Near Somerville, Tennessee

Paris, TN

As part of my new job, I travel around Tennessee training doctors, nurses and office staff how to use the electronic health record. This job takes me to the big cities and small towns.




This week I visited Paris, TN - home of the biggest catfish fry! I also stumbled upon the Paris winery as I was leaving town. Who knew Paris, TN had their own winery? It's a beautiful place that has a restaurant and even offers music among the vines.

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. – Jawaharial Nehru

Big Sur, California

Pack a picnic and take some day hikes through the state parks of Big Sur, California. The scenery is amazing!

Carmel, California





Mission Ranch





Mission Ranch

One of my favorite places to visit when I am in California is Carmel. It's a very small town full of galleries, restaurants and shopping. Carmel has been called the Monaco of America. The beach is beautiful, the air is clear and the residents are very friendly. Clint Eastwood was once the mayor of Carmel and now owns the Mission Ranch resort there. Doris Day also owns a very nice motel in the center of town.

I think I could write a great American novel, if I lived here.

Casanova Restaurant

The Golden Gate

The Golden Gate can be enjoyed by car, bike or walking path. Just don't forget to take your jacket - even on a pretty day it's pretty windy out there. 

Places to visit in San Francisco

Who doesn't love Ghirardelli chocolate?





 There are some places you should not miss while you are in San Francisco - the Golden Gate, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Little Italy and Haight Ashbury just to name a few. There is a great website "Where the locals eat" that gives great recommendations.



The best chocolate dipped granola in the city!




Great veggie pizza and fruit tea!



I left my heart in San Francisco...

It's true...I left part of my heart in the city by the bay!

Southwest Airlines



Hmm...hungry pilots?

I love Southwest- the low fares and fabulous customer service make them my very favorite airline!

Chicago billboard

Santa Rosa, California

I just loved strolling through Santa Rosa and seeing all the Peanuts character statues.

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.

– St. Augustine

Los Colinas Fountain, Dallas, TX

Texarkana, Arkansas

Graceland, Memphis, TN









Thank you very much!

The Peabody, Memphis, TN

The Peabody Hotel. The perfect place to try out a new look, watch the ducks or just tickle the ivories in the ballroom.

Huey's in Memphis, TN

Be sure to stop by Hueys for a burger when you are in Memphis, and be sure to see how many toothpicks you can add to the ceiling. Six of those are MINE!

Home Sweet Home, Nashville, TN

I love coming home and seeing my little Garden Girl, especially when she is surrounded by flowers.

Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, GA

Bonaventure is a must if you are in Savannah. We always love walking amongst the tombstones, reading the tributes and imagining the lives of all those who have been laid to rest there.

Not all those who wander are lost.

 J. R. R. Tolkien

Coppola Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA

If you ever find yourself in Napa Valley, I highly recommend Coppola Vineyards. Not only do they have nice wines, olive oils and chocolate sauces, but the estate is full of movie memorabilia. They have the Tucker car, the Godfather desk and much much more. Also, the grounds are absolutely beautiful.

Definitely worth the trip!

Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.

 – Maya Angelou

17 mile drive, Pebble Beach, CA

If you are in San Francisco, take the time to drive down Highway 1 to visit Montery, Carmel and Big Sur. The scenery is amazing.

Statue of Christoffel Columbus and Coit Tower, San Francisco

The Circus, Henderson, TN

The big top comes to Henderson!

The Roxy, Atlanta, GA

Great venue for live music in Atlanta.

Growing up traveling with the Thomas Family

I give my parents the credit for my love of travel. My Dad loved to take us on adventures and expose us to new experiences, places and cultures. Dad is a true life-time learner and made sure we gained some sort of knowledge from each trip. For example, my family flew to New York, Boston and Philadelphia in 1976 to celebrate the bicentennial year. Dad made sure we visited the Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty and even got to throw tea off a ship in Boston harbor.

Every trip we took was mapped out with AAA and we rarely stayed in one place more than a couple of nights. We were always moving on to the next destination. I remember traveling by train to Chicago and we once took a Winnebago camper to Florida, just to have that experience. Linda and I used to beg Dad to take us to the beach for one entire week, like all of our friends were doing. Now that I am grown, I am so thankful for each and every one of those wild and crazy experiences with my family.

Most of the Thomas family adventures took place in our trusty station wagon with Dad at the wheel. He would work with AAA and they would put together a trip itinerary and plan. It was nice to have a basic plan in place, but with my family there were always detours and pit stops. We made unexpected stops to read historical markers, roll down a hill at a rest stop, explore old houses, visit the birthplace of someone famous, or just to get ice cream and shop. If the trip plan said to allow 4 hours, we would count on at least 6. My parents knew the importance of stopping to smell the roses...or to pick some cotton, or even to chase a tumbleweed across the Kansas prairie.

I've been converting old slides to digital images, and there are some pretty entertaining images from family vacations from the 60s-80s. I'll be adding in some of those with stories along the way.