Now that we have purchased the bridal store......a cute little Dutch style cottage............well actually we don't own the building, but the business is ours free and clear, and once we make a name for our ownselves we hope to get the building too.
.......YES we now work for ourselves, but this too has brought on new challenges, I am very busy and I haven't much time for writing, scrapping or sewing. Actually my scrap-booking supplies and projects have not even been unpacked from the April retreat. We were in negotiation of the purchase of the bridal store since the end of January and closed on the deal the end of May and have been non stop ever since with exception of a family vacation/reunion and a four day trip to visit my brother.
Although I will still be involved in the Bridal Industry, I will not be in a brick and marter store. My time should allow me to post as I wish now....hopefully I can at least get out a monthly if not weekly or daily post from this point forward.
Again, May your travels be on the wings of GOD's Angels,
Cyndi
Following post were Originally posted in 2010..........
Reed Gold Mine
The Mine was putting on a re-enactment event and had solders and settlers on the premises.
Reed Gold Mine is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States. From this discovery, gold mining spread gradually to nearby counties and eventually into other southern states. During its peak years gold mining was second only to farming in the number of North Carolinians it employed. The estimated value of gold recovered reached over one million dollars a year. North Carolina led the nation in gold production until 1848, when it was eclipsed by the great rush to California.
John Reed was a wealthy man when he died in 1845. Soon the Reed mine was sold at public auction. The mine changed hands many times through the years until 1912, when the last underground work took place there. Placer miners found the last large nugget at Reed in 1896. The yield of the mine in large nuggets alone ultimately totaled more than one hundred pounds.
Portions of the underground tunnels at the Reed mine have been restored for guided tours. A visitor center contains exhibits of gold and historical mining equipment. An orientation film highlights the first gold discovery, and tours of a restored ore-crushing stamp mill are offered. A picnic area is available, and trails wind through the historic mining area. There are Free tours of the mine and stamp mill; gold panning is $3 per person (includes two pans of sand and instruction) - Picnic area.
Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 1-4 p.m. Sundays.
Again, may your travels be on the wings of God's Angels..........till next Time!
St Lucia Island
It was a privilege in December 2010, to travel to the island of St. Lucia with a group of other travel agents to learn of what the island offered to our clients. With young lovers and the young-at-heart in mind, the resorts of St. Lucia offer many romance-inspired packages. The all-inclusive offers are found all over the island. You can chose to stay at any of the many renown Luxury Resorts or for a true island getaway, pick one of the many Boutique Resorts. St Lucia has many British characteristics and, although English is the official language, French patois is widely spoken by the locals. In spirit, the island is influenced by many cultures. Saint Lucians drive on the left and have a passion for cricket. But the Caribbean influence surfaces in the drinks - rum and locally brewed beer, in the music - calypso, soca, reggae, in the richly flavoured Creole cuisine, (and I must say the food is delicious, and this girl was raised with the Creole cuisine of New Orleans) in the carnivals, festivals and days of national pride, and in the open-air markets.
When you first arrive, it can be a bit intimidating with the island buzzing in the tropical sights, sounds and colors. I would like to share a little general information about the island that I hope will help you get to know a little about what a holiday on the Island of St. Lucia has to offer.
Before you head out on your journey of touring this beautiful island here's a few things you might want to know. The temperatures are mild all year round with averages moderately higher in the summer. June to November is the rainy season when gusty showers may occur. My visit was Mid December and the weather was absolutely PERFECT. Saint Lucia is located within the Atlantic Standard Time Zone which is one hour ahead of EST in the US(except during the Daylight Savings months in the Us when it is the same.)
English is the official language of Saint Lucia with a French-based Creole patois being commonly spoke by the locals (made this old girl feel at home being raised in the south of New Orleans) Local currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) with a fixed exchange rate of EC$2.70 - US$ (as of this posting) Although transport is easily obtained and they do drive on the opposite side of the road from the US you can obtain a Temporary Driving Permit (of which is required at the cost of US$22 for a 3 month period if yo plan on driving. Your international drivers license will not be enough). Permits can be obtained at Airport Immigration offices, local Police Station or from Car rental companies, and while most people holidaying in the Caribbean tend to anticipate lazy days on white sand beaches and a quick splash to the palm-fringed swim-up bar as the nearest thing to adventure they will encounter, St Lucia can offer numerous wonderful attractions and a whole lot of nature. For those willing to venture off the beaton track foregoing the organised tour and opting instead for a hired car, or better yet 4WD jeep, many rewards are just waiting to be discovered. Independent traveling also means you can still hit the tourist hot spots but at the same time outside the peak hours avoiding the crowds and at a pace that allows you the opportunity to linger truly experiencing each little haven, uncovering its charms. Casual apparel is acceptable nearly everywhere on the island. it should be noted that swimwear is generally inappropriate away from beaches, resorts and hotels.
The tourist hub on the island is focused predominantly in the north at Rodney Bay, so this is a good place to start when it comes to exploring.
The Rodney Bay area has St. Lucia's greatest concentration of hotels, restaurants and other tourist offerings as well as Reduit Beach, the Island's most popular. The inner marina harbour is a hive of yachting activity and the area features several of the most popular nightlife options. A drive or walk along Reduit Beach Avenue will introduce you t numerous eating and shopping options sure to enhance your holiday enjoyment. Be sure to visit "The Avenue" both during the day and at night as many establishments are only open at one time or the other. This is definitely the hot spot for late night fun.
Above is a picture of one of the many Villa Options that is offered at the Cap Maison Resort and Spa. I must say one of my favorite places on the island. The Resort is farely new to the area and is built on the location of an old sugar plantation. It sets atop an ocean bluff, with majestic views over sparkling blue waters. Many of the terraces are home of private pools and a vacationer can have a private butler service to see to every need. The Resort's popularity has tripled since the filming of the popular TV Bachelor Series elimination rose ceremony was held on the bluff overlooking the beach at this resort.
The above picture is taken from the Jade Mountain Resort on the island of St. Lucia. Another one of the many filmed island locations of the popular TV Bachelor Series. Jake asking for Vienna's hand on The season's Finale of the Bachelor: "On the Wings of Love" took place on the Celestial Terrace of Jade Mountain. From my visit here I would say if you never left the room at this resort I wouldn't blame you. (Each open-air suite only has three walls fourth wall has been replaced by a huge infinity pool with a to-die-for views of the Pitons). Absolutely Beautiful! And I must say a Honeymooners dream.
May your travels be on the wings of God's Angels..........till next Time!
In reading through all the travel blogs of the RV blogs I follow I am seeing a lot of write ups of California, Arizona, Florida and The coast of South Carolina. I thought I would take the time to share some of the local trips that we have also taken to places of interest within the area we call home.
North Carolina has a lot to offer and from the sounds of a lot of the writing I am reading there are a lot of you that like history. I hated history as a student but love to actually go to and experience the places. So here I go, I want to start with Reed Gold Mine. Reed Gold mine is actually only about five miles from my front door. Beautiful area. i have had the experience of being able to visit Reed Gold Mine with my youngest son on one of his field trips from school. What a wonderful place.
North Carolina has a lot to offer and from the sounds of a lot of the writing I am reading there are a lot of you that like history. I hated history as a student but love to actually go to and experience the places. So here I go, I want to start with Reed Gold Mine. Reed Gold mine is actually only about five miles from my front door. Beautiful area. i have had the experience of being able to visit Reed Gold Mine with my youngest son on one of his field trips from school. What a wonderful place.
The Mine was putting on a re-enactment event and had solders and settlers on the premises.
Reed Gold Mine is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States. From this discovery, gold mining spread gradually to nearby counties and eventually into other southern states. During its peak years gold mining was second only to farming in the number of North Carolinians it employed. The estimated value of gold recovered reached over one million dollars a year. North Carolina led the nation in gold production until 1848, when it was eclipsed by the great rush to California.
The Mine is named after John Reed, a Hessian soldier who left the British army near the conclusion of the Revolutionary war and came to settle in Cabarrus County (the lower Piedmont of North Carolina). John Reed was a simple farmer until one Sunday in 1799 when his 12 year old son Conrad found a large yellow rock in the Little Meadow creek on the farm. this rock reportedly weighed in at 17 pounds, about the size of a small iron - but VERY heavy, and for three years was used as a doorstop at the Reed house.
In 1802 a Fayetteville jeweler identified the gold nugget. He purchased it for the asked price of $3.50—one-tenth of one percent of its true value it was actually worth about $3,600!
"Placer," or creek, gold mining led to underground mining when it was learned in 1825 that the metal also existed in veins of white quartz rock. The search for underground or "lode" gold required much more money, labor, and machinery. Underground work at Reed was not begun until 1831. Four years later a family squabble resulted in a court injunction that closed the mine for a decade.
In 1802 a Fayetteville jeweler identified the gold nugget. He purchased it for the asked price of $3.50—one-tenth of one percent of its true value it was actually worth about $3,600!John Reed was a wealthy man when he died in 1845. Soon the Reed mine was sold at public auction. The mine changed hands many times through the years until 1912, when the last underground work took place there. Placer miners found the last large nugget at Reed in 1896. The yield of the mine in large nuggets alone ultimately totaled more than one hundred pounds.
Portions of the underground tunnels at the Reed mine have been restored for guided tours. A visitor center contains exhibits of gold and historical mining equipment. An orientation film highlights the first gold discovery, and tours of a restored ore-crushing stamp mill are offered. A picnic area is available, and trails wind through the historic mining area. There are Free tours of the mine and stamp mill; gold panning is $3 per person (includes two pans of sand and instruction) - Picnic area.Again, may your travels be on the wings of God's Angels..........till next Time!
Dreams DO come true (May 2010)
This Dream was on the Carnival Dream Cruise Ship. I have wanted to take a scrapbooking cruise for several years now and was able to do so with a FANTASTIC group of ladies. On April 23rd Heather and I left North Carolina bound for Cape Canaveral, Florida where we meet up with part of our SBC Cruise buddies for our Pre-Cruise nightly stay. The following is a picture of those that stayed at the hotel and had breakfast together before our ship.
The following is the first view of our ship:
This is a formal picture of most of us:
The following is the first view of our ship:
This is a formal picture of most of us:
St Lucia Island
It was a privilege in December 2010, to travel to the island of St. Lucia with a group of other travel agents to learn of what the island offered to our clients. With young lovers and the young-at-heart in mind, the resorts of St. Lucia offer many romance-inspired packages. The all-inclusive offers are found all over the island. You can chose to stay at any of the many renown Luxury Resorts or for a true island getaway, pick one of the many Boutique Resorts. St Lucia has many British characteristics and, although English is the official language, French patois is widely spoken by the locals. In spirit, the island is influenced by many cultures. Saint Lucians drive on the left and have a passion for cricket. But the Caribbean influence surfaces in the drinks - rum and locally brewed beer, in the music - calypso, soca, reggae, in the richly flavoured Creole cuisine, (and I must say the food is delicious, and this girl was raised with the Creole cuisine of New Orleans) in the carnivals, festivals and days of national pride, and in the open-air markets.
When you first arrive, it can be a bit intimidating with the island buzzing in the tropical sights, sounds and colors. I would like to share a little general information about the island that I hope will help you get to know a little about what a holiday on the Island of St. Lucia has to offer.
Before you head out on your journey of touring this beautiful island here's a few things you might want to know. The temperatures are mild all year round with averages moderately higher in the summer. June to November is the rainy season when gusty showers may occur. My visit was Mid December and the weather was absolutely PERFECT. Saint Lucia is located within the Atlantic Standard Time Zone which is one hour ahead of EST in the US(except during the Daylight Savings months in the Us when it is the same.)
English is the official language of Saint Lucia with a French-based Creole patois being commonly spoke by the locals (made this old girl feel at home being raised in the south of New Orleans) Local currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) with a fixed exchange rate of EC$2.70 - US$ (as of this posting) Although transport is easily obtained and they do drive on the opposite side of the road from the US you can obtain a Temporary Driving Permit (of which is required at the cost of US$22 for a 3 month period if yo plan on driving. Your international drivers license will not be enough). Permits can be obtained at Airport Immigration offices, local Police Station or from Car rental companies, and while most people holidaying in the Caribbean tend to anticipate lazy days on white sand beaches and a quick splash to the palm-fringed swim-up bar as the nearest thing to adventure they will encounter, St Lucia can offer numerous wonderful attractions and a whole lot of nature. For those willing to venture off the beaton track foregoing the organised tour and opting instead for a hired car, or better yet 4WD jeep, many rewards are just waiting to be discovered. Independent traveling also means you can still hit the tourist hot spots but at the same time outside the peak hours avoiding the crowds and at a pace that allows you the opportunity to linger truly experiencing each little haven, uncovering its charms. Casual apparel is acceptable nearly everywhere on the island. it should be noted that swimwear is generally inappropriate away from beaches, resorts and hotels.
The tourist hub on the island is focused predominantly in the north at Rodney Bay, so this is a good place to start when it comes to exploring.
The Rodney Bay area has St. Lucia's greatest concentration of hotels, restaurants and other tourist offerings as well as Reduit Beach, the Island's most popular. The inner marina harbour is a hive of yachting activity and the area features several of the most popular nightlife options. A drive or walk along Reduit Beach Avenue will introduce you t numerous eating and shopping options sure to enhance your holiday enjoyment. Be sure to visit "The Avenue" both during the day and at night as many establishments are only open at one time or the other. This is definitely the hot spot for late night fun.
Above is a picture of one of the many Villa Options that is offered at the Cap Maison Resort and Spa. I must say one of my favorite places on the island. The Resort is farely new to the area and is built on the location of an old sugar plantation. It sets atop an ocean bluff, with majestic views over sparkling blue waters. Many of the terraces are home of private pools and a vacationer can have a private butler service to see to every need. The Resort's popularity has tripled since the filming of the popular TV Bachelor Series elimination rose ceremony was held on the bluff overlooking the beach at this resort.
The above picture is taken from the Jade Mountain Resort on the island of St. Lucia. Another one of the many filmed island locations of the popular TV Bachelor Series. Jake asking for Vienna's hand on The season's Finale of the Bachelor: "On the Wings of Love" took place on the Celestial Terrace of Jade Mountain. From my visit here I would say if you never left the room at this resort I wouldn't blame you. (Each open-air suite only has three walls fourth wall has been replaced by a huge infinity pool with a to-die-for views of the Pitons). Absolutely Beautiful! And I must say a Honeymooners dream.May your travels be on the wings of God's Angels..........till next Time!
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