Sharing photos, videos, vintage images I've discovered, and -- occasionally -- commentary and thoughts from retired life and travels.

April 2010

Smart phone?

April 30, 2010

palm_pre_plus

While we’ve both had a cell phone for a number of years now, neither of us have been inclined to want anything more than a plain-jane, run-of-the-mill, simple phone.

When the i-phone came out, it looked interesting and like something that would be really great for some folks.  However, I really didn’t see much use in it – for me.  Or any of the other smart phones that are out, for that matter.

I know.  There’s an ap for this and an ap for that, everywhere an ap ap.

A whole bunch of aps to spend time and money on – time and money that could just as well be used on other things.

Also, I really didn’t want to have to pay extra for a data and email plan – when it really didn’t seem like we would be using it that much.  When we were considering a new phone, we actually thought about getting one smart phone and one not-so-smart phone, but it was only a passing thought.

Yesterday, we finally decided to go for it and get new phones and stopped at one of the local Verizon stores.  We switched from AT&T, who had bought the company we had originally been signed up with, Cingular.  Until 2008, Verizon wasn’t even available in our area,  but then they bought Alltel, which had been our service provider before Cingular.

We went with the Palm Pre Plus.  While it’s got plenty of bell and whistle features, the current pricing and options for it were the best fit for what we were looking for.

We’re still working our way through setting all of the contact lists up and figuring the things out.

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We know a few people who still do not have cell phones, let alone a smart phone.

What about you?  Cell phone? Smart phone?  Old fashioned home phone only?

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A short spring time trip

April 29, 2010

Last week we took a short trip to eastern Arkansas and, after that, over to northeast Kentucky.

Camping Area B, Village Creek State Park, Arkansas, April 19, 2010 - our camper

Lake Drum, Village Creek State Park, Arkansas, April 19, 2010

Camping Area B, Village Creek State Park, Arkansas, April 19, 2010

Our first campground was at Village Creek State Park.  The park is located on Crowley’s Ridge, a geologic anomaly of rolling hills in eastern Arkansas’s Mississippi Alluvial Plain.

With five trails totaling 7 miles, we had hoped to spend one day in the park doing some hiking.

Unfortunately, there was some kind of gnats hatching out.  After taking one walk the first evening where we couldn’t get away from them, we decided to alter our plans and check out some of the other parks in the area.

The first day, we went to Parkin State Archeological Park and Jacksonport State Park.  The next day, we drove over to Memphis and spent a few hours at Mud Island.  I’ll be posting more on these as I get the photo gallery set up for each one.

The last evening that we were there and the next morning before we left, we didn’t have much problem with insects at all.

Our next destination was Paducah, Kentucky, so that Karen could go to the annual Paducah Quilt Show.  Karen has several posts on her blog from the quilt show:

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Gardens in the Woods

April 27, 2010

A couple of weeks ago, we took a drive down to Hot Springs to visit Garvan Woodland Gardens.

(Click on any of the images to view larger version)

Garvan Woodland Gardens azalea

Garvan Woodland Gardens full moon bridge

Garvan Woodland Gardens sign

We’ve been in Arkansas for nearly 30 years and this was the first time we had visited this wonderful attraction.

Photos from the visit are included in my newest photo gallery, Garvan Woodland Gardens, Hot Springs, Arkansas.

The Garvan Woodland Gardens is a botanical garden  in Hot Springs, Arkansas, USA. The 210 acre garden is owned by the University of Arkansas and open almost every day during daylight hours, for a fee.

The gardens are situated on a wooded peninsula with 4.5 miles of shoreline on Lake Hamilton. The gardens feature rocky inclines reminiscent of the surrounding Ouachita Mountains, floral landscapes, streams, and waterfalls in a natural woodland setting, plus a Japanese Garden with Japanese maples and tree peonies, a conifer border, and various flower and rock gardens. Its collections display hundreds of rare shrubs and trees, including camellias, magnolias, roses, and over 160 different types of azaleas. (Wikipedia)

Gallery: Garvan Woodland Gardens, Hot Springs, Arkansas.


See more of our Image Galleries at Haw Creek.

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Another awesome video from the volcano. (video from ITN)

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In this video of the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, shock waves can be seen emanating with each explosive  pulse of lava, clearly causing displacement of the cloud of smoke, ash, and steam.

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Aerial Ore Tram

April 23, 2010

Aerial Ore Tram


Gallery: Silverton and Animas Forks area – September 6, 2009

(click on image for larger version)


Ore from the Mayflower Mine in Arrasta Gulch was carried nearly two miles on an aerial tram to Mayflower Mill while miners often rode the buckets up to work. Since the heavily loaded buckets ran downhill, gravity did all the work and little power was needed to pull the empty buckets back up to the mine.  Except for a few years in the 1950s, the mill ran continuously for over 60 years.


See more of our Image Galleries at Haw Creek.


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