Mark Twain Country

As a small girl, Mark Twain was my favorite author.  I read several of his books over and over again during the summer when I was 9 years old.  Tom Sawyer was my favorite.  As we were traveling through Arkansas, we stopped at a park and took this picture of the Mississippi River.  I could just imagine Tom, barefooted and in tatterd and worn clothes sailing on a small make-shift raft going down the river.

Elvis Country

We stopped in Memphis and visited the Welcome Center.  There was a large statue of Elvis.  I set the security alarm off when I tried to hug him for a photo opt.

Black Bayou - Monroe, Louisiana

We stayed in Monroe, Louisiana during the July 4th weekend.  We took the opportunity to visit the wildlife Refuge at Black Bayou Lake.  It was my first experience to see a Louisiana Bayou.  The largest lily pads I have ever seen.

Bad Axe, Michigan & Lake Huron

We had to say goodbye to the great lakes and Lake Huron was our last stop.  We stopped at the beach outside of  Bad Axe, Michigan and took a few pictures on a beautiful sunny afternoon.  That morning I had visited a friend's farm and took several pictures of his 200 acres.  They had just harvest several fields that week.

Chubby's BBQ

We were told about the famous Chubby's BBQ in Hayti, Missouri.  The rock & roll singer Chubby Checker was driving through town and heard about the restaurant with his name so he stopped and ate and signed a Shirt for them which they still hang on the wall today.

Amish Country - Arthur, Illinois

We visited Arthur, Illinois which is the heart of the Amish population in Illinois.  We tour their gardens and purchase home made cheese curds and apple butter from their grocery store.  It is a large town and the highway was busy with their horses and buggies.

Butterfly at Mackinac Island

We visited a butterfly greenhouse on the island; flowers and butterflies everywhere.

Mackinac Island

Just visited Mackinac Island.  No cars, trucks or motors allowed.  All horse and buggies and bicycles.  Ate lunch at the Pink Pony.  9 miles of beauty.  It was a unique and wonderful trip.

Paddle Inn & Glen's Market

Paddle Inn had the best food in town!

Why can't Publix look like this in Florida?  Glen's Market was larger and had better food selection then all the grocery stores in St. Augustine combined!

Images from the Mio Ranch

This is two collages of the woods, ponds, flowers and gazebo at the ranch.  There were many hiking trails, several ponds, and wildlife.  Too many to post.

Ranch Visit at Mio, Michigan

We visited a friends ranch close to the AuSable River & Forest.  There was a private railway w/ Train.  The top picture shows the rails and wild flowers that were growing along side the railroad tracks.  The lily pond reflected the trees and plants like a mirror.  It is difficult to determined the pond's surface versus the landscape.

Amish Community in Mio, Michigan

When we were in Mio, Michigan.  We visited several local Amish businesses.  A bakery, hardware store and grocery store.  We also stopped at a Maple Syrup store that was operated by the Amish. I did a collage of pictures to show the local Amish farms.

Dusk at Candlestone

Another sunset over a corn field; except our hotel was across the highway and it was the only hotel in town.  A large red barn was also across the highway.  We had to drive over 20 miles to the nearest restaurant.  Barns and corn fields everyway.  I think I am going to publish a book on barns across the country.

Water Street Park, In Memory of the Boys

In Belding, Michigan, we visited Water Street Park.  The park was dedicated "In memory of the boys of 1861-1865 who offer their services for the integrity and unity of our great republic during the war of the rebellion."

Tower Riverside Park

We took a stroll at a community park in Greenville, Michigan mid-morning.  A lot of people were enjoying the sunny weather.  The park honored the danish settlers that established the town with a mermaid statue.

The Glenn

Ate lunch at a small town restaurant called "The Glenn".  Took a picture of the main business street in town.  A church, a hardware store, volunteer fire department, and a very small post office.  It was not an exciting town like New York, but the food was very good and the town people could at least mail packages via the US Postal Service.  At least they out grew the pony express!

What Once Was - Highway 61, along the Cumberland River

Resemblance of yester-year.  A country home abandoned years ago; a barn with vines growing up the side.   Two among the hundreds of decaying houses and barns along highway 61.  There is a sadnesss that surrounds them.  I always wonder what tales could be told about the farmers who once lived there.

Cloudy Day at the Tennessee River

Roaring River

The River was named Roaring River but it was really more like a slow boat to China.  This was the most exciting scenery I could find.  The two small waves in the center.  Maybe it was more exciting further down.

Sunset Outside Rochester, Indiana

The corn fields never end.  It was an ocean of green and the wind created waves across the horizon.

Creation Falls at Red River Gorge

Friends, Quincy and Diane took me and my husband on a hiking trail at Red River Gorge.  It took all my energy to walk the 2 mile trail to Creation Falls.  The Gorge is located in Daniel Boone National Park.  It was breath-taking and we plan to return soon.

Diane's Flowers, Mount Carmel, Kentucky

Visited friends at Mt. Carmel, Quincy and Diane.  These flowers were growing next to their house in the Kentucky hills located near Mt. Carmel High School.

A misty morning at Mount Carmel, Kentucky

Mountain Top Flowers

These lilies grew wild throughout the forest and communities at Lookout Mountain. They were a favorite flower used in many landscapes.

Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

These cannons are located in the Lookout Mountain Park.  A flashback to the civil war.  Used the Sepia setting for the pictures.