Mount Rainier

This week I flew into Seattle. While flying in I was Mount Rainier in the distance. It is so majestic and so beautiful. We were flying abouve the clouds and you could see the top of the mount above the clouds. Could not see the base or the ground. The flight attendant then announced that we were flying by Moount Rainier and to the left of that was Mount St. Helens and to the left of that was Mount Hood. I saw Mount Hood but could not see Mount St. Helens. These pictures are all of Mount Rainier from the plane.

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial - Interior

Under the arch is a museum that shows the history of the westward expansion. They had different displays and different movies about the expansion. A lot was aboout Lewis and Clark. My favorite part was this wall that had carvings of different natural and manmade monuments and compared the height of those with the height of the arch.

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial AKA - The Arch

While in St. Louis I really wanted to see the Arch. I had seen it from the airport and saw it as I was driving out of town but had no idea what it really was. So my friend Alicia took me to the arch. I will say the air was really "muggy" and it was hard to breath - but other than that the day was beautiful. Here are different views of the arch as we walked around the arch. I had no idea what the arch symbolized and why it was build. Turns out - it is the gateway to the west. I will do a different post from inside the memorial. It really was amazng.

The building pictured here is of the old courthouse. A really impressive building. I can't wait to go to the Carolina's and see the plantations.

Hendels Market Cafe

How cool is this... I flew into St Louis Missouri this week and drove to my Kentucky Appts. Well I was talking to my friend and colleague Veronica on Monday and she asked where I flew into. I told her St. Louis and she had flew into St. Louis as well. So we met up Wednesday night for dinner. We ate at Hendels Market Cafe in Florissant MO. The food was good - but I wished I would have had the Mahi Mahi :)

Great seeing you Veronica. See you in the fall - maybe???

Calaveras Big Trees

The inn that I am staying at kind of reminds me of camping minus the tent. I woke up freeszing cold and just wanted to snuggle under the quilt - not wanting to get out of bed. As I laid there - I thought this would be a great morning for a walk/hike through Calaveras Big Trees. So I got up - threw on some shorts and a t-shirt and drove up to the park. It is a little after 6:00 AM. I blasted the heater in the car as it was 53 degrees. I had wished I had thought to bring some pants and a sweatshirt on this trip. I didn't think I would be in the mountain area and need some warmer clothes. I get to the park and I am the only one there. So then I have the great debate with myself. Do I take the civilized path through the woods and look at these magnificiant trees or do I turn around. I was freaking myself out - cause it is never a good idea to hike alone. And this would be even worse cause if something happened noone else was on the trail.

I finally for out of the car and went to the trail head and read the sign about not feeding the bears. So now I am debating again - what if I take the trail and come across a bear. I had already paid my park entrance fee. In the end I decided it was too much of a risk to hike alone. The cold helped with this decision as well. I left and took the drive back to Murphys, climbed back into bed to warm up and took a nap. I decided I would go back later this afternoon when other people should be in the park.

So hours later - I start my quest again. This time there are several cars in the parking lot - so I feel safer taking the trail. It is only a mile and a half and if something happened there would be people close by. So I headed down the north trail.

The first stop along the path is called big stump. This was actually interesting. They use to have dances on this stump.

I love the Giant Sequoia trees. They are so beautiful and majestic. I didn't keep track of every three that I saw and what they were called. But I took many pictures of these amazing giants. Enjoy!

My Mansion For A Night

Tonight I am in Murphys California staying at the Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast. This is my first Bed and Breakfast experience. I am the only guest here tonight so I have the entire place to myself. I am locked in here. I do have a key so I can come and go, but there is no staff on duty after 7. All rooms are open as there are no guests so I have free reign within reason. So today's blog entry will be a tour of my mansion for the night. Tomorrow I shall have a few guests join me in my mansion :)

In the lobby they have this very familiar water jug :) It is filled with water, mint and lemon. I love it. I am going to have to pull mine out and fill it with mint and lemon for my next class.

This is the library area. A nice place to lounge and read.

And this is the snack area. There are oatmeal raisin cookies and chocolate brownies.

Now onto the rooms. Each room has it's own bathroom. And most rooms have a bear claw tub.

This is the anniversary suite.

This is the only room with a microwave so I burned some popcorn in here tonight. Hoping the smell clears by tomorrow :)

A few of the rooms do not have a bear claw tub. Instead they have a jacuzzi tub for 2. I had one of these once in a Holiday Inn - in Paduch KY and it was fabulous!

A few rooms also had a fire place or wood stove. Very cozy.

The room I really wanted to stay in was Opies Cabin. I loved the rustic look.

Even the shower was kind of rustic looking.

I think this is the Victorian Room. It was very pretty.

And most bathrooms had an antique look to them.

This is the tapestry room which is right next to mine. Guests will be staying in this room tomorrow so I will not be sleeping in here tonight.

This is the balcony view from the Tapestry Room. I sat out here for awhile reading a book. I am really trying to read more and it was beautiful evening to sit on the balcon, enjoy the music from the nearby park and relax and read.

And here is my room. I too have a bear claw tub. I am thinking about relaxing and taking a bubble bath. Well maybe a bath as I have no bubbles :)

My room is called the Sun Room. It is very pretty. It has a small balcony as well, but I prefer the balcony next door. I wonder if my guests will mind if I use it tomorrow :)

Thanks for touring with me!