February Adventure! Antietam Battlefield Sharpsburg MD

Hello Everyone,

On President's Day I went on my solo day trip to Antietam Battlefield.  It turned out to be a glorious warm February day!  I had planned on taking Ashton tubing at Whitetail Ski Resort, but he decided it wasn't something he wanted to do.  It worked out anyway because it was in the low 70's on the day I headed out to the battlefield. 

A nice surprise is that the five dollar entry fee was waived this day because it was President's day!

I first walked the circle near the visitors center and looked at all the memorials that had been built.  It was amazing.

Some people showed up to play Pokémon Go.

This was a church that was used as a hospital during the battle.  It fell down in a storm in 1921 and was later rebuilt.

 This view is from the church.  Then I got in my car for the driving tour.  Going to 11 different stops. Absolutely beautiful and I learned so much about the battle. 

 Bloody Lane.

Next I climbed a watch tower dedicated by the Irish Countrymen.

I climbed 8 flights of these steps to the top.  I had already walked quite a bit and considered not going up- but I told myself I had come to far to not enjoy this day completely.  I climbed to the top and I'm so glad I did!

The view was amazing!  Next I got back in the car and after getting a little turned around but reading my map and figuring it out ALL by myself- I proudly found the bridge that soldiers worked so hard to cross in battle.

I briefly visited the cemetery after this, however the gate was closed.  I could only see it from across a busy street.   So I decided my day was done at the battlefield.  Before I left town though I needed a snack and stopped at this jewel.

My snack was a water and some cheezits for my ride home.  It was a wonderful day and I felt good that I found all the stops using the map.  The deli was a hang out spot in this little town of Sharpsburg MD.

I didn't stay long-- just long enough to get a bite to eat and rest my feet for a few minutes. 

On to the next adventure!

Until Next Time!

Martinsburg Mall- Closed down November 1st 2016

Hello All,

My generation grew up and socialized via the mall.  Malls were a pretty important place for shopping and socializing.  Kids now a days (oh my gosh I sound old!) just text each other--  back in the 80's a teen had to go where all the teens hung out to check each other out. Saturday nights, if you weren't at the skating rink, was reserved for walking around in groups of at least 4 to try to catch the eye of a handsome young man also walking around with his group of buddies.   Now, they use social media.  We also went shopping if we wanted or needed an object. An entire day could be spent walking and searching for the perfect outfit or home decoration, taking a friend along to proclaim SHOP TIL WE DROP!  Now, we use online shopping.  Which has created a sad (at least for me it is) reality for the state of malls today.  Much fewer are needed and some really beautiful and awesome malls have been left abandoned or torn down since it just couldn't keep up. 

Large department stores have gone belly up and now it looks as if Sears and JCPenney are coming dangerously close to giving up the ghost also. 

All this to say that my local mall where I took my son from the time he could walk is shut down and is being sited for demolition come spring.  We walked through it on Halloween October 31st 2016 the last day it would be open.  I cried. A lot.  More than I care to admit.  Not necessarily because I loved this mall but because its saying that the time where a mall was so much a part of our culture is no longer relevant and maybe that means that me and my generation are no longer relevant. It makes me sad that my son has no interest in doing the very thing I couldn't get enough of.  Simple times together walking around the mall, talking, laughing and just enjoying time together.  Let's go hang out at the mall just isn't said anymore and to me that's sad.   Times they are a changin'. 

Here's some pictures of this old girl of a mall that I hope to never forget. 

Eric 50, Ashton just getting ready to turn 15.

Memories of stores that just don't cut it in this techy age.

Before we had cell phones we used these to call mom to say Come pick me up or Can I go to the movies?

Eric and the mall directory-- you know, in case you get lost. 

This space has been a bar, I think it was a phone place for a while, but it ended as a mega church wanna be called The Living Room

Here's the food court-- by the time they closed only 1 food place was still open.  Really there were only maybe three stores still open when they closed down.  Everyone else had already taken there stores out. 

This was a Books a million for a long time however it closed as a novelty shop. 

This was a FYE.

Main hallway of the mall.

This was a small pitiful arcade.  Wow do I miss an arcade!

Ashton posing with one of the last remaining obviously abandoned games in the arcade. 

Old cement planter - unfortunately full of trash most of the time. 

And there it is-- all I have left of the mall.  It was great.  My worry is now that Sears and JCPenney are having troubles that will be 2 of 3 anchor stores that will close down in the Apple Blossom Mall.  Now that- THAT is my mall.  That's where I spent my weekends and ran around with my friends.  That is where I played at the arcade and went to the movies.  They renovated it so it doesn't look the same but at least its still standing and has good business.  I hope my mall doesn't get closed down-- that will be a day of more tears.

Until Next Time.

Two quick pictures of Christmas 2016

I know this is out of any kind of order, but I wanted to share a sweet photo of Ashton and I from the evening we put up our Christmas tree in 2016. 

It was a great evening.  I love my son so much. 

Until Next Time. 

January Adventure! Whitetail Ski Resort Mercersburg PA

Hi there everyone,

One of my goals for this year is to take some solo trips.  I skipped this soul embracing activity in my 20's and I'm looking forward to taking some time for some independent travel in my 40's.  Each month I would like to go some where I've never been and if appropriate in that new place, try something new.  In January I went to White Tail Ski Resort in Mercersburg VA-- Just an hour away from home, it was a perfect way to get my adventures started.  I went tubing and it was so much fun!

On the way there I experienced some serious anxiety.  Pressure in my face and just feeling really nervous.  I wanted to turn around or go somewhere that I knew- but I pressed ahead.  When I started seeing signs for it and when I finally saw the ski slopes in the distance my anxiety melted away!  It was an amazing confidence building adventure.  I'm so glad I made myself press through and go!

I had some time before it was my turn to start tubing so I took some time to become aquainted with the place. 

It took me a bit to get my ticket on my jacket, thanks to a worker in the lodge who showed me how- it was easy!

Here is a view of the conveyer belt we rode up to get to the top of the hill.  It took a bit to get the hang of -- you had to lean forward with your tube or else you'd fall! 

Here's a view from the top.  Again, I wanted to leave, scared of the unknown.  I looked around and tried to decide how I could get down the hill with out too much attention.  There wasn't a way.  Only one way down.  I looked around and saw all the little kids doing this on their own, so I worked up the nerve and went for it!

This is after my first run!  It was so fun!  So fast but just when it got too fast it slowed to a halt.  It felt so freeing and I was so proud of myself!  I was ready to go again!

I went four times in my designated hour of time.  This was after my last run.  My fun wasn't over just yet. 

I was surprisingly hungry after my adventure so I went back to the lodge to rest and get a little bite to eat.  Very expensive, but very tastey. 

After I left here I went over to the ski lodge and looked around.  I had never been interested in skiing before but now I think I may want to learn next year.  It would be fun to try even just once.  It was a really cool atmosphere and even if I never ski I look forward to going back next winter to fly down the hill on a tube! 

Here's to next month!

Until Next Time!

Ashton's 15th birthday!

I wrote about Ashton's birthday but I wanted to share some pictures from his day.  Well, this is actually the day before, but here's the gift he got from us.  He really wanted an airsoft gun-- and we were able to deliver.

Gosh I love that boy of mine!

Until Next Time.

Days Gone By......

I want to share some pictures I've taken that I fear will be torn down before too much longer.  I don't want this history to be forgotten, so I thought this blog would be a fun way to keep the image alive. 

Before I-81 was built, Rt. 11 at the state line between Virginia and West Virginia was a busy place as I understand.  Just south of the line are these two buildings.  They sat pretty much untouched while I grew up and when the owner died it fell into disrepair and has been vandalized. 

This building was a restaurant called Oak Grove.  It used to have fluorescent lights that said "Oak Grove" and "Seafood"   One day we stopped to get a closer look, but with signs of vagrants strewn across the lot we didn't go inside.  We did look in from the door and a lamp still hangs from the ceiling.  There are frames on the wall but I couldn't make out what they were.  Next door to it was an old hardware store.

My husband remembers going there with his dad when he was little, but doesn't remember the name.  You can still see lots of paperwork laying on shelves. 

Recently 3 houses were uncovered from the brush about a quarter mile north on the same side of the road.  We had no idea they were even there.  I'll have to take a picture of those one day. 

Now, jumping much farther south this is a motel that is still open in Stephens City.  It does however have a For Sale sign out front.  It's been there as long as I can remember.  My husband said that a person he knew from high school eventually overdosed and died in one of the rooms.

Even though it has a creepy history and doesn't look nice now, I like to imagine it in its hay day. 

Keeping structures alive by pictures! 

Until Next Time.