Doggy Rescue!

 A bucket of puppies on their way to have their shots!

Do you see all the hopes in the world in those eyes?

Titan's and his broken leg.

A co-worker of mine and his wife are very active in animal rescue is Louisville KY. 

The picture of the puppies on their way to have their shots is priceless, lol! Look at those faces and eyes!

Titan was rescues with fleas and a broken leg. Poor liitle baby boy. 

Thanks Kevin and Wife for your kindness, love and all you efforts caring for and finding homes for all these four legged family members.

"Dogs Rule"

Monument Square, Portland Maine.

 Looking east. Loved the white lights in the trees.

Looking west along the restaurants to the left and the Christmas Tree on the right. Wish I had more time to explore as it looked like a great place to window shop and have dinner. 

Monument Square Christmas Tree

I missed the tree lighting by one day but it looks beautiful with all its lights in the middle of Monument Square, Portland Maine.

Civil War Monument, Portland, Maine

Had a chance to visiting downtown Portland Maine early yesterday evening and got some great photos and learned a bit of history of the area.

The Civil War Memorial in Portland, Maine is a large complex monument in the center of the city. It is also known as the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Civil War Monument, Our Lady of Victories, and the Victory Monument. It contains a central allegorical female figure standing on a square granite base with additional sculpture groups on the north and south sides of the base. The figures were sculpted by Franklin Simmons, the architect for the monument was Richard Morris Hunt, and the sculptures were cast at the Fonderia Nelli, foundry. The monument is 45' high and the base is 20.5' on a side. it was dedicated on October 28, 1891.

Portland ME Observatory.

Visiting Portland Maine this week for the first time. What a beautiful place.

Captain Lemuel Moody (1768-1846), ordered construction of this octagonal, 86-foot high tower to serve as a communication station for Portland’s bustling harbor. In 1807, ships entering the harbor could not be seen from the docks of Portland until they rounded the point of land at Spring Point Ledge. With his powerful telescope, sea captain-turned-entrepreneur Moody identified incoming vessels as far away as 30 miles. For a fee, he alerted subscribing merchants by hoisting signal flags identifying their vessels. He coined the phrase “signalizing” to describe his system.

The Observatory was built on Munjoy Hill at the eastern end of the Portland peninsula, which was a cow pasture at the time. Moody built his house and other buildings near the tower. The complex included a banquet and dance hall as well as a bowling alley. From the time it opened in 1807, the Observatory was a tourist attraction drawing local residents and travelers alike.

Joesph Thanksgiving Visit

My nephew Joesph visited from Asheville, NC where he works at Make Noise makers of electronic synthesizer.

To see him on YouTube visit: Make Noise

Thanksgiving 2012

 Chocolate Trifle.

 Turkey, turkey and more turkey!

Gram's beautiful table ready for our Thanksgiving feast.

Finally Finished

Thanks to some really beautiful weather this week I was able to finally finish the painting of the deck boards. As you can see my helper seems pleased!

In full bloom.

Our final Tea Rose of the season was fully open on the kitchen counter this morning. It looks and smells wonderful. This could have been a show winner thanks to coffee grounds, Epson Salts and Bayer Rose Food!
Been reading up on rose pruning to assure good growth in the spring. I have also order a Henry Fonda Dark Yellow Hybrid Tea Rose and  White Pope John Paul 11 Hybrid Tea Rose for spring planting from Jackson and Perkins.

For more visit: Jackson and Perkins

Fall Rose

Arrived home to find the final Tea Rose blooming in the side yard.

Best year for Roses ever!

Deicing!

 Deicing the wings before my flight home Friday!

No more ice and off we go!

Drying my hands the old fashion way!

Apparently in La Crosse they still dry their hand the old fashion way!

Are you old enough to remember this? Oh and yes the cloth towels still smell the way they did when we were kids!

The Wisconsin Great River Road along the Mississippi River.

View of the Mississippi River from my hotel.

Beautiful early winter day on the Mississippi River La Crosse WI.

The Wisconsin Great River Road runs through La Crosse WI right in front of my hotel. It parallels the Mississippi River for 250 miles from Prescott in the north to Kieler in the south. Along the way, you’ll experience some of the most incredible scenery in the Midwest and 33 unique communities, some of which are the oldest in Wisconsin.

You’ll find hiking, bicycling, fishing, boating and paddling in the numerous recreational areas along the byway. Nearly two-thirds of the Wisconsin Great River Road passes along or through protected natural areas, providing endless birdwatching opportunities.

Historical markers, museums and visitor centers tell the story of the Wisconsin Great River Road and the people who live and work along the Mississippi River. Scenic overlooks along the Wisconsin Great River Road are some of the best places in North America to see bald eagles.

For more information visit: http://www.explorelacrosse.com

La Crosse WI

There is no written record of any visit to the site until 1805, when Lt. Zebulon Pike mounted an expedition up the Mississippi River for the United States. Pike recorded the location's name as "Prairie La Crosse." The name originated when he saw the Native Americans playing a game with sticks"!

 The first white settlement at La Crosse occurred in 1841 when Nathan Myrick, a New York native, moved to the village at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin to work in the fur trade. Myrick was disappointed to find that because many fur traders were already well-entrenched there, there were no openings for him in the trade. As a result, he decided to establish a trading post upriver at the then still unsettled site of Prairie La Crosse. In 1841, he built a temporary trading post on Barron Island (now called Pettibone Park), which lies just west of La Crosse's present downtown. The following year, Myrick relocated the post to the mainland prairie, partnering with H.J.B. Miller to run the outfit.

 For more on La Crosse WI visit: http://www.cityoflacrosse.org

Heavy Snow Flurries!

 Heavy snow flurries blanketed La Crosse, WI and the surrounding area today. Here's my rental car around 9:30AM!

Luckily warm temperatures in the area last week stopped any of the snow we saw today from sticking but it was cold enough to make the sidewalks and roads a bit slippery!

It was kind of nice to see the snow!

Free Breakfast in La Crosse WI.

Complimentary hot breakfast at the Best Western Plus La Crosse, WI #4 two eggs any style, hash-brown and wheat toast. Free is a very good price!

The breakfast room at the La Crosse Best Western Plus over looks a very cold and gray Mississippi River. Brrrr 15F with the wind chill this morning!

Cold Evening Sunset

Sunset this evening. We're suppose to see our first frost tonight!

Cold Weather!

With the cooler arriving in Atlanta Marco and I have dug out all our warm coverups as Beth won't let us turn on the heat!

Atlanta Police Helicopter Crash

Makeshift Memorial for the two fallen Atlanta Police officers outside the CVS on Martin Luther King Jr. Rd.

  

The chopper struck a power pole, them plummeted to the ground and exploded, killing both officers on board late Saturday night, authorities said. No one on the ground was hurt.

The black spot in front of the CVS is the crash site.

Fall in Georgia

It was a cool crisp morning while Marco and I took our morning walk.

Spooky Devil Dog

Marco wasn't to sure about wearing his devil costume on Halloween but after a fuss, a growl and two small bits he enjoyed passing candy out to our neighborhood trick or treat kids! 

More Deck Painting

Painting continues on the deck. Did I say I hate painting the rails?

Cheesy Gram!

Marco and Eve love to visit Gram's house because they get cheese treats so all you have to say "anyone want to go to Cheesy Grams" and much running to the door occurs, lol!