Back to Canada

We were excited when we got up today because we were going to see two Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Buffalo NY.

The Martin house is huge. There are actually six buildings on one acre. The main house is connected by a beautiful covered walk to the conservatory, where there is a replica of the Nike statue. You can see the statue all the way from the front door. It is a distance of 180 feet, very impressive. www.darwinmartinhouse.org

The Martin family asked FLW to also design them a summer home on Lake Erie. We headed to Graycliff for our second tour of the day. This second house is nothing like the first. The house sits on top of a 65 ft cliff. There are stairs leading down to the beach, but they are not in use at this time. The house is intimate, with views of the lake from almost every room in the house, and ideal for a summer cottage. www.graycliff.bfn.org




Then we went to see a boathouse that FLW designed in 1905 and was finally built in 2007. Everywhere we looked, we could see his unique design touches. www.wrightsboathouse.org




After this we headed back to Canada, we paid the $3 toll, answered a few questions at customs, and drove north an hour and a half to Toronto, Ontario. We were too late to get a map from the visitor center, it had already closed. We got to downtown Toronto and stopped at Union Station. Bernie went inside and found a couple of maps.










As we got close to downtown we saw the CN Tower, the tallest building in the world at 1815 feet. Driving through downtown the first thing we noticed is that it looks just like Times Square in NYC. There are bright lights everywhere and huge advertisements and video screens. There was a concert downtown and tons of people everywhere.

We drove around searching for a place to park. After a while, we spotted a parking lot on a corner that looked empty. We went to check it out and it was perfect, surrounded by buildings and right next to a small park. The lot has free overnight parking and it’s only $8 during the day. It is located at the corner of Bloor and Bedford. The lot can be seen from Bloor but the entrance is on Bedford.

We decided to stay, we were exhausted. Without cell phones or internet access, we just read for a little while and then went to sleep.

Hit and run

The good news is that we are happy to be in Canada. The bad news is that we hardly got any sleep last night. This is a small parking lot with a bar, stores open 24 hours, and even a small gas station. There were cars coming and going all night, people talking, and doors slamming.

And the worst thing is that in the middle of the night, someone hit our Bella and then sped off. We couldn’t believe it! Lucky for us, there is no real damage, just a smudge on the rubber part of the front bumper.

We got up tired and sleepy. We drove back to The Falls to take a look at them in the daytime. It was a beautiful day today. The Falls look so powerful that they give you a sense of pure energy. What a magnificent work of nature.

Next we headed to Buffalo NY. We didn’t plan to go back to the states this way, but we realized how close we are to two of the houses by Frank Lloyd Wright, so we just don't think we should miss them. We called and scheduled both tours for tomorrow, one at noon and the other at 2 pm.

We headed across Rainbow Bridge to NY and went directly to the first house to take a look at the area. We then searched online for a coffee shop and after a few phone calls, we found Sweetness Seven.

This is an adorable corner coffee shop that serves coffee and lunch items. This artsy place is whimsically decorated and every table is painted in different patterns. It is definitely a charming setting that mixes paint colors and real block walls with antique cabinets. We tried the American iced coffee and it was delicious. The size was generous for the price as well.

Then we went back to the FLW house and parked on the street, right in front of the house, so we can be here for our tour tomorrow.

Canada for the third time

Some days no matter how much you plan, you just have to go with the flow. That’s what we did today.

We woke up in Mexicantown and drove across the Ambassador Bridge to Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It was only a ten minute drive and a $4 toll. We want to see as much of Canada as we can and this was so close, we just had to go, plus we haven't been to Ontario before.

We got gas on the US side and paid $2.30 per gallon. Going through customs was simple and quick. They asked a few questions about our visit, handed us back our passports, and off we went.

Our first stop was the visitor center where we picked up information about things to do in Windsor. On our way out of the visitor center, we realized that we probably won’t be this close ever again to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. We had gone last winter when we were in NY but it was too cold then to really enjoy them.

So we went back inside the visitor center and got the map and info about The Falls. We then drove east for about 4 hours to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Our Lola doesn’t work in Canada, so without the guidance of our GPS, we have to rely on paper maps only.

Once we got there we found parking and walked a mighty distance to check out the rushing water. It was dark by now and there were tons of tourists speaking all different languages. We decided to wait for the fireworks that started at 10 pm. They were magnificent over The Falls, but unfortunately they didn’t last long.


Next we tried to find a place to park for the night. Without a GPS or internet access, in such a crowded tourist area, this wasn’t an easy task. We were exhausted. As we drove around we saw a Tim Horton’s in a small shopping strip and decided to stay there. Tim Horton’s and some of the other stores here are open 24 hours.

Spirit of Detroit

After we got up and ready to go, we noticed the fridge was out. Bernie checked the propane and realized it was empty. When we went to return the RedBox movies, we saw that the screen had been shot the night before so we couldn’t return the movies.

Bernie went inside Walgreens to borrow the yellow pages to find a place to refill the propane. The clerk knew of a place and wrote down directions for us, that was very helpful and it saved us some time.

We went to find another RedBox and then the U-Haul place to get our propane filled. The guy who helped us, Billy, was very nice and had a lot of questions about our trip and our life on the road.

Next went to see the Heidelberg Project. This project was started by a man who was troubled by the effect of the Detroit riots on his neighborhood. With the help of his wife and grandfather, they cleaned up the vacant lots. Then using the found objects they collected, started transforming the area into a massive art environment.

Everything is decorated here, the houses, the trees, the streets and the sidewalks. We saw everything from stuffed animals hung all over a house, to a sculpture of doors piled high, to shoes stuffed inside a stove. This is truly a unique place. www.heidelberg.org

After that we went to Belle Isle Park, an island park in the Detroit River which is the largest island park in the US. We drove around the whole island looking for the beach. As we got closer we saw a big slide with a pool. It looked really fun so Bernie had to do it. Then she went into Lake Huron for a swim while Mar read her book on the sand.


Then we drove to Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit to see the Michigan Labor Legacy Landmark. This monument has two arches with a gap in between representing the labor movement. Hart Plaza had several other monuments, like an Underground Railroad memorial and a huge sculpture of a hanging arm with a fist.

We also saw the Spirit of Detroit across the street, a large bronze statue of a seated figure holding in one hand a sphere with rays symbolizing God, and on the other hand, a family group symbolizing all human relationships.





Then we went to check out Mexicantown. We saw several of their stores and had dinner at the Mexicantown Restaurant. We split the trio appetizer for dinner and Mar got one of their homemade tamales. The food was pretty good but the margarita was better. We stayed in their huge parking lot for the night. www.mexicantownrestaurant.com

Found

We had fun playing tourists today in Ann Arbor MI. We took the tour of Zingerman’s. First we checked out their bakeshop and creamery, which are next door to each other. At the bakeshop we sampled the sour cream coffeecake (their best seller) and the Summer Fling Coffeecake, with lime and coconut. They were both pretty good but too sweet for our taste. At the creamery we sampled the fresh mozzarella cheese. Mar found it delicious but Bernie didn’t like it.

Zingerman’s has a passport for their tour. By collecting signatures on the passport at their four locations, you get a free Zingerman’s tshirt. So we headed to downtown to complete our passports at their restaurant and deli. www.zingermans.com

Once we had our new tshirts we went to explore downtown Ann Arbor. This is a delightful town. We found Braun Court, with little shops surrounding a courtyard with tables under the shade of trees. Here we went to Common Language, a very cool bookstore where we had a nice chat with the manager. Mar found an anklet here she really liked. She’s been searching for one for a while and finally found the right one. www.glbtbooks.com

Across the street, we went to Kerrytown, a unique collection of shops in a three story building. There was a paper shop with beautiful hand made papers and a fresh market with all kinds of goodies. Upstairs there is a store called “Found”, where they sell interesting art made from found objects. www.kerrytown.com

We had dinner at Café Habana. Bernie had the Cuban sandwich and Mar had the Media Noche. We both agreed that Mar’s sandwich was better. We were just glad to have found this place and be able to eat Cuban food again, it’s been a while. www.cafehabanas.com

On the way back to Bella we saw a really cute cake shop and went in. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that the owner has been on the Food Network Challenge several times. We got two cupcakes to go, one chocolate on chocolate and one malted chocolate. Unfortunately we were a little disappointed with the cupcakes. They were a bit dry and not very chocolaty.www.cakenouveau.com

After that we hit the road again. We drove east about 45 minutes to Detroit MI. We found a Walgreens where got a movie from RedBox and parked for the night.

The Beatles

After getting milk and the Sunday paper at Walmart we were ready to go. We drove east about an hour to Kalamazoo MI. First we went to the visitor center in downtown Kalamazoo. The center was closed and so was most of the town.

We then went to Kindleberger Park in Parchment MI, about five minutes away. In summer there are free concerts at the park every Sunday and lucky for us, today’s concert was a tribute to the Beatles. www.kindleberger.org

We got there extra early and got a great parking spot. While waiting for the concert to start, Mar read the Sunday paper and looked online for things to do in Michigan, while Bernie worked on the new jewelry she’s creating.

The concert started at 6:30 pm and there were lots of people. The group is called Shout and they are very good, they even dress like the Beatles and have the same haircuts. The concert was fun, there was crowd participation and we even got up to dance. www.shouttribute.com

After the concert we left Parchment and drove east another hour and a half to Ann Arbor MI. We listened to our Beatles cd while driving and sang along to pass the time. When we got to Ann Arbor it was already late. We found the Zingerman Bakeshop and parked there for the night.

Back to the beach

After our cup of coffee we headed out and drove north about an hour to South Haven MI. We did not take the highway again today. Lately we have done all our driving on back roads. It has been nice to see the small towns and the many farms along the way.

Once there we went to the South Haven Center for the Arts. They have some very quirky exhibits at this time. The one downstairs are sculptures using recycled objects. It’s very interesting to see "art" made from lid rings, plastic bags, hangers, and other common objects. The exhibit upstairs is by an artist who does pictures using hair. Yes, real human hair. It sounds weird but the pictures were quite nice. www.southhavenarts.org

There is an Irish store right next door. Bernie is part Irish so of course we had to check it out. It was a very cute store with lots of great gifts. The owner was there and she let us use her hose to fill up our water tank. Then we walked to the visitor center where we got some information about Michigan.

Next we headed to the beach. We were lucky to find parking right next to the sand. We set out to walk down the pier to look at the lighthouse. We sat on the edge and relaxed while taking in the beauty of this place.

We walked back to Bella because we were hungry. After dinner we decided to go for a walk on the beach. By then the sun was going down and it was a bit chilly so we didn’t get in the water but we got our feet wet.

On our way back to Bella it started to rain and we got soaked. After changing, Mar decided to surprise Bernie by going to get ice cream. While we were waiting in line it rained again and everyone tried to huddle under the eves. We split the brownie sundae with chocolate peanut butter ice cream. It was really good. www.shermanicecream.com

On the way there we had seen a Walmart just down the street so we decided to go there to park for the night.

Touchdown Jesus

Today we went to the American Countryside Farmers Market in Elkhart IN. This is an indoors market with a food court and two stories of stands selling produce, meats, baked goods, ice cream, clothing, jewelry, antiques, quilts, toys, you name it.

They had free health screenings at the Healthy Living Corner today so we went to have our cholesterol, glucose, body fat, and blood pressure checked. We were especially interested in the cholesterol screening. Mar’s is ok and Bernie still needs to work on lowering hers.

This market is huge and it was a nice place to look around. We got some plums and spinach from the produce stand. www.americancountryside.us

Then we drove west about twenty minutes to the University of Notre Dame in South Bend IN. We went to the visitor center and watched the eleven minute video about the history of the university.

Then we went to see Touchdown Jesus and the Golden Dome. Then Bernie went to mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. She went to the Grotto and drank the water there so maybe it will help her cholesterol.

Next we drove around downtown town a bit and then decided to go to Walmart to park for the night.

New look for Bella and the Road

After a year on the road, it was time to give our blog a new look. Hope you like it!

Four Winds

We had a small change in plans. We found out about the free tours at the Four Winds factory and since Bella is a Four Winds, we decided to do that today and check out to the farmers market tomorrow instead.

So we headed to Four Winds and took the tour with five other people, most of them from Florida too.

We saw the A wing, this is where class A motorhomes are made. We really wished we could have seen the class C wing instead. The guide was very nice and it was interesting to see the different stages of building a motorhome.

We haven’t had any luck finding rv junkyards in the area so we went to the parts department at the factory, since we were already there, but they close at 4 pm and the tour was over at 4:30 pm. No luck there either.

We then went to Walmart to get a few groceries, we rented a movie from RedBox, and got gas for $2.33.

Then we went back to the American Countryside Farmers Market, where we parked for the night, so we can go in and see it tomorrow.

RV museum

We think everyone should visit the RV Museum and Hall of Fame in Elkhart IN. We spent several hours there today exploring the many travel trailers and motorhomes, from very early models to some very modern ones. It was so much fun walking around and comparing the differences. We were able to walk through most of them. www.rvmhhalloffame.org

After the museum we located a few more of the gardens and murals of the Quilt Gardens Tour, including the one at Linton’s Enchanted Gardens which was the largest quilt garden we’ve seen so far. www.lintons.com

Then we went to find the house Bernie was born in. There is always something interesting about “going home", even if you can’t remember that home.

Next we went to the American Countryside Farmers Market to park for the night, so we can check it out tomorrow.

Windchimes

We woke up in downtown Elkhart IN, with the river on our right and downtown on our left. We hung out for a while when we first got up. Mar was working and Bernie was doing some woodwork.

A little later we looked out our window and saw a coffee shop called The Grind. We decided to go take a look. Upon entering we were struck by this hip place. There was cool artwork on the walls, comfy couches, and bookshelves with books, magazines, and games. We could have spent hours there.

Then we walked to the RiverWalk. This is a fun walk along the Elkhart River. On the way there we found one of the quilts of the Quilt Gardens Tour. The RiverWalk has a splash park where little kids were running around and having fun. There is also a manmade waterfall.

While we were there Bernie got a phone call from a family friend, they haven’t seen each other in over twenty years. So we went to visit Doris and Roger Stutsman. We had a very nice visit with them and then had to leave to make it in time for Bernie’s class at the Elkhart Environmental Center at 6 pm.



Bernie went to a class to learn how to make windchimes with recycled silverware. Angie was the teacher and about fifteen other ladies attended. Bernie’s table partners were funny and it was great watching them make their creations. Angie was a perfect teacher who was actually working overtime to teach this class.

Next we went to a free concert by the Elkhart Municipal Band at McNaughton Park. We had a picnic while listening to the band. The park is on the river and covered by trees. After the concert we walked the park near the river. It was a beautiful night and the weather was perfect.

We then went to the RV Museum to park for the night.

The walk and the fair

When we left Walmart today we headed to Wakarusa IN for the Waky Walk. The walk takes you through this small, friendly downtown while stopping at different locations.

Our favorite stop was the Dime Store, which is known for its jumbo jelly beans. We got to see their giant jelly bean quilt and Mar got a bag of assorted jumbo jelly beans for her daughter, who loves jelly beans. Jane rang up the purchase and Jen wrapped the package with great care. Mar went to the post office across the street to mail it right away. www.jumbojellybeans.com



Then we went to check out the ‘wall of drawers’ at the hardware store, where the gentleman said most people around those parts have remained loyal customers. The big hardware mega stores have not affected this small hardware store. Then we walked to the jewelry store where we talked with the owner for some time.

We made our way up and down streets that seemed like from another era. We found the lovely garden quilt and a beautiful mural on the wall, both part of the Quilt Gardens Tour.

We made another stop at the Dime Store. Bernie told Jen and Jane all about our trip and they were very enthusiastic listeners, with lots of questions and suggestions. When Jen heard we were not going to the fair because of the price of the tickets, she gave us two free tickets. Lucky for us she had extras and we were so grateful!

We then headed to the Elkhart County 4H Fair, the second largest in the country! Once there we wondered around from booth to booth and in and out of livestock showrooms. We saw Miss America riding on an old fashioned fire wagon pulled by 6 draft horses. We saw the rides but were too chicken to ride any of them.

Then we decided we could make an exception to our healthy eating plan and had fried dough with powered sugar. Our feet were sore and our tummies full when we left. Thank you Jen so much for the fun evening!

We then made our way to Elkhart IN, where Bernie was born. She is excited to be here. We found the Burton-Upon-Trent Park and parked for the night.

Quilt gardens

When we first arrived in Northern Indiana a couple of days ago, our first stop was the visitor center where we picked up a free two cd set about the Heritage Trail.

The cd covers 90 miles of a nationally recognized scenic route through Amish country. Along this trail, the Quilt Gardens Tour can be found this time of year.

Which is what we’ve been doing the past couple of days: listening to the cd, learning about the area and its history, and stopping at several places where either flower gardens or murals on the sides of buildings have been turned into replicas of gorgeous, colorful quilts. www.quiltgardenstour.com

It has been a fun way to see more of the Indiana countryside, with the farmhouses lining the roads, the high corn stalks, the beautiful prairies, and the smell of cows. Yes, the smells are included too.

Along the way we shared the road with many of the Amish who live in the area. We have seen lots of buggies with horses parked in parking lots. We even saw a husband asleep at "the wheel" of his buggy while he waited for his wife and children who were shopping.








The Quilt Gardens Tour includes 16 quilt gardens and 16 quilt murals in seven communities. It has been a wonderful and rewarding scavenger hunt.

Gangster watch

Today was a fun day and the weather was marvelous. We left the campground and headed into town. In true tourist fashion we visited what we could that was free.




First we went to Yoder's Meat & Cheese Company of Shipshewana IN. They have a huge assortment of Amish cheeses, meats, and other products. We got some really good sliced turkey for sandwiches. Tasting all the cheese was fun again today because we love cheese. www.yodersmeatshoppe.com

Then we went to the Courtyard of Arts. This courtyard is nestled amongst other businesses, some of which were closed on this Saturday afternoon. The gardens and the outside of the shops make this quite an adorable place. www.courtyardofarts.com


Next we walked down the block to the old fashioned ice cream social at the Blue Gate. The ice cream was home made vanilla and you could watch them make it. The street was closed to traffic where they had live music, games, pony rides, and carriage rides. www.bluegaterestaurant.com

After our ice cream we drove to Goshen IN and found the South Side Soda Shop, featured in the Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Bernie had the cheese steak sandwich and Mar had the veggie sandwich, both were nicely done.







We also got a mug of chili to try it because it was on the show. The chili was good and meaty, but a bit too spicy for us. They bake their own Limpa bread, we liked the texture of the bread but the flavor was a bit too unusual. www.southsidesodashopdiner.com





Driving back we saw on a corner of Main Street a tower post where police used to keep watch for gangsters coming to rob the banks on the opposite three corners. It is located right in front of the courthouse.



After that we went to Walmart to park for the night and got a couple of movies from RedBox.

Amish country

We got up and got ready to go quickly today. Turns out most places close by 5 pm in Amish country so we wanted to get an early start. Before we left, the school gave us permission to get water for our fresh water tank so that took care of one of the things we had to do today.

On our way we drove by a barn completely covered in license plates. We had to turn around because of course, we had to take a picture. Then we saw Rialta Heaven and decided to stop to check them out. Back when we first started looking at RVs we considered getting a Rialta but it didn’t work out. Bella looks so big in comparison.





We drove north for 40 minutes to Nappanee IN and there we went to the welcome center. This is a great visitor center with many different exhibits, there is even an old fashioned house that you can walk through.



We drove another half hour and made a quick stop at the Walmart in Goshen IN to get a couple of things.

After driving another 20 minutes we found the Deutsche Kase Haus cheese factory in Middlebury, IN. They have free samples available of all their cheeses. They were all very good and the prices are very reasonable. Bernie picked the yogurt cheese and Mar got the white sharp cheddar cheese. We also decided to get their delicious peanut butter spread, which we got to sample too.


After that it was getting close to dinnertime so we headed to Das Dutchman Essenhaus for some Amish style cooking. Mar had the roast beef and Bernie had the turkey. We both liked the roast beef better, it was really good. After dinner, we walked around the shops there for some window shopping. www.essenhaus.com

Then we decided to drive over to Shipshewana IN, about 15 minutes away. As we drove by the flea market we noticed a campground towards the back with very few RVs because the flea market is closed. So we decided to stay here tonight so we can plug in and recharge the batteries because we have not been driving all that much the past few days. www.tradingplaceamerica.com

Free play

Today we left Fort Wayne IN and drove about twenty minutes to the post office in Churubusco, IN to pick up our mail.

We got an extra package in the mail today. Mar handed Bernie the package and she was very excited to open it. It had two lightweight pants, one shirt, and three books. One of our friends, Kate, was having a yard sale because she’s moving and thought of us so she wanted to send us some things. We love the goodies we got from our friend Kate!

Then we drove west about an hour to Winona Lake IN. There we went to Grace College for the Master Works Festival. This is four-week classical performing arts training program with tons of free music, dance, and theatre performances, open to the public. www.masterworksfestival.org

We came to see the performance of “Our Town” at 8 pm tonight. They had lots of parking so we found a shaded spot towards the back. While we waited, Bernie tried to set up the satellite dish we just got. The installation manual wasn’t much help so she called customer service, but that didn’t help much either, she couldn’t finish it today.

After dinner, we went to see the play, it was pretty good and entertaining. Then we went back to Bella as it started to rain, so we stayed in the parking lot for the night.

Beds on wheels

As we were getting ready to go, Bernie went outside to take care of some things and noticed that there were yellow splatters all over the side of Bella, towards the back.



This made us realize what that noise was last night. The pangs we heard were from a drive by shooting with a paintball gun! We were shocked!







Thankfully the paint was still wet so we were able to wipe it all off with paper towels. We know this was a random act, being at the wrong place at the wrong time, but still makes us realize the vulnerability of our little home to the outside world.



Once Bella was all clean, we headed to downtown Forty Wayne IN and got an amazing parking spot. We went to see the Bed Race, one of the events of the Three Rivers Festival.

A bed race is just what it sounds like. People put wheels on all kinds of beds and then run while pushing the bed with one person on it, from one end of the street to the other. This was so funny. There were so many people out to see this race, the street was crammed and there was a festive atmosphere.



After the race we went to the Foellinger Outdoor Theatre to see The Tale of Despereaux. This was a free showing in an outdoors half shell with real theater type seating. The place seats several hundred people and it was pretty full, and there were tons of kids everywhere of course. We really enjoyed the movie.

After the movie, we stayed in the parking lot. We found some trees to hopefully get some shade for the morning sun tomorrow.

Noise in the night

Bernie walked to the 24 hour gym and did a work out that she really enjoyed. She burned 200 calories!

The tour of the gym, the workout and shower took pretty much all afternoon. By the time Bernie got back to Bella it was evening already so we decided to stay put. For dinner, we decided to try out the ribs place in this plaza. While we were walking there we saw a RedBox and got a movie for tonight.



Tuesday night is the rib tips special at Ziffle’s Rib Bar. We got the special with a garden salad. The salad was very good and the rib tips were pretty good. We were good because we did not eat all the fries that came with it.

Back in Bella we watched the movie we got from RedBox and then, because we had free wi-fi, we watched the Great American Road Trip on NBC.com. It is a show about seven families traveling Route 66 in their RVs. We had a few laughs, the show is so cute.

After that Bernie went to sleep while Mar continued to work on her laptop. A while later we heard a strange noise and couldn’t figure out what it was. It sounded like several pangs on Bella, they were pretty loud so it woke Bernie up. We looked out the windows and didn’t see anything. We waited and didn’t hear anything else so we thought maybe something fell from the tree we were under, so we went back to sleep.

Ice cream social

The first part of our day was spent taking care of Bella. Bernie did a major cleaning in the bathroom. With so many nooks and crannies, it took her half the day to get it all done. Then it was time for fun …

It isn’t every day you get to have ice cream while listening to live music sitting in your favorite lawn chair, but that is what we got to do today. As part of the Three Rivers Festival in Fort Wayne IN, the Indiana-Purdue University hosted an ice cream social tonight with music by the Fort Wayne Area Community Band.

We sat on the lawn with hundreds of other people, enjoying the music and our fifty-cent per scoop ice cream with chocolate sprinkles.

Then we found a 24 hour gym because Bernie wanted to work off that ice cream. It turns out they don't keep them staffed 24 hours so she couldn’t go in. We tried to find another place but had no success. We stayed in the gym parking lot for the night.

Chalk Walk

Today we got ready to leave. After packing everything up, including our new satellite dish, we hit the road. We didn’t get very far when Bernie remembered she forgot something so we had to turn around and go back.

We hit the road again and drove west about an hour and a half to Fort Wayne IN.

We went straight to downtown to the Three Rivers Festival. We got excellent parking and then walked down Main Street, which was closed to traffic, to see the Chalk Walk. www.trfonline.org

This is a competition hosted by the Museum of Art where dozens of people draw chalk masterpieces on the street. We really enjoyed looking at all the colors and creativity. www.fwmoa.org

Next we went to Walgreen's for some things we needed and found a place next door to park for the night under some nice, big shade trees. All that shade sure will be nice in the morning.

For the road

Today Bernie got to ride a John Deere lawn mower for the first time. She was asked to mow the lawn and this is not your average lawn, it is probably close to an acre.

The next thing on the list was cleaning the pool. This was actually nice after mowing the lawn, but she found out that getting the leaves from the bottom of the pool was hard work.

Today Mar did the laundry while watching the Food Network, her favorite channel.

Then we found out that Gene and Julie were heading off to a campground for the night with all the kids and their grandson. They left us in charge of the house.

While fixing dinner, Bernie decided to prepare some meals for the road and packaged enough meals for about five days. Then she sat down to watch her favorite channel, HGTV, while Mar caught up on her reading.

Cooling off

Bernie spent today weeding out a vegetable garden for Julie. It took pretty much all day.

Mar did the laundry today. She found a tv in the house where she could watch her favorite channel, the Food Network, and disappeared for most of the day.

When Bernie was almost done with the garden, Mar picked up a pitchfork to help her finish up.

When the job was done and they were all sweaty and tired, they sat down by the pool, stuck their feet in the water, and had a margarita to cool off.

Later Julie and her nephew knocked on Bella’s door. Bernie sat outside with them as they talked about RVing and all kinds of things.

Dish for Bella

Today we had to go grocery shopping so we went to the Walmart in Ottawa OH. Now that we are trying to eat healthy our shopping list is a little different than before. Shopping takes a little longer while we read and compare labels.

Next we headed to meet new folks in Dupont OH, about 15 minutes away. Dupont is a really small town, the whole town is about 15 blocks, with one traffic light, and no businesses. Julie and Gene emailed us to offer us their extra satellite dish, tripod, and receiver that they no longer need. It is all about six months old. This is great for us!

As we pulled into their driveway the first thing we saw was their rig, it is a huge 42 feet class A motorhome. We got the tour and were amazed at how much room there is, our Bella could fit in there a few times!

The town of Dupont is having a community garage sale this weekend. We sat outside with Julie getting to know each other, while people came by for her sale. It was a nice day to just sit and relax in the afternoon sun.

Julie's teenage daughter needed the battery cables cleaned in her car so Bernie did that for her. Then Juile and Gene bought us dinner, their daughter went to get wings for everyone.

After dinner, Bernie went with them to the house of Julie's sister, two doors down, to learn how to use a land level. On the way back Gene mentioned going to get ice cream. You should have seen the smile on Bernie’s face. They went to Twister’s and brought home a chocolate sundae for Mar.

Julie and her family are all very nice. It has been a pleasure to be here and meet them. Tomorrow Julie has some work for Bernie so it looks like we will stay a couple of days.

Tolerance

Today we drove north about an hour to Wapakoneta OH and found a place called the Temple of Tolerance. We were not exactly sure what we were going to see but with that name we knew we had to check it out. www.narrowlarry.com/nltot.html

It is amazing what people can do with their backyards. This temple is a huge backyard converted through years of labor and love, into a space to slow down and explore. As you meander down pathways you find all kinds of structures made out of found objects, everything from bowling balls to a metal door onceused in a prison.

Along the way there are several places you can just sit to enjoy. This labyrinth back yard is covered in some places with vines so thick you can't even see the sky and in others it is wide open. There are a series of iron gates taking you into the next section and then the next. We had a wonderful time here.

Then we drove north about an hour and half to Continental OH. As we drove it seemed the towns kept getting smaller and smaller. Once we stopped we scoped out a small park to park for the night. It was a beautiful night with a slight breeze so we decided to sit outside and eat dinner in the park gazebo.

Movie special

We went to Curves today and spoke with the owners who were very helpful and answered all our questions. They spent a lot of time explaining how things work and how things are done at Curves. It was very helpful information and much needed advice. We just need to figure out how to make it work for us on the road.

The Curves we went to is located at 4479 Far Hills in Kettering, OH, just outside Dayton OH.

To escape the heat, this evening we found a movie theater that has a Tuesday special and all movies are $1.75. At that price we decided on two, which took up our evening and the warmest part of the day. www.danbarry.com

Then we found parking in an empty lot across from the movies and stayed for the night.

Clifton Gorge

We woke today in our secret garden with the sound of silence all around us. After our cup of coffee we started getting ready to go.



Cheryl asked Bernie to show her how to use her propane camping stove and how to set up her tent by herself. Then David and Cheryl gave us some items from their garage sale, including a toaster oven. It takes up most of our counter space but may be more useful to us than the propane stove.

We were finally ready to say goodbye. We climbed in Bella and were off to see Clifton Gorge at John Bryan State Park, about twenty minutes away.


We found the stairs down to the gorge and hiked for about an hour along the river. This is a beautiful, peaceful place. We found our way to a spot near the river where Mar sat for a rest while Bernie explored the water.


After this we drove another twenty minutes to go see the Meyers Medical Clinic in Dayton OH, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. There was no mistaking his building, it bore many typical characteristics of FLW’s designs. We enjoyed identifying some of those, such as his use of horizontal lines, glass corners, and geometric shapes and angles.

Next we decided to find a gym because we want to start working out. This will be good for Bernie's cholesterol and for us in general. We found a local gym where Bernie got a guess pass, used a couple of the machines, and took a shower.

Next we located a Curves nearby. It was already closed so we parked there for the night, and will check it out tomorrow.

Raspberries and fireflies

Mar woke up early and happy, she gets so excited every time we go see a house by Frank Lloyd Wright. Last night we were able to park pretty close to the house so we just walked there when it was time for our tour.

Once there we found out we were the only ones on this tour, what a treat for us. The Westcott house is a prairie style house, much different from the other FLW houses we’ve seen. www.westcotthouse.org

The house has a slight Asian feel on the outside. The inside is done in wood and colored plaster walls. We learned about FLW’s innovative use of rainwater. He designed an elaborate system to funnel the water back to the house. This is quite interesting since this system is used today in many green buildings.

After this we drove about five miles to the home of Cheryl and David. Cheryl had sent us an email to invite us to raid their garden and park in their driveway.

We arrived in the early evening and they were very kind and welcoming. After connecting the water and electric, they took us for a walk on their ten acres of land. Then they took us to their garden, where we were able to pick green peppers, squash, rhubarb, lettuce, raspberries, beets, chives, and all kinds of goodies.

Then Cheryl showed us her secret camping place, where we could have a fire, sit and relax. Cheryl surprised us by bringing out some chicken breasts to cook over the grill with all our veggies. We sat around in this small fort like place enjoying the lovely evening while getting to know each other. The weather was perfect for sitting outside. Even the bugs didn’t bother us too much.

After dinner Cheryl and David invited us into their home for dessert. We had vanilla ice cream with fresh raspberries from their garden. It was delicious and refreshing.

Then they gave us the tour of their home, which was built in 1890. It is a beautiful house with great historic touches. They have lived here for over thirty years. Mar had started the laundry earlier and it was now done.

With our clean laundry we went back to Bella. We are parked in a small field next to the house, with pear trees and a big beautiful red barn. There are tons of fireflies everywhere and the stars are bright in the sky. Life is grand!

More fireworks

Today we woke up to drizzling rain. We took the movie back to RedBox and rented another one because we got a code for a free rental because of the holiday weekend. Then we took off towards Springfield OH, about an hour away.

On the way we stopped at an Amish store to look around. They had lots of wood furniture and lovely home decor. Then we drove through a small town that seemed interesting so we decided to stop to go explore.

We went around the block to park behind the main street shops and to our surprise there were murals on the back of the buildings. These were done very well, huge and colorful, and were quite interesting.

We then walked Main Street in Yellow Springs OH. Most of the businesses were closed because of the holiday but we found both a bookstore and a coffee shop that were open. The town seems interesting and modern, with a big emphasis on green living and artful expression. I turned out to be pretty cool for an unexpected stop along the way.

We made it to Springfield and found the Frank Lloyd Wright house where we have reservations for a tour tomorrow.

We found parking just around the corner and had a big, yummy salad for dinner. Then we heard fireworks going off and got to watch another fireworks show tonight!

Fireworks

We spent a wonderful, relaxing day in the parking lot of the plaza where we found the Joseph Beth Bookstore. The bookstore itself was amazing and so pretty. It is a huge store, with all kinds of great things to look at, not just books. We spent quite some time just looking around this store. www.josephbeth.com

Then Mar went back to Bella to do her computer work while Bernie went to explore the rest of the plaza.

When Bernie got back we decided to hit the road. Just as we left there we spotted a Bonefish Restaurant, which is where Mar had wanted to go for her birthday dinner but we could not find one before. We decided to go to this one because we have been wanting to eat more fish. The food was amazing in a great atmosphere, and it was very nice to just sit and relax.

When we left there we drove north about half an hour to Lebanon OH. As we were driving we got to see several fireworks along the way.

In Lebanon we stopped at Walmart to pick up some things. Then we decided to just get a movie from RedBox and stay in the Walmart parking lot for the night. We sat and watched the fireworks in the distance here too.

The weather has been wonderful lately, we have not needed the AC at all. There has been a slight cool breeze during the days and at night there is a bit of a chill in the air.

Burger and no salsa

Today we awoke in this tiny village with the cutest streets. The downtown is so very quaint, with beautiful buildings in older styles but with fresh coats of paint and lots of greenery. The streets are brick and the whole town makes you feel as if you've stepped back in time.









First we went to visit The Sanctuary of Nancy Noel, housed in a beautiful old church. Every wall is covered with the artist’s paintings, her specialty are portraits of children and animals. They have a restaurant that serves beautifully decorated fine chocolates and desserts. www.nanoel.com

After taking in the art we decided to walk the streets. It was a slightly chilly day, reminding us of fall weather, which makes it perfect for walking around town. We saw several small shops and then stumbled upon a coffee house.

We went in to check it out and were pleasantly surprised to find out it was their happy hour. We were able to try two different iced coffees for the price of one. We got one eagle mocha and one regular mocha. They were both very good and refreshing. www.eaglecreekcoffee.com

On our way back to Bella, Bernie spotted an art gallery and decided to peak in. Salem Art Gallery is full of vivid and brilliant colors that just seem to take you away to faraway tropical beaches. Bernie spent some time talking with the couple who run the shop, Bob and Lanita Salem. www.salemartreproductions.com

Then we left Zionsville and drove southeast for two hours to Cincinnati OH. We headed to Terry's Turf Club for the best burger in Ohio, according to the Food Network Magazine.



When we got there the line was out the door. It was almost 8 pm and when we asked how long the wait would be, they said at least an hour. We decided to wait. We figured if the locals are willing to wait for this burger, we must be in for a real treat.




We sat outside to wait. To help pass the time we sipped a Margarita while shelling peanuts. Terry’s Turf Club is a small place, with seating for only 40 people. An hour later, we got to our table.

With peanut shells all over the floor and neon lights blinking away on every wall, we placed our order for a burger with swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, and a wine and mushroom sauce. We were already being bad so we decided to forgo the fries.

The place was so crowded and the noise level so loud, it was really hard to carry on a conversation. We were starving by the time our burger came. This is one big burger, and not the greatest but it was pretty good. We don't think we would wait two hours for it again.

It was just past 10 pm when we left there. We drove ten minutes to Fountain Square in downtown to see if we could catch at least the end of the salsa concert there tonight. As we drove by we got to listen to the last song of the night.

We decided go to the Staples parking lot for free wi-fi. On the way there, we passed a bookstore with free wi-fi so we stopped there instead and parked for the night. www.josephbeth.com

More Benadryl

Today we drove about fifteen minutes to City Market in Indianapolis IN. The website said they were open till 6 pm and we were disappointed to see row after row of empty booths.

Lucky for us one of the few still open was a produce stand. We purchased some arugula and an avocado. Then we walked the rest of the empty market till we made our way back out. www.indycm.com

Next we drove about ten minutes to the White River State Park and went to the visitor center there. This is a huge suburban park with lots to look at. We had decided to get our bikes down to take a look around the park, when it started to rain. We were so bummed out. It would have been a perfect place to ride our bikes. www.discovercanal.com

Bernie is out of Benadryl and since we also needed some groceries, we headed out to find a Walmart. There Bernie talked to the pharmacist about the rash on her face but she didn’t have any new or different advice.

We got the Benadryl, a few groceries, a movie from RedBox and headed out. We drove north for about 20 minutes to Zionsville IN. We found parking behind some shops, had our dinner, and watched the movie. We can't wait to go out exploring tomorrow.