Into the woods...

Into the woods. Isolated deep in the woods its scary during the day.  But as darkness falls, the trees become even more scary. Seemingly coming alive ... but that's just your imagination. Nature indeed has a sick sense of humor. 

Now I believe it...

Now I believe it... warning signs are not just for show.

All Magic Comes with a Price!

All Magic Comes with a Price... A BIGGER PRICE!
Over the years we have seen Disney prices increase. We thought they were high in 2003 when we retired and got to go to Disney World for several months each year. Annual unrestricted passes with no blackout dates, which included parking and park hopping, were $350 per person. A 7 day multi-pass park hopper back then was $45/day/person.  Then we watched it make a steady climb every year.  Then came restrictions. The last Annual pass ( with no blackout restrictions and parking) cost $450/person in 2012-2013. Now the rumor is that they will have restrictions on peak days, holidays, and certain peak seasons, as well as some attractions... Really?
We have been away from Disney since 2013 except for an occasional short visit. So seeing the current prices as well as the new increases ... well... it blows my mind. Add to this restrictions, especially peak seasons and peak days, and the option to spend even more money for additional packages that include fast passes for attractions & preferred seating/areas for viewing parades, fireworks,  and special events. Every dollar of your money is up for grabs... and a trip to Disney for a family of four, for one week, could cost more than a new car. Getting there, Disney hotels (which you need for extra benefits), park admission,  meals, snacks, drinks ( and forecast peak season admission & food prices), merchandise,  and now the extra cost for peak season days,  more restrictions... well... how will the average family ever afford a Disney vacation? Years of savings, years of debt, or greatly shortened vacation experience.  
Thanks to one of my favorite Fb sites... ZiggyKnowsDisney... check it out... lots of great information. 

Why price increases...

Go figure...

Go figure... I don't understand... okay... Maybe a little.

Yum

Summer cravings...

Star Wars Hotel

From one of my favorite Facebook sites... "Disney Know That". Check it out, lots of great information 💁.

Gone but not forgotten

Gone but not forgotten. Tv & movie stars you grew up with.
All your life people pass away... one by one...seemingly little by little.
Then, all of a sudden, most of them are gone. And the older you get the more are gone. Bringing you to the realization that you yourself are much closer to the end than the beginning.  Every time you watch an old movie or TV show you are reminded of your own mortality... as if you needed any reminders.
I won't say that you become preoccupied with the thought of death... but when you have that momentarily thought of your own mortality several times a day... well, it kinda wears on your cheery disposition. Kinda makes you wonder how many of the people that you went to school with are still alive. Funny how remembering things  your parents and grandparents did... they looked through the obituaries regularly to see who is still alive, and who was gone. Seems like information that you really don't need... all it does is remind you, your time is running out. Just something to think about... but than again, perhaps not.

Olympics Ice Skating

Watching the women's long program freestyle. Absolutely amazing. Gold, Silver,  Bronze... Russia, Russia, & Canada. Amazing competition.

Winter

Winters end... or at least I hope so soon.
I look out my window at this tree and think how much we are alike... Patiently waiting for winter to be over... when I can feel like we come alive again. Winter in the north equals waiting... waiting for springtime when everything becomes anew with life. Especially on dreary days like today... warmer but cool, damp from 4 days of clouds and rain, isolated and quiet. Not a bird, not a sound... complete silence. The only thing moving is the gentle breeze that hints of early spring.

What's your 17 ?

SEE THE ARTICLE OF WHAT THE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL ARE DOING.
Today's society seems to accomplish two things related to emotional responses to negative social tragedy. One, people develop negative responses to tragic events that affect them emotionally,  acting out in an emotional negative manner which only serves to create more social unrest, and accomplishes nothing positive. This has become all too common as the foremost manner to voice and or act out frustrations and hurt. And two, to a much lesser degree, responding in a positive manner in to tragic events, looking for a positive outcome, and a rippling effect that will influence society as a whole,  creating positive reactions and positive solutions. It's a shame that society has for the most part either become numb to tragedy or responded in a negative unproductive manner... Rather than embracing positive reactions to combat the negative tragedy. 
WHAT'S YOUR 17. Here's a positive emotional reaction to tragedy that strives to make things better, rather than making things worse. Not only good for this tragedy,  but perhaps good for healing the wounds that plague society today.  Just something to think about as you confront your 17 people today and tomorrow. Just never know who's life you might influence in a positive way, and what the long term benefits will be.
SO... WHAT'S YOUR 17?

Glazed

Glazed & grilled. Pineapple juice and honey glazed pork chops & shrimp on the barbie. Continue to add glaze while grilling. Potatoes sliced 2/3 deep with cheese & bacon, spices then baked.  Glazed & grilled apple portions also make for a sweet diversion. Perfect and delicious 😋.

Mom said no... no!

When I was little, mom was always telling me to stop playing with my food. But it was fun. So... Now that I'm older... I can do whatever I want. Playing with food is still fun.

Rv & Disney

While staying at Fort Wilderness is always an exceptional experience, frequent or extended visits to Orlando & Disney may necessitate cost-saving measures, like staying off property with your rv.  Nearby campgrounds offer easy assess to Disney at greatly reduced rates compared to Fort Wilderness.  On the plus side its more convenient to be off property when doing things outside of Disney. Plus, like on this day, ya get to see the local hot air balloons flying over the campground... sometimes even landing right in the campground.  Colorful balloons make a regular appearance 2-3 times a week, generally early in the morning.  Certainly starts your day off in spectacular fashion. 

DAK Lodge

In the top 5 favorite Disney Resort Hotels... Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Aside from the atmosphere & wildlife there's the hotel restaurants that are truly a cut above. Another upside, the bus stop is easy to get to, and the ride to Animal Kingdom is very short and very frequent. On the down side, its the most further  Resort from any of the parks so the bus ride is one of the longest,  especially to Magic Kingdom.  But there's nothing that adds to the feeling of adventure more than seeing African wildlife right outside your rooms balcony. Oh... hello giraffe... Good morning to you too!

We'll be fine?

QUESTION: How many times in a horror movie can people possibly split up... knowing that its the worse thing they can do?
NOTE: Nothing and no one will ever "be fine".
ANSWER: As many times as it takes until they are all dead!
Gotta love horror movies.
CONCLUSION: All characters in horror movies are irretrievably and irreversibly mentally deficient to even contemplate the possibility of achieving their own survival.
EXCEPTION: The one or two inevitable survivors that despite all odds against them, find a way to survive usually through simply dumb luck mixed with a healthy dose of perseverance and desperation. Go figure.
So if you can overlook all the incredibly bad decisions to split up, again and again,  you might actually enjoy the movie.

Olympics

Enjoying the thrill of the Olympics. So many great moments for all the countries and all the athletes. Thank goodness for the DVD. Hope y'all get to enjoy watching your favorites.  

Cravings & self torture.

Cravings.... kinda like that song in your head that won't go away. Craving a smoked turkey leg. The best ones ever are at, believe it or not is at Disney. There are few food items at Disney that  are not only very good... but consistently very good. Have tried some from grocery stores etc... nothing even comes close. And there in lies the quandary... the craving can not be satisfied without going to Disney... 844.4 miles by car... followed by one tram, one monorail or ferryboat ride, one main street transport car, then a short walk to Frontierland (if that's where they still are). Sitting on a beach looking over to Tom Sawyer's Island across the Rivers of America,  watching the Liberty Belle Riverboat steam by, while hearing frontier Americana music. Ahhh... I can visualize it now... the smell, the taste, the sticky mess on my hands & face. Glorious!
But alas... It's not to be. Not today, not tomorrow, and who knows when.
Guess I'll just have a ham sandwich... wallering in my disappointment.
Thinking about local fresh corn & tomatoes... but that's another tale of despair.

The me generation

The me generation... in addition to all that this implies... they also believe that nothing bad can happen to them... Despite warnings..despite multiple accidents to others.
In this case:
Using smartphones while they are charging.
Charging smartphones on the bed.
Sleeping with smartphone under pillow.
Smartphone gets warm/hot explores in hand.
Ya just can't get through to them of the possible danger.
They think this could never happen to them.
My phone was getting unusually warm when using it, I'd stop, let it cool down... but was very leafy of it. Called LG, and even though it was out of warranty they replaced the mother board and charging elements for me at no cost. Turn around time was about 10 days (3 days for them... 7 days in FedEx transit).

In the news...

In the news...

Back country

Life in the back country.
This was by most people's perception a point of levity, something to amuse, something made up to make you laugh.
In reality, in the back country away from even rural communities,  back in the hollars in the valleys of the mountains,  life is very much like the levity portrayed in this photo and its description. 
I've been in places like this visiting folks... told not to wonder around by myself without having someone with me. No doubt good advise.

Tv shows

Tv show... I won't say what or when... just some screenshots to see if you know the show. Perhaps it depends on your age (well, that's a clue). 
Popular?  Yes. Remembered beyond its years? Yes!
Enjoy the memories...

Olympic Magic

Olympic Magic! The Opening Ceremonies.
Most times we are self absorbed with what we know and see frequently here at home. Namely the magic of Disney being the ultimate to almost seemingly exclusive  venue for all things magical.
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics was certainly Magical!
Outstanding to say the least!
Looking forward to seeing all the events.

So little time

So many choices... so little time. So many favorites. Counter service, ice cream shop, table service,  or speciality shop... Delicious choices are everywhere.  Different places in different parks, they all have special offerings. So what's my favorite? Hard to say... I think I'll have to try them all again before a final decision can be made.
The flakey pastry Mickey head drizzled with frosting is very good. The huge cinnamon bun drenched in icing & caramel is a bit of heaven at Gastons in Magic Kingdom . Deserts from France in epcot offer a great selection. So remember to save space for desserts. Sweet treats, simply magical. 

Eons of time

Across the eons of time... tens of thousands of years... perhaps even millions if years... Planetary evolution and that of humans and all that influenced human development,  knowledge,  and the human experience, has many theories that are formulated to fit limited factual information. Information that creates many more questions that may never be answered. Or will all be revealed someday, when those beyond our knowledge return to fill in all the blanks... or are we never to know the real answers... and left only with theories and conjecture. For now, the possibilities and probabilities remain endless. The only certainly is that the extent of our current knowledge is like a drop of water in the ocean. Not only are there questions about the human experience here on earth, but life on other planets,  near and far. As per theories,  Mars once once earth like when the sun was hotter, and supported life. As the sun cooled Earth became into its own in what is referred to as the sweet spot for human existence,  and Mars became frozen and barren.  Does the human experience go beyond earth? And what of our own experience here on Earth? How will all the unexplained evidence of the past come to the forefront of knowledge.  Chances are we will never know in our lifetime.  But the theories are certainly intriguing as to all the possibilities. Facts... Truths... Beliefs... and Theories, we take small fragments of the facts and try to fill in the blanks. What will mankind know tomorrow. What theories will become factual reality. What lies beyond the reality of today? We can only wonder as to the possibilities. I enjoy the theories that go beyond scientific facts.

The impossible

When the impossible happens...
Against all odds...
When confidence was high...
When over confidence rules...
Then karma crashes in...
And defeat becomes reality...

The beginning

The beginning & the end.

Dream

Dream... enjoy fantasy...
Live... love... be happy...
And stay enchanted.

Classic

Here's s an old time favorite... a classic... and still a must see.
Splash Mountain. Relaxing water ride... great on hot days.