Saturday, October 31, 2009

The Bat Cave Has Been Found

In Texas we found Waldo. Now we have found the Bat Cave. Did not have time to go see it but it says --- Bat Cave....just in case you ever want to see it!!!!!

Carl Sandberg's Home

On the way back home (wherever our motorhome is) we saw signs to Carl Sandberg's Home (1878-1967). He lived at "Connmare" from 1945 to 1967. He was known as the poet of the people, Lincoln biographer and Pulitzer Prize winning author.


We were too tired from our trek around the Biltmore Estates to walk up to the home but here is a beautiful picture of it overlooking a lake.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Biltmore Estates - Asheville NC

The Biltmore Estate House was built by George Washington Vanderbuilt (sorry Teri!!! it was not the "Biltmores"). He was a bachelor and had inherited 10 million dollars from his grandfather's 100 million dollar shipping fortune. (His father had increased that to 200 million). It was officially opened on Christmas Eve 1895. He had decorated the house himself. Three years later he married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser and in 1900 their only child, Cornelia, was born there.

Cornelia married the Honorable John Francis Amherst Cecil. In 1930 the Cecil's opened the house to the public in 1930. Today the Biltmore Estate is still a private family business run by Cornelia & John's grandchildren.

The Biltmore Estates are on 8,000 acres and include the Biltmore House, a winery, a garden, an inn, a carriage and trail ride barns, a farm plus a shopping and restaurant area in the stables next to house.

It was especially beautiful with the fall colors as you drive to Biltmore House. There are several rivers and lakes on the Biltmore Estate.





The Biltmore House has 250 rooms and with all the other places to tour on the estate you could take days to see it all.

The Stable Cafe is actually the old stable next to the Biltmore House. We had a combo dinner that included chicken, ribs, and pulled pork with corn spoonbread (like stuffing), collard greens, coleslaw and corn bread. It was truly a taste of the south.




This time of year the gardens are full of mums. Most inspiring.

This is the Inn on Biltmore Estate. It has 213 rooms. It would be a perfect place to stay for a few days or a week when touring the estate.

The winery is 4-1/2 miles from the House and you can tour the production area and enjoy a wine tasting afterward.



We realized we needed more than one day to tour the entire Estates so the next time we are in town we are coming back.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

The Bird and the Mirror

We could not decide if he was courting the mirror or fighting the "other" bird in the mirror. He kept at it for hours. Up on the top, down to the arm and fluttering to the top again. It was interesting to watch.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Website Project is Almost Done

I can finally say our transition to the new website format is done enough we can breathe a bit. We ended up with 214 courses that required transition to the new pHp format. Now we only have 29 left. We are a lot more organized and new courses will be a snap to put up.



After North Carolina we headed to Myrtle Beach South Carolina. Lance was going to play in the World Amateur golf tournament. This year they had over 3,000 players. He had a great time though no big wins to report.

So, even though Lance is loving all his golfing, I have to have him stop talking about it. I am a little tired of golf at this point!!!!