#TuesdayTreasures Our National Parks

Good Morning,

Well we made it back to Louisiana Sunday afternoon and I must say, this has been the trip of a lifetime for me. We drove through 14 states and visited 15 National Parks.

If you've followed my west coast vacation, you'll see some of the places we visited. I'm not done though, we still have North Dakota and Minnesota.

Thursday I'll complete the blog posts on our west coast vacation with the last 3 National Parks we visited: Theodore Roosevelt in ND and Voyageurs & Isle Royale in MN.

However this morning I just wanted to say how much I've treasured this trip, our country and our nation's National Parks.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures Traveling

Good Morning Friends!

Yep, hard to believe but it IS the last Tuesday of August. Bad news, hurricane season is in full swing.

Good news, cooler weather is/should be right around the corner. Hopefully that'll keep the hurricanes off of us.

Anyway, my scheduled guest couldn't be here today so I'm going to share something I treasure with you.....

Traveling.

Although I hate to drag the roads (y'know, run errands all over town, etc), I love to travel. As I'm sure you've noted by previous posts about TX, OK, TN and other places I've been.

I love seeing new places, people and exploring cultures, customs, etc.

Thursday I'll be heading to South Carolina again. This time the plan is to visit North Carolina before returning home. Not sure if the trip back will be through TN or what. Guess it depends on how much fun we're having. :-)

I'll take plenty of pictures and share these experiences with you sometime later, but, speaking of traveling, AHA promo group created by Tina Gayle, is doing a #FallRomanticTravel blog exchange.

I'll be hosting friends and their books here on Tuesdays and Thursdays through early November, after which some will embark on the #HolidayRecipeandRomance exchange.

Not sure if I'll do both, but watch for the hashtag #FallRomanticTravel and this graphic and get ready for some great ideas for your future vacations!

I look forward to sharing these with you and hope to see you often during the exchange and of course, afterward for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless!

PamT

#TuesdayTreasure: Food, Fun, and Friends!

Good Morning and Welcome to the first Tuesday Treasure of December 2015!

Yeah...I can't believe it's December already either. Guess the old saying "time flies when you're having fun" applies ... at least to today's post.

Instead of fighting crowds and getting trampled looking for the 'perfect' gift on Black Friday, my dear friend Jerrie Abshire and I went to Natchitoches, LA otherwise known as "the city of lights" which was made even more famous by the film, Steel Magnolias.

Neither of us had ever been so we made a whole day of it and had a wonderful time! We ate portabella mushroom fries at Maglieaux's Restaurant...yeah if you like fried mushrooms, you'll love these!

What was really wonderful was running into another high school friend we knew! That's Jerrie on the right and Cheryl in the middle.

After lunch, we drove along the Cane River Heritage Trail and, although we did not actually "tour" the plantation homes along the trail, we did drive or walk through where we could. We also visited a couple of historic cemeteries and viewed all of the buildings where Steel Magnolias was filmed. We even saw the stars' stars engraved in the sidewalk around one of the filming sites. 

I'm not a very good photographer, so I missed out on getting pictures of a lot of these sites, however I did get a few...

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Here is a huge Christmas tree on the river that reminded me of the one I saw in New York last year and a Nativity display along the river  (best I could do from a moving car LOL)

We drove through that evening to see all the lights set up along the river and streets which were packed with cars and pedestrians. Parking was atrocious so we didn't get any photos but believe me it was beautiful!

Suffice it to say another trip to Natchitoches is in my future and Jerrie and I plan to take many more trips like these whenever the opportunity arises. But these memories are some I'll treasure forever.

Hope you enjoyed today's treasure!

Until next time...take care and God Bless.
PamT

#TuesdayTreasure: Guest Post by Jose Hood!

Good Morning Friends,

Last Tuesday I shared some memories from my vacation trip to SC, Savannah & Ocala, FL.

Well, today our guest, Jose Hood shares with us some great places to visit in Canada.....

Places You Should Absolutely Visit In Canada

Being the second largest country in the world, it is only natural that Canada has so much to offer to those who want to spend their vacations there. It has unique sites and wonderful landscapes, but can also offer that unique feel of vibrant cities. The natural beauties are very inspiring and the cities are culturally rich, which means that Canada has something for each visitor.

1.      Make Vancouver one of your destinations

Among the famous Canada tourist attractions we will definitely find Vancouver. Vancouver is well-known for the possibilities that are offered to those who love sports and appreciate beautiful landscape. You can choose to go skiing on Grouse Mountain or surfing at the wonderful Wreck Beach. Those of you who long for a day in the park should not miss the treasure of Vancouver, the Stanley Park. It is immense, having 405 hectares and it is placed in the center of the city, being close to other touristic attractions from this place. The park offers impressive views of the mountains and the city and is surrounded by the ocean. Apart from this natural beauty, Vancouver has plenty museums and markets that can be visited.

2.      The much appreciated Niagara Falls

Every publication that presents the attractive places that should be visited in Canada mentions the Niagara Falls. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions and millions of people decide to visit it every year. It is the perfect place to visit with your family, being sure that you will provide them with a memory that they will never forget. The falls drop about 57 meters and the view is amazing.

3.      Whistler – the perfect winter and summer destination

Located near Vancouver, this small village is a good choice for your family vacation. In the past, it was visited especially during winter, as it was a well-known ski resort. However, at present it has a lot to offer as a summer destination too. You can choose to have fun there mountain biking or you can include golf in your program.  This place was home to the Winter Olympic Games in 2010 and therefore it gained international attention. Now it is visited by people who come from all around the world and as a result people who live there constantly try to improve their offers. A lot of recreational activities are organized and the hotels and restaurants are of the best possible quality.

4.      The newest tourist attraction: a museum for human rights

Yes, that is right. It was opened in 2014 and since then we have the unique opportunity of visiting a museum about people and their stories. It is called the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and it focuses on personal stories and perspectives. The themes that are presented here are diverse and it is impossible to leave this place without a few points to think about. Certainly, the first thing that will impress you is the geometry of the building and the colors that are gathered there to represent Canada and its landscape.

Wow...I'd love to visit Canada, especially the Calgary, High River area where Heartland is filmed!

Hope you enjoyed today's treasure!
Until later, take care and God Bless!
PamT