Welcome In

~ Nancy ~ 30 Comments

It’s Fall, please stop in. We enjoy fall touches throughout our home.

Outside…

…as well as inside…

We enjoy our backyard owls so why not reflect them into our decor.

Come enjoy a meal…

These two small glass pumpkins were made by us. We took a glass blowing class. So fun!

Thank you for stopping by… and Happy Fall! Watch out for the ghosts and goblins!

Until Next Time ~Nancy

A Bike Ride Tour

~ Nancy ~ 32 Comments

Off I went with camera in hand. I want to give you a quick tour of Lakeside. It’s where we live during the summer here in Edinboro, Pa. It’s also where I grew up. Lots of memories here…

The lake is of course the focus of Lakeside. Edinboro Lake is a 245 acre lake with a depth of 30 ft. But I have heard from locals it’s 40 ft.

A peaceful lake for swimming, boating, fishing, water skiing, and of course winter fun such as ice fishing and skating.

Brrr… brrrrrr…

Let’s get back to summer.

Older cottages are being updated left and right. Beautiful homes dot the landscape.

This lake is loved by many. Homecomings and family reunions are often found as you stroll on the small streets, in my case bike ride.

There’s a sunrise or a sunset depending on what side you are on.

Many a moonrise or moonset as well…

One of the last icons is still standing. As a teenager we hung out here mainly for dances but a some pin ball tournament games took place as well!

A few teenager hang outs have been torn down because of disrepair. But the Jukebox still stands. Oh the sweet memories…

This lake is well loved not only for its beauty but also because of its sweet memories.

Until Next Time ~Nancy

Fair Time

~ Nancy ~ 36 Comments

Out here in the Midwest this is the time of year for Fairs. County Fairs, State Fairs, and even town Fairs.

Many people bring their products in to get judged.

Who has the biggest or the best? For that awesome Blue Ribbon!

Who doesn’t love the animals at the Fair?

They all seem to love our attention.

Sweet Man almost brought the bunny home with us! 😊😳

We did learn about lambs and their wool from a nice lady who was knitting …using her lambs wool.

A Spinning wheel…

There’s always fun to be had at the fair…

And you never know who is keeping an eye on you…

Today, Ingrid of Live Laugh RV’s theme is Zoo for Wandering Wednesday . I know these aren’t Zoo animals today however…

Ingrid and I went to Wildlife World Zoo in Phoenix a few years ago. Do you think I can find those pictures right now??

I’m just as frazzled as this bird!

But I did share some animal friends from that day HERE! It’s a fun post. I hope you get a chance to click on it! You will be happy you did!

Thanks so much for reading. There’s more over at Ingrid’s!

Until Next Time ~Nancy

In the 216

~ Nancy ~ 32 Comments

Cleveland, Ohio is well known for its slogans. “The Land” is a famous one brought on by our Cavs and it’s still popular. But “In the 216” has been popular for many years. It’s the area code for Cleveland.

We have spent many a days in Cleveland as we both have lived here. This city has a special place in my heart and that will never go away …

no matter where I live.

The terminal tower is a beautiful icon of the city. Here it’s all lit up for my sons’ and daughter in laws wedding. This was their backdrop on the night of their wedding. A lovely day that will never be forgotten.

A night on the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland is a sight to see and this was enjoyed by our wedding guests.

Cleveland has it’s Gorgeous Lake Erie.

It’s home to great food, sports teams and many beautiful places to see.

One of them is Lakeview Cemetery. It’s a must see destination because of its beauty, its intriguing buildings and many famous people are laid to rest here. Including President Garfield. His Monument is a sight.

President Garfield’s Monument

Inside you can see the beauty.

Another incredible building is the Wade Memorial Chapel that is in the center of the cemetery.

As you enter the Chapel you see the focus point of the Tiffany Glass which draws you in.

The walls of Wade Chapel are a mosaic of thousands of tiny pieces of Tiffany Glass designed by Louis C. Tiffany. One wall depicts The River of Life and one wall is the River of Death.

Above a woman explains what each part of the Mosaic means. The Chapel was built in 1901. The mosaic was put together in Europe but then disassembled and shipped to Cleveland and placed upon the walls. When Tiffany came to inspect his work that was put upon the wall… He said… “I am completely satisfied!”

Each pew was given more beauty as seen below.

The floor is also a beautiful mosaic!

Some weddings are held here.

Tours are also given of this beautiful Cemetery.

Along with President Garfield there are Many prominent people buried here. John D. Rockefeller, one of the founders of Standard Oil. John Hay Secretary Of State to Abraham Lincoln. Arthur Parker founder of Parker Hannifan. Harvey Pekar Comic Writer known for American Splendor. Henry Sherwin one of the founders of Sherwin-Williams Paint. There are many, many more but one that made me chuckle is James Salisbury inventor of Salisbury Steak.

After a tour in the cemetery we head down to Little Italy! Great places for great food! Actually I could do a whole post on the fabulous food in this city! It’s a fabulous Foodie Town!

So I will have to share much MORE about Cleveland, The Land, the 216, #CLE in another post!

We are Home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well.

The Newlyweds!

Thank you for enjoying my post and thank you for your comments. I do appreciate them.

Until Next Time ~Nancy

Unforgettable

~ Nancy ~ 39 Comments

There’s just something about staying in a warm and cozy bed… especially when you are retired.

I am in an early morning exercise class 2 times a week and we enjoy early morning desert rides when living in AZ. Then here in Pennsylvania we have lots of outdoor DIY projects that, especially in this current summer’s heat, are better done early in the morning. So…on the mornings I don’t have to move quickly… a sunrise is hard for me to experience… because this girl is staying put! When I saw Wandering Wednesday theme was SUNRISE… I sighed… and said, “not many of those in my archives.” 😏

I picked up my iPhone and opened up my Google photos App and searched, Sunrise. Well, of course every glorious sunset in my past popped up! Then I saw a few sunrises. Yay! This was one of them…

The above beauty was from our kitchen window here at the LakeHouse! One morning I awoke to see a bright pink light in the kitchen. At first I was puzzled and then I looked out the window and saw the most colorful sunrise …ever!

Unforgettable… perhaps.

But not if you were having this conversation with our Arizona friends and Sweet Man.

One morning we ALL set our alarm clocks for O’Dark Thirty!(Which means it was in the wee hours of the morning and no one should be awake!)

We all climbed into our Jeeps and climbed our favorite mountain to view the Lunar Eclipse and Blood Moon.

It was amazing! An experience we will never forget. We decided to stick around for the moon set.

We were all so focused on the moon set that we did not realize what was going on behind us! A colorful Arizona sunrise!

It’s amazing how that sky changed in minutes!

I have seen many a sunset and sunrise that were more beautiful and colorful. However… this one we witnessed all together on top of a mountain with the Lunar Eclipse! That my friends is…

Unforgettable!

How about you? Have you experienced any unforgettable sunrises?

Sharing for Ingrid’s Wandering Wednesday theme Sunrise at Live Laugh RV

Until Next Time ~Nancy

PS The very first photo of this post is a sunrise from our hotel in Monument Valley. It ranks up there with unforgettable as well!

Chautauqua Institute

~ Nancy ~ 28 Comments

Get ready to take a walk along with us through the Chautauqua Institute. It’s a 750 acre area where people go to rest, relax, learn and listen. Many come for educational, musical, artistic, and theatrical retreats. However, because of its location… on the beautiful Chautauqua Lake in Chautauqua, New York many come to vacation here as well.

Many of the houses

are of Victorian Style which are surrounded with fabulous floral gardens. Some may be rented but most are owned.

We went to visit a friend here and loved her charming home. We shared a bottle of rose wine which fit perfectly with her front porch pink decor!

So many houses with such charming details!

The lake…

is 17 miles long and 2 miles wide. Lots of area for boating, skiing, and fishing.

The Miller Bell Tower is an icon at the Institution.

Many residents depend on its chimes for the time of day. It is a memorial to one of the Institutes founders, Lewis Miller.

Come along to view more of the beauty that you may find on your visit here.

I hope that one day you will be able to visit the Chautauqua Institution and see all its charm!

Thank you for spending time here with us at Two Trails One Road.

Until Next Time ~Nancy

Linking up with Pam from Everyday Living And her Garden Party. Click on image below to see more amazing gardens.

Time to Reflect

~ Nancy ~ 40 Comments

If you are new to following Two Trails One Road… we live very close to a lake, during the summer, so capturing reflections is easy here at the lake. I took the following picture just the other day on Edinboro Lake. (Do you see some of the leaves starting to turn…!)

When I am down at the lake I too will reflect and give thanks for all that we have!

Here in Pennsylvania clouds are appreciated by me as the desert seems to only have clouds during Monsoon season. Clouds on the water here make for a Monet Moment.

A special treat is seeing the Autumn colors reflect upon the lake…

Speaking of Autumn… soon we will return to our desert home where we can find reflections there as well.

Take time to reflect… it does a person good. Todays reflection fills my heart with gratitude for all that we are blessed with!

Sharing today for Wandering Wednesday over at Live Laugh RV.

Until Next Time ~Nancy

Reflection in a glass door of me!

Maple Syrup

~ Nancy ~ 30 Comments

We went for a ride in the country and ended up touring a Maple Syrup Farm! I really enjoy REAL 🍁 Maple Syrup …so this just made my day!

That’s a Soybean field in the foreground. The Maple Syrup Farm also farms Soybeans and corn.

This is the young farmer who is showing us how they tap acres upon acres of Maple Trees! It’s all done with tubing and the sap all runs down hill to the Sugar House.

I was amazed that it is done this way …as I thought the sap was still collected in buckets. Some smaller operations still do collect the sap in buckets.

Sweet Man is learning how it’s all done!

Maple Trees Store starch in their trunks and roots. During January/February/March when the days are warmer the sap flows up into the tree trunk and flows out into the tubing. Then during the night when it is cold the sap flows back down into the roots of the tree. This is an ongoing process through the spring. The sap gets collected and is boiled down into Syrup.

I was given this fabulous Syrup yesterday by the young farmer. We enjoyed it immensely on pancakes today for lunch.

I hope you get to enjoy REAL Maple Syrup on your pancakes! It tastes soooo much better then the kinds found on your grocery store shelf. Most of them are made from corn syrup.

Until Next Time ~Nancy

Black and White Photography

~ Nancy ~ 24 Comments

This weeks Wandering Wednesday theme is black and white photography. Colorful photography is my favorite. However, some captures lend themselves to monochrome captures.

Especially the Wild, Wild West!

Flowers take on a new look in Monochrome.

The mystique of black and white photography makes us keep coming back for more.

Happy Wednesday All! Linking up for Wandering Wednesday and Black and White Photography

Until Next Time ~Nancy

Summer in the Country

~ Nancy ~ 35 Comments

The rural landscapes of Pennsylvania and nearby Ohio are showing off their abundance of wildflowers and sunflowers. A ride in the country can delight us with these beautiful blossoms… along with beautiful barns, vineyards, churches, corn fields and covered bridges!

I made a scrapbook of the covered bridges we saw in Ashtabula County of Ohio. They are hidden away, on back country roads, just waiting for you to find them.

Getting out and exploring is what makes life an adventure! You never know what you are going to see!

Hope your summer is turning out to be an adventure for you!

Until Next Time ~Nancy

Our Feathered Friends

~ Nancy ~ 32 Comments

There is just something about capturing a bird in its environment. Especially if it’s one we hardly see very often.

When I moved to Arizona it was the first time I saw our beloved Quail.

The babies are always a treat to see. When they are first born they are as big as a mouse and leave the nest quickly. I have heard as many as 24 eggs to as little as 2 or 3 in a nest. Their nest can end up anywhere. We had some desert dirt in a plastic tub on the side of our house and there they were. A nest of eight.

After they hatched they were in our back yard for a day and then they left us.

Later we saw them up on our wall. Dad was watching over.

The babies are hard to capture as they scurry quickly.

Another Southwest bird hard to capture is the Roadrunner. They dart from here to there in no time!

We have had our share of Hawks in both our yards.

In Arizona…

And in Pennsylvania…

However my most favorite bird is our Arizona Backyard Owls. To be specific… our Great Horned Owls!

These owls are quite large about 18″ – 20″ and have 3-5 ft. Wingspan. They hoot back and forth to each other at night. In the evening is when we see them the most …while we sit outside on our back patio.

This last photo gives me a chuckle…

Seeing the Hummingbird above the owl! Hilarious!

When we return to Pennsylvania it’s always a pleasure to see the Robin. We don’t have them in the desert. Along with the Grosbeaks, Bluejays, purple martins and woodpeckers.

We do share Goldfinches, sparrows, doves, hummingbirds and cardinals in both states.

With our travels we see many types of birds.

White Crested Black Polish Chicken

We saw these beautiful swans behind the Queen of England’s Palace!

Along with this Herron.

When in Hawaii we saw the Red Crested Cardinal.

Common Loons of Washington Island

Gray Crowned Crane

But when we are by the water we always love to see…

Seagulls:

Ducks:

Pelicans:

No matter where we are… we will always be enamored by our Feathered Friends.

Linking up with Ingrid of Live Laugh RV for Wandering Wednesday and the theme is Birds. Please click on the links to see her beautiful photography of the Birds she has seen.

Until Next Time ~Nancy

Gardening on Both Sides of the Mississippi

~ Nancy ~ 36 Comments

If you follow me here on my blog and Instagram you know that I enjoy gardening. The joy of seeing flowers bloom from spring to fall is undeniably a passion of both myself and my sweet man. I enjoy weeding as well …as long as it’s NOT HOT or HUMID.

The love of gardening all started with my Mom.

Here she is as a young woman in her Mother’s garden. Yes, my grandmother was also a fabulous gardener who in turn shared that love with my Mom.Here she is in her late 80’s weeding her gardens.

I pretty much have a green thumb,here in Pennsylvania, because of my Mom.

We have inherited some beautiful flowers at the LakeHouse.

These were planted by my Mother 40+ years ago. However, because she was in the nursing home for a while …some of her gardens diminished. Therefore sweet man and I added more.

I do enjoy whimsy in the gardens.

It adds another layer plus it’s fun.

This frog is in our Arizona yard.

In Arizona my green thumb is basically useless. In the Southwest it’s not easy to be a Gardner because of the arid climate. Container gardens must be large so the dirt does not heat up and kill the roots. If you do plant it needs watered often. Water is a beloved commodity in the Southwest so it’s why our cactus give us joy. They don’t require lots of water.

Our yard in Arizona is full of gardens… it’s just different to those who garden east of the Mississippi. Many of our plants love the sun, arid climate and do not need lots of water.

Our back yard in Arizona.

Gardening is my therapy. I’m at peace when I am in my gardens.

Roses do well in Arizona and Pennsylvania for me.

With landscaped yards… beneficial creatures come.

We need our pollinators!

Other wonderful creatures stop by as well.

Vegetable gardening does take place in Pennsylvania not so much in Arizona although I have several friends who do do in AZ. They have learned the trick!

There’s nothing like a homegrown tomato. Lots of salads are made for dinner at the LakeHouse. The basil grows so well in Pennsylvania. But I can’t get it to grow in Arizona!

Sitting outside in our gardens make us happy!

I am so happy you stopped by to visit. Thank you for commenting. I sure do appreciate each and every one of you!

I am linking up with Ingrid at Live Laugh RV for Wandering Wednesday and Pam at Everyday Living for Gardens Galore. Thanks to both gals for hosting!

Until Next Time ~Nancy