I had a trip to Germany planned last fall, but had to cancel at the last minute for family-related reasons. United Airlines gave me credit for the flight, and I thought I had a full year to use it, but found out this spring that the year timeline was based on when I bought the … Read more
When I was in Paris in 2012, I had a chance to visit Notre Dame, among many other things. To reach Notre Dame, I crossed on Pont au Double, which is a cast iron bridge built in 1882. Other people were standing on the bridge, and birds were swooping down everywhere to land on people’s … Read more
I was driving around and exploring various towns in Ulster County (New York), when I noticed this billboard on the side of the road near Greenfield Park, which is a hamlet in the town of Wawarsing. As you can see here, it says “Wanted: Girls,” with the stenciled word “boys” crossed out. It’s a bit … Read more
Here’s the list of ingredients for my current mindset: I’m thinking about moving; I’ve always loved New Mexico from time spent there in the past, and I’ve spent my whole life living either in cities or suburbs. So if I’m feeling restless and have a desire to shake things up, how about looking at 20 … Read more
I was on a weekend day trip up into Connecticut, checking out some things in Danbury, when I saw this tall Uncle Sam sculpture, seemingly in the middle of several roads. I was driving and in the midst of traffic, so I didn’t get a good luck (although I took one of these pictures at … Read more
My plans for Day 4 in Madrid included visiting the hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida in Madrid, where Goya’s tomb is located and his murals fill the church. The art inside is quite stunning, but they don’t allow photography – the nuns are in their office but keep an eye on things via … Read more
One of the things I like visually about Pittsburgh is the yellow bridges; there’s a variety of suggested reasons for them all being the same color. One, for safety and visibility, as they stand out in fog and rain. Two, for maintenance ease, as it’s easier to spot flaws on a light surface. Three, for … Read more
I was exploring a beach in Bonaire when I noticed a bird atop a cactus, eating something. It was unexpected, since one would think the prickles on a cactus would discourage any animal from resting on it, let alone eat it. What is this bird? The colors and markings indicate that it’s a brown-throated parakeet, … Read more
One of the things I liked about visiting Bonaire was that one could drive around the perimeter of the island and find multiple access points to the water – some were official beaches, others were just simple paths to the water. In this case, as I’m following the path to the ocean, I realized that … Read more
I was looking through some old photos that my mom had saved, and came across this: The Tama County Freedom Rock. I haven’t seen it in person myself, but she was there with other members of our family to check it out ten years ago and took these photos. This specific painted rock is part … Read more