Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain.  Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 

When I was 5 years old, my family moved from Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico to the mountains of east Tennessee. I was so excited to see mountains. If you have driven through Alabama, you know land around the Gulf is very flat.  I was used to beaches and water not mountains and forests.  That first visit to the Smokies is burned into my memory. My brother and I hung our heads out of the car windows with our mouths open.  We wanted to “taste” clouds as we drove in the mist up to the top of mountains. I returned to the park many times throughout my childhood and into my young adult years.  I love living in Florida now, but my heart beats faster every time I drive the interstate up to Tennessee and see the mountains. Today let’s visit the most visited national park in the United States, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art

    James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art

150 Central Avenue

St. Petersburg, Florida

The James Museum

 

 

Walking the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida #blueskies #palmtrees #florida #stpetersburg

 


St. Petersburg, Florida is a beautiful coastal city on the west coast of Florida. Known for its sunny weather and Gulf beaches, St. Pete’s nickname is Sunshine City. It is also popular for golfing, boating, fishing and beachgoing. Its waterfront parks host the Dali Museum, featuring surrealist works of art; the Museum of Fine Arts, with works ranging from ancient to contemporary; and Mahaffey Theater, home of the Florida Orchestra. Today we’ll make a visit to a lesser known but fascinating museum with an unexpected western frontier flavor.

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Florida, My Home

Decades ago, I came on a vacation one week in February from middle Tennessee to Miami, Florida. A friend I visited showed me the beaches, Biscayne Boulevard, and local attractions. We had great seafood, barbecue, and everything in between. We even took a short trip to the Florida Keys.

 

 

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Smithsonian Air & Space Museum

Part III of Washington D.C. series. If you missed the first 2: Washington National WW II Memorial,  and Lincoln Memorial. Photos by James Murphy.

 

One of the most exciting museums for me is the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. I’ve visited the museum on the National Mall almost every time I’ve been in Washington.  It gets over 7 million visitors a year so I know many folks agree with me. From the Wright Brothers plane to space capsules it covers it all.  Man’s push to explore are illustrated perfectly.

 

 

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Visit To Lincoln Memorial

Part 2 of Washington DC series. Photos are from my nephew’s (James Murphy) recent Washington visit

 

 

Washington, D. C. has so many places to visit and things to do – many of them are free and deeply connected to the history of our young country.  When you visit, you can be overwhelmed by all that is around you. Take a break, have dinner, and then in the evening go to a historic memorial like The National WW II Memorial or the famous Lincoln Memorial.

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Visiting Washington D. C.: National World War II Memorial

Washington, our nation’s capitol, is filled with historic places and museums, and I was excited to visit it the first time decades ago. I’ve returned several times over the years and there is always something to draw me back. Today I am sharing  our country’s National World War II Memorial at night. These are my nephew’s photos on his recent trip. Thanks James!

 

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Pinewood Estate Garden & Mansion

Previously I shared spring at Bok Tower Garden at Lake Wales, Florida. Today we’ll tour Pinewood Estate garden and mansion which is nestled in the Bok Gardens.  A separate fee gains you entrance to Pinewood Estates, an enchanting 20-room Mediterranean-style mansion. Originally named “El Retiro,” meaning “retreat” in Spanish, the Estate was built in the early 1930s for Charles Austin Buck, a Bethlehem Steel vice president.  Now this historic Estate is open for tours throughout the year to visitors of Bok Tower Gardens.

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