7-4-2014 Happy 4th of July!

This morning we spent at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

before heading on our way to Wisconsin.

Lucy...

This afternoon we spent driving

from Cleveland to Whitehall Wisconsin.

As outdoor temps rose,

we decided to stop at 

and cool off in 

this art gallery.

This statue made me wonder why

statues of Buddhas always have such big ears.

Maybe to remind us to listen more and speak less?

I also loved this painting entitled "Woman."

Had an $18 bowl of pasta for lunch...Geeze Louise!

Later this evening we found a park

with some interesting statues as well...

...and come dark

we attended a free classical music concert in the park

and loved watching this little girl

dressed to the nines

in red, white, and blue,

and waving her flag.

So cute!

Happy and safe 4th of July everyone!

7-3-2014 Zoo and Aquarium

This morning we spent several hours outdoors

walking around the (huge!) Cleveland Zoo.

It was fun to see the elephants

since our zoo back home

no longer houses any of them.

Then, in the afternoon,

as the outdoor temps soared into the 90's,

we decided to move indoors

and visit the Greater Cleveland Aquarium.

We saw hundreds of amazing fish

and other sea creatures

as well as these 'hugging frogs'

and other-world-ly looking jelly fish.

Tonight we enjoyed dinner at

Michael Symon's wife's restaurant, Lolita.

(Steak and Walleye)

7-2-2014 Botanical Garden and MOCA

This morning DH & I visited the Cleveland Botanical Garden.

Displayed in and amongst the many gardens

were huge LEGO displays

by certified LEGO professional Sean Kenney,

like these:

This afternoon we spent in the Cleveland MOCA

(Museum of Contemporary Art).

No pictures allowed inside.

We thoroughly enjoyed dinner downtown

at Michael Symon's restaurant, Lola!

(Had the scallops...with bacon, of course!)

7-1-2014 Glidden House

On our way from Niagara Falls

to Whitehall, Wisconsin

we stayed at the historic Glidden House

in Cleveland, OH.

6-30-2014 Fort Niagara

After several Unsuccessful attempts to build a fort,

the French finally convinced the Iroquois Confederacy

to let them build this "French Chalet"

which they named

"The House of Peace" (NOT!)...

The Indians knew something was not right

when the French put the water well

INSIDE the house...

...and the proceeded to surround

the "House of Peace"

with earthen embankments

topped with stockade fences

and canons

and a draw bridge

in front of the entrance gate!

Hmmm... what's wrong with this picture?!?!?

"House of Peace?"

We witnessed a black powder rifle shoot

as well as a cannon shooting demonstration.

They actually fired a cannon ball 1 mile into Lake Erie!

...after which 

there was a disturbance 

in the space-time continuum!

6-29-2014 Four Hour Tour

With 2 other families onboard this bus

we traveled to the Canadian side

and had a wonderful 4 hour tour of the area.

Our guide Timothy was GREAT

at getting us through the border crossings

and sharing the history of this area.

This is the Power Plant on the Naigara River

that provides electricity for the Eastern half of the USA.

We rode on the boats

(very front on the first level...

we were the first ones on the boat!) 

that take you up close and personal with the falls

and got a good soaking!

American Falls

Canadian Horseshoe Falls

Then DH went up in this 'Space Needle' on the Canadian side

and took these photos:

6-28-2014 Arrived At Niagara Falls!

Buffalo Wings for dinner

at the Anchor Inn

(home of the original Buffalo Wings)

in Buffalo, NY.

During our 40+ years together

we have been blessed to see

the Rocky Mountains,

the Smoky Mountains,

(hiked on the Appalachian Trail)

the Grand Canyon,

Bryce Canyon,

the Badlands/Mt. Rushmore,

Glacier National Park,

the Redwoods in California,

the Ozarks,

Yellowstone National Park,

Nova Scotia, Canada,

Maya Tulum Mexico,

Cancun Mexico,

the island of St. Lucia...

but I had never been to or seen Niagara Falls!

So, this year

we made Niagara Falls our vacation destination!

6-27-2014 Sleeping Angel

DH & I babysat

so mommy and daddy 

could go out to dinner and a movie!

6-26-2014 Smiles

Opa holding 1 week old grandson.

Opa made the new baby's big brother

a picnic table for his 2nd birthday

which is coming up soon...

6-25-2014 New Grandson

DH & I began our vacation to Niagara Falls

by spending several days in Chicago

to see our new grandson

(1 week old).

6-24-2014 The 7 Sins

6-23-2014 Butterfly Fairy

6-22-2014 Bad Hair Day

Looked outside this morning

and knew it was going to be

another bad hair day!

After church

DH & I went for a walk

along one of our favorite trails

and say this turtle,

some deer and a wild turkey,

heard a mockingbird,

and picked/ate wild blackberries.

I'm pretty sure that all the other

bikers, walkers and joggers

missed most of these things

as they sped along with their earbuds blasting.

More rain headed our way this evening...

the corn and bean crops love all this rain...

the Mississippi River is out of the banks

and flooding downtown.

6-21-2014 African Flower

This is my next project.

I want to make this bag

constructed from African Flower Granny Squares.

pattern here

I picked up my yarn at the LYS last night...

substituted the periwinkle blue/purple for the light green (above).

Should make a fun, colorful summer bag!

6-20-2014 May I Come In? Please?!?!?

It's HOT out here...

May I come in?  Please?!?!??