Hot n Hotter!

We've been combining new Town visits with  cemetery runs to grab some photo requests.  Sis had her eye on Pageland, and it was voting day so first Mom and I had to stop and cast our ballot in the special election.  We both voted for the Democratic candidate, Archie Parnell.  I am a progressive but until we have an actual party with a fighting chance, this is as close as I can come. He lost...but we tried. 
Most of my Photos were lost so I borrowed some off the web

After voting we drove about 30 miles to Pageland, SC

https://townofpageland.com/index.php/page/2/




and we had lunch in the local greasy spoon! 

I took these photos with the Amazon Fire 7.  I hope to get better at using it, just for photos such as this that I want to post directly on Facebook for the extended and out of state family to see.    The town is really small.  It's 2 blocks in the 4 directions of a down town, here is the main intersection, right outside Lynn's Cafe.  

https://www.facebook.com/lynnscafepageland/

Lynn's could def use some TLC.... it was the only place we saw to grab a bite to eat. I noticed the curtains where hung on rope...hmmm whatever works!

I liked most of these reproduction signs...but not all. 

especially this one, I love Moon Pies not exactly healthy food tho...

https://www.facebook.com/lynnscafepageland/photos/2665419323483990

We really liked this little court yard pass through..

here is the town water tower...it had been raining earlier, we got a break in the rain just long enough...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:AlexiusHoratius

to head over to the First Baptist Church....

Find a Grave Photo

to the cemetery to look for 20 headstones photo requests...some of the older graves had trees all around, and the cemetery was on both sides of the street. 

the original bell...

Has a big crack as big as the Liberty Bell!  

We are preparing for our trip west....lots to do the weather is HOT and muggy, but the west sounds even worse from what I read on others blogs, so don't know how much of a relief from the heat we will get! I imagine my next post will either be from the road or from our destination! All depends--till then stay cool and drop me a note to let me know how you're coping with the heat!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Finally

WE DID IT, although we knew putting the siding up on the back n sides would be hard because the sheets are so heavy! BUT, we got it up...a lot of cursing,  one busted thumb, one ugly hematoma and  finally it was up!! 

I now have an enclosed and dry shed!! Also a good spot for the mower,  and even tho its a bit smaller than my old shed it will be perfect.  Small means I have to organize my junk! I still have all the odds n ends necessary for a full time DIY'er like myself.

               

          my work table, left over paints, coffee cans of nails, screws, and odds n ends

               

                                                 the mowers, my bike, and other must haves

I wanted sliding doors but the hardware was sooo expensive.  I had these hinges so we used them instead! We did have to close up the opening a little more than I wanted to...but it's still big enough for the mower to fit without any problems. 

  I had several years of SC license plates so I hung them alongside my potting table and garden hand tools

I had the final appt, with the DR so finally I've been sitting down with my maps and getting a feel for what I can expect in the way of places to camp when I head to TX this week.
My budget has taken such a hit with the damned water pump on the van, some new tires and a tie rod...and the medical bills...so I may end up hitting some Camp Walmarts, I don't like urban camping, but it's free, especially during the getting there and back portion. I'll go across GA, AL, MS, LS, and then into TX.  I don't know how long I will be traveling.  I hate leaving my sis with everything to do, especially since Mom fell yet again and broke her right wrist the very next week after being released from the left arm break! 

Unless you can sit by her 24/7, which we try but it's impossible to do, she will get up and move from room to room...and this time it was the same type thing as before. She got up went into the kitchen but went back in the living room for some reason, and left the walker in the kitchen.  She fell!! We don't want to put her in a NH but she is making it very difficult. 

The day before she fell we all went to Congaree National Park, and we had a great walk around. 

                     

                                             Jimmy,  big sis, me, mom,  and lil sis

She did not look this cute when we rushed into the house (we were in the yard when we heard her fall) Floss is showing you how we found mom...

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Passport to Adventure!

The best thing to do in Winter when its too cold to get out and have an adventure is plan for an adventure!  I keep a journal entitled the Road Less Traveled and its my planning journal...each time I hear of a spot I would love to visit I jot it down in my book..in the left margin I put the state name, and
under that the town or local and then I write in a description of and directions of how to get there!  One state that keeps
popping up in my Journal is Utah.  Ive been traveling to Utah the past 3 years and Ive only just scratched the surface!  I love UTAH...there is so much to see and it's rich in everything from scenic canyons, lakes, and forests to cultural history and prehistoric remains--from Dinosaur relics to freemont art panels, and ancient dwelling ruins!  So in doing some reasearch for "places to explore" I wanted to share a wonderful resource I found.  The Icon up there will take you to the UTAH home page, hover you mouse over Places to See then click on Scenic ByWays and you will find a list of 29 Scenic BYWAYS--those words are like music to my soul ~Scenic Byways~...I just keep repeating that while clicking my ruby red shoes and hope for the best. My BFF had so many problems with family that she says she clicks her ruby reds while repeating "any place but home" I guess thats drastic but I can certainly relate sometimes.

ALL the listed byways are fully linked so you can glean all sorts of INFO from this page for touring Utah and this just hit my top 10 of what to DO-

If you look down to the very last link the 27 Fall Color Scenic Drives--they all look amazing---meanwhile back to reality--

I also just found this Im sure most of you already know about it--I am always the LAST to know everything--- its the Passport to Your National Parks.  Its a fun book that I purchased yesterday when I visited Congaree National Swamp.  (it warmed up to 50 F so off we went) The book is laid out in Regions and contains a spot to have your Passport cancelled with a date stamp and a spot to place a sticker/stamp-of your visit to parks in the region...ex; Southwest region Grand Canyon, or Organ Pipe etc...of course its a money making project the stamp sheets are $4 each and each sheet contains about 8 or 10 stamps and a new page comes out each year around February.  ITS like a real life scavenger

hunt...I did get one and now Im wondering how to get it stamped for the spots I've already visited?  I was able to download a list of addresses for the parks...so a possible mailing to ask for a stamp with the date I was there---OR Make my own on my computer, print it out and affix it to my passport? WWYD?  I mean I can't go back and relive the past 40 yrs and with so many places I have yet to set my foot each awaiting my attention I dont think I'll have the time to backtrack--WISH I could start over, like Sinfeld says "have a do over"...

Meanwhile I found the website where I can aquire all the stamps issued since 1986-at www.eparks.com Im hoping to get a discount code and Ive written them BEGGING for that code--wonder if I'll get it? I guess you could say this is a Christmas present to moi!

In the past I collected patches then realized my vest was getting so HEAVY with all that extra patchwork it became uncomfortable--lol..

So I kinda stopped with the patches--so this passport booklet seems like the perfect solution to that!

I read it will take more than One booklet to get a stamp from every Park. SO best buy a second book now while they are under $10, and tuck it away for the future!

LONG WEEKEND TRIP

 WOW its so hot! We are melting in humidity~ Literally. Just an hour ago we had the tiniest rain show...only made the humidity worse..but it was enough to water my flowers & garden. This weekend Im headed up to my birth state for a visit and hopefully weather allowing some hiking, birding, and just plain fun! We have reserved 3 nights at the Inn of Fall Creek Falls State Park in the beautiful state of Tennessee! My family has old connections with this park since much of the land was owned by the Walling family from which I came.

They were NOT wealthy people, most of them were moonshiners and farmers...and the land was sold to the Federal Govt for as low as $1 per acre! Even though that was really not a fair price, Im glad this land was procured and made into a State Park...I cant imagine this area NOT being protected! The photos are from last fall's trip up. My father is buried in the family cemetery located just outside the parks entrance...that bit of land remains in the family hands, so we will be visiting him on Fathers Day. . Ill be posting current shots. ITS a wonderful place to visit. the leaves were awesome...but we had a lot of rain so misty, and damp was the word. We are hoping for better weather this time.

Plans

I'm having visions of grandeur about a lake surrounded by red sandstone cliffs carved by eons of time, wind, and water...Lake Powell. This September Im taking a little trip out west and I hope to visit Lake Powell. I wont be able to spend a week on a house boat like so many vacationers do, but I am planning a 1/2 boat tour of the lake that will include a stop and hike to Rainbow Bridge Arch. I cant wait so...the excitement got me to painting--this watercolor of what I think I will be seeing...a look into my future. I know I cant paint....thats why I prefer digital painting...but I try! I'm going to be doing more painting..I can Draw quite good, but then applying the color is not my thing...I have purchased a couple of types paper, some acrylics and a couple of canvases also....so beware you will be seeing even more bad painting...I refuse to give up....

OK back to my mid-summers Day Dream.....I hope to see other fantastic formations. Another spot we will visit is called the wave! in a place called Coyote Buttes If you click this link you will see why I havent tried to paint this breath taking spot.

We have to apply for a day permit from the Bureau of Land Management of prior to going, they restrict use to only a few visitors a day. I booked my flight today!...I cant wait for September to arrive. I chose Fall for a couple of reasons, 1. ITS cooler! 2. I couldnt get out of other commitment's life has thrown me.

We will also see Monument Valley and many other natural wonders in the area of Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Today I have to wade through the quagmire of trying to get the best deal on a rental car ( I feel frustration coming on) so I can drive from the airport in Denver west about 200 miles to the Rocky Mountains where my Sister lives. I will take my laptop so maybe I can find Wi-Fi so I can upload my photos. I say MY photos cause last year we went to Utah, I took over 800 photos used up 2) 2 g cards...

My sis is the opposite of me, she took one of those cameras you turn into the store for developing, and she took 3 photos!..lol They came out quite good tho!