Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Blessings!

Welcome!

Especially during this time of year, I like to think about all of the wonderful blessings in my life.  In fact, I actually make a list of all the things that happened during the year for which I'm most grateful.  If we just look around us and see all the good things for which we are thankful, anything we consider  negative is minimized.  In fact, the more we are thankful for, now, the more we'll have to be thankful for in the future!

"Count Your Blessings"

"When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings."
-Irving Berlin

"All that I behold is full of blessings."
-William Wordsworth


Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for visiting!  Until next time, Becky

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Delightful Day Trips

Welcome!

Glad you could join me as I fill you in on a recent trip that Greg and I took.  It was a day trip in which we went to a nearby destination for a delightful day of fun and relaxation.

On my previous blog post (October 6, 2015), I wrote about our trip to Memphis, Tennessee.  That was a long trip for us, and we spent the night.  We had every aspect of the trip planned, and it all went pretty much the way we had hoped it would.

However, day trips are different, because they are closer home and you don't spend the night.  While long trips are fun every once in a while, you can go on day trips more often, and you generally don't get as worn out or spend as much money on these short excursions.

Part of our recent trip was to a park that Greg and I had been wanting to visit for some time, Cedars of Lebanon State Park in Lebanon, Tennessee.  There are a lot of cedar trees at the park and 19 rare plants that grow abundantly there and nowhere else in the world!  The park offers hiking, picnicking, camping, and horseback riding.


Greg, at Cedars of Lebanon State Park

We enjoyed exploring the park and taking pictures of the few colorful fall leaves that were still left.



Afterwards, we drove a short distance to the small town of Carthage, Tennessee which Greg was curious about since it was the former hometown of a famous fellow Tennessean, Al Gore.

Sometimes, it's more interesting not to plan every aspect of your trip, but to just let things happen.  And, sometimes you are pleasantly surprised!

That's what happened to us as we left Carthage; we found a great place for our evening meal, Timberloft Restaurant in nearby Gordonsville, Tennessee.  Timberloft has steaks, barbecue, and southwestern cuisine.  It's the number one restaurant in Gordonsville, and was awarded a "Certificate of Excellence" from TripAdvisor.




Timberloft welcomed us with colorful fall flowers and pumpkins.


The interior is inviting and cozy!


The charming outdoorsy decor has whimsical touches.


After a delicious meal of perhaps a "Philly Steak & Cheese" sandwich and "Kale Salad" or a "BBQ Stuffed Potato," you might want to try one of their delightful desserts.  They even have gluten-free options.

F.Y.I.
www.timberloftrestaurant.com

We enjoyed our last day trip so much that we decided to go on another one soon, for shopping and for the opening of a tearoom in the charming little town of Bell Buckle, Tennessee.

You might want to plan your own day trip soon, to explore somewhere that you've never been.  Where would you go?  What would you do?  Bet you'd have a great time!  (Did you know that many people never take advantage of the entertaining and interesting places near or even in their own hometowns?)

Website you might find helpful: www.goodguide.com  On this website you can "Find safe, healthy, green, & ethical product reviews based on scientific ratings."  Over 250,000 products are rated on this site.

Positive thought: "Not all who wander are lost." J. R. R. Tolkien
Thanks for visiting!  Until Sunday, December 6, 2015 (or sooner!), Becky