Here is the some pictures of our trip down to Florida!

Witches Gulch

Entering Witches Gulch

Cruising on the Wisconsin River
 

A drive in the Wisconsin country side

Arriving in Tennesse



One of several barns on a horse farm

A beautiful barn for thoroughbreads.

Miles and miles of fencing.

Dry mason fence



laneway to a horse ranch

canopy of trees on scenic byway



bringing out the horses to warm up for the race



Keenland race track in Lexington, KY

finish line



Appalachian Mountains



Beautiful morning....

It's a beautiful morning here on the island as the sun is rising.  Not a breath of wind around and it is so quiet out there. I just had to snaps pic with my iPad. 

Carol

We have arrived to the warm sun ,fun and friends of Florida. We have had a wonderful week on the road but I am happy the traveling is over . Driving over the intercostal bridge onto the island brought a bright huge smile to my face. It is like arriving at the lake after a long winter and the sights and smells awaken your your senses to the promises of the season. 

After unpacking and a quick trip to the grocery store we were settled enough to start the relaxing. Suddenly I was startled by the ringing of my American cell phone, a sound I had not heard in a long time. The word was out, we had arrived. The Friday fish fry was on at the legion and we were to be ready to go in an hour.  Yes, we are back and sliding back into our Florida life. 

The fish fry was so good and the homemade hush puppies were delicious. 

We are off to a great start and look forward to the days ahead. 

Carol

Through the Appalachians....

Our time at Laura's was a blast and we can not thank her enough for the hospitality but it is time to press on. This mornings fare was southern fried biscuits with butter and preserves,  ( low calorie of course  lol) , fresh raspberries and cream and rich roast coffee. Yum!  We were out the door by 9:00 am and on the road awaiting the sites of the Appalachians. 

We were not disappointed. The forests of colored trees returned and the walls of rock lined the expressway. It is so amazing to see trees growing out of the rock and to see the layers of different types of rock rise upward.  

 

Not long into our journey we hit the dreaded construction. Cars and trucks are lined up for miles and for 45 minutes we inched along. Finally we broke through and the road opened up and we were on our way deeper into mountainous territory. Williamsburg KY was stunning. It was impossible to take pictures due to the speed of the car and nowhere to get off the interstate, but it was truly a beautiful place. The blue haze of the condensation across the mountains lent to its allure and as we headed into Tennessee we knew we had picked a wonderful time of year to travel in the area. 

As we climbed higher up the mountain you could see pretty little towns nestled in the valleys where I can image the people could only rejoice in living in such surrounding beauty.  The drive thru southern Tennessee did not disappoint as we wound our way through the mountains. The road became full of twists and turns as we approached North Carolina. We pulled into the first rest stop to take some pictures  hoping to capture the grandeur of forest covered mountains. We pressed on to Asheville,slightly nauseated by the winding road , realizing we truly are flatland prairie people.

We have enjoyed seeing the countryside noting the differences between our normal route and this one. This one is more scenic, the other one has less traffic.

 Our stop tonight is Savannah, Georgia . Only 6 more hours to the final destination ! Yahoo! 

Night all!

Carol

Off to the races...

Off to the races....

The southern hospitality continues as our morning starts with fresh brewed coffee, sausage and eggs and fresh biscuits and jam. A great start before we are off to the races at Keenland Horse Track in Lexington. Laura chose the "old Frankfurt pike " road also known as one of the scenic Kentucky byways to travel down to Lexington. We were in thoroughbred country with expansive green neatly groomed pastures lining both sides of the road. Huge pristine barns with peaks and spires stood out on the landscape a short distance from the enormous country mansions. Miles and Miles's of paddock fencing divided the the rolling pasture land where horses could be seen leisurely grazing. The byway was narrow with trees providing a  canopy over the road and many of the estates still had dry Masonry fences( previously called slave fences , which is no longer a politically correct term) lining the edge of their property. This slow winding scenic drive was beautiful and it was not difficult to imagine that at one time this historic trail was busy with horse and buggies and enclosed coaches of the rich horse owners. 

The bugle sounds and the horses enter the track, horse riding groomsmen leading racehorse and jockey on a practiced warm up routine on the track. The bugle sounds again and the groomsmen leave the track and the horse and jockey take their place the gate. The gate opens and they are off, it is exciting and there is much cheering which gets progressively loader as the horse and riders make the last turn to the finish line. The last few yards ( or meters) of the race is intense as people wait to see who will be victorious. It is often close and needs what they call a photo finish to determine the winner. There are cameras at the finish line for when the race is to close to call and a photo can declare  the winner.

Betting on the horses adds to the excitement and after some instructions from Laura we were right into it. Our bets were small but the fun and excitement was immense.  Roger was not lucky and lost his whole $20.00, but I was able to win $14.00 , losing only $6.00. The day passed quickly and as the last race was about to start we made our way to the track and watch the horses trackside hearing the thundering of hooves on the dirt and feeling the breeze as the horses sped by. We stood by the finish line and cheered on our bet picks. A great end to the day at the races!

As we motored home we laughed and talked about our day and looked forward to  a quiet evening. After a supper of homemade soup and hot sandwiches, we curled up in the sitting room by the fireplace and enjoyed each other's company. 

Tomorrow we say goodbye to Laura and Kentucky and begin the last part of our journey south. We are traveling through the Appalachian  mountains toward North Carolina and then down to South Carolina, Georgia and then Friday into Florida . 

I had better charge up the camera for I am sure the trip through the mountains will have amazing views that will be calling for a picture. 

Carol

 

On to Kentucky

An early morning to hit the road to Louisville Kentucky. We passed more rolling farm land with forested hills as the backdrop. Again the rich colors of fall creating a canvas of beauty. We were driving through a postcard perfect scene truly appreciating the unspoiled landscape. As the sun rose over the tree tops this morning a golden glow settled across the fields highlighting the large moguls of the land. Corn fields still stand , dry stalks in formation awaiting harvest.  The air is crisp outside this Tuesday morning but the sun offers warmth as the farmers head out to harvest fields, children load school buses and we head south to Kentucky.

The further south we travel the busier the traffic and closer the towns and cities are together. There are more industrial towns with factories , assembly plants and meat processes plants. The trees are more yellow than red and fields begin to vanish. Construction caused delays  and the road tolls were frequent but eventually we arrived in Chicago where we crossed the city in racetrack speed traffic.  I was happy Roger was driving. I don't think Roger was too impressed though as I am sure we can scratch Chicago off the list of places to drive.  He decided last night to change our route as it was faster to go through Chicago.......it was fast alright ......won't do that again. The clouds of grey and  the gusty wind  seemed to only confirm our feelings of dismay with our Chicago detour. 

Our travel through Indiana was much more pleasant leading us closer to our destination of Louisville KY. As we approached the southern portion of Indiana the picturesque landscape returned. The golden fields, open pastures and colorful trees set the stage as we prepared to cross the border into KY.

Louisville skyline was a sight to behold as we crossed the river with a mix of new and old architecture. We arrived at Laura's and were received  in grand southern style into her traditional warm and inviting home. What a lovely area, the leaves are turning and the air has a crispness, flowers still bloom and there has yet to be a frost.  The traditional old neighborhood with its tree lined streets and brick homes presents like pictures in an old storybook or scenes from a southern movie. Gorgeous!

After a wonderful meal of homemade pot roast , wine and southern Apple pie we chatted the evening away. We were off to bed with the excitement of tomorrow's day at the races and drive through horse country! 

Stay tuned folks for more on Kentucky . 

Carol

Ps

I plan to post a collage of pictures once I have better computer and wifi access! Don't fret, the pictures will come! 

Wisconsin Dells

Where do I even begin?  Well, I suppose I could start with yesterday and the drive between St Cloud to Wisconsin Dells. Wow, what a pretty drive. The more south we came the more colorful the trees.  I don’t ever remember seeing such deep fall colors. Flaming Red, rich rust, brilliant orange, a deep gold, a vibrant yellow, and a deep dark green of the pines all dotting  the sky line. It was amazing to see in such abundance, in the forest of trees in the distance and in close proximity to the roads. I kept thinking it looked like someone had taken a sea sponge and dotted the trees with paint. It truly looked like sponge paint art with no apparent pattern, just a free spattering of colors across a canvas. Fall colors have a whole new meaning for me. The drive to the dells was long but well worth it.

Today was another great day enjoying the sights of the Dells. After a morning walk along the scenic river trail and stopping to take some pictures we boarded the Upper Dells  river cruise. It was a little chilly on the river at times but oh so scenic. We were given history of the area and the river as well as shown what to watch for as we cruised. We stopped at Witches Gulch and walked through the rock formations and stopped again at standing rock to see a German Shepherd dog jump between the two high rocks.  The Gulch was really neat to see and the narrow path through the walls of rock is very intriguing. The trees towering out of the top of the rock really adds to its height and magnificence.

Following the cruise we stopped at a bakery to have a slice of fresh slice whole grain bread, baked from scratch and a homemade bowl of yummy chicken soup. A great way to warm up after a couple of hours on the water on a windy fall day. Next we headed off to the Wisconsin cheese market to try out the local cheese. Oh so delicious…..we just had to buy some after sampling a good variety. My favorite was Midnight Sun with Rosemary, then perhaps the 8 year old cheddar.  Roger had to buy a cheese called blue cheddar that really smelled bad but tasted really good. We bought a few small  

packages that we will take to Laura’s with us, along with some good wine for our happy hour tomorrow.

We managed a bit more sightseeing before heading to supper at a great little Mexican restaurant on the river called Mexicali Rose. You can’t beat $3.00 Margaritas…..the real deal margaritas too!  We had a table by the window overlooking the river as the sunset and to top it off, great authentic Mexican food. A great ending to a great day.

Tomorrow is Tuesday and we hope to have an early start as we travel on to Kentucky. We can’t wait to see our friend Laura and hear all about her recent cruise that included the hurricane in Bermuda. 

I will post again soon.  Take care all.

Carol

 ps. I will post more pictures when I have faster internet. 

                                                                                                                                      

It’s that time of year again where we pack up and head south.  I debated about doing a blog this year as finding time to write amid our active Florida lifestyle is sometimes a problem, but after a few requests I decided I should give it a go for another year. Hopefully this blog will give you a little glimpse into our southern life through words and many pictures.  It will be our last year in this particular condo as the owner is selling so future winters will hold something new for us. We have been fortunate to rent at an excellent rate from a wonderful couple who have been more than fair and kind to us.  Change is inevitable, as with most things in life, leaving the door open next year to create new adventures. In the meantime we take this winter as a gift and will enjoy it to the fullest. Whether we end up in Harbour Isle next year or somewhere else, we will always treasure the friends and experiences.

On Sunday we begin our journey south, stopping in Kentucky to see one of those treasured friends we have met in Florida. Laura is a real southern lady and an inspiration and testament to the tenacity of the human spirit. Her positive outlook on life and ability to persevere in the face of adversity is to be admired.  She is the example of living life to the fullest, focusing on joy, and recognizing silver linings. I can’t wait to see her.  

We also plan to stop in the Wisconsin Dells for a day of sightseeing on the river boat through the upper and lower dells.  Hopefully we have not missed all the beautiful fall colors.  Regardless, I hear it is a lovely cruise with lots to see and it will give us a brief glimpse into the history and beauty of the area. 

We are almost packed, laundry almost done, cleaning well on its way and the yard work done to as good as it’s going to get. We look forward to Florida but it is difficult to say goodbye to family and friends here at home. We have decided this is the last year to go for such a long period time.  The 5 months away from the grandkids and family is just too long for me.  I may just have to sneak back home for a week or so! Roger says he would drive me to the airport, but he is not getting on the plane and heading back to the cold. I guess we will see how things go. First we need to get there and get settled and just enjoy each day as it comes. Besides, Skype is a marvelous invention.

Sunday morning the journey begins towards this year’s adventure in the sun. Ralph Waldo Emerson summed things up when he said: Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air. That is exactly what I plan to do.

To our Canadian family and friends, we will see you in the spring; to our American friends, we will see you soon.

Take care everyone,

Carol