~ A Stroll Through Oakland Cemetery ~

I was wondering how I could possible portray how I felt while in this majestic place.
And it wasn't until last night that I came up with an idea that satisfied me.
Now, Oakland Cemetery wasn't your everyday final resting place,
it's one of the oldest & largest cemeteries you will ever visit.
Unfortunately for us, we didn't discover that until our
last day in Atlanta. And the time we did spend
there was very little.

So, below is what I have tirelessly been working on,
okay, not tirelessly, but it took me some time to figure out
how to use Windows Movie Maker.

I can't even tell you how many times I've watched it.....
it makes me feel happy, sad, nostalgic, and thankful all at the same time.
I'm probably so attached to it because of how much I treasured that alluring haunt.
The victorian -styled cemetery was truly a captivating plot of land.

I hope this video conveys my feelings while strolling through Oakland Cemetery.
Sit back, turn the volume up, and enjoy.




A gift that's given
without any conditions
is the best of all.

Etc.

• Historic Oakland Cemetery Website
• This week's haiku prompt: Gift.
• Speaking of gift.....did you nominate someone for the giveaway I'm doing?! Do so HERE.
  
• I went to the dentist yesterday. Bye, bye wisdom teeth! I feel like crapolla, but in a good way :o)
  
• I intended to stay home from work today, but got called in at 8:30, our office was broken into and I had to check to see what was missing from my office. It is a rotten situation. I stayed till about 11:00, then came back home.
• Needless to say, I won't be partying for Halloween, instead, I'll be right here at home.
  

Posted in
Haiku Friday , One Single Impression , Photo Friday & Sky Watch Friday

Share the Love : A Giveaway

This is one of several giveaways I plan to do from now until Christmas.
I'm sure you're curious to know what is coming, but that's for
me to know, and for you to find out! Typical. I know.

My goal for doing a series of giveaways is to, not
only promote Wayfaring Wanderer, but to do
something for those of you that
do so much to enrich my life.

I have met an amazing bunch via this blog, and through other people's blogs as well.
I have always tried to make it a point to find new people that pique my interest.
I've met writers, scrapbookers, digital/mixed media artists,
and of course, other photographers.



Sometimes I hide, but most times I'll comment. I'm a big commenter.
Other blogger's comment section is sometimes how I find new and interesting people.
And, more often than not, that's how someone will find my blog.
But let's do something different!

Instead of your typical leave a comment-and-your-
entered-to-win-giveaway, let's take the time to showcase someone
in the blogosphere who is special to you. In doing so, you get to recognize
a friend, and we can possibly meet someone new.

Let's share the love........
Nominate a fellow blogger to win a set of these greeting cards!

(This Giveaway is now CLOSED)

• Please leave a comment stating who you would like to nominate and why.
• If you would also like to receive an entry for yourself without receiving a nomination, just post about the giveaway, and the nominee at your blog. (if you do so, let me know)
  
• The winner will be announced on Tuesday. We plan to draw names.
• And since this giveaway is part of a series of giveaways, any nominations or entries received will continue to tally throughout the entire series of giveaways.
  
• i.e. If you receive any nominations or entries during this giveaway, they will carry over into the next giveaway. No math necessary, that increases your odds of winning.
• I will pick three winners to receive two cards each.
• And because I want you all to win some of the cool stuff I have in mind to bestow upon you, bloggers are only eligible to win one giveaway in the series.
• Please do not add this or any of WW's giveaways to those giveaway link blogs.....I want this to be for friends, and about friends.
  

*****If you have any questions whatsoever, please ask. I know I like to make things complicated!

This is in response to the long overdue
pay it forward challenge from
Angry Asian Creations.

Oktoberfest in Helen, GA

At the beginning of October (on our way back from Atlanta)
we spent a couple of days in the charming town of Helen, Ga.



What you'll find to be special about Helen is that the whole town
has been recreated to look like an Alpine village.



It was a pseudo-Bavaria; no passport needed!
I fell head over heels for this quaint little knock-off, really, I did.



It was filled with so much energy,
especially since the Oktoberfest celebration was underway.
In an attempt to fit in with rest of those celebrating,
we ate like the Germans...



Asking a local for a suggestion on where to eat,
she sent us to a restaurant called The Troll Tavern.
I didn't care for those tangy German potatoes, but I loved the brat!
After dinner, by foot, we made our way to the end of town.

Earlier, we overheard someone telling a visitor about Festhalle, he described it
as the best place to go to get the most authentic Oktoberfest experience.
That was a no brainer, we wanted to go there!



This place was bursting at the seams with folks having a fantastic time.
Polka music was playing, and just as we were sitting down,
they finished the chicken dance.....
but, I wanted to do the chicken dance :(



After Cody and I had our Hefeweizen, we were itching to join in on the action.
You'll be happy to know, I got to do my chicken dance, and Cody did it too!
Festhalle closed pretty early (11:30), so we made our way back to the
campsite. We had plans to go for a hike the next day.

Quick Facts

• In 1969 it was decided by some local Helen business men, that the town needed sprucing up.
  
• They had a vision to transform their town into an Alpine village to promote tourism.
• Each shop owner paid to have their own buildings renovated.
  
• Interesting tidbit: Festhalle is run by Helen's own Chamber of Commerce - built in 1979.
  
• The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 in Munich, Germany.
• Helen had their first Oktoberfest celebration in 1970.
• Helen claims that they are home of the longest running Oktoberfest in the world!
• Nearly 30,000 people come to celebrate every year.

Posted in Wordful Wednesday

Autumnal Portal

If you can find a path with no obstacles,
it probably doesn't lead anywhere.
~Frank A. Clark~

I know that you were hoping to see some "crazy" new adventures,
but I got sidetracked. I desperately needed to update the 366 Blog.
I've got some additional surprises in store for you this week,
I know...I know....promises....promises,
you'll just have to stay tuned.

I spent sometime this past weekend backing up my mountains of photos.
I have been putting that off for such a long time, and my guess is that you might be too.
Wouldn't it be dreadful to lose everything if our equipment fails?
It wouldn't be the end of the world, but pretty darn close!
Take the time to do it, you won't be sorry.
While I transferred huge amounts of files,
I spent time doing other stuff.

Speaking of dreaded tasks......
I had a long awaited dentist visit today.
I have had this crippling fear of going to the dentist for years,
but today I finally took that first step in fixing my plethora of chomper problems.
I go back on Thursday to get some extensive work done, I'm not happy about it, but I
will be since they prescribed me some happy pills to take beforehand.

I didn't get any more cleaning done today,
instead I'll just go and stare at the clutter-less laundry room
& uncluttered dining room table to remind myself that we've done plenty of things.
Tomorrow, I want to get started on micro-cleaning the laundry room.
I say micro-cleaning because that's where we need to organize the shelves,
and the place where I keep all my art-type supplies.
Maybe I'll share before and after photos of that?!

Etc.

• I took the above autumn photo last year in Hanging Rock State Park.
  
• I reprocessed it after coming across it while backing up my photos.
• See the one I did last year, HERE.
• I think the new one looks more rustic to me.
  
• Cody won last night in Scrabble (he usually does) - Elk
  
• For dinner last night we had Stuffed Shells with spinach and mushrooms - TD

Weekend & Winter

Autumn is about to come to a screeching halt here in the mountains.
Tomorrow is predicted to be unseasonably cold with a chance of snow flurries!
I'm not ready for a high of 35. Guess it doesn't really matter if I'm prepared or not, it's coming.

Our weekend was a great mix of spending time outdoors, as well as, at home.
Saturday we went to the 35th annual Balloonfest,
which you'll hear/see more about this week.

Today, we stayed within the confines of our home.
The early part of the day was spent re-watching some old movies,
and the rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning up the dining room & kitchen.
Afterwards, we played a game of Scrabble on the table we cleared off while cleaning.
I was even able to cook dinner while we were playing our game - Cody helped too.

This weekend definitely went by way too quickly........
then again, I say that every weekend!

Posted in Today's Flowers

Moments : Shooting the Moon

Illuminated



it cast a haunting glimmer



everlasting light

The night sky is a miracle of infinitude.
~Noelani Day~

Etc.

• The prompt for this weeks haiku: Never-ending.
  
• My intent was to go to Bass Lake to get some fall color shots last week.
• We didn't make it before the sun started going down.
• We stayed to shoot the moon because of a suggestion from another photographer.
• I was glad that I took the strangers advice - even if it was cold & I was hungry.
• I need to practice night shots more, I don't do them enough.
• The days are getting shorter. I barely make it home in time for good light.
  
• Maybe I need to make a lightbox so that I can take photos inside!
  
• Speaking of inside, we have gutted our laundry room, it looks so much better.
• I forgot how big that room was......it was so cluttered. Now, it's a brand new space!
• I will work on more excursions this weekend, so look forward to some fresh outings!!
  

I hope you all have a terrific weekend!

Posted in
Haiku Friday , One Single Impression , Photo Friday & Sky Watch Friday

I Heart Fall

Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking,
perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter.
~Carol Bishop Hipps~


My soul is enchanted by this season.
I'm also enchanted by all of that lovely feedback I received on my last post, thank you.

The "I Heart Fall" photo was inspired by my visit to a new blog today.
J.H has a lovely blog with some brilliant photos,
this one included.

Thank you all again for keeping me inspired.
For that very reason this has to be short;
I'm in my motivated-mode again!!

Posted in Love Thursday

Linn Cove Viaduct

North Carolina
Linn Cove Viaduct
Blue Ridge Parkway

Milepost 304.6

View Large

Commonly referred to as the "missing link",
the Linn Cove Viaduct spans one of our world's oldest mountains.
The modern marvel was designed with the intention of preserving this precious land.

• It was completed in 1983 at a cost of almost $10 million dollars.
• The viaduct spans 1,243 feet and contains 153 segments weighing 50 tons each.

I have driven this section of road many times, but until a couple weekends ago,
I never took the time to stop and actually admire the structure.
This fall, I wanted to change that.

We decided to take the trail that starts at the end of the parking lot at the visitors center.
This trail gives you the amazing opportunity of walking beneath the behemoth.
As I stood beneath one of the sweeping "S" curves,
I began to realize all that this bridge represented.

Negotiating a compromise for the sake of our environment wasn't easy,
but there were people who were very passionate about its impact,
and they found a way to make it happen.
thank you.

I had this video that illustrated how busy the Blue Ridge Parkway was
when we ventured there a few weekends ago,
but way too much is involved for me to get it up so......
Anyway, it was crowded, jam packed with people crawling everywhere.
We were lucky to find parking spaces.
The above photo was taken between cars whizzing by.
Cody and I worked as a team, he was my lookout!
This is a very common shot taken of the viaduct.

Read more about the viaduct: HERE

Posted in Wordful Wednesday

A Journey Through Time

High Museum of Art Atlanta

The sort of place where you make new discoveries each and every time you visit,

where every unhurried step is to be made with the utmost purpose.



As I walked through the halls and corridors of the museum,



I became overwhelmed with a sense of kinship as I pondered the many works of art.



Works of art crafted by those who have also
felt that undeniable urge to share and create -
no matter what the medium.



On many occasions, I found myself completely
awe-struck as I made my way through the galleries.



If not done in the flesh, I think that it would be virtually impossible
to fully appreciate the scale of these massive works.

The bright and spacious, Modern and Contemporary Art wing was among my favorite.



For hours, we wandered around the many levels housed within the High's walls.
Initially, we only planned to spend an hour or two exploring,
in retrospect, that would have been unthinkable.
It's better to have 3 or 4 hours.



I was extremely inspired by my journey through
time, and I left with a great sense of gratitude.
More visits to galleries are in order!

When is the last time you walked through a gallery?

I loved your takes on Mondays.
Some of you I related with,
while others had me wishing
that I could adopt the same
Monday morning philosophy.
Good News.....
Mine wasn't all that bad!

Goes by too fast.......

My weekend has consisted of a series of naps.
Today, we were finally roused to action and decided to go for a hike.
The weather was gorgeous, but it was chilly. I don't know if I'm ready for winter?!
Let's not think about that right now......

This week I plan to showcase a myriad of treks that I have yet to share.
I finally had a chance to go through some of those photos that have been piling up.
I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend.
Are you ready for Monday!?!?

Posted in Today's Flowers

Moments : Affluent

haiku friday & one single impression

You can't put a price,
on knowledge that comes with age.
More precious than gold.




Thank you for the very thoughtful comments on my previous post,
I really appreciate each and every one of them.
I hope you all have a terrific weekend!
And hope you like the fall color :)

Tired but Good

Character is what emerges from all the little things you were too
busy to do yesterday, but did anyway.
~Mignon McLaughlin~


I hope that quote is true....
I'm slowing down now, and I think I need a rest day.
I have been going 90 mph it seems, doing various things.
I need to go to bed early, so I'm going to cut this short.

I have been working on some new excursions to share with you,
but I haven't had time to craft the posts.
For now, I'll just share another photo from the Botanical Gardens.

I was so intrigued by the above pattern. I found it in one of the ponds.
It looks even more dramatic now that I have converted it to black and white.
It even fits my current mood, which is a little scattered.
I was channeling my energy, but now I'm all over the place.

You'll soon hear about everything that's been going on,
but for now......ZzzZzzZzz

Imagination Fabrication

You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.
~Mark Twain~

It's been a long time since I shared a before and after shot.
I liked the SOC shot, but I didn't think it was anything special.
However, when I came across the photo later,
I decided to mess with it in photoshop.
Here is the original shot, below.
Click to enlarge.

Re-watching the movie "The Prestige" could have very well put
this thought in my head, but when I looked at these two shots
side-by-side, I thought, "Sometimes, you have to make
your own magic!"

Anyone have anything exciting brewing right now?
Please share :)

Nine Down.........

{366} Photographic Journal
Monthly Wrap Up : September

As I look back upon the month, I can recall the many
moments of creative inspiration I experienced as the days went by.

The next few shots are some of my favorites from last month.


How I found so many new things to appreciate.
Like ambling through our "empty" field next door.



Or the excitement I felt when I found the last stitch of light in my yard.



And then there was that day when I spotted some colorful flowers from the car.
I thought about them many times throughout the day.
Naturally, I went back to get my shots.



Finding the unexpected kept things interesting.
I love when that happens.



And in this case, the icing on the cake would be the "Cotton Candy Skies".
I could have picked half of this months photos as a favorite, really.
And I would even go so far as to say that, this was my best month yet.
So, instead of doing those links like I normally do for
the monthly wrap up, how about another quasi-slide show!?!?
It's not a real slide show because the photos won't cycle on their own,
so to view the images, just click the thumbnails.



I'm extremely happy about how September went for
me in terms of the monthly challenge. I stayed inspired.
I can always tell when I'm going through one of those splendid periods
because I get really behind on the {366} Photographic Journal blog.
Here we are mid-October, and I'm just now getting through September!
I'm being flexible. It will get done.

From the beginning:
{366} Photographic Journal

• August
  
• July
  
• June
  
• May
  
• April
  
• March
  
• February
• January

What were your favorites?

Atlanta Botanical Gardens

I will skip all of the other fluff, and get to my most favorite part.
The glass encased Fuqua Orchid Center, filled with fragrant,
blooming orchids from around the globe,
was hands down my favorite section.

I sniffed and shot my way around the room as slowly as I could.
And while Cody eagerly pointed out the most unique smells for me to enjoy,
I scrutinized the most interesting looking blossoms -
a couple of which you've already seen in previous posts.

Not all of the blooms had an enticing aroma,
as a matter of fact, some of them stunk to high heaven.
I even recall someone using the term "rotting corpse" to describe one!


(this wasn't the stinky flower)

No matter how putrid they may or may not have been they were gorgeous.
After going through the photos I decided to put together a semi-slide show.
Click on the individual photos to run through the slides - it doesn't cycle itself.
*The first three photos are from other areas of the gardens.





I wish I had the time and energy to give you more details about the gardens - forgive me,
but if I didn't get this done now, I would have put it off even longer!
Besides, I've still got a bunch of other birthday trip stuff to show you.
And this is on top of what Cody and I got in to this weekend.
At this rate, I'm likely to never get caught up.
But I'm not stressing :o)

Posted in Today's Flowers

Moments : Moods

haiku friday & one single impression


It just so happens
don't know how I could forget
I don't mind the rain


I know that you've only been shown those itty bitty snippets of the trip,
but I can't be sorry, because I'm getting stuff done.
I'm finally gaining momentum now, which I'm absolutely thrilled about!
I've checked so many items off my list today.
And sadly, it prevented me from getting through any Atlanta photos.
This weekend I'm hoping to pull myself together completely and get back on the ball.
I have even heard that this dreadful weather we've been experiencing
is going to vanish in time for the weekend.
I'm ecstatic, but I'll keep my fingers crossed just in case.

• The above photo was taken during a rainy day walk a few weekends ago.
• Right after this shot, Cody splashed the puddle. I told him to. But I didn't like that photo.
• I almost forgot how fun it was to splash in puddles.
• Rain doesn't always get me down.
• The prompt for this weeks haiku was Serendipity.

Less is More

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.
~Lin Yutang~


Slowly but surely, I attempt to cross off completed tasks.
My to-do list doesn't scare me, and I won't let it.
I'm getting things done at my own pace.
The rainy weather doesn't help much.

It was such a chore to make a list and go to the grocery store this evening.
I'm glad that its done though.
Maybe unpacking will also be in our future!
Tell me we aren't the only ones who wait,
or procrastinate rather, when it comes to unpacking.

I'm just trying not to stress out about all that needs to be done around here.
I know that it will be alright if it takes a little more time.

I have yet to get a proper chance to go through my photos from the trip,
but here is another one from our first day while in Atlanta.

Getting back on track.....

No man needs a vacation so much as the person who has just had one.
~Elbert Hubbard~

We really did have a fantastic time on our quick trip.
As a matter of fact, I am still in the process of recovering.
I'm not yet prepared to go over it bit by bit, but believe me, I have lots to share!

The above photo was taken during an excursion on our first day in town.
We spent the first part of my birthday vacation in the bustling city of Atlanta.
My next post will tell you more about our first day, so please check back in tomorrow.

Also......
While I work on getting my groove back, please know that I will be by to visit you very soon.
I feel so disconnected right now, and can't wait to catch up with you all.

*Posted in Today's Flowers

What th_?!

Meet my fancy, ergonomic keyboard.
If you look closely, you'll notice that the letter E has completely vanished.
I few months ago I noticed that it was fading, and not to long after that, it was gone!
My missing E has lead me to think about how comfortable I am with using a keyboard,
especially since I've been typing for a long time now.

When I was about 9 (i think), with a bag over my head,
my Dad would have us practice typing the alphabet on our computer.
If I typed the entire alphabet without making a mistake, I would get money!
It was only like .10 or something like that, but it added up over time.
I remember that my sister and I would go into Sanrio Surprises (aka Hello Kitty Store)
with a huge bag bulging with nickels and dimes to purchase whatever our hearts desired.

Anyways, back to typing....
I've always thought that I could type pretty fast.
In the past, I have received scores showing that I type 80 wpm (word per minute).
But, with the mouse getting more action than the keyboard these days,
I have found that my numbers have significantly gone down.
Now, I consistently type about 65 wpm.

This brings me to my newest discovery that I must share with you.
Last week, I found this wildly addictive website called Typeracer.
Not only will it measure your typing speed, but you can "race" against other people!
I couldn't stop doing it once I started, it was so much fun.
What I really found fascinating was that there are people who type almost 200 wpm.
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!! I just want to watch someone doing it......
Ok, I just putzed around youtube, and it's not that interesting to watch!

When was the last time you checked how fast you could type?
Go play, and post your score in the comment section, it'll be fun!

*This is a scheduled post

Moments : Golden Memories

haiku friday & one single impression

There's no way to pause,
memories fade over time,
cherish these moments