Assateague National Seashore Visitor Center

Last week I wrote a review about the fantastic book I bought at the Assateague National Seashore Visitor Center.  Wild Horse Scientists  by Kay Frydenborg turned out to be a great purchase and I have paged through it several times since I wrote the review.  I also find myself continuing to think about the Visitor Center.

During my travels I have stopped at many visitor centers.  I have grown to think of them as places to quickly pop into, look for helpful pamphlets, ask a quick question if I have one, and skedaddle as soon as I use the restroom.  Over the years, I have begun doing my information gathering on the internet prior to the trip and tend to skip the visitor center altogether.

Following my stop at the Assateague National Seashore -Barrier Islands Visitor Center, I have begun to rethink my blasé attitude about visitors centers.  Some of them have so much more to offer than I thought.

In the United States, summer and summer vacations are upon us. Safe and happy travels to you, one and all. And don't forget to check out the visitor centers. 

Image Credit: Images are mine ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved (Click on photo for larger view)

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Celebrating the Day

U.S. Route 40 in Red

This week's event is not a party or a traditional celebration but one I enjoyed immensely and wanted to share with you all. It was a wonderful, late spring day. So, indulge me if you will with this story...

Mom had called last night and wanted me to go with her garage sale-ing early this morning. We live not too far from U.S. Route 40 as it passes through Indiana. This week, Wednesday through Sunday, is the 10th Annual U.S. Route 40 Garage Sales event. All she had to do was ask -- I was in for sure!

We set out around 7:30 this morning and were barely out of the driveway when one of my sisters called asking if we were going. We detoured by her house, picked her up and set off for our day of bargain hunting.

Having just moved into a new house (and having sold all our furniture when we moved from Florida) I had a long wish list. Mom is re-doing her guest room and my sister is always got her eyes open for a treasure she can't live without. We all very much enjoy garage sale-ing.

The Historical U.S. Route 40

We started out about 10 miles from home on U.S. 40 and headed east. I found out this annual event is very well attended.

The whole of U.S. 40 runs from Atlantic City, New Jersey to near Park City, Utah. It used to run all the way to from the east coast to the west coast (San Francisco, CA) but after some changes in the 60's and 70's, it now, officially, ends in Utah.

The Garage Sale Event is hosted in 7 of the 12 states that U.S. 40 runs through -- Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri (St. Louis.) The event promoters boast 824 miles of garage sales.

Our Journey & Our Finds

Nail Keg in disrepair

Now, we didn't travel even 10% of the way but found tons of sales along a portion about 30 miles long. We had a blast. Some of the loot we found and purchased includes: Mom: 2 night stands ($2 each), books, red kitchen garbage can ($2).

My sister is a chef wanna-be so she found a large Wolfgang Puck skillet for $4, a glass baking dish for $1 and some cookbooks.

Though I didn't find any big pieces of furniture I could buy (found some but too expensive for my budget) I did find a small refrigerator for $2 (yes, it works!) I plan to use in the family room wet bar, a goose down comforter for $5, and a large flash light for $4.

My favorite purchase was an old, falling apart nail keg. The metal strapping on top was completely loose as well as the 2 stabilizing wires. The wood ribs were flapping due to nothing holding them in place except at the bottom (that metal strapping was still in place and was holding).

Nail Keg as Garbage Can

The owner saw me looking at it and approached me saying the keg was falling apart. He told me I could have it for $1. I, of course, jumped on that! As soon as I got home, I repaired it as best I could with few tools (I needed Diana's tool cache) and it now sits in my office/craft room as the garbage can. I am looking at it now as I type -- the vintage feel is perfect for me!

Share Your Next Event

I had so much fun today. I look at it as a celebration of family. Mom, sis and I had fun talking, comparing, visiting and solving the world's problems as we perused U.S. Route 40's garage sales today. Events -- no matter the size, shape or occasion -- are a part of all our lives.

I invite you to write on Squidoo about your experiences. I am the Party Planning Contributor and would welcome your ideas, suggestions and experience with planning your particular event. But remember, Squidoo is a platform where you can write about ANYTHING -- we have categories for it all.

Happy Sunday and I hope to see you soon on Squidoo!

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Flip Flop Time!

With summer on the horizon and beach vacations in the works, I have decided that it is definitely "Flip Flop Time!"

What better way to get your family excited about summer than creating cute, inexpensive footwear to wear on that beach vacation?  If you shop wisely and use stuff you already have on hand, you could create new sandals for every summer outfit or bathing suit you own. Of course, you should remember that "You Get What You Pay For",  so if you want your personalized sandals to last, buy the best shoe you can afford.  Really examine the shoe to make sure it is made well and will not break the first time you wear it.  Bend that shoe and pull on the straps!

If you have a ton of buttons in your craft cache, you should read DIY Button Flip Flops . One of the best ideas I found on malina123's page on Squidoo, involved recycling an old pair of shorts for use on her summer flipping footwear! By reusing a bit of fabric, she completely refashioned an ordinary pair of beach thongs into a colorful fashion statement. (Thank you, malina123 for letting me use the image below!)

Of course if you think you might try this project shown above, you should probably own a glue gun. (Click here to find a top rated glue gun on Amazon!)

However, one does not have to use a glue gun to decorate your flips if you want to use beads or rhinestones. One blogger suggested using E6000 Adhesive.  I have read many good reviews for this product on Squidoo and on the Amazon website. I highly recommend that you research products before you buy them.

Need more ideas for creating summertime sandals with lots of bling? Then I would like to send you to Make Your Own Bedazzled Flip Flops on Hubpages.com. There you find will several suggestions (ie. buy your flip flops at Old Navy) and tips for adding your own style to your flip-floppy summer shoes.

Another blogger alerted me to a product I had never heard of before, Beacon Flip Flop Glue.


One last Tip: Prepare the rubber straps on your purchased flip-flops by cleaning them with rubbing alcohol or vinegar to remove any reside that might inhibit the glue from sticking to the shoe. It also helps to scuff up the surface of the strap with an emery board, too.

Now that you have all of these wonderful summer sandals, you might need to store them somewhere! I saw an "green" idea to recycle old wire clothes hangers that just might help you out! Click "Shoe Hanger"  to be taken directly to a photo of that shoe hanger. Lensmaster lbrummer found  lots of ways to upcycle clothes hangers from all over the web.

Now, you can begin summertime with your best-looking foot forward.

(flip flops with ribbon photo credit: Lyn Lomasi via photopin cc)

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Photography Field Trip

This week was the end of my photography class.  I will have to say that I learned a lot and feel that I have lots of new information to enhance my skills as a photographer.  Our last two sessions included a field trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden and then a classroom session to go over the photos that we took during the trip.  I thought I would take this week's blog post to share with you the photos that I took on the trip and a few tips I learned along the way.

The Irises were at their peak when we visited the garden so I was able to get several nice shots. This photo of the purple iris was taken with my 50mm lens using aperture priority at F1.8.  This lens was new to me so I used it the entire trip to get myself comfortable with the lens.  You will note how when I focused on the main iris it put it in focus and gave a soft focus to the rest of the photo. I used the same lens and aperture for the daisies that you see in the photo below.   In this case I was closer to the daisies in the foreground so I got an even greater blur in the background.

I had a bad habit of using my screen to look at when I took photos instead of the viewfinder.  I worked hard at trying to break this habit during this field trip and was successful for the most part.  My instructor encouraged the use of the viewfinder in taking photos and after using it I could really see the difference.

The other tip that I learned from the instructor during the trip was to turn off my automatic ISO setting.  I am not sure how I ever got in the habit of leaving it on but it was interfering with some of my close up shots and I found my problems were taken care of when I used the manual settings for the ISO.  I kept it at 100 for most of this trip.

Here is another flower using the F1.8 setting.  In addition to photographing flowers we also photographed a waterfall using different aperture settings in aperture priority.  What this does is changes the speed the camera is using and gives you a completely different look to the water.  In this photo I used the F4 setting and you see the more distinct water in the photo.

For getting the smooth flowing look in the water I changed the aperture to f22 which slowed down the speed of the camera.  The result is seen in the photo below.

I hope you have enjoyed my series of posts on my Nature Photography class.

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5 Star Book Review: Wild Horse Scientists

Last weekend I made a day trip to Assateague Island, Maryland.  I met my oldest son and his girlfriend there for the day.  I have been there many, many times and it is one of my favorite places to be.

Luckily, during this trip, I was a bit ahead of schedule and I stopped at the “new” Visitors Center on the way.  I say new because it was built a few years ago but I just never bothered to stop. After all, I had visited the old Visitor’s Center, what more could I possibly be missing? But I stopped anyway and found a gem hiding inside.

Wild Horse Scientists  is a wonderful little book for children. However, I am quite certain that every adult who is a wild horse lover, barrier island lover, or who is interested in the process of wildlife preservation will love this book as much as I do.  This book gives an excellent explanation of how birth control is being used successfully on the ponies of Assateague Island.  I definitely would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars rating.

If you would like to see a list of more books related to that area, have a peek at my reading list.  I welcome you to help me read or review these books. Some of the books I have read and the remainder are on my to-read list. I’d love to know your thoughts about any or all of them. Angelatvs wrote a wonderful review of Assateague Island of the Wild Ponies  It was fantastic reading what she had to say about both the Island and the book I have on my to-read list.

During the times that I am not able to physically travel to the Island, I go there through the wonderful stories and photographs in books. And don’t forget that I’m your Mid-Atlantic States Travel Contributor onSquidoo.  If you want to travel this area from the comfort of your favorite chair, please come along with me.

Image Credit: Photograph ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved

  

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Kick off the Summer with a Party!

Historic Falls Park, Pendleton, IN

I do love the summer! Here in the Midwest, we might not have a gorgeous ocean and beach but we do have our own great summer sights. The flowers, the creek falls, the kelly green grass, the blue sky, the vitamin D filled sunshine and 3 fun holidays to boot wrap up our summer season!

Memorial Day starts everything in late May, Independence Day is midway and the end of summer is signified by Labor Day every year.

Memorial Day/Weekend Party or Get-Together

Since we are smack in the middle of Memorial Weekend today, I thought I would take you through our celebration last year (this year's is tomorrow.)  Each year, my family gets together for and on Memorial Day. It's our "Kick Off to Summer Party" and one of my favorites.

I know I have mentioned it before but here I go again... I am a military brat -- specifically the U.S. Navy. My dad was career Navy. My parents actually met when both were stationed at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. Both my grandfathers were U.S. Navy veterans as is my only brother.

Suffice is to say, we are a patriotic bunch! So, because the Memorial, Independence and Labor Day holidays are patriotic in nature, that's the theme we use for all three. It's a lot of fun and we leave some of the decor up all summer -- red, white and blue is very appropriate for a summer season boasting 3 patriotic holidays.

Stars & Stripes -- Red, White & Blue

The color combination is timeless. The primary color scheme is used by Countries for their flag, sports teams and schools for their colors, in home decorating (especially in the cottage, vintage and nautical decor themes) and so much more.

Last year, I decided to use a "vintage feel" with the patriotic theme and loved the way it turned out. I wrote about it here: My Patriotic Buffet Table for our Summer party. Burlap, baskets, bandanas and mini flags come together to create a festive, fun and whimsical buffet table for our party. What do you think?

My Patriotic Summer Buffet Party

Summer Parties

The summer is filled with parties, occasions and get togethers in addition to the holidays mentioned above. Do you have a traditional get-together each summer or a special occasion you'll celebrate this year? Could be anything, like:

• Graduation Party
• Neighborhood Block Party
• Birthday
• Wedding
• Baby or Bridal Shower
• Class Reunion
• Family Reunion
• Annual Luau Party 
• Summer Picnics

Think about sharing your ideas and experiences with others that want to hold a successful event. Do you have a favorite pot luck dish you always make or take? Are you throwing a shindig to celebrate your daughter's graduation or your son's wedding rehearsal dinner? Are you the "Picnic King/Queen"?

Being the Party Planning Contributor on Squidoo, I can point you to a great outlet for sharing your experiences with others here on the world wide web. Best of all -- Squidoo is FREE!!! You might even earn a little you can put towards your next big party!

Let me know (in the comments) if you write an article about a party so I can help you promote it! Most of all, have a wonderful summertime!

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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Little Artists

As the Little Crafty Kids Contributor for Squidoo, I don't just look at craft projects for the under-fives, I look at art ideas, too, because to me, the two subjects are inextricably linked! Many crafts involve at least some painting, drawing or artistic input, and all the creativity that goes into them can only serve to enhance the art that kids go on to produce.

I'm writing about art for preschoolers this week because my daughter has done very little crafting, but a heck of a lot of drawing. She is obsessed at the moment, and is really exploring color, too. So much so, that even food cannot get in the way of this current passion - she doodles away on the paper towel that I put under her breakfast, lunch and dinner plates, so I am currently the proud owner of numerous sheets of beautifully decorated kitchen roll, including numerous rainbow designs like the one on the left, which I am working out how to effectively display in some kind of scrap book!

Engaging with children and their art is a wonderful way to connect and encourage, I feel. Don't simply say, "Oh, that's nice," and definitely never ask, "What's that?" - instead, talk about the shapes and colors and styles used. Comment on what you like about the picture, or why they decided to put that particular object there, or whether there is a story behind it. Today, I was telling my little girl how much I liked the way she had drawn the mountains in the background, and the pattern she had colored on the girl's dress. This led to her explaining more about what the picture meant to her and why she had drawn it.

They may only be young at this age, but don't let that put you off exploring the art world! I have been reading lots recently about introducing different artists to preschoolers, and I heartily agree with this idea.

I recently showed my daughter (4) some of my high school artwork, and she was particularly captivated by this pointillism painting I had done (right). So I explained a little bit about pointillism, impressionism, and Monet, and she expressed interest in having a go herself. As serendipity would have it, one of the books we had taken out the library, Katie and the Waterlily Pond, was about a little girl exploring an art gallery, and she magically hopped in and out of, yes, you guessed it, various Monet paintings whilst trying to paint her own impressionist painting! My little girl was now definitely hooked, and we're in the midst of starting an impressionist project as I write!

The beauty of art is that you can make it as simple or complex as you like - great for deconstructing artists and interpreting them at home for age appropriate activities! 

One of the great things about art for kids is that, like crafts for kids, there is plenty of scope for recycling things! I'm slightly obsessed with melting things at the moment, especially with all the terrific ideas for melted crayon art and melted bead crafts. These projects do of course need adult supervision, but under-fives will just love the things you can do - such as seeing what amazing patterns and colors you can make on canvas with this Melted Crayon Art project by neeznoodle.

Another wonderful form of art for children is modelling with clay. We were using it out in the forest this week, making marvelous mini beasts at forest school (here's Pud's lovely ladybug on the left, decorated with twig legs, leaf wings and catkin spots!) 

As this was a fun activity outdoors, the bug is left unbaked. For ideas at home, don't worry if you don't have access to a kiln for proper clay. There are lots of air drying clays available, as well as non-toxic polymer clays such as Fimo, that you can bake in the oven. You can also make salt dough or your own homemade clay too. 

So, are you inspired? What masterpiece of artwork can you create with your children or grandchildren? If you have enjoyed some great art projects with your under-fives, please and share them !

As always, happy crafting.

(c) All photos are copyright of the author


Posted by MissMerFaery

About the Author

MissMerFaery was previously the Little Crafty Kids Contributor on Squidoo (a website that is no longer in existence).  That position allowed her to explore and write about fun craft ideas.  Plus, she shares about her own crafting adventures.   When reading during her down time, she prefers the fantasy genre in books.

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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A Knight in Shining Armor ~ A Romantic Book Review

 A Knight in Shining ArmorFinding a good book to read is often not easy and I rely heavily on reviews written by other unbiased readers.

I am always reading a book.  As soon as I finish one book, I start another.  Some books, like The Hunger Games Trilogy are so captivating that once I start reading, I simply cannot put them down until I have finished reading the entire book.  Most books I read over the course of a few days an hour or so at a time.  

My reading time is my unwinding time.  A time were I allow my mind to shift from reality to fiction and to get lost, for just a little while, in a made up world.  I prefer romance novels, or at least a book that has a strong romantic story woven into it like the Hunger Games.

A Knight in Shining Armor

 

 A Knight in Shining Armor
(The Montgomery/Taggert Family Book 15)Check PriceUpon-Request captured my interest in her review of A Knight in Shining Armor with her very first words, "A love that is timeless...".  For a truly forever hopeless romantic, I honestly don't know a more appealing phrase.

The book was originally published in 1989, but apparently it's appeal is timeless.   

Upon-Request explains that even though she read it decades ago, she still remembers it fondly, but you will want to read her review for yourself! 

An Invitation to Share Your Review

I would love to read more romantic book reviews and I would certainly be thrilled to be able to share them here with our readers of Review This! 

If you have written a review of a romantic book that you would like to share,  simply leave us the link in the guestbook.

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