I’m not an adventure traveler. So when I tell you that I went on the overnight mule ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, you should understand that I was way out of my comfort zone. It wasn’t my idea -- it was my father-in-law’s and he thought it would be a great experience. So, one lovely day we headed over from Las Vegas, spent the night in a cabin at Bright Angel and prepared for our journey the next morning. ... Read More

The Festival of the Bluegrass will be held June 10-13 near Lexington, Kentucky.  It‘s the 37th year of the festival and I’ve attended five of them -- one back in the 70s and then the other four over the last ten years.  Besides the music, what I enjoy most is the opportunity to see my friends and family and to spend time outdoors.  Sadly, most of my life is spent indoors and I love to have the freedom to just sit outside and enjoy the day. ... Read More

When I went to Chicago several years ago I got a glimpse of Millennium Park in Chicago from my bus window and it looked intriguing. When I went back last weekend, it was on my must-see list. I’m not sure why. I’m not a huge fan of modern architecture, but I still wanted to see how it looked in person.

My son, who lives in Chicago, was showing my husband and me the sights. ... Read More

When my husband and I spent the weekend with our son in Chicago a couple of weeks ago we asked him to show us the sights, and he suggested the Architecture River Cruise offered by the Chicago Architecture Foundation on The First Lady.  The weather was great so a river cruise sounded like a wonderful idea. 

The cruise departs from a dock down a steep staircase from the corner of Wacker and Michigan.   Seats are on the top deck and you can choose your own.  It seemed to me that all the seats had an equally good... Read More

If you have read some of my other blogs you know that my son lives in Chicago near Wrigley Field.  On a recent weekend he showed us around his neighborhood.  It was a game weekend so honestly most of what I saw was wall-to-wall people.  What I really enjoyed was dining in the local neighborhood restaurants.  Our first night we had a traditional Chicago deep-dish pizza at D’Agostino’s at 1351 West Addison.   This is a casual restaurant without a lot of frills.  The... Read More

Is there a pot of gold at the end of a moonbow?

One afternoon while visiting relatives in Corbin, Kentucky, we decided to have lunch at the Dupont Lodge at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.  From most tables you have a lovely view of the Cumberland River and outside the windows are feeders to attract the resident birds and delight the diners. The food was plentiful and enjoyable.  I had catfish and the usual array of buffet vegetables, salad fixings, green beans, mashed potatoes and some yummy hush puppies. One person in our group ordered a Kentucky favorite – A Hot Brown (a... Read More

     Baseball has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’m a fan of baseball, but admit that my team loyalties have varied.  In my youth, my hometown’s proximity to Cincinnati led me to become a Red’s fan. In those days, we rooted for Vada Pinson and Cookie Rojas. I knew everyone’s batting average and listened to most games on the radio.  I never saw a game at Crosley Field (home for the Reds from 1912 to 1970), but was able to attend a couple at Riverfront Stadium. (The Cincinnati Reds now play at The Great American Ballpark.)  I have... Read More

     Nashville is something of a paradox—it’s both musical and historical, kitschy and refined. I guess what you find is what expectations you bring to the city. We’ll see what that says about me.  I love this city and I try to visit at least once a year.  I usually stay downtown in a hotel just off Broadway.  Let me walk you through my typical first afternoon and evening in Nashville.

When I get to Nashville the first thing I do is take the short walk to Broadway and head for the Ernest Tubb Record Shop. The shop has been open for 61 years.... Read More