As many of you know, I have cousins (cuzzins) living all across the US, and a few over the pond in Merry Olde England. Two of my favorites live on a "Farm" in Kentucky, just east of Winchester. They live atop a hill with a beautiful view of sunrise over the Blue Ridge and they share their 60+ acres with 1 horse, multiple cows, calves, and bulls, 2 dogs, and 2 cats (oh! and a mouse from time to time).
Every year they host a party to celebrate the Kentucky Derby. This is a party done right--with color-coordinated tableware, great food, and the companionship of wonderful family and friends. I have long wanted to attend but in past years work obligations kept me away. This year, being happily unemployed, I was able to go along with my good friend Bonnie and our very spoiled dogs--Daisy (TWMSD) and Cameron (TW2dMSD). They had a blast running around, and we're so glad neither chose this visit to roll in cow manure. (It's happened before.)
I was lucky enough to pick the winning horse (Super Saver)and won a whopping $39! (Almost paid for a tank of gas....).
I've got some great pictures, but can't get them to post right now. I'll try again later!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Going to the Zoo Zoo Zoo
A few weeks ago two friends and one of my "cuzzins" and I decided to spend Saturday at the North Carolina Zoo. By landmass, this is the largest zoo in North America and comprises two sections: the North American Pavilion and the Africa Pavilion. For the most part, the animals are kept in huge areas with vegetation similar to that of their natural habitat, and a visitor follows a long winding trail that loops through these areas. To walk both Pavilions is to walk 5 miles or so. We visited both areas on this day and had a picnic lunch in between. The Zoo is located near Asheboro, NC, which is about an hour and a half from where I live in Durham, NC. It was a beautiful day--perfect temperature, and we learned later that they had set an attendance record for that day--over 11,000 people joined us and the animals!
About the title of this post: a long long time ago my cousin Gary Olsen came back from Vietnam and gave many of his siblings and aunts and uncles an album called "The Compleat Tom Paxton." Many of us have learned the words to many songs on this album, most of which are anti-war songs. (Many of us have shared those lyrics in very off-tune renditions of these same songs to members of the unsuspecting public from time to time.) Years later, when Gary was dying, I tried to find that album on a CD. The closest I could find was "The Very Best of Tom Paxton," which included many of the songs from the album we all knew as well as a few new ones, including a children's song called "Going to the Zoo Zoo Zoo." One of my yet-to-be accomplished projects is to set pictures from our zoo trip to the music of this song. When I do, I'll post it here.
For now, please enjoy the pictures!
PS: Daisy, The World's Most Spoiled Dog, did NOT get to go on this trip. Don't tell her I blogged about it!
Gotta Get Back Into Blogging
It's been pointed out to me that I haven't blogged since December yet The World's Most Spoiled Dog and I have been traveling a lot. So I am going to try to catch up and share some of the interesting places we've visited. Since December we've been to Annapolis, Wilmington, NC (several times--great friends there!), Winchester, KY (great fiends and family, great Derby party!), Concord, NH (quite the birthday party for the 5-year-old princess-niece!), and the NC Zoo. Today we are in Hartwell, GA. Details on this and some of the previous trips in subsequent blogs!
Friday, December 11, 2009
First Night of Hanukkah
It's been just over a month since I last blogged. I have been busy getting re-settled at home, making two trips to see friends in Wilmington, NC (had a great Thanksgiving!), and now I'm in New Hampshire--without Daisy.
Daisy has been busy when we're at home playing with her old friend Cameron and her new friend Belle. We're leaving in 10 days for Annapolis to pick up Belle and her human and then drive to Memphis for Christmas and New Years.
Meanwhile, Daisy is in NC w/ Cameron's human and I'm in NH w/ my brother, sister-in-law, and niece and nephew. Tonight we will celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, and the kids are very excited. We have been told to hide their presents throughout the house so they can hunt for them. This should be fun. Good thing there are no nosy dogs here to "help."
The Hanukkah celebrations continue tomorrow with a big party at a friend's house involving lots of traditional food such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts). But first there is the annual Army-navy football game, and we will all be decked out in blue and gold, including the junk food! GO NAVY!
Daisy has been busy when we're at home playing with her old friend Cameron and her new friend Belle. We're leaving in 10 days for Annapolis to pick up Belle and her human and then drive to Memphis for Christmas and New Years.
Meanwhile, Daisy is in NC w/ Cameron's human and I'm in NH w/ my brother, sister-in-law, and niece and nephew. Tonight we will celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, and the kids are very excited. We have been told to hide their presents throughout the house so they can hunt for them. This should be fun. Good thing there are no nosy dogs here to "help."
The Hanukkah celebrations continue tomorrow with a big party at a friend's house involving lots of traditional food such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts). But first there is the annual Army-navy football game, and we will all be decked out in blue and gold, including the junk food! GO NAVY!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Heading Home
We'll take Unc to the airport in a few hours then meet up with an old friend. Then tomorrow we head HOME! Daisy and I will be glad to get home.
It's been a GREAT 9 weeks on the road! I've been trying to think of a top 10--and in no particular order, here are my initial thoughts:
1. Lewis and Clark--I still stand in awe of what they accomplished over 200 years ago.
2. Grand Canyon--nothing like it in the world.
3. State and US highways--NOT Interstates--you can see the US better from smaller roads.
4. US National Parks, Historic Sites, and Monuments--thanks to NPS and BLM for maintaining these beautiful and historic places.
5. Honda--my 2008 Accord has served us wonderfully through almost 14,000 miles of travel.
6. Naval Aviation--thanks to all who serve to keep us free.
7. Friends and family--it was great to visit with so many of you along the way. Wish I could have seen even more of you, and hope I will see all the Burkett clan at our reunion next summer.
8. LQ and other dog-friendly hotels--thanks for providing clean, comfortable, and safe places for us to stay.
9. Cracker Barrel--thanks for good food and great audio books to rent along the way.
10. Daisy--the World's Most Spiled Dog and best travel companion!
It's been a GREAT 9 weeks on the road! I've been trying to think of a top 10--and in no particular order, here are my initial thoughts:
1. Lewis and Clark--I still stand in awe of what they accomplished over 200 years ago.
2. Grand Canyon--nothing like it in the world.
3. State and US highways--NOT Interstates--you can see the US better from smaller roads.
4. US National Parks, Historic Sites, and Monuments--thanks to NPS and BLM for maintaining these beautiful and historic places.
5. Honda--my 2008 Accord has served us wonderfully through almost 14,000 miles of travel.
6. Naval Aviation--thanks to all who serve to keep us free.
7. Friends and family--it was great to visit with so many of you along the way. Wish I could have seen even more of you, and hope I will see all the Burkett clan at our reunion next summer.
8. LQ and other dog-friendly hotels--thanks for providing clean, comfortable, and safe places for us to stay.
9. Cracker Barrel--thanks for good food and great audio books to rent along the way.
10. Daisy--the World's Most Spiled Dog and best travel companion!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
More Travels with Daisy and Unc
It's 6 a.m. at NAS JAX, and Unc and I are on our computers while Daisy, TWMSD, stares at us trying to get us to feed her. Unc just gave her a cookie, on top of the popcorn I had just given her. You see why she is TWMSD.
Since New Orleans, we have been to NAS Pensacola where we saw the amazing National Museum of Naval Aviation. Then onto Athens, GA, to visit my aunt and uncle (Unc's sister and her husband). From there we went to Andersonville, GA, site of the infamous prison where the Confederates held over 30,000 Union soldiers, and also site of the National POW Museum. That museum provides a detailed view of American POWs from the Revolutionary War to the present, and the stories of bravery and fortitude of our many military personnel in the face of cruel and inhumane conditions are moving and remind of that FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.
Yesterday we came to NAS Jacksonville and are staying at the Navy Lodge. Today we'll go to St. Augustine to see the old city at the World Golf Hall of Fame.
It's been a great trip, and Daisy has been a great traveler. She really likes Unc's junk food, so we both have to go on a diet when we get home. We will put Unc on a flight home to Austin tomorrow then head home ourselves on Friday. We've been traveling 9 weeks--hard to imagine!
Since New Orleans, we have been to NAS Pensacola where we saw the amazing National Museum of Naval Aviation. Then onto Athens, GA, to visit my aunt and uncle (Unc's sister and her husband). From there we went to Andersonville, GA, site of the infamous prison where the Confederates held over 30,000 Union soldiers, and also site of the National POW Museum. That museum provides a detailed view of American POWs from the Revolutionary War to the present, and the stories of bravery and fortitude of our many military personnel in the face of cruel and inhumane conditions are moving and remind of that FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.
Yesterday we came to NAS Jacksonville and are staying at the Navy Lodge. Today we'll go to St. Augustine to see the old city at the World Golf Hall of Fame.
It's been a great trip, and Daisy has been a great traveler. She really likes Unc's junk food, so we both have to go on a diet when we get home. We will put Unc on a flight home to Austin tomorrow then head home ourselves on Friday. We've been traveling 9 weeks--hard to imagine!
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