Category: TRAVEL

Paintapalooza Artist: Jeff Bonasia

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist, THOUGHTS, TRAVELLeave a comment
Image: Addisonart.com

YOU GONNA EAT THOSE FRIES? I would say this painting is aptly named, wouldn’t you? I simply love the light on this birds belly, it’s stoic look and how it’s really looking right at you. Kind of Wyeth’ish, don’t you think?

This doesn’t appear to be what he normally paints, but it just has so much character!
 
Years ago when vacationing in Maine we had rented a cottage. Down the street from our cottage was a large group of painters from all over the country. Real artists, the ones who do it all the time and are so good at it. The paintapalooza story is for another post, but it was a great group of talented guys.  Jeff Bonasia was one of the talented artists that week. He shows in several galleries, click on his name for a link to his website. This photo is from Addison Art Gallery in Orleans, MA.
 
If you get a chance, check out my photo blog at:
http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com
 
Until tomorrow…

Hey, you need a watchdog… an airfarewatchdog!

On By Barbara StroudIn TRAVEL2 Comments
Image via http://www.airfarewatchdog.com

I bend down and pull all the clothes out of the dryer and toss them on the bed, good grief, four loads… and no kids, crazy! I begin the folding process, hey, might as well turn on the TV I’m going to be here for a while… I turn it on just as someone was telling the audience about a website called www.airfarewatchdog.com, how you can enter your home airport as well as destinations you are interested in flying into and you’ll get an email every so often with the best possible deals. How did I not already know about this? I had JUST gotten tickets not a few days before that… hmmm. I signed up. I am a realistic person. Neither an optomist or a pessimist. I know when it’s too good to be true, but I also know there HAS to be a deal out there SOMEWHERE! Lets see what airfarewatchdog shows, does it really show any great deal? YES. IT. DOES! Some are unadvertised. Some are advertised, but all the information is included in the email. It’s a worthy few minutes to spend to save some bucks in the future. So if you haven’t heard of it before, check it out!

Don’t forget to check out my photoblog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com ! Until tomorrow…

The year of the staycation?!!

On By Barbara StroudIn THOUGHTS, TRAVEL1 Comment
CHARLIE AND BARBARA - FOLLY BEACH - APRIL 2010
What are you looking forward to this year? Infinite possibilities fill my brain… I’m looking forward to doing something different this year. After many years of big money vacations, packing for a few weeks, lugging everything on a plane and heading out… I think our plans are to have several “staycations”. I mean we do live in CHARLESTON! People love to spend their vacations here! So I’m thinking we will do the same! How nice it will be to not have to cram ourselves onto a plane, board the dog, and all the other “stuff” that goes along with taking a nice relaxing vacation, ha ha… Maybe a trip or two to Kiawah, Hilton Head, the beaches (I mean they ARE so close!) and just hanging out  by the pool in our own backyard! Now we’ll have to remember that we are on staycation, no cleaning and all that business… It can wait a few days! I’m looking forward to spending some time with Fred without him thinking about work and everything that needs to get done! Hear that Charlie? THE BEACH!! Woohoo!
What are you looking forward to this year? Until tomorrow…

An “Aha!” moment!

On By Barbara StroudIn THOUGHTS, TRAVELLeave a comment
Image via http://islandinnmonhegan.com/

Describe a recent Aha! moment… hmmmm. I guess it would be several years ago, leaving Charleston and vacationing on Monhegan Island in Maine. We stayed at the Island Inn (http://islandinnmonhegan.com) which is the larger building that you see in the photo (from their website). There are no shopping malls, no taxi’s, no telephones in your room, no TV or radio or any other distractions, including limited cell phone coverage and wi-fi in the inn’s common room when it’s available. Everything is centered around the weather. If conditions aren’t right the boat doesn’t run to get you to the island, bring groceries, mail, etc. If the wind is strong the phone may be out… It’s a different way of life that is SO MUCH BETTER even without all the STUFF. Stuff is precisely that… stuff. When you are in a place that is so beautiful and when everything around you is so peaceful THAT is what becomes so important. I encourage anyone who isn’t used to not having some of the modern-day pleasantries to try a vacation that relaxes your mind and recharges your soul. It’s amazing what you can do without and you don’t even notice! Until tomorrow…