Hand Prints

The other day while walking around in Town Square, my hubby and I came across this wonderful piece of art commemorating a children's park in the square.  I thought it was absolutely fabulous. 

I didn't capture a photo of the park, but I did see children cooling off at the water fountain sprinkler's.

Maybe, I'll get a photo of the small park and post it here in the future.

A Walking Investment.

Hubby and I were just discussing the cost of things.

I wonder how much money this guy has invested in his tattoos.

I'm sure it's a pretty penny.

What's your estimate?

Mosaic Monday ~ A dog's Life

(CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)

Pictured in the collge above is Sash, my 13 1/2 year old Chow Mix. 

She is the best dog in the whole world.

To see other lovely mosaics please visit mary at Little Red House.

A Day With Hubby

Today was good. 

The hubby and I hung out together for the whole day. 

We started our morning off at the car auction.

It was really hot outside.

We were pretty hungry after the auction.

So, we went and had lunch.

Eating gave us just the energy we needed to walk around Town Square.

The place was abuzz with young people

waiting to hear the live band.

While we were walking around the square,

we saw this whimsical sign on the side of a VW Bug.

There were a few other things of discovery

but not to be posted now.

When we finished our leisurely walk aroun Town Square,

We headed on over to Ritz Camera Store.

We were there for quite awhile, looking around,

and asking questions.

When we finally finished,

we walked out the door, promising to come back next Saturday.

But......

We didn't leave empty handed.

We left with a new addition to our family.

Yes, we have a new baby.

She's very pretty, and extremely smart too.

We still haven't named her yet.

But we did take her for a walk around our neighborhood,

just to get used to each other.

We still have lots of work to do.

But......

We sure are happy to have brought her home with us.

I shall be posting pictures from her very soon.

It sure was a lovely day today.

A Piece of Architectural Art.....

This building has been under construction for the last year and a half or so.  When completed it will be home to the new Lou Ruvo Brain Institute.  The sign says, it's dedicated to cure Alzheimer's, Hunington's, Parkinson's, ALS and memory disorders.


I think the reason for the curvy building is to help activate something in the brain.  Just my thought.


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It really is quite something, a piece of architectural art.  To see more detailed photos and to read about this wonderful facility click here.

Friday My Town Shoot Out ~ Incongruous

This weeks theme, INCONGRUOUS,  Meaning: Out of place, ridiculous, inconsistent, contradictory was chosen by Mary at Traveling Hammer.  To see other My Town Shoot Outs by fellow bloggers click here for a list of participants.

This week was a real challenge for me.  I've been thinking about it all week long. I finally thought that the perfect contradiction is a pig farm and a herd of cows just about a half mile up the road from my house. Ordinarily, this wouldn't seem out of place, but my neighborhood was built around this pig farm and cow lot that has been there since the 1960's.  Most of the housing around here was built in early 90's and newer.  We have a pub nearby, a high school, Mini Storage, elementary school & shopping center.  Sometimes, the wind carries the odor and it's not so great to smell, but most of the time, it doesn't bother the neighborhood.  I didn't make it down that way to snap a photo, but if you'd like to read more about the pig farm in the middle of our neighborhood you can click here to see photos and a feature story that came out earlier this year.

I did however, manage to snap one photo that seemed incongruous to me.  Click on the photo to see more detail.  As you will see, the green freeway sign amidst all the orange equipment just seems out of place, don't you think?

Surprise at The California State Fair

The other day, I was scanning the home page of facebook looking for interesting updates and newly uploaded photos when one in particular practically screamed at me .  It was brief and to the point, but packed full of news. It was an update from my childhood friend, whom I met in the first grade.  We were the best of friends all the way up through the sixth grade, until my family moved out of town.

We didn't keep in touch even though I thought about her through the years.  Then in 1982 when I was 18 years old, I received a letter from her.   I couldn't believe it.  She had found me.  It was all very exciting.  I think I received about two or three letters from her and she probably received the same from me.  Again, we didn't hear from each other until a few years later when I was about 22.  She happened to be in my town and once again, she had found me.  She stayed about a week at my house and we went out dancing almost every night that she was there.  We had so much fun.  She asked me to come back to Lynwood and stay with her for a week or so. At the time, she lived with her sister and her sister's husband and kids.  (Tina had two kids of her own at that time, also living there) I was up for a new adventure, so I said yes.  (I'm not sure what was up with the job situation.......except that I was probably an irresponsible twenty something and blew my job off to go have fun in a different town) 

Anyhow, after those two weeks, we lost contact again, for almost 20 years.  When I became a Private Investigator, I used all my resources and after a couple of years of looking, I finally found her through a newspaper article that featured her sister's family mourning the murder of their 17 year old son.  It was so sad.  I remember meeting that little boy when he was just about two years old.  Anyway, It mentioned my friend as the aunt and that's how I discovered her married name and was able to track her down that way.  Long story short, we talked on the phone for a long time, and I mailed her a package.  I never got a response and it was as if she fell off the face of the earth.  She had moved again, but there was no trace.  About every two months I would try locating her whereabouts.  One day, it was like the light bulb went off.  I remembered her last name from her first marriage and I remembered her two kids names, so I thought I would run her kids name on myspace and see if anything popped up.  Lo and behold, viola.  A profile picture of her daughter popped up, but I still wasn't sure if I had the right person.  Then I looked at the daughter's friend's llist and there was a tiny picture of a woman that resembled my friend.  I couldn't tell because the photo was too tiny and her profile was private.  What to do?  Well, I sent her a message through myspace and she answered it.  I got her phone number, etc. and we've been talking ever since.  That was just a little over a year ago.

Keep in mind I've only seen her twice in the last 33 years.  Even so, we still have such a strong bond.  We can talk on the phone for hours and not run out of anything to say.  We must be soul sisters!

So, back to my first paragraph.  As I said, there was one facebook update that practically screamed at me.  It was an update from Tina.  In her own words....  "Hello everyone, just wanted to let you all know Im getting married. Shawn asked me to marry him on tv, yep fox 40s 10 o-clock news filmed him asking me, it was unreal. My head is still spinning...the big day will be June 12, 2010. My wonderful mother will be giving me away. I love her so much. See you soon ."  

Well, we talked on the phone this morning and I got the whole scoop.  He asked her while they were at the State fair.  Apparently, he knows the owners of the carnival part of the State Fair, and so with their help, he was able to have the news crew filiming his proposal at an exact time at one of the carnival rides.  Tina told me she was embarrassed to be on the news and very self conscious that people were staring at her during the proposal.   But still........it's nice to know that romance is still alive

I am so happy for her.  This is a big deal, because just a few months earlier she told me she would never get married again. Then along comes Shawn and she is swept up.  I think it's wonderful.  Even though she hasn't known him for very long, sometimes, you just know when it's right. 

Cheers to a new life!

A thank you to all my bloggin friends

Apparently, while trying to change my background, I somehow lost the comment page.  I'm not sure how it happened and I wasn't even aware of a problem until earlier today. 

I just thought nobody liked me anymore.... just kidding. 

I want to thank all my blogging friends who alerted me to this via comments on my other blogs.  I don't know how to allow people to email me through my blog.  Maybe someone can help me out on that one.  I'll sign off with my email address at the end of this blog.

If you haven't visited the following blogs, I encourage you to work up enough curiosity to go see these wonderul people who encourage and inspire me.

Gigi, you always have such wonderful photos.  Thanks for the comments on my other blog.  It's a pleasure to see your photos and learn about you and your life. I learn so much from you, and you are awesome.  

Heather, you are so sweet to offer your help.  Reading your blog makes me more aware of my own spirituality.  You enlighten me and I am blessed to have discovered your blog.  So far, I am satisfied with the look of my blog, but I will definitely browse through your backgrounds. 

Trish and Rob, Your blog validates my belief that there is something beyond ourselves that we are connected to. There are signs everywhere, and just because some things aren't tangible, doesn't mean they don't exist.  I am flattered that you want to use my ghost sotry in your book.  I give you permission to use it on your blog and in your book.

Tabor, your words always interest me.  You have a busy, rich life and I enjoy reading about it.  I hope you are rested up.

Noe Noe girl, you are a doll.  You have a fun personality and I appreciate everything you say.  Thank you.

A special shout out to Jen, you are just a sweet person and your photos are so wonderful.  I am inspired and enlighted by you also.

Last but not least, Darlene, my sweet sister-in-law who never fails to read my stuff.  I hope you know how much I value you.  You are the best!

And to the rest......Thank you so much for your visiting my blog and encouraging me to keep going.  All of you are so awesome and it is my pleasure and an honour to meet you and get to know you through your writings and your photos. 

ABC Wednesday (F) is for freedom

F is for the FREEDOM the American Flag represents.   In the United States of America, I am free to follow my dreams where fantasies can take flight and fortunes can be made.  I have the freedom to make choices, and run my own business.  I can buy a farm if I want to or run a franchise. In America, failure is the next step towards success. Freedom affords us opportunity to keep climbing.  We fight for what we believe in and we fight for what's right for others. I am so blessed to live in a friendly country where we help our fellow Americans.  America is the greatest country in the world.  We do favors for other countries by sending money, dropping food from planes to feed the hungry.  We are always first in line to lend a helping hand when tragedy strikes.  I feel lucky to have been born into this great land.  I get fired up when famous people speak out against our country.  If they dislike it so much why don't they just move to France and learn to speak French.  Yes, I am proud to be an American where freedom still exists and we are free to choose what we want for ourselves.  I certainly don't want to be dictated, which is completely different from having rules and regulations.  I am free to speak my mind about any subject I please.  I can flip my finger without getting it chopped off and say the F word if I so choose.  Freedom!  Isn't it great.

To see more ABC Wednesday participants please visit the website for a current list of entries for today's letter.

In The Kitchen

Now that I'm no longer running a business, cooking for the hubby is much more enjoyable.

I like planning menus and experimenting in the kitchen.

One thing I've always loved is the aroma of onions, bell peppers and garlic cooking on the stove.

It's such a great smell.

The colorful food is so appealing to my eye, and to my pallate.

Tonight, I grilled up some italian sausage

Fried some potatoes (no grease.....I used non-stick spray)

When th sausage was finished cooking, I tossed it and the potatoes into the cooked onions, bell peppers, and garlic. I also seasoned the dish with black pepper and crushed red pepper just to give it a little bit of a kick. The hubby really likes spicy.

I buttered some sourdough french rolls and broiled it in the oven. I then filled the bread with my sausage and peppers and topped it with mozarella cheese.

Hubby really liked it, and I was worried it was going to be too rich, but it really wasn't at all.

It was a great sandwich and I hope the aroma filled the neighborhood with joy.

Knowledge of HTML code not neccesary.... YEAH RIGHT!

So, I thought changing my background would be a lot simpler than it has been so far. I expected it to take awhile to find a background that I liked, in fact, I'm still looking for the perfect one, but I didn't expect it to be so difficult to change. The instructions are pretty clear: copy the HTML code and paste it into the layout section where it says edit HTML. (delete the code that's already there first). Well, easy enough instructions, and I do have a completely new theme that could look nice if it wasn't for the big ugly orange bar going across the top with instructions and part of code imbedded in it.

Does anyone know how to get rid of the orange bar? Please, I need help. Someone please advise.

Also, I found a really cool template that I fell in love with. I was really excited thinking that I would be able to switch over in a flash. But no, this template had to be downloaded into a zip file, which I did, unfortunately, I cannot open the file. I keep getting an error message. I tried it several times with the same template and about three others. So, after hours of frustration, all I've got now is a semi decent theme with an ugly orange bar running across the top.

Under Construction

Please pardon my changes as I am under construction.

I am bored with the background of this blog,

so until I find one that sparks excitement in me,

you might land on my page

and see something totally different than you expected.

I will probably go through tons of changes

before I find the right fit.

So bear with me as I explore how I want to express my creativity.


Have a greast afternoon, everyone.

Mosaic Monday repost of picture.

Please read previous post for mosaic monday. This is a repost of the collage, as the one below won't enlarge. Click on the photo to see a larger image.

Mosaic Monday~ (Desert Dumping Ground)

Mosaic Monday is the creation of Mary at Little Red House. Please visit her blog to see other gorgeous mosaics or to join in on the challenge. It's great fun.

(REMEMBER TO CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE THE IMAGE)

Today's mosaic is inspired by my walk in the desert. My husband and I like to take our dog, Sasha to an empty field in the desert and let her run wild. She likes to hunt for bunny rabbits. She's good at spotting them, and at 14 years of age, she can still run pretty fast. Not so fast that she catches up to the little critters, but she has fun trying.



Anyhow, earlier tonight, during one of our walks I got snap happy and took some photos of things dumped in the desert. You can't begin to imagine all of the items I found. It really was quite interesting looking at it from another perspective.



When I got home I tweaked the photos, turned them into black and white and added some special effects on a few of the photos. Pictured in the collage above is an old can of paint, an empty cigarette pack, a rusted old rake, a ball, a piece of cable wire, my dog on the hunt, two wooden pallets, a plastic soda bottle between some 2 x 4's and sheet rock pile, a single pallet, a stiletto heeled shoe, rubber tires, some one's architectural work with bricks on a sand pile, a piece of cassette tape intertwined with a condom, a plastic chair, a plastic underground pipe, a bucket, a bunch of hay wrapped in netting and shaped like a tube, a cigar, and some squiggly tape. It really is quite an array of junk. I would have left the pictures as is, but I thought it would look more interesting in black and white.



Please visit Little Red House to see more, and have a really fabulous day.

I smell rain

The wind is blowing the branches of trees,

and the breeze is welcomed by me.
It's a bit overcast outside and I can smell the rain in the distance.
I hope my senses don't betray me,

for I long to see the rain drops fall into my yard.
I yearn to hear the pounding of rain on my roof top.
Most of all,

I like how the rain makes me feel cozy,

all nestled in my living room,

watching old movies and cooking food in the crock pot.
I smell rain.
I hope it doesn't fail to visit me.

*************************************************************

I have posted a cute little letter from a grandmother to a bride on my other blog. I think you will find it interesting. Check it out if you'd like a chuckle.

Quoting The Quotable

Friday, My Town Shoot Out ~ Signs

SIGNS, SIGNS, EVERYWHRE ARE SIGNS.........THIS WEEKS THEME FOR THE FRIDAY, MY TOWN SHOOT OUT.

Remember to click on the photos to see more detailed images.

Yes, truckers need their laundry washed while they shower themselves. This sign was taken yesterday in the city of Searchlight, NV on my way to Laughlin.
I really like the slogan on this sign. They can rock my home anytime with that tone. This sign was also taken yesterday in Bullhead City, AZ, just across the river from Laughlin.

Apparently, the yogurt shop doesn't get enough business by just being in the middle of the shopping center, so they created this sign to sit atop a truck for heavy traffickers to take notice.

This happy faced prehistoric creature advises park goers the rules of play. This was taken earlier tonight in one of the parks I frequent.

Just to the right of enthusiastic Dino is this sign posted on the fence, listing all the free movies in the park this summer. My husband and I sometimes like to attend these viewings. Okay, I have to practically drag him out of the house, but enjoys the family movies more than I do. I just use that as an excuse to get out and see people.

There are so many ducks in the park that they get their own sign. It's funny that I never noticed this sign prior to tonight. These Friday shoot outs make me much more aware.

Last, but not least is my very own sign. I had this custom made back in 1994 when my husband and I bought our first home in Bakersfield, Ca. (we no longer own that home) Obviously, I was into country decor back then. It's not really my style now, but it still hangs in my house just above my sliding glass door in the kitchen. And yes, I suppose I still like it. After all, it has my name carved in wood.



I hope everyone who visits my blog also takes a little time to look at some other Friday Town Shoot Outs. Our group has some extremely talented photographers and writer's. I know you will be inspired.

Thank you!

Discarding My Outer Layer

Yesterday, I forced myself to get away from the computer. Ever since I closed my business in May, I have been spending the majority of my time on this machine. I throroughly enjoy every moment because I am inspired and awed by all the creative talent I have discovered, and little by little, I am discovering my own need to express my creativity. Even so, sometimes I feel guilty becuase I think I should be doing something more productive. I should be cleaning out the clutter in my house or planning menus or doing something that fits the standards of most people's idea of being productive. I should be outside getting some exercise or doing volunteer work.

I know those thoughts come in guilt only because I fear judgment from society. I fear judgment from friends and family that I am not doing anything worthwhile. I fear they will perceive me as being lazy and think of me as a loser. Those are the negative thoughts that consume me. Even so, I feel like I am finally awakening in me a passion for something that has been stagnant for most of my life. I am discovering that I need to be creative. I can no longer deny this part of myself.

I'm still uncovering things about myself through this blogging journey. When I started this blog, I planned on using it solely as an on-line journal. Right away it went in a completely different direction. I love writing and yet somehow, this blog has turned into so much more. I am discovering that I really enjoy taking photos. I like having assignments to do. It is fun and challenging. I am by no means even close to being talented in any area yet, but through this process, I now know that I have the potential to be really great at something creative.

I am unlocking the mask that has hidden this part of me for so long. The real me is emerging and I hope that my friends and family can appreciate this side of me.

Besides, not only am I not running a business any longer, but I am taking care of my husband in the same way I always did. The only difference is I don't have the added stress of deadlines and worry about my business to take away from the quality of our relationship. I no longer snap at him or feel resentful having to do it all. Now, I can take care of him and enjoy doing it. I really do enjoy it now. I love being a housewife. But I love pleasing myself more. Expressing my creativity makes me feel alive. It's what I'm meant to do. Now, I just need to find what it is I am good at or can become great at.

I know I am great at exploring and bonding with my dog. Yesterday, I drove to Laughlin and took Sasha for a dip in the Colorado River. She enjoyed the refreshing, cool, clean water, but she did not appreciate it when a jet ski sped by and caused waves to splash her in the face.

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Isn't she cute? She'll be 14 years old in December.

I captured this photo of the sun reflecting on the water. I had a really great time with my dog yesterday. It definitely was rejuvenating.

ABC Wendensday (E)

It's ABC Wednesday again, and this week we showcase the letter, E. My "E" is for envelope.

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I love writing letters by hand and sending them through snail mail. Why? you ask. Because letter writing is an art. It's personable, it's intimate, and most of all it's cataloging an imprint of my heart and soul. So, whenever I send a letter to anyone, I like choosing an envelope that represents something more than plain white blah. I like to send envelopes that are pretty or fun so that the person receiving it will be excited to open it.

We may be in an era where technology is the way to go, and instant access is more convenient and less costly than sending a hand written letter, but I guarantee that anyone who receives a letter in the mail from me will appreciate it much more than an email. You see, I may not like being the center of attention, but I do like standing out from the crowd. I like leaving my imprint on people's hearts. How else will I be remembered?

And woudn't you prefer to know that someone took the time to actually sit down and hand write you an update, or tell you how much you mean to that person? It means you are important, special. You were worth the 45 cent stamp, or whatever the cost is now. So next time you go to your mailbox and see a colorful envelope that isn't junk mail, won't you be intrigued to discover what's inside?

To see other ABC Wednesday posts click here.

Mosaic Monday

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To see more beautiful mosaics please visit Mary at Little Red House.

Friday My Town Shoot Out ~ Relaxation

This weeks theme for the My Town Shoot Out is relaxation which was chosen by Lena at Spirits of Lena

My interpretation of relaxation includes things that I have fun doing. One of those things is listening to a good live band. The below picture was taken in Nashville this past Saturday. People in the place were having lots of fun and relaxing, including myself. The name of this band is The O'Donnell's, a father and son team. Country music is their sound.

My husband and I enjoy golfing with friends. We find that to be very relaxing and de-stressing.

During our vacation in 2006, driving through Montana, we saw some buffalo relaxing down by the river.

Taking the dog for a walk while on vacation can be relaxing. This is an RV park in Oregon. We weren't staying here, but this was right behind the motel where we stayed. We love exploring!

Driving down a grade, coming around a curve and seeing this view of the lake is quite a relaxing sight.

Wathcing our nephew play football in Oregon is relaxing and fun.

My other nephew relaxes as he sprawls out on the grass.

Snapping photos of barns and horses is very relaxing to me. It's one of my most favorite things to take pictures of.

Driving through quaint little towns always makes me feel relaxed. I really love small towns.

Boating and Jet Skiing with my siblings and my parents is quite fun and relaxing. We do this at least once every summer. We would do it more often, but they all live in a different state.

Even my parent's dog, Boomer enjoys a good ride on the jet ski.

I hope you all enjoyed my ways of relaxing.

To check out more photos from the Friday My Town Shoot Out, Click Here.

My Nashville Get Away

Nashville, Tennessee. My favorite place in the whole world. The first time I experienced Nashville was in 1995. My husband and I took a late honeymoon to the state of Tennessee because I had always dreamed of seeing Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. We stayed a few nights in Nashville before heading to Memphis. I fell in love with Nashville and the state of Tennessee. It was like I had returned home to a past life. There was an instant connection. Yes, I belonged here. That's what I thought then, and that's what I think now.

All these years, I have longed to go back there, to move there, to feel at home again. I finally got a chance this past weekend when I flew down there to meet my sister, who was there on business. My husband encouraged me to go, so off I went. It was an extremely short trip, however, we packed a lot of fun into the three days that we were there. This latest trip only confirmed my belief that I belong there. The following pictures do not do the state of Tennessee justice, nor does it do my fun any justice. The images are a bit hazy and amateurish, but my memories are as sharp as a tack and the images are clearly embedded in my mind.

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The above picture is taken from my plane while leaving Las Vegas. My excitement has begun.

Flying high above the clouds. I hope we don't crash.


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Oh my goodness! I'm here. Getting ready to land. Look how pretty it is down below.

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Getting closer. Look at the pool in the yard.

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My sister and I in the rental car heading to our hotel. Look how pretty and clean the freeway is.

I took the above picture because I have never seen a speed limit of 24. I thought it was kind of quirky. Normally, it would be 25.

We are just around the corner from the Gaylord Opryland Hotel where we will be staying. I'm snapping pictures of EVERYTHING. So much so, that most of it is junk and not worthy of posting and/or sharing.

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This is a photo of the courtyard of the hotel, looking out from our balcony on the third floor.

The hotel was abuzz with lots of people. The atrium was incredibly beautiful and there were lots of gardens and pretty things, but I thought the room was just average for the price. It wasn't anything special at all. It was a great experience, but I'm not sure I would recommend staying here, unless you have the money to spend. The pool was great and they had a fully equipped fitness room, which my sister used, but I did not. The hotel is huge and you could easily get lost. Parking cost $18.00 per day, which I thought should be included in the room price but it was not. You can take a shuttle bus to downtown memphis for $12.00 which is a good deal if you plan on drinking. I highly recommend this.

We were out driving around looking for downtown (before I knew about the shuttle) and we got lost. I snapped this photo from inside the car because I just really liked the area. It's been a long time since I've seen a rail road crossing sign without the arm. I just thought it would make a cool picture. I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at trees and grass.

Still lost in an incredibly nice neighborhood. The houses and lots on this street were incredible. Very beautiful and sophisticated. Clean and crisp and refreshing. I enjoyed our little excursion that our GPS took us on. My sister, on the other hand, was getting frustrated.

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Yay! We finally made it downtown. Here is the Cumberland River. It's beautiful.

We had to park down the street in a parking garage and it's a little scary walking towards this area. We are prepared to put up a fight if we have to. You don't mess with us!








Carriage Horse.........

And people......

Now, we're talkin

A really cool guitar. We are amongst lots of famous little bars downtown.

And this little star is really showing his stuff. Very talented indeed.









OOPS! I downloaded it twice. I don't know how to delete it. Sorry!

Isn't he cute though?









Ah! the next night. Here we are at Tootsie's, a world famous bar where many famous singers have performed.

My sister, Cheryl on the left, me in the middle, sister's colleague, Steve to my right and another colleague, Kent in the back. I've already had way too much fun, as we came here after our private event at the Wild Horse Saloon.





Yep..........................




Proof that I am having fun. Evidence of alcohol intake.

My two second bull ride. And the power was as low as it could go.
I'm a country girl at heart, but I'm no cowgirl.











All I can say is..........................

It must have been a good song.












part of the band at Tootsie's

They played a good mix of country and rock music.













This is the lead singer. I thought he was really good.

To his left is a female vocalist in the band. During the song, "Sweet Child Of Mine" that she was singing, she jumped off the stage, grabbed my hand and pulled me up onto the bar where I danced in front of everyone and sang the song with her. I cannot believe that I did that. I was really having fun. I don't even do karaoke.













The next day, hungover, my sister and I decided to drive to Hurricane Mills to tour Loretta Lynn's Plantation Home.

The outside was really pretty. All I can say about the inside is that I am so glad the 70's decorating style is over. It was bad. With that being said, Loretta had some really nice collections in her curio cabinets. She collected salt and pepper shakers which she had displayed in a really large curio cabinet that her husband Mooney had built for her.

This is the front walkway looking out directly from the front porch. Very large lot and beautiful scenery.













the rest of the dude ranch.

A bridge over water. So gorgeous. I just love places like this. I find such serenity in being in this environment. This is also Loretta Lynn's property.




Well, I have a lot more pictures, but I think this kind of summarizes my trip to Nashville. We had a lot of fun. The downtown area was hopping and I only regret that I couldn't stay longer. I wanted to explore more. Much more. Next time.......


Also, I didn't post any pictures here, but the first night we stumbled into a little bar called Rippy's. They had a two man band playing and they were really good. When I got home I did some online research and discovered who the band was. It was a father and son team, The O'Donnells. They just put out their first CD. I suppose Nashville is a place where dreams come true.

Gaylord Opryland Hotel

Rippy's Smokin Bar and Grill

Wild Horse Saloon

Tootsie's

Loretta Lynn Dude Ranch