get bored easily (after 40+ pics of the same set of mountains). Secondly, Jeanette really needs to clean her car windows (Lol!) and thirdly, If I’m the driver, I don’t take so many pictures (just a couple of “must haves” on a straight road and when no other cars are around.)

After picking up Michaela (Sis. Margie’s granddaughter), we girls are off for some “retail therapy” at the Asheville Mall before heading to the hills. This mall has all of our fav shops and good food! Michaela’s lunch was complete with a fortune cookie which read “You are an inspiration to your friends”. I could have added “young and older friends alike” because it so very true!

When I say we headed to the hills, I do mean it! The road to Chimney Rock is one of the curviest I’ve ever driven so the ‘Welcome to Evening Shade” sign was a welcome sight. We had the cutest bungalow complete with a scenic overlook front porch, even our own kitchen (not that we used it!!) But it was so hot! HOT! HOT!!

So down to the river to cool off! Skipping from rock to rock (at least I hoped it looked like skipping) finding the best spot. The water was so very cold but refreshing so wading was a no-brainer. We spent several hours down there, relaxing, taking pictures of the rumbling water over the huge rocks (I think we covered every angle and it wasn’t just me), and providing the evening entertainment for the campers across the way.

I am always an early riser and Friday morning was no exception. After I was ready to go, I sat on the front porch (trying to be quiet so the girls could sleep in and wrote the following with you, my readers, in mind.

It is so much easier to have a devotional time sitting on a rocker overlooking the green of nature’s canopy, listening the musical notes of the tumbling stream. As my gaze rises to the majestic mountains before me, how can I not believe in the awesomeness of our Mighty Creator. Just look at all these intricate details. I am reminded of one of my favorite Scripture passages “I left up mine eyes, where does my help come from. My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth”. Just being in these beautiful surrounding makes me feel like a child once again, shedding the cares of adulthood, free to enjoy the beauty, free to be me!

After breakfast at the Beachside Grill which offered a beautiful of Lake Lure, we made a couple of quick stops for souvenirs. Then we were on our way to Brevard, NC!

Upon arriving in Brevard, the White Squirrel Capitol, we made a discovery. These folks are “all about” the white squirrel but no one could seemingly point us in the right direction. I was beginning to think it was a conspiracy or a PR campaign drawing tourists off the main highway. I mean if these guys are so great for the economy, you would think, someone, somewhere would know their hiding place! Everyone we asked told us a different story. At the gas station, oh honey they are usually playing right here behind the station. A trucker advised us to look down the yellow center line (squirrels as road kill – what kind of advice is that? How Mean!) Another told us to sit uptown on a bench and just wait for them! How long? Oh, just wait for them!!!

So uptown we went, strolling along Main Street, looking up every tree, cameras at a ready. We were beginning to lose faith and thought the only ones we were going to see were the stuffed ones outside the O. P. Taylor’s Toy Store. (So I brought one home with me…just in case!) This is one cool Toy Store – a definite must see! The clerks also gave us some advice..check out the Silvermont Park – it’s only a little ways and off we go again.

Tired, Hot, Thirsty, we offered up a quick prayer just as we were going to turn around and give up our venture! Lord, this is your crazy girls again and we know you can give us our hearts desire and this one isn’t much – we just want to see a little white squirrel!! Thank you Jesus for hearing our prayers! I know it sounds crazy but you walk the streets for two + hours looking for a squirrel! I was a few steps ahead taking pictures of beautiful stained glass windows in a church when suddenly Jeanette said Christy stop!

There he was…scampering across the parking lot..checking us out! Suddenly we were squealing then trying to calm down and quietly edge closer! Yet he still came – so brave and so curious. After all our tracking, wouldn’t you know, none of us had a snack in our purses. He looked at us so expectantly that it was hard to leave. But we went back to the car, checked out the park – only finding a dolphin and a brown squirrel. Now we are running behind schedule but we couldn’t resist stopping back by the tree.

At first, we thought he had gone on but then I spotted him…all stretched out on the tree limb…just waiting for our return. Down he came quick as lightning….to check out the snacks! Since he turned his nose up at the pretzels and loved the Elfin crackers, we dubbed him “Elfin, the White Squirrel of Brevard”, may he live long and prosper.

You may think we are silly but I am so thankful for a Heavenly Father who looks down on his precious children to bless them with such as simple thing as to cross their paths with a little hungry white squirrel.

On a different note, we learned another lesson: the $5.00 huge tube of pucker powder from the toy store makes 12 year old little girls go completely wacky! Almost all the way to Charlotte, she was telling jokes, cracking herself about nothing, doing the “ape itch” for passerbyers! We tried not to laugh because that just made her worse! So buyers beware of the power of the pucker powder!

Now we are late..we are running so late..for a very important date. Yes, it’s rush, hurry, scurry..what’s the speed limit now? After arriving at Sis. Margie’s home, we had a quick but wonderful, spectacular dinner with the girls. Sis. Margie had outdone herself (up until 3 am) once again with southern favorites: chicken and dumplings, sweet potato casserole, chicken salad, angel eggs and so much more – a banquet fit for Queens!

Then once again it’s dashing out the door, flying downtown, zooming from one lane to another, and finding a parking space at Hurst Tower. May I tell you about parking garages? Fact – I DO NOT LIKE THEM! It never fails..here you are hurrying along and there’s always a complication. This time, two of us (Jeanette and me, of course) are on the pedway and the other four on the street and we have no idea how to meet. Furthermore, I have ALL the tickets! Can you see the problem? So many people tried to help us inside the theater as we explained the situation over, and over, and over. One lady suggested we go on inside the auditorium and enjoy the show. Are you kidding? Without the other girls? Not this girl!



Even with all the excitement and misadventure, we actually only missed a few minutes (see why stressing out is a waste of time?) and the Lord knows all about it! But I must say the Phantom of the Opera is one of the most superb productions of all time. The singing was wonderful, carrying you away in time. I loved the music, especially the eerie organ. And the stage and props was so amazing – one moment the stage is a stage and the next it is a waterway complete with floating candles everywhere. It looks so realistic with the Phantom paddling the boat with Christine – they just seemingly sail over the stage and the water seemed to be pouring down into the orchestras’ box. Oh, and I was anticipating the falling chandelier but had no idea it was going to swing from the ceiling midway in the audience to crash on stage. Simply Spectacular! Deborah and Michaela were sitting on the edge of their seats; Jeanette was humming along with every song; Sis. Margie couldn’t help dozing and she tickled us so much. I promise every time she dozed off and then awoke, Christine was kissing someone and Sis. Margie would go “Whoop, Whoop”! Silent tears of glee rolled down our cheeks! We were so caught up in the show that when the police fired their weapons at the Phantom, I am the one who yelped.
It is a heartbreaking tragic story and this cast well deserved the standing ovation. I would definitely see it again (and hopefully, this time, get their a little earlier!) Michaela gave us her own performance of the opera to the entertainment of the elderly theater volunteers and to the talent on the street.

It would seem that no enchanted evening at the opera would be complete without a horse drawn carriage ride through the streets of Charlotte. Elvis was the name of our horse and the ride was definitely a fun, memorable way to end the evening. It was complete with bells and whistles (oh, wait, that was fire and rescue!) I think I can say a “Good time was had by all!”

Up early, on our way to Lake Norman when halfway there are plans fell through – so what to do now? After some crazy and some wild, scary driving (not by me), we arrived at the Latta Plantation. By this time, it was getting hot so we did a “quick” tour of the house, grounds and garden area checking out the farm animals. Then we took a few minutes to pan for gold. It takes a lot of work, precise handling, and much patience to pan for gold. But it paid off, Michaela found two pieces of gold. They may not actually be worth much but they are a priceless souvenir. (and I got a baggy of pretty rocks for my souvenirs!)

Ericka and Michaela wanted to go on a horseback ride (the rest of us girls weren’t quite properly dressed for a horse back ride so we took a raincheck!) Ericka’s horse, Belle, was HUGE but very gentle and Roni (like Macaroni) seemed like a good match for Michaela. Both girls were too nervous to take their camers so no pics of the actual ride. After listening to the instructions, we got their pictures and sent them off the trail with lots of well wishes and be safe. Of course, Jeanette, Deborah and I had our own miniature practice ride on the hay bales and saddles so we weren’t too disappointed at missing the “Real” thing! Next time…sunset, horses, campfire, cowboys! Not too disappointed at all!

Then we were on to the Raptor Center where Jeanette and I took a quick tour. I understand why the cages are made of wire (they are birds, after all!) but they sure do make taking pictures really difficult, especially of the eagles. I can’t ever remember hearing an eagle’s cry but the both the golden eagle and bald eagles were calling out. It was probably lunch time. I had also never seen an eagle get sprayed with a water hose to cool them off. (Personally, I wouldn’t have minded a spray my way!) Just as we were leaving, there was a flight presentation with an owl, falcon, hawk and golden eagle. All of the birds in the center have been injured, some so badly that they will never be able to return to the wild. I think the owls were incredibly beautiful.

Tired, famished, hot, and weary, we made our way back to Charlotte just in time to meet the youth group who were Michaela’s ride home. Then we had to find some FOOD! TGI Friday’s was an excellent choice – fast service, good food, and a great place for recollections and good-byes.

Saturday evening, we drove straight and hard toward Shallotte, ready to see my family. Then when we arrived, they weren’t even home!! (They had made a Wal-mart run!)
Lots of excitement when did they arrive home! Yummy lemon cake! Sword Fights! Lots of chattering and showing off! I loved every moment of it!




Sunday morning, we decided to head to Holden Beach (in the hottest part of the day). I am so thankful for Spray-on Sunscreen and Italian Ices! We had lots of fun – almost got carried away on a wave when it overflowed our spot (Kevin was yelling from water – Cameras! Cameras! And we are just looking at him!) The guys had fun surfing though the water was rough and waves were pretty tall! The boys entertained the beach by burying each other alive! When they would get hot, one would run to the ocean and bring back a bucket full of water dousing the buried one! (too cute). Of course, no visit to the beach is complete without feeding the seagulls. I had forgotten we even brought bread and couldn’t figure out why the gulls were gathering so close to our feet! But they were ready for lunch! As a matter of fact, so were we!

I must say living on the beach has its perks and Kevin and Donna have it down pat to the details! Clean clothes, towels, umbrella, surfboards, sand toys, snacks, bread, and cameras – so organized and packed just right – everyone has something to carry and the boys know just what it is! We were set up in minutes and then ready to go in even less time. I pretty much stood there with my mouth hanging open – it was just amazingly organized! Not like when I am going to the beach!!!

I never realized that the Myrtle Beach and Brunswick County have more golf courses in this area than the rest of the United States combined and I knew that there were a lot. After an afternoon of resting up, checking out the NC garden, being dessert for the skeeters, playing with the boys, we went golfing ourselves! Putt Putt Golfing that is! When the sun goes down and the air is cooler, this is the best time to go! Keagy choose the Dinosaur adventure and it was an adventure!



Dawson and Jaden are fast on their way to become excellent golfers and Keagy did so good! And he was so cute in his cowboy boots! In fact, he is the only one who got a whole in one and it was on the last hole! He just could not understand that if it was so great, why did he lose his ball??!! Jeanette and Kevin had a very competitive game with Kevin being the final winner by only one point. We would have called a re-match but it was late and Kevin had to be at work early! Donna and I didn’t golf as I was taking pictures and she was trying to keep Keagy out of the pools of water (They were quite deep – we checked!)

We marvel at how many of our Kentucky friends come to Myrtle Beach for vacation. But imagine my surprise at seeing a co-worker at 11:00 at night on the Dinosaur golf course when there are so many courses to choose from! We had quite a reunion! It’s a small world after all!

After a lazy day of watching movies with the boys and piddling around the house, we got ready for our attempt at making the Sea Screamer in Little River (just in case Kevin got home from work in time…Dawson was hoping he would be late!!) But Kevin did and once again we are hurrying, scurrying, trying to make a deadline. We literally “ran” to catch the boat, “just” making it on board to the cheers and good natured clapping of the other passengers. I could love the laidback attitude of North and South Carolinians!



Dawson had been afraid he would get motion sickness but he is quite the trooper! In fact, he was so brave that he traded seats with me on the return trip to sit by the railing. Of course, the rest of that story is he sat down just in time to be nearly drowned by a wave of salt water. It was so funny but he (and Kevin) were really good sports about getting wet.
I got wet but not drowned. They were so wet that water was literally dripping from my brother’s nose – now that is WET!

The dolphin portion of the cruise was a little disappointing but then I could have stayed right there for the whole two hours. It was hard to get a really good shot of the dolphins with all the people on board and the board really dipping on the waves. Oh well, it is what it is! Keagy, on the other hand, was in full picture taking mode! He was unstoppable – camera to his eyes for any shot! Especially if we were trying to take his picture! Jaden and Jeanette were on the opposite side of the boat but it looked like he was having fun! He definitely got to see the dolphins doing their thing!!

After catching the first few waves of the sea (it was a little rough), Kevin and Donna realized that this was the boys first trip out to sea! How cool and I got to be there for it!! Another momentous memory!

So how fast was the sea screamer…personally, I think we were moving quite along although I can’t prove it. Kevin, on the other hand, thought we got on the geriatric cruise – not so “screamy” for him! If we had been on the beach, I think the view of us flying over the waves would have looked a little more adventurous, maybe like a yellow bullet speeding along the coast. Think about the view from the car window or a train – you know you are really moving but it doesn’t really seem that way!! At least it sounds logical!

Since we were already into boating/fishing mode, our next stop was at the “Fishy” store (a.k.a. The Bass Pro Shops – Outdoor World). We watched a fish feeding, saw lots of stuffed animals, tried out the four-wheelers, and modeled coon caps with wooden rifles! A good little diversion on the way home!

EPILOGUE

We had such a blessed and wonderful and diverse trip! But the moment I had been dreading was here…goodbyes! I just do not handle goodbyes well and this one was no different. If I could have sneaked out of the house and just left early in the morning, I probably would have. But the auntie in me just couldn’t do that to the boys! Finally, we were off….Homeward Bound! Not homesick but ready to get home and back to “Normal Everyday” life! Of course, a little “Retail Therapy” in Knoxville never hurts either!

I am so thankful for each precious memory and I have a lot of them, only sharing a few! Thanks for bearing with me in these long blogs…I just didn’t know how to shorten them! I hope you enjoy and can laugh right along with us in our adventures (or misadventures as the case maybe)! Until the next road trip, I will leave you with two thoughts:

Travel is more than just A to B. Travel should turn a weekend into a memory!

A million miles away is just down the road!

Happy trails to you!

This slide show is a seldom seen “behind the scenes” look at just how our pictures turn out “so well”! As the late Paul Harvey would say “the rest of the story”! Enjoy our antics!