MY WORLD, MY WAY, TODAY

Spring 2007

2007-04-22T15:46:00.000-05:00

I can't imagine a more perfect weekend in April. The weather has been sunny in the temps in the 70s. My entire weekend was spent outdoors and planting all my beautiful plants for my deck. I know there are a lot of frosty mornings left for Pennsylvania but I just could't resist.

It won't be long until we'll all enjoying the outdoors and taking in all the beautiful Pennsylvania craft festivals and annual events. Would you like to see a preview of what's coming? Just click on the link I provided and get a glimpse of the many Pennsylvaina outdoor activities.

http://pennsylvania-mountains-of-attractions.com/PA-festivals.html

Hope to see you there!

Summer is about to begin!

2006-05-26T12:03:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed, Summer is about to begin! With so many thing to do here in Pennsylvania it's hard to make a choice. Hmmmm, should I go to the flea market, DelGrosso Park, Lakemont Park, or how about a drive-in theater? My list is only the beginning for this long Memorial Day weekend.

You could check out my website and see all the Pennsylvania attractions!

If you can't decide which direction to go, why not try Choose-It...it's a brand new program that helps you make all those tough choices. It's not an old 8 ball. It's not some come on to buy a better program. It's totally FREE! Nobody is going to ask for your name or email address. You can play with it as much as you want, the answers really come from you.

Just click on the link below to get started. Then click on Choose-It..It could make a difference in your life!

A Buffalo Ranch...Only In MY World Today!

2006-05-25T00:11:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you rode past a buffalo ranch? It's really pretty fascinating. Have you ever tasted buffalo meat? You can, you know. You can even buy some to take home with you. Hmmm, I'll bet your wondering where this ranch is. Well, you'll have to visit my website to find out. I'll even show you a huge coffee pot, that just might be bigger than your house!

While you're there, try the new Choose It program, it's free, and easy to use. You just might be able to figure out some answers to what is on your mind this weekend.

Spring Is Just Around The Corner!

2006-03-17T14:02:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Spring is just about here. Even though we have four beautiful seasons here in Pennsyvania, the past winter was nothing to brag about. Just cold enough to keep ourselves indoors but uneventful enough to keep us from enjoying the many attractions.

Speaking of attractions. This Sat. March 18th, 2006, the Mishler Theater will be presenting "Tribute To Groucho Marx." Frank Ferrante will be putting on a one man show. The show starts at 8pm and I can't wait to be there.

Some people are a bit leary about attending shows at the Historic Mishler Theater. They say it's haunted! Do you believe in ghosts? Hmmm, well, I do, and I have proof that our dear Mishler Theater is haunted. If you'd like to read about it, click on the link in the right column, Pennsylvania Mountains of Attractions, then click on Haunted PA, there you can read all about the ghosts hauntings in Pennsylvania, including the Mishler Theater, and Mr. Isaac Mishler himself.

LET'S GO STEELERS!

2006-01-22T00:21:00.000-05:00

LET'S GO ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPERBOWL!

BRING HOME THE BOWL OF ORANGES JOEPA!

2006-01-04T01:15:00.000-05:00

What a game! Went into 3 over times, 4 1/2 hour game, final score 24-23 Penn State!

If you missed this game, you missed the game of the year.

We are Penn State Proud!

PENN STATE AT THE ORANGE BOWL!

2005-12-31T13:52:00.000-05:00

It's coming! The biggest game of the year, at least for Pennsylvania. Well, for us Penn State fans. My son is a student at Penn State and we couldn't be more proud.

Our Penn State made it to the Orange Bowl!

Coach JoePA made coach of the year!

Phew lots of exclamations marks here!

Good Luck Penn State! You can bring it home!

Oh! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

ENJOY NEW YEARS EVE WITH YOUR FAMILY!

2005-12-28T00:29:00.000-05:00

First Night 2006 in State College, PA allows families to enjoy the first night of the year together. Enjoy carriage rides, sled rides, and beautiful ice sculptures throughout the night. And best of all, enjoy a Fireworks Display at midnight!

Take your family out for the night and say,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2005-12-22T11:29:00.000-05:00

I'd like to say a Very Merry Chrismas to all that has been following my blog. The pictures are of Lakemont Parks, 9th annual Lights On The Lake celebration. The ice sculpture really sets the mood for the upcoming holidays. There is still plenty of time to take the tour, they keep the light display until January 8th.

I realize I haven't had a lot of posts on my blog lately. That's because I've been working very hard on my website. I've been learning a lot these past three months, thanks to SBI. I'm learning to build a business that will give me income through the passion I have with the mountains of Pennsylvania and the many attractions enjoyed throughout the year.

During the holiday season SBI is offering a fantastic opportunity to anyone that is interrested in building a website and building a home based business. But this offer will expire at midnight Christmas. You can now buy one website and get one free. This gives anybody the opportunity to share this offer with a friend or possibly build two websites. I can't imagine a more ideal gift than buying yourself a website and giving one to your spouse or a member of your family. You will not only be giving them a Christmas gift you'll be giving them the opportunity to build a liftetime home business.

Just click on the Sitesell icon I have listed on the right to get all the details. There is absolutely no obligation to buy anything. At least give yourself the opportunity to find out what Sitesell has to offer. Why not start your New Year's resolution with the committment to build a business of your own? Aren't you tired of making the same resolutions year after year? Make 2006 the year you make that resolution that will change your life!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Civil War Soldiers Story of "Taps"

2005-11-28T18:58:00.000-05:00

Read an inspiring story of a Civil War soldier who discover the notes to "Taps" in a dead soldiers pocket.

Read the entire story at;

http://www.pennsylvania-mountains-of-attractions.com/civil-war-soldier.html

A Special Military Poem

2005-11-25T23:20:00.000-05:00

I have just posted a very special military poem on my website, check it out at;

http://www.pennsylvania-mountains-of-attractions.com/military-poem.html

TOP 10 PENN STATE PROUD

2005-11-19T19:30:00.000-05:00

JOEPA! COACH OF THE YEAR!!!!!

THE WALL THAT HEALS AND VIET NAM CASUALTIES

2005-11-19T17:28:00.000-05:00

Read about The Wall that heals. The Viet Nam Memorial replica is located in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Read about it at:

http://www.pennsylvania-mountains-of-attractions.com/Viet-Nam-Memorial.html

Happy Veterans Day!

2005-11-11T23:09:00.000-05:00

Enjoy the Wall That Heals!

Ghostly Tales About Altoona's Historical Mishler Theater

2005-11-02T16:52:00.000-05:00

There are many ghostly tales about central Pennsylvania. Read the ghostly tales about the Mishler Theater. Visit my website at:

http://www.pennsylvania-mountains-of-attractions.com./ghostly.html

Altoona Railroaders Museum Ghost Tour

2005-10-28T23:30:00.000-05:00

Would you like to read about the Altoona Railroad Museum Ghost Tour I went on? Visit my website at:

http://www.pennsylvania-mountains-of-attractions.com

ALL SAINTS DAY TOUR!

2005-10-22T22:03:00.000-05:00

In tradition of Halloween and All Saints Day. The community of Loretto, Pennsylvania, gather together to offer a tour of the Sunken Gardens, and Father Gallitzin's tomb. The tour is led by people dressed as saints and tell the history behind what has made them saints. You will learn the history of Father Gallitzin and the first Catholic colony in central Pennsylvania in 1795.

This tour isn't recommended for children under 8 yrs. old. Wear comfortable shoes and warm clothing. Food and t-shirts are for sale.

Enjoy a very old tradition that will make you think of Halloween in a whole different way. Another part of My World, My Way, Today

HAUNTED PENNSYLVANIA! DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?

2005-10-19T15:40:00.000-05:00

People ask me many times if we have ghosts in PA. Rumer has it, we do.

Well, this Friday night I'll be attending a Ghost Hunt in the Railroaders Museum. I'll let you know the facts. You can decide.

WE ARE PENN STATE PROUD!!!!

2005-10-08T22:57:00.000-05:00

GO JOEPA!!!!!!!!!

ART COMES IN MAY FORMS-ENJOY MY WORLD TODAY

2005-09-18T12:42:00.000-05:00

The first annual Lakemont Park festival was held on September 9th through the 11th. It was a great success. I am always amazed by the imagination that goes into the creations by our local artist. The wooden stump was sculptured by an electric saw. And the pumpkin was hand carved. The attention to detail is what makes these works of art unique.

A BRAND NEW WORK OF ART!

2005-09-14T10:54:00.000-05:00

We are getting a new mural in downtown Altoona. Artist Pam Snyder has been working on her mural for the last couple of months. This mural will be on display on the former Shirley's Shoes building across the street from the Heritage Plaza. Her mural will also carry the railroad theme along with an historical scene of city life.

MY WORLD IS FULL OF ART AND TALENTED ARTISTS

2005-09-04T14:28:00.000-05:00

Take a stroll along 11th Avenue in downtown Altoona. You'll be amazed at the artwork you will find. From museums to murals there is something to interest everybody.

Altoona recently inducted five members into the Blair County Arts Hall of Fame. Abe Ajay for Visual Arts, John Monti for Arts Leadership/Arts Patron, Aline Wolf, for Literary Arts, Mike Reid, for Performing Arts, and Penn State Altoona for, Public Art. We couldn't be more proud of our talented artists.

ART ALONG THE AVENUE

2005-08-19T17:52:00.000-05:00

Downtown Altoona buildings are full of history, art, and imagination. The art on the buildings are done by local artist. These artists volunteer their time and talent to our community. Once a month one artist in our area is recognized in our public library.

The nutcracker painting is on the side of an old building that use to be a nut shop. On the bottom is says, INTOWN ALTOONA, NUTS TO YOU! The artist was not only talented but had a great sense of humor. The second painting is a replica of a train. The symbol of Altoona.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ALTOONA!

2005-08-14T21:04:00.000-05:00

A lot of people ask me where the name Altoona generated from. The word altoona is derived from the Cherokee word "Allatoona", which means, "the high lands of great worth."

I guess that is why the railroad decided to build one of the biggest railroads in the world here. The city of Altoona was built around the railroad. It was one of the most important rail lines in the northeast. During WWII the German's had Altoona marked as one of the top 10 sites in the United States to bomb. They knew if they could have accomplished this it would have crippled the United States and possibly won WWII.

The railroad has changed hands and changed names many times. During my lifetime it went from PRR (Pennsylania Railroad), to Conrail, and now known as Norfolk Southern. There's a lot of history in this old city and it's railroad. Many immigrants from Ireland, Italy, and Germany settled here and take great pride in building the railroad. Even run away slaves from the south have roots here, all because of the railroad boom. If it wouldn't have been for the railroad through Pennsylvania the north might have lost the Cival War.

Today, Norfolk Southern is thriving and hiring many new workers, especially since the gas prices are so high. Industeries are finding it's much cheaper to ship by rail than pay the truckers fuel charges to ship merchandise.

THE LEGEND OF THE TEXAS HOT DOG-ANOTHER PART OF MY WORLD

2005-08-10T23:25:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how many hot dog shops across the United States has their own special recipe. Each area swears they have the best hot dog, along with the best fixins. But I can tell you first hand, Texas Hot Dogs are the best!

One of our favorite places to take out-of-towner's, is to sample one of our famous Texas Hot Dogs. We have several shops across Blair County. Well, actually it's the sauce that makes the Texas Hot Dog so famous. If you like a spicy dish, just order with everything on them. You'll get a great tasting hot dog on a steamed bun, with mustard, secret sauce, and lots of onions. There is a legend behind these hot dogs.

As the legend goes, back in the 1950's, the original owner of the Texas Hot Dogs had a real gold mine. Back then, two hot dogs, with everything on them, and a coke sold for 35 cents. The sauce recipe was kept a family secret for many years. One day the owner got into a big poker game. He was losing big money before he bet the secret family recipe. As luck would have it, he lost the recipe to his brother. Along with a promise that he would never use the recipe again, or tell anyone else the recipe. Needless to say, this caused a family fued. The poker winner opened his own Texas Hot Dog with the famous recipe. Years later the original owner changed the recipe slightly and opened a second Texas Hot Dog. Now we have a total of 4 Texas Hot Dog Shops located in different area's of Altoona, and in Tipton. All with a slightly different sauce recipe. The picture I have here is the one located on 12th Avenue, downtown Altoona. This one was made famous last year when the Ghost Hunters from the Sci-Fi channel were in town. It's located near the famous Mishler Theater, known to be haunted. Although, Ghost Hunters couldn't prove the theater was haunted, they did enjoy some Texas Hot Dogs before going home.

CICADA INVASION IN MY WORLD TODAY!

2005-08-06T12:59:00.000-05:00

I am not having my way, in my world today! The steady heat and dryness is causing the cicadas to migrate into the city. The shrillness of their unforgettable sounds, while calling their mates, can be deafening. The sounds travel in waves across many kilometers.

Cicadas are also known as 13 year, and 17 year, locusts. After mating, the female cuts slits into the twigs of trees before she inserts her eggs. One cicada can lay as many as 600 eggs. The nymphs, (young cicada's) hatch in about six weeks and drop to the ground, then work their way a few centimeters into the soil. They feed on the sap of tree roots. The years to maturity, depends on their species. When mature they climb up the tree trunk. One tree can hold as many as tens of thousands in a Forrest. No doubt, each one of my trees are holding it's limit.

Altoona is surrounded by Forrest. I have 7 trees on my property, let alone the many trees of my neighbors. Needless to say, once the sun goes down, and the mating begins, we are driven inside our homes just to be able to hold a normal conversation. It's upsetting because one of my favorite things to do after supper, enjoy a hot cup of coffee with dessert while sitting on our deck and watch the sunset.

These pictures were taken a few evenings ago, from my deck. Isn't it amazing how the sun is reflecting through the clouds? In one picture you can see the steeple of St. Mary's Church. The other picture shows the Cathedral Church, and our Gospel Hill Flag. I'm sorry I couldn't get a few pictures of the cicadas. They are camouflaged in the trees. You don't hear them or see them during the daylight.

ALTOONA'S NATIONAL TOUR DE TOONA WINNERS!

2005-08-01T16:55:00.000-05:00

The Altoona Criterium Sunday's race results are finally in. The 30 one-mile laps for both men and women stage winners are: Greg Henderson and Tina Pic. The overall winners: Scott Moninger and Genevieve Jeanson. In the woman's race Genevieve Jeanson won by one second! Congratualtions to All!

TOUR DE TOONA BUZ IN ALTOONA

2005-07-31T22:08:00.000-05:00

Downtown Altoona, Pennsylvania, was all about The International Tour De Toona. The streets were lined with spectators while the cyclists did laps along 11th and 12th Avenue. The men's teams started at 11:A.M followed by the women's team's at 2:00 P.M. The hot summer sun was a real challange for the cyclists. Plenty of volunteers were present keeping them hydrated and safe.

Yesterday, Marina Jauantre, came in first place in the Women's Blair County Road Race. While Scott Moninger, came in first place in the Pro Men's. The steep mountain roads with a distance of 92.9 miles was a real challenge for both.

The pictures were taken in downtown Altoona today. I was able to get a few good shots of the women cyclists. I couldn't resist a few snap shots of one of the cyclists cars with all the advertisements painted all over it. I'll try to post tomorrow who won the races today. It was way too hot for me to stand out in that sun and wait on the results. HA!

TOUR DE TOONA - ANOTHER PART OF MY WORLD, TODAY

2005-07-28T18:42:00.000-05:00

Twelve years ago, Lance Armstrong, was here racing his bike along side many of the best bike riders across the world. This year he went on to win his seventh straight Tour De France victory.

Even though the tournament isn't as big and notable as Tour De France, our community is extremely proud of the notoriety we get. This year is our 19th annual race. Many of the bikers that travel from all over the world to race in Tour De Toona brag about our challenging mountain trails. Our July weather is perfect to condition the many riders. Our community pulls together and volunteers to keep the many riders hydrated and safe. We have almost 700 cyclists this year competing in the men and woman's tournaments. Each day they race in a new area of central Pennsylvania. The trials were started in downtown Altoona on Monday evening. They moved on to Johnstown Tuesday for a 67 mile race. Wednesday they found themselves in Hollidaysburg. On to Martinsburg tomorrow. I hope to have some pictures to post soon.

HOMELAND SECURITY AT THE POW WOW

2005-07-21T08:38:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things to do at the Pow Wow is looking at all the beautiful jewelry, dream catchers, t-shirts, and hand made beaded trinkets. This is the prime income of many Native Americans. As you can see from the pictures the merchandise is top quality and unique in many ways. The jewelry is made from gold, silver, copper, and beads, many with precious stones. I collect t-shirts and this t-shirt I just couldn't resist. In case you can make out what is says, "HOMELAND SECURITY - FIGHTING TERRORISM SINCE 1492." What a message! Please excuse my big nose. (smile)

NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT THE POW WOW

2005-07-20T14:17:00.000-05:00

You can see the pride in the faces of the beautiful Native American women and children. As I strolled through DelGrosso park that day I couldn't help but notice how the families were enjoying the rides and refreshments as much as anybody. They travel far across the country to share their wealth of wisdom and traditions with people all over the country. They never hesitate to take the time to stop and talk and pose for a picture. It breaks my heart to read the history books and know what our government has done to the many tribes across our nation. You would be amazed to talk to them while looking into their eyes, you can see the hurt is still there, yet they are so forgiving. All they ask is that you try to understand their traditions and allow them to exist.

A FARMERS MARKET PARADISE-MY WORLD, MY WAY, TODAY

2005-07-16T09:24:00.000-05:00

My world is in central Pennsylvania. We are spoiled with the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables offered at the many Farmer's Markets. Have you ever eaten corn picked fresh from the field that morning? How about blueberries, blackberries, cherries, red raspberries? I can't imagine a summer lunch without a big juicy fresh picked tomato. Most people these days depend on buying their produce from the super markets. The produce is picked before it is ripe and shipped across the country in trucks. Not only do you lose most of the flavor, but also most of the vitamins. Consumers have no idea what insecticides and preservatives they are digesting into their bodies everyday. Yes, we're spoiled here in central Pennsylvania with our fresh grown organic produce, but our growing season don't last long. Yet, if you can buy yourself a freezer and pressure cooker, you can preserve all that produce to last through the long winters. And come September and October you can buy bushels of produce for a fraction of the cost.

Is your mouth watering looking at the huge ear of corn, with lots of butter, salt and pepper? We bought this corn off the back of a farmers truck, he picks the corn that morning and parks in front of K-Mart everyday. Many farmers just sit up a roadside stand. Every Thursday and Saturday we have a farmers market in our downtown area. A great place to mingle with the community and support our local farmers.

FOLLOW ME, I AM ON A MYSTERY TOUR!

2005-07-13T12:50:00.000-05:00

If you ever see a sign posted on the rear window of a vehicle reading, "Follow Me, I'm On A Mystery Tour", don't hesitate to follow them, you just might be in for a pleasant journey. One of my favorite things to do is go on a mystery tour. In our area we look forward to a mystery tour every month from spring into fall.

It amazes me that most people I talk to have no idea what a mystery tour is. We just pick up the tour papers at our local tourist center each month, it's totally free, along with some surprise snacks to enjoy during the trip. Each tour has a theme, directions, and mileage to each stop along the way. You never know where you might end up. It usually takes about 6 hours to complete the tour. The only expense along with your gas is you might be visiting a museum, cave, or park, and most sites are discounted for the tour. You can always expect to be directed to a restaurant in an area, but you can also bring along a picnic and save on the expense.

The picture I'm showing is a mystery tour we took last summer that took us in the Lewisburg, PA area. We found a really nice lake with boating and swimming area. We visited the snack bar there and enjoyed a cold drink. It was really hot that day and since we weren't expecting to go swimming we just jumped into the lake clothes and all. Our next stop was at a dairy. Needless to say we enjoyed a huge ice cream cone. Check out the cow they have displayed. Those kids you see are my son and grandson's. We built some wonderful memories that day.

My World, My Way, Today, At The Drive-In Theater

2005-07-09T10:24:00.000-05:00

Today I'd like to share another part of My World, My Way, Today at the drive-in theater. It amazes me so many people I have talked to online has never experienced watching a good movie at a drive-in t. Back in the 50's, 60's, and 70's, the drive-in were booming. At one time there were over 4,000 drive-in theater's across the United States. Today there are only about 400. In our area we are lucky enough to have 2 drive-in's within a 30 mile drive from where we live. One in Carroltown, PA, and the other in Portage, PA. The teenagers today have no idea how much fun you can have at a drive-in. Oh, the romance! It was always a great place to park and party with your friends. I can't think of a better place to take your family, kids love it, and can fall asleep in the back seat when they get cranky. You can always take a cooler and snacks along with you. But the refreshment stand has just about anything you desire. These days we need to cater to the refreshment stands because the movies are costing them so much to show that their only profit comes from our purchases.

The picture I'm showing here is from our last visit to the Carroltown, PA, drive-in. We were there July 3, 2005. We went to see "War Of The World's", with Tom Cruise. If you think that movie is frightening, see it at a drive-in. Just as the lightening bolts were coming down in the movie, a picnic at a firehall about 1/2 mile up the road from us was setting off fireworks. Needless to say, it creeped me out. Drive-in's always have a second feature. That night, "The Longest Yard" was playing. I really didn't think I would want to stay so late, it didn't seem like my kind of movie. Once it started it was the perfect movie to watch before taking the ride through the dark mountian roads to get home. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I laughed. We finally got home at 2:00 A.M..

Tomorrow we'll be going on a Mystery Tour. Another part of my world. Curious what a Mystery Tour is? I'll be telling you about it on my next post.

Do you have a piece of your world you'd like to share? You can always post it here.

Keep your thoughts peaceful!

Summer Thunder Now A Memory -On To Monteral

2005-07-07T13:11:00.000-05:00

Summer Thunder, 2005, met up to all the hype and expectations. My pictures couldn't possibly do them justice. Along with the fireworks came a stream of mixed emotions. Memories of the July 4th's that have passed and the people I spent that holiday with that are no longer with me. The Delgrosso family always honors our military as we share a moment of silence to honor our hereos that gave their lives for our country. What makes Summer Thunder so special is the music that is synchronized to the various forms of fireworks. Of course we couldn't resist munching on pizza and cotton candy.

I'm looking forward to sharing another part of My World, My Way, Today, on my next post.

My prayers are with the people in London today. The terrorist strick has brought back so many memories of our 911 attack. These are the kind of things I try very hard to block out of my world.

Hoping peace will soon be the common way of everybodys world.

COUNTDOWN-4 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER THUNDER 2005

2005-06-30T21:21:00.000-05:00

In my last post I explained about Summer Thunder. "Prelude To Montreal - Summer Thunder 2005." I promised to tell you where it will be held. Only in one of my favorite places in my world. Delgrosso's Amusement Park, located in Tipton, Pennsylania.

This park is owned by the Delgrosso family. It's been in operation for over 50 years. You may have heard of the wonderful spaghetti sauce and meatballs they manufacture. What I love about this park is the family atmosphere, you feel right at home the minute you walk inside the park. They have free parking, free admission, and you can't beat the price of the all day ride passes. They even offer a $3.00 coupon on their sauce jars. The food is unbelievable. All made from italian family recipes. My favorites are their pizza and hoagies. Every Wednesday is Spaghetti Wendesday. You can always get an order of spaghetti and their own meatballs topped with their Delgrosso sauce. But they also offer a different special every Wednesday, one might be Gnocchi's and meatballs, lasagna, chicken with penne pasta and alfrado sauce, it's all homemade and delicious.

They have rides, waterworks rapids, a speedway, and miniture golf course. They offer a free concert every month during the summer, and antique car shows. In July they have a Native American Pow Wow.

Another favorite time for me to spend at Delgross's Park is during Harvestfest. Venders come from all over the country displaying and selling their art work. You'll see homemade apple butter boiling in the cast iron pot over an open fire, ham and bean soup, honey, homemade rugs and clothes. Way too much to even mention here.

I hope you are enjoying parts of my world, my way, today. I'll try to keep you posted on the progress of the countdown to Summer Thunder.

I was hoping to post everyday. But like I said in my profile. This is all one big experiment and blogging is all new to me. I had some real editing problems yesterday. I think I finally got things worked out. In the meantime, I'm getting one heck of an education.

I hope you enjoyed my world, my way, today,
Peace

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS- 6 DAYS UNTILL SUMMER THUNDER!

2005-06-28T12:42:00.000-05:00

My world would not be complete without mentioning my favorite holiday, The 4th of July, Independence Day! And my Independence Day would not be complete without Summer Thunder. What is Summer Thunder?

Summer Thunder is only the best fireworks display in the United States. Some people may disagree, but I doubt if these people have ever witnessed Summer Thunder. I have enjoyed this event, every year faithfully, since I was 4 years old. Now I'm a grandma and I can honestly say, every year the display outshines the last. This year is going to be especially awesome. The title of this years display is, SUMMER THUNDER 2005, PRELUDE TO MONTREAL! The company that is sitting off this years fireworks is using our area for a dress rehersal. When they leave here they will move on to compete in the The World Famous International Montreal Fireworks Expedition.

So take the time to mark my blog in your favorite places. I'm going to post the countdown everyday until Summer Thunder. Tomorrow I'll let you know where it will be located. And give you some history of it's location. On July 5th I'll post the pictures taken on the 4th. Until then, here's another sunset view from my deck. I hope you enjoy sunsets as much as I do. I took this picture Saturday evening, June 25, 2005.

A Visit At Sunset

2005-06-24T03:14:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my world today. I hope you have chosen to leave the outside world behind. In my tiny space there is no room for conflict, greed, or hostitality. You are invited to kick your shoes off, sit down beside me on my porch swing, allow your soul to drink in the beautiful flowers surrounding the deck. Close your eyes and listen to the harmony of the church bells belonging to the seven churches that you can view from where you are sitting. I'm so glad you decided to visit at sunset so we can enjoy a cup of coffee together, while we watch the sun sink behind the mountain top. Would you like a slice of my famous homemade apple dabble cake? My favorite time of day is about to arrive. I hope you can feel the peace as dusk rolls in, another long, lazy, summer day is coming to an end. Enjoy it, our summers fly by so fast. Now, tell me about your day. I'm anxious to hear all the good things that happened in your world today.

APPLE DABBLE CAKE

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups pared fresh apples
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. soda
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream eggs, sugar and oil. Add sifted dry ingredients. Add vanilla then fold in apples and nuts. Bake in greased 3 quart tube pan at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.

If using self rising flour omit salt and soda.

Make following topping:

5 tbsp. margarine
1/4 cup milk (can substitute soy milk)
3/4 cup brown sugar

Combine ingredients and boil 3 minutes. Pour over cake while both are still hot.