This is my neighbors house with the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window. My neighbor, apparently, won a Major Award, and frankly I covet it.

Said something about mind power.

I dread the day they take it down. I imagine I’ll hear the sound of “Taps” being played, gently.

Yes, these are all quotes, some paraphrased, from A Christmas Story. If you don’t know what I’m talking about click the link – and then buy the movie. That’s right, don’t rent it, own it.

So how are the lights in your neighborhood?

Photo by Whit Honea

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Pies!

Left – apple pie recipe
Right – pumpkin pie recipe

Photo by Laura Charon

Geese Gratitude

Photo submitted by Rosalind Cummings-Yeates, courtesy of garlandcannon via Flickr Creative Commons:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/garlandcannon/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Warmest wishes from America's Heartland for a safe and Happy Thanksgiving Holiday and by all means, if you happen to be traveling designate a driver.

Photo by Ed Lamaze

There's no better place to travel for Thanksgiving than home to family and friends. Here's to some good eating!

Photo by Phil Corless

Free-range turkeys enjoy their short-lived ability to roam at Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm in Sterling, CT.

Photo submitted by Kim Tracy Prince, courtesy of Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm

Vacationers visiting Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Photo submitted by Darren Farrington, courtesy and copyright of Plimoth Plantation.

Use every part of the turkey - even the box the roaster came in.

Photo submitted by Whit Honea, courtesy of Tricia Honea

Gobble, gobble.

Turkeys may not fly, but they’re arriving by the plate full.  Also, tofurkey.

Speaking of turkeys, people are traveling in mass this weekend and into next week.  No, I did not call you or your mother a turkey – just that one relative that you’ve called worse.  Turkey.

The roads are wet and covered in ice.  People are giving thanks and making merry.  Let’s be careful out there and enjoy our families, friends, assorted loved ones and coworkers.

Do it for the children. And the turkeys.

Photo by Whit Honea

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Where lost luggage goes to die. Sacramento International's "Samson" uses real suitcases!

Remember when airports became shopping malls? Sure, I love browsing for iPhones and sweaters or a burger and a beer as much as the next guy, but it’s just so lowbrow. Finally, the latest phase in airports is upon us: the art gallery. Here are just a few examples of airport art springing up in a concourse near you.

For the record, I like beer with my art, too.

Seattle, as usual, was ahead of the trend as Sea-Tac Airport went artsy in the 60s. Artist Trimpin's "On: Matter, Monkeys and the King" is a moving piece. Literally and figuratively.

Philadelphia Airport has both a permanent collection as well as a rotating exhibit. Among the mainstays is "Impulse" by Ralph Helmick and Stuart Schechter which consists of several thousand small birds that together transform into different shapes.

Austin-Bergstrom International features the paintings of Judy Jensen. Her luggage on glass series is, in her words, "like memories in the mind of the traveler."

Tucson features the famous flying carpets of the Southwest. Well, maybe not famous, but they're colorful. And they fly!

Craig Nutt's "Corncorde" in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport drips butter twice daily. Not really, that's just a corny joke.

Indianapolis features Ron Baron's art which is both fun and user-friendly. (Suit)case in point, it's art you can sit on!

Albany International is home to Joy Taylor's "Dream of Flight" which is made from 240 big foil leaves and they're falling - very, very, very slowly.

See, isn’t a little culture good for the layover soul? Also, beer.

__________________________________________

Photos featuring the airports of Atlanta, Austin, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Sacramento and Seattle were first featured at MSN Travel and are part of a larger slide show covering airport art.

Tucson photo courtesy of Seen Not Heard: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20186423@N00/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

JFK photo courtesy of DogFromSPACE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sterlingely/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Albany photo courtesy of Albany International Airport via Stuck at the Airport.

Rolling Clouds and Leaves of Fall Outside of Seattle

I’m not going to lie.  I took these photos in my front yard about 30 minutes ago.  Sue me.

The point is that there are many reasons to get in your gas-guzzling car and drive around our wonderful nation right now, namely really pretty trees.

Here’s what seals the deal – do you know who loves walking around among low clouds and bright leaves? Kids.  I know, it’s no Wii, but they’ll make do.

Throw some Avett Brothers* in the MP3 player and chase fall before winter catches it.

Where the Red Tree Grows

A Cross the Valley

* Avett Brothers “I and Love and You” sounds great on a mountain road.

Photos by Whit Honea

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

The W is for woof.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to stay at the W Hotel in beautiful San Diego.  My mixed feelings on that will come out in a later post.  Hey, that’s like suspense!

On the corner outside of the hotel’s main entrance you will find this water station for your canine companion, which is a nice touch.  Downtown San Diego is great for walking, which means yours dogs bark and your dogs get thirsty.

Seeing as right inside the lobby the price of water jumps up about $6 per bottle, you may want to sneak a sip or two for yourself.  It’s a recession, people.

Photo by Whit Honea

For more family-friendly (what? dogs are family!) travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Y Explore offers custom photography tours/workshops of Yosemite National Park. Learn techniques from expert photography instructors in the dramatic scenery that Yosemite is famous for. Photographic subjects during the tour include granite monoliths and domes, waterfalls, wildflowers, black bears, and other wildlife. All levels of photography experience are welcome. Prices range from $250 to $600 per person, depending on the workshop.

Combine your photography vacation to Northern California with Shasta Cascade regional destinations, such as exploring Historic Highway 99, taking a trip on the Shasta Sunset Dinner Train, or indulging in a luxury houseboat rental from Silverthorn Resort.

Adventure Photo Expeditions are “designed especially for photography, by a photographer”. Plan a trip of a lifetime to such destinations as Mexico, Haiti, India, and France – all while expanding upon your skills as a photographer. Learn from a former photographer for National Geographic. Prices vary according to location and length of tour.

A weekend tour of Carlsbad Caverns in Southern New Mexico, scheduled for February 26 – March 01, 2010, could be combined with a vacation that includes other nearby areas of interest. The New Mexico Bureau of Tourism has a wealth of recommendations and destinations to choose from.

PhotoExperience.net specializes in photography workshops in Peru. Workshops have focused topics and teach photographers how to capture the culture, spirit, and history of the land. Packages range from $2000 and up, and include all instruction & materials, lodging, first & last dinners, all breakfasts & lunches, entrance fees and transfers within Peru.

Take the opportunity while in this exotic land to visit the historic Machu Picchu, the coastal Capital city of Lima, or explore the rainforests near Iquitos.

Photo credits (in order of appearance):
- “Yosemite Falls” by The Tahoe Guy on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Bright Onions” by Maurice on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “besthike.com Ausangate Circuit, Peru” by Rick McCharles on Flickr Creative Commons.

When in Hawaii do as the Hawaiians do. In this case that means charge a bunch of tourists a hefty sum and then dump them in the ocean.  It was worth it.

This photo is from a snorkeling expedition off the coast of Maui.  That’s a sea turtle.

“Dude? Dude? Focus dude… Dude?”

See?

“Saw the whole thing, dude. First you were all like “whoa”, and we were like “whoa”, and you were like “whoa…”"

And that’s how it happened.  No Snorks were harmed in the writing of this post.

“RIGHTEOUS. RIGHTEOUS.”

Photo by Whit Honea

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Quotes courtesy of Crush

That was a rhetorical question.

Fall is pretty, mostly because of the glorious displays put on by the fall leaves changing color.  This phenomenon occurs all over the United States, but some spots offer better views than others.  Grab your camera and a road atlas and take a day trip to one of the 11 best fall foliage sites in America.

11 Places To See Fall Leaves

Fall Leaves on Carriage Road at Acadia National Park

1.  Acadia National Park – Maine

Of course anywhere in the North East is going to boast spectacular fall foliage.  The Acadia National Park offers gorgeous views and extensive Ranger-led educational programs so that you can learn more about what you’re staring at.  Make sure to head to Bar Harbor Maine before the end of October to take full advantage of the sights and services available.

Fall Leaves at Oak Mountain State Park

2.  Oak Mountain State Park – Alabama

Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama’s largest state park.  This nearly 10,000 acre forest is featured on several sight seeing lists.  Admission is only $3 for adults on weekends and holidays.  You can visit the park for fall foliage viewing from 7am to sundown.

Fall Foliage in New Hampshire

3.  Mt. Washington – New Hampshire

While it’s typical to see fall foliage while you’re driving, the Mount offers guided cruises on the M/S Mount Washington.  Starting Sunday, September 27, the Mount will offer Fall Foliage Dinner Cruises from 4:30 to 7 p.m. each Sunday through mid-October. The cruise departs from Weirs Beach, boarding at 4 p.m. Cost for adults is$43. Visit Cruise Mount Washington for more information.

Fall Color in Colorado

4.  Aspen – Colorado

It’s no surprise that Aspen, Colorado is the perfect place to watch the Aspen trees change colors with the seasons.  San Isabel National Forest offers extensive trails for viewing of some of the most fabulous aspen trees in Colorado.

New York Fall Foliage

5.  The Catskills – New York

The Catskills and Hudson Valley region is about a two hour drive from New York City.  One of the unique features of this area is that the color changing season lasts about six weeks, with colors rivaling those of its North Eastern neighbors, Vermont and Massachusetts.

Columbia River Gorge in Autumn

6.  Columbia River Gorge – Oregon

The Columbia River Gorge winds through the Cascade Mountains, forming the border between northern Oregon and southern Washington.  Leaf peepers can choose to drive, hike or kayak through the scenery – although I wouldn’t recommend taking an expensive camera on your white water rafting trip.

Fall Foliage and Snow along Denali Highway

7.  Denali Highway – Alaska

Located in south central Alaska, the Denali Highway is where you’ll find the least amount of trees on the fall foliage list.  But the signs of fall are still evident in the red, orange and purple terrain.  Of course, you have to go to Alaska to see it.  But if you can make the trip, you may also be rewarded with moose sightings!

Fall Color in Michigan

8.  Tahquamenon Falls – Michigan

Tahquamenon Falls is one of the largest waterfalls west of the Mississippi River.  It’s located along Michigan’s upper peninsula, and offers a unique chance to see white water rapids surrounded by blazing orange and red trees.  (Which, sadly, are not pictured here, of course.)

Wisconsin Fall Leaves

9. Kettle Moraine State Forest – Wisconsin

Kettle Moraine State Park is located about 45 minutes north of Milwaukee.  The park offers 30,000 acres of hills, forests, lakes and grasslands – giving you a variety of ways to capture the colors of autumn.

Fall Leaves on Mohawk Trail

10. Mohawk Trail – Massachusetts

The Mohawk Trail may be the most well known of the country’s fall foliage scenic drives.  It covers 63 miles from the Massachusetts-New York border to the Connecticut River.  Attractions in the region include Mount Greylock, The Bridge of Flowers, Glacial Potholes, a natural marble bridge formed by erosion, state forests, and old Indian hiking trails.

Fall Foliage at Glacier National Park

11.  Glacier National Park – Montana

Glacier National Park in Montana boasts over 700 miles of hiking trails.  While sections of the park are available for driving, the best way to experience the colorful fall vistas at Glacier National Park is on foot.

When is the best time to head out on your fall foliage expedition?  Technically, the leaves change with the weather and not the calendar.  And of course, each area’s “leaf peeper” season will vary slightly.  Generally, the best time to see the colors of fall leaves is from mid September to mid October.

Photo Credits in order of appearance: liza31337 on Flickr, Southernpixel on Flickr, kla4067 on Flickr, brianna.lehman on Flickr, Randy OHC on Flickr, SarahMcD on FlickR, Alaskan Dude on Flickr, Aunt Owwee on Flickr, chefranden on Flickr, banspy on Flickr, Barbara Jones with permission

Bring your own bubbles.

The journey is long, the road is winding and the destination calls you always forward.

Screw it.

The destination is what it is.  Lend your ear to the song of the road.  Theme parks and grandmas will be there when you get there, but the alphabet is fluid on the freeway and you’ll never get that elusive Alaskan license plate if you’re sitting in an airport.

Chose your mode of travel based upon constraints of time and money, but allow yourself moments for soft pedaling and downhill coasting.  That is where you find the real memories.  Therein lies your souvenir.

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Photo by W. Honea