Category: Blog Postings
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Triple “H,” Weekend!
I enjoyable a weekend of Harvest Host Hopping driving a total of two-hundred fifty-four miles.
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Nicodemus, KS, 2023
African American families stayed in the area, settling on farms in the surrounding township.
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Saguaro National Park East, Again
I have returned with more of my desert hiking experiences forthcoming.
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Happy New Year, 2023
I wish everyone’s dreams, desires, and expectations to become a reality in 2023 and beyond.
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2022, Juneteeth honoring and celebrating heroes.
I attended the 2022 Juneteenth event at the Carter Farms of Unionville in Orange County, VA, honoring the freedoms of the enslaved who later suffered through “Jim Crow” ruthless tyrannical white supremacists through to the Civil Rights Movement, which continues today. As an African-American tax-paying citizen, my physical presence is a testament and the legacy…
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The Monacan Indian Nation
Many Indigenous people around the world live on their ancestral grounds where they have always been.
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Expedition Overland Nomadic Adventures 2021 in Review
Yes, I looking forward to 2022
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Pacific Coast Beach & Shore birds
Watch your feet and move carefully away.
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Traveler types
I’m always surrounded with incredible views.
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Grove of the patriarchs
Dozens of day hikes and overnight backpacking within Mount Rainer National Park.
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First day at Mount Rainer
My happy place.
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Adventure vehicle maintenance
Ten thousand mile oil change and maintenance check by Toyota technicians.
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Voyagers National Park
International Falls MN becoming one of the best outdoor actives destinations in the U. S.
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The wisdom of 4-questions; “part-2, short story”
We have begun every day with a sideways kiss ( you know overnight bad breath and all ) and a hug.
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Writing, reading and a short story
The fourth question sent many would-be dates scurrying away.
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America’s prescription parks
Nurturing your heart, mind, and soul in the great outdoors.
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“What is RV Boondocking?”
I simply explain I’m staying inside my mobile home.
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Southwestern National monument destinations
Pssst, here’s a travel destination secret.
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Unique campground experience
There are iconic National Parks across the U. S. everyones eyes should gaze upon during their lifetime.
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Sanibel Island Causeway
Basking in the beauty of my surroundings as a nomadic traveler
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The wisdom of 4-dating questions. (Short story) part-2
We have begun our day with a sideways kiss ( you know bad breath and all ) and a hug.
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The wisdom of 4-dating questions. (Short story) 2-parts
Mom, when did you actually know you were in love with dad?
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Thoughts of travel stirs my restless soul
A mature wisdom-filled twelve-year-old
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"My wives, girlfriends, and concubine."
Keep me outside in the world I love.
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Big Cypress National Preserve morning sunrise
The perfect morning for me
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Nomadic traveler/author inspirer
Balancing my loves of hiking, bicycling, and photography with sitting still to write
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"My happy place."
The quiet wilderness serenity of nature’s beauty.
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"Moving forward and expanding."
I no longer say aloud, be patient what’s the rush?
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“2019 Pacific Crest Trail Days.”
We are sleeping inside a pup-tent for the very first time together.
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“Theodore Rossevelt National Park.”
Serendipity is attached to my nomadic travels when I discover the incredible beauty of hundreds of bison, several dozen feral horses, along with hundreds of prairie dogs wandering the grassy landscape of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The park was established to protect bison, deer, and feral horses, among other animals. The south end of the…
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“My hiking and backpacking evolution. (part 2)”
As I mature, I’m discovering the wisdom to calm my anxious excitement to cherish every moment of my travels. MJL
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“My hiking and backpacking evolution. (part 1)”
After the Continental Divide Trail Days in April, I set off for the City of Rocks Campground in New Mexico, which is by far one of my favorite campgrounds. Although my visit was during the states fifth-season called “the spring winds,” the campground’s unique geological features are a visual marvel, with boulders 20-30 feet in…
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2019 Continental Divide Trail Days
Silver Cities Gough Park was ground zero for the 30-plus vendors who set up their displays
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“New camera begins with Texas Bluebonnets.”
Writing, reading, mountain biking, and fishing, be patient daddies got a new toy!
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“Alligators.”
Do not feed the animals their diets do not include human tourist.
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“Burmese Pythons Bounty hunters.”
“A good man always knows his limitations.”
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“Everglades Panthers.”
Be aware of the panther crossing signs when driving in the Everglades giving these beautiful mammals a chance to live.
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Everglades “Waste management.”
These birds are the official and original waste management facilitators of the Florida Everglades
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“Wayside parks & Mosquitos.”
Once you exit your vehicle, your first experience will be the sultry humidity and soon the mosquito.
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“Winter in the Everglades.”
Always beware, there will be alligators in those waters. :-)
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“Rubber Tramp Rohndeveou.” aka RTR
My attempted winter destination for 2019 was the Quartzsite Arizona in Western Arizona. It is also the winter destination for several thousand RV’ers, Van dwellers, and everything in between. I first experienced this destination a year ago, as I rendezvoused with several thousand traveling nomadic and many wannabes converged on this destination to fellowship and…
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“Tombstone Arizona.”
After driving through falling snow during the day, I figured a quick side trip to Tombstone Arizona would be great since I could not imagine many tourists visiting in the near-freezing temperatures I expected the town to be a tourist location and it was all that and more. The history of Tombstone is a remarkable…
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“My nomadic travel origins,”
One aspect I thought of was my self-diagnosis of having a hyperactive personality with a dose of attention deficit disorder. :-)
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“2018 Key West Fantasy Fest.”
Before I created this blog post, I took time organizing my thoughts to shape the narrative for the photos I captured during the 2018 Key West Fantasy Festival. I was ambivalent because none of the images represent any form of wildlife, wilderness landscapes or US National Parks. Since I began my nomadic travels around the…
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“Fellow World Travelers.”
It is always great meeting fellow travelers who seek nomadic adventures as we are a unique tribe of people whose experiences of the open road brings joys to our hearts.
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“Zombie bike ride.”
I recommend you visit Key West during the Fantasy festival with a daily schedule of events, there is something for everyone.
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“Some fun Mountain biking time.”
It has been three months of writing, editing, re-writing, editing, and a repeat of all with an occasional blog post. I recently took time for some mountain biking in Florida, at the Santos Trailhead, located south of Ocala Florida. Now, after riding the dirt trails in state and national parks in the western US, I…
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“Expressing your passion.”
Doubt, courage, and confidence are a persistent emotional tug of war deep within you and between your ears.
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“Love, Peace, and Happiness.”
These three words are the essential foundation for every human living on this planet. There are millions of different ways to achieve all three based on need desire and what you want. Happiness is within your heart to explore and discover at any stage of your life. Peace is an ongoing process within your mind…
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“Their love is with me forever.”
I recently viewed the movie trailer “Green Book” scheduled for November 21, 2018, release in the US, and it triggered my thoughts about my travels across the US during my lifetime. I was moved emotionally as I thought of my parents who suffered through their fears, worries, and concern for my safety in the 1980’s…
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“Elegance in nature.”
Elegance is a word used to describe style and beauty. Outdoor photography captures natures ever-changing elegant views of a Florida sunset. This, landscape sunset cloud formation in Key West stretching across the sky reveals nature’s canvas of elegant creative changes. Vivid colorful flowers effortlessly captivate your eyes with their elegant colors. WordPress daily word prompt
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“Hiking and backpacking fears.”
On many occasions, my family and friends have voiced they’re concerned about me backpacking or hiking into the forests and deserts. They fear for my safety of everything and anything from zombie hikers to lions, tigers, and of course, bears. I see a trail as natures peaceful serenity revealing the visuals of various trees,…
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Regular routine?
For the past several months, I have struggled with a writing routine as I traveled but, summer has eased into autumn, and I draw inspiration from quotes, by Gustave Flaubert. Capturing photos from around the US has been inspirational. I’m discovering a routing for my writing. 🙂 “Passionate happiness.” With many years of discovery, passion…
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“A patched quilt of life.”
Two weeks before Thanksgiving, I entered the local library for a book, and I saw the most incredibly beautiful king size quilt hanging on display behind glass. I stood for several moments mesmerized by the lovely simplistic yet intricate design of the quilt, and to my surprise, the quilt’s was named “Babe.” I felt and…
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Traveling soothes the soul.”
Recently while I was touring and photographing the West Rim Drive of Crater Lake in Oregon, I met a New Zealander in his late twenties, and a 66-year-old couple all of whom were northbound hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. I first noticed them descending a mountain using their trekking poles to guide and control their…
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“Pacific Crest Trail Days.”
The Pacific Crest Trail Celebrated 50 Years as A National Scenic Trail of 2,650 miles from the California Mexican border to the Washington State, Canadian Boarder. It normally takes six months to traverse the distance separated from family, friends, a job, homes, to overcome fears, regret, enduring pains, seeking water, dealing with loneliness at times…
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“Travel dreams crossing the U.S.”
It has been a little over a month since I last posted a blog simply because I’m enjoying the time of my life fulfilling my dreams. The photos displayed in this blog post and the next couple to follow identify my destinations across the U. S. from Grand Isle north of Burlington VT, to…
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“Womens Rights Museum.”
There are many unique museums and places I want to visit, learn and further understand American history. Many tourists and travelers see and reveal in video and blog postings the visual beauty of the locations they visit without explaining the history of the location, the people, their dreams and more importantly what we can learn…
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“New tent and picturesque islanding camping in Vermont.”
During the last couple of years, I have traveled mostly in the western US and back home to my much beloved Florida beaches and the Florida Keys, I have seen and witnessed many forms and types of camping, but the new phenomena is the roof-top tent. I have viewed thousands of Youtube videos about roof-top…
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New Mexico; Trail Days.
My freedom is traveling nomadically, one destination to another, exploring, discovering and learning. (MJL) In April I attended the 2018 Continental Divide Trail Days held on the Campus of Western New Mexicos University in the town of Silver City NM. The quaint little town is situated at 6000-feet above sea level and is an…
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“Table talk.” (short Story)
The town of Creighton New Hampshire was to celebrate the 1948 class reunion of the small towns only high school with 43 of the original 97 class members still alive. On Friday morning the weekend of the festivities at the Jenkins diner, in Creighton New Hampshire an elderly man enters shuffling along in search of a…
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“Fathers Day.”
Today men all over America are celebrating Father’s Day spending time with their families, throwing a ball in the yard or enjoying a quiet day they all deserve. My father, taught me by example that every day is “Fathers Day” because my father worked consistently, rarely taking a day off, never taking a vacation, leaving…
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“The circle of life: Birth to Death.”
A man and woman conceived a child. Some people debate when the circle of life begins, but for this poem, the ring of a lifetime starts when a mother is aware she is carrying a child in her womb which begins the symbiotic bonding before birth. Upon birth, infants around the world are, breastfed, allowing…
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“Juxtapose, the yearly ceremony.”
Again, as usual, I am seated watching the archaic traditions leaving no assumptions for what is to happen at this ceremony that has been held every year since 1877. I glance around to see the awkward familiar faces and, I imagine many other narcissists have gathered here guiltily pretending to care, making this entire ordeal infectiously…
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“Meteor Crater.”
Many things in life are comfortable assumptions, like night or day, green light or red light, and a massive crater in the middle of a desert created by a meteor. About 50,000 years ago an unbroken stretch of the flat desert landscape was suddenly disturbed when a meteor streaking across the day or night sky…
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“2018 Overland Expo West.”
I attended the 2018 Overland Expo West gathering that brought people together from around the world to Fort Tuthill County Fairgrounds in Flagstaff AZ. This event is organized for anyone who is interested in everything connected and associated with short or long-distance overlanding any part of our planet. The expo has been etched on my…
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Arizona’s Route 89A, a scenic drive.
Everyone who visits Arizona always recommends the Grand Canyon and their next recommendation is usually the city of Sedona AZ to see the picturesque red mountains surrounding the town. Many travelers use some form of an electronic map on their cellular phone or the built-in mapping system in their vehicle providing the most economical way…
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“Petrified Forest National Park.”
Oh yes, the Petrified Forest National Park has been on my must-visit list for years, and my recent scenic drive tour has only conjured up plans for a re-visit to backpack the backcountry overnight and hike some of the incredible trails. The park was initially dedicated in 1906 and became a National Park in 1962.…
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“Age and Wisdom.” (poetry)
We do not celebrate wisdom, because it comes with age. Many fear age while never gaining its wisdom. Youth spends money, wisdom would never consider. Youth is fertile ground for speeding through life for what can be obtained patiently in time. Time builds wisdom, celebrating, living or suffering through life. Age is celebrated, reminiscing about…
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“Places in the World.” (poetry)
There are many places in the world, but none compare to traveling to witness vistas, landscapes, and wildlife. My current place on this planet is the above photos inside Bluewater Lake State Park in Prewitt, NM campgrounds. At over 7000ft above sea level, my current vistas are spectacular, from sunup to sundown. The night…
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“Appreciating natural surroundings.”
Usually, on the weekends mostly during the morning hours, a hiking trail fills with groups of people flaunting their newly purchased hiking and backpacking gear. These groups move along in packs of ten or more resembling a social bubble with verbal noise drowning out the beauty of songbirds chirping from the trees above. Many within…
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“Travel destinations and tours.”
My travel aura was projecting as I sat reading about my next destination inside my vehicle at an eastbound I-10 rest-stop in East Texas. Actually, it was my Florida tags Jess Duran observed who greeted me with a hearty “good morning and our conversation continued for the next hour or more about our travels past and…
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“Astonished tantrum.”
I have witnessed unbelievable angry tantrums and lost tempers by toddlers, children, teenagers, and adults. But, during a lovely wedding, I watched a 5’4″, 160-pound, grey-haired woman, with bright red lipstick and crimson rouge applied to her cheeks, in her mid to late eighties. I have heard her calmly tell anyone she was age sixty-five. …
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“Vaguely bestowed history.” (short story)
Ms, Charlotte Wetzler, was seated on the main stage, looking out upon well over 500-hundred guests who are her former students and the recipients of her 42- years of teaching eight and ninth grade American and World history. Accompanying the stage with Ms. Wetzler are members of her school’s administration, School board members, politicians and…
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“Rubber Mallet.” ( short story)
With each swing of the mallet, I pound the spike deeper into the ground. Anger, jealousy, envy, and hate fuels my swings but, I cannot stop pounding the spike more profoundly into the ground until my arm and shoulder begin to ache as tears and sweat streaming along my cheeks. I hear the faint echo…
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“Authentic Migrations.”
Capturing sunrise photos while stopped at the “Sols Cliff scenic overlook with views of Bar Harbor Maine from inside Acadia National Park. The crisps winds of an early September cold weather front, caused my eyes to tear and blur my exquisite views leaving only the distant ocean waves sounds lapping against the shore for my…
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“Montgomery Alabama.”
On a cold rainy spring day, I toured several critical locations in the city of Mongomery Alabama which is ground zero of the Civil Rights Era in America. In 1877 the Dexter St. Baptist Church was founded when congregants moved from the First Colored Baptist Church in Montgomery Al. In 1954, at 26-years of age,…
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“Our timeless love.”
Our family, our children, forty years we made. The mind-numbing daily routine we made. Our separate sleeping bedrooms we agreed. Because of commitments, our love has become veiled from one another, allowing our hearts to become etched hallowed caves. Our separate cars to attend church we agreed. Our time for one another is thwarted with…
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“Churn or grind.”
The daily WordPress word prompt inspires thoughtful, creative writing ideas based on the WordPress user’s past experiences with the word which can hold various meanings and definitions. The word churn, cause me to think of the word grind. Let me explain, the word “churn” based on my history holds significant connotations, when my high school football coach used…
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“April is poetry month.”
April is National Poetry Month, and I’m creating inspired poetry daily to celebrate events online, at libraries, and communities everywhere. A mindset for poetry can be inspired and created by the surroundings of your room, home, community, and humanity. But nature can be the stimuli exposing your five senses to create poetry from your soul. So…
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“Radiant eyes.”
From the time, I saw her from across the dance floor, I was tranced into seeing them closer. Standing in front of her, I was awakened by her voice with my mouth opened breathing heavy, I was mesmerized by a uniquely beautiful pair of eyes. When I spoke, I was happy with her politeness…
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“Layers upon layers of hope.”
Attending a funeral, a retirement gathering, a college or high school graduation, of a family member or friend allows for personal self-reflection. Your thoughts peel away layers of life’s reality igniting and stirring emotions, to bring tears to your eyes similar to peeling layers of an onion. Life is similar to the layers of an onion when reaching…
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Betrayed and frantic, I think not!”
Since Feb I have enjoyed and settled into the Florida warmth, and because of cold temperatures, I used my backpacking pants’ less than a week. As March winds to an end, my mind repeatedly drifts to traveling the roads in the vast western US and hiking/backing treelined canopy trails. Although my focus has been to…
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“I’d Rather Be.”
The weekly photo challenge asks the question where would you rather be. The following photos reveal where I would rather be as photography allows for the repeated return to moments when the original photo was taken, over and over and over forever. Within the past two years, I have traveled to many different locations…
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“Identical.”
Every day since forever, I have seen you, and we are identical twins. I look into your eyes, and I see the mirror image of me. I have seen pictures of you, and you look like me. Your cheekbones, lips, eyebrows, and chin are all like mine. We are identical twins? As far back as…
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“Invisible.”
See my elegance? My jet black hair was cooked and processed with waves galore, against platinum silver and neon green, circumferencing from temple to temple rising to the cowlick above the top of my head. My head held high, arms across my chest, I stood erect and poised like the dandy I am, dressed in my…
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“Blushed.”
Casandra entered the room, and I could not make eye contact, She walks past my table, and I look down at my paper, I sensed a connection, but I’m too shy to speak. Brian will not notice me when I walk into the classroom. He will not acknowledge me with eye contact. I walk past…
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“Time to return to the trails.”
As the days of March wind down and I continue editing, re-editing and repeating the process of my short stories. The recent cold weather in Southwest Florida provoked a wrinkle in my ability to sit outside and write. So, I traded in my shorts, tank top, and flip-flops for my long pants and long sleeve…
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“Meander.”
During my lifetime of travel along the back roads, my reason to stop is best described as “distracted.” by what my eyes witness and I want to learn and discover the details of my initial distraction. I developed this type of travel during my twenty-five plus years of riding my touring motorcycle across the US…
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“Suddenly there is no sound.”
Suddenly there is no sound of the trail, but I feel and hear my heart pounding after my climb to summit the small peak of 2500 feet. My breathing slows matching the calmness surrounding me, and I pause to absorb the silence. I have replaced my forty hour work week noises of voices, car horns…
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“Defining our love.”
Our parents, families, and friends say we are too young to know love. We both wish and desire a love we neither know of or have ever experienced, yet, we have said “I love you” to one another unknown of loves potential and power. I believe we share a love for one another that…
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“A Grey Nomads Gap Years.”
My plan for the day was to set up somewhere along the beach to write and read all day on a picnic bench under a shelter looking out onto the Gulf of Mexico. My location today is called the “Little Hickory Island Beach Park” located in Bonita Springs FL 34134. The park is a sliver of…
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“Self-publishing courage.”
I want to start the first day of March 2018 with a cheerful hello to all of the followers of this site. For the next 30-days or so I’m developing a short story novel which I’m continually re-writing to my satisfaction and a submitting to a professional editor for critique. For the past year or…
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“Encrusted.”
As a caterer with twenty-two years in the business, I love the quote “Eating is a necessity, cooking is an art.” I once prepared dinner for 50-people, who attended an exceptionally elaborate wedding reception where everyone dressed in expensive named brand clothing like Chanel, Burberry, Hermes, Prada, Gucci, and Ralph Lauren. One of the guests,…
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“Travel guts: A special mode of travel.”
For over forty years I have traveled around the US for which my family and friends were astonished by the journey and marveled at the destinations completed on a motorcycle. My mother, forbid me to tell her when, or where I was going but demanded I call her immediately upon my returned home. Adventure travelers…
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“Valentines Day of love”
Well, it has come around again the commercially celebrated Valentines Day of love. It is the erotic, exotic, enticing, inspirational day for the expression and confession of love for one or more particular persons or ourselves. I write this blog post watching the sunrise from Smathers Beach in Key West Florida on this yearly holiday…
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Travel Fears? “Carpe-Diem”
Within the imaginations of everyone who’s creative ideas and thoughts are inspired or influenced by anything seen on television, read in a book or magazine, can become a reality. MJL I was influenced by television shows like Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, hosted by Marlin Perkins, National Geographic magazines and the used encyclopedias my mother bought.…
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“Travel, what title?”
When I began traveling in the late 80’s upon a 1987 Kawasaki touring motorcycle around the US, I never created or was bewildered with a title for what I was doing. However, over the years my family and friends have described me as crazy, unhinged, or weird to travel by motorcycle without no particular destination. Little…
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“Wedding anniversaries and a birthday: part #3” (Final)
The twins and Johnathan are in the rear seat of the car with their father at the wheel, as they travel along their driveway from their home to the main road. Johnathan is pitifully staring out the window wondering where they are going when his mother turns around in her front passenger seat to tell…
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“Wedding anniversaries and a birthday: part #2”
At 4:45 pm, their father, Jefferson Wheeler, was a third-generation farmer, who stood six-foot, seven-inches tall, with muscular arms, and a matching barrel chest. He was a hardworking, strict disciplinarian, and his deep baritone bass voice commanded the attention of everyone when he spoke. When he drove his tractor into the barn, he saw the…
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“Wedding anniversaries and a birthday: part #1.”
It was 4:30 pm on a western Nebraska farm, in the summer of 1969 with the humid July winds blowing as usual while the Wheeler twins Jason and Jacob who were age six and digging a hole in the backyard of their parent’s farm. Their 15-year old brother Johnathan was driving one of the families…
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“Inscrutable trill silhouetted in front of me.”
I was scared almost out of my seat when Sister Abigale screamed at the top of her lungs forcing all of the fifth-grade students to stared forward, but it was apparent the class prankster, Abraham Jefferson had been up to no good as he snickered and laughed aloud. Her anger was expected, as her voice trilled…
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“I’m candid, fairly agile living on island time.”
I was born and raised in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York, and the first time I saw photos of a beach, I dreamed of living on an island. As a teenager and college student, I was a formidable long distance runner with the agility of a Gazel, but my burning desire to live on…
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“The next dominant generation.”
I am a part of what some people call the greatest generation. When I consider how my parents who lived with nothing close to the conveniences I enjoyed as a child, progressing through my teenage years into becoming an adult, I’m proud to have survived based on today’s standards. I survive childhood without car seats,…
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“Blink.”
Fortunately, during my lifetime I have recorded hundreds of hours of video with accompanied thousands of photos of my now adult children. My recorded library reveals decades of family and friends, moments in time to include births, birthdays, milestone accomplishments, critical life-changing events, marriages, family reunions and yes even death. Viewing my recorded library of…
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“Candid.”
Be candid with me, I can take it. Honesty is the best policy when the truth is the foundation for any relationship. However, many lies are spoken in considerations of the feeling for family, friends and significant others. Candidly speaking one’s mind can become detrimental to any relationship or will it? The following candid question…
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“Study.”
As the college semester comes to an end, the mood of the students on the entire campus becomes stressfully solemn. Every nook and cranny is occupied as students seek silent locations for studying to assure themselves a grade worthy of not repeating the class. The University recommends study groups, flowcharts, diagrams, practicing old exams, recording themselves…
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“Natures Transformations.”
The desert is a great place to experience the beauty of nature when the approaching rains transform the landscape scenery. A weather system pushed through the Quartzsite AZ desert providing a beautiful rainbow, and marvelous skies. The mostly volcanic rock, sand, and quartz rock and many other various gems that are prospected in the surrounding…
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“Loophole.”
For twenty years’ or more, the theater’s dancers have taken a ten-minute break every hour during any rehearsal no matter how long they rehearsed. Three months into the theater season a pre-law student dancer read the complete contract and discovered a nutritious meal is supposed to be served during any rehearsals over four hours. When…
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“Horizon.”
My thoughts often drift to the Arizona desert horizon at sunrise during our two week Christmas break. My face brightens with a smile, and yet my heart aches for endless sights of our horizons. I dislike goodbyes as my eyes followed your silhouette beyond the sunset on the horizon. WordPress daily word prompt
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“Winsome Characters.”
When a child is born, they are an unwritten computer program learning from parents teachers and society. M. J. Leake
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“Viable at any age.”
Mel and Susan Hubbard a married couple were sitting on a park bench after walking three miles along the beach which they do every other day when Susan tells Mel, Happy anniversary. Mel reaches into his jacket pocket and hands Susan a wedding anniversary card. As Susan reads the card, Mel says aloud. One hundred…
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“Treated reservations.”
If you are lucky, your life will treat you to various forms and types of reservations. I have had room and dinner reservations and I have toured nature reserves and visited several 1st Nations Lands for what some people call Reservations also known as the “The Rez.” But my daily reservation is the moment of…
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“A blogger conversation.”
The first daily word prompt “conversation” is appropriate to begin 2018 since a blog post initiates a conversation between bloggers around the world. Four years ago when I began blogging my surprise was the conversations with other bloggers about every aspect of my blog postings. As my blog has expanded to different categories of short…
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“Finally 2017 ending, now 2018!”
Finally, with the end of 2017, the entire world is looking forward to 2018 with incredible optimism. Many people around the world will begin new healthy and personal habits in a new year, so if you find yourself behind on new habit changes, as the weeks and months of the new year progresses there are…
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“Silent bliss without a compass.”
I hiked a trail without a compass within the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument in the Robledo Mountains of Doña Ana County, New Mexico. The area is located at an elevation of about 4,500 feet above sea level in the Robledo Mountains north of Las Cruces New Mexico with views of canyons cut into the steep…
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“Legendary Inheritance.”
Fifteen years have passed since international Dodgeball star Lucas Leonard Lopez was seen on the court. However, his eldest son Lewis Leonard Lopez has followed in his father’s footsteps playing Dodgeball and graduating from his father’s alma-mater Potemkin University where he has led the Dodgeball team to four NCAA championships. The young phenom has chosen…
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“Relocate.”
For a weekend I relocated to Northern New Mexico in search of winter landscapes to photograph. My destination was the ski area in and around Taos New Mexico. I found sparse regions of snow and residents who were surprised by the lack of snow they usually would have experienced around the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I…
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“Gorge.”
The images do not reflect the cold temperatures, of the Rio Grande Gorge near Taos New Mexico of the magnificent engineering marvel of the bridge, draped in the beauty of a morning sunrise. One of America’s highest and most famous bridges, the route 64 crossing of the Rio Grande near Taos, New Mexico was completed…
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“Procrastinating Pressure.”
The significance of procrastinating pressure to complete goals is sometimes a necessary emotion when you find snippets of excuses to forgo what should be done. With thirty days to write 50,000 words, it may seem daunting at first, but with proper and essential preparation it possible to find success. Spending each day including Thanksgiving taking bites of the…
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“Exceptional Mistake.”
Mistakes are a part of life because life comes with morals but not application instructions. Mistakes of the heart usually provide a second chance. Mistakes are failures to learn from while building the knowledge and stamina to try again. So, mistakes will be made but don’t ever be afraid to try. Mistakes become exceptional building…
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“Popular outdoor activities interest continues.”
For baby boomers, it is believed that upon a certain age exciting, interesting outdoor and athletics activities are limited, curtailed, or not done based on age. However, for the active baby boomers, those assumptions are being destroyed with a vengeance. Remaining young in your heart, mind and more importantly, your body’s health is the popular…
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“Humanities pampered planet?”
What would our planet look like if the extinct land animals were to return? Would we make room for them to live in the wild? Would we stop clear-cutting the land allowing extinct animals to live in the wild? What would our planet look like if the extinct aquatic mammals and animals were to reappear…
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“Social media crumbs”
Social media produces journalling crumbs of our past. Crumbs for those you chose to see the highs and lows of your life. Wisdom can be gained from the crumbs of our past. WordPress daily word prompt
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“An iconic American road.”
I was traveling south along Nevada route 95 when I wandered into Las Vegas to visit family and to check out Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. When I told my uncle of my, intentions, he thought Red Rock Casino where after a great buffet dinner, I toured the casino and discovered a sports bar with eighteen…
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“”Penchant for poo.”
As a child growing up, I always had Labrador Retrievers as pets, and one of my chores was picking up after the dog. When I became an adult, I swore never to get another dog to avoid picking up poo. My kids grew up with cats a lot easier to pick-up after. Several weeks ago…
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“Disobey.”
I learned very early in my childhood before I started school that acting bad or being bad brought about a spanking or a scolding at the least. When I began school the report cards had a section labeled “disobeying,” and based on previous scoldings I knew never to have that box marked. One of my…
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“Sympathetic Peculiarities.”
The peculiarities of life and death manifest itself before, during, and after stressful painfilled tragic events. Personal reflections and contemplation about life, its meaning, and understanding its purpose are our thoughts during these times. Remembering the past, appreciating and enjoying the beauty of life itself is the goal we all can understand. Sympathetically remembering the…
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“Overcome.”
The word “Overcome” is over used, because everyone’s daily life is filled with moments, hours, days, months, and years of challenges. Without challenges, life will become boring and lackadaisical, and who would want to survive such a life? Whenever feeling overwhelmed and challenged, always remember this time will soon pass. (M. J. Leake) WordPress daily…
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“Anticipated Crescendo.”
As a traveler, I have encountered many others who’s mentality like mine is filled with the anticipated experiences of the journey and destination. The journey has numerous crescendos of discovery around the next corner, whats over the hill, and viewing an infinite horizon filled hope and anticipation. “A finite mind limits their imagination to travel.” (M.J.Leake)…
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“Elevating my knowledge of West Wendover NV.”
My travel mission was set to photograph the Bonneville Salt Flats with a refuel top off in the town called West Wendover, NV en-route to Reno NV. However, it’s been my custom to stop at the visitors center of all towns and communities. I was greeted by both of the two wonderful ladies in the photo below who…
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“Structure,”
The structure of nature can sometimes have no structure at all. The Bonneville Salt Flats white sands are a living sight to witness. The white sands distinguish no structure, only a blindness of white. The smoky haze from western fires dims the mountain’s outline leaving a blindness of white as far as the eye can…
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“Educated?”
The word educate is applied to every travel destination I encounter. There is something to learn no matter how many times I have visited any location. In the US just about every community has some form of fall celebration, and many are called October festival to raise monies for charities local communities, but more directly…
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“I am Pricelessly, Critical, to Continue.”
My last posting “Enamored with nature,” apparently was my 1000th blog post on WordPress. 🙂 My priceless blog life began 2013 when I signed up for a WordPress site, but I was critically involved in my retired lifestyle and the incredible outdoor activities of Southwest Florida to focus or develop a daily schedule to write.…
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“Enamored with Nature.”
After viewing and capturing photos of the natural beauty in Yellowstone National Park, I found the Flagg Ranch Campgrounds located along the John D Rockafeller Parkway in between Yellowstone National Park and five miles north of the Grand Teton National Park entrance. The campgrounds $40.00 fee was the steepest cost I had ever encountered for a…
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“Rhyme or Reason?”
Children who become teenagers and eventually adults are a wonderment of untold measurement. (M.J.Leake) As the days, months, years, and decades pass, with mothers day, fathers day, birthdays, and holidays gatherings the opportunity for love to be expressed is important. However, do not wait until the opportunity to say “I love you,” Make it happen during…
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“Heart Mountnain, Japanese-American Confinement.”
I love history and consider myself an amateur historian of American History, so when I entered the Cody Wy visitors center to see what the area had to offer, my interest was peeked to learn of a nearby Japanese confinement memorial. I was eager to tour the site located 12-miles northeast of Cody Wy…
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“Travel reflections in a Cody Wy Walmart lot.”
Some retirees try to recall memories and thoughts of their adolescent and childhood years. If they are able, they spend the second chapter of their lives fulfilling those dreams of years past. (M.J.Leake) Reflecting on my 30 years of travel mostly via a motorcycle, I have encountered thousands of people who have used every type…
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“My Homage to Travel Dreams.”
A retiree who accepts their status will become a happier person going forward into the second chapter of their lives. While many retirees remain in their past, never reflecting on their future. (M.J.Leake) As a child did I dreamed of flying or traveling around the world after reading about Amelia Earheart’s adventures and reading the…
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“Unfurl and Synchronized Traffic.”
Depending on where you live planning a trip from your home to travel across town can easily be accomplished depending on where you live. In the major metropolitan cities along both the east and west coasts of American, it can be a challenge of a life time to travel 10-miles in less than a…
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“Ooh, Shiny spot in the sky.”
Millions of people gathered in the major location around the continental United States to witness a solar eclipse at varying degrees. I was fortunate to see two sunset and sunrises in one 24-hour period… As the darkness increased, there was a certain calmness in the air as the crowd of several thousand quieted to take…
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” I begin my travels anew.”
The term “explorer” has been attached to people like Ferdinand Magellan, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Lewis, and Clark and hundreds of others. Today’s traveler/explorers use terms like nomadic, wanderlust, digital nomads, and overlanding. Most people “Google” every destination imaginable and explore a continent, country, city, town, province, from the comfort of a chair and with…
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” Opening your gate of lustful desires to travel.”
Within some people is a gate closing off a lustful desire they refuse to open called travel. Lights of curiosity shine along the creases tempting your wishes, but fear and comfortable complacency secure the gate and the dream dormant within you. Talking about or taking action to fulfill your desire is often criticized and in…
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“A collection of July’s daily words.”
A thoughtful writer can be a passenger with a quill and pen, tethered to a desk, plucking ideas of an original savage plot or caper with character arcs sailing along scampering and dashing to become personalities to love or hate. WordPress daily words
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“Patches covering magical molds of clay.”
You are a magical mold of clay, forever developing to become what you want to be. Overcoming your fears allowing dreams to discover what is over the next hill or around the corner expanding the imagination of many thoughts and ideas shaping your magical clay mold. Reflecting upon your past, who you are, where you…
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“Serendipity.”
It was a sunny Sunday morning as I waited in traffic for the light to change when the sounds of tires screeching interrupted my music. I instinctively peered into my rearview mirror to see a female on a bicycle dancing to music playing on her headphones unaware of the threatening sounds of injury as the…
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“Creatives, creativity, create.”
The human imagination has an unlimited capacity for creative ideas of any skill, form, and type beyond unknown insightful visions. Creatives can spend many years or a lifetime developing, and hone their creativity to satisfy the yearning of their insightful concepts and soul. For some creatives, their passions are not known immediately lying dormant within…
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“Focus.”
This week’s photo challenge is titled “Focus, ” and the photo I have submitted has several items of in and our of focus. The primary object, the bridge, with the setting sun, and the clouds above are in detail focus. The cars on the bridge, the head along the lower half of the frame, the…
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