Southeast
Defeated Creek Campground…
WE’VE BEEN LUCKY. Since departing Florida last month, we’ve been very lucky selecting wonderful parks where we can stay along our cross-country trek. It’s not always easy to determine in advance how a place really looks…websites employ very crafty photographers to make the most of what a park has to offer. But often when we … Continue reading
The Beauty of Cades Cove…
OUR LAST DAY AT THE PARK. Today was our last day in Gatlinburg so we had to choose between many places in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to visit. We chose Cades Cove, on the advice of several locals whom we met at breakfast the other day. There are so many things to see … Continue reading
The Mountains are Calling…
GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE. You’re going to like it here! This small mountain town is home to less than 4,000 folks but it attracts more than 11 million visitors a year and can grow to a population of 40,000 on any given night. It’s nestled at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited … Continue reading
Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Campground…
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE. Here we are in Tennessee at the Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Campground in Chattanooga. The city is located in the southeastern part of the state, along the Tennessee River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It is one of the top destinations in the South. It’s trolley-like Incline Railway scales steep Lookout Mountain … Continue reading
Tiffany Art in Orlando…
A RAINY DAY. Today was overcast and drizzly, so it seemed like a good day for an outing we could enjoy indoors. We had read about a large collection of Tiffany art on display in the nearby suburb of of Winter Park, so we decided to pack up for the day and take a look. We’re … Continue reading
The impact of hunger and food insecurity in America…
SOMETHING BOTHERS ME. Anyone who’s familiar with me and my blog knows one thing for sure. Greg is a guy who loves to cook. He loves to shop for farm to table ingredients, meet local farmers while doing so and share his love for food with an audience. But his passion is about lots more … Continue reading
Like a chicken with its head cut off…
WHAT’S COME OVER YOU, GREG? “You’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off. You were so sluggish while you were ill that we’d almost forgotten you could move this fast. So what’s up?” “Here’s the deal. Eight months ago the doctors told my wife I had only a few hours to … Continue reading
DJI Phantom 4 Camera Drone…
June 6, 2016 JUST A MATTER OF TIME. I knew it. I just knew it. Florence and I have been married a long while. I have an uncanny ability to predict her next move. I’ve got a respectable batting average. I’m right about 85 % of the time. So, I figured it would be just a … Continue reading
Another Blue Ribbon Tour of Pensacola…
ANOTHER BLUE RIBBON TOUR. You’ve already met Jon York, our friend and the one who’s made our stay in Pensacola the best it could be. The tour he gave us today was “top of the line.” In fact it was “over the top.” The guy is something else. Just when we think he’s already outdone … Continue reading
Memorial Day Weekend…
May 30, 2016 MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States. A federal mandate years ago set the observance on the last Monday of May, creating a long weekend for most Americans. Since it’s also the traditional … Continue reading
The Hermitage: Andrew Jackson’s home…
MAY 12, 2015 NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE ANDREW JACKSON. No one could possibly have imagined the story that would become Andrew Jackson’s life. Orphan, General, President and Legend…Andrew Jackson holds a prominent place in America’s history. I knew some history about Jackson’s achievements as a General and U.S. President, but I didn’t know a thing about his … Continue reading
Our new friend Bethany…what an inspiration!
HER STORY. Born in rural eastern Tennessee, raped, pregnant and addicted to drugs by the time she was 14 years old, incarcerated a few years later after a conviction for selling drugs, one would have guessed that she’d pretty well run her course…that any kind of meaningful life was beyond her reach. Well, one would … Continue reading
More of Nashville’s landmarks…
MAY 9, 2015 WE’RE BEING TOURISTS. As I mentioned a day or two ago, there is so much to see in Nashville that we’ve put on our best walking shoes and strapped on our cameras. We want to see as much as possible in the week we’ll be here. So, in order to get a … Continue reading
Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry…
MAY 8, 2015 COUNTRY’S MOST FAMOUS STAGE. What began as a simple radio broadcast in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country-music live stage concert and the longest-running radio broadcast in history. Dedicated to honoring country music’s rich history and dynamic present, the Grand Ole Opry showcases a mix of country legends and … Continue reading
Nashville, Tennessee…
MAY 8, 2015 WE’RE HERE! We’ve arrived in Nashville, Tennessee…the heart and soul of the country music industry. Located in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee, Nashville is the state capital as well as the city of Andrew Jackson. It combines the grace and warmth of the Old South with the economic vitality of today’s … Continue reading
‘Til next November…goodbye to the Gulf.
MAY 5, 2015 GULF OF MEXICO. We’ve been enjoying the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico for more than a month. Absolutely beautiful! The area simply demands its own blog post. You’ll recall my surprise a month or so ago, when we first arrived in the deep South and came upon the beaches here. I’m … Continue reading
A major change in plans…
APRIL 11,2015 CHANGE OF PLANS LEAVING NEW ORLEANS. We’ve changed our plans. A major weather event is approaching. It’s going to be very stormy here..heavy rain, high winds and thunderstorms… for the next seven or eight days. We’d be “housebound” if we stayed. So, we’re leaving in the morning and heading to Gulf Shores, Alabama. … Continue reading