Our whole family loves the Florida Keys, I hope to retire there one day with a boat. We have travel down at least once a year. Usually we drive and that way we can take all of our gear, fishing stuff, skim boards, etc. We have also taken the Autotrain down from Washington D.C. and you can read a review of that here. In the past, we have helped many of our friends with their vacation planning to the Keys and so I decided to finally go on and post my list of favorite places.  I would also like to say that I am not affiliated in any way with the places I am recommending.

These are as you drive down from Miami -

Sunshine Market on Tavernier Key - This Cuban gem is on the left as you are driving down to Key West in a yellow building. The coffee is wonderful and the to-go foods are great.

Home Away Islamorada/Tavernier Vacation House - We loved renting this house, it was beautifully decorated, had an amazing kitchen, we could park our boat right out front and the owner is a delight. We have rented several times through both Home Away and VRBO and we have had a great experience each time.

Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant at the huge Bass Pro Shop on Islamorada - The food is very good and it is a beautiful location to take photos at sunset. It is also fun when they feed the tarpon, grouper, and HUGE lemon sharks that come right up in the middle of the dockside restaurant to eat. The Bass Pro Shop is also amazing and they give great fishing advice.

Robbies of Islamorada- It is great spot to hire a fishing charter, go out on their night time party boat, and their largest attraction is allowing people to feed GIANT tarpon from their dock. There are also cute little open-air shops.

Indigo Reef and Coral Lagoon on Marathon- We love staying here too. You can park your boat right out in front of your townhouse, they are beautifully decorated, have wonderful linens and great kitchens. If you sign up for their emails you can get significantly discounted rates.

Bahia Honda State Park - This my daughter’s favorite place on earth! The beach is beautiful and one of the only real beaches in the Keys. It is perfect for skim boarding. The fishing from the jetty under the Seven-Mile Bridge is also fabulous!

Big Pine Key Deer Watching - You can almost always find some of the endangered tiny Key Deer on back roads at dusk.

On Key West -

Mangia Mangia - A restaurant with great Italian food that has been there since we honeymooned in 1993. It seems to be a little more of a local place and away from the craziness of Duval Street.

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beach - This another gem of a beach in the Keys. It is very clean and you can snorkel right from the beach.

Mel Fisher Treasure Museum - Who doesn’t love treasure? The Mel Fisher story is wonderful and well worth going to see first hand.

Truman Annex - The homes in the Truman Annex are the epitome of the Florida Keys to me. It is one of the most charming neighborhoods in the U.S.

Parrot Key Resort - These are great townhouse style vacation rentals that also have wonderful linens, great kitchens and are beautifully decorated.

The Mermaid & the Alligator B&B - This B&B is another great example of Key West architecture. We even stayed here on our honeymoon in 1993.

I went with my extended family May 13th-15th to the annual reenactment of the Raid on Martin’s Station. There are similar events at the park all summer long and almost every month throughout the year, but the this is the biggest. Wilderness Road State Park is in far southwest Virginia. The park is 310 acres that lie beside the Wilderness Road, a route carved by Daniel Boone in 1775 that followed a buffalo migration trail and opened America’s first western frontier. Martin’s Station is a replica of a colonial frontier fort that was on this site in 1775. Park officials brag that it is the most authentically reconstructed fort in the United States. The three-day event has more than 500 re-enactors, including Shawnee and Cherokee warriors (who were my kid’s favorite) and men, women and children (who were adorable) settlers.

I had never been to a reenactment and I wasn’t sure what I would think, but I knew my kids would love it. I think there is something for everyone. My father has a sincere appreciation for the authenticity the reactors strive for in everything they do and really enjoyed sharing that with us. Other than the other visitors to the site and the cars in the parking lot, there is nothing modern to be seen. It was a wonderful step back in time that brings history alive. Even the coffee shops and vendors in the 18th century Market Fair, serve on tin and there is no plastic anywhere.

My children and my nephew absolutely loved the Indians, their camp and watching them creep through the woods and across the field during the raid. They even told my dad, whom I think would enjoy being a re-enactor, they would dress up and come along to more of these if he would join the Indians. But, I don’t think he’s ready to join sides with the Indians just yet.

My mom, sister and I loved seeing how the re-enactors authentically prepare their meals in their camps. I think it’s a secret contest amongst them to see who can have the best food. A group of about 9 men had ribs, pies, greens, stuffing and salad. They were the winners in the secret contest that day! Although, I think there wives must have helped with a lot of prep before they got there.

I could also appreciate how authentic the camps were. There were no air mattresses, mosquito netting, or coolers anywhere. I have since found out that the coolers are hidden in crates. The men in the first picture below have an actual birch bark canoe they made.  One of the re-enactors told us how the night before that had to get cosy under a lean-to belonging to two people they had never met before during a sudden rain storm. I think I would only be happy camping in the actual fort, maybe!

The two reenactments of raids of the fort were enjoyed by everyone. You see the Indians sneak through the fields, capture the women caught outside the fort (of course!), fire original muskets and a cannon, burn down sections of the fort, and negotiate the return of the women.

I know there are reenactments in many places but the beauty of Wilderness Road State Park and Cumberland Gap is amazing. The town of Cumberland Gap is also very charming. There is only one restaurant, Webb’s Country Kitchen,  that serves great country cooked meals (we ate there 4 times that weekend) and it is quite funny to see the groups of re-enactors there having dinner. Early one morning, my four year-old nephew peeked out the window of our hotel only to see an Indian in the parking lot!

The iris comes with a lot of history.  The flower dates all the way back to Greek mythology.  It was believed that the Greek goddess Iris was the messenger of the gods and the link between heaven and earth.  The word iris itself is the Greek word for a rainbow.

And, irises really do come in almost every color possible.  There are different shapes and types, as well.   You’ll find bearded iris, Siberian iris and my new favorite the Japanese iris. They are very easy to grow and typically bloom in the spring.  Take a drive around town or out into the country and you’ll see them growing.  Blue irises are the most common, but they also come in white, yellow, maroon, orange and black.  Look for plants to add to your garden at your local nursery or farmers’ market.

Near Sumter, SC is the beautiful Swan Lake Iris Garden.  The lake is home to all eight types of the world’s swans including swans from Asia, Australia, England and South America.   Every Memorial Day Weekend they celebrate the Sumter Iris Festival.  The 3-day festival includes concerts, an art and craft show, a golf tournament, a flower show, a food tasting, the crowning of the Iris Festival king and queen, and a number of contests and kids activities.

What ride threatens to make you sick at the fair?  Is it the Tilt-a-Whirl?  Maybe it is the Flying Pirate Ship that may at any moment dump you out of your seat.  For me it is the cute green dragons.

Those dragons seem innocent enough with their pretty colors and smiling faces, but beware!  Unknown to me was the fact that they each spin individually, while simultaneously being hurled around in a circle.  Really, I can’t think of any carnival ride more torturous for an adult.  Of course, my two small children thought it was the best ride they have ever been on.  They grabbed the wheel in the middle of the dragon and spun it around and around making us go faster and faster.  To survive, I had to look out the door and try and focus on a light or building, anything to keep my dizzy head from getting the best of me.

When the ride was finally over, I stumbled outside and safely away from the grinning dragon.  The kids handed the man two more tickets and jumped back on.  My lesson…. let the kids ride the spinning dragons.  I’m happy to wait by the fence with some kettle corn.

Dogwood Festival,   Coshocton, OH

April 30th – May 8th

Vashon Island Strawberry Festival,  Vashon, WA

July 17th - July 18th

Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, Virginia Beach, VA

September 24th - 26th

Norfolk Harborfest, Norfolk, VA

July 3rd - 5th

I told you guys I would let you know how the snowboarding progressed.  Late last week we had yet another snow day and I took the kids up to our closest resort, Wintergreen.  Earlier we had purchased the learn-to-ski/snowboard package.  It included three days of lift tickets, rentals and lessons.  This was our second trip up and it was great.  The weather was again perfect and we were one of the only counties who had a snow day, so there were very few people there.  The kids had there own private instructor, made incredible strides and loved their cool instructor.  Most importantly, he was able to teach my youngest, who is not very tall, how to get off the lift when she has to jump off and he taught the oldest a few tricks and he now feels like he can keep up with his friends.  I think for the third lesson, I will plan to pull the kids out of school one afternoon and hope they can have private lessons again.  I was also wonderful that there were so few people there that I wasn’t concerned about the kids being skied into.

We have started to consider buying a family season pass for next year and with that, we have started to look at buying equipment.  So far we did buy the youngest a helmet that fits her very well.  I got some great advice from my Vail snowboarding friend on buying equipment for kids.  He suggested buying them a used board from a local shop and buying cool stickers to put on them.  Small boards aren’t going to have lots of riding time on them, you can get the board a good tune and you should be all set.  Kids outgrow their equipment and also don’t think it’s cool after a season or two.  Sizing is also important, they need to have a board they are comfortable with and can turn.  It’s hard to buy a board they can grow into.  On helmets, you just want something that fits well, protects their head and keeps them warm.  Try going to a local shop and ask what they have, a used helmet is fine and again that’s what stickers are for.  The fit is the most important part of the helmet.  It can’t come off during a collision, that defeats the purpose.  Many shops will also rent equipment for a season and you can usually rent much nicer equipment than you would ever want to buy.

Wish us luck, so far it’s been a ton of fun!

I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show recently with Cathy, my partner in crime at A Day’s Outing.  The show was so amazing that I don’t think the term “Craft” is sufficient. It should be something like the, “Philadelphia Museum of Art Show of Extraordinary Artists that make you Want Everything they Make”.  Cathy and I were so excited about the art we saw that we are going to highlight the work of a handful of artists over the coming months.  Here are two to get us started….

Laura Breitman - The first time I saw Laura’s work, I thought I was looking at a black and white photograph of a tree.   As I walked closer, I realized the “photograph” was really a collage of finely cut pieces of material.  I found myself backing up to see it appear as a photo and then coming closer to see all the fabric pieces. It’s hard to express just how breathtaking Laura’s work is and how much it really fools your eyes into thinking you are seeing a photograph.   You really have to see her work in person to understand just how amazing it is!

Carolyn Morris Bach - It was a treat to see Carolyn’s jewelry for the first time at the craft show.  In her jewelry there are hand carved faces of owls, birds and bears that have been wrapped in gold and adorned with stones.  In Carolyn’s work there is a spiritual aspect that draws you in.  No two pieces of jewelry are the same and the individual personalities of each piece truly shows through.

If you can get the chance to attend, the show is annually the second weekend in November.  The work displayed there by all the artists is awe-inspiring.

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The weather is nice enough that most people can still plant bulbs.  Up until the ground freezes, you can get bulbs in your flowerbeds and vegetable garden, including garlic and daffodils.

I was recently at a harvest festival and I purchased two types of garlic. If you haven’t planted garlic before it’s fast and easy. You simply break the bulb apart into separate cloves and plant each clove 3 inches down and 5 inches apart.  Each clove grows into a bulb and it’s well worth the little amount of space that they take up.  I love buying specific types of garlic at festivals and farmers’ markets, but I have also simply planted garlic I bought at the grocery store.  I know I am taking my chances with this method, since grocery store garlic wasn’t grown in Virginia and may not make it through our winters, but I haven’t had any problems in the past.

As for daffodils, I have hundreds growing around the yard.  With so many amazing varieties available, I can’t help but plant a dozen or so new ones each year.  I tuck daffodils behind and between my perennials.  This way when the foliage of the daffodils is dying they are hidden by the new growth of the other plants. Look for new and different types of daffodils at fall farmers’ markets and through specialty growers, like our local grower Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.

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You might have seen apple butter at a farmers’ market or for sale at a pick-your-own apple orchard, but until you have tasted apple butter fresh from the kettle, you just don’t know what you’re missing.

Apple butter is a super thick, dark applesauce with hints of cinnamon and clove. You can have it on biscuits, warmed and poured over ice cream or added to your morning yogurt. Every fall, people come together to make apple butter in communities across the country. Some apple butter events are large festivals that attract people from across a state. Others are local events held by civic or religious groups. And, many are small family and friend weekend events.

Apple Butter Festival at Wade’s Mill, Raphine, VA,

October 17, 2009  10:00 AM-4:00 PM

Apple Butter Stirrin’ Festival, Coshocton, OH,

October 16, 2009 - October 18, 2009

Richards Apple Harvest Festival, Middletown, VA

October 18, 2009 8:30 PM-5:00 PM

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Here’s a guest blog post from a Facebook Fan, Allison Bartlett-

I wanted to share what a SPOOKtacular time I had at the 3rd Annual Ghoultide Gathering Art Show this past Saturday in Northville, MI right outside Detroit.  We met some great people in line while we waited for the doors to open.  I spotted Dani Nelson of Ambitions Design and Founder/Owner of Spooky Time Jingles.  I love the ornaments she creates.  Dani is a true sweetheart and rare gem in my book. She did me a huge favor by picking up something extra special from the 14th Annual Halloween & Vine Show in Petaluma, CA and brought it all the way back to Northville, MI.  I was so glad we finally were able to meet each other in person.  Check out the picture below and see if you can spot the piece I’m talking about.  If you know who the marvelous Johanna Parker is, get ready for your jaw to drop.

I was shocked when I heard you better run when the doors open if you want a piece from Scott Smith of Rucus Studio.  Boy oh boy, it was a sight to see so many people dart to his table.  I have to admit when I got there, I totally froze.  I was just like a kid in a candy shop.  Fortunately, my husband was victorious (as always) and snagged an unbelievable piece.  I was and still am thrilled I was able to score something from Scott.  His work is crème de la crème and it was phenomenal to meet him and see his fascinating unexpected characters in person.

After that whirlwind I quickly ran over to super savvy Artist, Kristen Beason of Kristen Beason Designs.  She had a table packed of impressive treasures, which people gobbled up right away.  I wanted one of everything she had!! I was stoked to score a beautiful hand painted gourd lantern and devious little devil ornament. It was awesome to finally meet her in person too!  Kristen blows my mind on how amazingly creative she is.

While I was chatting with Kristen, the one and only Joyce Stahl of Enchanted Productions was standing right next to me.  She is also an amazing lady.  Joyce is so energetic and creates SPOOKalicious dolls with hand-stitched 3-D wicked eyes.  I could kick myself for not asking her to sign my copy of Art Doll Quarterly.

I was also lucky enough to score two incredible hags from the divine witch maker herself, Sheila Bentley of Primdolly Designs.  They are a reflection of her outstanding imagination, their faces look so shockingly real.  Her stuff also quickly sprouted wings and flew away.  I was without a doubt mesmerized by Sheila’s work!!

I’m thankful for just how good-natured everyone we met was, they were the kind of people you hope there are more of in this world.  The energy was fanatical and it was electrifying to be around so many Halloween enthusiasts of all ages.  It was an honor to be in the company of such awe-inspiring talent and can’t wait for next year!

I’m getting all flighty that Halloween is almost here…

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Find Restaurants in Detroit, MI!

I couldn’t pass up an outing this weekend when one of A Day’s Outing’s fans on Facebook posted that she was showing her art at a nearby fair.  My daughter was up for a drive so we took a day trip to Richmond, VA.

Arts on the Grove was a small, but lovely art fair.  There were artists showing glasswork, beaded jewelry, photography and paintings. They had lots of hands-on activities for children, face painting and a special music area with every imaginable type of stringed instrument for children to try.  They did a great job of making the fair a true family event.

And, the art we had come to see was wonderful.  Pam Connolly’s silk paintings are whimsical, light hearted and simply make you smile. She also had fabulous note cards and handmade t-shirts on hand. I snapped up a Cupcake t-shirt with beads sewn on as non-pariells up for my daughter.

Art fairs, whether they are big or small, offer a chance to see a range of work by truly creative people. Try finding one near you.

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