See Rock City

We've recently returned from a quick family getaway- Billy and I took the boys to Chattanooga TN, to see Rock City. (Yes, THAT Rock City, advertised for generations on the roofs of barns everywhere: "See Rock City"!) I got a package deal on our hotel room and family passes to Rock City, Ruby Falls and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.

Chattanooga is an easy drive from Atlanta, so we were able to enjoy Ruby Falls after checking in on Thursday afternoon. I've been before, and didn't recall that it was all that special. However I must admit, it's cooler with the kids. :) I'd like to post a video if I can figure out how to get it from Billy's phone to here, so I'll tell more about our Thursday and Friday adventures later.

Saturday we checked out of the hotel and headed for Rock City! The Pirate had been once before with Billy, but it was a first visit for the other boys.

Rock City is an attraction that many people find disappointing- it's fairly expensive, and it's definitely not flashy or exciting. I like it, though. Basically it's a lovely outdoor stroll through a small botanical garden that has lots of wonderful natural rock formations and some gorgeous views. That, plus some good old 40's kitsch and plenty of touristy stuff to buy. ;) It's a lovely outing in beautiful weather.

We definitely had beautiful weather! The boys loved running around and marvelling at the rock formations. The gardens have a "fairytale" theme, and the kids appreciated that too.

There was even a little fall color here and there, which was gorgeous in the early October sunshine.

The waterfall was pretty,

and the view from Lover's Leap was pretty spectacular. Yes, you can see seven states (just like the barn roofs say)!

Near Lover's Leap, there's a pavillion. Now in Rock City they are celebrating "Rocktoberfest", so there was plenty of live German music as backdrop to our wanderings. We stopped in to watch some patrons perform the Chicken Dance. The Pirate thought THAT was weird. Weird enough to hide from.

However he soon recovered.

We really did have a great time, and it was especially fun to see the boys running about and getting so excited! It's a comfortable, beautiful stroll for the grownups and an adventure for the kids.

Soon, we were near "Fairyland Caverns", which is the aforementioned 40s kitsch. I guess they added the black lights in the 60s, when "Mother Goose Village" was built. I admit, they're a little strange. But, hey- the kids liked them, and it gave Billy and me something to joke about. ;)

Before we knew it, we'd whiled away most of the day and it was time to head home. After a quick stop at Starbucks (yup, even at Rock City!) we loaded the kids up and drove off over the mountain.

Bye, Rock City! Until next time!

(note: all photos taken via iPhone)

Wordless Wednesday

(photos by Billy)

Billy takes the Vistoso Bosses Camping!

Some of you may remember the video I posted recently by the Vistoso Bosses. (If not, check it out!) Billy has been working in the studio with the girls, and we LOVE them.

Not long ago they started asking Billy to take them camping. Billy didn't think they were serious, because they'd had NO experience hiking or camping ever, and in fact were pretty scared of all things wilderness. However they kept bugging him, so finally he consented. Later he jokingly told their manager about the upcoming trip, and the manager thought the idea had big potential- he decided to ask the record label if they wanted to send a film crew and turn the whole event into a youtube video.

Long story short, they did. So suddenly Billy and I were charged with putting the trip together for everyone, sending out instructions and packing lists, borrowing as much gear as possible, and helping the girls buy whatever they needed that we couldn't loan them. It was a lot of work but finally everyone was packed up and driving out to Sam Knob, NC.

The cast:
- Billy Hume (my sweetie, producer for the Vistoso Bosses & fearless leader)
- Littleman & The Pirate (2 very young seasoned veterans)
- my brother (designated sherpa, fire-tender and babysitter)
- The Vistoso Bosses (the stars)
- Marv & Cash (writers who work with Billy and sometimes the Vistoso Bosses) <-- note: Cash had been on only one camping trip ever, a few weeks earlier with Billy and our boys. Marv was a complete wilderness newbie.
- 4-man film crew (or rather, a 3-man + 1 lovely lady film crew)

Here's the video result! It comes in two parts. Enjoy!

Part one:


Part two:


Feel free to go to youtube and comment, and pass these on to anyone you think might like them! :)

Photo Blog: Park Fountain Fun

From A Day at the Fountain - Aug 2009

From A Day at the Fountain - Aug 2009

From A Day at the Fountain - Aug 2009

From A Day at the Fountain - Aug 2009

From A Day at the Fountain - Aug 2009

From A Day at the Fountain - Aug 2009

Enlightenment

Throbbing, pounding din of pain, ache so intense it seems to radiate from my head in an unholy halo of suffering. It started innocently enough, just an annoyance of a headache, nothing more- until the depth and intensity built upon itself the edifice of affliction known to me as "migraine". A true, full-blown migraine headache is a trippy experience (not that I'd be able to compare, of course) in pain, a place where loud noises explode before my eyes in visual fireworks, my stomach churns with nausea and any sudden movement I make can just about do me in entirely. Movement leaves me reeling. Normal headache medications are barely effective, if at all- today I never noticed the least difference after taking some. It was homeopathic silicea, and lying still in a warm bed with a cold washcloth over my eyes, that finally tamed the beast. (Plus some candied ginger for the nausea.) It took a couple hours of being very still (thank goodness for Babyman's nap time), but by dinnertime I was up and functional once again.

The night is only sweeter now for all the torment of the afternoon. After the pain, I am so grateful for the peace of this evening. My quiet music mingles with the chirrup and peep of the frogs and night insects, cool air drifts through my kitchen window, little else but the clack of my keyboard meets my ears. The boys sleep deeply, sprawled in little boy abandon across the rumpled covers of my bed. I am not bothered by what mess I see around me- I will tidy some of it, and the rest will patiently wait for tomorrow. Now is taken, now is full, now is a rich study in senses, a meditation, a time for awareness and wonder and gratitude.

Why do we need contrast to bring out the highlights? What is it about our human awareness that so consistently forgets our blessings, until suffering carves our experience into high relief? Is this then the goal of an enlightened existence: to live in a place of meditative, golden appreciation, to be able to bask in the glow of beauty and gratitude without needing darkness to make them apparent? Or does that smack of hubris, to imagine such a thing could be possible? For without dark, there is no light. They are so intertwined, so interdependent, that one shall never exist without the other. The trick then, is to find the beauty in both. We do not find enlightenment through seeking light. It is beauty we must see. Pause now, quiet your mind for just a moment, and find beauty. It is there. Relish it. Appreciate it. Be grateful for it. It is a blessing. Practice this often. You needn't journey for enlightenment. It is all around you.

There is no "seek". Only "see".

Hello, and Kaleidoscope Fun

I'm afraid I've been a bit absent, around here. This is partly due to the sheer amount of BUSY that's been going on, but also partly due to the fact that my camera cable has disappeared. Someone picked it up accidentally, and it's taking awhile to get it back- which is driving me crazy, because I have all these pictures on my camera just waiting to be uploaded and blogged over! ;) I feel silly too, because I told a bunch of people at camp (more on that later!) about my blog, and I've hardly done a thing with it since! If you're new here, HI! (waving) Please stop by again later, follow the blog or subscribe to the RSS feed so you'll know when I get around to posting new content. (Links in the sidebar to the right) -->

Meanwhile I can toss out a really fun link to play with! I first read about it here at A Magical Childhood.

Make Your Own Kaleidoscope Image Online!

See, you can use your own image (or the default floral image provided), set the kaleidoscope parameters, and voila! You might get something like this:


Or these:

(Doesn't that one look like a soft, intricately designed oriental rug?)



Have fun!
http://www.krazydad.com/kaleido/

Checking In

Somehow Babyman managed to get into the hall bathroom recently. When I finally realized what was going on, here is what I found:


Busy, busy! (Little stinker.)


I'll spare you the pic of the toilet, with half the toilet paper unrolled into the bowl and stretching off around the floor. Oh, yeah, and a sippy cup tossed in too. I'm just thankful nothing else got dunked- he's already put assorted clothing, toys and a paperback book into the toilet, on previous occasions! (I swear, we really do keep that door shut- but his older brothers can be careless, and they also don't close the toilet lid!)

* * *

That's all I've got for you right now- I've had a whirlwind couple of weeks, and I am still cleaning and doing laundry to recover. . . only to have a birthday party coming up this weekend for the Pirate! I promise I'll be back around soon with some posts for your pleasure! Thanks for your patience. :)