Last weekend, two friends and I explored Le Mars, Iowa and visited/viewed two fabulous, larger-than-life holiday light displays. At both places you can park your car and walk through the displays.

Another little secret about me is that I am a Dale Chihuly glass artist nut. Consequently, I was dying to see his temporary exhibition at the St. Louis Botanical Garden.

Sometimes you just want to “get out of Dodge!” (American idiom for leave town). And that’s what I have done.