Life is a patchwork of experiences
There are over 1000 years of history in this photo. The round church in the background is the Rotonda di San Lorenzo in the city of Mantua, Italy. This is the oldest church in this UNESCO designated city, built in the late 11th century, and still has some of the original frescoes visible inside. The red Vespa in the foreground is another classic Italian legacy, but only since the 1940’s.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
The Garden of the Gods Illinois and Shawnee National Forest provides outdoor recreation, interesting history and beautiful scenery, all of which is within an easy 6 hour drive from 30 cities and towns in the Midwest. After road tripping through the Midwest, I am sharing my list of things to do in Garden of the Gods, Illinois.
Despite having lived in Chicago for many years, it is only as a recent visitor back to the state that I discovered the wooded beauty of the Shawnee National Forest and the Garden of the Gods Illinois. Who knew there was so much scenic wilderness in a state known for growing corn?
Continue reading “There’s a Little Bit of Paradise in the Garden of the Gods Illinois”
This was one of the first quilts I started, and many years later, once the kids were off to college and I had more time, it was also one of the first quilts I finally finished. It also taught me that there can still be beauty in imperfection, even if the mistake is huge.
Continue reading ““Step Into My Garden” – A Perfectly Imperfect Watercolor Quilt Design”
How to experience spring in the Brandywine Valley gardens.
I absolutely love spring in the Brandywine Valley of southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware. At this time of year I don’t need to travel because I am surrounded by some of the most beautiful gardens in the country. Starting in March and continuing nonstop through May, the gardens that were formerly part of DuPont family estates glow in a riot of vibrant colors as a succession of blooms brighten the landscape and my spirits with them.
You can read my article about spring in the historic Brandywine Valley in the most recent issue of Travel World International magazine.
You can see more spring garden photos in my post Tip Toe through the Tulips-A Colorful Collection of Spring Garden Photos at Longwood Gardens.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
Discover the Quilt Gardens in the heart of Amish country in Elkhart county Indiana as you follow the Heritage Trail to see gardens designed like quilt blocks.
I’ve seen quilts displayed on beds and hanging on museum walls. I’ve also seen quilt designs painted on barns and on the sides of buildings. But one of the most unusual quilt displays I’ve seen has to be the Quilt Gardens in Elkhart, Indiana. More than one million blooms make up seventeen large quilt designs that are on display each year from May 30 to Sept. 15.
The atmospheric Gedi Ruins near the town of Watamu on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast are a fascinating visit. A trip to the Gedi Ruins can easily be arranged by your hotel and a local guide can bring the local history alive.
These were the parting words that my guide said to me as we finished the fascinating tour of the Gedi Ruins near Watamu, Kenya on the country’s Indian Ocean coast. After three hours of touring the site with him, I could understand why. Other than a local school group, I was the only tourist there.
After two weeks in the Maasai Mara I was ready for some quiet and relaxing Kenya beach holidays. I found a boutique hotel and lots of soft, white sand at Jacaranda Beach. I am sharing my Kenya beach resorts experience to inspire your beach vacation in Kenya.
By the end of February my body and soul are usually quite winter weary. My soul needs some bright sunny days to lift it back up and my bones need warm sand and surf to lubricate the joints. After a two week citizen science conservation experience in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, I also wanted to get in some Kenya beach holidays. But, I did not want to have to spend a lot of time or effort getting there. Jacaranda Beach on Kenya’s Coast was the perfect answer (and was my personal alternative to the Seychelles)
There are a number of wildlife options within the city that are good Nairobi day trips. My hotel set up a driver so that I could easily visit them on my own.
Nairobi is the usual landing spot and starting point for safaris in Kenya. If you have the time, you can start off your trip with a day in Nairobi, experiencing Africa’s unique wildlife at the various local animal sanctuaries. Here are my recommendations for Nairobi day trips. Continue reading “My 3 Favorite Nairobi Day Trips – Up Close and Personal With Africa’s Unique Wildlife”
On the Frontline of Conservation, the practices in the Enonkishu Conservancy demonstrate that cattle, social needs and wildlife can coexist to benefit all.
It’s four in the morning and I am sitting in a blind at a waterhole in the midst of Kenya’s famous Maasai Mara ecosystem. The visible sky beyond the blind is covered in so many stars that I finally have a sense for how big a million-billion really is.
On the ground though, my visibility is limited to just a few feet in the absolute darkness beyond the confines of the branches and sticks that make up this makeshift enclosure that surrounds me. In the pitch blackness, I can’t detect the animals I am here to observe without the aid of night vision binoculars, but the cacophony of sounds leaves no doubt that I am completely surrounded by life. A loud orchestra of frogs, toads and insects serenades me so that I can easily stay awake during my shift. An occasional bark from a hyena or grunt from a hippo reminds me that larger four legged creatures also prowl the night. The local leopard though is nowhere to be seen or heard tonight.
This post was recognized by the North America Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) in the 2019 awards competition with a Bronze award in the Featured Photo, Illustration– Online category.
Sharing my photos and experiences as I spent a day on a Masai Mara safari in the Ol Choro Conservancy and Lemek Conservancy seeing nonstop African wildlife.
I love Kenya. I love the elephants and the giraffes and the zebra and the rhinos and all the myriad wildlife that is so unique to this part of the planet. For me, nothing beats the exhilaration of seeing a baby elephant trying to figure out how to use its trunk or watching the graceful slow motion ballet of a running giraffe. A recent day on a Masai Mara safari gave me the chance to experience all of this and much, much more.
Continue reading “Into Africa – A Perfectly Wild Day On a Masai Mara Safari”
