Bucket List: Check. Check. Done.
My months long adventure is coming to a close. I still have one more phase to get through before this deployment year comes to an end (late July-ish), but that section will be spent at home.
In my own bed. :)
To wrap up my time in West Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, I decided to cram as much as possible into this past week. (Because as the saying goes, "Go big. Or go home.") I can happily report that it's been a GREAT week!!
First things first: Coronavirus Report on our family
Everyone is okay. Everyone is healthy.
Scott is fine. Nobody is sick where he is. He is only working every other day right now and is enjoying the new schedule. The weather is much warmer now, 80's and 90's during the daytime. Fun fact: they have hedgehogs near his house. He keeps seeing them late at night and even got a cute video from last night. Click here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BJZTop31Kr4rqLZj8
Amber & Weston: Weston's schooling has changed to just online classes for the remainder of the semester, so that frees them up to move to Idaho sooner. They have set a moving date for April 14th to head north. I'm excited to have them nearby once again and under my roof!
Jacob & Hannah: They're doing great. Online school for them too, and both are working from home and earning paychecks. They will come up to Idaho once I arrive so they can help me take care of some stuff around the house. It will be so great to see them again! I love those two so much!
Benson & Kylie: They are still surviving life in northern Italy, even with so much sickness all around them. They keep getting smaller illnesses, though, such as colds, stomach flu, and sore throats. Benson is still working on base, and Kylie is holding down the fort while he's at work. They are happy and thriving.
Scott's mom, Coy, had a hip replacement surgery on Monday in Idaho Falls. She is doing well in her recovery and has been blessed to be the recipient of love, service, and food from family members who have come from various distances to check on her. I will be home soon to do the same, but I also need to be careful and wise as to when and how I visit because I don't want to put her at risk with my recent traveling.
My parents, my grandmas, and my siblings and their families are all doing well, too. We are so grateful!!
Monday: I just did stuff around the house and then later on had a great chat with Scott. We had one of those long video hangouts where it was as if we were in the office at home together, but doing our own thing at the same time.
Scott was listening to some entertaining music while he worked on some calculus. (He's trying to prepare for teaching once again after he gets home)
He even whistled while he worked.
On my end, I mostly just talked. And he was a good listener. :)
Tuesday: I accompanied my sister-in-law Pam as she delivered some fresh vegetables to ward members in the area. A local restaurant had a surplus of Romaine, iceberg lettuce, cabbage, basil and cilantro - and with someone in the ward having a connection to that restaurant, Pam was asked to help distribute everything so it didn't spoil. It was fun to drive around and keep her company on such a cheery errand.
As we drove to one house, we happened to pass by a darling pig farm. I asked Pam to pull over so I could take some pictures.
To see them munching on their afternoon snack, click here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/e8BkYaCJJoA7xUMi7
Later that afternoon, I went for a walk by the river alongside historic Harpers Ferry. One of the trails meanders through the trees and rocks along the water's edge, and that's the one I chose.
Thankfully somebody created some informative signs to explain what these old stone structures are.
I always love the sound of the water, so I captured a short video so I can hear it anytime I want to.
Click here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/rxhLRytxhQmvrG3X9
Where the Shenandoah River and Potomac River meet up, there is a bridge going across for both railroad services and pedestrians alike.
Recently, however, a train car derailed on the bridge, destroying a section of the pedestrian walkway. So the entire bridge is closed to pedestrians for a while until that can be fixed back up.
Harpers Ferry is known for its history, and perhaps most notoriously for John Brown's Raid in 1859. His ambition was to end slavery, as explained in this article: https://www.ushistory.org/us/32c.asp
On October 16, 1859, John Brown led a small army of 18 men into the small town of HARPER'S FERRY, Virginia. His plan was to instigate a major slave rebellion in the South. He would seize the arms and ammunition in the federal arsenal, arm slaves in the area and move south along the Appalachian Mountains, attracting slaves to his cause. He had no rations. He had no escape route. His plan was doomed from the very beginning. But it did succeed to deepen the divide between the North and South.
John Brown and his cohorts marched into an unsuspecting Harper's Ferry and seized the federal complex with little resistance. It consisted of an armory, arsenal, and engine house. He then sent a patrol out into the country to contact slaves, collected several hostages, including the great grandnephew of George Washington, and sat down to wait. The slaves did not rise to his support, but local citizens and militia surrounded him, exchanging gunfire, killing two townspeople and eight of Brown's company. Troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee arrived from Washington to arrest Brown. They stormed the engine house, where Brown had withdrawn, captured him and members of his group, and turned them over to Virginia authorities to be tried for treason. He was quickly tried and sentenced to hang on December 2.
Brown's strange effort to start a rebellion was over less than 36 hours after it started; however, the consequences of his raid would last far longer. In the North, his raid was greeted by many with widespread admiration. While they recognized the raid itself was the act of a madman, some northerners admired his zeal and courage. Church bells pealed on the day of his execution and songs and paintings were created in his honor. Brown was turned into an instant martyr. Ralph Waldo Emerson predicted that Brown would make "the gallows as glorious as the cross."
Below is the fire house in Harpers Ferry where the raid took place.
The town of Harpers Ferry is very quaint and charming. If we were not in the midst of coronavirus and social distancing, the shops would all be open and the streets would be filled with tourists. On this particular day, there were just the occasional people wandering around.
I do not recall exactly what this old building used to be (below), but I think it said it was a "private residence". I can't imagine that someone actually lives in it, but perhaps just maintains it instead. Something of note that I was trying to capture (click on the photo so you can zoom in) is the precarious rock just above the chimney. That is Jefferson Rock, high above the road and yet another historical landmark.
The history of Jefferson Rock goes back to 1783 when Thomas Jefferson stood in that very spot. I had been up there several years ago, therefore I did not choose to hike up there this week. An explanation of the significance of the landmark is shared in an article on the NPS website:
https://www.nps.gov/hafe/learn/historyculture/jefferson-rock.htm
Jefferson later recorded:
Wednesday into Thursday: I began helping Pam to paint her kitchen cabinets downstairs. She chose a light gray chalk paint and we cranked up some entertaining tunes and got to work.
Before:
Midway:
Pam, Jessie and I also went on an afternoon bike ride along the C & O Canal. Gordon dropped us off and later came back to pick us up.
We rode a little over 8 miles along the Potomac River and saw a lot of wildlife. Mostly turtles.
We also saw Peregrine Falcons, a muskrat drinking out of the pea-green bog (yum), and some herons.
A couple of videos I took while riding along the trail:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rq4HnqKp749ELqUN6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VCHrZAAd3iKkNkUP9
I also got a video call from Scott while I was riding along. He was extremely concerned that I was going to crash, but I did just fine. It helps to have a little metal "loop" on the back of my phone so all I have to do is hook my finger through it and I can still hold on to the handlebars safely and even brake if needed.
Friday: After helping with the painting downstairs again, I headed out in the afternoon for some "bucket-list" adventures. Before I leave this gorgeous area, I really wanted to set foot on the Appalachian Trail. As it turned out, the C & O Canal where we rode our bikes the day before also shared part of the "AT". But that wasn't good enough for me. I wanted the real thing.
I parked the car in the same place where I began my river trail walk on Tuesday, just off Hwy 340 onto Shenandoah Street. (see map below)
Just above the parking area, there is a pedestrian section of the bridge that allows you to walk across.
On the other side of the bridge, you follow the stairs down and then underneath in order to access the trail.
The trail is very rocky and rugged. There are some very steep parts, going abruptly up at one point and then abruptly going down into a ravine soon after.
There are several water crossings, and some occasional muddy areas. But thankfully there are also lots of rocks to use as stepping stones in each of those spots!
I noticed that there are several small metal tabs that are pushed into the trees along the trail. I was curious about this and wondered what is their purpose.
I did some research on the internet and never found a satisfactory answer. I remember reading a book several years ago about a man that hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. He described some of the ways hikers would communicate with other hikers, sharing that they might leave a note at the next hostel or cabin accommodation to let a friend know where they were - if ahead or behind the other hiker. I would like to imagine that these tags might be a means of communicating from one hiker to another. Each one had a separate number, which in my day-dreamer mind could represent a specific hiker. Maybe they place their tag on a tree to signify they passed by. There could be all sorts of great stories that one might create to explain why the tags are on the trees! Feel free to imagine your own story.
I took a couple videos on the trail:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iRwNPkAMq8e3zjee8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/QUHTe1a6jX2M2hG29
I spent about 1.5 hours on the Appalachian Trail and it was wonderful! It was rugged, challenging, and beautiful.
As I walked back across the bridge to my car, I saw a most unusual cloud in the sky. It was huge! It looked like it was either a tornado or a meteor. I stopped to capture a photo.
Later, after I got home, Pam said she and Gordon were driving home from the store and as they came across the bridge, they saw me taking this photo! But they thought I was taking a selfie, ha ha. She said she wished she had taken a picture of me taking the picture.
From the AT, I drove a mile up the road to walk on a different trail. I chose to explore the area around the Murphy Chambers Farm, part of the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. I knew it had history pertaining to the Civil War, but I didn't know it was also sacred to the Civil Rights Movement.
Scott called as soon as I pulled into the parking lot, so I took him on my hike and shared video of the trail the entire time. As I got to the site of the Civil War battle, he wanted to see down the barrel of the cannon. He determined that it was a non-rifled barrel. He explained that ammunition fired out of this cannon would not shoot as far as it would out of a rifled barrel apparently. What a smartie pants! :)
The clouds were certainly putting on a show that afternoon!!
The trail headed up a grassy slope and offered sweeping views of the Shenandoah River far below.
From the scenic overlook, the trail turned back toward the battlefield and farm. This next spot was interesting. John Brown's Fort had been moved a few times, both disassembled and reassembled each time. Its final resting place was in this location, but all that remains now is the foundation. Even still, it is considered "Holy Ground". In 1909, members of the Niagara Movement (later to become the NAACP), came to visit this very site. One of them felt the need to take off his shoes and walk barefoot toward such a sacred place. Others followed suit and they walked barefoot together and paid their respects.
The trail leads on from there, over grassy fields and gravel pathways, toward the farm itself. Edmund Chambers was a loyal Unionist, but in 1862, his property was seized and confiscated by the Union troops. His family was forced to flee elsewhere. He never got reimbursed, even though his property was completely destroyed. How sad.
And that was the end of my hiking adventures in West Virginia. What a great time I've had here!
Saturday: I helped finish up with the painting downstairs, adding a coat of varnish. Holy cow that stuff stinks! Even though we opened up all the windows and put fans throughout the house, I'm still affected by the fumes even today (Sunday). But it sure looks beautiful!!
I am all kinds of excited now to go home and transform my own kitchen into a lighter, brighter and updated kitchen. I want to use a cream color for my cabinets to compliment the black appliances that I have at home.
I spent the rest of Saturday packing and organizing my belongings, doing laundry and preparing for our road trip.
The plan is to head out Monday morning, bright and early, and to drive about 12+ hours in order to reach St. Louis, Missouri. Then Tuesday, we will continue west for another 12+ hours and see how far we can get. Wednesday is the day I will arrive home at some point. What a wonderful day that will be!
I have appreciated all the adventures and travels, visits to family, meeting new people, sampling all sorts of foods in each cultural section of the lower and eastern United States, and most of all - gathering information for and standing where my ancestors once stood. Walking where they walked. And taking pictures to keep forever as my souvenirs.
In my own bed. :)
To wrap up my time in West Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, I decided to cram as much as possible into this past week. (Because as the saying goes, "Go big. Or go home.") I can happily report that it's been a GREAT week!!
First things first: Coronavirus Report on our family
Everyone is okay. Everyone is healthy.
Scott is fine. Nobody is sick where he is. He is only working every other day right now and is enjoying the new schedule. The weather is much warmer now, 80's and 90's during the daytime. Fun fact: they have hedgehogs near his house. He keeps seeing them late at night and even got a cute video from last night. Click here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BJZTop31Kr4rqLZj8
Amber & Weston: Weston's schooling has changed to just online classes for the remainder of the semester, so that frees them up to move to Idaho sooner. They have set a moving date for April 14th to head north. I'm excited to have them nearby once again and under my roof!
Jacob & Hannah: They're doing great. Online school for them too, and both are working from home and earning paychecks. They will come up to Idaho once I arrive so they can help me take care of some stuff around the house. It will be so great to see them again! I love those two so much!
Benson & Kylie: They are still surviving life in northern Italy, even with so much sickness all around them. They keep getting smaller illnesses, though, such as colds, stomach flu, and sore throats. Benson is still working on base, and Kylie is holding down the fort while he's at work. They are happy and thriving.
Scott's mom, Coy, had a hip replacement surgery on Monday in Idaho Falls. She is doing well in her recovery and has been blessed to be the recipient of love, service, and food from family members who have come from various distances to check on her. I will be home soon to do the same, but I also need to be careful and wise as to when and how I visit because I don't want to put her at risk with my recent traveling.
My parents, my grandmas, and my siblings and their families are all doing well, too. We are so grateful!!
Monday: I just did stuff around the house and then later on had a great chat with Scott. We had one of those long video hangouts where it was as if we were in the office at home together, but doing our own thing at the same time.
Scott was listening to some entertaining music while he worked on some calculus. (He's trying to prepare for teaching once again after he gets home)
He even whistled while he worked.
On my end, I mostly just talked. And he was a good listener. :)
Tuesday: I accompanied my sister-in-law Pam as she delivered some fresh vegetables to ward members in the area. A local restaurant had a surplus of Romaine, iceberg lettuce, cabbage, basil and cilantro - and with someone in the ward having a connection to that restaurant, Pam was asked to help distribute everything so it didn't spoil. It was fun to drive around and keep her company on such a cheery errand.
As we drove to one house, we happened to pass by a darling pig farm. I asked Pam to pull over so I could take some pictures.
To see them munching on their afternoon snack, click here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/e8BkYaCJJoA7xUMi7
Later that afternoon, I went for a walk by the river alongside historic Harpers Ferry. One of the trails meanders through the trees and rocks along the water's edge, and that's the one I chose.
This tree has a great spot to dip its toes in the rushing water every day. Lucky!
Thankfully somebody created some informative signs to explain what these old stone structures are.
I always love the sound of the water, so I captured a short video so I can hear it anytime I want to.
Click here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/rxhLRytxhQmvrG3X9
Where the Shenandoah River and Potomac River meet up, there is a bridge going across for both railroad services and pedestrians alike.
Recently, however, a train car derailed on the bridge, destroying a section of the pedestrian walkway. So the entire bridge is closed to pedestrians for a while until that can be fixed back up.
Harpers Ferry is known for its history, and perhaps most notoriously for John Brown's Raid in 1859. His ambition was to end slavery, as explained in this article: https://www.ushistory.org/us/32c.asp
On October 16, 1859, John Brown led a small army of 18 men into the small town of HARPER'S FERRY, Virginia. His plan was to instigate a major slave rebellion in the South. He would seize the arms and ammunition in the federal arsenal, arm slaves in the area and move south along the Appalachian Mountains, attracting slaves to his cause. He had no rations. He had no escape route. His plan was doomed from the very beginning. But it did succeed to deepen the divide between the North and South.
John Brown and his cohorts marched into an unsuspecting Harper's Ferry and seized the federal complex with little resistance. It consisted of an armory, arsenal, and engine house. He then sent a patrol out into the country to contact slaves, collected several hostages, including the great grandnephew of George Washington, and sat down to wait. The slaves did not rise to his support, but local citizens and militia surrounded him, exchanging gunfire, killing two townspeople and eight of Brown's company. Troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee arrived from Washington to arrest Brown. They stormed the engine house, where Brown had withdrawn, captured him and members of his group, and turned them over to Virginia authorities to be tried for treason. He was quickly tried and sentenced to hang on December 2.
Brown's strange effort to start a rebellion was over less than 36 hours after it started; however, the consequences of his raid would last far longer. In the North, his raid was greeted by many with widespread admiration. While they recognized the raid itself was the act of a madman, some northerners admired his zeal and courage. Church bells pealed on the day of his execution and songs and paintings were created in his honor. Brown was turned into an instant martyr. Ralph Waldo Emerson predicted that Brown would make "the gallows as glorious as the cross."
Below is the fire house in Harpers Ferry where the raid took place.
The town of Harpers Ferry is very quaint and charming. If we were not in the midst of coronavirus and social distancing, the shops would all be open and the streets would be filled with tourists. On this particular day, there were just the occasional people wandering around.
I do not recall exactly what this old building used to be (below), but I think it said it was a "private residence". I can't imagine that someone actually lives in it, but perhaps just maintains it instead. Something of note that I was trying to capture (click on the photo so you can zoom in) is the precarious rock just above the chimney. That is Jefferson Rock, high above the road and yet another historical landmark.
The history of Jefferson Rock goes back to 1783 when Thomas Jefferson stood in that very spot. I had been up there several years ago, therefore I did not choose to hike up there this week. An explanation of the significance of the landmark is shared in an article on the NPS website:
https://www.nps.gov/hafe/learn/historyculture/jefferson-rock.htm
Jefferson later recorded:
"The passage of the Patowmac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature.
You stand on a very high point of land. On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot
of the mountain a hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left approaches the Patowmac in quest of a passage also.
In the moment of their junction they rush together against the mountain, rend it asunder and pass off to the sea.
The first glance of this scene hurries our senses into the opinion that this earth has been created in time, that the
mountains were formed first, that the rivers began to flow afterwards, that in this place particularly they have been
so dammed up by the Blue Ridge of mountains as to have formed an ocean which filled the whole valley; that,
continuing to rise, they have at last broken over at this spot and have torn the mountain down from its summit to
its base. The piles of rock on each hand, but particularly on the Shenandoah, the evident marks of their disruptions
and avulsions from their beds by the most powerful agents in nature, corroborate the impression.
You stand on a very high point of land. On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot
of the mountain a hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left approaches the Patowmac in quest of a passage also.
In the moment of their junction they rush together against the mountain, rend it asunder and pass off to the sea.
The first glance of this scene hurries our senses into the opinion that this earth has been created in time, that the
mountains were formed first, that the rivers began to flow afterwards, that in this place particularly they have been
so dammed up by the Blue Ridge of mountains as to have formed an ocean which filled the whole valley; that,
continuing to rise, they have at last broken over at this spot and have torn the mountain down from its summit to
its base. The piles of rock on each hand, but particularly on the Shenandoah, the evident marks of their disruptions
and avulsions from their beds by the most powerful agents in nature, corroborate the impression.
"But the distant finishing which nature has given the picture is of a very different character. It is a true contrast to the former. It is as placid and delightful as that is wild and tremendous. For the mountains being cloven asunder, she presents to your eye, through the cleft, a small catch of smooth blue horizon, at an infinite distance in that plain country, inviting you, as it were, from the riot and tumult roaring around to pass through the breach and participate in the calm below. Here the eye ultimately composes itself; and that way, too, the road happens actually to lead. You cross the Patowmac above the junction, pass along its side through the base of the mountain for three miles, the terrible precipice hanging in fragments over you, and within about 20 miles reach Frederictown and the fine country around that. This scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic."
An internet photo shows Jefferson Rock:
The last section of my walk back to the car was along the Shenandoah Canal.
Wednesday into Thursday: I began helping Pam to paint her kitchen cabinets downstairs. She chose a light gray chalk paint and we cranked up some entertaining tunes and got to work.
Before:
Pam, Jessie and I also went on an afternoon bike ride along the C & O Canal. Gordon dropped us off and later came back to pick us up.
We rode a little over 8 miles along the Potomac River and saw a lot of wildlife. Mostly turtles.
We also saw Peregrine Falcons, a muskrat drinking out of the pea-green bog (yum), and some herons.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rq4HnqKp749ELqUN6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VCHrZAAd3iKkNkUP9
I also got a video call from Scott while I was riding along. He was extremely concerned that I was going to crash, but I did just fine. It helps to have a little metal "loop" on the back of my phone so all I have to do is hook my finger through it and I can still hold on to the handlebars safely and even brake if needed.
Friday: After helping with the painting downstairs again, I headed out in the afternoon for some "bucket-list" adventures. Before I leave this gorgeous area, I really wanted to set foot on the Appalachian Trail. As it turned out, the C & O Canal where we rode our bikes the day before also shared part of the "AT". But that wasn't good enough for me. I wanted the real thing.
I parked the car in the same place where I began my river trail walk on Tuesday, just off Hwy 340 onto Shenandoah Street. (see map below)
Just above the parking area, there is a pedestrian section of the bridge that allows you to walk across.
On the other side of the bridge, you follow the stairs down and then underneath in order to access the trail.
The trail is very rocky and rugged. There are some very steep parts, going abruptly up at one point and then abruptly going down into a ravine soon after.
There are several water crossings, and some occasional muddy areas. But thankfully there are also lots of rocks to use as stepping stones in each of those spots!
I noticed that there are several small metal tabs that are pushed into the trees along the trail. I was curious about this and wondered what is their purpose.
I did some research on the internet and never found a satisfactory answer. I remember reading a book several years ago about a man that hiked the entire Appalachian Trail. He described some of the ways hikers would communicate with other hikers, sharing that they might leave a note at the next hostel or cabin accommodation to let a friend know where they were - if ahead or behind the other hiker. I would like to imagine that these tags might be a means of communicating from one hiker to another. Each one had a separate number, which in my day-dreamer mind could represent a specific hiker. Maybe they place their tag on a tree to signify they passed by. There could be all sorts of great stories that one might create to explain why the tags are on the trees! Feel free to imagine your own story.
I hiked up to where the trail crosses over Chestnut Hill Road, and went just a little bit further. I was worried about meeting up with a mama bear and her cubs in the remote wilderness on the mountain, so I soon turned around and headed back down.
I took a couple videos on the trail:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iRwNPkAMq8e3zjee8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/QUHTe1a6jX2M2hG29
I spent about 1.5 hours on the Appalachian Trail and it was wonderful! It was rugged, challenging, and beautiful.
As I walked back across the bridge to my car, I saw a most unusual cloud in the sky. It was huge! It looked like it was either a tornado or a meteor. I stopped to capture a photo.
Later, after I got home, Pam said she and Gordon were driving home from the store and as they came across the bridge, they saw me taking this photo! But they thought I was taking a selfie, ha ha. She said she wished she had taken a picture of me taking the picture.
From the AT, I drove a mile up the road to walk on a different trail. I chose to explore the area around the Murphy Chambers Farm, part of the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. I knew it had history pertaining to the Civil War, but I didn't know it was also sacred to the Civil Rights Movement.
Scott called as soon as I pulled into the parking lot, so I took him on my hike and shared video of the trail the entire time. As I got to the site of the Civil War battle, he wanted to see down the barrel of the cannon. He determined that it was a non-rifled barrel. He explained that ammunition fired out of this cannon would not shoot as far as it would out of a rifled barrel apparently. What a smartie pants! :)
The clouds were certainly putting on a show that afternoon!!
The trail headed up a grassy slope and offered sweeping views of the Shenandoah River far below.
From the scenic overlook, the trail turned back toward the battlefield and farm. This next spot was interesting. John Brown's Fort had been moved a few times, both disassembled and reassembled each time. Its final resting place was in this location, but all that remains now is the foundation. Even still, it is considered "Holy Ground". In 1909, members of the Niagara Movement (later to become the NAACP), came to visit this very site. One of them felt the need to take off his shoes and walk barefoot toward such a sacred place. Others followed suit and they walked barefoot together and paid their respects.
The trail leads on from there, over grassy fields and gravel pathways, toward the farm itself. Edmund Chambers was a loyal Unionist, but in 1862, his property was seized and confiscated by the Union troops. His family was forced to flee elsewhere. He never got reimbursed, even though his property was completely destroyed. How sad.
And that was the end of my hiking adventures in West Virginia. What a great time I've had here!
Saturday: I helped finish up with the painting downstairs, adding a coat of varnish. Holy cow that stuff stinks! Even though we opened up all the windows and put fans throughout the house, I'm still affected by the fumes even today (Sunday). But it sure looks beautiful!!
I am all kinds of excited now to go home and transform my own kitchen into a lighter, brighter and updated kitchen. I want to use a cream color for my cabinets to compliment the black appliances that I have at home.
I spent the rest of Saturday packing and organizing my belongings, doing laundry and preparing for our road trip.
The plan is to head out Monday morning, bright and early, and to drive about 12+ hours in order to reach St. Louis, Missouri. Then Tuesday, we will continue west for another 12+ hours and see how far we can get. Wednesday is the day I will arrive home at some point. What a wonderful day that will be!
I have appreciated all the adventures and travels, visits to family, meeting new people, sampling all sorts of foods in each cultural section of the lower and eastern United States, and most of all - gathering information for and standing where my ancestors once stood. Walking where they walked. And taking pictures to keep forever as my souvenirs.
Comments
Post a Comment