IS THIS WHAT HEAVEN LOOKS LIKE?

Or is it just a trip to Chattanooga, TN?

Great plane trip on the way down. It was one of those unfathomable afternoons where the clouds were making all kinds of visual racket and being tantalizingly beautiful.

Got picked up at the airport here by Erica, efficient and sweet young Geiger employee (sponsors of the trip) and taken immediately to a restaurant called Blue Plate where I just had to try fried green tomatoes and cheese grits. Southern food, wow...I'm gonna guess that health is not the biggest issue for Southern Cooks. Pretty tasty but left me tired (or was it the plane ride?)

At any rate I am now basking in my cute room just to the rear of the Chattanooga Train station. The fully restored station is now the lobby of the, say it with me...Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel.

After a short attempt at a nap, I shall take the electric shuttle about town before all the writers must meet in the lobby for a dinner where we must "sing for our supper."

Those of you who know me know that I love to sing so I'll probably make a damn fool of myself singing away. I'll try to be a bit subdued anyway.

But until I have photos of buildings, etc here in Chatt. I'm gonna leave you to enjoy a taste of what I enjoyed today from my plane window.

Ciao baby.

A YARD ADVENTURE

When I think of traveling, I think I must go far away. I don't think often of shorter trips. Sometimes there is so much to be seen in one's own back yard, literally.

Today while working, I saw a couple of Monarch butterflies. I came across some animal tracks that I did not recognize. I discovered several vines of a variety which I am not familiar with. I watched the leaves on the maple across the way dance gently as I ate my lunch on the front porch. I noted that the hose had made hieroglyphs in the grass where I'd left it lay too long. I inspected a row of flowers that are just about ready to go to seed.

All in all, quite an adventurous day in the wilds of my back yard.

Now, I just need to make a decision about going to Seattle. Ah, Seattle with it's wonderfully quirky restaurants, its lakes spreading out in every direction and it's laid back people having sifted in from every corner of this nation and beyond. I love it. But do I want to live there? It's a conundrum. I want to go. I don't want to go. My son and daughter in law are there. My life is here. So much to think on in these next few weeks. I know there's a good answer for me, the adventurous traveler. I just have to let it come. Open myself to knowing what's right for me right now.


I'll let you know.

WHY CAN'T I STAY PUT....

I just returned from a winter in Arizona and am back at work at a job that causes me no stress...no, that I actually like with people who are good and fun.

But, I find myself dreaming of going off again. I want to do these three things:

1. Live for 6 months in Italy.
2. Teach for 6 months in either China or Japan
3. Go stay with my friend Halla in Wales to then visit Ireland.

What the hell is wrong with me? I'm just a vagabond tumbleweed who just doesn't wanna stay put I guess.

Trouble is I don't have the money to do that. In fact, I must work to have enough money to live...a common problem, huh?

If you'd like to sponsor me doing one of these things : ) hey, just let me know.

TRAVELING WITH MY DAUGHTER IN LAW

I was very lucky lately. When it was time to come home to St Louis from Phoenix, I was delighted that my daughter in law, Rebecca, was willing to fly out and drive back with me.

When I picked her up at the Tucson airport she cried because the light, she said, was too unbearably beautiful. Awww...that's so sweet. I think she liked Tucson!

We went around Tucson for a couple of days, meeting various friends I've made there, and then we dashed up to Mesa to stay a couple of nights with my good friend Jim and then we were up and at 'em early, heading home.

The three days went buy rapidly and without incident. The first 5 hours of our trip was through high desert, pine-clad mountains and small western towns...delightful!

If there was ever a great person to travel with it's Rebecca. I can only say to my son, "Dude, you are one lucky guy!" Which, of course, I am sure he realizes....in fact, I think they both believe they lucked out in this match.

I'm happy that I was able to spend this time with my very sweet daughter in law, Rebecca.

HELLO PHOENIX (WELL, MESA, I GUESS)

I've landed in Phoenix this winter as opposed to Tucson. The last two years I spent a part of the winter in Tucson, which is a delightful, friendly, young, and quite funky city. I love it there.

This winter my friend, Jim, he of raw food excellent recipes asked if I wanted to stay at his house for awhile and help him with various tasks...I said "yes" pretty quickly cause I haven't explored the Phoenix (Mesa) area and thought I'd give it a shot.

The only time I was in Phoenix was with an old flame and it was a trip to hear a woman talk about food combining and how said affected her bowels...we all had to stand up and sing a "poop" song. It was ghastly. Not a good introduction to Phoenix, I'm finding.

Phoenix has a very healthy vegetarian society, a good collection of raw foods afficionados and too many good eat places for me to even mention at this time. I really want to try a bistro called Camus...it just sounds divine.

I will tell you about the statuary in downtown Mesa next time. It is a fascinating 8-10 block area with public sculpture all about...really cool!

Trevi Fountain in Rome

Trevi Fountain in Rome
Originally uploaded by loisb46.

A lovely day in Rome

TENNESSEE FITNESS SPA

One of the best kept secrets of our Southern neighbor, Tennessee, is a spa called, quite fittingly, Tennessee Fitness Spa. It is located in Waynesboro, TN
which is about 95 miles south of Nashville. This beautiful historic site has the only double span , natural bridge formation in the entire world. Complete with an “ice” cave, the spa is bordered by the “forty-eight Creek”, which has crystal clear cool water and many species of fish which are visible from the banks. History tells of many Indian tribes who used this spot for a meeting place until the last Cherokees were ordered out by Andrew Jackson in the 1800’s.

The spa can accomodate up to 55 guests and serves guests from all over. Meals are served in a large dining room and are healthy although not austere. Everybody who I spoke with while there seemed to report that the meals were more than adequate and quite delicious even though the food is free of salt, sugar, and caffeine, and low in calories and fat.

The spa is not a fancy facility. It doesn’t need to be. With the dogwoods, wisteria and honeysuckle gracing the grounds, the luxury is not the trivial type. It is down-to-Earth and beautifully rustic with all the basic needs very well provided for, and the fact that (when I was there, although this may have changed) there are no TVs or phones in the room doesn’t seem to be a deterrent to the many repeat guests who visit the spa. It’s peaceful and natural allowing you to get into a nice connection with the natural world.

Even though it may not be called luxurious, it offers great pampering possibilities including massage, facials, aromatherapy and manicures, and large porches and time to indulge in the forgotten art of simple relaxation with a good book or just your thoughts. Some services do require an additional fee.

The spa sits on 100 plus guest-usable acres, with many trails for hiking and simple nature walks. Everyone is encouraged to choose as many or as few activities as they wish. There are many other offerings including, vigorous walks, aerobic workouts, stretches, fitness lectures, weight training, bicycling, and volley ball.

Two hiking trails with formidable names are Satan’s Hill and Moanin’ Mountain. There is a gym which has an aerobics studio, weight room, racquetball court and fitness assessment rooms. A greenhouse covers the 30 x 60 foot pool and hot tub. Guests are encouraged to try activities new to them yet to be realistic about what they can take home to incorporate into their own lifestyle. Staffers offer words of encouragement but the atmosphere is not boot-camp-like.

There are a number of evening activities such as movies, line dancing and health and nutrition presentations.

This must cost oodles, you're probably saying. No, that’s another one of the great features of this lovely spa. Prices are affordable even for a person such as myself who often finds herself with her hands in her nearly empty pockets. How nice to know that we in St. Louis have this wonderfully affordable spa practically in our back yard.

(This article or one very similar was featured in The Healthy Planet magazine a couple of years ago)