Tag: USA
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Visiting Ivy Green- Helen Keller’s Childhood Home {Alabama}
The quiet grounds of Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, Alabama feel almost peaceful in a way that invites reflection. Oak trees shade the modest white house where Helen Keller was born, and it’s hard to imagine that such an extraordinary life story began in such a simple place. Visiting the birthplace of Helen Keller is both…
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Elephant Seals, Moonstones, & Tide Pools on the Central Coast {California}
It had been four years since my last trip to California. Some of my lifelong friends had moved to the Central Coast, settling in the quiet coastal town of Los Osos. Over the years they’ve become more like family, and being so far away from them had been harder than I expected. For months I…
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Bald Eagles & Snowy Trails- Winter Beauty at Radnor Lake {Tennessee}
There are two kinds of people when it snows in Tennessee. The first rush to the grocery stores, stocking up on supplies to hibernate for a few days. The second head straight outside, eager to enjoy the rare winter wonderland. It should come as no surprise that we fall into the second group. When we…
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Tulsa Icons of Route 66 {Oklahoma}
Driving the full length of the iconic Route 66 has long been on my bucket list. It’s a journey that would take considerable time to complete in one go, so for now, I’m taking it in sections. During my time in Tulsa, my top priority was to explore the 28-mile stretch of Route 66 that…
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Oil History, Cowboy Icon, & Art Deco- Exploring Tulsa {Oklahoma}
Somewhere over the last few years, I became set on visiting Tulsa. Every time I looked at a map of the states I’ve traveled to, Oklahoma stood out as this glaring blank space—right in the middle of places I had already explored. So during a trip to Missouri to visit my in-laws, we decided to…
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Colorful lanterns of Zoolumination- Nashville Zoo {Tennessee}
We visited Nashville Zoo at Grassmere for their annual Zoolumination, where the zoo transforms after dark into a glowing world of larger-than-life Chinese lanterns. Every year is different, and while we didn’t know exactly what to expect this time, we knew it wouldn’t look anything like our last visit. That sense of anticipation only grew…
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A Day in Downtown Raleigh {North Carolina}
A work trip brought me to Raleigh, and with half a day free, I set out to explore the historic downtown. I had visited North Carolina before, but never its capital. There’s something about a capital city that feels like a good place to begin—where history, culture, and everyday life all seem to meet in…
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The Colors of Fall at the Great Stone Door- Savage Gulf State Park {Tennessee}
It felt like Tennessee was taking its time easing into fall. Even at the end of October, the trees had only just begun to turn—but when they did, it was all at once. Color seemed to burst across the landscape, filling the hills with that familiar mix of wonder and calm that only fall can…
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A Kid’s Guide to Walden Pumpkin Farm {Tennessee}
Fall festivals have always been some of my favorite places—full of pumpkins, hay bales, and that unmistakable feeling of the season. But this visit to the pumpkin patch felt a little different. Walden Pumpkin Farm in Tennessee is one of our favorite pumpkin patches for families, with plenty of kid-friendly activities to enjoy all season…
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A Month of Food, Festivals, and Fall {Tennessee & Indiana}
Fall is my favorite time of year. There’s something about those first hints of color in the trees, the cooler air, and the feeling that everything is coming back to life after the long heat of summer. I love the details of the season—hay bale displays, deep orange and red flowers, and what feels like…