Choke Cherry Chicken and Potatoes-one pot dish


3 medium/large chicken breasts (bone in or out, your choice)

1 pound of baby carrots

2 toes of garlic, finely chunked

4 red potatoes, washed and chunked

4 oz of choke cherry preserves

2 tsp Tony S. seasoning blend

1 tablespoon olive oil

Rub olive oil over the bottom of a glass baking dish, dump everything else in, bake for for an hour or so at 350 degrees or until chicken is cooked and potatoes are done. Serves 6

The local critters and joys of my neighborhood


Living near a watershed and Lake Hartwell and Seneca River provides ample opprotunity for critters and the like to wonder into my neighborhood, which is an absolute delight. The flora and fauna is also quite stunning!

Some of these items were seen as I enjoyed a walk around the neighborhood and some things ended up on my porch, willingly to hang out with me! Life is always interesting.

Isle of Palms and building Ruins, Sandcastle Style


The state of South Carolina has so many wonderful venues that are easily accessible on a whim!

My Sweetness and I drove down to Charleston to pick up a motorcycle part from a dealership (while he is adventurous and rides a motorbike, I am not that brave. We drove down in a regular vehicle.) Since we were “in the area” hahaha, we drove to the Isle of Palms and enjoyed a good chunk of the day on the beach–thankfully, a regular grocery store wasn’t far off, so we popped in, purchased some bottled water and sunscreen, and off we went!

The Isle of Palms boasts a lovely, clean long beach, an intact pier and a great environment for hanging out, soaking in the sun, and enjoying the splendor of the strand. While I didn’t partake in the other amenities of the area directly, there are plenty available. I simply was enjoying building “ruin” styled sandcastles (I am no castle architect) but we did see dolphins as well!!

Martin’s Cemetery, Martin, Georgia


A small town, a small cemetery but a treasure to find while out exploring. The old trees are beautiful and the property is kept in very nice condition!! I didn’t find any local historical signs or markers so the history is unknown to me! Still a treasure!

Travel Tips for Any Season


A Sunday Drive to a major vacation (anything over 7 days in my book) all require a bit of planning and forethought, even whilst winging it. Why? Well, no one particularly cares for being caught “with their pants down”.

Thus, here are a few tips that I think are helpful and I use them myself.

  1. Have at least a general idea of where you are going.
  2. Make sure you have adequate fuel in your vehicle/taxi fare/bus passes on hand
  3. A bag/backpack, even if left in your vehicle, is a great way to keep stuff together
  4. Keeping at least one cell phone with “directions” capable app on it or a paper map is helpful, we all need directions from time to time.
  5. Comfortable footwear, with a spare set of socks
  6. Keep a little extra of cash on hand for an impromptu cup of coffee or other last-minute need. We all need a relaxing break and sometimes that need sneaks up on us. Why cash? Sometimes after hours, vending machines are all that are available.
  7. Keep a bottled beverage with you (and maybe a little snack, like nuts or something) or at least accessible.
  8. Keep a reliable person’s phone number handy, in case you break down or need a pick-up.
  9. Enjoy yourself and take all the photos you desire!
  10. If you are taking a pet with you, remember to grab a leash and snacks/treats for the pet too and a water bottle and dish!

A twist on the way we think…an adventure of thoughts and thinking


Once in a while, something outstanding is found and should be shared…and this is one of those times and circumstances. Changing up our environments, going on vacation, and changing the scenery are all wonderful aspects for personal growth and positive change… but taking an adventure within can also be exhilarating.

Listen to and watch the video below and see how wonderful a little change from within can be #selfhelp #easychange #thinkingdifferently #lifetips #selfadventure

River Stone Family Restaurant, Townsend, TN


A Sunday drive proved very delightful as we stumbled upon this gem, River Stone in Townsend, TN.

It’s affordably priced, which is awesome but even more outstanding, is the food is so good and the portions are large. The waitress was also super helpful and we really enjoyed the experience. I really appreciated how clean and tidy the whole restaurant was (and yes, I used the bathroom, which were also super clean!)

Such a wonderful treat!

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55383-d851790-Reviews-Riverstone_Family_Restaurant-Townsend_Tennessee.html

Visiting the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennesse


I am not sure, but I suspect that Smoky the Bear might have originated somewhere in the Great Smoky Mountains, as I saw features and advertisements and monument plaques for him everywhere!!

Low Country Boil


A low country boil, as I have been told, is very similar to a crab cracking party–either way, it’s a whole lot of good food and fun to be had with family and friends. I was put in charge of finding clean newspapers and a steaming pot (with the fire ring kit, etc) for the party. The fire ring kit and steaming pot was the easy part, I borrowed one from my neighbor (and invited him to come along!)

I obtained the clean stack of newspapers with a stroke of luck; I happened to catch a newspaper delivery man and asked if he had any unsold newspapers from previous days that I could purchase off of him–he gave me a stack of folded, untouched papers for free, which was a blessing as we needed a lot of newspaper to line the tables.

The low country boil was held outside in a friends backyard. Everyone brought something along for the shin-dig and oh, boy, what a party!! Music, dancing and of course great food!!!

The large steam pots were put over fire rings, using propane tanks. The guys steamed up potatoes, chunks of corn on the cob, sausage chunks of an assorted variety, and of course, shrimp, lots and lots of shrimp–people even brought homemade cocktail sauce, drawn butter, paper towels, and more!!

Even the pups got to enjoy some scraps (and no, they weren’t eating from the tables!)

A bit of fun…


Okay, we all know what memes are and that there are various forums to find them; some are shared, some make us laugh, others make us ponder. Finding and reading memes, no matter the subject or theme (and the ones below don’t have any theme other than that they appealed to me) can lead one on a meme adventure (or down the rabbit hole.) I hope you enjoy (and I take credit for none of these, I just found them!)

Reader Beware!! Some are funny, some are sweet and others are downright creepy!