Trompe l’oeil, the finest example we’ve ever been privileged to see was in Montpellier, France. We were never meant to stay in Montpellier, but it proved to be a best of the best experience.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception sits on the campus of the Catholic University of America, in Washington, DC. The dome, which reaches a height of 237 feet and boasts spectacular shades of blue and gold, can be seen far and wide.

Dumbarton Oaks Museum and Gardens is a missed opportunity for many visitors to Washington, DC. It’s a bit off of the main tourism lane and unfortunately, too many miss this gem.

It’s Cherry Blossom Time in Washington, DC. Not having seen the blossoms for two plus years due to the pandemic, we decided this was the year we’d venture in to the city to take in the glorious blossoms that surround the tidal basin. It did not disappoint.

Let’s take a picturesque stroll through the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Shall we?

If you’re of a certain age, you remember typewriters, right? And, what did you use to erase typos back in the dark days? A typewriter eraser that spun on a little wheel insert and it had bristles to wipe away the erasure dust. There it is, pictured above. The world’s largest typewriter eraser. Created by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen

Kinetic Art; art in peaceful silent motion.

Once upon a time we lived about 45 minutes north, of our current home, in Frederick, Maryland. It’s a beautiful mid-size city with a population of about 70,000. It was our home for nearly three years and it’s where we were living when we sold our house and bought one-way tickets to Europe. But, that’s another story.

#Hikers365Challenge. Happy New Year! I think the question begs to be asked, will it really be a year of new and good, or a repeat of not-so-good that enveloped the past two years? Never give up hope, but oy vey, Omicron. What’s next?

2021 – I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Eve and all that it entails.  I’d much rather snuggle up for the evening with the one I love most, with a big bowl of popcorn and watch a classic movie, such as the one I share every year at this time, “When Harry Met Sally.”  Post a comment and tell us how many times you’ve seen Harry and Sally find their way to each other.  As we move forward in to a new year filled with hope for new beginnings and world-wide healing, we once again share this post.  Cheers!

I wrote this piece last year (2020) but it still seems quite relevant given that 2021 presented us with just as many challenges. This year, I’m hoping for a white Christmas, but since it’s unlikely to happen I’ll be at peace with the beauty of twinkle lights, the creativity of our spirited neighbors and some beautiful music. With that being said, I decided to pull this piece from the archives and publish it once again.

Grateful -vs- Thankful (2023)

I wrote this little ditty nearly nine years ago.  Where do the years go?!  It turns out that over the years this little grateful – vs – thankful tale attracts a great deal of traffic to our site, about this time, every year.  Which tells me I’m not alone in my thought process of trying to distinguish between the two.