New York, New York

Saturday morning, we awakened to a bright sun and got ready for the day.

This is a good time to mention the "bower". The bed and breakfast room/suite we were in had its own bathroom. It was in the corner (we were basically in an attic) and had really low ceilings. It had this really neat clawfoot tub with a handheld shower attached to the faucet.  So to take a shower, we had to crouch in the tub and hold this little handheld shower over our heads.  That was quite an experience.  We dubbed the set up as the "bower" (bath + shower= bower).  I will say, I appreciate our shower at home that much more now...

At 9 (prompt!), we had our breakfast part of the "bed and breakfast".  Our "appetizer" was a slice of grilled pineapple topped with a blueberry sauce. Oh, yum.  Then we were served homemade buttermilk pancakes with ricotta cheese between each pancake, also topped with a blueberry sauce.  Double yum.  After that, we were deeply disappointed that we would have to leave so early the next day that we would miss breakfast.  We were also thankful we had some walking planned for the day after such a big meal to start the day.  It was  neat/interesting to meet the other couples staying at the b and b...two were from Michigan and another from Florida.  We had to laugh...one of the big topics of discussion at breakfast was about vineyard tours.  Apparently they all had or were planning to do one.  We (who are not really drinkers) just nodded; we had planned to hike for the day, possibly grabbing a bottle of water along the way.

We set out for the Rainbow Bridge I mentioned in yesterday's post.  We had to pay 50 cents to walk across it which was quite a bargain compared to the many other tolls we had paid along the way.

Here is a view of the Falls from the bridge.

Horseshoe Falls

Walking across the bridge...that is Niagara, Canada to the right of Mark.

The American Falls and Bridal Veil (the furthest right)

Can you guess why it is called Rainbow Bridge? :)

Getting back into the US wasn't difficult.  In fact, it moved rather quickly for pedestrians. I think the great number of tour buses probably was a bit slower...

Once in New York, we decided to do a little hiking.  We followed the Great Gorge Railway Trail, a 2.5 mile trail along the Niagara River (away from the Falls).

Here is our bed and breakfast, a view from ACROSS the river.  (Loving the zoom on my new camera)

There were overlooks along the way.  We loved this view of Rainbow Bridge with the Falls behind it.

A view of Niagara, Canada.  You can see the Maid of the Mist boats already making their rounds.

Following the River...notice how "calm" it looks right now.

I have never been to New York City, but I will admit, that cityscape is the first image that comes to mind when I think of New York.  Yet New York also has some beautiful natural scenery.  We were amazed at the heights of these bluffs (and possibly cursing them later when we climbed a very high stairway to get off the trail...).

Another view looking back

After a while of walking along the calm river, we discovered the rapids.

The force of the water was amazing.  I wish we had been able to walk a little further down to see more of the rapids along with the "whirlpool" area but there was construction at the end of this trail and we had to exit.

Something I learned:  Though the high was only supposed to be 74 for the day, I learned that 74 is MUCH warmer there than it is at home.  I was really sorry I had worn jeans (and almost wore a jacket).  By this time, I was a hot, sweaty, mess, and not in a good way. :)

A glance at the Canadian flag across the river...

Something else I learned:  In Canada, if we were near the river, my phone was NOT roaming. I could call home, check e-mail, etc. as if I were at home.  Yet in parts of New York, I was "roaming" and would be charged international fees for calling someone!

Anywho, once we climbed up the stairway to exit the trail (huffing and puffing the whole way), we somehow missed where we needed to go and ended up walking along the streets of Niagara, New York.  It wasn't nearly as beautiful. We had a highway on one side, and a city full of cement on the other side.  But eventually we made it back to the Discovery Center where we had started our hike.  And there, two hours after we began (and about 4 + miles down for the day), we promptly bought trolley tickets to reach our next destination...

More to come!

Reba

Wow. Oh. Wow.

I am a bit behind. We had so much fun on our getaway that I didn't even feel like spending much time on the computer in the evenings. And in the car, that just wasn't possible. We got home to our whirlwind life Monday night then I had a workshop all day yesterday. Thus the posting delays...

So, where was I? Oh yes, August 2. My birthday.

After spending the night in Perrysburg, Ohio, we continued our road trip through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. That was definitely my first time in Pennsylvania and New York and possibly even Ohio. Once we reached Buffalo, we drove over the Peace Bridge and made our way into Canada.

 I was a little nervous crossing the border. I had heard stories of the border patrol turning people away, not having the right documentation, etc. And waiting in the line made me more nervous as we saw cars getting moved to the side.  However, it wasn't that bad. We showed our passports, answered a few questions, and had to explain the car (a rental); apparently some people take cars to Canada to sell for parts.  Finally we were given the all clear (very disappointed to not get a stamp in my passport though!) to enter.

We drove along the Niagara River to Niagara.  Here is a shot of the river from my car window.

You can't tell from the picture but the water was beautiful.  It was this green/blue color, very tranquil.

We really enjoyed taking this "scenic" route to Niagara. We had a chance to see some houses along the way, especially since I made the hubby drive UNDER the speed limit. :)

When we finally arrived in Niagara, we had to drive right by the Falls on our way to our bed and breakfast. This was my first glance at them (from the car)...

That would be the American Falls.  I have always thought of Niagara as one waterfall. There are actually three.  The American, Bridal Veil (which is actually just to the right of the American), and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.

Here is a picture of our room at the bed and breakfast.  When we were searching for rooms to stay, I had a bit of a sticker shock over the hotel costs there.  So we started looking at bed and breakfasts.  A little cheaper and a little more off the beaten bath which we loved.  And most included FREE parking and of course, breakfast.  Honestly, I would have a hard time staying in some of the hotels in Niagara, especially the ones on Clifton Hill.  It was a HIGH tourist area and just too much for us...kind of like a Branson on steroids.  Very commercial and about as unnatural as the Falls are natural.  We had originally booked one room but due to a reservation mix up, we ended up getting a 2 room suite on the top floor. It was beautiful there with plenty of room other than the bathroom which had LOW ceilings. Even I had to duck. :)

After we settled in, we changed our clothes and made our way to Niagara via foot.  It took about 30 minutes to walk to our restaurant.  The walk there was wonderful, mainly downhill.  However, a few hours later, the walk back was a bit more challenging (especially in the rain while wearing wet sandals).

We went to a restaurant called Skylon Tower. The restaurant floor was a revolving floor.  In one hour, it revolves 360 degrees, so we were able to get a panoramic view of the city. 

Here is the view of the Rainbow Bridge which connects Niagara, Canada to Niagara, New York.  We didn't come in on that bridge because we had seen signs indicating that it was taking quite a while to cross the border there due to the traffic.

Here is a snapshot of the American Falls from the Tower.

As we revolved around, there were little plaques with interesting facts about the Falls on the outside by the windows.  We enjoyed reading those as we dined.

The Horseshoe Falls (Canadian Falls), as seen from the Tower.

We tried to get a picture of us with the view but it was pretty tight quarters and we just couldn't do it...

So here is me instead. :)

Another view from above the Falls.

This is one of the Maid of the Mist boats heading toward the Falls.  We rode one the next day...

One last glance...

After dinner, we walked on down the hill to the falls.  Here are the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls (the one furthest right).  They are separated by an island.

My handsome fella in front of the Falls...

Doing the "hold out the arms and snap a picture" technique. One young man offered to take our picture.  I naively let him but hubby quickly got the camera back (my new camera) because he was a little uneasy about the situation...

A view of the Canadian Falls

Another view of the American Falls/Bridal Veil Falls from the Canadian Falls

This was one of our favorite views...the Niagara River tumbling over the Horseshoe Falls.  It was just breathtaking.  Wow. Oh. Wow.  We could have stayed in this spot all night long.  (By the way, a lot of people fail to walk down this far and miss such an incredible sight)

Okay, the sweater kind of takes away from the dress but it was a necessity.  The temperatures were cool and the mist from the Falls (felt yards away) was even cooler...

This is not the best picture (I am still learning my camera) but at night, the Falls are lit up with different colors throughout the evening.  Honestly, we preferred just the natural colors (possibly with clear/white spotlights) but either way, the Falls again were just breathtaking.

On Friday and Sunday nights, there are fireworks.  We were fortunate to be there on a Friday night to catch them.  It was raining most of the time, and the fireworks were not in the direction we were expecting.  But it was still fun to watch (even in our cheap little ponchos)...

After that, we made our way in the rain uphill back to our bed and breakfast for the night.

It was a really long day but memorable...a wonderful way to spend a birthday!

More to come,
Reba

42...Can It Be?

Didn't I just write my 41st birthday blessing post like yesterday?  How is it possible that a whole year has passed? And now I am going on birthday 42...

Yet I know it is happening, that whole 42 thing. My eyes are beginning to fail me. I feel aches and pains I have never had aches and pains before.  And I can only do gymnastics in my mind these days.

Yet I still have a lot to be thankful for...

In no particular order, here is this year's list of 42 blessings in my life...

42.  Sunsets and waterfalls and rainbows...they all take my breath away.
41.  Burying my toes in the warm sun while I watch the kids play in the waves
40.  The beautiful greens of spring as the world comes back to life
39.  Sweet comments on my blog
38.  A late night walk with my hubby and my main man
37.  An afternoon nap curled up with the little pup
36.  Listening to Child 4 read books (even chapter books) to me
35.  Organized files and photos
34.  Zumba with my co-workers...exercise and fun all in one
33.  Hugs from former students (both big and small)
32.  The smell of homemade bread drifting through the house
31.  Love texts from my husband in the middle of the day
30.  Watching Psyche with Child 1
29.  A hike on a cool fall day
28.  Rain falling in the middle of the night
27.  White lilies and magnolia blossoms...not necessarily together. They are just both beautiful to me.
26.  Watching the kids play in the backyard on a summer evening while fireflies buzz around us
25.  Music on my iphone...I have quite an eclectic mix
24.  Child 3's servant heart
23.  The morning paper (especially the comics)
22.  Baby birds in my doorway
21.  Housecleaning days (coming home to a clean house...woohoo!)
20.  Watching child 2 play volleyball...she loves it!
19.  Seeing that "light bulb" go off for my students throughout the year
18.  Visits with dear friends
17.  A triple word play on Words with Friends
16.  Swimming with the kids in my parents' new pool
15.  Oh Holy Night, my favorite Christmas hymn
14.  Taking pictures (I am not saying I am good at it...I just like doing it)
13.  A new book (and time to read it...just for fun)
12.  Turning off my alarm clock in the summertime
11.  Visits with my sister
10.  Grandparents (our folks) who give their time and love to care for the children while we roadtrip
9.  A hot shower after a long day
8.  Newly painted toenails (which I am in BIG need of :)
7.  Dark chocolate Ghirardelli squares with sea salt caramel, chilled (I am guessing this has been on my list for the last several years :)
6.  Meteor showers
5.  Cheese pizza, hot from the oven
4.  New episodes of Lock Up (I know, an odd one...that show just fascinates me :)
3.  Butterflies
2.  Good days. They don't happen every day. But when they do, I appreciate every moment...

and last but not least...

1.  You!  I am thankful for my friends and family who support me, love me, pray for me, understand me. I am blessed...

Have a blessed day!

Reba

A Sight for Sore Eyes...

Note: I usually only post the "family" stuff on our private blog but since there aren't any kids (which is why I went private with that blog) in these pics, I will share our travel adventures...

The title is a play on words.

My eyes are not really sore.

But they are failing me.

I first noticed it about the time I turned 40.  Now, as I approach 42 (that would be tomorrow), I find myself squinting and holding things further away.  Probably time to put on those reading glasses I have had sitting on my nightstand for a while.

That being said, we saw some sights today.

We made it to St. Louis (or right outside) late last night.  Originally, Mark had this as part of our trip. But then when we looked at our time, we wanted a little more time at Niagara, so we were just going to by-pass this.  However, since my mom offered to keep the kids last night, we were able to get a head start and had just enough time to make a little visit to "The Gateway to the West".  I  booked a ride to the top for this morning. We were kind of regretting it when that alarm went off too early BUT I will say, we learned that first thing in the morning is the BEST time to go. There was NO waiting. We actually got to go up early which was a nice treat. And it wasn't really crowded at all.

See that person in the bottom left part of the arch? That is Mark.  Gives a little perspective, doesn't it? :)

 Here is a close up...

 It almost disappears when you look up at it.

 I have been "up" in the arch before.  I believe I was in junior high.  However, my dear husband hadn't. And the ONLY reason I was willing to go up again (BIG fear of heights and claustrophobic) was him.  It was fun watching him experience it for the first time.

I had to take a little shot of the baseball stadium for my son...

 I totally missed the fact that we could see the arch shadow until hubby pointed it out. 

 See that smile?  He loved it.

 A picture of us at the top...630 feet off the ground.

 There's my fella...

 One last look before we hit the road again...

 We headed up the road to just outside of Chi-town.  To MY place.  Giordano's.  We learned that 2 p.m. is a great time to stop in for lunch. NO wait. And they had a lunch special...a 6 inch stuffed pizza, a salad, and a drink for less than 10 dollars. My kind of deal.  We decided the 6 inch was just the right size.  I ate every bite.  I also have had nothing to eat since...I am STUFFED.

 Just take the picture so I can eat... :)

 After leaving Chicago, we headed to Indiana.  A friend of mine had suggested stopping at the Indiana Dunes.  That in itself was an experience.  We couldn't figure out where to see the dunes and the lake (as in Lake Michigan).  We tried a couple of places but they were just residential neighborhoods...no beach access. Finally, someone told us where the actual state park was.  10 dollars later (I thought it was worth it, hubby wasn't as convinced :), we were seeing both dunes and the lake.  And here is one of the first things I noticed...Chicago!  Can you see the outlines of the buildings?  It was about 30 miles away.  (We did not go into Chicago due to the time limit of our trip but it still holds a special place in my heart)

 Forgive these pictures. I was trying out my new camera/close-ups...

 We decided we had to at least go up one dune, since we paid 10 dollars and all...

 Here we are at the top (of that dune).  Thankfully you cannot see the fact that I was panting for breath at that point. Climbing up hills of sand is physically demanding. The only good thing is I probably burned some calories...

 Another Chicago pic...

 Yes, totally posed. But isn't he cute? :)

After our little visit, we hit the road again and traveled across Indiana and Ohio.  I was surprised at how many deer we saw across Indiana (usually in the corn fields).  I was also surprised at how much toll roads cost along the way.

What didn't surprise me was that we had fun.  Lots of fun.  It was nice having a laid back schedule, exploring a little, talking a lot, and just enjoying time together.  (And enjoying a phone call with the kids...)

Anyway, we are stopped for the night in Ohio, heading on to Niagara tomorrow.

And the adventure continues...

Reba