Nashville Flood Recovery Expedition

I have a great deal of empathy for anyone who experiences a flood, mainly because of being a resident of a town that flooded in the 1960's. The raging waters that rushed through our community in the middle of the night, destroyed my parents' business, as well as the homes and businesses of countless other folks. I remember how much my parents appreciated the help of their customers and suppliers in making allowances for lost inventory and lost orders. I remember how much I looked forward each morning to the Red Cross truck coming by my parents' business after the flood, to serve us coffee and donuts, as we washed what seemed like endless piles of merchandise that was covered in mud. I remember the amazing attitude my parents had about the whole thing---never cursing their fate , or their God, but rather, determined to get through the ordeal even stronger than they had been before the flood. I remember the flood cleanup because it was the first time I had ever seen a dead body at a location other than a funeral home. (That is because one of the fatalities of the flood lived in a house across the street from my parents' business; I was nearby when the rescue workers pulled his body from the rubble, and loaded it into an open jeep vehicle to be taken to the morgue. His feet were sticking out from under the tarp that covered his lifeless body, and as it drove past me, I was stunned at the sad reality of what I saw.) I remember missing the last month of school that year because of flood damage to the area, and the need for every available student to be helping full time with flood clean-up. All these things I remembered about the flood I experienced, made me keenly aware of the heart-felt appeal from the mayor of Nashville, via a television show reporting on the flood, when he said one of the best ways the average TV viewer could help Nashville recover, was to come visit them in the near future as a tourist. I decided that was the least I could do for my neighbors to the east. Plus, it would probably be fun!! So, I signed up to take a trip with fifty other folks, who would travel via motor coach, to see the sights, and hear the sounds, of "Music City--USA". In the first photo collage, the top two pictures show the famous replica of the Greek Parthenon, that is in Nashville's beautiful Centennial Park. The bottom three photos show scenes from the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. Both parks are great places to not only learn lots of history, but also great spaces for getting in your 10,000 steps for your pedometer!

Every place our group went, the business owners thanked us profusely for visiting their town. The poster in the upper left corner of this collage is just one of many I saw with a similar message. Our hotel also had a large, framed poster in the lobby, from the mayor of Nashville, thanking us for visiting their city after the flood, and for bringing business to the hotels and restaurants there. The top right photo is a reminder that Nashville is also the state capitol of Tennessee, and their state capitol building sits on a tall hill overlooking the Bicentennial Park Mall. It is a very impressive sight. The flood did not change the skyline of Nashville, with the AT&T (aka, the "Batman Building") still dominating the scene (middle right photo). The distinctive architecture of Ryman Auditorium (lower right photo) is almost covered up by the buildings that surround it, yet it is instantly recognizable, as the birthplace of the original Grand Ole Opry.

A few years back, I had the great pleasure of going to a Grand Ole Opry performance when Harrison, Arkansas, native, Brian McComas, was performing. I was helping Brian's wife and mom look after their kiddies, as we sat near the main stage, and beamed with pride to see Brian perform. What was so astounding to me regarding that event, was seeing Brian off-state after his performance. Expecting that his first question to all of us might be "How did I do? What did you think of my performance?"; rather, his first question to me was "Did my kids behave?" I was impressed that he was more concerned about his success at being a father, than at his success at being a country music star. That performance I attended to see Brian was in the "new" location of the Grand Ole Opry, located in the Opryland Complex of Music Valley. However, the Opryland venue was flooded, hence the Grand Ole Opry performances were moved BACK to Ryman Auditorium after the floods, until repairs can be made to the new and larger Opryland Theater. Personally, I was glad to get to go to a show in Ryman Auditorium, as I have heard about it all my life, but had never visited it until last week. In this photo collage, there is a shot of the Diamond Rio group performing. Notice the Church-like windows and church pew seats of the Ryman. That is because it was originally built as a tabernacle to worship God, and only years later, was it converted for secular use. Of course, they pay tribute each night to the well-known "Minnie Pearl" character, with a simulated Minnie Pearl posing for photos and greeting the crowd. (top right photo)

The Country Music Hall of Fame was another place that I am "99.9% sure, I've never been here before"---to quote the chart-topping recording Brian McComas made famous. My favorite feature of the architecture of the building was the way the front was designed to look like a piano keyboard. Once inside, I was fascinated with the exhibits, and the variety of country music sounds one could listen to. Since I have put an old pair of Brian's shoes from his childhood in a glass-covered wooden box (for future inclusion in a museum exhibit somewhere!), I took photos of many of the shoes of famous country music stars that were on display in the Nashville Hall of Fame. My favorite was the pair of duct-tape covered cowboy boots that belonged to Hank Williams, III (lower left photo). All in all, it was a great trip, and I am glad that I had this opportunity to be a tourist in Nashville. There is a verse in the Bible (Roman 5:3) that says "suffering produces perseverance", so perhaps this suffering that Nashville has endured from their floods of last spring, will produce perseverance in their character as a city. There is also a different kind of verse the suffering may produce----verses to a hit country music song! Since we all know that country music songs love to tell a sad story of suffering, maybe someone on the famous "Music Row" will be inspired to come up with the next big award-winning song we hear on the radio, that is based on the 2010 spring floods in Nashville, Tennessee. If you would like to help the Nashville area recover from the floods, or perhaps have a suggestion for a flood-related country song, just log onto their official website http://www.visitmusiccity.com/ for help in planning your trip. Wishing you miles of musical smiles! Tricia

World Expedition---Without a Passport!!

There was a new marketing campaign in Branson this year, with the theme that you could "See the world in Branson---no passport required!." If you have done any traveling outside the United States, or even applied for one of the new, higher priced passports recently, you can more fully appreciate the opportunity to sample various cultures outside our borders, WITHOUT having to go through the hassles of Customs Bureau Interrogations! Even though the slogan was new in 2010, the Silver Dollar City International Festival has been occurring every spring in Branson for over a decade. I was delighted to get to attend this year, as well as many past years, coming away amazed at the talent, artistry, and costuming that these performers from other countries bring with them during their short visit to the Ozarks each spring. Often I have stayed until closing time at Silver Dollar City, just to be able to participate in the closing ceremony for the International Festival each year. During that time, the park attendees and the foreign performers make a huge circle in the main street area of Silver Dollar City---it is done, so that the foreign performers are interspersed among the park attendees---and then an appropriate song is voiced by all present. It is a great feeling to be physically bonded with people from all over the world---sort of like the Coke TV commercial of the last century that showed people from all around the world holding hands! So get ready to launch your boat for the first bit of the journey!! My launch, on the ever-popular "Ride the Ducks" attraction charted a different course than previous Duck excursions I had been on which took the passengers out into Table Rock Lake. This time our "Duck" drove past Branson Landing, and directly into the chilly waters of Lake Taneycomo. This enabled me to see Branson Landing from its "waterfront" side, rather than its "street front" side. This ride would be especially scenic after dark, when the "Bellagio-style" fiery fountains of Branson landing, are doing their hourly shows.

Back in August, I was able to add some countries to my "passport", when I visited three venues that represented Great Britain. The first was the Titanic Museum. At this interactive museum you are given the boarding pass for someone who was really a passenger on the ill-fated Titanic voyage. You do not know until you get completely through the museum if the passenger you represent, lived or died the night the Titanic sank. One of the Titanic passengers had the same family name as my relatives---Parrish. So, of course, I was especially relieved when I found out that "Passenger Parrish did not perish", and in fact, went on to live a long and productive life following her rescue from the sinking ship. And who can think of the music of England, and not have that famous group, "The Beatles" come to mind? The sister of Beatles member, George Harrison, lives in Missouri, and developed a tribute show to the music of the Beatles, called "Louise Harrison's Liverpool Legends". It is a great romp through the history of their music, from their start in a Liverpool, England cellar, through their world tours, and later years. There are extensive video clips, costume and set changes by the four Beatles "look alikes", and plenty of opportunities to twist and shout, if you felt like it! The night I was there, Louise Harrison, actually came out on stage during intermission, and took questions from the audience, regarding her brother, and any other Beatle trivia that someone wanted to ask. I doubt that she is there every show, however, because she told the audience she was scheduled for a hip replacement the following week. One thing I found very interesting, since just this summer, I met a member of the Lambert family, after whom the St. Louis airport, Lambert Field, is named. One of the video clips tells that George Harrison actually came to the USA, years before the Beatles ever appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. The news reel says he flew into "Lambert Field" in St. Louis, to visit his sister, Louise, who lived near there! The third attraction, representative of Great Britain that I got to see, was the new exhibition of personal items and artifacts associated with Princess Diana. The exhibition takes you from her child hood home, her courtship, her royal wedding, and marriage. Several of her actual formal gowns are on display, along with the stories about when and where they were worn. I found the entire exhibition fascinating!

Moving eastward from Great Britain, my next stop was China. I had seen the Acrobats of China in Branson in previous years, so this time I wanted to see the "new kid in town" which is the show called "The Legend of Kung Fu". I have several friends and family members involved in martial arts, so I was intrigued by what the show would be like. Their advertisements said some of the performers had actually been part of that incredible opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, which I thought was totally awesome! In fact, the martial arts moves showcased in "The Legend of Kung Fu" were stunning, as was the artistry of the aerial performers. But be forewarned: There is a LIBERAL amount of Buddhist philosophy throughout the narrative parts of the show. It was quite the contrast to the respectful references to Jesus Christ, given during the The Baldknobbers show, that I had enjoyed the night before. You do not have to be concerned that one no longer can enjoy "American" music in Branson. In fact, it goes back to the native Americans, with the addition of "Brule", which is billed as a "native American rock opera", complete with authentic costumes, native American dances and drumming. My all-time favorite (non-floating) USA-style dinner show in Branson is the Dixie Stampeed. It goes through several eras of American history---much of it done on horseback in the big center arena---in such an entertaining way, you may forget that you are even getting a history lesson. I was especially interested in their portrayal of the Civil War, since there is a big promotion going on in my state for the Civil War Sesquicentennial, which will be 2011-2015 (http://www.arkansascivilwar150.com/). Of course, my favorite FLOATING dinner show is the Showboat Branson Belle, with its performers singing their hearts out telling about riverboat history of the 1800's. Another example of a non-USA country that I got to visit was the Butterfly Palace and Tropical Rainforest. There is even a coconut tree there for one to climb, if they felt so inclined to do so! Another representative of Europe, is the Stonehill Winery. The tasting rooms there are designed to look like German wine cellars, and the company, was indeed, started by German immigrants.

After attending the Moscow Circus performance, I can now say that it is my favorite (non-floating) "FOREIGN COUNTRY" dinner show. It was so much FUN!! Here's another warning, however: Watch out for flying beach balls overhead that start as the size of a cantaloupe, and progress to the size of a Volkswagen!! I had heard that they served a "boxed dinner", and I was having lots of trouble envisioning how that was going to be of much entertainment value---boy, was I wrong!! When it was meal time, the theater went totally black, then it went to "black light", so that some of your clothing glowed. Then these glow-in-the-dark, costumed GIANTS came down the aisles, pushing carts, with boxes on them that were also glowing in the dark. One color box was for grown-ups, and another color box for children. When you received your box, and opened it up, it was filled with individually packaged Russian-style foods, plus glow-in-the-dark eating utensils. It was really quite clever, the way it was done! The next day after the "glow in the dark" experience at the Moscow Circus, the Bible verse for my First Place 4 Health (http://www.firstplace4health.com/) lesson was from Isaiah 58:10. The Message paraphrase of the verse says that if we lived as God wanted us to live "Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness." I now have an image of that verse in my mind that I will never forget, thanks to the Moscow Circus!

Soooo, if you are ready to explore the world, you need go no further than Branson, Missouri!! Either of these websites will point you to everything you need to know for YOUR expedition: http://www.explorebranson.com/ or http://www.seetheworldinbranson.com/ Bon voyage, and miles of smiles!! Tricia

Little House on the Prairie Expedition

Last summer, after driving a full day to Palo Duro Canyon in Texas to see an outdoor drama, I got to feeling guilty that I had not taken advantage of the opportunity to see an outdoor dramatic presentation that has been going on nearly as long (this is its twentieth year!) and is only a little over an hour from my house. I am speaking of the production called "Laura's Memories" that is held in the small south central Missouri town of Mansfield. The musical is staged in recognition of Mansfield's most famous citizen---Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867 - 1957). On a previous visit to the town, I had toured the Wilder home (called Rocky Ridge Farm) that is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, along with the adjacent museum (www.LauraIngallsWilderHome.com) It was during that tour that I learned that various area citizens put on a musical each summer that is based on the true stories that Laura wrote about her life. Since I am not a literary aficionado, nor a librarian (like Laura Bush, who visited the site during her husband's presidency), I knew about the TV series "Little House on the Prairie", starring Michael Landon, BEFORE I knew they were based on books by a Missouri woman named Laura Ingalls Wilder. While touring the historic home, I learned that Mrs. Wilder wrote the books, which were released around 1931, when she was SIXTY-FOUR years old! I found that inspirational, and is one of the reasons I became interested in blogging. She said the reason she wrote the books in the first place, was to preserve the stories of her childhood. Likewise, that is one of the reasons I started blogging---to preserve the memories of some of my experiences. (I figure this will be especially helpful if I ever get Alzheimer's Disease, and cannot remember anything about my past!) Of course, the other reason I started blogging was to help me remember various scripture passages. The one that is appropriate for all this talk about old people is this paraphrase of Psalm 73:26 from The Message: "When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful." Isn't that a great promise! I want to also mention another thing about Laura Ingalls Wilder that inspired me: She attributed some of her skill at story telling to the fact that her sister had been blind, and Laura---at an early age---developed the habit of carefully describing in as descriptive words as possible, the various things and situations that were going on around her, to her blind sister. That way her sister could paint a mental picture of her surroundings. Since my mother was blind at the end of her life, I tried to develop that same quality, and vividly describe scenes to her that she was no longer able to see.

The "Laura's Memories" production is held on select weekends in the summer, in the town's city park. There is a modern amphitheater that seats 600, with seats that have backs to them, and an appropriate sound system and lighting system. Folks who do not want to sit on the amphitheater seats are more than welcome to bring lawn chairs or blankets, and get comfortable on the expansive green lawn surrounding the amphitheater. There is even an "orchestra pit" of sorts, in front of the stage, where the musical director/composer/pianist---Pat Allen---sits, along with other sound effects personnel. The photo on top shows that the price of admission is very reasonable---just $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for children. The bottom photo shows what a large cast of performers the show contains, as they gather behind the stage, shortly before the play begins. Also, those in attendance do not have to worry about the play being canceled due to rain. In the event of rain, everyone just moves to the gymnasium, which is adjacent to the park.

I got as much enjoyment out of "people watching", as I did the actual production. Although the roll call the master of ceremonies did before the show started indicated there were folks there from Minnesota, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin, the family pictured in the top two photos of this collage were from nearby Norwood, Missouri. When I was driving to the city park, I got behind a gigantic blue tractor. As I continued to the city park, so did the gigantic blue tractor in front of me. Then it parked, and the family in the top photos climbed down from the seats, and headed for the amphitheater. I surmised that their presence there was a good sign that this was wholesome, family-friendly entertainment! Another family sitting beside me, said they were from Minnesota, and had visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder historic site in their state. It seems that Laura's husband, Almanzo Wilder, was quite the restless soul, and moved his family more than once! I noticed the little children in the audience seemed to pay more attention to the actors on stage than you would expect for their age, and I think it is because there were so many children on stage, doing an excellent job of singing and dancing to the lively tunes!

This collage shows a few of the scenes from the musical, with the lower right photo being the one that is depicting Laura as a senior citizen, living in Mansfield, and being active in various civic organizations. The musical, which lasts about one and one-half hours, has a fifteen minute intermission midway through. They even give away door prizes during the intermission, based on a random drawing from the numbers that were on audience admission tickets. There is also a food concession stand, restrooms, and souvenirs/C.D.'s for sale. If you are interested in seeing this production, there is still time this year, as they are scheduled for September 3-4, September 10-11, and September 17-18. All performances begin at 8 PM, but there is a brief pre-show on most evenings. For more information, phone 417-924-3525 or 417-924-3383. Since the amphitheater is so large, with adjacent areas for lawn chairs, if desired, there is no reason to get tickets in advance. In fact, tickets are for sale only on the evening of the event, when the gates open at 6:30 pm. Miles of outdoor summer musical smiles! Tricia

ALBUQUERQUE BALLOON FIESTA

The pages on the calendar show that it is time to start making your plans to attend one of the most colorful "feast for the eyes" that mankind has ever produced. It is the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico (http://www.balloonfiesta.com/ or l-888-422-7277). Even if you are not a person that has a "bucket list" of what they want to see or do before they die, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is an event that EVERYONE should try to see, if at all possible!! The dates for 2010 are October 2 - October 10. That is when thousands of hot air balloons from all over the world will be converging in the city and surrounding areas to put on a spectacle of Olympic proportions! Their website describes it as "the most spectacular display of sound and color in all of aviation", and I definitely concur with that statement.

It is not surprising that Kodak is a major sponsor of the event, considering it is a photographer's dream. The excitement a photographer feels while trying to capture all the colors, shapes, and activity that are going on during the Mass Ascension is beyond belief! And when I say "Mass Ascension", I am not referring to a Catholic religious service. Rather, the Balloon Mass Ascension is when hundreds of balloons are in the process of being filled with hot air just as the sun begins to rise over the New Mexico landscape. But leading up to this "uplifting event" the first day at 5:45am, is the "Dawn Patrol". That is when a group of about 12 balloons do an ascension that has been carefully choreographed to music. This group of balloons known as the dawn patrol are the "scouts" that judge the flying conditions, and the data from their flights is valuable to the other pilots who have yet to ascend. After the Dawn Patrol has reported their findings, then the first balloon of the Mass Ascension takes off, flying the flag of the USA, while the Star Spangled Banner is played over the loudspeakers, located throughout the balloon park. The balloons are divided into "waves" of ascent, such that the second wave cannot go until the first wave has lifted off, etc., etc. If you are thinking to yourself that 5:45 am is WAY too early for you to have your eyes open, don't worry, as you can still have an opportunity to see a fantastic hot air balloon event, called the "Balloon Glow". This activity occurs in the evenings, after dark, and is made possible by the bright flames from the gas burners used to heat the air, for the inside of the balloons. The flames give a warm glow to the inflated balloons and makes for even more photo opportunities, of a different sort. The first-ever Balloon Glow was held in Albuquerque in 1979, and has grown to be a major part of the ten day festival, followed up by a huge fireworks display.

Another day of the fiesta is designated as the "Shapes Rodeo". That is when balloons of every imaginable configuration come together to begin the process of being filled with hot air, so they can take to the skies and promote whatever product their special shape resembles. For example, the "Michelin Man" balloon and "Canadian Mountie" balloon in the first photograph, as well as this gigantic grouping of red chili peppers in this photograph, would be part of the Shapes Rodeo event. The first year I went to the Balloon Fiesta, I actually got to ride in one of the special shapes balloon, and it was the balloon designed to look like Mickey Mouse, and owned by the Disney folks. It was a great ride, that was made even more special by the place where we landed. Our very slow and gentle landing took place on the streets of a residential area, full of little children. You can imagine the screams of delight from the excited kiddies, as they exclaimed to their parents that "Mickey Mouse" has just landed in our neighborhood!!! Anyone who gets a ride in the Mickey Mouse balloon receives a special Disney Collector.s pin that resembles the Mickey Mouse balloon, and I still have mine, to remind me of that fun experience. Albuquerque educators have taken advantage of the fascination that children have with hot air balloons, and have started a program called "Aloft" that takes places at area schools on the first Friday before the balloon fiesta starts. Pilots take their balloons to designated schools and teach the kids about aviation, answer their questions, and if conditions permit, may even offer tethered (i.e. "tied down") balloon rides. Also, the balloon park operates a "Balloon Discovery Center" throughout the event, that is aimed at interactive displays and activities for children. It is no wonder that ballooning is such a part of the culture of that part of New Mexico. I remember that even the taxi driver we had that took us from our hotel to the airport, was a licensed hot air balloon pilot. He said he drove the taxi to support his ballooning hobby!

The great thing about getting to actually ride in a balloon during the Mass Ascension, is the bird's eye view you get of the entire park as you are drifting ever higher above it. This photo was taken from inside the basket of the balloon, on a different year that I attended the balloon fiesta, and I was able to ride in one of the first wave of balloons going up that day. Usually, only 3-4 people (depending on their weight) can ride in a standard size balloon basket, although a few balloons have been designed to accommodate larger groups. But even if you don't get to actually ride in a balloon, EVERYONE can be a part of the excitement by helping hold the balloon open while it is being filled, unwrapping it from its carrying bag, or otherwise helping the small crews that usually travel with a balloon. One of the postcards I purchased at the fiesta, had this "Balloonist Prayer", which seems an appropriate way to end this post: "May the winds welcome you with softness, May the sun bless you with his warm hands, May you fly so high and so well that God joins you in laughter and sets you gently back into the loving arms of Mother Earth." Miles of smiles----Up, Up, and AWAY!! Tricia

TEMPLE: "UNDER CONSTRUCTION"

As soon as I saw this church building, surrounded by scaffolding, and obviously undergoing a renovation, in the small town of Alexandria Bay, New York, I thought of an old cliche I have heard in the South: "The work is not finished, but the carpenter has moved in." It is referring to the fact that once you make a decision to be a Christ-follower, you are not instantly free of all your bad habits and "stinking thinking". Rather, it means, that you have allowed Jesus (aka "the carpenter") into your life to start the transformational process of making you into that new creation that is promised to you in the Bible.

This photo of a historic church building in the tiny village of Thousand Islands Park, New York, shows workers doing the necessary preventive maintenance on it, that is necessary to keep it a functioning and usable space for people to gather. The sign outside (bottom photo of collage) proves the point that it is a well-used meeting space----movies on week nights , Catholic mass for the Sunday morning early risers, and Protestant service for the mid-morning folks. Likewise, the wear and tear on our own, well-used bodies (which the Bible calls "the temple of the Holy Spirit") requires preventive maintenance. We cannot keep using them, and using them, expecting them to keep being productive, if we don't do some "preventive maintenance" on our bodies as well. Part of that preventive maintenance includes putting the appropriate "fuel" into our body, to provide the maximum benefit.

While I was traveling in Vermont and New York this past spring, I had the opportunity to see lots of different sizes and colors and types of temples (some of them are shown in the photo collage). Although they are all different in appearance, they all have one thing in common: They were created for the purpose of worshiping God. How tragic it would be to read in the local newspaper that vandals had gone into one of these beautiful temples, and dumped garbage and slop and toxic chemicals onto the altar, and throughout the sanctuary of the temple. Yet, that is what WE are doing when we "dump" unhealthy foods into OUR temple (aka "our body")! I have heard people make the statement "It is my body, and I will do what I want to with it." But I Corinthians 6:19-20 says otherwise: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

If you are interested in learning more about how to take better care of "your temple", AND you could benefit from doing so, in a non-judgemental, friendly, supportive, group setting, join us for First Place 4 Health Orientation at 6 PM, September 1, in room 1203 of the CLC (Christian Life Center) of First Baptist Church, at 400 Club Boulevard in Mountain Home, Arkansas. At this no-obligation, free Orientation Session, you will learn all about First Place 4 Health, a non-denominational, Christ-centered health improvement program with an emphasis on weight management. The Bible study for the fall session is entitled "God's Purpose For You" and can be purchased from most major bookstores or over the Internet. Persons who do not want to purchase the written material may use a copy of the book available for check-out use at the CLC. The actual classes for First Place 4 Health will start on Wednesday, September 8, at 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm, in the CLC, and will meet weekly at that same time on Wednesdays until mid-December. If you are not able to attend weekly classes, there is also an "on-line" version of the program that you can learn about by clicking on their website address http://www.firstplace4health.com/ . So here's wishing you miles of smiles---First Place 4 Health smiles! Tricia Turner

Oshkosh Fly-In Expedition

With the date quickly approaching for the 2010 Oshkosh Fly-In, I wanted to alert readers to an event that would be very worthwhile to include on your "Bucket List", especially if you are the least bit interested in aviation. The dates in 2010 are July 26 - August 1, and the revenue that it brings into all kinds of businesses in the Oshkosh, Wisconsin area, make it a welcome income producer for an otherwise slow economy. The new, official name for this air festival extravaganza is "EAA AirVenture Oshkosh" (www.airventure.org) and the EAA is the abbreviation for Experimental Aircraft Association. The very first EAA Fly-In was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1953, with just a few attendees. It was moved to Oshkosh in 1969, and since that time, has grown to be the world's premier aviation event. I had the opportunity to attend the event several years ago with my son, and it made a lasting impression on us. We were wondering aimlessly through the airfield, when one of the EAA-member pilots who had flown his airplane to the event, invited us to be his guest " beyond the ropes " where only the pilots and their guests were able to walk around. Just like hundreds of other pilots and their guests were doing, we had our lunch while sitting on the ground under the shade provided by the wing of his airplane. He gave us a few tips about a strategy for seeing as much as possible at the airshow, and told us about the big news for the day, which was the visit by the famous CONCORDE. So as you might expect, the highlight of our visit was getting to see the CONCORDE aircraft not only land, but also, take off again, complete with its movable, pointed "nose piece". It was on the ground for a very short time, and my son and I actually were allowed to walk up the stairs and walk completely through the plane, from the pilot's cockpit to the bathrooms in the back of the plane. That wouldn't be so amazing, except that there were no crew members on board as we walked through the cabin! (As you can imagine, this was BEFORE the tight security measures, taken after the 9/11 terrorists attacks by jet airplanes.) All the crew had exited the plane, and as they were walking away, I casually asked one of them if we could go on board, and to my astonishment, they not only said "yes", but let us go unaccompanied!At the time, I was collecting and framing restaurant menus from places I visited around the country, so I felt compelled to add the menu from the Concorde to my collection. That is a photograph of it with this blog. It was more like a "tray card" than a menu, but it certainly brought some "class" to my otherwise, humdrum menu collection! There were lots of vendors selling all kinds of aviation-related items, so my son bought a model of an airplane. He spent the entire time, of the drive back to Arkansas, working on putting that airplane model together. The exhibit selling airplane models was all I remember that was specifically targeted to kids. However, these days the fly-in has a special section called "Kidventure", with hands-on, aviation-based demonstrations , and activities, including tethered hot air balloon rides.

Although we were only at the fly-in for one day, most people stay more than a day, with many of the pilots sleeping beside their aircraft. There may be as many as 10,000 pilots who fly their planes there, and there are at least 2,500 special "Show air craft" on display. The displays include homebuilts, antiques, classics, warbirds, ultralights, and rotocraft. In addition, there is an air show every afternoon. The Oshkosh Fly-In (aka "AirVenture Oshkosh") has become an international gathering place for aviation enthusiasts, and something I would heartily recommend attending at least once in your life! An event like this always reminds me of what I call "The Expeditioners' Psalm" because one part of the 139th Psalm (The Message) says "Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you're there! If I go underground, you're there! If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, You'd find me in a minute---you're already there waiting!" Remember these promises from God each time you go "Up, Up, and Away"!! Miles of smiles! Tricia

Labyrinths and Lanes Expedition

The theme for the Grandparent/Grandchild Day that we did yesterday was all about "keeping it between the lines". As is our tradition, (and not just because our theme was "keeping it between the lines"), when we first got into the automobile, we gripped our steering wheels (real or imaginary) with both hands, and voiced this prayer: "Lord, please STEER us in YOUR path (based on Psalm 25:4), and put a HEDGE of protection around us (based on Job 1:10). Then we headed for Terra Studio, http://www.terrastudios.com/, which was a few miles east of Fayetteville. It was there that we found the bark-covered trail, through an enchanted forest, that led us to our first labyrinth. I explained in the earlier blog called "Mt. Shasta Lavender Farm", how a labyrinth is different from a maze. The labyrinth at Terra uses upright flagstones, firmly planted into the ground, to mark the curving lines of their labyrinth. We were fortunate to have a Channel 5 TV news reporter, and a Terra Studios associate, come by while we were walking through the labyrinth. With their help, I have the photos shown in this collage.
The next labyrinth is shown in the second photo collage, and it is located in the Fellowship Hall area of St. Paul's Episcopal Church (http://www.stpaulsfay.com/). The lady who oversees the use of the labyrinth there is Mary Miller and she was kind enough to take the lower left photo of all three of us, before we started . We learned from Mary that there is no right or wrong way to get through a labyrinth, and she gave us a print out on how to make the most effective use of a labyrinth for prayer and meditation purposes. She also told us about the prayer labyrinth at Washington Regional Medical Center. I was glad she did because the WRMC labyrinth had not been listed in the national register for such devices, http://www.labyrinthsociety.org/ The outdoor labyrinth at Washington Regional Medical Center (http://www.wregional.com/.) is located in a beautiful area of their campus near the bike path, pond, and footbridge. This third photo collage shows us in one of their numerous park benches surrounding the area, as well as photos of Jacob and Kaitlyn walking the outside edges of the labyrinth, plus a shot of them in the center, after they had completed the many "crooks and turns" surrounding the center.

The fourth photo collage of this post shows our last stop on the tour, and it was at Fast Lane in Lowell, Arkansas (http://www.fastlanebowl.com/). We had a great time bowling, and Kaitlyn even landed a strike! I was glad Kaitlyn noticed that some of the bowling lines had little "guard rails" on either side of the wooden lane that the ball rolls on. After she checked with the employee there, she found out that children under age 10 could request that the "guard rails" be raised when it was their turn to bowl. This was done, so that anytime it was Jacob's turn to bowl, the guard rails would automatically come up. His score definitely went up after the addition of the guard rails. It was a good visual aid for me about the importance of guard rails or "boundaries" for youngsters, to keep them on the right path, while they are acquiring the wisdom and experience to continue on with their life. In this collage, both Kaitlyn and Jacob are shown as they make their bowling balls hurl toward the pins, and the photo of "grandma" bowling is intentionally blurred, as the side being photographed during bowling is not a pretty sight in my case! Although it is not pictured here, being with the grandkids at Fast Lane, enabled me to participate in my first-ever game of lazer tag. That was great fun, as was trying to stay in the proper lane, and at the proper speed, when we rode around on the indoor go-cart track. All in all, it was a most enjoyable day of trying to "stay between the lines" with two totally awesome grandkids, named Kaitlyn and Jacob, who are definitely headed down the right path in their young life. Miles of smiles! Tricia          EDITOR'S NOTE:  Since I published this article, I read more about labyrinths in a publication called Christian Retreats, where this verse from Psalm 16:11 in The Message paraphrase was quoted, which says, "Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face.  Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way."  The article also listed another website with the address of www.labyrinthlocator.com that gives additional resources for persons interested in labyrinths.