On the final leg of our trip, we stopped at Hickory Run State Park in Pennsylvania. It was amazing, and I’d love to go back.

(more…)

The whale watching was awesome. The aquarium was a bit of a disappointment. Newport Aquarium is still my favorite aquarium so far.

(more…)

The second part of our trip was Boston. We stayed with the kind and generous Tom who took us all over the area, and let me walk him into the ground. (We got 30k steps one day.) I particularly liked the USS Constitution.

The area was fascinating, but if we go back, it’ll be during the school year. When school is in session.

(more…)

It seems like years ago that we were on vacation, but it was just two weeks ago we returned. Here are some pictures, as an attempted return to normalcy.

We went to Niagara Falls. As a force of nature, the falls were impressive. And we quite enjoyed walking around Goat Island. I might like to see the falls in winter, but otherwise, I can’t say I have any burning desire to return.

(more…)

Ricky Martin the Metal Chicken traveled with us on our vacation.

No, really.

(more…)

We pass through Thomas, WV on our way to Blackwater Falls, and I always stop.

It’s a very depressed mains street, but they’re slowly rebuilding, and it’s interesting to see these changes over time.

(more…)

(more…)

Saturday we drove to Audra State Park. I asked Michael if there was anywhere he wanted to go, so he grabbed the WV guide books and found Audra State Park.

The drive was lovely, and the park itself was a pleasant surprise.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I don’t like taking picture of people I don’t know. (Hell, I generally don’t like taking pictures of people I DO know.) The reason there are so few pictures of the river is because it was FULL of people, hanging out and enjoying the cool water and lying on the rocks sunbathing.

As we dawdled in getting our hotel room, we didn’t get a room close to Williamsburg. The nice thing about this is we got to drive around the Colonial Parkway, which is gorgeous.

(more…)

So my cousin Liz graduated from college this past weekend, so we took advantage of the trip and wandered around Williamsburg a bit. Hadn’t been there since I was in 6th grade, so it was pretty much all new.

We didn’t pay $40/person to tour the houses, because we only had part of an afternoon. Despite that, it was fascinating.

(more…)

Here are some non-Botanic garden flower pictures.

(more…)

Denver Museum of Nature and Science

(more…)

Because I am inexplicably drawn to cemeteries, Michael and I walked to the Parker Cemetery.

It was somewhat odd–I’m used to cemeteries around here, and found myself somewhat shocked at how recent the stones of the founders were. Of course, I’m pretty sure at least some of the stones had been replaced.

Plot and stones of the founders of Parker, Co.

(more…)

Monday we went to the Denver Botanic Gardens. The visit would have been more enjoyable if there hadn’t been grade-schoolers running and screaming and generally being out-of-control maniacs on the paths.

But aside from that, it was a beautiful day, and there were lots of spring flowers.

(more…)