Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Our 2010 Fall Trip West

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
This fall we decided to take the T@B west for the first time. We will visit Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before we head back home.

During our first week out we experienced some wild storms in Nebraska and Kansas. So much so Norene thought we needed to get a little black dog and some ruby red slippers to make sure we could get home. On this trip we will be attending the Winfield Flat Picking Festival & Championships in Winfield, KS; the first New Mexico Dulcimer festival in Albuquerque, NM; the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, then visiting family and friends in Arizona.

Watch this Smilebox to see how our first week went.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox
Photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

* Some Views of New Mexico


Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
While in New Mexico we saw things that we would like to share with you. Enjoy the Albuquerque house tour, the Sandia Mountain, and plants of the desert. The night view (last in this Smilebox) of the Albuquerque valley with a rising moon is one of our favorites.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox
This free picture slideshow customized with Smilebox

Monday, November 1, 2010

* Arizona Sights 2010

2010 Fall Balloon & Music Trip

Exploring Arizona we found a few places to share with you. These range from the historic town of Tombstone, to the only campground in the U.S.A. with its own observatory, and a few other interesting views thrown in. Perhaps you will enjoy these also.
Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox
This photo album customized with Smilebox

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

* Oklahoma & Texas Parks

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip

On our way to and from the southwest we stayed in Oklahoma and Texas at two most interesting and beautiful parks. Foass State Park in Western Oklahoma was the most restful place to stay with thousands of acres of prairie and water. We needed the calm after the two big storms we were in during our stays in Nebraska and Kansas.
In western Texas we found a large area of sand dunes just like those on Lake Michigan. We knew west Texas had oil but never knew they had sand dunes. This was a great place to camp in October. I don't think we would stay there in August.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/parkguide/rgn_bb_001.phtml
Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox
A photo album by Smilebox

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

* Taliesin West - Frank Lloyd Wright

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music trip
While in Phoenix Norene had to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, Taliesin West. We have visited several FLW homes during the past years. Norene had a great time at Taliesin West and she hopes you will enjoy her pictures in the following Smilebox.
Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox
This photo album personalized with Smilebox

Saturday, October 9, 2010

* Walnut Canyon AZ 2010

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip Just east of Flagstaff Arizona is Walnut Canyon National Monument where cliff-dwellers lived around 1200 A.D. Visiting this site is a wonderful way to learn about history and get a feeling for what it would have been like to live in this canyon. The following Smilebox gives you a peek into this national treasure. (click title * to visit web site)
Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox
Create a photo album

Friday, October 8, 2010

* Painted Desert & Petrified Forest

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
On a warm and windy day we explored the painted desert. Upon entering the park we met a fellow T@Ber. It is unusual for us to meet another T@B trailer on the road. The petrified forest national park is in the same area so we spent a day exploring this wonder also. Mike liked the petrified wood the most and took so many pictures of all the rocks. Thank goodness he didn't use all of the pictures here.
Enjoy our view of these two historic national parks.

Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox

Sunday, October 3, 2010

* International Balloon Fiesta

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
Attending the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with the Good Sams camping tour was a week of non-stop fun and amazement. In addition to camping by the balloon field and seeing the balloon launches, the tour guides took us on several trips to visit the sights of the area. The tour directors were great. The balloons amazing, the people friendly and the excitement all day long. We made new friends and enjoyed many new activities. The following Smileboxes show a few of our adventures. The balloon fiesta Smilebox is large with several videos so it will take a while to load. If you like hot air balloons it is worth the wait.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox
Customize your own free photo slideshow

Thursday, September 30, 2010

* Santa Fe NM 2010

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
Santa Fe is one city everyone should experience. History, culture, art, and shopping waits for the visitor in Santa Fe. We enjoyed a day exploring the town.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox
Make your own photo slideshow

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

* Sky City New Mexico 2010

Fall 2010 Balloon & Music Trip
While in New Mexico we visited Sky City, Acoma Pueblo to learn more about how life and tradition has continued here for over 1000 years.

Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox
This photo album created with Smilebox

Monday, September 27, 2010

* New Mexico Dulcimer Festival

Fall 2010 balloon & music Trip
For our first time camping in New Mexico we were lucky to attend the 1st New Mexico Mountain Dulcimer Festival. We have been to dulcimer festivals in many states and this was one of the best we have attended. The people were wonderful. Norene and I leared many new tunes and tips. We may just have to come back next year.
Enjoy the sights and sounds of the dulcimers.
Click to play this Smilebox newsletter
Create your own newsletter - Powered by Smilebox

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

* Palo Duro Canyon Amarillo, TX

Fall 2010 balloon & music trip
While on our trip west we stopped in Amarillo, TX for a few days. While over powered by the flat land and strong winds we did enjoy good weather and no big storms. As we explored the area we came upon the Palo Duro Canyon which was such a contast to the surrounding land. The following Smilebox will give you a little glimps of the beauty there. They have nice campgrounds on the canyon floor.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox
Free slideshow customized with Smilebox

Saturday, September 18, 2010

* Walnut Valley Music Festival, Winfield KS

Fall 2010 balloon & music trip

This was our first time attending the national flat picking championships. Being mountain, and hammered, dulcimer players we have met several champions at dulcimer festivals around the country. This year we were lucky enough to see the contests. It was an exciting few days, not to mention very hot and humid.

To our surprise we knew the top three mountain dulcimer winners from other festivals during the past few years. Deciding who to root for was not an easy task. Another surprise was that the 2010 hammered dulcimer winner was from northern Indiana. That doesn't happen often. He was from North Webster and is the second person to have won this contest three different years. I guess we picked the right year to attend. We came away with one conclusion, BOY we need to practice!

The following Smilebox has a few pictures of the contest, winners, and some music groups at the Walnut Valley Festival.


Click to play this Smilebox collage
Create your own collage - Powered by Smilebox
Personalize a picture collage

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

* Garrison Keillor's "A Summer Love Tour"

As long time fans of "Prairie Home Companion" we had the chance to see Garrison Keillor and the "Summer Love Tour" live at Conner Prairie Indiana. Camping at Mounds State Park we learned the history of the mounds and enjoyed hiking the trails. Conner Prairie has an interactive prairie village where history comes alive at every building. The weather was HOT...HOT, yet we had fun and may have even lost a pound or two.

Enjoy the Smilebox pictures and listen to a part of "Frankie & Johnny". The video is over two minutes long so the video may load slowly.
Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox
Make a photo album

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

* Visiting With Friends in Middleton, MA 2010

After leaving Cape Cod we joined Tom & Vickie at Janet and Earl's house in Middleton, MA for time with friends. Spending time at Earl's cottage, and seeing the sites of the area, was a great way to relax and end our trip. The weather was wonderful for sight seeing. We enjoyed the time with our T@B friends.
Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox

Sunday, July 11, 2010

* Enjoying Cape Cod Again 2010

In July we returned to Cape Cod to attend the T@B Rally. While there we enjoyed the beaches, visited Nantucket, and rode through the dunes of the National Sea Shore. Sharing all this with our T@B trailer friends made this trip outstanding. Enjoy the pictures.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox

Friday, July 9, 2010

* T@B Cape Cod Rally 2010

In early July Norene and Mike returned to Cape Cod for the second time in 2010. We enjoy the area and the beaches, but visiting our New England friends is the biggest joy. We attended the T@B trailer rally and also spent time visiting the special places on the cape with our friends.
Enjoy the pictures.
Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox

Monday, July 5, 2010

* Fallingwater House 2010

Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house has always been high on Norene's list of places to visit. July 5th she got to spend the day at this famous Pennsylvania home. Mike is not a big Frank Lloyd Wright fan but he really liked this home and setting. As an extra bonus we were able to tour Wright's Kentuck Knob house. It was a fun July 4th weekend for us.
Click to play this Smilebox photo album
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox

Kentuck Knob is another Frank Lloyd Wright house in the Ohiopyle, PA area. We toured this house also. This is a private home owned by an British Lord so pictures were not allowed inside the home. It was much different type of house than Fallingwater, but an interesting house. Mike decided he would be happy living there too. The grounds have many pieces of art and a garden dedicated to large pieces of art.
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox
This free slideshow generated with Smilebox

Sunday, July 4, 2010

* Ohiopyle, PA 2010

On our way to the Cape Cod T@B Rally we spent time in Ohiopyle, PA. It was July 4th weekend and the crowds of people were enjoying all the charms of this Laural Mountain town. They have the best bike trails, exciting rafting & kayaking, and playing in the river rapids. If you are in the area stop in and enjoy the fun.
Click to play this Smilebox collage
Create your own collage - Powered by Smilebox
Customize a digital collage

Friday, July 2, 2010

Mike's Dulcimer Concert

On our way to the Cape Cod T@B Rally we stopped at the Alton RV park where Mike performed his first outdoor dulcimer concert. Norene and Mike enjoyed meeting new campers and providing a little fun during the July 4th weekend.
Click to play this Smilebox greeting
Create your own greeting - Powered by Smilebox
Free ecard generated with Smilebox

Thursday, July 1, 2010

New home in Sandy Pines Resort 2010

Retirement fever has hit us again. On Mike's birthday we became the proud owners of a place at Sandy Pines Resort in Hopkins, Michigan. Hopkins is south east of Holland and south of Grand Rapids. It is not like we need another lake property, but the resort has many activities that we enjoy. One of our kids has a place there which means we will get to more 'grandparent' time. Check out the Sandy Pines web page: www.sandypines.com
Click to play this Smilebox slideshow
Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox

Friday, May 14, 2010

Spring Beach Trip 2010

Each spring we like to shake the winter blues by spending time on the southern beaches. Usually we hit the beaches about spring break time. As former teachers we enjoy seeing the kids and young people too. This year our spring beach trip took us to Tybee Island, GA and Huntington Beach, SC. It is amazing how fast a month at the beach goes. In addition to enjoying the sun we joined the T@B Blue Ridge Rally in Marion, NC, attended the Central Ohio Folk Music Festival in Columbus Ohio and visited four grand kids.

Following are Smileboxes showing many of our experiences during the fifty-two day trip. If you would like pictures from any Smilebox E-mail Mike at the address in the "About Us" section.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Central Ohio Folk Festival 2010

Spring Beach Trip 2010
Columbus, OH May 7 - 9 we spent at the Central Ohio Folk Festival. This was the first time we had attended this festival. In fact the first time we attended any folk or dulcimer festival in Ohio. Except for the weather this was a fun festival held in a fantastic Columbus Metro Park. Besides workshops for dulcimer, guitar, autoharp, songwriting, spoons, fiddle, penny whistle there were performances on two stages every hour of the festival. The evening concert performers were outstanding. As we all huddled together in the big tent trying to keep warm the sounds of
The Smokin' Fez Monkeys http://www.smokinfezmonkeys.com/
The Yellow Room Gang http://yellowroomgang.com/
James Keelaghan http://web.me.com/jameskeelo/Keeloweb/KEELOWEB.html warmed the crowd. We had never seen any of these performers. Boy! What we have been missing. Norene and I learned many new tips and tunes during our classes.
Click to play this Smilebox photo album: Central Ohio Folk Festival 2010
Create your own photo album - Powered by Smilebox