WRM EXPEDITION!

The White River Marathon is well-established event that takes participants along the beautiful White River, in Cotter, Arkansas.  It is a Boston Marathon Qualifier Race.  It consists of a full marathon, a half marathon, and a 5K.  

 2014 marks the 11th year for the White River Marathon for Kenya ( www.whiterivermarathon.com ), and one of my "rituals" of this event, has been to get a photo made with David and Roxanne Johnson.  This year was no exception!  The Johnsons have had the opportunity to travel to Katito, Kenya, and be an eye witness to the benefits that the community has received, from the thousands of dollars raised by the White River Marathon. 

The

photo with the Johnsons took place before the race, and this photo with my friend Diane Quinn, took place after the race.  We were both very stoked to have won a medal in our age division!

At the finish line, I wanted a photo with the Race Director, Paul Gigliotti.  That too, is a bit of a tradition, because I had a photo made at the very first race with the kind lady who originally envisioned this worthwhile event---Laurie Kaysinger---who served as the Race Director for many years.  Next year the race is scheduled for Saturday, November 21, 2015.  It is limited to 700 participants, and since it completely filled up this year, I would recommend that you get your application in early!  Registration opens January 30, 2015. 

I have a collection of

cotton tee shirts with this logo on it in just about every color imaginable.  This years tee shirt starts a new trend, however, as it is the new light-weight, quick drying synthetic fabric that many races are switching to.  Also, the logo and print appear pale gray, but when light shines on the pale gray it glows bright white!  Since one of my first status updates on Facebook after the race was "PTL", which means "PRAISE THE LORD", it seems appropriate that this would be an appropriate visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verses that starts out with "PTL"!  It says, "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."  Psalm 103:2    You can be sure that I am praising the LORD for the White River Marathon/Half Marathon/5K, and praising the LORD that I was able to finish the 5K with a first place medal for my age division!  Likewise, I am praising all the race workers, volunteers, and businesses who donated money and supplies to make it such a success!  You have given us 11 years, filled with "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia

A TOWERING EXPEDITION!

I was absolutely DELIGHTED when I found out that the regional Project Learning Tree workshop ( www.plt.org ) I was attending in southeast Oklahoma was going to include climbing a fire lookout tower!  The last time I climbed a fire tower was on the final day of my senior year of high school, when some girlfriends and I drove to the top of Boat Mountain in Boone County, Arkansas, and climbed to the top of the fire tower there.  The details in my mind are fuzzy of that day, but it is possible that we skipped school, and it is possible, that we were not authorized to be climbing that tower.  However, since the statue of limitations has long since expired on the endeavor, it is time for "true confession"!  Fortunately, for this "climbing expedition", we had staff members from the Oklahoma Department of Forestry giving us some history on the use of fire towers, and what life was like for those who had this job.  The tower was at the end of a very steep and rough dirt road, that climbed to the top of one of the tallest mountains in the Ouachita Mountain Range of that area.  Besides the tower, there was the home for the fire tower worker and his family, as well as several out buildings.

Climbing the tower was an "optional" activity, so anyone that had a fear of heights was welcome to stay on the ground and have an alternate course of study.  However, since the Master Naturalist who was climbing ahead of me seemed to be doing okay, I decided to proceed upward and onward!

These days the fire tower serves more as an "anchor" for a multitude of communication antennas, than as a full-time location for a forest service employee.

Once I made it to the top, and was inside, I had to have my photo made with one of the forest service employees who staffs one of the few remaining fire towers in Oklahoma.

It was a hot and sunny day in October, when our group climbed up to the top of the fire tower, and entered its tiny enclosure.  You can be sure, we were GREATLY outnumbered by the hundreds of wasps swarming the inside compartment, as well as the stairs on the way to the top.  Our guide told us they would not hurt us, as long as we did not accidentally lay our hand down on one of them that were crawling on the hand rails.  Between watching where I put my feet on the steep ladder, and watching where I put my hands on the wasp-covered railings, it was an exciting adventure!

This photo shows the "trap door" in the floor of the fire tower that can be locked, to keep out uninvited human beings from getting inside the tower.

As you look down from the top of the tower, and see how old the rust-covered supports appear to be, one begins to wonder if this was the wisest decision or not!

Our guide was skilled at "hollering" down to those below, to see if anyone else wanted to make the climb up to the top. 

One final thought:

While I was being greeted by a WASP at every step of the ladder, and the WASP buzzed my head when inside the top compartment, I felt very intimidated and a little scared.  It reminded me what a visitor from another race or culture might feel like when they are surrounded by the WASP ( WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant) members of my Bible study group.  I can see why my group of human "WASP" might be scary and intimidating to a foreigner.  Therefore, I resolved to make such a person feel welcome, and not scared!  So although this experience of climbing a wasp-infested fire tower might be viewed as a hardship, or a persecution, or a difficulty, or an insult, or an activity to point out a weakness, but if it was done for Christ's sake, to make me a stronger person, then I can delight in it!  In fact, I can use it as a visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verses:  "For Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:10    The experience of climbing this fire tower taught me a lesson about wasps, but it also gave me an appreciation for the hardships, persecutions, and difficulties, that those forest "watchtower" folks have endured over the years!  Thanks to their endeavors, we can continue to enjoy our beautiful forests, and have "MILES OF SMILES"!

NAMETAG EXPEDITION!

For several weeks, I have been reviewing photographs I have taken, trying to find a suitable visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health memory verses. The passage has the word "name" in it, which stood out to me.   After praying for ideas several times, the word "Nametags" scrolled across the screen in my mind.  I wondered, "Does the LORD wear a nametag?"  It started me thinking about all the nametags I had worn on my various expeditions the last several years.  The one foremost in my memory, during the Winter Olympics now in progress in Russia,was the nametag I had for my trip to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver four years ago.  There are blogs about those experiences in my archives, for March 1 and March 4, 2010.

The nametag I had for a Travel Trade Show called "Go West Summit" is a reminder of the blogs that I wrote dated February 18, 20, 27, of 2012.

Being a part of the Media for the Star-Spangled Sailabration in Baltimore provided material for blogs published June 22, 24, and 28 of 2012.

One of the most unique nametags I had was for the Teacher Conservation Tour, sponsored by Project Learning Tree, and the Arkansas Forestry Foundation.  It was made from a "tree cookie", which is an actual slice of wood.  That experience provided information for blogs published on June 28, 2013.

Attending the Bienvenue Quebec Travel Trade Show provided material and photos for blogs published November 14 and 15, 2010 ; plus March 22, 2011.

The nametag pouch for the Becoming an Outdoors Woman event I attended was extremely useful, and the experience provided blog information for a September 3, 2011 article.

A tour sponsored by the Lake County, Illinois CVB gave me material to publish articles on my blog on October 12, 2010.

Likewise, when the Grapevine, Texas CVB led a tour to their annual Grapefest, I had material to publish articles and photos on September 24, 25, and 29 of 2009.

My Road Scholar nametags gave me tons of photographs and experiences that I wanted to share.  I wrote about my adventures in Sedona, Arizona, in articles published April 30, May 3,4,7,8 of 2013.  The hiking adventures in Illinois were published on October 13, 26, 27, 27, 28,29 of 2013. 

Traveling with Diamond Tours to two popular tourist destinations was a delightful experience as well.  I wrote about the Nashville show trip on September 21, 2010 and January 5, 2013.  The Smokey Mountain trip provided information for an article published October 7, 2011.

Having the privilege of wearing the nametag of a volunteer with the Arkansas State Parks enabled me to tell about some of the volunteer opportunities at state parks, in a blog published June 20, 2013.

Another great volunteer organization that has been a blessing to be a part of, is the Arkansas Master Naturalist organization.  You can learn more about their projects in my blog dated May 1, 2010.

It was fun wearing the nametag saying I was "Warren Buffet's Partner", and I wrote about my experience attending a Berkshire-Hathaway Stockholders Meeting, published on September 8, 2008.

By far, the nametag that has had the most profound effect on my life, is the one I wear as a participant in a program called "First Place 4 Health" (www.FirstPlace4Health.com ).  The reason for its significance is because it has caused me to study God's word, and to work at committing it to memory---which brings me back to why I started this particular blog post in the beginning!  Here are the verses I am working on memorizing:  "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your NAME trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:9-10.  I challenge anyone reading this to give some creative thought on what kind of image they would use to illustrate this verse!  (Maybe then, you will have some empathy for the difficulty I had coming up with an illustration!)  Another First Place 4 Health alum, Esther Hunter, has come up with some extremely creative ways to show and tell about the names of God.  You can see photos of them on her blog,   www.namesofgodonrocks.blogspot.com/ . 

After seeing photos of the various nametags I have worn, maybe you will know my name, and trust that I will keep writing about my expeditions (from the viewpoint of a member of the "baby boomer" generation), and (based on the will of the Lord, my "CyberShepherd") will not forsake those of you who might seek out my blog!  FYI, the "nametag" for First Place 4 Health is based on the word "first" in Matthew 6:33, and  I know that if I keep applying this verse to how I live, it will give me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia   

VERMONT CULINARY EXPEDITION!

 After a few decades of working as a Registered Dietitian in health care settings, I changed my membership from being a part of a clinical practice group, to being a member of a culinary practice group.  That gave me the opportunity to make professional visits to various culinary schools around the USA and Canada.  This is a photo of a poster displayed at one such culinary school, when I visited there a while back.

 At the time of my visit, the New England Culinary Institute ( www.neci.edu ) had a branch in Essex, Vermont.

 The NECI was located on the grounds of The Inn at Essex ( www.essexresortspa.com ).  As you would expect, the Inn at Essex made use of their on-site experts to provide a variety of culinary resources, including making cakes considered a work of art---not to mention---delicious to eat! 

 Also, as is often the case at culinary schools, the kitchen is designed in such a way that spectators can easily look through the large plate glass window to observe the food preparation in progress.  Class size is kept small in the three teaching kitchens, to give all participants the opportunity for a "hands on" experience.

 I was intrigued by this big hunk of salt, along with its silver spoon and salt server, because it is not something I ever saw in the big hospital/nursing home kitchens where I used to "hang out"!

 Throughout the property, the interior decorators have made use of the "butcher block"  decor style, which included this large bulletin board in the hotel lobby, telling the days activities.

 Likewise, their outdoor signs use the butcher block motif in their design.

 My favorite use of the butcher block motif, however, was that each guest room door was marked with a small butcher block, and whisk!

 The exterior of the resort also has paid attention to detail, by having that common New England building style of light-colored exterior, gabled roof line, shutters, and window boxes.

 These geraniums seemed to be enjoying their location in this cheerful-looking window box!  Considering that the resort is located near Burlington, Vermont, you can imagine that in the wintertime, this window box may be full of snow, rather than fresh flowers!

 The 18 acres that make up the grounds of The Inn at Essex have several different areas, designed to accommodate the needs of almost any kind of group activity.  This fire circle area would no doubt be a great place to gather for fireside activities in the evenings.

 The property also boasts a meticulously groomed herb garden---probably the prettiest one I have seen in all my travels.  This is especially remarkable since the chefs of The Inn at Essex  actually harvest and use these herbs in their daily cooking duties!

 Perhaps it is this angry looking "chef" scarecrow---complete with chef hat,  a spoon in their hand and bowl at their elbow, that keeps the vermin out of the herb garden!

 Yet another example of picturesque settings located on the property is this gazebo.  It is a location that can be used for weddings and other outdoor celebrations.

 Likewise, summertime events can include outdoor pool parties/receptions. They also have a rock climbing wall, indoor pool, and full-service spa.

 The A-frame glass wall enables guests inside to enjoy the beautiful grounds, even if they do not choose to go out to stroll on them.

 The big A-frame glass wall is the backdrop for a large dining area that can be used for culinary demonstrations.  This photo shows that the teaching chef was allowing me to try my hand at making crepes---something which I had never done before!

 Seeing this chef start from scratch with just eggs, flour, sugar, etc.---to create something delicious, reminded me of a cooking show I watch on Christian television, where the chef asks for a blessing over all the ingredients he has gathered in front of  him, that will be used in preparing the dish for that particular television program.  It was a reminder to me to give thanks for the ingredients I use, not just the end product.

 The chef I mentioned that prayed over his recipe ingredients came into my mind, when I was trying to find a visual image to help me learn one of my First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verses that says: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 .  This photo shows God not only answered my prayers that my crepe-making efforts would be successful, the placement of the crepes is to remind me of the cross, where Jesus sacrificed HIS blood, to save me from the penalty of MY sins.  Now THAT is something to give thanks about!   If you would like to find out more about the The Inn at Essex and their Cooking Academy, just phone 1-800-727-4295 or email  info@vtculinaryresort.com  .  Spending some time at this location will give you "Miles of lick-your-lips smiles" !  Tricia

EXPEDITION TO PARADISE!

 The cold winter days can make one reflect on times in the past when you were in "paradise".  In my case, the reflections in my mind, go back to my visit to Paradise, Pennsylvania!  Living all my life in Arkansas, I had never even heard of Paradise, Pennsylvania, until a young Mennonite woman who was assisting with the care of my elderly mother, told me she was originally from Paradise, Pennsylvania.  The name had such an allure to it, I determined I would like to go there some time in the future.

 Paradise is located in an area called "Pennsylvania Dutch Country" or "Amish Country",  by many tourism publications.  For this reason, the visitor needs to be aware that just because something has the word "Amish" in it, it may---or may not---be associated with an authentic Amish lifestyle.

 The photos shown here were taken on a Sunday afternoon drive through "Amish Country", and are simply posted to show what you might see when you drive through the area on any given day.  I cannot verify the authenticity of places that use the word "Amish" in their name.

 I am very thankful to the folks at the Country Living Inn ( www.CountryLivingInn.com ) for making this scenic drive possible!  Their expertise with the local area, is something I can highly recommend!

 I was a passenger in the owner's private vehicle, and took lots of "windshield tour" images, such as this one, of local teens enjoying a game of volleyball.

 There were numerous horse-drawn buggies out on the highways, so I was able to see a variety of different styles!

 The graphic art work demonstrated in this photo amused me, as I could imagine the farmer thinking he would help out all the "city folk" driving through, by spelling out the name of what they were looking at---a field!

 When you are out on many of the back roads in Pennsylvania Dutch country, you will see they are narrow, have no shoulders, and have a yellow line down the middle, prohibiting passing.  This may mean that you have to be behind a slow, horse-drawn vehicle for quite a distance before you can pass.  Therefore, it is best that you not be in a hurry when you take such a drive!

 My guide told me this building was an old-fashioned "one room schoolhouse", still in use for local families that choose to educate their kids in such a place.  

 When I saw this lush, green field, I sort of wished there had been a "sign" like in the previous image, telling me what was growing there, because I had no idea what this particular crop would turn out to be!

 The highways roll up and down the countryside, with no passing lanes or "cuts" made through  them to accommodate those with speed as their priority.  Like I said, it's best if you are not in a hurry!

 You never know when you may top a hill and be smack dab behind an Amish boy in roller blades (carrying his regular shoes!).  I had to wonder if he was off on a quest to go "court" a young lady further on down the road!

 Because of the opportunity to see the deciduous trees in all their magnificent colors, autumn is a popular time for tourists in this part of the country.  This business, located in Intercourse, Pennsylvania, is a popular tourist destination.

 Some shops use the more familiar Conestoga-type wagon in the displays.  

 This scene showing several small fields, growing a variety of different crops, is vastly different from a scene one might see flying over the western United States;  in that area you are more likely to see how gigantic circular irrigation units, provide water to miles of fields, of a single type of crop.

 Private vehicles, vans, buggies, and roller blades are not the only modes of transportation---you will also encounter plenty of motorcycles!  One reason for this, is the large Harley-Davidson Motorcycle factory located in Pennsylvania.  

 Since some of the residents in this area do not rely on electricity, you will probably get to see some of the familiar-looking windmills, from days gone by.

 One needs to be very cautious at intersections in this part of the world, because most horses cannot read "stop" signs,.  If the driver of the buggy happened to have dozed off because of the familiarity of the route, the horse will not be reigned back to stop!  Rather, it is headed for the barn!

 I enjoyed following this family for quite some distance.  The ones in the back of the buggy seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their "al fresco" ride through the countryside; likewise, the pig-tailed young girl seemed to be enjoying following them on her bicycle!

 The main thing that triggered my memory of my visit to Amish country was a Bible verse I am trying to memorize for the next session of First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) at my local church ( www.myfbcmh.com ).  1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."  I want to always remember that some of God's "chosen people" have "chosen" to dress  differently than the rest of the world .  Yet we are ALL called to declare God's praises!  I not only want to declare God's praises, but also the praises of those people who have chosen a different way of life in rural Pennsylvania.  Getting to visit there gave me "Miles of smiles"!!  Tricia