Last Friday evening I attended one of the Bright Nights events at Lauritzen Gardens. If you love any of the things on this list - beautiful lights and decor, toy trains, poinsettias, gorgeous flowers, festive food and drinks, holiday photo ops, outdoor games, visits with Santa, cheerful music, beautiful plants, or just celebrating the holidays this event is for you! My family and I are going closer to Christmas but I also wanted to go early in the event to take photos. It is GORGEOUS!

Someday when I decide to slow down a bit, I want to learn how to quilt. I have said that for at least 20 years, so maybe someday I will actually do it. I just adore the artistic aspect of quilts. They are blank fabric canvases and you can create a thousand different masterpieces with them, depending on the pattern, the fabric and even the quilt stitch. The possibilities are endless. You can even tell a story with them, as folks did on the Underground Railroad.

I have to admit I was not prepared for the unbelievable beauty of the Exquisite Creatures exhibit. It was one of the best and most unique exhibits I have ever seen. The artist and naturalist, Christopher Marley, takes animals, fish, insects, and other creatures that have recently died and preserves them. While that itself is not so unusual, what he does with them is. He creates some of the most unique, gorgeous, and fascinating artwork I have ever encountered. REALLY.

Did you know that the Oklahoma City Museum of Art Has a wonderful collection of Dale Chihuly glasswork? I did not know this until I started planning my eclipse road trip. When I saw that the art museum was having a special exhibit on Dale Chihuly this year I knew where I wanted to start my trip.

Think the Library of Congress is for bookworms only? Think again, my friends! I took a short trek to Washington, D.C. last May and this is what I discovered on my very first visit.

I have been to many wonderful museums all over the world and I do enjoy most of the museums I have seen. But I have to say The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix ‘blew my socks right off!” 

I have been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s art and architecture for quite some time. I’ve visited a number of his projects such as a few of his houses in the Midwest, a hotel in Mason City, Iowa, and the Chicago neighborhood of Oak Park.

What do you think of when you see or think about a butterfly? I always think of Spring and colorful flowers. I also am enchanted by a butterfly’s flight - how they flit here and there but still manage to make it to where they want to be. In short, butterflies make me happy.

There are a number of cities known for their art museums and art events, but Scottsdale takes art to a whole new level!

One thing that has surprised me recently is the beauty of the desert in the Phoenix metro area. I guess I had always simply thought of deserts as dry, rather barren places.

Scottsdale is so surprising! There’s something for everyone here - the arts, sports, shopping of all types, tours, nature, great restaurants, and great winter weather. I am loving it here. One of the places that surprised me was the Western Spirit Museum: Scottsdale Museum of the West.

If you’re anything like me, you don’t particularly love the month of January in the Midwest. Some folks get Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) and tire of the gray clouds, lack of sunshine and monotony of being indoors. I don’t tend to notice that much in myself, but I do crave beautiful green plants and colorful, blooming flowers this time of year.

My mom, sister, daughter, and I went to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. They host a special holiday event each year called Las Noches de las Luminarias” which is simply incredible.

While the weather may look just a little frightful for the next day or two, there’s a bunch of fun stuff for folks to do in the Omaha area between Christmas and New Years. I’d highly recommend taking advantage of it!

Le Mars, Iowa has become a fun holiday destination! (See my previous post). The Brown family provides fantastic entertainment and the town has many older and beautiful homes. Many town organizations come together and provide holiday activities and events.

I just came home tonight from the most FUN weekend with childhood friends in Le Mars, Iowa! It was awesome!

As many of you know, I like to spend time at the Iowa Great Lakes (Okoboji). It is one of my growing list of happy places. 😁 I love to sit and enjoy the water lap against the shore and take photos of the lakes and the natural beauty of the area.

Last Wednesday evening my family and I attended one of the Bright Nights events at Lauritzen Gardens. If you love any of the things on this list - lights, poinsettias, flowers, good food, outdoor games, plants, or the holidays this event is for you!

As you may have guessed, I am very fond of the Arts in general. It wasn’t always this way. I did not enjoy art in school because I didn’t think it was fair that it was graded.

This is rather an unusual topic for a travel blog, but it is Sunday and I do love glass churches, so here we are. I love buildings of all faiths created with prayer and worship in mind - historical ones, creative modern ones, and especially those designed to take advantage of a beautiful outdoor setting.