Five Faves From the End of a Road Trip

Friday Fave Fives.  Again, I'm on the road, but we're almost home!  Whether I am traveling or sitting at home sipping my coffee, I always stop and think about my week and then post Five Faves of how I am blessing and am thankful for what has transpired in my life during the week.  (The link takes you to Susanne's blog, our host for Friday Fave Fives.)

1.  The Professor caught that nasty virus the day after we arrived, so he was incapacitated and isolated most the time we were in Phoenix.  That is certainly not the fave here.  I am thankful that he was not particularly ill.  I am thankful I stayed well.  I am thankful that we were not staying at Chaplain Dan's house but were in an Airbnb, so it was easy for him to be separate from others.

2.  I am thankful that I was able to attend PAL's choral concert.  (photos did not turn out well; this is the only reasonable one I got)  Waiting for the concert to begin...

3.  The birthday gift we gave PAL was a hit!  A pioneer era sun bonnet which we found at one of our stops on the Santa Fe Trail.  Plans are being made for a dress to go with it.

4.  The last evening we were in Phoenix, Chaps and the family brought a meal to share outside in the back area of the Airbnb.  It was truly a blessing to celebrate dinner with them.

5.  I am thankful that we have been able to finish our goal of following the Santa Fe Trail.  On the way home, we drove the auto route for the Cimarron Trail Cut Off (the more southern route).  (and one of these days, I'll get all the photos uploaded!)

Bonus:  our last morning in Arizona, we had breakfast with an old college friend and his wife whom we had never met.  Bill and I sang together in choir and small group called Reflections.  It was great to catch up!

Bonus2:  we'll be home sometime today!!

Five Fun Things on a Road Trip

Happy Friday!  Friday Fave Fives always kicks me into thoughtful memories of all the wonderful things large and small that have happened to me in the past week.  Since we have been traveling, there have been so many opportunities to count my blessings.  Here are FIVE.  (the link in blue will take you to Living to Tell the Story where you can read more)

1.  Continuing on our road trip, we enjoyed a quick visit with a family we knew at our church in California.  They moved to the midwest just after we moved to Ohio.  The guys had served together on various committees and the church elder board.  It was great to reconnect with them, even for a short time.  Of course, Eleanor always enjoys coffee time with friends, too.

2.  Along the way, we visited several National Parks and Historical Sites on the Santa Fe Trail.  One of our favorites was Ft. Larned, in Kansas.  The museums were very well done, interesting and informative. [no photos uploading]

3.  Santa Fe, New Mexico.  We made it all along the Northern Route of the Santa Fe Trail!  [hmmm, my computer is still not allowing me to upload a photo...I'll try later]

4.  We are at our destination point on our road trip.  Arizona, where Older Son (Chaplain Dan) and his family live.  This is the first time we have seen our son since he returned from his most recent nine month deployment with the Army Reserve.  We are loving every minute spent with him, his wife and our granddaughter!

5.  Of course, PAL is full of ideas on what to do while we are visiting.  Diamondbacks game.  Shopping for materials to create things with yarn and fabric.  Ice cream dates.

So. Many. Blessings.  How about you?

It's Autumn!!

 Yay! Autumn is my favorite season!  This is my first Friday Fave Five for Fall.  These are just five of the things that I am thankful for this week.  Follow this link-- Fave Fives with Susanne --to join in expressing your thankfulness.

1.  As I just wrote, Autumn is here.  I love fall!  Truly, I am thankful for all the seasons, but for me, fall is best.

2.  Now that we are retired, The Professor and I often take an extended trip during autumn.  This year, we planned a road trip to visit our son, Chaplain Dan, and his family in Arizona.  So yes, we are on the road.  I am thankful that we can do these trips.  (Yes, Ohio, we'll be back soon!)

If you see a photo of that arch, where was it taken?*

*St. Louis, Missouri (crossing the Mississippi River)

3.  The Professor and I love botanical gardens and nature reserves.  So, obviously, we would find gardens to visit on our journey.  This garden, Shaw Nature Reserve, is west of St. Louis, MO.  We spent almost two hours there, hiking and driving around the areas.

Eleanor always finds the best places to sit and rest during our hikes.

4.  We chose this route so we could follow the Santa Fe Trail, which started out on the same path as Lewis and Clark took for a ways into Missouri.  Then the Oregon Trail, California Trail and Santa Fe Trail split off.  Already, on our first day, we have learned so much about these Pioneer Trails.  I am thankful that my husband loves history like I do and enjoys nerding out about this kind of history.

5.  While we are away, we have several different people keeping watch on our house, our garden, our bee hive.  I am so very thankful that we live near our two daughters and that they take care of things while we are away.

On the Road

Since I've been traveling, I haven't been online all that much.  But I am racking up the gratitude this week for sure.  All week, I've been thinking I need to share this and this and that and that for Friday Fave Fives.  How can I choose just five?  (The link in bold type is for you to follow if you want to read more encouraging Faves from others, or join in)

1.  Lunch and afternoon chat with The Professor's oldest (longest) friend.  We met him and his wife for lunch at a wonderful Italian restaurant and then we drove to their place and chatted for a couple more hours before we hit the road again.  What a refreshment that was since I also knew his friend as one of my first college English professors.

2.  Two nights with other friends.  One of the highlights of our time spent with these 'church in California' friends (we've all moved away) was that one evening we enjoyed dinner at their daughter's home and she invited yet another family from our same church to join us.  Oh, that was just a wonderful time!  The younger kids have grown up so much and they pretended to remember us.  One even made us a banner welcoming us to their home and their state. (insert googly eyes here)

3.  We proceeded on south and stopped at the Space and Rocket Museum in Huntsville, Alabama.  We wandered around for HOURS reading the plaques and gazing at all the exhibits.  A bonus on that was a wonderful late lunch at a great little restaurant we found on our way.  The Yellow Deli.

4.  Two more nights were spent with long ago college friends.  The husband has had some major health issues and we were just so happy to visit with them and encourage them and rejoice with them in how well our friend is recovering.

5.  Another highlight (see how they just keep rolling in?) was to meet and have dinner with a cousin's son who have grown into a wonderful young man.  Also, we were able to meet his wife and her parents.  You know that feeling when you have an instant rapport and know you are already 'family'?  That's how it was.  (If you remember seeing any photos of my children, you will see the striking resemblance with my cousin and my son.)

Bonus.  Gotta have a bonus to this.  Warmer weather and sunshine!  I'm soaking it in.

Do come back in the next day or so and enjoy ALL.THE.PHOTOS of St. Augustine, Florida.  Spoiler--yes, that is where we were for three days.

November Travel Thankfulness

Friday Fave Fives!  I am a little bit late posting, but it is still Friday.  Looking back over the past week as we continued and finished our road trip, I am filled with thankfulness for all the beauty and friendship and family. 

DONE!!!  (Note:  I took bundles of photos, but I am having trouble getting them to download so I can post them.  I will keep trying, so come back later for the photo feast.)

1.  Time with FAMILY.  We had meals with The Professor's sisters and their sons.  All the conversations and reminiscences.

2.  Dinners at our favorite restaurant, SHARKY'S.  Like, four times...  Eleanor Elizabeth loved the chips and salsa.

3.  Time with Younger SON in San Diego.  It was wonderful to have three days to just hang out, visit sightseeing places in San Diego and talk and talk with him.

4.  Time on the BEACH.  (Here's where you get lots and lots of photos!)

I am always happy when my feet are in the sand.

5.  I am thankful to be home.  Two long flights but we landed safely and were picked up by Younger Daughter and delivered safely HOME

Traveling Fave Fives

We are having the best time on West Coast Road Tripp 2022.  So many blessings!  I have had to choose Five to share with Friday Fave Fives (the link will take you to where you can join us in writing your five faves from the week).  How do you decide when there are so many blessings like favorite people, favorite restaurants, favorite places?

1.  Time with our granddaughter PAL.  She wanted to share Musical Instruments Museum with us.  We also attended the wedding of Lily Bunny and Paddington Bear.  In fact, The Professor officiated the marriage!

2.  We stopped for a short visit with someone we knew in college and to meet his wife.  It was so fun to catch up on our lives.

3.  Now we are in our old home town and staying with World's Best Neighbor in our old neighborhood for a few days.  How many former neighbors would invite you to stay with them?  This has been a great time of catch up and remembering, driving and walking around the familiar streets.

4.  Lunch in Malibu with one of our best friends who lives in one of the beach cities in Los Angeles.  I think we stayed for more than two hours just talking and catching up.  That was the best of the best!  Even the drive along Pacific Coast Highway gazing at the beach and waves was wonderful and so refreshing.

5.  Lunches and dinners and coffees with other friends.  Hugs from our pastor and secretary at church.   Yesterday, we stopped in to the place where The Professor's sister was volunteering and surprised her.  Oh, that was so much fun!   And we're not done yet!  Three more days here.

Bonus!  Here in the US, we celebrate Veteran's Day to honor our military, past and present.  I come from a long line of proud veterans.  Here are just two of them.  My father and my husband.  And now my son who is a military chaplain.

Enlistment photo, World War II

Hot, tired and a long way from home.

Vietnam

Chaplain, USAR. On the way to Afghanistan, 2008

    

A Month of Thanks

I am a bit late posting my FAVE FIVES (follow the link to join!)  My excuse?  I am on a road trip.  Driving across the US.  But I just can't not post even if I am late.  What are my Five Blessings for this week, this first week of November?

1.  Four days on our road trip.  All safe.  That is a huge blessing.

2.  We did a thing on Day Two.  We walked across the Mississippi River!  Did you know that there is a walking bridge that spans the Mississippi at St. Louis?  Originally, it was the bridge that Rt. 66 used to cross the river.  Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.

3.  One morning as we were leaving our hotel, I commented to The Professor that the best thing I have seen in a long time is automatic doors that open as you approach them.  No pushing, no handles.  Just walk to the door and presto!  It opens.

4.  We arrived safely in Arizona to spend a few days with PAL.  The best welcoming was PAL and her mom standing on the driveway jumping up and down and giving us lots of hugs.

5.  We have long time friends who moved away from where we all lived.  Then we moved away.  And we hadn't seen them for a long time.  Recently they moved to Arizona, and so we spend most of the day with them today.  A wonderful hike and a long lunch and it seemed like we had never been apart.

I hope you have had a great week full of blessings!

Home At Last

We're home!  It's time to get back in to our routine.  Routine means that on Friday I always post my thankful things from the week--Friday Fave Fives.  Today it's more of a travel documentary because I am always thankful for the wonderful places we are able to visit on our road trips.

 After having a wonderful visit, we said a long goodbye to our girls and grandkids at a yummy local coffee and cinnamon rolls shop.  Our goal was to take six days to drive the 2,400 miles back home. 

1.  First stop was in eastern Illinois.  We had hoped to walk the Chain of Rocks Bridge across the Mississippi River; however, because of the flooding, both approaches were closed.  I consoled myself with some photos of the bridge and with a promise to ourselves that we will be back to do it another time.   (Chain of Rocks Bridge was an early Route 66 passage across the Mississippi River and is now a walking/biking bridge.)

2.  St. Louis's Gateway Arch and the Museum of Western Expansion were beautiful!

3.  Then we drove on to another museum in Independence, Missouri--National Frontier Trails Museum.  If you ever have an opportunity, do visit it.  Although it's small, there is SO MUCH to see, read and understand about this beginning spot of the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Santa Fe Trail.  In particular, I enjoyed it because I know that some of my ancestors stood there and climbed in their Conestoga wagons as they began their trip to California.

4.  Three other places held enough interest for us to make us stop on our way west.

Tall Grass Prairie National Preserve. 

We didn't really have time to walk anywhere along the trails through the preserve; we just ate lunch and enjoyed the views.

Dyck Arboretum of the Plains in Hesston, Kansas

Again, we gave ourselves an hour to walk around this gem of an arboretum and soak in the flora and fauna of the great plains.

 Route 66 Museum.  One sweet encounter in front of the Route 66 Museum sign was The Professor making an instant connection with a fellow Vietnam Vet who served in the SAME PLACE in the SAME JOB there but different years.  Oh, it was sweet to listen to them chat about their experiences.  I wish we had exchanged more than our first names and home towns.  Maybe someday we'll see them again.  On Route 66.

5.  We spent one night with our son in New Mexico where he lives and our last night with our PAL and her parents in Arizona.

ALL the changes in terrain and climate!

Then it was HOME AT LAST.

And for your amusement.  A photo of the obvious.