Iowa ~ Pickers, a President and the Prairie

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph
Saturday, October 4th – IOWA
American Pickers!

American Pickers!

Have you ever watched the TV show American Pickers? I think it is my husbands favorite because it reminds him of his roots, growing up in the Midwest. Tim’s dad, Richard (Dick) Joseph was a cross between a picker and a pack-rat. When I first met Tim, he was leaning heavily toward the pack-rat side.
 
Sitting in the hotel last night, him watching TV and me writing my blog update, he excitedly let me know we were only a few miles away from where the American Pickers, Mike, Frank and Danielle have their office/store. I could tell he was keen to go, so that was our very first stop this morning. Oh, by the way, that is the Mississippi River in the picture behind the car!

Our dinner last night at The Machine Shed was great.  The pork was tender and moist. It was served with cold slaw, warm chunky apple sauce, baked sweet potato with a cinnamon honey butter and rolls. They have won numerous awards including National Pork Restaurant of the year and Best Breakfast in America.

Continue reading →

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A visit to Tim’s family home

Posted on October 5, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

September 30 to October 3rd ~ Hume, Illinois

It has been about 10 months since Tim’s dad passed away and our first time back to his family home since then. I was concerned that it could potentially be a tough visit for Tim.

The headstone had recently been completed and placed at the cemetery and we wanted to see it. It turned out lovely. It was a touching moment and the visit brought up some emotion.

Headstone

Headstone

It is harvest time in Illinois and the farmers are in the fields. The primary crops in this neck of the woods are corn and soy beans. The ground is flat and you can see for miles after the crops have been harvested.   Continue reading →

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Illinois ~ Another re-connection, Art Institute of Chicago

Posted on October 4, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

September 28th and 29th ~ Chicago, Il

Chicago skyline

Chicago skyline

Traveling has enriched our lives in so many ways. We have seen architectural wonders, natural beauty that has taken our breath away, learned about countries and visited sites where history happened.  From art masterpieces to the largest churches in the world; from thundering waterfalls to towering mountains, we have walked, ridden elephants and camels, taken trains, and too many busses to count.

We have traveled around the world.

But the thing that has blessed our lives the most has been the people we have met along the way. Continue reading →

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Michigan – Full circle moments, Meadow Brook Hall

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

September 27th and 28th – Michigan

Gabriella and Teddy Bear

Gabriella and Teddy Bear

We met Mary Beth on a Caribbean cruise almost 20 years ago. Seated together randomly at lunch we hit it off and asked to be assigned a table together for the rest of the trip. We turned into THAT table. People either wanted to join us, because we were laughing so loud, or they wanted to be on the other side of the dining room – because we were laughing SO LOUD.

It turned out that we had a lot in common, including our recent battles with infertility. We bonded and became instant friends. Before the cruise ended, I found out that she had relinquished a baby for adoption as a young teenager, and that her biological daughter lived in California only a few miles from where Tim and I lived.

Although she had made many attempts to have contact with her bio-daughter (Leslie), she had not been allowed.  Continue reading →

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Niagara Falls ~ Today was a perfect 10!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

Thursday, September 25th ~ Niagara Falls, NY and Canada

American Falls

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the U.S.A., established in 1885.  The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who was the landscape architect for Central Park in New York City.

Here are a few facts about the falls that I found at http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com:

  • 3,160 tons of water flows over Niagara Falls every second. This accounts for 75,750 gallons of water per second over the American and Bridal Veil Falls and 681,750 gallons per second over the Horseshoe Falls.
  • Four of the five Great Lakes drain into the Niagara River, (Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie) before emptying into Lake Ontario. These five Great Lakes make up almost one-fifth of the world’s fresh water supply
  • Over 12,000 years ago, Niagara Falls extended seven miles down river to what is now Lewiston, New York and Queenston, Ontario. Over the years, the brink has eroded, sometimes as much as six feet per year, to its present site.
  • Niagara Falls State Park stretches over 400 acres, with close to 140 acres of that under water.

Continue reading →

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Pure Maple Syrup Tasting in Vermont

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

Wednesday, September 24th ~ Driving through Vermont and into New York

Maple syrup

Maple syrup

I’ve certainly been wine tasting before, but today was a first for us – Maple Syrup tasting!

There were four different types of pure maple syrup for us to sample at the Vermont Country Store in Rockingham.

“Early season sap produces the lightest, most delicately flavored syrup, while darker, more richly flavored syrup is produced when temperatures rise toward the end of the spring “sugaring” season. It’s important to note that grades do not indicate quality; instead, they denote color and taste differences.” ~ VCS

Continue reading →

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The Kancamagus Highway ~ Fall foliage in New Hampshire

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

Tuesday September 23 ~ Driving through New Hampshire

Driving the Kancamagus Highway

Driving the Kancamagus Highway

Kancamagus Highway

“The Kancamagus Highway is a 34.5 mile scenic drive along NH’s Rt. 112 in Northern New Hampshire that is well-known as one of the best Fall Foliage viewing areas in the country. The Kancamagus Highway is now designated an American Scenic Byway for its rich history, aesthetic beauty and culture.” ~ Kancamagushighway.com

Todays route is shown in orange

Todays route is shown in orange

Where that strange name came from...

Where that strange name came from…

Continue reading →

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Driving from Maine into the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

Monday September 22 ~ Augusta, ME to Conway, NH

Today's route is shown in green

Today’s route is shown in green

Our road trip continues as we travel from Maine into New Hampshire. The leaves are starting to turn colors. Fall is definitely in the air.

Here is a selection of photos from today.

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Continue reading →

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Maine ~ Acadia National Park, Fort Knox and more

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

Sunday September 21st ~ Maine

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park

Day 2 of Acadia National Park, plus our drive to Augusta. In case you missed the 1st half of the park, you can click here to see that post.

Todays section of the park is marked in pink

Todays section of the park is marked in pink

The weather God’s were shining on us and after a brief rainstorm, the sun came out and it warmed up to around 72 degrees F.  Oh how I have been missing the sunshine!  Continue reading →

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Authentic Maine ~ Popovers, Clams, and Lobster

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

Saturday September 20th – Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park

We managed to catch up with our friends Lise and Charlie. You may recall that we met them while sailing on the Danube River Cruise earlier this year, followed by a day spent together in Edinburgh, Scotland.

This time our paths crossed in Maine where they invited us to join then at their family cabin on the shores of Green Lake. What a warm greeting, complete with yummy homemade popovers.  Lise had tweeked her knee just before we arrived, but still managed to cook them while balancing on one leg.  Continue reading →

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