On the Road: A Short Trip to Wise County, Virginia

Those who love to travel know they don't have to journey far and wide to find interesting places to visit. My wife and I go to various towns and historic sites within driving distance of our home in central Kentucky. 

Last fall, we discovered Wise County, located in southwestern Virginia and bordering southeastern Kentucky. It's an area rich in Appalachian history and culture, with beautiful scenery and mountainous terrain. It was a pleasant four-hour drive on the country roads. 

And it exceeded our expectations.

I first became aware of the area after the publication of Adriana Trigiani's best-selling novel, Big Stone Gap, in 2000. It was adapted into a movie, filmed entirely in Big Stone Gap, and released in 2014, starring Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg, and other notable actors. By the way, Big Stone Gap is Trigiani's hometown.

Wise County has 21 properties or districts on the National Register of Historic Places, reflecting an engaging and varied past in areas such as coal mining, music, and crafts. And because of the location, there are opportunities for camping, hiking, and simply enjoying the great outdoors.

We spent two nights in Wise, the county seat, at the historic Inn at Wise, a Colonial Revival-style hotel constructed in 1910. The town, with a population of about 3,000, was originally called Gladeville in 1874, but changed to Wise in 1924, after Henry A. Wise, a former governor.

Wise is home to the University of Virginia at Wise, an attractive 396-acre campus with modern facilities, a large pond and fountain, and plenty of steps. With an enrollment of about 2,000, it offers 30 majors and 32 minors. It was formerly known as Clinch Valley College, and was renamed in 1999. 

 

About 16 miles southwest of Wise is historic Big Stone Gap, a town with about 5,300 residents, founded in 1856. It's very walkable, with many of the sites located on the wide Wood Avenue or a block off one of the short side streets. You'll see the places where the movie was filmed.

A great place start is the visitor center, located at 306 Wood Ave. East in a former gas station. It's hard to miss since it has a Frank Lloyd Wright look. The staff is friendly and helpful, and you can pick up brochures about BSG and the surrounding counties.

Among the interesting stops along the way are:

• Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park, located in a Victorian stone mansion, presents the history of the area from the 1700s. The building has the original gorgeous oak interior.
  
• John Fox Jr. Museum, at the home of the bestselling author from the turn of the 20th century. His most famous work is The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come.
• 
  Henry W. Meador Coal Museum showcases the area's coal heritage, from equipment to artifacts.
  
• June Tolliver House is a Queen Anne-style home built in 1890 that features local history.
• Trail of the Lonesome Pine Outdoor Drama in the Barbara Polly Theatre, the official outdoor drama of Virginia. It's the longest-running outdoor drama in the nation. The musical drama, based on Fox's novel, is held in June, July, and August.
• Town Hall is a 2.5-story Colonial Revival building constructed in 1908 by the Stonega Coke and Coal Co. 
• Lonesome Pine School and Heritage Center includes music, research, and school rooms, focusing on the area's rich traditions and customs.

Other sites we visited:

• 
  The High Knob Observation Tower in Norton offers a view of five states from an elevation of 4,200 feet. The area has many hiking, biking, and horseback trails, as well as lakes and rivers for water activities, and campgrounds and RV parks.
  
• 
  Natural Tunnel State Park in Duffield is a 10-story-tall, 850-feet long limestone tunnel that is still used by trains. The park has trails, a chairlift ride, and a visitor center. The park is in adjoining Scott County, about 20 miles from BSG. 
  

Other points of interest (that we didn't make it to) include the Appalachian Cultural Arts Center in Appalachia, Lyric Theater in St. Paul, and Mountainrose Vineyards in Wise.

Besides Fox and Trigiani, a few other notables from Wise County include Oscar-winning actor George C. Scott, Bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley, NFL players Carroll Dale, Julius Jones, and Thomas Jones, author Napoleon Hill, and pro basketball player Glenn Roberts.

Check out the Wise County Visitors Guide for more information about places to stay, eat, and other activities in this delightful corner of Virginia.

We hope to return.

Destination Amsterdam: Flower Power

On a recent trip to Amsterdam, I ventured outside the city to explore two places that showcase the beauty the Netherlands is known for worldwide: flowers. 

I toured Royal FloraHolland, in Aalsmeer, the largest marketplace for flowers in the world, and spent several hours at Keukenhof Gardens, in Lisse, known as the "Garden of Europe."

Royal FloraHolland

Keukenhof Gardens

Flowers are ready to transport

Royal FloraHolland handles 10.3 billion flowers annually, operating 24/7 to meet the international demand. It's almost dizzying to watch carts of flowers being moved across the warehouse floor and sorted in various places to eventually be transported to numerous countries. You wonder how they keep track of everything.

The plant, which is the size of 243 soccer fields, handles about 100,000 transactions daily and has 3,500 employees to keep things moving smoothly, according to the company. Check out this video from Royal FloraHolland to see what transpires on the floor each day.

Here are a few facts and figures provided by the Royal FloraHolland:

• 23,200 different species of flowers and plants.

• 

  Legos flower pot

  Roses rank as the No. 1 flower with 2.9 billion annually, followed by the tulip with 1.5 billion and the chrysanthemum at 1.2 billion. The top three plants are phalaenopsis/orchids (106 million), kalanchoe (83 million), and potted rose (49 million). 
• The top export countries are Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Poland; the top import countries are Kenya, Ethiopia, Israel, Belgium, and Germany.
• Royal FloraHolland is an association and cooperative with about 2,300 buyers, 3,000 members from Africa, Asia, and Europe, and 4,800 suppliers. 

It's probably a surprise to many people—and it was to me—but the tulip is not the national flower of the Netherlands. That honor goes to the daisy, which was selected in a public vote in 2023. The reason is that the tulip isn't a native plant; that distinction goes to Turkey. It's also the national flower of Hungary.

In my home state of Kentucky, tulips are in bloom on the state capitol grounds until early May. And they come from the Netherlands!

More than 7 million tulips, daffodils, and other bulb flowers display their glorious spring colors at Keukenhof Gardens. The grounds cover 79 acres of beautiful blooms that you can view by walking in the gardens, three pavilions, and exhibits; on a 45-minute boat ride through the fields surrounding Keukenhof; or by bicycle (the Dutch love their bikes). Guided tours are also provided.

The gardens also include a petting zoo and playground for children, a windmill, shops, and a food court. The facility is open through May 11.

This year is special as it marks the 75th anniversary of Keukenhof Gardens. Click here for more information about the history of the gardens.

Until the next time . . .

Destination Netherlands: Amsterdam

 Amsterdam is celebrating the 750th anniversary of its founding in 2025.

750 years old 

I recently spent five days in the Dutch city of about 925,000 residents and found it easy to navigate, friendly, and charming. It's cosmopolitan, home to 180 nationalities although about half the population is of indigenous Dutch origin. I found it to be a colorful, and perhaps underrated, city to discover because of its rich history and diverse cultures. About 90 percent speak English, making it easy for this American to communicate with its citizens. At times, when in shops and restaurants, I almost forgot I was in a foreign country until I looked at the signage, menus, magazines, and other printed matter. But during my brief stay, I learned a few words (straat for street, hallo for hello, etc.).

Bike racks 

Bicycles are one of the first things you'll notice. They're everywhere and they rule the roadway. Pedestrians have to watch their step or they'll get beeped at or run over. I got beeped once, along with a dirty look from a woman, for inadvertently getting in her path. You learn early to look both ways before walking across a bike path. You'll see bikes with front carriers to transport children and goods. There are regular bikes, electric bikes, tricycles, and scooters zipping along the streets. And bike racks are everywhere.

One of many canals

Amsterdam is nearly as famous for its canals as Venice, Italy. One hundred sixty-five canals cross the flat-surfaced city, providing an interesting way for tourists to gain a historical perspective of how it changed through the years. By the way, Venice has 150 canals. Hamburg, Germany, has the most in Europe with more than 2,500.

Let me add that Amsterdam has an excellent transportation system, aside from boats and bikes, with buses, trams, and taxis.

Van Gogh Museum 

If you're into museums, Amsterdam has 85 that cover everything from houseboats to sex to microbes to botany. My visit included stops at the famous Van Gogh Museum and the impressive Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands that also houses a few Rembrandt paintings.  They are located on a large campus called the Museum Square that includes the Stedelijk and Moco museums. You could spend a week or more exploring the treasures.

Holocaust names 

Another place to see is the National Holocaust Names Memorial, which commemorates the approximately 102,000 Jewish victims of the Holocaust from 1940-45 during the German regime. The names are printed on bricks, showing the date of birth and death.  Not far from the memorial is the Anne Frank House. I would advise ordering tickets about 4-6 weeks in advance of a visit to the home where Anne and her family hid from the Nazis for 25 months before they were found and deported to a concentration camp.

Royal Palace 

I also went to Dam Square, known as "the Dam," which contains the Koninklijk Palace (17th-century royal palace) and the National Monument that honors Dutch soldiers in World War II. I was disappointed because I thought the square would be more regal. But there is renovation going on that perhaps will return it to its former glory as the heart of the city. A short distance away is the architecturally impressive Central Station, a Neo-Renaissance building opened in 1889.

I've only touched on a few things to see in Amsterdam. It's a great city to explore if you're an urban hiker (or biker). I also made a trip to Royal Flora Holland, the largest marketplace for flowers in the world (it handles about 100,000 transactions per day) and the Keukenhof Gardens, known as the "Garden of Europe" with its countless varieties of tulips and other flowers planted on 79 acres. More on those places in another post.

I also saw a few iconic windmills when venturing into the scenic countryside. 

Until the next time... 

On the Road: A Short Trip to Greenville, S.C.

There are some cities and towns that fall under the radar and should be visited by curious travelers. Some folks refer to them as hidden gems. 

Occasionally my wife and I take long weekend trips to various areas within a reasonable driving distance and we discovered a gem in Greenville, S.C. The small city is about 365 miles from our home in Frankfort, Ky., about a six-hour drive depending on the route (we took the scenic route through eastern Kentucky, crossing parts of southwestern Virginia, and east Tennessee). 

Main Street 

While Greenville proper has a population of about 72,000, the metropolitan area has more than one million, making it the largest in South Carolina. It's the hub of the prosperous and growing Upstate South Carolina, an economic and cultural region of more than 1.5 million.

Greenville, founded in 1797, is located in the foothills of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. 

Falls Park on the Reedy

We focused our trip on activities in Greenville, although there are many things to do within a short driving distance such as Furman University, Paris Mountain State Park, and numerous golf courses and hiking trails.

We stayed downtown, close to tree-lined Main Street and the several places that attracted us to the city in the first place. 

The downtown is well-preserved and a pleasant place to walk to shops, restaurants, museums, and performing arts venues as well as unexpected outdoor sites. 

The Liberty Bridge 

 The Liberty Bridge, which crosses the Reedy River and waterfalls, was our first place to visit. The pedestrian bridge is about 345 feet long.  Falls Park on the Reedy was a bonus that we enjoyed, relaxing next to the falls on a warm August day in 2023.

Cancer Survivors Park

The Swamp Rabbit Trail, an old railroad corridor, snakes through the heart of the city for 28 miles. We saw about as many bicyclists as we did hikers. We walked along the path from the bridge for a little more than a mile to the charming Greenville Zoo. We stopped along the way at the inspirational Cancer Survivors Park.

Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum

If you're a baseball fan, Greenville is home to the Drive, a High A-East affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. They play at Fluor Field, which has dimensions similar to Fenway Park in Boston.  Right next to the stadium is the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum. Be sure and check times for when it's open if you plan to visit. 

Check the official Greenville website for things to see and do. We got an excellent visitor's guide (it's free) in the mail that helped us find places to visit, eat, and stay. It even suggests a pleasant and informative self-guided walking tour of the city.  

Greenville, needless to say, is well worth the visit. 

Until the next time . . .

Unfocused in 2024

It's been a while since I've posted a blog. That's going to end today.

I'm unsure why there's been a drought since Dec. 7, 2023. It's been frustrating. I've had things to write about, especially travels to various places, but I haven't been inclined to put those trips down in words. Maybe it's a little laziness on my part. I plan to rectify that in the coming weeks.

I have been writing, though. I'm working on the seventh novel in my John Ross Boomer Lit series. I also post book reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and other sites. 

I also edit the monthly newsletter from Wings ePress. You can check it out here. I encourage you to subscribe, too! 

 I plan to get back to the writing here. I've even had a few folks ask me when I was going to start posting again. 

Well, I'm back!

Until the next time . . . 

Back to the Keyboard

 It's been quite a while since I've posted something here. My apology. 

I could use the excuse that sometimes life gets in the way, but that would be a cop-out. A writer should write, regardless. I have been writing, but not on this platform since last May.

First, I had the sixth book in my John Ross Boomer Lit series, Cradle of Conflict, published on Dec. 1. Anyone who has written a book knows that there's a lot of writing that goes into the final product, from drafts (I had seven), to edits, to rewrites. So that took up a lot of my time until I wrapped it up in early November with my editor and graphic artist. It's also available, in ebook and print, from Amazon.

In Madrid 

I also traveled to Spain, spending two marvelous weeks in September and October, starting in Madrid and ending in Barcelona. In between, there were stops in Seville, Granada. Valencia, and Ronda. My wife, Mary, and I even made a day trip to Gibraltar. More about marvelous Spain in a future post.

My wife and I also drove to Greenville, S.C., in August. It's always nice to discover wonderful places near home. I can see why Greenville is a hot destination in the American South. It's a walkable city (we're urban hikers) with lots to see and do, from baseball to museums. And more about Greenville in a future post.

Since November of last year, I've taken on the position of marketing director for Wings ePress. I put together a monthly newsletter and manage social media, trying to attract attention to a talented group of authors. Check out the newsletter here and subscribe.

I'll be getting back to regular posts, revisiting my trips, revealing future travel plans, and pontificating about music, photography, and writing. 

Until the next time... 

Alive and Well, and Writing

 I haven't posted a blog in about three months. That's a long time in cyberspace. It was my plan at the start to have a minimum of one post per week and usually exceeded that number.

 But sometimes life gets in the way of intentions. It's not like I've been in a vegetative state, even though I'm a vegetarian. 

I'm still working on the third rewrite of the sixth book in my "John Ross Boomer Lit Series." It hasn't come along as smoothly as the previous entries, but still, there's progress. I'd like to finish it in a few weeks to submit to my publisher for publication later this year. It might be wishful thinking on my part. I hope not, but we'll see.  

I've also taken on some responsibilities with my publisher, Wings ePress. The primary job is marketing coordinator. I promote the authors, books, and the publisher through Facebook, Twitter, website, and other venues.

 I also handle the monthly newsletter that made its debut in April. Check it out here, and if interested, subscribe. 

Also, query the executive editor at Wings at executive-editor@wingsepress.com if you have a complete or near-complete manuscript. You should visit the website to see various genres and submission guidelines. Tell them I sent you! 

That's it for now. I do hope to get back to posting on a semi-regular basis. 

Until the next time . . .

 

The Writing Life: Difficult Restart

A week ago I returned to a manuscript that had been in a file folder for nearly a year.  I had put it aside for various and sundry reasons. 

For those who don't follow my blog, I'm working  on the sixth book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. 

I confess that it's been a rocky return to the manuscript. I work on a chapter each day with edits and rewrites. The problem is that I'm still not sure I like where the story is headed.

I originally thought I could build on the 40k words and finish the first draft in a couple months. Perhaps that'll happen once I get into a groove. 

My big concern is that I may be developing a case of writer's block with the manuscript. I've wondered if:

• Maybe I was away from the story for too long to get back into it? 
• I should simply put it away and come back when I can devote more time to it?
• I'm putting too much pressure on myself to complete the manuscript with my self-imposed deadline? 

The one solution I see right now is to quit fretting about rewriting, editing, and word count and simply read!

So that is what I plan to do. I'm going to re-read the manuscript, take a few notes along the way, and then get back into it with renewed energy and focus.

Don't you like reading thought processes of a writer? Kinda crazy, huh?

I'll let you know in a few days how things worked out.

Until the next time . . . 

The Writing Life: Back to the Keyboard

 It's been nearly a year since I saved the manuscript for my next novel on the hard-drive. I put it aside for reasons that I'll keep to myself. 

But on Feb. 1, I reopened it to begin work on the sixth book in my John Ross Boomer Lit series. It's my hope to have a complete draft finished in two months. 

I've written more than 41k words so my first task is to read what I've already written and go from there. So far it's been almost like going over another writer's words. That's good because I'm giving a reader's eye to the story.

I'll be making edits and rewrites along the way as the story comes back to life. Of course, I know the story in my head; just not the details from what a wrote a long time ago. I've put drafts aside in the past, but they were completed. I've never returned to a partial draft after almost a year. 

I've made mental notes and a few physical ones about the novel. I'm sure there will be more notations in the coming weeks. 

My editor at Wings ePress has reserved a spot to publish the book later in the year so I'm on somewhat of a deadline to get it to her in plenty of time for the edits, copy edits, proofreads and everything else entailed in transforming a manuscript into a novel.

Until the next time . . .

No More Thinking About the End

It may seem odd to many boomers and other old folks, but I don’t fear death.

Now in my mid-70s, I’ve reached many of the goals set many years ago. I never expected life to go on forever — and wouldn’t want it to. After so many trips around the Sun, it can get kinda boring.

But have you ever considered a few of the positives about kicking the proverbial bucket?

• No more filing state and federal income taxes. That means no longer have to keep track of everything you do during the previous years before filing.
• No more having to replace vehicles, appliances, and other devices.
• No more grieving over the passing of relatives, friends, and pets.
• No more visits to various doctors for whatever procedures to keep you from dying.
• No more telephone calls from spammers trying to sell you a car warranty, medicare supplement, or life insurance.
• No more worries about political polarization, climate change, and pollution.
• No more concerns about the price of gasoline, groceries, and prescriptions.
• No more reading about mass murders and senseless gun violence.
• No more worrying about getting rid of the clutter collected over the years.
• No more upgrading smartphones, computers, laptops, and tablets.
• No more having to deal with toxic people.
• No more seeing and reading about the atrocities of war.
• No more having to take your vehicles in to be serviced or repaired.
• No more thinking about home security.
• No more contending with those who have road rage.
• No more having to face rude, disrespectful, and pretentious people.
• No more answering the front door and seeing religious missionaries, political aspirants, or strangers collecting money for various fundraisers.
• No more deadlines because you’re finally dead.

There’s more I could add to the list, but you get the idea. I bet there are a lot of things you would include.

In the meantime, I’ll wake up each morning and do those things I find challenging, worthwhile, and fulfilling. And then go to bed each night, hoping I accomplished something. But I won’t lose sleep over it — unless it’s getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.

Maybe death is a final blessing from the pain, the mundane, and the insane we’ve encountered throughout our lives.

Until the next time . . .

(This post originally appeared at Medium.com)

Looking Ahead

 Embarking on another year, it's my intention to make it better than the previous one. 

It's not always the case because most things are beyond my control. So, in that case, I simply try to go with the flow and encounter things as smoothly as possible, although bumps along the way can snap one out of a stupor. 

So here are some of my goals, not resolutions, for 2023:

• Get back to my novel, the sixth book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. It's been sitting dormant for about eight months. I've written more than 40k words so I need to read and rewrite from the get-go.
• For many years, I've planned to work on short stories. For those who know or follow me, I've intended to do a follow-up volume to Laments, a collection of short stories published in 2012. I may not do a follow-up on the same theme, but plan to write a few stories that have been lingering in my head for the past several years. 
• As noted in my previous post, I want to delve into poetry. I'll let everyone know how that goes.
• I want to get back on the road to places I've never seen. Travel invigorates me with the sights, sounds, and tastes that one encounters at destinations. I'm considering Spain. Maybe Machu Picchu. Of course, there are places within driving distance that I'd like to experience. Perhaps Key West? Philadelphia? Boston? Washington, D.C.? Oregon, Idaho, and Washington are the only states in the lower 48 I haven't visited, so they are a possibility if gasoline prices stay somewhat reasonable. I hope to see a few friends along the way.
• While not necessarily my goals, my wife has some things on her list she'd like to see for the house, such as a bathroom remodel. Depending on how much that will cost, it could have an adverse effect on other things, such as travel. And you never know what appliance is going to need to be replaced in the house. We also have some outdoor projects to complete this year. These are on the "honey-do" list.

At my age, time is of the essence. I may not have three or four years to do these things—give or take a year or two if I'm fortunate. It's not like when I was in my 30s and 40s and had 30 or 40 years ahead of me, which seemed almost like an eternity, to reach goals. However, a few things I made plans for back in the 1980s and '90s, I accomplished as I got older. It just takes time and determination and savings and luck. 

I hope you realize your goals this year.

Until the next time . . . 

  

Looking Back

 This year wasn't the most productive for me. 

I reached a few of my personal goals. I don't know if it's age or what. Perhaps I don't have the stamina and motivation. I don't know if that's attributable to growing older or simply limited interest in doing things. Only time will tell.

On the writing front, I didn't have many posts here, probably the fewest ever. As mentioned before, I don't want to post something for the sake of posting something. It's a waste of my time and of readers as well. I do plan to write more about music and travel. There's such a glut of posts out there about writing that it's very repetitive. 

I'm still working on book six in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. I wrote more than 40k words but stopped last spring. I admit it was partly due to the declining health of my beloved dog, Bailey, who eventually passed on June 16. Seven months later, I still think about him. Yes, dogs are certainly family. I'm thankful I have Belle.

Another obstacle I faced is seeking to have the entire series on Ingram Lightning Source so that they'll all be available to bookstores and various online stores in addition to Amazon. It would help so much with my marketing. I hope the problem is resolved soon.

On the positive side, my wife resumed our travels in 2022, spending a week in Portugal and 12 days in Banff, Canada, and Yellowstone and Glacier national parks. We also traveled to Asheville, N.C. We're still deciding on where to journey in the coming year. Maybe Spain.

I'm doing marketing for Wings ePress, hoping to bring more exposure and sales to its talented authors. It's an appreciable change of pace for me at this point in my life. I've always needed to have a purpose in my daily life.

Photography is still a keen interest that I will continue to do. I'll add a point-and-shoot travel camera to my equipment. Some of my DSLRs are getting too heavy to lug around and too much to pack for long trips involving flights. I'm too old to move to the lightweight mirrorless cameras. 

Wishing you all the best in the coming new year!

Until the next time . . .

The Books I Read in 2022

I'm a member of Goodreads and always participate in its Reading Challenge every year. This year's personal challenge was to read 30 books; so far I've exceeded that at 32 and still have a couple more on my bookshelf.

As a writer, I'm a voracious reader. I believe reading makes me a better writer. I think all writers feel that sentiment about their writing. While I love books, I also read newspapers, magazines, blogs, and various Internet sites. Even cereal boxes. 

Here are the books that claimed some of my precious time this year.

I spent an inordinate amount of time reading about our disgraced former president. It wasn't so much that I wanted to read about him, but to gain a deeper understanding of the workings of the government and why people are motivated to do certain things for the sake of power. It was a disheartening look at U.S. democracy in the 21st century. 

     Among the books:

     "Peril" by Bob Woodward and Bob Costa (up close and personal)

     "Trumpocalypse" and "Trumpocracy" by David Frum (a conservative's viewpoint)

    "The Plot to Destroy Democracy" by Malcolm Nance (a cyber expert)

    "The Big Lie" by Jonathan Lemire (details longtime game plan)

    "How Civil Wars Start" by Barbara F. Walter (scary outlook about the nation's future) 

    "Betrayal" by Jonathan Karl (my favorite of the books)

    

I've been a fan of mysteries for a long time. I try to read those that have a distinctive voice, believable characters, and gritty dialogue.

    "Sins of the Father" by Judith White (a pleasant discovery for me)

    "Looking at Kansas" and "Last Train to Miami" by Chris Helvey (one of my favorite murder-mystery writers)

    "Harmon Creek" by Thomas Fenske (based on a heinous crime in Texas)

The next few books probably fall under the General Fiction category. Each has elements of suspense, mystery, sadness, and humor.

    "Uncle Ahmad's Toys" by E. William Fruge (focusing on immigration and racism)

    "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens (who hasn't read this book?)    

    "The Necessities of Life" by Ed Ford (Eastern Kentucky mining town during the Great Depression)

    "Zorrie" by Laird Hunt (Woman seeks purpose and understanding in life)

And some nonfiction and poetry:

    "Small Acreages" by Georgia Green Stamper (reflections on a interesting life) 

    "Promise" by Patricia Rose (dealing with a broken heart)

    "Gangsters vs. Nazis" by Michael Benson (something new about "good" bad guys against evil bad guys)

    "Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande (end-of-life options to consider)

Other books I read and enjoyed.

    Nonfiction: "Enemy of the People" (Terrence Petty), "Factfulness" (Hans Rosling), "USA National Parks" (DK Eyewitness Travel), and "Balance Exercise for Seniors" (Baz Thompson).

    Fiction: "She's Missing" (Mike Paull), "The Island" (H. Wakefield), "If She Knew" (Blake Pierce), "Antique Mourning" (Eileen Harris), "Alaska Shelter" (Debbie LaFleiche), "Death Canel" (Michael Hartnett), "After the Ark" (Dick Shead), "Journey to Mackinac Island" (Kileen Prather), and "Adultery 101" (Margaret Kona). 

I've reviewed the books on Goodreads if you're interested in reading them. As an author, I ask readers to leave ratings and/or reviews of my books. So as a reader, I do the same. 

I'll be signing up for the 2023 challenge soon. This time, I'll probably increase the number to 36 books. I hope you join in the challenge as well. It's rewarding, entertaining, and fulfilling. And while you're at it, connect with me.

Until the next time . . .

A Post about Nothing

 It's been six weeks since I posted anything on this blog site. For those who are subscribers, I apologize. For others, I will return at some point in time. Bear with me. 

The point I want to make today is that I'm not going to post something for the sake of posting something. If I don't have anything to say, I'm not going to fabricate some line that is a waste of my time, and more importantly, of yours! 

I do intend to get back to regular posts, after the holidays and when I have the time to write something worthy of your time. 

As many of you probably know, I try to avoid politics. It's not that I'm not political, but I want my blog to be an escape from the polarization and turmoil on the political front. Furthermore, there are more than enough political blogs out there to more than satisfy political junkies.

I'll continue to focus on travel, music, books, and occasionally items that capture my fancy. I also have another novel that I need to finish in the next few months.

I wish everyone a holiday season of peace and happiness — and hope you spread joy to others in this uncertain world we live in.

Until the next time . . 

On the Road: A short trip to Asheville, N.C.

Asheville is a jewel in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a small city with big appeal

Downtown Asheville

My three-day visit to North Carolina in October exceeded expectations. I knew some things about the city, such as the famous Biltmore Estate, and did some research on other places to experience.

For many years, while traveling to places in the southeast, I would drive past the Asheville exits on the interstate. Looking back, that was my loss. But I'm glad I was able to overcome the foolish decision of my younger years. Yep, live and learn.

Blue Ridge Mountains 

It's hard to beat driving to that area of the country in October, taking in the palette of autumn colors splashed across the trees in the rolling peaks and valleys. Once you enter the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Knoxville, Tenn., and straight through to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the reds, yellows, oranges, and browns rival nature's display in other parts of our beautiful nation known for colorful fall foliage.

Asheville was named after Samuel Ashe, the ninth governor of North Carolina. The city of nearly 100,000 residents has a thriving arts scene, great restaurants, brew pubs, a noted bookstore (Malaprop's), interesting Art déco architecture, and a state university and several private colleges. There's a lot to this small city. 

The Biltmore is the primary tourist destination for many people coming to the area, but we skipped it. My wife had been there before with friends and took lots of photos. And I have seen many images, watched a documentary and read articles about the historic place to where I felt I had already been there. Maybe next time. 

Thomas Wolfe Memorial

Downtown Asheville is very walkable and among the places we saw while strolling the streets were boyhood home of writer Thomas Wolfe ("Look Homeward, Angel" and more), the Basilica of St. Lawrence, the Asheville Art Museum, and various artworks along the way.

A highlight of the trip was visiting the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site in Flat Rock, about 30 miles south of Asheville, where the "Poet of the People" lived from 1945 until his death in 1967. His 264-acre Connemara estate includes his stately white residence, a goat farm where his wife, Lilian, raised champion dairy goats, and five miles of hiking trails. Sandburg was the recipient of three Pulitzer Prizes, twice for poetry and once for a biography of Abraham Lincoln. 

Carl Sandburg home

Sixteen miles east of Asheville is the art-and-crafts town of Black Mountain, named after the train depot. It's a quaint town that is welcoming to tourists with shops and restaurants. It is also the birthplace of Grammy Award-winning singer Roberta Flack.

I plan to return to Asheville and take in more of the sights and sounds—and definitely spend more than three days in the area. There are plenty of outdoor things to do, and for all age groups, in and around this sparkling city.

Black Mountain

While driving back to our old Kentucky home, my wife and I discussed that had we known more about Asheville a few years ago, it might have been a place we would have considered to retire. It's too late for us, but if you're nearing that point in your life, you might want to give it some thought because it's a small city with a lot of appeal.

Until the next time . . .