CRATERS OF THE MOON EXPEDTION!

Want to know where you can experience terrain resembling the moon's terrain, but never leave Planet Earth?  Visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho!

The invitation to "EXPLORE THE MOON" will be a definite eye-catcher to youngsters interested in becoming astronauts!
On one of my many solo driving trips Out West, my PLANS did not have a particular deadline for returning to Arkansas, so I took the time to make a short detour off the Interstate, to visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (www.nps.gov).  I knew nothing about the park (except for a scene I remembered from a movie), so I was thankful to be able to read about it, on one of the bulletin boards available to visitors (photo above).  A picture of the current visitor center is shown below:

 

The first cinder cone I climbed, provided the opportunity to get a wider view of the surrounding landscape, as shown in photo below: 

The park is huge, comprising 750,000 acres, of rugged volcanic landscape, amounting to 11 square miles.  

One can get a sense of the height of the cinder cone I climbed, by noticing how small the cars look, in the parking lot at the bottom.  One can PLAN in advance, to know the elevation change, from bottom to top, by studying the park information at the visitor center.  

With an advance PLAN, you can calculate your total mileage walked from the parking lot to the top, and back down again.  

The only trail marking on the ascent, is the pressed down cinders, from hundreds of visitors making the trek to the summit.  

To help frame a photo of the surrounding landscape, I eventually found a tree limb, to place in the top of the composition.  The black areas of the foreground and in the valley, show the extent of the lava flow, that helped create the park.  It was a result of The Great Rift, which is a 52 mile long fissure in the earth's crust, that developed over 15,000 years ago.  

This is a photo of me by the aforementioned tree, where I had used one of its limbs, as a "frame".  The tree has to be a hardy specimen, to survive the harsh growing conditions on the top of a cinder cone!  Likewise, I was feeling like a "hardy specimen", because I had successfully made the climb to the summit!  So, of course, I wanted a photo to prove it!

I set my camera on "automatic" so I could get a view of the other side of the summit, from the previous photo.  I also took a photo that showed the 7-mile loop road that visitors can drive through, but it does not show up in the photo.  

I was not the only one who wanted a photo at the summit, to commemorate the accomplishment!  This couple also wanted proof of their summit location!

I took the photo below, of a couple shielding themselves from the hot sun, by using an umbrella!  They obviously established their PLAN to prevent sunburn, before they started their walk!

The reason I capitalized the word "PLAN" in these paragraphs, is because I am using these photos as a visual aid, to help me learn one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your PLANS."  (Proverbs 16:3)  Although my original PLAN only called for visiting relatives in Oregon, when I realized I was retracing the wagon wheels of pioneers on the Goodale's Cut-Off section, of The Oregon Trail, (www.OregonTrail.org), I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the hardships they experienced.  I had visited one of my elderly cousins who lived in Dairy, Oregon, and he was a wheelwright, who repaired wagon wheels.  I had read that the volcanic stone of this part of the trail was extremely wearing on wagon wheels, and resulted in many abandoned PLANS, so I can imagine someone who knew how to make and repair wagon wheels would have been very important! 

I am thankful that the LORD established a PLAN for me to be able to visit Craters of the Moon, because the experience gave me a visual aid for a wisdom Bible verse, and "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia 

ARBOR DAY FARM EXPEDITION!

One definition of the word arbor is "a leafy, shady recess formed by tree branches and shrubs."  With that in mind, this photo could illustrate an arbor, with a paved path passing through it.    If you want to see multiple examples of arbors, I would encourage you to visit Arbor Day Farm (www.ArborDayFarm.org).

On road trips out west, I have repeatedly driven by the sign in Nebraska City (www.nebraskacity.com), pointing to the Arbor Day Farm, and the Lied Lodge at Arbor Day Farm.  In 2023, I finally had the opportunity to stop and explore the property on my return trip between California and Arkansas.  To be clear, this is not a hotel for people who have told fibs, or "lied".  If that were the case, there would never, ever be any vacancies, because everyone has told some sort of lie during their lifetime!  Rather, it was named after Ernst F. Lied, a successful Omaha automobile dealer who made millions by investing in Las Vegas real estate.  He established the private, nonprofit Lied Foundation Trust, in 1972, and today the Lied name has come to symbolize philanthropic generosity nationwide.  

Instead of a place for liars, Lied Lodge, is a place for those who support conservation.  It is located on the 260-acre Arbor Day Farm (www.ArborDayFarm.org).  Every dime the travelers spend here, goes toward the foundation's mission of planting, nurturing, and celebrating trees.  The lodge has 140 guest rooms, including two suites.  The decor in the rooms is nature-inspired, with the views throughout being scenic and soothing.

The different types of wood used in the interior are all identified, as is the wood used in the guest room decor.  The Timber Dining Room is made from butternut trees.

The upper section of the two-story lobby is made from pecan .  

One can enjoy the ambiance of a fireplace on either the lobby level, or the lower level.

      

The lofty lobby is a perfect space to highlight these beautiful chandeliers:

The souvenir items in the gift shop utilize wood and sustainable materials, as opposed to the items one usually sees in a hotel gift shop:

Wherever your eye looks, one sees creative use of wood in the decor, such as these stackable wood chairs seen in the Conference room. 

Each chair is a work of excellent wood craftsmanship.

Although Arbor Day is a secular holiday, there is no denying that trees are indeed "The Gift of God".  

The Lied Lodge has a sustainable type of heating and cooling system, called biomass. The biomass used here, utilizes wood chips sourced from old wooden shipping pallets.     Guests can take a self-guided tour of the plant, which is open until 7 pm every day.  In addition to that tour,  the Fuelwood Energy Plant Gallery is a walk-through interactive exhibit, to learn about the process of turning trees into energy.

Some visitors have described their visit to Lied Lodge, as having a "camp" feeling.  It could be that singing campfire songs and sitting around an outdoor firepit enhances those feelings! The shrub-like planting between the firepit and the taller trees in the background is a 16-acre hazelnut grove.  It is an experimental plot where researchers are trying to develop a hybrid hazelnut variety that can adapt to a variety of harsh environmental conditions.  Hazelnuts are a good crop to study, because they are eaten by both wildlife and humans. 

Likewise, outdoor dining and picnicking can be enjoyed on the spacious upper porch at the Lied Lodge.

The white house that can be seen across the lawn and within the adjacent woods, is the original home of the Morton Family.  It was here in 1872 that the idea for the first Arbor Day began.  It was started as a way to encourage people everywhere to plant trees.  On the very first Arbor Day. nearly one million trees were planted in Nebraska.  The Morton home is now part of the Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Mansion, and is under the direction of the Arbor Day Foundation.  It consists of 72 acres and includes the 52-room historic mansion (designed to look like the White House in Washington, D.C.).  Also one can visit an arboretum, Italian terraced garden, log cabin, carriage house, walking trails, plus more than 200 varieties of lilacs. It is possible to follow trails and sidewalks from Lied Lodge over to the state historical park.  J. Sterling Morton came to Nebraska City in 1855.  He and his wife, Caroline, were lovers of nature, and Morton served as Secretary of Agriculture under President Grover Cleveland's administration.  It was in 1872 that he was instrumental in establishing the annual tree planting day, Arbor Day.  The name for the Morton Salt Company, also relates to a descendant of the same family.

A VARIETY of walkways are available, and most are wheelchair accessible.

One of the connecting trails between the Lied Lodge and the historic Morton mansion, has many types of surfaces, and passes through a variety of habitats.

 

This boardwalk goes through a wetlands area,and using the provided hand rail, the rail would even be suitable for guiding a blind person.  The photo below with the railing,  is the image I am using for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses, that says, "We walk by faith, not by sight." from 2 Corinthians 5:7. 

Another Scripture verse that came to mind as I was strolling through this forest, was Isaiah 61:3 that says, "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD, to display His splendor."  The "oaks of righteousness" phrase, is a metaphor for living in a way, that pleases God.

This visit to the Nebraska City Arbor Day Farm, increased my desire to live my life so I can be counted among the "Oaks of Righteousness", and it gave me MILES OF SMLES!  Tricia



 

SCRIPTURE GARDEN EXPEDITION!

I recently had the opportunity to visit the (somewhat) new addition to the outdoor campus of College of the Ozarks (www.cofo.edu), in Hollister, Missouri.  The arch in this photo marks the beginning of the sacred space.

 This close up photo of the sign shows that one is entering a "Scripture Garden".

The photo below shows that the sign can also be read by looking at its shadow on the sidewalk.  I would like to think that the metal artist who fashioned the sign, knew this would be a benefit of cutting the letters out of the metal, instead of just painting them on the sign.

I am part of a healthy living program (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) that encourages memorization of the Holy Scriptures, in that we are given the challenge of learning one new Bible verse by memory each week.  This "Be still"verse is always a favorite for young parents to learn, so they can train a fidgety youngster "in the way they should go"!

There is a gazebo on the property, and the view it provides is breath-taking!

 

 

Ever wonder about the definition of the word "faith"?   This Hebrews verse answers that question!

Every garden needs a water feature, and this one has a lovely pond, with a butterfly sculpture within it.

I need lots more Godly wisdom, so I ask God for wisdom very often.  And even though my lack of wisdom sometimes causes me to make mistakes, God does not point out my faults in condemnation!

If a student wants to "get away from it all", to study or meditate, all they have to do is tie up their hammock to one of the numerous trees adjacent to the scripture garden!

This verse is a reminder that I should be pure in heart, not prideful.  

When I was doing photography at the scripture garden, this pretty lady came strolling through.  When I saw that she had on a College of the Ozarks shirt, I asked her what her connection was to the school.  She told me she is a volunteer ambassador for them, perusing the campus to help visitors find what they are looking for, and to answer their questions. She is also happy to take photos for people who want to remember their visit to this amazing campus, but do not want to try to do it by taking a "selfie"!

The dedication plaque at the garden, lets me know the name of the "human" behind the gift of these scriptures carved in stone.  Thank you Helen D. McVey!

I want my bones to be healed, so it is better for me to speak pleasant words, than mean words, according to Proverbs 16:24.

This verse from Proverbs 5:5 references "directing our path", which is what the black fence is doing near the edge of the bluff---directing out path!

 

Directing my path was this decorative black fence, that silently tells visitors, "Do not go past this fence"!

 The body of water one can see behind me is called "Lake Taneycomo".  Although it may sound like an Italian word, it actually comes from abbreviating the words "Taney County Missouri".  (The standard abbreviation for the state of Missouri is "MO".)

How thankful I am for this promise, that no matter what happens, God can turn it around for good, for those who love God, and are called according to his purpose.

This verse from the Psalms tells the reason we memorize scripture:

 

 

Beside the gazebo, is a pleasant seating area, that looks down on farm property managed by the College of the Ozarks. 

The way I remember the digits of the verse below, is by saying "to 911", as in when one calls 911 to get help.

This reference of Jeremiah 33:3 is sometimes called "God's Telephone Number".  I use this admonition so frequently to help me find "lost things", that I finally realized, this could also be a reminder to pray for "lost people", who have not yet made the decision, to accept the salvation provided by Jesus.

Saying the Philippians 4:13 verse out-loud, over and over, has gotten me through some very touch situations, including the time I got stuck in my kayak on the edge of a small waterfall in a Missouri river. God answered my prayers for help, and his Divine Strength, finally enabled me to free myself from the torrents of fast-moving water, that were on either side of my kayak!

The Scripture reference of this Bible verse from the Old Testament book of Numbers, is the one I am using as the visual aid to help me remember one of our First Place 4 Health memory verses for our current session.  Numbers 12:11 says, "And he said to Moses, "Please, my lord, do not hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed."  It refers to when Moses' brother is asking to be forgiven for making the golden calf to worship, while Moses was up on the mountain for forty days with Yahweh.

The First Place 4 Health name originated from the verse shown here, of Matthew 6:33. That is because the verse advises what people should seek FIRST!  In the program's beginning, it was simply called "First Place", because its mission was to train people what was the FIRST, and most important, goal for a healthy life. 

The Hebrew word for praise means, "Hands upward toward God", which is what I am doing here---praising God for the beautiful world he has created! Seeing the College of the Ozarks Scripture Garden gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Tricia