Seashells and Lighthouses as Summer Wanes

It is mid-August and summer in the U.S is slipping away.  I always feel a melancholy as my birthday approaches in the beginning of September.  Not so much because it means another year has passed and I’m growing older, which is true too, but because my birthday marks the ending of swimming, vacations, and barefoot days at the beach floating in the waves.

I love all of the seasons and spend time outdoors no matter the season. But there is something a bit sad as summer begins to fade away.  There is a feeling of freedom associated with not having to bundle up before going outdoors.  A feeling of abundant life as the insects, birds, and animals move around you.

In celebration of summer, I want to introduce you to Mary Beth Granger’s Lighthouse blog. In her most recent entry, she takes us on a tour of the Hereford Inlet on Jersey Shore.  Thank you Mary Beth for sharing this historical and beautiful building and grounds with us.  I swear I can smell the sweet scent of the flowers and the tangy salt of the ocean.

As summer comes to a slow close, I am squeezing in as much time as possible loading my kayak onto my Jeep and heading out to the tributary rivers of Maryland to kayak.  There is one area with a small lighthouse in the water. The osprey and other water birds are very active in that area and I watch as I float around. I can think of no better way to pass the last days of summer.

 Image Credit: ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved

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A Relaxing Country Song About the Beauty of Unwinding on a Sunday

by Zazzle.com/originalquotes

That's What I Love About Sunday, by Craig Morgan

Relax and listen to Craig's video featured below while you read! 

Does your own life allow you to have a do-nothing day on Sundays? I hope so.

Your rest time may land on another day of the week. Again, I hope you get that weekly break you deserve. After all, what's it all for if we can't stop and enjoy the company of those we love.

There's something powerfully productive about doing nothing at all, and let's face it, many of us need to master the art of  'stopping'  ... especially with 24-7 access to the internet. So, what in the world are you doing here on this page! Go rest!! Oh yeah, I forgot; you're looking for a country song about Sundays - one you can play while you take that much-needed sunny day stroll.

(Lyrics) 'That's what I love about Sunday, cat-napping on the porch swing, you curled up next to me, the smell of jasmine wakes us up, take a walk down a back road.'

There's clear evidence that life is getting more challenging for our kids ... not as easy as it's supposed to be. Neil Howe, Contributor for Forbes Magazine, provides an exciting and detailed explanation in his article "Generations in Pursuit of the American Dream" of how every generation, up until now, has had it better than their parents. You may be wondering what this has to do with relaxing on a Sunday to a soothing country tune ... well, as per the principle of Ockham's razor, 'the simplest explanation is usually the better one,' and the simplest explanation is this:

With the constant worries of life, like work, family, and money, our ability to decompress becomes an integral part of 'getting through it all.' To successfully tackle our life challenges, we must find balance  ... more so today than any other time.

That's where the art of telling stories, primarily found in country music, can play a role: The lyrics help our mind paint a picture of what an emotion really means. The story helps us feel the song; those feelings govern thought, and our thoughts control our beliefs, and in turn, our beliefs then govern our actions. So go ahead and unwind! Not only will your mind thank you, but so will your body.

Storytelling in country music, whether it's new country or that old-time sound, has remained part of the genre for generations. Craig Morgan's song offers a more unique sound, but the story told in his relaxing tune could have easily been one from any previous decade.


You deserve a break. Here's a toast to you for taking it ... I hope you enjoy Craig Morgan's wonderful Sunday song. You can find more about Craig Morgan on his website.

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Cheap Date Ideas: Inexpensive Dating for Couples

Whether you are a single couple searching for inexpensive dating ideas, or a married couple with or without children seeking ideas for cheap date nights, the ideas featured here today will provide you with dozens of suggestions for things a couple can do together without having to spend a fortune.

Dating can often "break the piggy bank", especially in difficult economic times.  Many of us are barely paying the rent, much less having surplus income to pay for expensive date nights.  

We all need a bit of dating advice and suggestions for how to date without going into debt.

Spend Time Together Without Spending a Fortune

1.   Go on a Picnic, a Walk in the Park or a Combination of the two.
2.   A museum 
3.   An art gallery or art show that features "starving artist"
4.   An antique store & be amazed at the memories they can elicit and the stories you each could tell.
5.   The local Zoo happens to be my personal favorite.
6.   The local Botanical Gardens.  Be sure to pay close attention here and find out her favorite flower.
7.   Horseback Riding
8.   Hiking!  Scout out short trails in advance and be sure to tell her to dress for walking outside.
9.   Go swimming.
10.   Bowling can be lots of fun, especially if you don't keep score.
11.   Skating:  Depending on your area, it could be either roller skating or ice skating. 
12.   Kite Flying is really inexpensive, especially if you already own a kite.
13.   Rent a movie and make your own popcorn at home.
14.   Any local event like the fair, craft fairs, free concerts, etc.
15.   Walk around the mall, chat and have lunch in the food court.
16.   If you happen to live close to one, go to the beach and take your own cooler of soft drinks.
17.   Play a video game together.
18.   Play board games or cards 
19.   Cook dinner together.
20.   Take the music into the backyard and dance under the stars.

More Cheap Date Suggestions 

If you have additional cheap date suggestions or if you have already published an article about dating, I would love to hear from you.  Simply leave your article link in the comments section below.
   

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National Lighthouse Day

Today, August 7th is National Lighthouse Day in the USA.  In honor of the day I will be posting photographs of lighthouses that I have taken during my trip to the New Jersey coast this past week.

This first lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in the US.  It was first put into operation in 1764. Sandy Hook is found at the tip of the peninsula just across the harbor from New York.  

Very near Sandy Hook high on the hill overlooking the harbor I saw the dual lighthouses of Navesink.  With my long lens I was able to capture this photo.

On the very southern tip of the New Jersey shore we visited the lighthouse at Cape May.  It is a tall lighthouse that is open for visitors to climb.  I took this photo as I walked along the wood walk out to the shore.

One lighthouse I really enjoyed visiting was Hereford Inlet light.  This lighthouse is located on the Jersey shore about 1/2 hour south of Atlantic City.  It has beautiful gardens that surround the lighthouse.  Here a couple of photos of the lighthouse and the gardens.

Atlantic City also has a lighthouse called Absecom.  It was hard to get a good photo because of the fence and the lighting but here is one that I was able to shoot.

In the last 8 years I have traveled all around the US and some of Canada photographing lighthouses, as of yesterday I photographed 101 lighthouses.  It is always an adventure locating the lighthouses and looking for the best angles for photographs.  I hope you enjoy my latest photos.  

If you have a hobby you would like to share I encourage you to write about it .

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Major League Baseball Stadiums

Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO

If you are a baseball fan, there is nothing better than being at a game in person. And when the game is a Major League Baseball game, it's even better, especially when it's your favorite team!

Girl's Day Out at the Ballpark!

In June 2014, while visiting my daughter in St. Louis, we acquired tickets to a St. Louis Cardinals' afternoon game. The seats were fantastic, the view outstanding, the weather beautiful (although very hot) and the game fun, even though the 'Cards' lost 3-2 to the NY Mets. In past years I had been to a number of Cardinals games at the 'old Busch Stadium, but this was my first visit to the 'new' Busch Stadium which opened in 2004.

Ballpark Village at Busch Stadium, St. Louis

Ballpark Village, St. Louis, Missouri

We also had the opportunity before the game to visit 'Ballpark Village', a new dining and entertainment district in St. Louis located next to Busch Stadium. It just opened this 2014 baseball season and is located on the site of the 'old' Busch Stadium. Between the 'village' tour and the Cardinals game, it was a full (and fantastically fun) afternoon.

Favorite Baseball Stadiums

My favorite major league stadium is Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Home of the St. Louis Cardinals, my favorite team.

Kurt, known as BallparkEGuides1 on HubPages  gives us some great tips for enjoying a game at the new Yankees Stadium in the Bronx, NY. 

It doesn't really matter which baseball stadium you visit or which team is your favorite. If you are a baseball fan, any visit to a baseball game becomes a joyful summer experience.

Experience all thirty baseball stadiums in the country from the comfort of your favorite easy chair with The Baseball Stadium Insider found on Amazon.

'Take me out to the ballgame!' 

*Written by Wednesday-Elf, your baseball contributor on Review This Reviews!



*Baseball Stadium Photos are (c) Wednesday Elf

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A Funicular Good Time in Pennyslvania

As someone who loves to explore the mid-Atlantic region, I am most familiar with places of interest in my home state, Maryland.   While I have visited some amazing places in Pennsylvania, our neighbor to the north, I am not as familiar with the beautiful Keystone state as I would like to be.

Ohiopyle Falls

I have visited the Brandywine Art Museum and Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.  Years ago, I visited amazing places such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water and Ohiopyle State Park in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. I enjoyed that trip so much that I plan to do it again in the near future. But I have compiled a lengthy list of other interesting places in Pennsylvania I have yet to see.  

Prior to the closing of a writing site called Squidoo, I read a wonderful travel article by a writer named leahjsong.  Because of her article there, I have added another destination to my list.   

There is a thing in Johnstown, PA that is worth visiting. Johnstown is home to the "World's Steepest Vehicular Inclined Plane".  The funicular was built long ago as small town's response to disaster and plans to not allow history to repeat itself.  The result is an interesting historical place to visit.

Pennsylvania is a wonderful place to wander. The Laurel Highlands are the western ridges of the Appalachian Mountains – east of Pittsburgh - and so far is my favorite area.  It is lush and mountainous terrain with rapid rivers in the valleys and breathtaking scenery all around. I am anxious to return.  Come to think of it, Johnstown is not too terribly far from the Ohiopyle State Park area.  I do believe this would be a wonderful long weekend trip.

Image Credit: Image CC by 2.0 By Kathy from just livin' in a small town in SW PA, USA via Wikimedia Commons

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Yummy! We're making chocolate covered strawberries on Review This Reviews. Talk about my kind of food. Covering my favorite fruit with my favorite, well, food, and you have a treat that I just can't pass up. I am always on the look out for great pages about chocolate. Anything chocolate. And I found some.

One Can Never Have Too Many

Yes, I did get tired of seeing the number of pages that were about Chocolate Covered Strawberries. There are plenty. But, don't let that deter you. Every single one is different. Every single one gives us a unique and interesting look at these delectable treats.

Many feature how they make their own, including recipes for adding special touches. Some have recipes for making your own chocolate variations. Some show you how to make interesting and fun decorations with the chocolate covering. Others show you where to buy ready-made chocolate covered strawberries.

Featured Pages to Share

In other words, your own way of making chocolate covered strawberries always has a place on the Web. Here I feature 2 of those pages just to show you some of the variations.

The first page is one of those great "how-to's." How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries is by our own Sylvestermouse. She walks you through the basics. And she uses my cooking motto: fast and easy. Her yummy treats are definitely fast and easy. Whether you are dipping strawberries for the very first time, or you are a gourmet chocolate chef, you will enjoy her page.

Kinworm gives us great tips on making unusually decorated strawberries. If you are adventuresome, you might try your hand at here plaid chocolate covered strawberries. It sounds easy to me. In How to Decorate Chocolate Covered Strawberries, she also gives you plenty of ready-made versions that will make great gifts or even inspiration for your own artistic talent.




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.

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I Need More Books! Romance Preferred

I finished my last book on my Kindle yesterday and went in search of more romance books to add to my Kindle collection.  Purchasing books for my Kindle is a fairly new activity for me and one I find that has it's own form of difficulty.   

For as long as I can remember, one of my favorite activities has been physically going to a bookstore, spending hours scouring the bookshelves, reading the back covers, as well as the reviews, and carefully selecting books for purchase.  As a result, I have always had a reserve of books waiting for me to read.  

Since my daughter gave me a Kindle for Christmas, I stopped going to the bookstore and I started perusing the selection of books offered on Amazon.com and downloading the books on my Kindle.  I recently discovered that is not the best way to select romance books to read.  As Forrest Gump would say, that is a bit "like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get" and I have been rather disappointed on a few occasions when I download a book and find it completely unacceptable reading for me.  

After experiencing the disappointments, I have reverted back to depending on reliable reviews from trusted sources before I purchase a book. 

Christian Fiction

Christian Fiction is my personal preference.  I never have to worry that I will be inviting unwanted mental images or graphic details when I read a Christian romance.  I also feel pretty safe in recommending these books to my mother, my daughter or anyone of any age.

In my quest for new books to read, I realized there is an excellent resource for this genre right here on Review This!

Christian Fiction

Historical Romance 

Historical Romance is such a fabulous niche when a writer has actually researched an era and writes with factual content.  

I sought out Jenms Guide to Historical Romance to satisfy my historical romance appetite.  

She introduces us to 2 "solid" historical authors with recommended book series, as well as giving us several Top Ten Lists separated by genre niche.

These recommendations and reviews give me a much better place to start my search for new romance books instead of using the Amazon search engine. 



Readers Need More Recommendations


I am fully aware that each reader has their own preference, just as each writer has their own style.  If for no other reason, reading book reviews before you buy a book can save money, as well as time, and a great deal of anxiety can be avoided by simply reading reviews first.

Readers everywhere want in-depth and precise reviews.  If you have a book that you can recommend, I invite you to leave your review link in the guestbook below.  Your reviews do not have to align with my personal preferences.  There are readers for every genre and I am certain we all would rather have an honest review of a book before we buy it.

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