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Isle of Palms and building Ruins, Sandcastle Style

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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

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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

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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!
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Black Forrest
Papa
A chai latte at the Coffee Boxx–very tasty
Karlsruhe
Penny Souvenir Crank, Strasbourg, France
Christmas Aveeno

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

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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

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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

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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

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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…

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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!

As the legends and story goes: 18th Century, Eliza Huger, the Old Stone Church and graveyard, Clemson, South Carolina-a place of lovers.

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As the legend goes, so the story tells…both very important key phrases when sharing (and I admit, i learned this expression while travelling) a story, as the key phrase adds importance to what is about to be told, shared, relayed….and it has crossed the oceans to here in the USA (for me, at least, I hope others are ahead of me and already heard such expressions here.)

The expression, as the story goes and is told, I found, is written on a historical plaque here at the Old Stone Church and Graveyard in Clemson, South Carolina (just off off Clemson/Anderson Highway).

“Accordingly to a long told Story, Eliza Huger, a member of prominent society, was banished. Even by the standards of that city, her actions were considered horrific by her and her lover….”

A remarkable cemetary, mostly from the late 18th century and through the American Civil war of the 19th century, the the stone walls, about 3 feet high, are quite something, holding within their realms lovers, outcasts, members of prominent society, founders of the Church that had immigrated from mostly Whales and England, and Confederate high ranking military members and families.

There is one a marker for a family plot, made of of men entered there, which contains a relief mark that I am unfamiliar with, others are identifiable as mark, ranks, memberships to societies, like the D.A.R. (daughters of the American Revolution) and more.

The large image, commemorating the Confederate Dead, stands between the church itself and the main graveyard, in a Cairn style rock built wall and is quite simple yet exquisitely beautiful.

While the church is now on the Historical register of National Landmarks, it’s not longer used as a tradition church (but by peaking through a window, a really cool old fashioned organ remains inside.)

This is a true gem and definitely worth visiting!!

Changing of the Leaves…and of your wardrobe: a packing tip.

Anna--The Adventurer 4 Comments

The season’s are changing and here in the Northern Hemisphere, Autumn is approaching, the leaves are changing into beautiful hues of reds and crimsons, golds and rusts; the skies are changing from Carolina blues to sapphires and jeweled tones as evenings come sooner and sooner, beckoning us to don cardigans and drink hot apple cider, cinnamon and cloves swirling on the steam.

Our wardrobes change with the seasons, well, twice a year for me, anyway. I swap in the Spring and the Fall, warm/hot verses chilly/cold weather is generally the theme. For some, this might be a major undertaking, especially if you have little ones or other’s you help to make the seasonal swap.

Often, while swapping clothes for the seasons, thinning and/or taking stock, inventory of what is in the closet is done in tandem. While we all often own too many articles of clothing and try to purge from time to time (and donating is a very good thing.) Clothes are rediscovered or make you “gag”, sick of wearing it, or possesses a piece that you love but is on its last leg:

Here comes the fun part: Pre-pack a suitcase and “forget about it”. Every one likes to have new clothes or something fun to wear on an adventure, weekend getaway or on a special vacation. In alliance with keeping adventures and travels affordable, this entails a way to experience something “new”, that you know will fit, and will feel fresh when you haven’t worn it in a good while.

Here’s how the system works:

While swapping your seasonal wardrobe, or whenever you choose, pull out 2 -3 pieces or outfits that fit well, that you over wear, forget to wear, or are just sick of looking at from your collection, or however many you choose to decide. Note: Choose clothing that you like to wear or would wear but wouldn’t mind parting ways with, I ‘ll tell you why in a moment!

Pull accessories, such as a fashion scarf or tie, funky socks, a necklace (I am a huge fan of costume jewelry) to go with each outfit. Note: Extra “winning points” if the accessories can go with all three outfits.

Place outfits and accessories in your suitcase. If you know you have an adventure or trip already planned in the future and can determine which seasonal wear to pull from, even better, no guess work involved.

The white dress, as seen in the far left hand picture, is such an outfit. I’d packed it, knowing it was “on its last leg”, not likely to be washed and worn much more. The perk? One snag on a railing tore the dress and it was a goner, and I was able to purchase a new dress from a sidewalk sale, a souvenir as a functional item and a happy memory!!!

Ultimate Tip: By packing clothing ahead of time and “forgetting about it” allows you to feel like you have something fresh to wear on your trip, while knowing it fits as you wish. The perks are, you were likely either going to donate the articles, eave them in your wardrobe unused, or wear it so much it tatters, which can easilyhappen on your trip. If you happen to ruin the outfit on your trip, no harm, no foul. Also, if you want to leave the article of clothing behind (donate it or leave it in a charity bin), especially if you packed an outfit that isn’t a “favorite”, you will free up space in your luggage, assuring space for something more special.