TAKING "THE LONG WAY HOME..."

Greetings, dear reader!

As we wind up our trip down Route 66, I'd like to tell you how much I've enjoyed your comments and having all of you along with me on the tour! If only we could have caravaned in real life!

Following are scenes seen in Kansas and Missouri enroute back to the "Vern." Sit back, relax and enjoy the trip home!

The beautiful pastures of Kansas!















The following scenes from a quaint little place called "Nostalgiaville" Kingdom City, MO:



















Thanks for traveling along with me! See you next trip!


We now return you to our regularly scheduled crafty, altAred art blog!


Peace and All Good!
Paula Clare

DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND MY CONTROL....

Our tour has become reminiscent of the infamous "Broken Bus Tour of 1998" when I was in merry old England!



However, much to my horror, my pics of Santa Fe are GONE! MIssing! I can't find them ANYWHERE! They are NOT still on my camera, nor are they in other files on my computer...THEN my internet connection went belly up, so I couldn't post to tell you what became of your tour guide! I was truly mortified, feeling like I left all of my intrepid travelers to fend for themselves for several days. Tour guides don't just "pop off" the scene! A thousand pardons!

I hope to have an internet connection again tomorrow (Monday) meanwhile, I am sitting at Denny's, sipping decaf eating chocolate cake to drown my sorrows.

Lots of my emails are missing too...me thinks a virus creepeth...BOO!

Anyway, please do not fret! Do not fear! Your Route 66 tour will resume as soon as we are able to get the bus (and tour guide) up and running again! Meanwhile, take advantage of this serendipitous stop and see what there is to see here in Tucumcari!

AND THE WINNER IS...

Greetings, dear readers!

After assigning each of the massive number of comments a random number, and after running those numbers in the random generator, the winner is...

Random Number 8:

Linda said...

Hi Paula..I've just stumbled onto your blog and have had the best time ever visiting with you. I realized I've been smiling the whole time so I had to sign on to follow! Congratulations on your anniversary!

Email me, Linda with your snail mail addy and I'll get your fabulous giveaway package winging its way to you!

The rest of you who commented, and who would like a little anniversary RAK (Random Act of Kindness) from yours truly, please email me and send me your snail mail addys as well!

I just LOVE sending things SNAIL MAIL!

Thanks for making my blogoversary a good one!

Hugs to all!

CRUISIN ROUTE 66...DOWN IN "NEW" MEXICO!

Greetings, dear readers!

As promised, I and our faithful tour guide mascot and companion Webster the Wonder Dog are here to continue our tour of Route 66. Please hang on to your penny loafers because we've got a long trip ahead of us!

As we make our way from Amarillo to New Mexico, the road begins to take on a bit of a lonely look...miles and miles of...well...miles and miles, stretched out before us like a lone black snake racing toward the sunset...



One thing you may notice, dear traveler, is that the gas stations and food stops are becoming quite sparse...even billboards are few and far between. The terrain has taken on a different look...we are truly entering into another world!

As we continue west, the first thing on the map (correction: The ONLY thing on the map) are sights in Tucumcari, New Mexico. It is the only town listed for miles...that's okay...I am DYING to see the Route 66 sites there...neon teepees, bluebirds and sombreros...woot!

(As I was snapping furiously, Hubby Dear asked, "How many pictures of a neon teepee do you need?" to which I replied, "One can NEVER have too many!")

Right down the road was the famed Blue Swallow Hotel...this place is Route 66 paydirt! WOOHOO!

And dear tourists, if you'll look out of the left side of the tour bus, you'll see the famed "Sombrero Diner": La Cita! It looks closed...not PERMANENTLY, but just for the day.



And then, cowboys and cowgirls, take a look at THIS piece of glowing nostalgia:



The Buckaroo Motel...still open for business!

This has been a productive day! Both the tour bus and the tourists are wiped out and finding a place to camp for the evening...we found a state park and a pull through campsite. Yes, that will do nicely. The canned ham looks/feels like a palace tonight!



(Our mascot appears to be "dog tired.")



Tomorrow my intrepid travelers : Santa Fe!

We will detour from our western path to go north to Colorado. The Royal Gorge and Colorado's Rocky Mountains await us!

But fear not! The trip home will take us back to Route 66 in Kansas and Missouri...you'll not want to miss it!

More soon!
Paula Clare
and
(WOOF) Webster
Paula Clare

NEW ATCs: SWAP-BOT ROCKS!

Greetings! I thought I would catch you all while you lounge around the campfire at Palo Duro to play a bit of "show and tell." I have recently received several ATCs from swaps on Swap-Bot. Look at these little treasures!

A private swap with Jenn:



A budding new artist's first attempt at an ATC...wow!


A hand-doodled ATC for the Earth Elements: Wind Swap


And finally, Oliver, for the Blue Owl Swap.


I just LOVE ATCs...I have also had a few commissions done for me...just because I love handmade and want to support the artists! Behold!

4 ATCs from Ruby Claire's original art!



3 Fabric ATCs from the ineffable Kellibeans!







The last is Charles Crackman Dumpling...such a plight! He's a vegan zombie! The back of his ATC reads, "GRAAAAAAAAINS!" I LOVE IT!

On to the giveaway...be right back after consulting with the Random Generator Wizard...

TEXAS LONGHORNS AND THE LITTLE GRAND CANYON!

Greetings, dear reader!

As we continue our tour westward, we decided to spend a day or two (at the behest of a Facebook friend) at Palo Duro...Texans own version of the Grand Canyon!

Our Tour Mascot, Webster the Wonder Dog chooses (and LOVES) this method of travel!



This guy was at the gate, greeting us with a Texas Longhorn Howdy...



And another member of the welcome wagon joins us!



The Canyon from the top...isn't it beautiful?



And a "zoom" along the bottom...

For those of you on the tour bus with a tendency to get car sick, you may want to grab the Dramamine! We weren't sure the "tour bus" would pull the canned ham...nor did we realize how hairpin many of the turns were! WOOHOO! HANG ON!

And the view from the bottom? Amazing! You can rent these fab little stone pueblos...I LOVE the central air unit in front!





And the cactus was in bloom!





And all manner of "high desert" flowers!









Talking our Tour Dog on a walk.



And our campsite...wasn't it great?



After hiking the canyon all day, be sure to turn in early and get some rest! The tour bus will be leaving at "dark thirty" in the morning for The Land Of Enchantment: New Mexico!






Peace and Rest!
Paula Clare