Ten on Tuesday:

I'm a little late to the party, but it is still Tuesday, so... Today's Ten on Tuesday topic is 10 Things I Always Bring on Vacation.

1. Way too many Clothes. It's better to be prepared than to wish you had something, right?

2. A Camera... or 2.  I always have my little point-and-shoot with me, and depending where we're going, sometimes the Nikon DSLR.

3. Knitting.  Depending where and for how long, I tend to have 1 or 2 projects with me.  Simple socks make great vacation knitting.

4. My Nook.  It used to be a book, now it's Mr. Nook.

5. Magazines.  Because sometimes you want fluffy reading... especially when you're tired.

6. Pictures of the Lapdogs.  I never leave home without 'em!

7. Addresses & Stamps.  Yes, I still send postcards to family & friends.

8. Cell phone & charger.  Can. Not. Be. Without. Them.

9. Bags.  I tend to travel with a few extra bags, depending where we're going.  That way I have something small and easy to carry, as well as something that can be used as a tote for day trips.

10. Beauty & Hair Products.  I don't like to be without my favorites, so it's usually better to pack them than hope to find them once you get there.

Newport, Take 2

Happy Wordless Wednesday!  Some more shots from Newport, RI today...



Newport

Happy Wordless Wednesday!  These shots were taken last December in Newport, RI...

Christmas in Newport

Happy Wordless Wednesday!  A few photos (and yes, words) from our early Christmas celebration/Matt's 40th in Newport, RI with Dad C and Mom-Sue.

Marble House and the Chinese Tea House...

The Breakers...

The Pier behind the condos...

Still to come (because I'm behind with downloading), photos I snapped of the mansions with my Nikon...

You Better Watch Out...

Happy Wordless Wednesday... a little sign from scenic Newport, RI....

Lions and Tigers and Bears... Oh My!

I'm not sure what happened to the Wordless Wednesday blog - anyone know?  Today's post is picture heavy, so I guess that qualifies as somewhat wordless...

Enjoy the photos from our visit to Tiger World last month, including our absolutely amazing tiger & jaguar cub encounter!  We were supposed to do two separate 15 minute encounters, one with a tiger and one with a jaguar.  However, they surprised us by letting us do 30 minutes with all three adorable cubs, the white tiger Mohan and jaguars Dora & Diego.  Even better, we got to be little Mohan's very first encounter ever!  I believe he was 7 weeks old and Dora & Diego were about 11 weeks.

If you know me well, you are not surprised to learn that we have well over 200 photos from our visit. I'll share a few...

Our encounter with Mohan, Dora & Diego.  Dad C and I got to split the bottle feeding of Mohan!

 

This is one the loves of my life, Brutus and his partner Cleo.  They are just too cute and too cool.  Brutus "sits pretty" for crackers (I actually spent so long tossing him crackers and peanuts that my arm hurt the next day!).

 

 

Mufasa and Shirley...

 

Jacob and Lil' Wayne...

  

Meka and Malia, the adolescent cubs... We were originally supposed to do our tiger cub experience with Meka.

 

Mama & Baby Peacocks and a beautiful Lynx...

 

Radar... I just adore this beautiful boy!  He's grown quite a bit since our first visit in May, 2009.  We were having a nice little conversation here...

And the lions sleep tonight....



10 Dream Vacations

Time for a little Ten on Tuesday... this week's topic is 10 Dream Vacations. 

1. Australia ~ Koala bears, up close and in their natural habitat.  An outback adventure...  Plus, I hear their Autumn season is beautiful!

2. Alaska ~ An Alaskan cruise... I want to get close to the glaciers and wildlife.

3. Africa ~ An African Safari... enough said.

Tiger World in NC

4. Egypt ~ Pyramids, the Great Sphinx, the Valley of the Kings, the Roman Amphitheatre, the Nile River, the Desert... I want to see it all!

5. Hawaii ~ I'm sure this one is on most people's dream vacation list.  I'm no different... I want to experience Island life, visit the sea cliffs, see a volcano errupt and maybe even catch an NFL Pro Bowl game!

6. Scotland ~ Take me on a search for Nessie!


NOT Nessie...

7. Sweden ~ The ice hotel.... marvelous!  Check out the web cam.

NOT an ice hotel...

8. Las Vegas - Mostly to visit/volunteer at Best Friends, with a little casino action and some Cirque du Soleil shows thrown in for good measure.  Maybe even to catch a NASCAR race out there... 

9. Ireland ~ I am part Irish and would love to visit the island someday... the landscapes, ancient legends, culture, food...

Zeus showing his "Irish" side

10. Greece ~ "The Greek Islands" just sounds so enchanting, plus there's all of that mythology and the amazing ancient architecture...

Ten on Tuesday

I've seen several friends doing the Ten on Tuesday posts lately, so I thought I'd give it a shot (read: I don't have a review ready to post today or any knitting content to show you). 

This week's theme is 10 Things to Bring on Vacation (did someone just say vacation... because I could really use one right now!)

1. Camera - I never leave home without one anymore (even if it's just my cell phone camera)!  Photography is one of my hobbies...

2. Knitting - This is a must.  Great to pass the time on the plane, in the car, relaxing pool/ocean side, etc.  I have found that no-brainer knitting tends to work best while on vacation however.  A list of the local yarn shops to visit while on vacation is a must too...

  

3. Book/Magazine - Again, a must.  If you don't want to knit, you need something to read!

4. Favorite Snacks - Whether you're flying or driving, you need you favorite snack foods with you!  For me, it's usually a mix of salty and sweet... Swedish Fish, Trail Mix, Peanut Butter Cups, Baked Chips, etc.

5. Comfortable Shoes - You need at least 3 pair of shoes on vacation... sneakers, flip flops and a dressier sandal.  If you come across this, by all means, remove said shoes...

6. Sense of Adventure - You never know what the open road might throw at you... be adventurous and discover fun places that you might not have mapped out from home!  Try new foods as well, especially the local faves.  I found a love for fried pickles in Charlotte 3 years ago!

7. Tickets/Paperwork - You can't get too far without airline tickets, hotel confirmations, etc.  Make sure you have everything you need in a folder before you go!

8. Companion - You're other half, best friend, Mom, Furbaby.... whatever works for you! 

9. Umbrella - You never know when you might need one.  Get yourself a good travel size and tuck it in your bag!

10. Pictures of the Dogs - Or your actual dogs if you can.  I always have several photos of my kids with me.  I use them as my bookmarks!  If you can't bring your own dogs, try to show some love to the 4-legged babies that you meet while on vacation...