A day in Wyoming

Today was a great day to get out and see more of America and so that is exactly what we did!

Having dropped off our extra baggage at the church last night, we set off on an un-planned excursion - Wyoming!

We took our time driving to Cheyene and then north to Casper and then northwest, ending up in the historic town of Cody, WY (http://www.codychamber.org) This is at the eastern edge of Yellowstone National Park (where we'll be tomorrow).

The scenery today as we drove through central Wyoming was really special. There were bluffs, sweeping vistas and lots of pronghorn running about. We really enjoyed the drive down the road that led into the Wind River gorge; it was really beautiful! Another treat was seeing a place made famous by the old west story-tellers, "Hells Half Acre." Similar in appearance to Bryce Canyon National Park, this was an unexpected bonus to the day!

Tomorrow promises to start out in the low 30's (F), but it is going to be a terrific day in the northwest corner of Wyoming for us!!!

Rainy night in Sidney

We managed to complete our errands in Omaha and Lincoln this morning and have arrived safe and sound in Sidney!

We needed to pick up some items that had been shipped from Cornwall in Omaha this morning and as it turned out, we didn't need as much space as we had anticipated for the two boxes. So having loaded the car up, we headed to Lincoln to our friend, Jamie, who was holding on to some of our luggage for us since our first trip though Nebraska. Thanks to Charles' packing abilities, we were able to get everything into the car and we headed west once more.

We drove through several periods of heavy rain on the way west, reaching Sidney in late afternoon. We have stored a few things in the Sidney UMC, thanks to Pastor Allan Davis, lightning our load considerably!

Tomorrow, we head out again, looking forward to the start of Annual Conference next week!

Back in Omaha!

Well, here we are, back in Omaha and it feels great to be back!

After leaving Carthage, MO this morning, we stopped for breakfast in Lamar, Mo which is the birthplace of Pres. Harry Truman. It was fascinating to see how much people in this part of the world still admire this man. Since we had seen his birthplace, we decided to visit Independence, MO, location of the Truman Presidential Library and Museum (www.trumanlibrary.org). This is a really good museum and has many fascinating interactive exhibits. The Truman's home, which they shared for many years (www.nps.gov/hstr) and where Bess Truman continued to live following the President's death, is also open for visits.

We drove through several periods of heavy rain north of Saint Joseph, MO which made getting to Omaha a bit of a chore. But we made it in good order and are ready to tackle our chores here in the morning.

From the Peabody Ducks and beyond!

Today was a full day to be sure! Due to a noisy neighbor at the hotel last night, we didn't get as much sleep as we would have preferred, so we ended up over-sleeping this morning! We did make it to the nearby Peabody Hotel (www.peabodymemphis.com) in time to see the famous "Peabody Ducks" on parade. The hotel is home to a tradition that dates back to the 1930's and it really was fun to see this quaint tradition unfold before us. On the other hand, it really does point out the extravagance that some live with that hundreds of people would pay a lot of money to stay in a hotel whose main claim to fame is five ducks that live in the hotel penthouse and spend their days swimming in the lobby fountain.

We left Memphis after witnessing the duck parade and found our way to Graceland, former home of Elvis Presley (www.elvis.com/graceland). Once we found our way there (with an accidental detour into Mississippi), we decided that we really didn't need to see another extravagent home and so we continued on our way.

We passed through Arkansas, driving though a portion of the Boston Mountain range (a portion of the Ozark Mountains) which was really, really pretty in the evening light. We could see why people go on and on about how beautiful this part of the world is. Ending the day in Carthage, Missouri (near Joplin), we found a hotel and are grateful for the chance to rest and recover from a full day on the road.

Tomorrow we continue north, bound for Omaha, Nebraska! Come on back and see why we are going there!!!

From Nashville to Memphis

After the excitement of the Grand Ole Opry yesterday you might think we would have a hard time following that with another great day, but we did!

We left the Opry Hotel this morning and made our way to the nearby home of President Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage (www.thehermitage.com). We've been to a lot of historical sites over the years but this place is simply wonderful! We took the tour of the home and walked a bit of the grounds and then came back and watched a film about the General's life and times. Charles even got to meet the General!! We also enjoyed some yummy pie and fruit-flavored tea at their excellent cafe'.

Following a quick stop at the Tulip Grove Chapel (built by Jackson), we headed southwest to Memphis, that marvelous city on the Mississippi River. We got here in enough time for Charles to take in one more museum, the Memphis Rock N' Soul Museum (www.memphisrocknsoul.org/home.htm). This wonderful collection of cultural and musical items chronicles the birth of rock music and the growth of R&B from the cradle that was Memphis in the 20th Century.

After that, it was off to supper with Belinda on Beale Street, one of the most electrifying urban streets in the country! There was music, people, and terrific food everywhere!!! We met a delightful couple from Huntsville, Alabama, Bob and Linda while waiting to get into the Blues City Cafe', so we ended up sharing a table with them. A lot of fun sharing the wonderful apmosphere with them, and the food, wow!

Belinda had managed to get tickets to the city's Memphis in May music fest. We actually got to hear the Temptations (along with a whole bunch of other friendly folks!) and savor the fresh breeze coming in off the river.

We ended up back in our room just as the fireworks were getting going down at the festival and we oohed and ahhed for a long time! There were even bursts that were square and heart-shaped! Wow, what a great way to end the day!

Tomorrw, we see a bit more of Memphis and then head north!

Grand Ole Opry or bust!

We finished up with the Festival of Homiletics this morning, what an amazing assortment of preachers and presentations! It was a good experience and we certainly take away a lot of insights and material.

Before leaving Nashville, we made a brief stop at the Parthenon, a full-scale replica of the ancient temple found in Athens, Greece (www.nashville.gov/parthenon). It was so wonderful to be able to experience this without having to travel all the way to downtown Athens!

After this, it was off in search of the famous Grand Ole Opry (www.opry.com), on the east side of Nashville. This is the place to be if you love country music!!!
We were able to get a good rate at the Opry Land Hotel and then we made our way over to the Opry where we had a great time listening to two hours of hand-clapping, foot-stomping music with an "All American Salute" theme. We heard Porter Wagoner, Joe Diffie, Riders in the Sky, and Mark Chesnutt among numerous others. It was great to be able to see and hear a live radio show!

We ended the night with a nosh at the Jack Daniels bistro in the hotel, the food was great and the live band really worked hard to keep us in the mood!!

Tomorrow, we're headed west again...

Nashville, day 5

The end is near for our time in Nashville, but before we finish, we had a full day of workshops to attend. Belinda and Charles covered a lot of ground by attending separate sessions in the morning and afternoon. A lot of interesting insights were shared and we came away with some tools to add to our kit-bag.

Tonight's agenda was a switch from our schedule at the conference. Instead of attending the scheduled event at First Baptist Church, we chose to attend a performance of "Church Basement Ladies," a musical about life in a Lutheran church as seen in from the vantage point of those stalwarts who toil below in the kitchen (http://www.plymouthplayhouse.com/html/nowplayingCBL.html). It was really, really funny and the cast did a wonderful job in conveying the quirks and joys that take place behind the scenes in every church!

Tomorrow is the last day of the conference which has been most enlightening and we've gotten a lot of good stuff to take to Sidney in July.

Nashville, day 4

What a great day - This morning's sessions were great with Fred Craddock leading the way with some super ideas on prophetic preaching. The afternoon was okay, with a presentation by Joseph Lowery (of Civil Rights fame) the key speaker.

After the afternoon session, we relaxed a bit before a treat that awaited us back at the Performing Arts Center, a concert by "Sweet Honey In The Rock," a Grammy Award-winning African American female a cappella ensemble from Washington, DC, (www.sweethoney.com). They gave a wonderful performance which earned several standing ovations.

We enjoyed a couple of hours out of the heat, before Charles took off to see the Frist Center for the Visual Arts (www.fristcenter.org/site/default.aspx), a neat museum that is across the street from our hotel. Charles wanted to see the exhibit that features the works from Matisee, Picaso and others from the Paris School. Really cool place and the audio guide was first rate.

Tomorrow, we attend workshops in the morning and afternoon before another concert in the evening.

Nashville, day 3

A full day here in Nashville! We walked to the Tennesse Performing Art Center (TPAC) where all of today's and tomorrow's events are to be held. It was a nice walk, though we learned at the end of the day of an easier way to get there without the extra hill!

The speakers today offered some intresting insights into preaching and the worship was really good! The afternoon speaker, Dr. Walter Brugemann, writes great books but his talk was a tad dry for us :)

Tonight we attended a concert, "Jesus on Music Row" which was offered by the conference. It featured four song writers who performed works they had composed and recorded and some they had written for other big-name acts (such as Willie Nelson and the Dixie Chicks). The four - Beth Nielsen Chapman, Kyle Matthews, Allen Shamblin and Mark Edwards really gave the assembly something to think about during the two-hour concert!

After a pleasant walk back to the hotel, we are settled in for a much-needed rest. Tomorrow is another full day of presentations, whew, and then tomorrow night is a concert by the famous group, "Sweet Honey in the Rock." More to follow.

Nashville, day 2

Our Monday in Music City, USA began with a walk to the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum (www.countrymusichalloffame.com)! Neither of us would be considered a full-blown C/W fan (though we have dabbled a bit) but trust us, this is a museum that everyone can get something from!! A highlight was the guided tour of the famous "Studio B," the recording studio where among others, Elvis, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison and the Everly Brothers recorded many of their hits. The museum itself is a stroll down memory lane and has numerous "wow" moments around every turn.

After a nosh at a famous local BBQ restaurant, Jake's on Broadway, we made our way to the First Baptist Church to pick up our registration materials for the Festival of Homiletics (www.festivalofhomiletics.com). Belinda decided that she wanted to take a break from the tourist activities so she headed back to the hotel to rest up for the big night to come. Charles chose to take in a few more museums, so off he went!

His first stop was the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame (www.tshf.net/index.htm), a very nice display of sporting legends from all over the state, from many sports, and levels of sport. Next up, the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum (www.musicianshalloffame.com), a new museum that offers a glimpse at creative people from a wide variety of musical styles.

Realizing that a full evening was on tap, Charles returned to gather up Belinda and together they returned to the Church and thoroughly enjoyed the worship and first presentation. There is so much to learn and being around over 1,600 preachers is a exciting propisition.

After the evening session was over, we came back to the hotel and ended up going out to eat with Rev. John and Sylvia Poe (from Iowa). It was great to hear their stories and share ours!

Tomorrow, we will continue with the conference, so come on back!

From Kentucky to Tennessee

This was an interesting day - we began with a stop at the Mammoth Cave National Park (www.nps.gov/maca) which is just north of Bowling Green, KY. We really enjoyed the park of the park we saw and it really gave us a taste of this unique place.

We had just enough time to make it to a 1030 service at St. James UMC in Bowling Green which turned out to be a real treat! We decided on Bowling Green since it was a college town (Western Kentucky Univ.) and we thought there would be a good place to attend a service and we were right. The service was nice but the best part was being invited to attend the fellowship time afterwards. We sat with four delightful church ladies who made us feel like we were family!

We then made our way to a neat museum we had seen on our way into the city, the National Corvette Museum (www.corvettemuseum.com) is neat! Devoted to the classic American sports car, it is a great place even for non-car types like the two of us!!!

Then it was off again, now for our destination for the coming week: Nashville, Tennessee!

We rolled into the capital of Tennessee, checked into our hotel, and then set off on the town. Belinda decided to take it easy for a bit, so Charles went for a walk around the area and found some of the historic churches that make this area more than just a music center. He also found a street concert being sponsored by the First Baptist Church (www.firstbaptistnashville.org) and featuring the evangelist, Luis Palau. It was an interesting, loud, and festive scene to be sure!!! He also took in the Charlie Daniels museum which is very small, but a lot of fun.
Coming back to fetch Belinda for supper, we made our way back down to where the crowd still gathered and enjoyed the energy of the Sunday evening crowd.

Tomorrow promises to be another full day, so come on back!

On the Road Again - Kentucky, Ho!

It was time to bid farewell to Dale and Staci in Pickerington, OH this morning and strike out once more on the road, bound today for the Bluegrass State. We got a late start and then hit some massive construction traffic snarls around Cincinnati (if driving through this area, stay off of I-71!). But we decided to press on, wanting to see some of Louisville, Kentucky and with perseverance, we made it!

We got to visit the home of the Louisville Slugger (www.sluggermuseum.0rg), the baseball bat that has been produced here since the late 1880's. Talk about a special time, it was a real thrill to see such famous parts of baseball history such a Babe Ruth bat and other equipement that was used by Honus Wagner, Pete Rose and others. Beginning with the world's largest baseball bat that stands at the entrance, this place is a real eye-opener from start to finish!!!

Given the time, we paid a quick visit before leaving Louisville to the Cathedral of the Assumption, one of the oldest Roman Catholic Cathedrals in the country. It made for a special end to our time in this river front city. We did drive past the famous horse track, Churchill Downs, but it was already closed for the afternoon so we kept heading south.

Our next stop was in Hodgenville, KY - the birthplace of Abrahma Lincoln. There is still a feeling of small-town America that permiates this small town. If you are in the area, stop by!

We ended our day in Munfordville, KY which is just north of Mammoth Cave National Park (which is our destination tomorrow morning after church).

Tomorrow we see a national park and then head into Nashville, TN! Come back and see what we actually do see!

TGIF

Today was spent taking care of odds and ends in the morning and spending time with Dale in the evening. Tomorrow we head back out on the road so Charles got the car checked out so that the next few weeks will be on the safe-side of the road! Then we packed-up some items we won't be needing over the next few weeks and will mail them to the church in Sidney before we leave town tomorrow.

After doing what we needed to take care of here, we journeyed into Columbus to watch Dale lead his classes in the final preparations for their concerts that are coming up. It was a real treat to see Dale putting students through their paces and he looked great doing what he loves!!!

This evening, we went to Lancaster, a town just south of here, so that Dale could show us an pre-historic archeological site. We saw a place where during the last ice-age the ice shelf ended and the hills to the south were left intact. It put stuff into perspective to be sure!

We've had a great time here in Ohio and tomorrow we head south into Kentucky, bound for Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday. Watch this space to see what we see along the way!

Happy "End of School Year" to our nephew Kyle!

Hey, Kyle!

We are so excited for you! Finally your summer vacation is about to begin!

May you have an exciting fun-filled summer of pleasant activities and surprises!

Love,

Aunt B ... and Uncle C

Fallingwater, PA

Today was a whirl, we started out from Pickerington, driving east in a light rain for our destination: Pennsylvania!

Our destination today was the home created by Frank Lloyd Wright in Mill Run called, "Fallingwater" (www.paconserve.org/index-fw1.asp). This incredible place was completed in 1938 and is truly everything you can imagine about a Frank Lloyd Wright design and more. We really enjoyed the tourguide who sure knew her stuff! The house and the surrounding forest is such a treat, we are certainly glad that we made the effort to come here today.

We then came back to Pickerington, happy to have a day to see more of America!

Cooler weather in Ohio!

A slow day here in Pickerington! There was a big thunder storm last night and our sleep was interrupted several times with thunder and lightning, a bit dramatic, but the area really needs the rain so it was appreciated all the same.

The good news for us is that the VA folks in Columbus were able to get a jump on the dental work that Charles needed to get done and so we adjusted our plans and spent some time with the dentist instead.

Following that, we came back to Pickerington to enjoy the cooler weather brought by yesterday's rain and spend time with Dale and Staci.

Tomorrow, we'll head out with the intent of seeing some of the sites here in Ohio. Come back and see what we saw!

Twists and turns

A different sort of day for all concerned! Charles had another problem with his tooth which required a trip to the VA hospital in Columbus to have a bit of work done.

Belinda took advantage of the quiet at home in Pickerington to dog-sit, watch some telly and in general, enjoying the wonderful spring-like weather of central Ohio.

Following his dental work, Charles tried to visit the famous golf course in Dublin, OH - Muirfield GC, where the Memorial Golf Tournament is held each year. Unfortunately, it is a private club and Charles couldn't even get into the gate to look around!

After failing in that quest, Charles went to visit the wonderful Columbus Zoo (www.columbuszoo.org) which is a real treat for every age and Charles really enjoyed the time with the animals!

Charles got home after facing the Columbus rush-hour traffic to enjoy a nice meal at Logan's Roadhouse with Dale and Belinda.

Tomorrow, more travels, so stay tuned!

Monday, Monday

A lazy start to the week awaited us this morning, the relative chill in the air was a welcome change to the past week and bodes well for the coming week.

We set out late-morning, bound for a place called "The Wilds," south of Zanesville (www.thewilds.org). Dale had spoken highly of this 1o0,000 acre conservation park and it seemed like an interesting place to visit. Sadly, when we got there, we learned that during May, it isn't open during the week! We did get the sense that it was a lovely location and the staff we met seemed to really enjoy being there..

Seeing that we were not meant to have a "wild" experience, we headed north of Zanesville for the village of Dresden. We had stopped there last Saturday but wanted to look around a bit more. A highlight of our visit there was at a cool 1950's era diner called "Popeyes," which has the very best chicken salad croissant you'll ever have. It was a real different feeling in the village today compared to last Saturday when there were lots of tourists about. If you like Americana things for your home, this is the place to come!

We made it back to Pickerington and enjoyed a visit with Staci to her favorite Mexican restaurant, Mazatlan. Dale couldn't make it as he had to go practice with his rock band, "Magpie," (www.myspace.com/magpie).

Tomorrow, we set out to explore more of Ohio, come back and see what we saw!!!

Church and family in Pickerington

A very relaxing day was at hand on Sunday as we decided to lay-low and spend some time with Dale and Staci and critters at home since the rest of the week Dale and Staci will be at work.

We went to church in the morning at Peace UMC (www.peaceumc.org) here in Pickerington. A church with a modern-style building, it has a lot going for it. We enjoyed much of what we saw even though the blended service we attended didn't do as much for us as we had hoped.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a lunch at the Pickerington "Logan's Roadhouse," a chain we were very familiar with from our time in Jacksonville, NC. We stopped at a bookstore to get newspapers and met a retired UMC pastor from Indiana who was selling copies of two of his books. A real treat to meet someone with so much wisdom! Then it was back to Dale's to read the papers and enjoy the time with family.

Dale made Charles' day/week/month/year with a gift of Dale's button collection! Charles gleefully threw himself into the task of sorting the collection with piles growing with the different categories Charles has in his collection. Even with many of Dale's early buttons coming from Charles there was still a rather large number for Charles to take in!!

We also enjoyed watching a tape-delay telecast of Staci's football game from Saturday evening. The Columbus Comets (www.columbuscomets.com) looked terrific in defeating the Kentucky Karma, 44-0. It was fun seeing someone we know on tv!!

More to follow on Monday evening.

To New Concord and beyond!

What a difference a day makes, the weather today was just delightful with something for everyone. By nightfall, the temps had dipped into the low 60's F and felt down-right chilly!

We headed out late this morning, bound for the charming town of New Concord, childhood home of Annie and Senator John Glenn (www.johnglennhome.org/index.shtml). We visited the home of the Glenn family, now a wonderful museum, and were very impressed with the displays and the docents. There was a very nice student from the town's college (Muskegum College) who portrayed a border in the Glenn house during WWII. It was a really nice experience and follows closely Charles' visit to the Kennedy Space Center earlier this month. After that, we ventured a few miles down US 40, the old "National Road," seeing a unique "S" shapped bridge (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S_bridge).

Next, it was a bit further down the road to see the world's largest basket in the delightful village of Dresden (www.basketvillageusa.com). This village is the hometown of the Longaberger family and is packed with quaint shops, botiques, B&B's and more. We thought that the basket, which has to be seen to be believed, was reason enough to visit this village but quickly learned that there is plenty to see and do besides that nice photo opportunity!

After getting back to Pickerington to meet up with Dale, we were taken to Dublin, OH (northwest of Columbus) to watch Staci play in a women's professional American football game. Staci plays on defense for the Columbus Comets (www.columbuscomets.com) and it was so inspiring to see her and the other women playing before a rather enthusiastic crowd. It was very chilly due to a cold front that had moved into the area which made the hot coco doubly-appreciated!!!

Tomorrow promises to be a wonderful day, come back and see what happened!