Blast from Vacation-Past—Plus a Blogging Break

July 21, 2014 by 10 Comments

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This year’s Summer Photo Fun emphasis wouldn’t be complete without some sort of blast from the past, would it? Since I’m starting a two-week vacation from blogging today, I thought it would be fun to share a snapshot of the Barker gang while on vacation back in the day.

The year was 1989. We were headed into Tijuana for the day. Culottes were in style (at least my style!) and Don toted a camera nearly as big as my purse. Kristin fit in to California quite easily with her glamorous sunglasses while Kelli was missing some teeth. We were a happy little group—at least while taking this photo. You know how vacations go :)

Speaking of vacations, I’ll be back from my blogging break on August 4th. Whatever the last couple of weeks of July hold for you, I hope you get to spend some priceless time with loved ones at some point. Blessings to all—and see you in August!

“the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:8

*Will you be taking a vacation this summer or have you already taken one? What did you do or where did you go?

*Our photo

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out the first of August. Sign up is free and to the right!

Filed Under: adventure, family, memories, photo fun, summer, travel

Summer Photo Fun: Name This Location!

July 10, 2014 by 23 Comments

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We kicked off Summer Photo Fun 2014 earlier this week with a “Caption This” post so how about continuing with a “Name This Location” challenge? Let’s just say it will test either your world-traveler status or your observation skills, huh?

Now before you complain that I’m asking you to identify a rock outcropping, take a closer look. This is a very distinctive rock formation, isn’t it? Have you seen it before? Or maybe a photo of it?

So tell me, where were you when you saw this unique handiwork of our amazing Creator God? Name this location! The first person to guess correctly will win all bragging rights. Woohoo, huh? :)

“‘He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth—the LORD God Almighty is his name.’” Amos 4:13

*My photo

*Take Note: I’ve changed my comment system to make it easier for some of you who have had trouble with or don’t care for the Disqus comment system. Give it a try now. Hope this helps!

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out the first of August. Sign up is free and to the right!

Filed Under: America, beauty, creation/creative/creator, fun, photo fun, travel

Wedding Tasks Perfect for the Groom

November 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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Mother of the Bride, as you and your daughter attend to the multitude of details involved in throwing a wedding, don’t forget to put the groom to work. That’s right. It’s a good idea to put him in charge of a few tasks, too.

Your daughter’s intended undoubtedly has some passions or skills that you can put to good use while planning for their big day. Be sure to tap that resource. Lighten your load while giving him an opportunity to be personally invested in the celebration of his lifetime. It will even give him the chance to show off to his wife for the very first time.

Number one on the list of tasks perfect for the groom could be arranging for the getaway vehicle. What man wouldn’t like to be in charge of the vroom vroom? I asked both of my girls’ grooms to take care of the getaway transportation, knowing they would do their best to make it interesting or snazzy. They, of course, came through.

Other ideas might include asking him to help design the programs or invitations if he’s a computer whiz, or if he lives in a different town that you do, you could even send him to his local Hobby Lobby or Michael’s to pick up items that you need multiples of. If you can’t get everything at your store, he might be able to score the last five candles or the last white rose garland you need to complete your decorating.

Of course, the groom will also be in charge of selecting tuxes and helping his family arrange for the rehearsal dinner, but what other wedding tasks might the love of your daughter’s life be especially good at doing?

Don’t overwhelm him with tasks but do carefully select some ways that he could really provide some help. It will be a win-win for everyone!

*Photo by Will Flowers

*What ways have you seen grooms get involved with the wedding planning?

*My Life Notes Subscriber Appreciation Giveaway is still underway. Details are in my Oct. 17th post on my home page and sign-up is to the right. Deadline is 6 p.m. Nov. 13. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

Filed Under: groom, help, Mother of the Bride, preparation, travel

Shattering “Never Haves”

August 19, 2013 by 12 Comments

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Hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail for the first time in my life.

If you’re like me, you have a mile-long list of things you have never done. I’m talking good things here. Noble or interesting things. Fun things. Daring things. In other words, life experiences. And even though I’ve lived well over five decades now, there’s still a lot of life that I’ve not yet experienced. A lot of things I’ve never done.

I’m happy to report, though, that during our vacation I shattered some of my never haves. On the way home I go to thinking about how many new experiences I had racked up during our time away and decided to make a list. With each item I recorded, I realized how cool it all was. Not that the activities themselves were all so extraordinary—just that I felt really pumped to have done so many new things for the very first time in my life.

Here are some of the never haves in my life that I can now say that I’ve done:

*Finally traveled east of the Mississippi. We spent time in Tennessee and even made brief appearances in North Carolina and Kentucky.

*Visited the Smoky Mountains National Park. Absolutely beautiful.

*Straddled two states at once—along the Tennessee/North Carolina border in the Smoky Mountains National Park.

*Hiked on the Appalachian Trail. So happy to join the company of those who have done this.

*Saw a couple of bears in the wild. I wanted to see a bear while in Tennessee bear country, and my wish came true our very first morning.

*Followed a bear in an excited-but-extremely-unwise attempt to take some photos. Am thankful the Lord was watching over me!

*Ate at a Bubba Gump and a Johnny Rockets. My taste buds are happier for having visited them both :)

*Ate corn fritters—and were they ever yummy.

*Saw an American Idol winner in person—David Cook!

*Drove go-carts. And not only that, but drove go-carts with American Idol winner David Cook in our group of drivers. If I remember correctly, he left me in his dust :)

*Enjoyed a family-only worship service with my parents, my sisters, and all our families.

*Attended the Grand Ole Opry. They put on a superb show. Highly recommend it. During a backstage tour, they also took us out on stage where we got to stand on the famous circle from the Ryman Auditorium where all the performers have stood throughout the years.

*Acted as navigator in Nashville while Don drove. Quite challenging since I had never been there before this trip! :)

*Drove through the area where the Ohio River meets and empties into the Mississippi.

Pretty neat, huh? Some of these things I hoped and planned to do, but some were complete surprises. And now my world is larger simply because I shattered some never haves. I wonder what will be next? Can’t wait!

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things . . .” Psalm 98:1a

*What are some of your never haves you hope to shatter soon?

*Photo by one of my family members

*Don’t miss out on the “Back At It” Giveaway. Deadline to enter is 6 p.m. Aug. 28. Details are in my Aug. 15 post.

Filed Under: action, America, bravery, dream, fun, goal, memories, new thing, opportunity, surprise, travel, unplowed ground, victory

Summer Photo Fun: Enjoying History in Tennessee

August 5, 2013 by 2 Comments

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As we enjoy Summer Photo Fun here on the blog, I’d love for you to enjoy some of the Tennessee history we enjoyed while on vacation in July. I love a little history mixed in with the family love and the beauty of God’s world we experienced while getting away from normal life for awhile.

Since I hadn’t researched the Smoky Mountain National Park area in order to decide where to vacation (we decided the travel destination for purposes of a family reunion), imagine my surprise and delight when we encountered old homesteads and mills and the like while driving and hiking through the Park. The photo above is the corn crib at the old Ephraim Bales Place found along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Ephraim and his family lived there from around 1890 to 1930.

Don and I also got to experience a different kind of history as we stopped in Nashville for a couple of days on our way home. We took in the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as a belated birthday present for my country music-loving husband. I’m not a huge country music fan, but I know enough to appreciate some of the basics—and we got all that and more while there.

Enjoy these glimpses into the past with me, won’t you?

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Here’s my nephew Cody standing in front of the historic Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge. Gotta love history when it tastes this good. I had corn fritters for the very first time in my life. Yum!

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This old homestead, also just off the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, was tucked away in a pocket of natural beauty. Absolutely gorgeous.

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Beyond the cabin in the picture above sat this step-back-in-time stable/barn. The surrounding woodlands made me think of the Garden of Eden. Truly the feel of another time, another place.

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We even got the chance to go inside the cabins in the area, including this one on the Ephraim Bales place.

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First time ever for any of us to hike along a portion of the historic Appalachian Trail.

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So much fun during our time in Nashville to see the historic Ryman Auditorium, built in 1892 and home to the Grand Ole Opry for thirty-one years.

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Gene Autry’s 1926 Martin 00-42 guitar displayed at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

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Dolly Parton’s original handwritten lyrics to Jolene, a #1 hit in 1973-74.

Hope you enjoyed sharing in some of the history we found in Tennessee!

“Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past.” Deuteronomy 32:7a

*What slices of history have you enjoyed while on vacation?

*My photos, except for the one our son-in-law Shawn took along the Appalachian Trail.

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out last week. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

Filed Under: America, learn, memories, travel, Uncategorized
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