Albuquerque, New Mexico Hot Air Balloon Festival 2011

06 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: ,

Thursday, October 6, 2011

WOW, it’s fun to be a kid again with my eyes looking up into the sky, my  mouth hanging open, and bumping into people while walking  around and scooping out all 100 Special Shapes Hot Air Balloons at the 2011 Hot Air Balloon Festival in Albuquerque.  The colors are incredible and each balloon is cuter or more clever than the next. Since its a windy day, they couldn’t actually launch, only tether on the ground and play bumper games with each other.  Afterwards, I walked around Old Town, Albuquerque.  Nice way to spend an afternoon.  But enough of my chatter – enjoy the photos!!!

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Everyone has a camera today!

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This turtle is reaching for a cold one.

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Shots from Old Town, Albuquerque

Atlanta, Georgia, Worldwind Tour in Two Days

13 Sep 2011 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

World wind tour of Atlanta in just 2 days, courtesy of my good friends Connie and Dane, was a wonderful time!  The World of Coke, The Aquarium and the Zoo, with the Pandas being the main attraction, was the entertainment for this trip, along with a couple of wonderful meals with my friends.  The World of Coke’s most interesting  section, in my opinion ,  is where you can taste the drinks  they sell in other countries. ALL of the Aquarium is fantastic – truly the best I have ever seen and I have seen a bunch!  The Zoo  was fun but, of course, I was there to mostly see the Pandas, which are my favorite and Atlanta is one of the 4 places in the US  you can see Pandas.  These Pandas were sleepy that day, but a sleepy Panda is better than no Panda at all!!

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All was lots of fun and I might add – driving through the city, heading south, Atlanta’s city is beautiful and clean.

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Minneapolis, Minnesota – Home of Mall of America

10 Jun 2011 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

June 2011

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I was lucky enough to get to the  Mall of America for a couple of  days.   I enjoyed  the  exercise walking the Mall and indulging in a little shopping,  If  you are ever go, make sure you see Legoland – by far the most fun store in the Mall . Even if you are an adult – this store will alive  the kid in you .  Also on this trip I was also   to see a long time  girlfriend  from high school  who lives in the area  and we had a  blast.  How wonderful it is to have friendships that   can easily pick up where we last left off.   Enjoy my photos of Legoland.

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Lifesize Woody in Legos

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Does this look a little jaundice to you?

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Be a kid again at Legoland.

Meet Marshmallow

02 Nov 2010 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: ,

Who Can Resist a Puppy?

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

When was the last time you got to borrow a puppy for the day?    My son Alex, , age 26 and old enough to know better, text messaged me at 2:00 am this morning and writes to call him when I wake up.   Well guess what?  The text message woke me up so I called..    He wanted to know if I wanted a puppy for the day as he and his roommate were puppy sitting , but they both had to go to work and the little puppy would be by himself all day.  Now, maybe I should explain,  my kids and I are definitely dog people – I bet we have found more stray dogs than any other family  – but those stories are for another blog.  This blog belongs to Marshmallow.

So Marshmallow was mine for the day.   I introduced him to my 2 Yorkies, who were terrified  of this little puppy and then we all  just hung out at home where Marshmallow could run around , chase Yorkies, and get some exercise in a safe environment. And, as I sit at the computer now,  he has fallen  asleep in my lap.    Hope you enjoy the photos.

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Marshmallow in my lap as jealous Tootsie looks on.

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“Why do you keep following me? “Daisy asks.

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Everyone agrees its nice to cuddle.

Sunny, Florida, USA

10 Jun 2010 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: ,

Beach and Sea Shell Fix  June 2010

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Had to get my  yearly Florida /Ocean fix and gather a few more Sea Shells to add to my thousands that I already  all over my house and in the basement . ( You think I’m kidding ?) Florida is a beautiful state.  My long time  favorites areas  of beach/ocean/sea shell exploration  lie in  Bonita Springs, Naples, Fort Myers Beach, and  Sanibel .  A trip is not complete for  my best friend Carol and I  if we have not  hit them all.  Renting a condo at the Bonita Beach Club is the best – right on the ocean for early morning  shell searches.  Sanibel is great for everything – beaches, shells, shopping , restaurants and Baileys Grocery makes the best Cranberry Orange muffins in the US!  Beaches?  There are many., many  beaches to choose from – pick a new one everyday. And food?  Joe’s Diner  in Naples is a sleeper – unassuming diner with great food.  Perkins Pancakes  is always wonderful  and the Beached Whale in Forts Myers Beach has the best of everything –  sit  high on their flat  roof/ deck , under an umbrella ,  look out at the ocean and enjoy great food.  Check out the Pink Flamingo in Sanibel for a great burger and Key Lime Pie. Shopping  is everywhere  but  Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach are our favorites. And did I mention sea shells?   A trip is never complete if we haven’t sailed with Cory, owner of  Off the Hook Adventures,  on his catamaran  to the uninhabited islands for the best pickings of shells.  We love Cory – he’s friendly and interesting and  every trip with him is memorable .  This June, he had 2 new ship mates – Chanel and  Mercedes.  These Yorkies came all the way from Italy!!  You’ll have to have Cory tell you the story.

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Old motors become Floridian art!

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Sit a spell and enjoy the Ocean.

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Alligators in Florida?

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My first seashell creation!

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Ocean Front Condo

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Cuddly first mates:

Outing with Cory for shells.

A VERY BUSY WREN

20 May 2010 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags:

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From time to time,  I just have to share a moment in time. This is one of those moments. I captured photos of a wren trying his best to build a nest in my back yard. You see, the male wren builds the nest and then the female wren, if he has won her over, then rebuilds the nest. So this poor guy was  giving it his best that day. You”ll see, I never said he was logical, just trying his best. In the end, did he get the girl? Sad to say, I don’t think so, the bird house remained empty that summer.  But it was a very entertaining moment in time.

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Bird Watching At Home ( A Fill-In When Not Traveling :)

15 May 2010 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

SUMMER 2010 Bird Watching

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I’m sure this will fit.

OK, off on a side note,  I  sunk into a no-travel dip after  June of  2010, so I had to find something  different  to occupy some free time.   Looking for simple, cheap (or I thought  would be cheap when I started) entertainment, I decided to feed and watch the birds in my back yard.   Easy to do on day one. Then on day two, the squirrels discovered the bird seed. So, what amateur tips can I pass on?  Trust me, you can try to outsmart a squirrel and waste a lot of time and bird seed, or you can just learn from my experience and go to  the Wild Bird Store ( St Louis, Mo)  and buy a squirrel-proof  feeder.  That’s where the “cheap” part of the entertainment ends. But the squirrel- proof feeders  do work.   Tip # 2:  In regards  to the sack that holds the finch food  -while the squirrels didn’t bother my finch food – I learned  that finch are finicky and they like their food sacks to be washed between usage.  Tip # 3 :  Baltimore Orioles in St. Louis?  Did they lose their way?  Evidently, they migrate through this region  during the month of May and if you hang an  oriole feed  ( looks like a hummingbird feeder only it’s orange with orange nectar) they will stop and  fill up their bellies. I had daily visitors for most of the month   Tip # 4:  Definitely get a wren house and you will be delighted with the spunk and song of these little birds.  Enough reading – please enjoy the  bird watching …..

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Beautiful Goldfinch

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Baltimore Oriole loves the color orange

and drinks the nectars also

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What happened to this little guy’s back end?

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Mystery Bird -Can anybody tell me what this is?

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Watched this hawk snatch a vole in my yard!!! Yeah!

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Hummingbirds always easy to attract.

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Coming in for a closer look.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

11 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

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Luxor Hotel Pictured Above

MARCH 2010 – TRULY, A ONE OF A KIND CITY !

 Hello!!!  I’m back!!   I have been traveling – and –   guilty of delinquent blogging.  Let’s see if I can catch up.  Vegas in March – weather is beautiful, just  a tad windy.  But nothing keeps the parade of crazies off the streets in Vegas.  I wish I had the nerve to photograph  and  publish pics of the people  so compelled to strut the Strip with their outrageous outfits and altered body parts. Also many Vegas tourists believe it is required to enjoy their 5th’s of Jack Daniels  ( right out of the bottle) as they stroll the Strip.  No wonder, you see so many  people crash into  light posts. Along with the entertaining tourists, there is  a  lot of  fun and interesting sights to see.  If you haven’t been to Las Vegas at least once in your life,  you are truly missing an unique experience.  Vegas  does have  gambling – but  that’s only a small part.  I’ve never dropped a quarter in a slot or even walked up to a table in a casino, but  I find Vegas  very  enjoyable  for 3-4 days with all of its theme- based and beautiful hotels, shows,  shopping, free entertainment and places to eat at any budget.  Plus its easy to walk to most everything but there is a monorail for those non walkers.

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Lots To See !

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Poppies at the Indoor  Bellagio  Garden

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 Lions are at the MGM Grand everyday.

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The Night Lights are Incredible!

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Elvis Sighting!

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Even M & M’s are Famous in Vegas!

Last Day in Venice, Italy

27 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

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St. Mark’s Square

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Well, Hello and Goodbye. This is my last day is Venice and the last official day of my European Adventure. I leave tomorrow, the 28th, for home.
Venice was beautiful again today, as I imagine it is everyday. Sunny and about 70 degrees. I tried my best to soak it all in. It was enjoyable to watch all the different boats and gondolas sharing the limited water space. It was also fun just to sit and watch the day go by, but, of course I didn’t sit for long, I prefer to wander down the narrow alleys and water ways, and over the little bridges and see just how lost I can get . I must be getting good at this- remembering where I have been – because I didn’t get lost this time.
So, as I reflect back – did I just have fun and see lots of interesting places , or did I learn anything from this Adventure? Wellllll…..maybe a few things – like Americans are way too stuffy. And, drying your clothes on the radiator will sometimes leave burn marks.
But that ok because after wearing the same 3 shirts for a month you want to burn them anyway. Always travel with ear plugs – you never know when your hotel might also have a night club that is open until 3:00 in the morning. If traveling by train in Europe, having a Rail Pass is the way to go – it just makes train travel that much easier ( and 1st class is the best).
Some of the greatest things are free and Skype is one of them. Most people respond to a smile.
Traveling for a month is a long time to be away from my kids, my friends, and my pups.
But its a big beautiful world out there and life is too short not to see as much of it as you can.
Enjoy the last of the photos and thanks for traveling with me!! Jeannie

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San Giorgio Church

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Going to Church by Boat

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Venice Side Street

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The Grand Canal

First Full Day in Venice, Italy

26 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

Monday, October 26, 2009

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Colorful Homes  in Burano

I’m in Venice ! 70 degrees and sunshine. Got to be one of the greatest places to people watch, boat and water watch, along with seeing the sights. What a wonderful day! I visited 2 little islands that sit very close to Venice – Murano, known for their glass making factories and Burano, known for their cute colored houses and their lace making. Murano glass is beautiful and they make anything from a life size figure of a clown, which I saw today, to earrings, to chandeliers. Murano has lots of glass shops and water front cafes to easily spend your day. They do frown upon you taking photographs of their creations, but Burano, on the other hand, enjoys being being in the viewfinder, or, LCD screen. Burano definitely has its own charm and its a fun place to wander around and just look. Its a bright and cheery and has a very interesting bell tower that is definitely leaning. But no one seems to be making a fuss about this one. 🙂
I also ventured into yet another church – Friar Church, and saw some incredible art work by Donatello and Bellini and others. Wish I knew the story behind these pieces being in this church – the history was there to read, of course, in Italian. But then, that’s why we have Google.

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After traveling for almost a month you start to see double.

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Laundry is a common sight.

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Leaning Tower of Burano

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Flowers You Don’t Have to Water.

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From Friar Church

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