NOW or NEVER — Travel WEST with us

 Yes, in all 39 years we have been looking at, talking about and 'dreaming' about the Midwest and West.

BUT with our total 67 trips to The Netherlands, also having done international consulting work through 2004, and being the tour guide and designated driver for house guests—it never got realized.

Due to our declining health, it was NOW or NEVER!

Pieter's heart condition since his open–heart surgery on September 3, 2010 and my chronic kidney disease in stage IV.

Off we both went, on Saturday, July 16 around 8:00; heading for our 1st destination for the night:

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Marion, IL←click link.

This was at 8:08 in our driveway and the mileage was at 13,633 or 21,940 km.

At 11:49 we had Atlanta and Marietta, Georgia behind us, and were now in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Interstate-24 W.

Nickajack Lake, created from Tennessee River by Chickamauga Dam, around 12:13 past Chattanooga, Tennessee

Pit stop along Interstate-24 in Tennessee, almost halfway for the day...

The Luther Draffen Bridges carry Interstate 24 over the Tennessee River in western Kentucky

This was around 14:50.

Keep in mind, that my photos, made with one hand while driving, are NOT the best.

Pieter cannot handle it at the speed of Interstate driving, due to his eye sight problems.

Luther Draffen Bridges ←click link

Those Bridges are SO IMPRESSIVE to cross...! 

Around 15:13, I was crossing yet another marvel; the Paducah Bridge on the Interstate 24 over the Ohio River between Paducah, Kentucky and Metropolis, Illinois.

Yes, large rivers often are the state border!

Paducah Bridge ←click link

Actually two subsequent arches!

This is excellent, as seen from up high in a truck; Crossing the Ohio River on I-24 into Illinois ←click for short video

Around 15:59 Pieter was gassing up, for next day at gas station right across from our hotel.

License plate RUN8632 but the maximum speed that Relive shows is NOT accurate!

Right across from our destination for that day, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Marion, Illinois.

We had a relaxed night in room 303

Timely arrival after 8 hours and 37 minutes driving and covering 910.8 km or 566 miles.

We went from Georgia, through Tennessee, Kentucky and into Illinois

Enjoy this short 2 minute Relive video below:

Stay tuned for our next day...

The BIG Reveal and Moonflower—Ipomoea alba

 So FINALLY I will show you the BIG Reveal of Pieter's Completed Wood Trail Mega Task!

Just walk with me as I show you in this 1:30 minute video and I do talk English!Video taken on July 7. Don't forget to click on 'CC' for seeing English caption...The first part shows the HUGE laurel oak tree Quercus hemisphaerica.

Pieter took these images last night after heavy thunder and thus dark weather.

That 'tricked' our Moonflower — Ipomoea alba, into opening up instead of waiting till dark!

Some insect seems to be snacking on its heart–shaped leaves...

They are gorgeous

Related links:

Pieter's Outfit from Khazana at Taj Palace New Delhi Hotel | previous post where Pieter also shows this Moonflower—Ipomoea alba

Pieter Captured our Estate + Progress for me to View While in Limburg | previous post by me

Pieter Capturing his Progress on the Wood Trail while I was in Limburg | previous post by me

Celebrating at Ristorante da Maria my Safe Arrival Home

 We certainly had a VERY GOOD reason for celebrating with a delicious dinner at Ristorante da Maria!

Lady Chef Maria Runggaldier as published in: 5 FIERCE FEMALE GEORGIA CHEFS YOU SHOULD KNOW←click link

On Saturday, June 25th we both went out for dinner...

We were so engaged in conversation that I FORGOT to capture the Appetizer and already had eaten a few bites from the First dish: Summer Lasagnette with mozzarella, tomatoes and basil pesto, topped with Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

As always we both opt for the healthy living and select Seafood–Entrée:

Scallops and Shrimp over a light "putanesca" sauce with butter, cherry tomatoes, capers, green olives, garlic and fresh parsley.

Maria had potatoes with French beans and breaded egg plant with it.

Pioneer Pieter sure deserved such a great 5–course meal; he'd lost some weight doing such a Mega Task for weeks on end.

Happy to be together!

Wearing my Escada skirt and twinset.

Sorbet:

Pineapple/Lemon Sorbet

Dessert:

Semifreddo Parfait

Half frozen Moscato/amaretto Parfait with merengue, served with fresh berries over strawberry coulis.

~

It was heavenly—as always at Ristorante da Maria

Happy Back Home and Riding Our Bikes

 Yes it sure did feel GREAT for being home again!

Regardless all the love and joy from being with friends and family...

Pieter looking happy as well on the day after my return.

We were ready to go to Church.

Still bird–poop from those sweet Eastern Phoebe babies that left their nest while I was abroad.

Pot Plants on our Patio...

Happy me in my summery silk Escada dress and wearing my pearls and Marc Cain shoes.

The next day, back on my bike and riding along with my Pieter

Pieter in his t–shirt on our usual wooden bench on a friend's property for our mid–way rest stop.

Home from another bike ride and the kitty welcome committee is always on the driveway!

From left to right: sibling kitties Tiggy–Tiger, Spunky and Spooky–boy.

Sibling brother Bandido to the left and front sister–by–adoption Speckie also joined now.

Related link:

Eastern Phoebe Reside in Front Porch with Babies | previous post by me

Pieter Captured our Estate + Progress for me to View While in Limburg

 After doing the usual watering in the morning for keeping plants and shrubs alive, using the electric pump and water from our pond, Pieter made another round for me to SEE how our Estate looked like.

June 7, our Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno',

A near perfect bud

Looking inside

Our Fiberglass Window Boxes alongside veranda and bay window area of kitchen on June 8.

These are our double greenish white flowering petunias; Blanket® Double Chardonnay Petunia Plants ←click link

Our Moonflower, a night blooming Ipomoea

Near our Vinyl Picket Fence Hibiscus syriacus 'Diana' - Rose-of-Sharon 'Diana' 

Our double blooming Hibiscus syriacus Jeanne D'Arc

Fiberglass Window Boxes on retainer wall near driveway on June 9 with Golden Lantana that trail down.

Detail and you see an empty can of wood preservative for Pieter's Wood Trail Mega Task...

He spent quite a lot on that trail, going back and forth to Home Depot.

These photos are all from June 9, around 8:40 after breakfast time.

Looking all so lush!

Our Palm trees.

Palm Trees with the tall Italian Cypress.

And all Pot Plants around...

Happy and well cared for Pot Plants and Palm Trees!

Our Home seen from the back, taken from the gazebo area.

We both love the sight of the house without that humongous live oak there.

The bare spot still needs to fill in with grass but in a couple of years, that too will be done!

The progress of the Wood Trail on June 11

Detail with the axe to the right for attacking roots that were in the way...

Pieter's shadow is visible with his iPadPro.

Another short 1:55 minute update on Pieter's progress, captured on June 11.Oh, I KNEW that he was aiming for having it all DONE when I would come home!

Photo taken on June 14, around 8:15 after breakfast.

Showing all the cut up 22 inch boards, that Pieter got at Home Depot.

By having several rotten boards he was short of several in the end.

We used to buy those 22 x 22 inch squares with boards from Lowes in 1993 through 1996 but they are no longer available. Only 3 seconds, video taken by me on June 21 and to the right you see the blue tarp that went over those 

cut up 22 inch boards from Home Depot, to protect them from heavy rain.

The FINAL part seems always to be hard. 

Photo from June 21 shows clearly the elevated way of this newly laid wood trail.

The rotten boards and beams that were buried in the ground still needed to be gathered up along the trail.

We also need to get rid of the black bottomless trash can, left on our property by some workers...

Related links:

Our Agapanthus and Wood Trail | showing our first Wood Trail laid out

Pieter's NEW Love—While I was in Limburg | previous post by mePieter Capturing his Progress on the Wood Trail while I was in Limburg | previous post by me{Our Hibiscus syriacus 'Diana' - Rose-of-Sharon 'Diana'} | previous post by me{Our Hibiscus syriacus Jeanne D'Arc & Our Life in Italy} | previous post by me