Category Archives: travel

Oct12

Thee and Thou went to the PARen Faire!

Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 by Dianne

Castle adored with white pumpkins, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Around 4 or so on Saturday we kind of wound up in Manheim at the Penna. Renaissance Faire. Years ago, not sure if it was right after we were married, but I think so, Brian and I went and it was nothing like it is now. It’s almost like a Disney theme park! And let’s not get into the costumed people. I think many were visitors. Brian reminisced about the 1960s for some reason. : )
We saw a sword swallower, a juggler (with fire too) and his partner who did a routine on silks (not sure of the proper term). We were tempted to get food, but Sean had visions of The Olive Garden, so we only got lemonade and iced tea.
Here are some photos:

Pretty garden area near the mansion and entrance

Tribal Circus featuring Shelli. She has a toddler-look at the tummy!

“The Abbey” sold books and paper things. You know I bought a few things.

A Sword Swallower!

When in Pennsylvania-you have to have a place that sells cheesesteaks!

Brian and Sean in front of the Pirate ship

You could get an elephant ride-we all would break his back. ; (

We didn’t get to see the human chess game

I was taunted by the dungeon guard! No thanks buddy, not into seeing how people were tortured-plus not for $2 either!
And finally-

A cute set I wouldn’t have minded having, but I got to pose with it
We got stuck in weekend traffic in Lancaster and saw at least 50 people waiting to eat outside of the Olive Garden. We turned toward Strasberg and ended up at Hershey’s Farm and had a buffet dinner around 8:15. Not as planned, but good food.

Oct12

Whirlwind Saturday

Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 by Dianne

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I promised a post about our almost 12 hour daytrip through almost central Pennsylvania. It’s a little late, so I may start it and finish it off in a few hours.
The first part of the trip was to York, PA. which is about 1.5 hours away (known as the ‘factory tour capital of the world’-Harley Davidson has one during the week). I wanted to attend a rubber stamping/paper crafts show. Here are a few photos from a great vendor and artist-Stampland. The man sitting over on the right took a shine to me and said he’d vote for my ATCs in the contest. Alas, I don’t think I won as I didn’t get any email. One of the other vendors said it’s better to come on Sunday as you have a better chance of winning, but they were all put in a binder, so I hope mine would have stood out. The theme was ‘O Christmas Tree’. I don’t even know if I’m getting them back

Here’s some of the wonderful stamps and techniques from Stampland:

I had been dropped off for a few hours. I gave Sean the address as Brian and him don’t know their way around York. I did quite a bit of shopping too:

I was of course looking for unusual stamps. They are quite pricey. I like detailed ones the best and can’t wait to use this one:

I traded three original ATCs and got some ‘cookie cutter’ ones’-they made all of the same ones to trade.

We got to see lots of pretty farms like this:
(taken out of the car window)

I have wanted to see Bube’s Brewery in Mount Joy since I read about it on the web. It has catacombs. We arrived too early to eat and Sean didn’t want to go back after our next stop. We went down these steep steps, very hard on the feet and knees:

This is about 30 feet underground!
I thought of Zoey and how she would like to eat in the catacombs with just candlelight. A friend had been here and told me on Facebook that the food is delivered by pulleys as the kitchen is far away. Maybe someday we’ll venture back
there as the menu looked good!

So I was disappointed we didn’t stay at Bube’s longer (which is pronounced-well someone told me boo-bees). I had helped myself to a flyer about the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire and we saw it was 12 miles going closer to home, so we went. I think I will post about that in a few hours.

Oct10

It’s 10-10-10!

Posted on Sunday, October 10, 2010 by Dianne

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Alice 4" x 4" Collage Card, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I bet a gazillion blogs have started off with a title like that. : ) It’s pretty neat you have to admit.
I’ve been playing catch up on my collages. I made it a little easier on myself as the one half here was an ATC I made up in York, PA at the rubber stamp/craft show on Saturday. I was happy to get a chance to make something, though this was a cuppa tea for me. The lady whose booth this was must have been tired or something as she was a bit sarcastic. I think she was impressed by how I used the tall Alice here. I put the tag behind her head. I do like what I added to the side-the ‘Red Queen’ and the teapot and animals.
I made this next collage to represent the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire that we attended as well! It was really a spur of the moment thing to go. We had gone to Bube’s Brewery as a side trip as the guys left me off at the show for a few hours. They were told not to eat much, but got hoagies which spoiled their appetites to eat at Bube’s in Mount Joy. Rats. So we ventured down the road to the Faire and went in! Brian and I had been there in about 1984 or earlier and that’s the last time, so Sean got a treat as well. I will do a full post about it next. The stained glass is a embellishment piece. The fairy is a new stamp that’s been embossed. The background is the map to the faire grounds.

Sep16

Typical Amish Farm & a little celebration

Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2010 by Dianne

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Typical Amish Farm, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

We took mom out on a day trip on Wednesday. Sean was the driver as he wasn’t really interested in seeing the first place that we wanted to stop at-the Flower & Craft Warehouse. He dropped us off and went for a drive and ended up at a Farmer’s Market! Too bad he didn’t stay with us as they have tables set up with newspapers, magazines and a few tvs for the significant others who aren’t into crafts and flowers. He did have to come in later to find us. Hee hee!
The scenery was just beautiful, the weather perfect and the skies so blue. You do see mile after mile of farms just like this one.
Mom and I headed to the ‘bargain’ room first. I got lots of little things and things to alter. I got a square wreath that looks awesome in the family room. The colors are perfect! It was under $4. I got a S’mores Christmas house with an attached tree and ornaments-$11.
Mom picked out two things as gifts (I have another gift for her next Thursday). She picked out a festive sunflower table display after much hemming and hawing. She also picked out a glittery pumpkin. I know seasonal, but she will remember her day by these.
After shopping, we went to Shady Maple Smorgasbord. I was really hungry! Their specials were prime rib and ham. For $17 you get a bargain. If we could have taken mom up on her birthday, she would have been free! Mom didn’t eat that great. She makes the mistake of filling up her plate and then that takes her appetite away. I don’t have that problem-I just want to taste everything. Sean said he wasn’t hungry, but the second time around he ate more than salad and cauliflower.
Now get this, we stopped at Wally World. I stayed in the car and Sean got his hair cut (so short he looks like he’s in the military) and mom had to use the rest room. I was glad to relax and people watch.
Mom went home around 3 today and said she loved seeing the sights and going to these couple of places.

Collage cards haven’t been worked on yet-have one idea. I showed my mom and she took the one of her dog Kelsey. 🙂 She really liked them a lot.

May31

Roses and Spookiness

Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 by Dianne

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Happy Memorial Day. A day to reflect and remember the brave soldiers and those who gave up their lives for our freedom.

Yellow rose bush with 17 buds, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Yes, and they all have bloomed except one or two. My other roses, though not as big, are blooming nicely also.

Here’s a pink one:

The guys are both home today. Not planning to do too much.

We decided to take a vacation to Ocean City, MD this year as Brian’s dad hasn’t been well and it’s not a plane trip away like a Carribean trip would be. Plus, the prices are better and I told Sean we can stay right on the beach if we could find a reasonably priced place. We pinpointed a place through Ex*pedia, but he has to see when he can take 3-4 days off.
Yesterday I had the entire afternoon to myself. I read, I sat a spell, I cleaned lawn furniture and I planted the last of my herbs. The bugs are coming out, so I need to buy mulch. My flowers in the front garden are much happier and productive being mulched.
Saturday I planted some perennials in my round bush edged garden where I have mainly irises. My pretty irises did not like the 4 feet of snow and only 7 out of 15 varieties made a show this spring. I then went and planted flowers in the pond garden and Brian edged it for me. It looks so much better.
I’m reading a young adult fiction by a lady also named Dianne (K. Salerni)
Sean and I were in a bookstore a few weeks ago and he saw her name on the cover and pointed out that she spells her name like I do! I then remembered she was the daughter of prominent church members and that there was an article in the paper about her writing ‘We Hear the Dead’-so I bought it. It’s based on a true story about the Fox sisters from the middle 1800s who were said to start seances. There are yet other coincidences besides our first name. In the first 30 pages of the book, there are two names of people with the same first and last names as people I know or have known. The doctor’s name is my maiden name of Knowles and they have an older brother David! Spooky. I plan to have Dianne autograph her book for my niece and I will pass it on to her in a year or so. I found Dianne on Facebook and we friended each other there.

May14

Photo Hunt-Half

Posted on Friday, May 14, 2010 by Dianne

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Mom’s Reflection, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I always thought this was the coolest photo of my mom-her better ‘half’ is herself! I have to give photo credit to her friend Jim, but it was mom’s camera.
This is in Washington, DC in the late 80s at the Smithsonian’s American History museum. ‘All in the Family’ was certainly a tv comedy that looked at many angles of life. Brian and I just saw this exhibit in April of this year and they added Edith’s chair plus Archie’s hat also.

May9

Photo Hunt-Mother

Posted on Sunday, May 9, 2010 by Dianne

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A little late for the hunt, but now I can add ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ to all the giving, loving mothers out there!

Dianne and Sean at Epcot, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

The greatest gift in my life was to become a mom. Although I only was able to have one child, he is truly a special young man. Sean’s had a rough year since his graduation and he is still hoping to land a job related to his field. This was taken on Mother’s Day, 2005 a fun time at Epcot in Disney World.
My own mom has been struggling with issues that need to addressed and solved. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers-it’s going to be hard to get her to change her ways.

Apr18

Cherry Blossoms and graves

Posted on Sunday, April 18, 2010 by Dianne

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Cherry Blossoms and graves, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Wanted to share a very poignant photo that my son Sean took at Arlington National Cemetery. That’s one of the only cherry trees we saw blooming.

Oct20

A Day in Bucks County, PA

Posted on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 by Dianne

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The three of us took a daytrip up to Bucks County, PA on Sunday to celebrate Sean’s birthday a wee bit early(it’s really the 24th). We thought he may have to work, but alas, he called the lady that ‘hired’ him from the grocery store and now she said they were in a ‘hiring freeze’. Very sad indeed. He is first on the list-so he hopes this is true info. The restaurant in Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, has the best Sunday brunch. Brian and I stumbled upon it 10 yrs ago when we went up in the same area to celebrate my 40th. From breakfast treats to craved meats and treats, everything is prepared (I think this is right) by culinary students. The village had a fun array of scarecrows/effigies on display from Scarecrow ‘crows’ to Michael Jackson. More are in my Flickr photo stream. It was a chilly and blustery day. My feet gave out early as I’m not use to wearing heels. I should have wore my sneakers. Sean and I plan to try and catch some of the autumn foliage in Lancaster one of these days. The leaves in Bucks were just changing a little and everything was wet looking.

I am using the larger of the two collages and I got cut out of the one with Brian. The building is the Bucks County Playhouse right on the Delaware River in New Hope, PA. This is where many of a celebrity did summer stock, even Tim Daly when he was a boy.

Oct10

Photo Hunt-Sports

Posted on Saturday, October 10, 2009 by Dianne

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Mall sports bar, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

This is a SPORTS bar and restaurant at the mall in Atlantic City, NJ. My guys almost lost their eyes when they saw all the tvs that were all tuned in to some kind of sports. My mom and I did tolerate it for the short time we were there although it was very loud. The big screen did have a ball game on. The bar was nicely lit too. Unfortunately this mall is getting known for people falling off their very steep escalators with very bad consequences. It’s happened twice in a year now.

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If you happen to like to cross stitch and are looking for new stash, my friend Barbara is selling off some of hers here. Mosey on over if you please. I think I’ll put up a few of mine too-I actually have more than a few, so watch here.