Elk Neck State Park and Turkey Point Lighthouse

Located in northeastern Maryland is a nice place to visit called Elk Neck State Park. Perched high atop an overlook, at the southern edge of the Elk Neck Peninsula, is the Turkey Point Lighthouse. It has stood watch above the North East River, the Elk River, and the Chesapeake Bay since 1833. 

We found this park by chance during one of our Sunday drives.  And I am so glad we did. We have returned several times through the years in order to walk out to the overlook area and then to meander along the trails along the bluff.  I supposed I shouldn't call it meandering. The trails we choose can be very steep from the lighthouse to the water.  It is an interesting terrain filled with tree roots poking out from the hard-packed soil banks.  At some points, we climbed down the bank and walked along the rip-rap at the water's edge. 

I should point out that the trail from the parking lot to the lighthouse is a somewhat long, but an easy and wide gravel path.  I did read some reviews about complaints at the length of the this path. This lighthouse overlook is definitely not an area where you park next to the attraction. There is a bit of a walk. So wear your comfy shoes and bring the good stroller if you have a baby.  When I go, I bring my back pack with water, snacks, a blanket to sit on, and as always, something to read.

The Turkey Point Lighthouse provides a peek into history as well as an area for camping, swimming, fishing, and hiking.  The accompanying home was razed in 1972 but fortunately, the lighthouse and one small outbuilding remain. During the weekends April through November, you can climb the inside of the lighthouse.  I have not yet toured the inside of the lighthouse.

I have not yet ventured into the park for more than day trips so I do not have first hand experience with the recreational beach, and camping areas. However, many local residents go there and recommend it to others.  Overall, it seems to be a well-liked camping area; complete with tiny rustic cabin rentals, an easy access swimming beach, and plenty of less treacherous hiking trails to choose from.  For some of these first hand reviews and  photographs about the camping area I suggest that you read the reviews on TripAdvisor.

Finally, I was thrilled to find Glen Fortner's video of the lighthouse area.  It is a very brief video (under a minute) that will give you a sense of the beauty of the lighthouse, overlook, and flora and fauna.  

Written by Dawn Rae

Image Credit: Skip willits (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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Brad Paisley Does it Again with Another Great Love Song

Don't miss 'Perfect Storm' by Brad Paisley  

Brad Paisley hits another home-run with the descriptive emotion he paints as he sings about how much he loves her. It's hard not to think that he was inspired by his relationship with his beautiful wife during the writing!

In true Brad Paisley style, the song is mixed with charm, captivating cuteness and passion. There's something different about the approach to this one. As a woman listening to the song, it really makes you think about what it's like to be appreciated and accepted for both your good and bad qualities by the one you love.

(Lyrics) She Destroys Me in that T-Shirt! 

The lyrics talk about how he loves her so much it hurts! Everything about her is what he adores; her highs are high and her lows are low, and he's o.k. with that. He can make her laugh or make her mad, and he loves her no matter her mood, even if she's angry.

(Lyrics) She's Sunshine Mixed with a Little Hurricane

As I talk about in a more in-depth song review of 'Perfect Storm', I had to laugh when I first heard this lyric because my husband pretty much describes me this way. Sometimes he's too smart when I get angry with him, he knows how to diffuse the situation pretty quickly (when he wants to)! He'll look at me and announce 'that's why I love you!' <---sheesh, gets me smiling even when I wasn't planning on it!

Personally speaking, I find the song incredibly soothing. For some crazy reason, it cheers me up; but Brad Paisley has an effect on the listener in just about everything he writes and sings!

Hope you enjoy the song as well:

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The Beauty of Fall Home Decor

Every September heralds the coming of the beauty of the Fall season. Every September it's time to think about bringing that beauty into our homes. Even a little Fall home decor can add a fresh look to our homes. Just the simple act of changing a picture or two, adding in a new decorative pillow or replacing a lamp shade can bring that Fall beauty inside.

The Colors of Fall

The vibrant oranges, reds, yellows and even browns are those that we associate with the Autumn season. Those colors of leaves as they prepare to drop off the trees. Through the talents of many artists and photographers, Zazzle has brought us a wealth of these color to use in our home decor.

Some of my favorites are represented in articles that I write. I do enjoy reviewing all the options and then narrowing them down to those that delight me. Decorative Pillows for Fall Home Decor Accents is one of those such articles.

Home Decor Inside and Outside

I don't stop at reviewing beautiful Fall decor items just for the inside of your home. I also love Welcome Autumn with Garden Flags shows other ways to decorate your home with the beauty of Fall.
sharing that decor for the outside as well.

These are just a few of the ways to add more of the Autumn colors to your home decor. Simple accents are my favorite way to decorate. So I'm continuously looking for great home accents to review. Should you run across other items, please share them. I'm always happy to include what others see as the beauty of Fall in home decor items.




Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Halloween Pizza

I love Halloween!  All of the fun costumes, the eerie decorations, the spooky music and the creepy food all add to creating a fun filled evening once a year.

When our children were very young and anxious to go out trick or treating, I would willingly defer to my husband and allow him to prepare dinner for the family.

He makes excellent pizzas and pizzas are perfect for Halloween.   We could easily grab a piece of pizza, eat it before we went out and finish dinner after we returned.  But the real reason we always loved our Halloween pizza was simply because it was so much fun to see what he would do to freak me out and entertain the children simultaneously.  

Halloween Spider Web Pizza

Have you ever had spiders on your pizza?  I have!!!

Spiders don't normally freak me out too much.  Since I grew up with four brothers, none of the creatures that normally frighten females really bother me much.  However, having spiders on my pizza really did get to me the first time my husband decided to decorate our pizza with spiders.   I don't believe I had ever screeched at that volume or in that fear filled high octave previously.

Now he adds a spider on the pizza each year in hopes of getting the same initial reaction he sparked the first time.  I always hate to disappoint him so I have to "act" like the spider is such a surprise and so very awful, but I have never been able to repeat my mournful wail. 

It doesn't look very frightening in the photo, but I assure you, if you are eating by candlelight, that spider looks down right evil!  Oh,  and those horrible rubber hairs on his legs just send chills down my back when I reach for a piece of pizza and accidentally touch the spider.  Eek!  

If you want to have a bit of harmless eerie fun this year on Halloween, try decorating your pizza with spiders!  
 

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Showcasing Photos on Zazzle

Using Zazzle to Show your Photos

When I first started getting serious about photography, 8 years ago, I took 100's of photos every time I went out on a photo shoot.  I put some in photo books, but as I improved in my skills I decided to try to sell some of my photos. Zazzle has been a great way to showcase my photos on a wide variety of products. 

Selling on Zazzle

After a short time I found that other people purchased my products on Zazzle and my hobby turned into a small business.   With Zazzle I need only to add my photo to any or all of their products and they will be listed on the Zazzle site for sale.  Zazzle takes care of all of the customer needs like producing and shipping the product and then they send me my portion of the money.  It is a great way to make a small profit without outlaying any funds.  Below are links to my three Zazzle shops.  Stop by to see links to my products on hundreds of different products or go to Zazzle to create your own free products from your photos.

Mbgphoto        Lighthouse Enthusiast       Butterflyblitz

Work of Review This Reviews Authors

Follow the links below to find see some of the Zazzle products that Review This authors have created from their photos.

Animals

Panda Canvas Canvas Prints by Sylvestermous     

   Giraffe in Tanzania Africa by mbgphoto

Abstracts

Colorful Abstract Landscape on Photo Paper by FindingGifts

Flowers

Peach Hibiscus Journals by CrypticArt

Lilacs by the Water Stickers by mbgphoto

Make stickers online at zazzle.com

Lighthouses

Hilton Head Lighthouse Magnet by lighthouseenthusiast
Look at Hilton head lighthouse Magnets online at Zazzle.com

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The Best 1,200 Gallon - EPIC Ice Bucket Challenge on YouTube!

I want to share this excellent ALS Ice Bucket Challenge YouTube Video made by Town and Country Ford in Bessemer, AL. My son-in-law Kyle Sain did all the talking in the video, hence my prejudice in calling this the BEST Ice Bucket Challenge! So proud of the team's creativity in the way they accomplished their EPIC challenge.

The Town and Country Ford Team then went on to throw down the gauntlet for TWO impressive people. One is the current President and CEO of The Ford Motor Company, Mark Fields and Retired President and former CEO of The Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally.

 Remember to make a donation to ALS!

Sorry, video is no longer available for sharing

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Interactive History Lesson - the Memphis Belle

I live near a state airport that serves both the public and military.  Some folks might think living near an airport is a drawback but I consider it a community amenity. Imagine being able to experience mini airshows from the comfort of your own balcony.  

Photo by Dawn Rae

All weekend I have had the pleasure of watching a B-17 fly about. Today, I finally left the comfort of my balcony and drove around the corner to Martin State Airport to see that historic plane up close and personal. 

The Memphis Belle, the original one, is sequestered away and is being restored.  However, there is a B-17 that has been done in her likeness, apparently for the movie of the same name. The movie version Memphis Belle was taking people for rides during this entire weekend. When not in the air with a load of human cargo, it was on the ground and you could tour it inside and out.  It was great fun watching the smiling and happy faces of the passengers disembarking from the plane after their ride in the sky. There was not a dissatisfied customer in sight. It was better yet, watching older gentlemen being given special treatment with photos at the front of the plane and airport staff escorting them on to the plane.  I can only imagine that these gentlemen may have first hand memories of these planes.

A few bits about the B-17 during the campaign against Nazi Germany from eyewitness to history:
* up to 1,000 aircraft would take part in a mission
* each plane was manned by a crew of 10 men
* a mission would last about 8 hours
* planes were unheated and temperatures could reach 60 below
* planes were open to the outside 
* B-17s often took fire or were shot down
* crewmen wore helmets and suits to help protect against enemy fire
* on average, a crew member had a 1 in 4 chance of completing his tour of duty

Again, I am not a history buff.  But the personal stories of the men who flew in these "flying fortresses" in order to fight in WW II both intrigue me and touch me.

If you are a history buff, you have to make sure you find a way to take a ride in one of these pieces of history.  You can follow the Movie Memphis Belle schedule and plan your purchase of the $450 ticket.  If I had the spare money, you can bet your sweet bippy I would have been on that plane today.  My chance may not be lost as she is scheduled for the remainder of this year in nearby states: GA, NC, SC, TN, and VA

Whether you agree with military intervention or not, it is clear even to me that B-17s had an important part in ending the horror that was happening in Nazi Germany. And for that reason, I highly recommend that you tour a B-17 and you take a ride in this amazing bit of history if you are able.

Thank you to all who served during WWII; especially those of you who piloted and manned these flying fortresses. Thank you to the Liberty Foundation and Martin State Airport for providing such a wonderful glimpse into our history.

Written by Dawn Rae

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A Song for the One Who Makes You a Better Person

In your relationship, does your significant other make you a better person? 

Do they bring out the best in you and inspire you to tap into your better self? Country Music Artist Chris Young sings about the power of love and its ability to bring out his better self in his moving hit song 'Who I Am With You.'

(Lyrics) Who I am with you is who I really want to be. You're so good for me, And when I'm holdin' you, it feels like I've got the world in my hands; yeah, a better man is who I am with you.

You can listen to this moving song below:

Dad recently passed away, and I often think of my mom sitting in her chair, with Dad's empty chair beside her, and how she no longer gets the joy of those little things, and it breaks my heart. 

One of the many things I've learned with my dad passing away is to treasure our loved ones even more. I'll never ever get over the death of my father; it has left the largest void in my soul, and because of this deep understanding that nothing lasts forever, both my husband and I appreciate each other a little bit more these days.

Added Bonus Country Song: Be sure to catch the amazing song, 'Dirt' by Florida Georgia Line! The song speaks to the value of Love and Life and its true meaning - You can read about it and listen to it here. The song is rising up the country charts and is currently my favorite. The video is extremely moving.

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Reviewing Halloween Party Invitations

Planning a great Halloween party means choosing great invitations, too. In fact, I start with the invitations. They can help me pick the theme, give me decor ideas, even menu options. So I'm giving you a review of some of my favorite choices for great Halloween party invitations.

Halloween Party Themes

If you think your party theme is simply Halloween, I have some news for you. There are many different themes that can all fall under this holiday heading. When planning your party this year, there are things to think about. Such as: do you want to have a costume centered party? You might even give away prizes for the best costumes. Do you want to have a family-oriented party where it's appropriate for children as well?

Planning your theme can be as important as planning your menu. Many of your guests will enjoy designing their costumes based on your theme.

Vintage Halloween Theme

I've reviewed party invitations for a vintage Halloween theme. These are great for guests who really love to dress in period costumes. Vintage parties are easy to decorate. The look of old mansions or manor homes that have gone to ruin is not only vintage, but also traditional Halloween. So decorating ideas and props are plentiful.

Cute and Fun Halloween Theme

There is certainly a cute side to Halloween. For a family-oriented party where scaring the kids is not the idea, you'll want to choose a theme around the sweet side of the holiday. Smiling pumpkins, candy corn, and butterfly costumes can be a great theme. Of course, you want your guests to know your party is designed around the sweet side so choose cute and fun Halloween party invitations.

Ghoulish Themes

For many, the eerie, spooky and creepy side of the holiday is the best way to throw a party. Ghoulish Halloween Party Invitations reviews some those theme ideas. This theme opens up the costume options to many. Personally, a ghoulish touch to my costume is always fun. I've been known to add a little fake blood to a princess costume.

So start thinking early about your Halloween party. The planning takes some time and you'll want to choose invitations that not only match your theme, but also show your guests what to expect.  

Posted by: BuckHawk

About This Contributor

BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Cooking for Dogs

Everyone knows how much we love our dogs.  In a way, we treat them like children.  If one seems out of sorts, we sit with them, pet them and try to figure out what might be wrong.  I have even been known to run to the vet's office without make-up and still in my pajamas. 

Any time we go out to eat, we absolutely must bring home a treat for our furbabies!  After all, they have had to stay home and guard the house.  They deserve a special something for their devotion and hard work, which brings me to our featured article for the day.


Cupcakes for Dogs

Susan Zatautas shared a recipe for  Cupcakes For a Dogs Birthday and I can hardly wait to pop some in the oven.  Why wait for a birthday?!!  My babies deserve a treat today!  I just know Merlin will devour the cupcakes in a flash and our prime & proper Daisy will take her time and savor the flavor.

Now, I just need to figure out how to keep their "dad" from eating their cupcakes too.  Of course, I didn't see anything in the recipe that would prohibit him from testing these delicious treats too, even if they are labeled Cupcakes for Your Dog.

Bone Appétit Puppies!  

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