Our World Tuesday - Raleigh

click on photos to enlarge

Downtown Raleigh

While walking around we stumbled upon this live broadcast about to take place. The newslady looks hard at work ;)

“What’s not so great is that all this technology is destroying our social skills. Not only have we given up on writing letters to each other, we barely even talk to each other. People have become so accustomed to texting that they’re actually startled when the phone rings. It’s like we suddenly all have Batphones. If it rings, there must be danger.

Now we answer, “What happened? Is someone tied up in the old sawmill?”

“No, it’s Becky. I just called to say hi.”

“Well you scared me half to death. You can’t just pick up the phone and try to talk to me like that. Don’t the tips of your fingers work?”
― Ellen DeGeneres, Seriously... I'm Kidding

Linking with Our World Tuesday

Monday Murals - Raleigh

click on photos to enlarge

Corner of W. Martin & McDowell . Raleigh . NC

In my extensive Googling quest this morning I have concluded that this is the work of one Taylor White. That's about all I can come up with. I found her website HERE ...she's done quite a bit of stuff in Australia I see...but this cool mural is all stealth like, nothing comes up. I did Google Earth it and you can see the building it is on HERE and that was taken in 2012, no mural...Google Earth is pretty fun to play with. I was able to back track because right up the street on W. Martin is Berkeley Cafe which is a pretty cool little joint we hung out at for a while. Great food too! We had a turkey sandwich with applebutter...I didn't even know those 2 things went together but it was so dang good!

Linking with Monday Murals

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 49

click on photo to enlarge

Greenfield in Botetourt...Just up the trail a bit from the bee sanctuary I posted yesterday. Up on the hill across the way sits a few old slave cabins. I've shown you them before. This is such a pretty area!

Willy Nilly time:

1) Made this yummy Fried Ice Cream for Father's Day. It was so good! We didn't top it with chocolate syrup, honey or whipped cream, just ate it plain and I don't think it could have been any better!

2) Also tried this Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajita Salad for dinner one night last week...also totes delish! A definite keeper and great summer dinner!

3) Photographer Mashes Photos Together For Hilarious Results

4) 10 Dogs Who Think They're People

5)

An amazing old tree in Raleigh, NC

Well there's my 5! Now it's your turn...post 5 randoms, link up and visit others! Have fun and have a great weekend!

Signs, Signs & A Good Fence For Honeybees

click on photo to enlarge

Greenfield in Botetourt

Recently while walking around Greenfield I was surprised to find this honeybee sanctuary! How cool is that?!
For more information on the honeybee sanctuary CLICK HERE

Linking with Signs, Signs and Good Fences (There's electric fencing to keep the bears out, not the bees in ;) )

Sculptures @ Elmwood Park

click on photos to enlarge

Straight ahead is a new sculpture exhibit...I'll show you a few:

Ask The Fish 2.0 by Stephen Fairfield of Arizona

Life Cycle by Hannah Jubran of North Carolina

Sustain by Charlie Brouwer of Virginia

Rising Puzzle by Jacob Smith of Virginia

These will only be on display for 18 months so get on down there to check them out!

For a short video featuring discussion on the pieces CLICK HERE and for more on these pieces plus the others CLICK HERE

Our World Tuesday - Elmwood Park

click on photo to enlarge

Elmwood Park . 706 So Jefferson St . Roanoke

“It is easy to forget now, how effervescent and free we all felt that summer.”
― Anna Godbersen, Bright Young Things

I don't recommend getting in the fountains as they weren't built for that and you'd probably get into some sort of trouble if caught ;)

For more on Elmwood Park CLICK HERE

Linking with Our World Tuesday

Monday Mural - In It For The Long Run

click on photos to enlarge

Located under the Williamson Road overpass, next to the Taubman Museum
"In It For The Long Run" painted by artist Scott "Toobz" Noel using spray paint.
For more on this mural CLICK HERE and I've shown you another of his murals HERE

Linking with Monday Mural

Hope everyone had a great Father's Day!

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 48 - More From The Beach

click on photos to enlarge

Walking back to our car from Grandview Nature Preserve, Hampton

And now my Willy Nilly's which will be about the Grandview Nature Preserve.

1)

So obviously this marker is not located where the ruins are. I had forgotten about the old lighthouse being at the preserve. Some of you might remember that the preserve is one of our favorite spots when we go to Hampton. So I just researched the old lighthouse and found THIS ...in all our visits to the preserve, we walk the beach but I guess not far enough down. Next time I'm on a mission to find it, and like one of the reviewers mentioned, right after a storm!

2)

A random bouquet of flowers I found at the preserve. We were there over Memorial weekend so the red/white/blue bow makes sense.

3)

This is our favorite spot for our crab dinner when we get to Hampton. You can check out last year's dinner HERE

4)

I think this beach is so picturesque. You find these weathered stumps everywhere along the beach. Someone told me it's bits of old piers from back when the lighthouse was still standing. Some look like Cypress knees so I'm not really sure. There is no swimming at this beach because of all these jagged stumps but I have seen people swim there...which I totally wouldn't recommend.

5)

Some of the pretty grasses that grow here, but keep out!

That's it for me this week! Now it is your turn...Post 5 randoms, anything you want, link up and visit others! Have fun and have a super weekend!

Signs, Signs & A Good Fence @ The Barking Dog

click on photos to enlarge

The Barking Dog . 4330 Kecoughtan Road . Hampton

We stopped here for lunch...hot dogs and beer, well sweet teas for the boys. Great lunch and fab atmosphere. Really fun place. Crowded so that should tell you something. Patio type seating so it just feels like you are hanging out with a bunch of friends. We met a couple from San Diego who had just relocated to Newport News. We talked about missing our great Mexican food. San Diegans all have that in common!

After lunch walked around a bit outside:

This made us think of Bubba Gump ;) Oddly this is my 2nd Forrest Gump reference today lol

Right next door is a boat storage facility so we watched them move some boats around:

Had to get a picture of all the signs:

This one was my favorite ha!

So next time we are in Hampton we will def be eating again at the Barking Dog....you can check out their FB page HERE

Check out Sunset Boating Center HERE

And I'm linking with Signs, Signs & Good Fences

Have a great day!

Diversified

click on photo to enlarge

Chesapeake Bay
I see a couple of seagulls but other than that I don't know what these birds are....looks to be 3 different types? Ok experts, what are they?!

Linking with Wild Bird Wednesday

Boatin'

click on photos to enlarge

Chesapeake Bay

Bethel Park . Hampton

“Are you watching the boats?" Cornelia guessed. She craned her neck to see if there was any excitement on the river.
Heavens no, I'm spying on people," Virginia responded unrepentantly."
-Cornelia E and Virginia Somerset

Linking with Our World Tuesday

Day & Night

click on photos to enlarge

City Center @ Oyster Point . Newport News

This is one of those "Live, Work & Play" neighborhoods with everything you need within walking distance. I think they are pretty neat if you don't have kids living at home. I like how at night everything is lit up with little white lights.

For more on City Center CLICK HERE

We went and saw Jurrasic World on Saturday...it was really good, we all enjoyed it!

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 47 - Night @ The Paragon

click on photo to enlarge

The Paragon . 11810 Fountain Way . Newport News . VA

The Paragon is one of those fancy schmancy theaters with the reclining seats and you can order beer and wine. We have nothing like that here in Roanoke and no, we didn't watch a movie at this one either. We don't go out of town to watch a movie you can watch back home and honestly, I think at this stage in my life I'd probably fall asleep watching a movie in a reclining position sipping on wine. But, I do think the idea is super cool. We stopped by an adjoining restaurant/bar that serves beer/wine to the patrons of the Paragon. I can't remember the name of the place but it is connected directly to the right. We stopped in to have a drink. Our waiter was some hipster type dude. He couldn't decide if he wanted to be rude or polite. We could not stop laughing. No matter how rude, although I'm sure he thought he was being "too cool", we just laughed and laughed. Anyways, I think the guys name was Jake or something and even though we can't remember the name of the restaurant, or really anything great about it we do remember our rude/nice/confused hipster waiter lol

For more on The Paragon and to see if you have one nearby CLICK HERE

So here's my randoms on entertainment this week:

1) Took the boys to see The Avengers this week...it was pretty good...they heard, and the movie hinted, that this is Robert Downey Jr.'s last time to play Iron Man.

2) I just started watching Bloodline on Netflix...It's pretty good!

3) Speaking of Netflix, have you ever wondered when a movie/show was going to be added or removed? Well check that out RIGHT HERE

4) Saw the trailer for Southpaw ...it looks really good, really sad but good!

5 ) Rented The Duff this week...so funny...I really love Mae Whitman anyway...big Parenthood fan!

Well there you have it, my 5 for the week...now it's your turn, post 5 randoms, link up and visit others! Have a great weekend!

Signs, Signs & A Good Fence Atop Fort Monroe

click on photos to enlarge

I didn't understand this Memorial Park. There's nothing "parky" about the area on top of the fort...so getting this post ready I was googling the park and found out it is a pet cemetery...I didn't even notice the graves...how did I miss that? You can read about that HERE (just ignore all the pesky ads through the story...I hate when sites do that!)

More views from the top:

This posting concludes your Fort Monroe tour ;)

Linking with Signs, Signs & Good Fences

Old Point Comfort Lighthouse

click on photos to enlarge

Fenwick Road . Fort Monroe
These 2 photos were taken from Fort Monroe

This next photo was taken from Fenwick Road

Old Point Comfort Lighthouse was opened in 1803. Still lookin' pretty good ey?!

For more info on the lighthouse, visit Lighthouse Friends