-
Looking Back on 2021
It’s been an incredible journey out west. We’ve been on the road since March and returned to Florida in November. During that time, we have visited seven new states and multiple State and National Parks. As you can see from the map, we pretty much covered the western part of the country. The rule is to stay in a state for five nights before placing a sticker on the map. Even with that rule, we have yet to explore all the wonderful sights out there fully. We will be back to the west at some future point.
Our plan for 2022 is to visit the eastern side of the country with Acadia National Park in Maine as one of our big rocks, as Mitchell calls them. Hoping COVID doesn’t derail our plans as the eastern side tends to be more populated than out west.
For now, we enjoy being in Florida visiting with friends, enjoy our family and spend quality time with our son and grandson. Posts will most likely be less frequent but will be hitting the road in late March. We appreciate all of you who read the blog and watched the videos. We are planning to revamp the blog, so provide us with some feedback on what we can do better to make it more interesting
We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and health and happiness for 2022.
-
Houmas House and Gardens – Darrow, LA
Our last Harvest Host stop for our 2021 travels was memorable. The Houmas House (aka the Sugar Palace) is one of the most extensive plantations, and it has a rich history. Here is a link to find out more about the past. Houmas House and Gardens.
I always find it fascinating to learn about days gone by. We toured the mansion and its beautiful gardens. Our tour guide was insightful, and we enjoyed hearing about the various families that occupied the home over the years since the 1700s. Since I love tradition, the formal dining area with its luxury was indeed an incredible sight. Traditional chinaware, candelabras, and silver flatware adorning each table setting reminded me of entertaining at its best. Bette Davis stayed in the home while filming Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte. A total of eighteen films or TV episodes had the Houmas House and Gardens as its backdrop.
The property includes a museum, restaurants, cottages, and an amphitheater. The gardens and grounds are spectacular and beckon visitors to stroll among the sculptures and gardens. While here, two weddings and a corporate event were going on. (Unfortunately, we were parked next to the cottages where wedding guests decided to continue the party until 2:30 am. We didn’t get much sleep that night)
We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary by having dinner in the Carriage House. The atmosphere equaled the deliciousness of the food. We enjoyed our stay and decided it was one of the best Harvest hosts we ever visited. If you are ever in the New Orleans area, this should be a planned stop.
Houmas House and Gardens – Darrow, LA
Our last Harvest Host stop for our 2021 travels was memorable. The Houmas House (aka the Sugar Palace) is one of the most extensive plantations, and it has a rich history. Here is a link to find out more about the past. Houmas House and Gardens
I always find it fascinating to learn about days gone by. We toured the mansion and its beautiful gardens. Our tour guide was insightful, and we enjoyed hearing about the various families that occupied the home over the years since the 1700s. Since I love tradition, the formal dining area with its luxury was indeed an incredible sight. Traditional chinaware, candelabras, and silver flatware adorning each table setting reminded me of entertaining at its best. Bette Davis stayed in the home while filming Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte. A total of eighteen films or TV episodes had the Houmas House and
Gardens as its backdrop.
The property includes a museum, restaurants, cottages, and an amphitheater. The gardens and grounds are spectacular and beckon visitors to stroll among the sculptures and gardens. While here, two weddings and a corporate event were going on. (Unfortunately, we were parked next to the cottages where wedding guests decided to continue the party until 2:30 am. We didn’t get much sleep that night)
We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary by having dinner in the Carriage House. The atmosphere equaled the deliciousness of the food. We enjoyed our stay and decided it was one of the best Harvest hosts we ever visited. If you are ever in the New Orleans area, this should be a planned stop.
Houmas House and Gardens – Darrow, LA
Our last Harvest Host stop for our 2021 travels was memorable. The Houmas House (aka the Sugar Palace) is one of the most extensive plantations, and it has a rich history. Here is a link to find out more about the past. Houmas House and Gardens
I always find it fascinating to learn about days gone by. We toured the mansion and its beautiful gardens. Our tour guide was insightful, and we enjoyed hearing about the various families that occupied the home over the years since the 1700s. Since I love tradition, the formal dining area with its luxury was indeed an incredible sight. Traditional chinaware, candelabras, and silver flatware adorning each table setting reminded me of entertaining at its best. Bette Davis stayed in the home while filming Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte. A total of eighteen films or TV episodes had the Houmas House and Gardens as its backdrop. The property includes a museum, restaurants, cottages, and an amphitheater. The gardens and grounds are spectacular and beckon visitors to stroll among the sculptures and gardens. While here, two weddings and a corporate event were going on. (Unfortunately, we were parked next to the cottages where wedding guests decided to continue the party until 2:30 am. We didn’t get much sleep that night)
We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary by having dinner in the Carriage House. The atmosphere equaled the deliciousness of the food. We enjoyed our stay and decided it was one of the best Harvest hosts we ever visited. If you are ever in the New Orleans area, this should be a planned stop.
-
Fredericksburg, Texas
We visited the same place last year but only for a weekend. We primarily stopped at as many wineries as possible. This time we were here for a week and explored more of this delightful little town. Located in central Texas, this town was established in 1846 by German immigrants. It has grown into a favorite place known for its wine territory, a quaint village, and free beer. YES – I said FREE! Last year during COVID, shop owners decided to offer free beer when you visited their stores. Most stores have coolers of beer with signs indicating it’s free. Pretty ingenious.
This time around, we visited most of the town’s stores. Afterward, we went to Signor Vineyard for a tasting. We purchased a bottle and sat outside listening to music and enjoying the glorious day. The venue was welcoming, and we were able to see where a romantic marriage proposal took place. It was perfect.
Early next morning, we drove to Enchanted Rock to watch the sunrise. It is a pink granite mountain about 25 miles from Fredericksburg. We climbed the Summit Trail to the top, welcoming the morning sun as it rose to its full glory in the sky. On our descent, we heard a coyote but thankfully didn’t see one. We also hiked the Old Tunnel trail but were disappointed. At one time, the railroad went to Austin from Fredericksburg. Around 1950, the train no longer ran. After dismantling, the only item left was the tunnel. The tunnel is home to bats, and there is a bat sighting event. (We had enough of the bats) The tunnel was fenced off to stop any disturbance of the bats. The trail was an uneventful one-mile trek around the woods. We did enjoy traveling the hilly road to get there. We had fun at this town, and it’s 3 hours away from Britney, so I am sure we will be back. Next stop – Victoria! The best is we are going to spend two weeks with our daughter.