Happy North Carolina Day!

Trip Advisor suggests these MUST-SEE places in North Carolina if you’re planning on visiting.

Biltmore Estate

This historic country estate in Asheville spans 8,000 acres and is centered on America’s largest private home, the Biltmore House. Besides touring the lavish Châteauesque-style mansion and admiring its architecture and beautifully landscaped gardens, you can also book a stay at the estate’s hotel, inn or cottages. Start the morning with a massage at the estate’s spa, go shopping at Antler Hill Village, tackle a hiking trail, and wind down with a meal and a glass of red at the restaurant and winery.

The North Carolina Arboretum

Nestled in the Southern Appalachian Mountains just south of Asheville, The North Carolina Arboretum offers acres of cultivated gardens and groomed trails featuring some of the most beautiful, botanically-diverse plants in the region.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

A 52-mile rail journey through valleys, inside winding tunnels and across spectacular gorges of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Battleship North Carolina

As you walk the decks of the NORTH CAROLINA, imagine yourself in the South Pacific during WWII searching the sky for enemy aircraft, anticipating what may happen next. Step aboard the most decorated US Battleship of WWII! Explore nine decks, crew’s quarters, gun turrets, and much more. Discover where history comes alive. Located at the junctions of highways 17, 76, 74, 421 on the Cape Fear River across from historic downtown Wilmington.

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

The Southeast’s largest natural history museum features dinosaurs, whale skeletons, live animals, walk-through dioramas, special exhibits, hands-on science education and accessible scientists. IMLS National Medal Finalist, 2014. General admission is free.

SOURCE: TRIPADVISOR

Happy National Day of Forgiveness

We’ve all been there—in the course of your life, someone did something awful that hurt you for which you harbor resentment. If you google “forgiveness,” there are many articles about the merits of forgiveness—in essence, how it benefits you, how much better things would be if you let go, and how it’s about releasing yourself from the prison of the victim role.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean what happened or what someone did to you is okay but that you choose not to hold on to pain—that’s agency. It’s not letting the person who wronged you off the hook, but about freeing yourself from carrying around the heavy burden of having been wronged.

When I was twelve years old, my family visited extended family in the Midwest—cousins with respective families that hadn’t talked to each other for decades. The reason: one of the wives had made chicken soup when the other visited for dinner, and a bone was left in the soup that one of the brothers almost choked on. He didn’t die, but from that day forward, they didn’t speak. Neither family was willing to forgive the other. I wondered then and wonder now if maybe they didn’t know how to.

How do you do it? Forgive someone who’s wronged you, who’s done something terrible, or said something really hurtful to you?

We all carry baggage. The key to a sense of personal peace and joy is processing, learning and letting go. Letting it go is among the greatest gifts you give to yourself. Forgiveness is letting yourself out of the jail of holding on to pain.

These are some of the best steps toward forgiving:

Just think about possibly forgiving: You begin with entertaining the notion of forgiving—just thinking about it. You ask yourself, “Maybe it’s time?”
Imagine what it would look and feel like: If you think forgiving might be the way to go, think about what it would look like if you were to forgive the person who wronged you. How might your exchanges differ, if at all, or how would you then regard the person in the context of what happened? Does it mean you would have to see the person or resume a fractured relationship? Does it mean that things would be brushed under the rug? Would you trust them? Would you lose the status of the injured or wronged party? And what comes along with that? Would it look like what happened was not as awful as it was for you? Thinking about it begins to shed light on what might be the reason for holding on to hurt. That’s a step closer to letting go.
Ask yourself if this is the right time: How do you forget and forfeit the feelings of hurt that have been the result of what happened? What replaces those feelings? Do you feel pressured to forgive this minute, or can you work on it gradually? Give yourself the space and permission to take the time you need.
Plan to protect yourself from future hurt: How will you protect yourself from future hurt? It doesn’t mean you can or should trust the person going forward. It means that you trust yourself to move on—that’s the gift to yourself. But you can plan to, for example, limit time together with the person or plan an exit in the event they say something hurtful again.
How will you fill the space of not holding a grudge? What will be your new narrative? Something like, “That person did something really awful to me but I’m past that.” It’s a greater sense of, “I’ll be alright, even if something horrible was done to me.” It’s a shift from victim to empowerment—the relinquishing of your role as a victim, empowering yourself to feel differently, choosing to not hurt as much and eventually heal.
Make the decision to forgive: Allow yourself to heal with time. Forgiveness is a decision. Healing will follow.

One thing I’ve learned as a therapist is that people can be in their own world, looking at life through their own lens, and sometimes don’t even realize they’ve hurt someone with words or actions. Evil exists in this world and some hurt imposed on others is purposeful and deliberate, but we have the option to relinquish hurt. To do so is a powerful choice and subsequent gift we give ourselves.

Forgiveness is not easy. Figuring out how to forgive someone is oftentimes the work of therapy—time well spent investing in yourself. But the consequence of holding on to resentment and hurt comes with the price of carrying around a burden that you might want to shed.

SOURCE: PSYCHOLOGYTODAY.COM

Louisiana State Tree Bald Cyprus

The bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is the state tree of Louisiana, and these native trees can be observed growing throughout Louisiana and the entire southeastern United States. Bald cypress trees do well in moist, acidic soils and flooded areas; however, they are also adapted to dry soils, allowing bald cypress to thrive in almost any Louisiana environment. Bald cypress trees are adapted to very hot and humid environments, making them a perfect fit for Louisiana summers.

The bald cypress is a deciduous conifer, which means it is one of the few cone-bearing plants that loses its needles in the fall. Trees will often grow up to 70 feet tall and as wide as 25 feet. Older specimens are capable of reaching upwards of 150 feet in height. Bald cypress is known for its attractive pyramidal shape, with lacy green needlelike leaves, which resemble feathers. Leaves from the bald cypress turn a wonderful rust to orange color in the fall prior to dropping, where they provide a fine-textured natural mulch and serve as protection for a host of wildlife.

Bald cypress is also desirable for its ornamental bark, which has a shedding appearance in colors ranging from tan-gray to orange-red. A number of named varieties available on the market have columnar weeping or dwarf growth habits. Typically, when grown in wet conditions, bald cypress will form “cypress knees,” which provide additional aesthetics for water features. Because of the possibility of knees, careful consideration should be given when planting near mowed turf areas or concrete building foundations. However, knee formation is dependent on the cultivar or specimen.

A host of aquatic-, avian- and ground-dwelling wildlife rely upon this tree for nesting, food and shelter throughout the year. Moreover, bald cypress is an excellent choice for erosion control on edges of natural waterways, ditches, ponds and lakes. Bald cypress makes a great addition to any landscape, natural area or public space throughout the state and provides a conceptual connection to nature and the great state of Louisiana.

The Fall of Superman

Today is Christopher Reeve’s birthday (born in 1952 and died October 10, 2004). This article, from People.com, details the accident that caused Reeve’s paralysis and his life after the accident.

From People.com:

Christopher Reeve’s life was forever changed on May 27, 1995, when he was involved in a horse-riding accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

Best known for his portrayal of Superman, everything changed for the actor in 1995 after a near-fatal horse-riding accident that resulted in a severe spinal cord injury and left him paralyzed from the neck down. In the aftermath, he became a prominent advocate for spinal cord injury research and disability rights, using his platform to raise awareness and funds. Under his leadership, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation became a leading force in spinal cord injury research.

Nearly a decade later, Reeve died from heart failure in October 2004 at age 52. Despite the challenges he faced and his untimely death, Reeve’s work and advocacy continue to influence and inspire many.

So, what happened to Christopher Reeve?

On May 27, 1995, Reeve suffered a life-changing accident during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Va. Reeve was thrown from his horse and landed on his head, resulting in a severe spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

Reeve was participating in a competitive event when his horse abruptly stopped, leading to his fall. Despite wearing a helmet and protective vest, Reeve was found unconscious and not breathing, but was revived with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, according to the Washington Post.

Dr. John A. Jane, the neurosurgeon treating Reeve, said that the actor suffered fractures to the top two cervical vertebrae, the most critical type of spinal injury, and significant damage to his spinal cord, per the Washington Post.

The injury rendered him dependent on a ventilator to breathe and drastically altered his life.

Reeve was 42 years old at the time of his accident. The traumatic event marked a profound turning point in his life, shifting his focus from acting to becoming an advocate for spinal cord injury research and treatment.

Shortly after his injury, Dana and Reeve turned to the American Paralysis Association, which was a key player in spinal cord research, for support and raised funds for the organization. By 1999, the nonprofit was renamed the Christopher Reeve Foundation to reflect their immeasurable efforts, according to the organization’s website.

“He refused to believe that it was impossible for people with spinal injuries to recover, and nobody was spending very much money on spinal injuries,” Jane Seymour, a close friend and costar of Reeve, told PEOPLE in March 2024. “They just gave up on them, and he just said, ‘No, no. Go do something about it.’ “

Reeve died on Oct. 10, 2004, at the age of 52. His death was due to complications from an infection caused by a bedsore, which led to heart failure, ABC News reported.

A memorial service was held at Juilliard on Oct. 29, 2004, and was attended by over 900 people. Speakers included Dana, along with Matthew, Alexandra and Will, who presented a 20-minute film about their experiences with their father, and his brother, Benjamin, who shared memories from their childhood.

Speakers also included notable Hollywood stars, including Reeve’s longtime friend and former roommate, Williams, along with Glenn Close and Meryl Streep. Also speaking was former Iowa senator Tom Harkin, who collaborated with Reeve to boost funding for spinal cord injury research, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

SOURCE: PEOPLE.COM

What Shall We Bake Today

September makes me hungry for apple desserts. This one combines cinnamon rolls with apples!

Apple Cinnamon Scrolls

Ingredients

2 cups flour

6 1/3 Tablespoons butter

5 ounces milk

5 Tablespoons extra butter room temperature

¼ cup brown sugar

3 teaspoon cinnamon

1 apple peeled, cored and cut into very small chunks

1 cup icing sugar

3 tbs hot water (approx.)

Instructions

Conventional Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a round cake tin and set aside.

Sift flour into a bowl. Rub in the butter in using your fingertips.

Add the milk and mix to a soft dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle.

Place the butter (softened to room temperature), brown sugar and cinnamon into a bowl. Mix with a spoon until creamy and smooth.

Spread the cinnamon butter mixture onto the dough. Sprinkle over the chopped apple.

Gently roll the dough up into a tube (lengthways). Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into 8-12 pieces.

Place the pieces cut side up into the prepared cake tin (allow the rolls to touch one another as this will help them to rise).

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly in the tin.

Place the icing sugar and 2 tbs hot water into a bowl. Mix until a smooth paste forms. Use a spoon to drizzle over the buns.

Note: If the mixture is still too thick, add another tablespoon of hot water and mix for a further 10 seconds.

Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

Weird Wednesdays: Chapel of Junk

Today’s weird architecture is in Austin, Texas and involves over 60 tons of junk!

From NomadicMatt.com:

Paris has Notre Dame. London has Westminster Abbey. Moscow has St. Basil’s.

And Austin? We have the Cathedral of Junk!

Started in 1988 by Vince Hannemann, the Cathedral of Junk is an ever-evolving passion project involving over 60 tons of junk. Old bikes, appliances, hubcaps, TVs — you name it. They’re all cobbled together to form a massive “cathedral” that spans Vince’s entire back yard.

While he originally had to scavenge for junk to start his project, it wasn’t long before people were donating their old possessions to help him expand his “cathedral” — making it bigger and adding more rooms in the process.

A number of years ago the city of Austin, Texas, tried to shut it down, saying it was too much junk and a safety concern. (In truth, the neighbors thought it was an eyesore and complained to the city) So Vince and an army of volunteers pared down the structure and brought it up to code so the site could stay open.

Eventually, Vince decided enough was enough and started to take parts of the cathedral down. But not long after he changed his mind and the cathedral is now bigger than ever.

In a weird city like Austin, a massive cathedral made of junk located in someone’s suburban backyard seems oddly fitting. I spent most of my visit talking to Vince and asking questions (it doesn’t take long to explore the Cathedral). But I also explored and took in this quirky architectural feat.

During my visit I found out that a lot of people come here with their kids; many were running all over the place and having a merry time playing make-believe. I discovered out that this place is really popular with locals because your kids will stay occupied for an hour or two. If you’re in Austin with your family, come here. Your kids will love it.

And if you are traveling without kids, come here anyway. You’ll still love it. I did.

Visiting the Cathedral of Junk

You can visit the Cathedral of Junk at 4422 Lareina Drive in Austin, Texas. It’s a 15-minute drive from downtown by car. If you want to take the bus, the journey is 30 minutes and you can take the #10.

Admission is free though a $5 donation for adults is encouraged. There are no set hours and he isn’t open every day so it’s best to call ahead before you go. (With a set schedule, the City of Austin would consider him an “official business” and then he would have to follow all sorts of rules)

Is the Cathedral of Junk the greatest attraction in Austin? Probably not, but it’s so weird, so quirky, that you really should make an effort to see it during your visit. It makes for a unique afternoon and is a perfect example of why the slogan for Austin is “Keep Austin Weird.”

Whether you’re traveling solo or with a family, make sure you add this to your itinerary. I promise it will be worth it!

SOURCE: NOMADICMATT.COM

Pumpkin Fest!

Today is the first day of Autumn and that means PUMPKINS! I found some pumpkin trivia (yup, bonus trivia this month…lol). Enjoy!

The biggest pumpkin pie ever was made in 2010. But how much did it weigh?

Pumpkins were first domesticated in what is now Mexico. Roughly how many years ago?

Where is the pumpkin capital of the U.S.?

Pumpkin spice uses no pumpkin flavoring. Instead, what are the three main ingredients?

Pumpkins grow in every continent except where?

What percentage of a pumpkin is water?

What U.S. state grows the largest number of pumpkins?

What is the only part of the pumpkin that you can’t eat?

Pumpkins are a part of what food family, including zucchini, gourd, watermelon, and cucumber?

What are the two best months for planting pumpkin seeds?

Besides food, what did Native American Indians use pumpkins for?

Pumpkins are high in what vitamin?

Some people will put teal pumpkins on their doorstep to convey what message on Halloween?

Pumpkins were once believed to cure what kind of animal bite?

ANSWERS

Answer: 3,699 pounds

Answer: 9,000 years

Answer: Floydada, Texas.

Answer: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Answer: Antarctica.

Answer: 90%.

Answer: Illinois.

Answer: The stem.

Answer: Cucurbits.

Answer: May and June.

Answer: Medicine.

Answer: Vitamin A.

Answer: They have non-food treats available, including those for kids with allergies or other conditions.

Answer: Snake bites. (it didn’t work.)

HAPPY FALL!

Happy National New York Day!

If you’re going to New York, Trip Advisor recommends these places!

Central Park

New York City may be considered a concrete jungle, but you don’t have to go far to touch grass. Walk into Central Park, and you’ll be fully immersed in meadows, woods, and lakes, all connected by winding paths. You might think this giant park is natural, but every inch was meticulously designed by the famous city planners Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in the mid-19th century.

It’s always the perfect time to visit Central Park—there’s stuff to do every season. Summers are for boating on the Lake, catching a concert, or seeing a free Shakespeare in the Park performance at the Delacorte Theater. Winter means ice skating on Wollman Rink or sledding down Pilgrim Hill. Fall is perfect for hiking through the North Woods, and spring is best spent admiring the cherry blossoms while jogging around the Reservoir. Or just find an empty bench to read and catch some rays.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Holding two million works spanning five millennia, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a genuine timeline of art history. So this isn’t a one-and-done kind of spot. You’ll probably need to come by several times to discover all of its treasures. Even the special exhibitions, like the annual blockbuster costume exhibitions that inspire the celeb-packed Met Gala, could take a full afternoon.

The National 9/11 Memorial and Museum

A solemn, still space for reflection in a city that never stops moving, the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum draws locals and visitors alike. At the heart of this complex are two vast reflecting pools, set in the footprints of the Twin Towers and inscribed with the names of those lost in the 9/11 attacks. Nearby, the Survivor Tree stands as a quiet symbol of resilience.

As for the museum itself: You’ll start by descending into the foundation of the original World Trade Center site—the simple escalator ride becomes a very powerful experience. Throughout the space, rescued artifacts, audio clips, and personal stories bring 9/11 into sharp focus. There are also tributes to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, an earlier attack on this very site. There’s a reason tissue caddies are at the ready in this space: This is an intensely emotional museum. If you need a moment to collect yourself when you’re done, walk over to the Battery Park Esplanade, just a couple of blocks west, and take a breather along the river.

The Empire State Building

We asked travelers around the globe what place wowed them most, and they pointed straight up: 1,454 feet up, to be exact. Yes, the Empire State Building won our Travelers’ Choice Award as the top attraction in the world. Even jaded New Yorkers get a rush of affection seeing its sleek, symmetrical facade. With stainless-steel canopies, black granite detailing, molded eagles, and that iconic spire antenna, it’s a full-on Art Deco masterpiece. No wonder King Kong wanted to hang here. And sure, it’s no longer the tallest building in the city (it’s topped by seven others these days), but it’s got plenty of glamour to spare.

Top of the Rock

In a city loaded with observation decks, Top of the Rock has one of the best—if not the best, period, hands down. For starters, its Midtown address (a brand-name one: 30 Rockefeller Plaza) is pretty much perfect for seeing every major sight in NYC: Central Park to the north; and the Empire State Building One World Trade Center, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty to the south. If that’s not efficient tick-the-boxes sightseeing, we’re not sure what is.

In recent years, Top of the Rock has upped the ante, too. Now there are extra adrenaline boosters like the Beam, where you can replicate Lunch Atop a Skyscraper (that famous black-and-white photo from the 1930s); and Skylift, a glass platform that kicks things up even more—quite literally—by lifting you up another three stories above the observation deck itself.

SOURCE: TRIPADVISOR.COM

DIY: Braided Spiderweb

Halloween is right around the corner and I found an easy project to kick off the decorating! A DIY yarn spiderweb. The instructions are adaptable to any size—big or small—and are very easy to follow!

From BHG.COM:

How to Make a Spiderweb

In about 30 minutes, you’ll have a spooky decoration ready to go. Follow these simple steps to create your own braided yarn spiderweb.

What You’ll Need

Thick white yarn

Scissors

Hot glue

Yardstick or measuring tape

Step 1: Braid the Yarn

Before you begin braiding, decide how wide you want the web to be and where you’ll hang it. Once you have a measurement, cut nine pieces of yarn. Each piece should be a foot longer than your intended width. For instance, for a 5-foot-wide web, cut nine 6-foot pieces.

Next, tape three strands together at one end and braid them to make one long braid. Repeat this with the remaining threads so you’ll have three braids in total. Arrange these braids so that they intersect at the center with equal spacing and secure them with hot glue in the middle.

Step 2: Arrange the Web

With the center of your web established, you’ll add cross sections to begin constructing the web. Select a braid and mark it 6 inches from the center; repeat this process with each braid. Continue marking every 6 inches until you reach the end of each braid. To match these marks, cut single yarn strands, connecting them to create concentric circles. Or, you can use one long yarn strand in a spiral pattern to achieve a similar effect.

Step 3: Glue Together

After positioning the first layer of strands, secure each one with hot glue. Remember, the side you’re attaching strands to will be the back, so try to place the yarn edges in the center of each braid to make sure they’re hidden. Keep cutting and gluing strands at 6-inch intervals until you finish. If you’re using one continuous strand, continue gluing every 6 inches, and cut it when you reach the end, securing with glue.

Step 4: Prep and Display

When the web form is complete, use hooks, nails, or outdoor tape to hang this fun outdoor Halloween decoration. Once the web is secured, add some spiders for some extra flair. Pair your oversize webs with spiders for the ultimate scare, or apply clip-on spiders or small spider toys for an easy decor item.

SOURCE: BHG.COM

Louisiana State Motto

The meaning of the motto

Theriot has read volumes of historic letters written by Governor Claiborne. And after seeing the frequent use of the three words in the motto, Theriot has opinions about their significance and meaning.

Union – “He used that term union to convince the people of Louisiana to join the United States. It also meant certain things like self-government and individual freedoms.”

Justice – “He was a big law and order guy, but he believed in fairness and individual freedoms.”

Confidence – “He was trying to impress upon the local inhabitants a level of confidence in the American system of government. He was also asking the people that he governed to have confidence in him.”