ROAD TRIP ACROSS AMERICA and GERTIE CHRISTMAS OWL GIVEAWAY

My Christmas Cactus is Blooming!! Isn't it just so very lovely.

Hello Everyone,

It seems I have been away from Blogging for such a long time. I've missed visiting blogs and chatting with you all.

 One reason why I've been gone for so long is that we took a Long Road Trip Across America and travel over 5000 miles. We visited family and saw incredibly awesome National Parks and Memorials and saw endless beautiful Prairies. 

 This was my third trip out West but My Sweetie's first.  I felt such JOY watching him see everything for the first time.  We took over 600 photos so it was a bit challenging to select just a few to share with you all. I hope you enjoy them all.

But First, since being home I have done a wee bit of crocheting.  I have made Gertie the Christmas Owl to give to one of my readers for a Chrissie Pressie this Year.   She is filled with Organic Navy Beans so she can be used for a Pincushion or a bookend.

To win Gertie just leave me a message why you enjoy reading my blog.  That is it.

 The Winner will be announced on DECEMBER 8th.  Make sure you check back with my blog than.  If the winner does not contact me within FOUR DAYS  I will pick a new winner.  I will send Gertie anywhere so please do enter.

The first National Park we visited was the Badlands NP in South Dakota. There are 244,000 acres  of pristine National Wilderness and our country's largest Grasslands.  This was My Sweetie favorite spot.  He could not believe how these rugged structure just jutted up in the middle of the grasslands.

More fantastic Beautiful rock formations.

Oh, how we enjoyed watching these wee playful Prairie Dogs in the Badlands.  They have endless seas of grassland to dart around in.

One surprise we had as we traveled across many states was seeing the Prairie's burn areas like this one.  The Midwest experience a severe drought this year and we were told that these fires were started by lightning storms and careless people throwing cigarettes out their windows.  Very sad, hey?

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a very awesome site.  The granite portraits are of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.  They represent the birth, growth, development and preservation of our nation.

Wyoming was and is my very very favorite state. I love the Wild Wild West and especially Yellowstone National Park.  I love the Rocky Mts. and the Grand Tetons.  A state of great wonder and beauty.

I can not begin to tell you how seeing this sign saying Yellowstone National Park warmed my heart and gave me great JOY!! It had been 13 years since I visited this spectacular place. The last time I visited in the middle of the Summer it snowed several inches.  I loved it.

Yellowstone NP is our First National Park and was established in 1872. It has over 2.2 million acres to explore. The highest elevation is over 11,ooo feet and lowest is 5,282 feet.  Here you can find many species of wildlife from Grizzly Bears, wolves, Bison, Moose and Elk and 320 birds species. Most wildlife can be seen in Lamar and Hayden Valley and Mammoth Hot Springs.

There is 10,000 hydro thermal features in the park, the best known is the famous "Old Faithful Geyser" which erupts about every hour and shoots thousands of gallons of steaming water into the sky.  This is the most incredible site to see.

As you leave the south entrance of the park you will drive into the Grand Teton National Park.  Another very grand and beautiful place to see.  Here the Teton Mt. range has very jagged peaks.

This Jackson Lake and the tallest peak in the Tetons is 12,900 feet.

In Teton Village I discovered a female Moose nipping on someones Willow Trees.  Finding this Moose was one of the many highlight of our trip.

In Jackson Hole Wyoming you will find their city park with very grand Elk Antlers arches on all 4 corners.  After the rutting season the Bull Elks loose their antler and the locals people collect them and make all kinds of creations from them.  Even buttons.

This was my very favorite place we ate on the trip.  The cafe was called the Mangy Moose and it was located in Teton Village which is a ski resort in the Teton Mts. 

Inside this cafe we found about a half a dozen lovely painted Murals. Below "Desire In The Tetons" was my favorite.  After you look at them please tell me which one was your favorite. 

This one is a cowboy roping up his Hamburger dinner!!

Moose enjoying life in the Tetons and having a cuppa!! 

Bison warming up some coffee at Old Faithful Geyser and acting like tourist!!

We traveled to 7 states and I only went to "2" places to shop for goodies!! Can you believe??  LOL  

 I just had to go to Nordic Needle in Fargo North Dakota. It was even more grand than I imagine.  A stitcher's dreams come true. There outside sign was as grand as the store inside.

This lovely lady who waited on me was so very kind and helpful and we laughed and chatted as I shopped.  You can see some of the goodies I bought on the counter.  I treated myself to several Aussie Magazines and lots of lovely embroidery flosses.

I wish I was so fortunate to work in this shop!!

As you all know I love working with wool so as we traveled across Wisconsin we just so happen to drive right through where  "Primitive Gatherings Quilt Shop" is located.  VBG

No photos inside of anything unless you buy a kit.  I fell in love with this "Crazy Quilt Christmas Stocking" so I was allowed to take ONE photo. 

 Anne one of the lovely ladies who worked in the shop held up the Stocking for me so I could take this photo for you all.  I have never been in a quilt shop were mostly the whole focus was on hand dyed wools.  I was overwhelmed with so many selections.  Love it.

After 3 weeks of being on the road I was so very Happy to be HOME.  Truly. The Next day after we got back we started renovating our living room.  The builders came and put in a New Very Lovely Bay Window.  Photo in next posting.   

This furniture piece I bought in Germany and has been the place where we sat our TV.  I decided I wanted to paint it a new color and put into the kitchen where it really belong. 

This is the results of the new paint job.  I used Buttercup Yellow in Milk Paint.  The same paint I used on My Plate Rack My Sweetie build me several years ago.   The light brown in was color Match to the smallish squares in the Rooster Rug.  I reckon it was a bit darker brown but I can live with it.  What do you all think????

To my pleasant surprise My Sweetie brought me home some very lovely Autumn flower yesterday for no reason at all.  I love those kind of surprises, don't you???  

I would like to wish all my family and blogging friends here in the USA a Very Happy Thanksgiving Holiday tomorrow.  

I will leave you all with some words of "Wisdom"!!

There is Wisdom in taking the Time to Care;

There is Wisdom in Giving and wanting to Share;

There is Wisdom in Grace and Making Amends;

There is Wisdom in Having and Keeping Good Friends. 

I hope in my absent I have not lost any of My Cherished Good Blogging Friends??

Please enter the giveaway and I wish everyone Good Luck.  

Hugs to ALL.

Judy