Category Archives: USA

——–What makes Eureka Eureka——– The Kinetic Grand Championship

I read some local news and discovered that Eureka’s best known annual event, the Kinetic Grand Championship, was underway on our first weekend in town. Artists and enthusiasts create moving sculptures, kinetic works of art. Over three days, these pedal-powered artworks race along roadways, up and down sand dunes, and with a break to attachContinue reading “——–What makes Eureka Eureka——– The Kinetic Grand Championship”

Moving from East to West

Over the past couple of months we’ve considered where we’d like to live in the US. I wanted to try the East coast before making a decision about which coast we’d prefer, since coastal life is our first choice. As much as we enjoyed Virginia Beach, VA and Wilmington, NC, recent family developments convinced usContinue reading “Moving from East to West”

A few days in the Outer Banks

As a child, our weather report regularly included the area “from Block Island to Cape Hatteras.” I wasn’t quite sure where it all was, but it sounded interesting. Since arriving in Wilmington, NC, we decided to make a short visit to see Cape Hatteras. When we sat down to plan, we found an enormous chainContinue reading “A few days in the Outer Banks”

Music and Art in Wilmington, NC

We were fortunate to arrive in Wilmington in time to see the North Carolina Symphony perform at the Wilson Center (Cape Fear Community College). The program featured Scheherazade, by Rimsky-Korsakov, a piece we knew would be enjoyable. What we didn’t realize was that was the second half of the program. The piece to be performedContinue reading “Music and Art in Wilmington, NC”

A week of Nature’s surprises

We had an unusual series of unexpected run-ins with the wonders of nature, both out on our daily roaming and in our backyard. The banner at the top of this post shows the pageant of turtles out sunning themselves at Airlie Gardens during our visit this week. The annual highlight is the azaleas in bloom.Continue reading “A week of Nature’s surprises”

Virginia is For……Museums

Despite the long-standing tag line that Virginia is for lovers, our area is certainly a place of excellent museums. We have visited three this month; each one has a different focus and wonderful things. The Hermitage was the Norfolk home of Florence and William Sloan, a wealthy couple who built an extensive home, developed gardensContinue reading “Virginia is For……Museums”

Spring: Birds and Flowers in Virginia Beach

We’ve spent a lot of time visiting parks this month as the weather shifted toward spring and warmer temperatures. There are miles of trails through state and city parks, national wildlife reserves, and beaches. We’ve visited a few markets and museums, yet at this time of year, the outdoors is the place to be. TheContinue reading “Spring: Birds and Flowers in Virginia Beach”