Despite the pandemic and shutdowns, I managed to visit 11 of our United States since September 2019. Allow me to share…
So this is where it all began- Plimoth Plantation on the south shore of Boston, Massachusetts.
Plymouth hah-buh, to the right of the lob-stah…
Next stop is Mount Greylock, the highest point, located in the NW corner of the state.
In the foothills of the Berkshire mountains is this Veterans War memorial.
The weather changes quickly on a mountain, and conditions diminished as I climbed. At the top, a storm began to rage.
The temperament of nature is truly magnificent! Calmer weather prevailed when I returned to the base.
New England weather can be a bit bipolar, but this September morning it was perfect.
Heading east, our next stop is in central Massachusetts. Quabbin Reservoir was completed in 1940.
Four towns were relocated, then flooded, to provide drinking water for metropolitan Boston.
Spotting a tower, I head over for a better view of the res’, which is what we called it growing up.
I wonder how many professions of love immortalized in this plexiglass are still holding water…
At the visitor center, I find photos that may have been the house whose foundation I was exploring in the woods earlier.
You are probably dam bored by now. Let’s head toward the north shore of Boston and see if we can scare up some witches.
Once in Salem, I didn’t have to look far for all things witch-y. Hexes, potions and black clothing were abundant.
So nice to see that there’s something for every price range and budget…
This bewitching mother-daughter duo agreed to a photograph.
Sin wore a bold face and was prevalent here- not subtle at all. What a shame…these young women are beautiful.
The museum was closed from 5-7 PM, but there was a Wizard of Oz event that evening, so I hung around to get some pictures.
After dark, this place got spooky. My feet were soaked and I wasn’t feeling the love, so I fled north, escaping to Rockport.
Even my international armchair travelers may recognize that red barn known as Motif #1, the most painted building in America.
After Salem, Rockport was literally a breath of fresh air. Tomorrow, Gloucester will complete the north shore tour.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
Psalm 107:23-24
Deep-sea fishing is a death-defying business. This monument honors 5368 lost fishermen.
The steady drizzle cast a somber mood as I pondered how many wives and children were affected by these deaths.
Across the street, the WWII memorial honors 5665 Gloucester veterans. God bless America.
A quick one-hour drive north on I-95, and I’m crossing the Piscataqua River into New Hampshire.
Portsmouth’s downtown waterfront is hip- all red brick, with quaint shops and pubs.
Found this taped to a front door and it made me think hard about how fragile we really are… and Adlai Stevenson??
Portsmouth has roots in the 17th century. Such a great walking town with dining, parks, bridges, and a naval yard.
Crossing the Memorial Bridge, I found myself in the state of Maine! Kittery, to be exact.
A ten-minute walk across the bridge brought me to another world, and back again.
The cultural and political cross-section is quite liberal and diverse.
It’s definitely a place to come back to some day, but for now, my next bridge beckons.
Cape Neddick Light, known as Nubble Lighthouse, sits on its own tiny island in the village of York, Maine.
One hour north of Nubble Light is Biddeford Pool, Maine’s first recorded permanent settlement. (1600s)
It’s an actual tidal pool, emptying and filling each day with the tides. The “gut” is a dredged area where boats are safely moored.
Driving south, I discover the friendly and colorful sister villages of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.
It’s hard to believe that a year ago we could sit three on a bench without masks or social distancing.
Fall in New England is the best, when Mother Nature gets a chance to strut her stuff!
Along this craggy coastline in Kennebunkport is Walker’s Point, the site of the Bush family compound.
Like these fishermen, I’m ready to call it a day.
We’ll follow these geese, and visit the southwest corner of the United States next.
I came to San Diego, California in January to have a look at the 2,000+ mile long border wall.
It was quite chilly, with a brisk ocean wind. My heart ached for this homeless person.
San Ysidro was the closest I could get to Tijuana, Mexico.
My first glimpse of the border wall. My room was literally two blocks from the Mexican border!
A ten-minute walk, answer a few questions, passport stamped… It’s easy to get into Mexico.
Find a taxi and follow the wall to its terminus. Check.
Welcome to Playa de Tijuana, the westernmost point of the border wall. (It actually juts right out into the ocean.)
A glimpse of US soil through the paint-encrusted bollards of the border fence reminds me to be thankful for my freedom.
Lots more pictures and story available at Border│Line: Beaches and Bullrings published 2/2/2020
Getting back across took longer. On this side of the border, everyone was treated the same. With suspicion.
The line moved painfully slow towards Customs and Immigration as each passport was scrutinized.
I came out of that building like I was shot out of a cannon. Happy to be back in the US, I headed east.
Just outside Yuma, these are the Imperial sand dunes. The border wall is on “skis” here, and moves with the shifting sand.
Right off Interstate 8, before Yuma, this acreage is an outdoor history museum carved in monstrous blocks of granite.
And a tiny church high above, standing as a sentry over it all.
Felicity has a population of 2. Felicia Istel and her husband Jacques-Andre are the town’s sole residents.
You can read the entire account and see the photographs at Border│Line: Beauty and Barbed Wire published 2/16/2020
In Tucson, AZ, this native to the Sonoran desert, the Saguaro (sa-WA-ro) cactus, can grow over 30 feet tall.
This hefty structure is part of the border wall in Nogales, AZ.
So what do you think? Are they keeping King Kong in Mexico with all that razor wire?
Not much to write home about in New Mexico, since there’s not much of a border wall.
There is, however, this 40- foot roadrunner made entirely of recycled materials that you might find interesting.
A 20 degree wind chill factor went along with what was holding those flags out straight in El Paso, TX.
From the scenic drive overlooking Mexico, the Ciudad Juárez border is two miles away at the X (center right).
Homicides are so numerous there, especially against women (called femicide), they go largely uninvestigated.
About 50 miles south of El Paso is Fort Hancock. Downtown wasn’t very pretty, but the border was impressive.
Extremely mountainous, it would take a lot to survive the trip over. Still, lots of steel- as far my eye could see.
An hour or two later, on the way from here to there, a shoe store with no doors appears in the middle of nowhere.
It was bizarre. People slammed brakes, as did I. I actually had to turn around and come back for a look.
Featured on 60 Minutes, Marfa, the patron of this artwork, is curious, quirky, and weird- maybe, even a tad sinister. Read more at Border│Line: States of Consciousness
Jaw-dropping mountain ranges accompanied me all the way to Terlingua, TX. Some exceeded 6000 feet.
Welcome to Terlingua Ghost Town. There’s a mansion on the hill… Such a cool place.
Chisos was actually a real cinnabar (Quicksilver) mining company mid-1880, and this is a real graveyard. People died from exposure to mercury.
Following the border between Mexico and US, this road parallels the Rio Grande. That’s a 5-foot high water marker.
Due to droughts and excessive irrigation, the Rio Grande is now highly endangered. I didn’t see any measurable water until I got to Del Rio.
Ironically, Amistad Dam/ Ciudad Acuña International Bridge was built to establish flood control on the Rio Grande.
About an hour south, Eagle Pass has a pedestrian bridge over to Piedras Negras. Fifty pesos and authentic Mexican for lunch!
With tears glistening, this elderly man shows me a picture of his parents.
Thankful. Grateful. Blessed. Amen.
It’s hard to explain downtown Laredo. It was both sweet and sort of scary.
The scales were tipped when I took his picture. Oh yes, and the gunfire. I headed for the border.
Between Laredo, TX and Nuevo Laredo in Mexico, this narrow stretch of the Rio Grande is the international border.
The hotel and outlet mall shared the same parking lot along the river.
Leaving Laredo, I see something new. A Border Patrol stop with a drive-through menu…
When I learned Harlingen was on the way to Brownsville, I had to stop.
The young Marine whose hand you see pushing the flagpole into the volcanic rock on Iwo Jima was killed a week later.
Oh beautiful for heroes proved, In liberating strife
Who more than self, their country loved, And mercy more than life
America, America may God thy gold refine
‘Til all success be nobleness, And every gain divined
As a Marine mom, I am grateful and thankful to all who have served our great country. Semper Fi.
Several hours later I am at South Padre Island and the Gulf of Mexico! It’s been eight busy days since I arrived in California.
I’m tired, but contented. Looking forward to my flight from Brownsville to Tampa in the morning.
Now that we’re rested, let’s proceed with the Florida tour.
On April 1, the first full day of the Covid shelter-in-place order in Florida, West Palm Beach resembled a crime scene. No joke.
On Worth Ave, the setting sun behind me casts a long shadow. On a normal day I would have been run over already.
I can only guess at the money these stores like Tiffany and Chanel are losing by the mandate.
Like I said in the full post Time Out on 4/26/2020 , I felt like idols were being toppled.
A little bit of optimism never hurts, but it’s been nine months. Glad I wasn’t holding my breath!
Beaches that would normally be teeming with sunbathers were deserted.
Those who ventured out in public wore the same slightly-guilty, confused look.
Intracoastal waterways. Nada.
Where on earth did every one go so quickly??
Weird thing is, all the construction sites were busy. No sign of social distancing or masks.
John came out of his construction trailer when I pulled onto his lot.
Apparently, construction is considered “essential”. Got to get those pricey condos built on schedule…
I was always happy to see these big guys aloft. They are pelicans, not pigeons. I figured if they were still up, I was safe.
By mid-July, I need to get away. Florida is hot and the Georgia Guidestones were on the short list, so let’s go.
I spent one night in town to try to get some local background information, without much luck.
I even had an opportunity to meet the local law enforcement. We discussed where I am allowed to park. He didn’t know much about the Guidestones, either.
Approaching from a distance, I was surprised at how small they looked. After all the hype, I felt slightly let-down.
It kind of felt like being at a baseball game with the stones on the pitcher’s mound.
From my research, I knew the post-apocalyptic directive is inscribed on 8 tablets- in 7 ancient languages and in English.
There are slots and holes for the moon and sun to peek through, but that’s all covered in the blog post Carved in Stone.
I guess my immediate questions would be (1)- why are the guidestones not fenced? (2)- who is monitoring the camera?
As long as we’re facing north, let’s go look at some mountains.
While my overnight stay in the big red bus was the highlight of Shelby, NC, it did not prepare me for the beauty that lay west.
I had been in some intoxicating Texas mountains in January, but these were different. More tangible, somehow…
I loved that you could just pull over randomly, and hike into the woods.
My bird’s eye view from this Airbnb nestled in the mountains.
Crossing the bridge at the top of Grandfather Mountain was the height of my enjoyment. Pun intended.
In over 45 years of driving, that was hands-down the craziest vertical climb I have ever made.
Each of these adventures has been truncated to fit the format of this post. I encourage you to look at them individually in their full narrative, as time permits.
May God bless America, her allies and her enemies;
May they all come to know Him.
May His people humble themselves and repent,
For it is His Will that none should perish,
But have everlasting life. Amen.
Love love love the photos!! I never wanted to visit the NH area really… but now I do! Safe travels friend!!! I hope your new home is doing well for you and you are living life! <3
Greetings Maria! Thanks again for sharing. Fun and informative. All of these fantastic pictures….the best of all was the one of the lone dog on the brick pavers???? LOL. Love, blessings and shalom.