hope to someday journey back to Colorful Crested Butte....

well, I obviously have to move to Florida and come up with $4500+ to adopt one of these critters....

Katie tagged me in this on facebook....

· Davis, OK · when you stumble across something cool or a hidden gem you want to share it with people, a week ago on a whim we loaded up in the campervan and headed to someplace we had never been before- Turner Falls Oklahoma in the Arbuckle Mountains.. It costs $10 per person to enter the park and I can tell you it was 100X cooler than I was expecting, camping, hiking, swimming, water slides/water park area, miles and Miles of streams to wade through and hike, you can even Climb the Mountains⛰ there's castles to explore and you can have Open containers Everywhere🍻😄👍🏻! I highly recommend you get up early one of these mornings, load up the cooler, your family and some water shoes and head to Turner Falls, it's just three hours away, you'll be glad you did...

amazing Louisiana made art! gotta shop here if I ever get back to Louisiana!

2942-C Grand Point Rd Breaux Bridge, LA

Louisiana Marketshops at the 115

oh, wow. think I'll want this for my 50th wedding anniversary cake in 2033!

vacations in missouri....(that we haven't done....)

Pythian Castle – Springfield, Mo. This 1913 mansion was built by the Knights of Pythias, a secret society, and later owned by the U.S. Military. Take a history tour to learn all about the castle, or if you're into spooky thrills, take a ghost tour at night—the property was certified as haunted by the TV show Ghost Lab.

Wild Animal Safari – Strafford, Mo. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Drive your car or ride the free bus tour through the park's 5 miles. Get up close with 70 species, including giraffes, wolves, baboons, alligators, alpacas, tigers and kangaroos.

Mark Twain's boyhood home, Hannibal. Nothing's more Missouri than Mark Twain. Wrap up your excursion with a trip to the beloved author's boyhood home, which has been functioning as a museum since 1912. View personal artifacts, first editions of Twain's works and peek inside the home where he grew up.

privately owned Buckner Mansion, lower Garden District, has been used for filming New Orleans projects....

including American Horror Story Coven as the girls school!

Wisdom is a census-designated place (CDP) in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. The population was 98 at the 2010 census.[1] The ZIP Code of the area is 59761.

Audubon Park Labyrinth Hidden in the beautiful Uptown park, there is a Labyrinth that is free and open to the public. The intricate walkway is housed in a less populated section of the park, located near Laurel Street and the Tree of Life. Marty Kermeen, one of the most acclaimed labyrinth creators, was hired to constructed New Orleans’ first Labyrinth.

New Orleans’ Own Eiffel Tower Among the historic, pillared mansions on St. Charles Avenue, there is one odd building out. Resembling an exoskeleton, with long steel beams extending in all directions from the ground, the Eiffel Society at 2040 St. Charles Avenue hosts events during the week and operates as a cocktail lounge and night club. Why is it called the Eiffel Society? Because the structure is literally a rebuilt chunk of the Eiffel tower. Up until 1981, the Restaurant de La Tour was a famous restaurant located at the top of the Eiffel Tower, but was taken down due to its weight. A famous French chef then bought the deconstructed restaurant and shipped it to New Orleans, giving it a new start in the Big Easy.

New Orleans’ Historic Voodoo Museum Voodoo has been a part of New Orleans culture since the city was first established, adding a mysterious and fascinating allure to the city.But most tourists and residents don’t actually have any knowledge of the religion.The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum, located at 724 Dumaine Street, may be able to change that.Focusing mostly on Louisiana Voodoo—a combination of African and European influences, the small museum displays many artifacts and objects used during Voodoo practices, but also offers fortune telling and cemetery tours.John T., the museum’s Voodoo priest, performs the psychic readings, which start at $40, and standard museum entry starts at $4.50.

Fort Jessup, Many

This fort was built in 1822 to serve as a buffer between New Spain and the recent Louisiana purchase of 1803, which gave the United States control over what was formerly France. The fort managed the area that became known as the neutral strip to protect citizens from disputes about the border.

Mansfield State Historic Site

This state historic site commemorates one of the largest battles in American Civil war history, the Battle of Mansfield. They regularly present reenactments of the battle here to educate individuals about the realities of war. There is also a museum that entertains and educates all who visit. This site is at risk because of recent Louisiana state budget cuts.

Longfellow-Evangeline S.H.S., St. Martin Parish

This state historic site commemorates the culture of the Bayou Teche region, which was forever ingrained into people's consciousness by the poet Henry Longfellow, when he wrote his epic poem Evangeline about two star crossed lovers in Cajun Country. There is a full scale replica of an Acadian farmstead to be explored here.

This submarine was built by the Confederacy during the Civil War when the technology for submarines was first being developed. The boat was never documented as being built, and was rediscovered in 1878 when Bayou St. John was dredged. At first it was assumed to be the Pioneer, but research has revealed that the Pioneer was a different submarine design. So, a lot of mystery still surrounds this boat, but you can explore it yourself at the Louisiana State Museum in Baton Rouge.

. Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Lafayette

. Nottoway Plantation House, White Castle

largest plantation house in the entire American South.

. Tomb of the Unknown Slave, New Orleans

Found against the wall of the St. Augustine Catholic Church in New Orleans, this memorial was constructed to remember all of the fallen individuals who were victims of the brutality of the slave trade that went on in New Orleans for so many years. Individuals still visit today to remember that frightening legacy.

Fort St. Philip, Triumph

fort from War of 1812 and Civil War Siege.

USS Kidd, Baton Rouge

this would probably be more Kevin's thing....but I am a tourist. I'll go anywhere!

. House of Broel, New Orleans

shows life in 19th century, doll collection. tours by appointment, often booked for weddings.

Johnny Depp Moves to Greeley, Colorado

now, I have never made it to Carmel, California, where Clint Eastwood was once upon a time the mayor (or council person or something), and I was in New Orleans right outside Brad & Angelina Jolie-Pitts house, and I will I am sure never make it to Greeley. But can you even imagine just bumping into Johnny Depp at a little grocery store, or walking the sidewalks, or getting gas? omg! I was so starstruck at the Nick Groff Meet & Greet I would just smile like an idiot. but still!

I have met a few celebrities (in my eyes).....Miss Hester from The Myrtles, and Johnny from Villisca Ax Murder House. oh, and K.C. Wolf.

Spring 2017!

make violet jelly

make dandelion jelly

start hollyhock and sunflower seeds in ice cream cones to plant on courtyard

‎Miranda Stone‎ to Rustic Roads Photography 16 hrs · Humpback Bridge in Alleghany County, VA. It's the oldest remaining covered bridge in the state.

2016 Xmas Newsletter

new grandbaby Coralie Jessamine Wills born March 4.

K.J. married Taylore Maria Andrus March 25.

Deb did a Nick Groff Meet & Greet at Missouri State Penitentiary.

Kevin, Deb, Koren, Ian, & Coralie did our first Arrowhead 5k.

Katie won a trip on the Grundy Electric Youth Tour to Washington D.C.

there is a Lamberts Cafe in Foley, Alabama....8 miles from Gulf Shores.

if we ever get back down there, will have to check it out. also, go back to Florabama. loved their wild section of beach!

another rock to paint....drug a big one home from work today! now just need black paint....

Aunt Mary says The Vaile will have an October event featuring Victorian mourning! will have to watch for it!!!!

made from old windows....

next year...sunflowers and hollyhocks!

make a rock

cute family picture idea Koren found

this summer's bucket list

rereading The Stand

kate physical

Queen Anne's lace jelly

fried green tomatoes

family Chiefs pictures

jean store Leon

KC zoo grandkids

senior pic locations

shoot my own sr. pics (spickard doorway to nowhere, windows to nowhere at Ravanna and Brimson, Swan Church....maybe barn by Kayla's?)

Kate to Fugitive Beach with friends

IA State Fair

Chiefs 5K

KJ & Taylore's reception

Chiefs Training Camp

McCloud Shortbread

Fire pit night

Dandelion Wine

apple pie

watch all those Bigfoot movies

the pallet and paver bar

this is the one I saw on facebook....

this is how mine turned out....

I didn't do a base since mine will set on concrete. I think it looks ok....not facebook worthy, but definitely blog worthy!

homemade dandelion wine

Homemade Dandelion Wine Recipe Dandelion wine, believed to be of Celtic origin, is regarded as one of the fine country wines of Europe. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was not proper for ladies to drink alcohol; however, dandelion flower wine was considered so therapeutic to the kidneys and digestive system that it was deemed medicinal even for the ladies.

outdoor decor on a budget....

Add More Depth You might not be able to change the square footage of your backyard, but you can make it appear bigger. Turn vintage windows into mirrors and hang them from a fence—the reflection created will add extra dimension and depth to your outdoor space.

grapevine ball chandalier: *Grapevine Balls in 2 different sizes- mine are 6 to 7″ and 4″ *2 sets of 50 count white lights with brown wires- HERE *Garden twine (I had this on hand) *Birch branch (I had this on hand-but in case you can’t find one in the yard! HERE are some) *Burlap ribbon (I had this on hand)

I used about 25 lights inside each large ball & 15 or so lights inside each medium ball…

Finally I settled on threading the lights inside the balls… and tying them in place with a bit of garden twine…