Uncategorized | Jeannie's Travel Addiction

BIGGEST WEEK IN AMERICA BIRDING FESTIVAL in Oak Harbor, OHIO

16 Jul 2023 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: Greatest Birding Week, Oak Harbor, Ohio, Warblers in migration

There are 50 species of warblers in the United States. In May, 2023 I attended “ The Biggest Week in America Birding” festival in Oak Harbor, Ohio. This festival , in particular, is best for seeing warblers . Of the several different areas I searched to find these famous warblers, my best luck was at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area , which is located in the Ohio wetlands. Magee has a wonderful wooden boardwalk, with railings, through these wetlands. These wetlands, btw, are within walking distance to Lake Erie.

I had a wonderful time! I have always found other Birders to be friendly and helpful which always adds to a birding adventure. I was awestruck with the birds, the landscape and the vegetation!! Warblers are small birds, colorful, unique and fast!!! I saw a lot more birds than I could actually catch in a photo. Some of the birds I saw, I had to borrow a photo from the internet for you to see how beautiful they are!!! Enjoy!!!

“You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.”

Great advice from Dr Seuss!!! From his book ” Oh the Places You’ll Go”

Thanks for reading!!! Hope you Enjoyed!!!

CHIHULY EXHIBIT at Missouri Botanical Gardens Summer 2023

04 Jul 2023 2 Comments

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: Chihuly art, Missouri Botanical Gardens

Chihuly glass art and flowers??? What more can you want??? Dale Chihuly’s work is stunningly beautiful, especially when it it is set among the plants and flowers at the Gardens. Go see it and soak in all the beauty!! It will renew your soul. : )

“I must have flowers, always, and always.”
― Claude Monet

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!!

SPRINGTIME 2023 at Missouri Botanical Gardens

03 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: Missouri Botanical Gardens

As we settle into the warm days of summer, these photos are gentle reminders of the colorful spring time that is now behind us, but oh, what a lovely spring it was!!

“Bloom where you are planted “

( 1Corinthians 7:20-24 )

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

MISSOURI STATE FAIR in Sedalia, MO – Aug. 2022

24 Aug 2022 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: Missouri State Fair 2022, Otto the talking car, Trails End Monument

The Missouri State Fair started in 1901 in Sedalia, Missouri and has been a great hit ever since. This was my first time at the fair and I had a wonderful time! Besides myself, over 330,000 people attended throughout the 10 day period. The animals (especially the petting zoo) and the 4H display of decorated cakes were my favorites but there was lots to enjoy!!! The fair also offers concerts, exhibits and competitions of animals, homemade crafts, shows, many food stands/restaurants and much more. Here is a sampling of what I particularly liked…..

Enjoy a Meet & Greet with Otto . Otto is a replica of a 1931 Model A Ford which was the same model that the Missouri Highway Patrol used back in the day. Otto was introduced at the state fair in 1969 and he’s been blinking, sneezing, honking and talking to folks ever since.

The last photo is the “Trails End ” monument which commemorates the cattle drive and towns at the “end of the trail”. It features life-size bronze sculptures of a cowboy herding longhorn cattle along the Sedalia branch of the Shawnee Trail. It celebrates the spirit of the cowboy and the can-do attitude associated with our midwestern heritage. It also features full size replicas of a 1870s cattle car, water tower, windmill and locomotive set in a landscape of native prairie grasses and flowers. It is an incredible monument to see!!!

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed !

Just a reminder – you can click on each photo for a bigger version.

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt

Newton, Iowa has to be mentioned regarding Pella’s Tulip Time Festival.

17 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: Cardinal Corner

Newton, Iowa is a cute, quiet little town 20 minutes outside of Pella, IA .
While visiting Pella’s Tulip Time Festival, Newton’s Best Western Hotel was home for 3 nights. Just wanted to show you a few of the sights and murals in town and also highly recommend, Cardinal Corner, an yummy ice cream shop should you ever find yourself in Newton.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

Thanks for reading!

Hope you enjoyed!

THE VERMEER WINDMILL MINIATURE DISPLAY in Pella, Iowa

17 Jul 2022 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized

The Vermeer Windmill was designed and built by Lukas Verbij in the Netherlands. Then the mill was de-assembled, shipped to Iowa, and re-assembled here in Pella in 2002. The windmill has 2 rooms at the base for living quarters and has five floors, including the deck outside where you can watch the giant blades as they sweep around and enjoy views of Pella and the Historical Village .
The tour of the windmill also includes a stop at the Miniature Village. This Miniature Village of Holland in the 1840’s, began in 1938 as a work study project for students at Pella’s community schools and Central College. Many volunteers have since spent countless hours working on it. The display is full of detail and depicts all four seasons. Very fascinating!!!

I highly recommend a trip to Pella’s Tulip Time Festivals in the future. You won’t be disappointed!

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!

HISTORICAL PELLA, IOWA at the 2022 Tulip Time Festival

17 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: Pella's historical village

The Historical Village ( a collection of 22 buildings) and Vermeer Windmill has preserved Pella’s history . This village is interesting, beautifully kept and touring it is a fun way to learn about the town’s past. The Vermeer Windmill is functional and still grinds grain. Wyatt Earp’s boyhood home is in the village and has very interesting chronological records of Earp’s life. Among other things, there is a church, a farm house, a Dutch bakery, a blacksmith shop, a werkplaats ( where wooden shoes are made), a sod house, and the Heritage Hall which is full of Dutch memorabilia. The top floor of the Windmill has a miniature display of a Netherlands Village as depicted the 1840’s which can be seen when you take the tour. My next blog will show photos of this incredible miniature displa. Besides the Village, there are other points of interest in Pella to see, such as the Klokkenspel which plays music and has mechanical figures that move at certain times of the day. A 1882 Firehouse displays an antique fire engine and also has an old, cold, desolate jail . The Tuttle Cabin is the oldest building in Pella and, down a short path, is the Sunken Garden Park, home to another windmill and a pond in the shape of a wooden shoe. There is more than I can list here. Of course ,there are also colorful tulips every way you turn! I fell in love with Pella the moment I arrived and loved it more and more by the time I had to head for home.

Thanks for reading!

Hope you enjoyed!!

TULIP TIME FESTIVAL PARADE, 2020

17 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized

Everyone loves a parade and Dutch parades at the Tulip Time Festival in Pella Iowa were incredible!

Here is just a brief sampling:

Parades are an opportunity to be a kid again. Don’t miss out!!

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

CHARMING DOWNTOWN PELLA during the TULIP FESTIVAL, 2022

17 Jul 2022 1 Comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: Pella Iowa

The photos of downtown Pella will speak for themselves. What a wonderful town and the magic of the Tulip Festival will stick with me forever !

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Hope you enjoyed!!

Thanks for reading!!

TULIP TIME FESTIVAL 2022 in PELLA, IOWA

17 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

by jeannieadams in Uncategorized Tags: Pella Iowa, Tulip Time Festival

The first weekend in May, 2022, Pella, Iowa celebrated its 35th Tulip Time Festival and I knew I had to be there!!
Pella, Iowa was settled by Dutch immigrants from the Netherlands in 1847. They settled in Marion County, Iowa, on the divide between the Des Moines and Skunk Rivers. They called their new home Pella, the name taken from a biblical city of refuge. Over the years Pella has grown into a thriving town and community. Today many of the grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren of those original settlers still live in Pella.
Pella’s Tulip Time Festival was truly enchanting!! Their town square is full of Dutch architecture and it is as clean as can be. They didn’t get the nick name of ” scrubby Dutch” for nothing . : ) The people were friendly, there was a lot to see and explore, parades twice a day, plenty of food (my favorite called the Pella cheeseburger, was a thick slice of grilled bologna and a slice of melted Gouda chees on a bun. Delicious!!!!). There was plenty of parking and Johnny on the spots everywhere. All within walking distance of each other. But best of all – the tulips!!! 350,000 tulips!!!! No matter where you walked, there was beautiful tulips! I have never seen a festival so beautiful and organized as Tulip Time. But enough of the reading… here comes the tulips!!!