Corning in the Morning

We were up early and checked out of our hotel well before the museums opened in Corning NY, so we decided to walk around this quaint little town and explore a little. Corning is a city in the New York Finger Lakes region that offers several worthwhile attractions — certainly enough to spend a whole […]

Unique Barns in the Laurel Highlands: “Just for Pretty”

This lovely old red barn, #4 on the Somerset Barn Tour, is adorned by a medallion star, serving as ventilation.  I’m never not on a barn tour — as I’m out and about, if I see a picturesque barn, I’ll pull over and photograph it. A close up of the barn star medallion. Note the little […]

Southern Carroll County Barn Quilt Driving Tour

This four patch quilt block on a bank barn in Westminster was popular in the early 1900s.This block was chosen by the farm owners to represent the soybeans and corn grown on their80 acre farm. Four generations of the Nelson family have farmed this land since the farm was established in 1868.  If you love barns, […]

Frederick County (VA) Photo Safari

Stonewall Jackson made Winchester his winter headquarters between November 1861 and March 1862. He was much beloved by the townspeople. Winchester’s historic homes and churches offergorgeous details such as this door knob. Historic Victorian homes such as this one fill the neighborhoods adjacent the oldest part of Winchester. Mount Hebron Cemetery holds four cemeteries, church […]

Let the Autumn Colors Inspire You to Daytrip Too!

We would see amazing things if we could learn to be travelers in our own neighborhoods, Henry David Thoreau said. Fall is a great time to explore your own neighborhood and see it with new eyes. Grab a camera and take yourself out for a fun afternoon daytrip! One of my favorite things to do […]

Revisiting Brookside Gardens

We first visited Brookside Gardens Mothers Day weekend, a few years ago. Construction was just beginning on the series of reflection ponds, but there was much to see and enjoy. This year, we visited on Father’s Day morning. We went early, hoping to beat any crowds and wishing to go while it would still be […]

A Mural Surprise in Strasburg VA

More and more towns are creatively enlivening their outdoor spaces with murals — and what a wonderful trend! Strasburg VA, a sleepy but quaint town tucked into the Shenandoah Valley, about 75 miles west of Washington DC, offers eight lovely murals around town. Rich in beautiful views and history, Strasburg was founded in 1761 and was […]

Williamsburg’s Christmas Wreaths

Colonial Williamsburg’s Christmas wreaths are famous, evoking the spirit of simpler times, colonial American can-do spirit, and a nostalgic and idealized view of Christmas that focuses less on plastic Santa Claus light-up figures and more on family traditions. Many visitors come to Williamsburg in December specifically to enjoy the Christmas decorations and wreaths. I recall […]

Eastern State Penitentiary Photo Safari

Refining the revolutionary system of separate incarceration first pioneered at the Walnut Street Jail, Eastern State Penitentiary emphasized principles of reform rather than punishment and was operational from 1829 to 1971. Eastern State finally closed its doors in 1971, after 142 years in use, and has since been named a National Historic Landmark. The former […]