Natural Wonders of the USA Part 5

Posted on December 24, 2022December 17, 2022 by Dusty Roads

Natural Wonders of the USA

After the last Natural Wonder’s post I got really excited. I’d been to 3 out of 4 and agree that they are wonders. So it’s back to the list to see what wonder is next and have I been there.

17-Idaho- Craters of the Moon

Next on the list is Craters of the Moon, Idaho. I haven’t been there yet but it is on my bucket list. I shared my thoughts on that in a previous post. This natural wonder is a protected volcanic area with the best-preserved flood basalt in the country. While it may be on Earth, visiting the Craters of the Moon is certainly an other worldly experience.

18 – Nebraska- Chimney Rock

Well strike two for me on this post! I have not been to Nebraska either. The natural wonder for Nebraska is Chimney Rock. I could be wrong but I think it’s significance as a land mark for Oregon Trail, the California Trail, as well as the Mormon Trail makes this more impressive than it’s actual appearance although it’s height is impressive. It is approximately 286 feet high

19 – New Mexico – White Sands National Park

Strike 3! I haven’t been to New Mexico either but it too is on my bucket list. You can check out my thoughts on a New Mexico Vacation right here. I didn’t have White Sands National Park on my list because I was exploring in another direction. Maybe I will need to reconsider that.

White Sands National Park is comprised of white sand dunes made of gypsum crystals. The desert stretches 275 square miles. Preserved in the dune fields are human footprints and animal prints from over 10,000 years ago

20 – Kansas – Monument Rocks

I can’t believe it. I hit another state I haven’t visited yet. I admit when I think of Kansas I think of tornados and the Wizard of Oz.

The natural wonder for Kansas is Monument rocks. When I first saw the photos on the internet I thought they looked like Monument Valley, AZ. The Monument Rocks in Kansas are made up of a series of chalk formations that are rich with fossils as far back as the Cretaceous Period (80 million years ago).

Well those are some impressive wonders but I hate that I haven’t seen any of them yet. I hope I do better when the list continues.

Honing My Cooking Skills

Posted on December 21, 2022December 17, 2022 by Dusty Roads

What’s Cooking?

I have always enjoyed cooking but the busier I got at work the less cooking I did. I found I ate out a lot or ordered take out for lunch. When I did cook I tried to find casseroles or crock pot dishes that I could cook up on the weekend and then just reheat during the week. Now that I have more time and less demands I find I’m exploring more dishes. The only problem is that I am just one person and usually anything I make could feed an army!

I’m really glad I didn’t have any warning that I was going to be laid off. If I had I might not have bought my beautiful new stove. Like anything you do, having the right tools makes all the difference.

Lovely Quick Lunch

Everyone likes pizza right? Wrong I only tolerate it but I found a pizza recipe that has made me a true pizza lover and it’s quick! First you need to make friends will Belle from Beauty & the Beast so that she can get you some French Baguettes or you can go to your local bakery. I actually found mine at my local Hannaford’s Market in the bakery section. Nice and crispy outside and soft as a cloud inside.

French Baquette Bread by Seven Spikes Bakery, french baquette bread from dubai | ID - 4361255

Once you have the baguette I cut mine in 3rds. (Portion control) If you want a larger piece just cut it in half . Now cut each piece lengthwise.

Spread your Pizza Sauce on each piece.

Pizza Sauce

The Pizza Sauce I used said “Pizza Sauce” right on the label but if you want to make your own it’s real easy.

6 oz tomato Paste
15 oz Tomato sauce
1-2 Tbs Oregano to taste
2 Tbs Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 TBS Garlic Salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar ( optional)

Mix tomato paste and sauce in a medium bowl until all lumps are incorporated
Add spices and mix well!
Use in your favorite pizza recipe

The Cheese

The most common cheese is Mozzarella cheese.

Some folks like to get a chunk of it and slice off pieces to lay on your sauce.

Homemade Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Recipe (Tasty & Firm) | Kitchn

I found I liked a mix of 2 cheeses, mozzarella and cheddar. I was able to find this “Pizza Mix” in the dairy aisle. It’s 2 cheese shredded Pizza cheese.

Toppings

Let your imagination run free. Top your pizza with your favorite flavors. I like mushrooms (fresh works best), chopped onion and pepperoni.

Pop it into your preheated oven at 475 degrees for 10-15 minutes. So good.

Enjoy

Pepperoni French Bread Pizza | America's Test Kitchen Recipe

Natural Wonders of the USA part 4

Posted on December 17, 2022December 17, 2022 by Dusty Roads

Natural Wonders List Continues

We’ve got 50 Natural Wonders to go through and we’ve only covered 12 so time to continue on. Besides, My life is boring. Who wants to hear about my issues with Medicare and unemployment. Beautiful sights to see are far more interesting.

13. MAINE – Cadillac Mountain

Maine is one of my favorite states. It’s got lighthouses and rugged , scenic coastline. It’s even got Puffins but you need to take a special trip across the Bay of Fundy to see them. Fun fact- tides in the Bay of Fundy are the highest in the world! They can reach an incredible 53 ft.! Now which thing is the Natural Wonder for Maine?

Photo credit- Deb Neumann 2016

According to the list its Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park . During certain times of the year, it is the first place to see the sunrise in the US.

Photo credit- Joe St Jean- 2012

14. New Hampshire – Flume Gorge

Staying on the East Coast we’ll head to New Hampshire. That’s the Live Free or Die State. Another excellent state to explore with the beautiful White Mountains, The Kancamagus Highway and lovely lakes, streams and waterfalls. The Flume Gorge is located in Franconia Notch State Park , Lincoln NH. Yes I’ve been there. Its an uphill walk with lots of stairs but I survived it and so can you. It’s beautiful. Very primal.

Photo Credit Deb Neumann 2011

15. Hawaii – Diamond Head

You are talking my language now. I love Hawaii although Diamond Head is on Oahu which is my least favorite of the main Hawaiian Islands. It’s the most cosmopolitan. If you miss crazy traffic and City life then Oahu is the island for you. Diamond head is the image everyone has of Hawaii. You know that post card image with high rises, white sand and a mountain.

28,842 Diamond Head Images, Stock Photos & Vectors ...

We drove up into the crater but did not climb the stairs to the top. I liked snorkeling in Hanauma Bay more than I liked Diamond Head.

16. West Virginia – New River Gorge

You got me on this one. I haven’t been to West Virginia so I haven’t been to New River Gorge.

The picture is gorgeous and I’d love to capture something similar but when I googled the New River Gorge Bridge it seems the thrill seekers have taken over. They banned bungee jumping after an accidental death deemed bungee jumping as unsafe but they still allow base jumping and rappelling! No thanks. I admit I like an adrenaline rush as much as the next person but I still want to be safe!

That about wraps up todays post. More to come next time.

Progress on My New Life

Posted on December 14, 2022December 10, 2022 by Dusty Roads

Making Progress

Isn’t it amazing how much progress you can make when given the right information? I finally got the information on COBRA from my former employer, a month to the day after they laid me off. Plus it was 18 pages of small print! My company insurance ended 11/30 so I’ve been uninsured since then. That can get expensive fast as I just had to pay full price for 2 prescriptions. They came to almost $350.00.

Medicare

I have Medicare Part A. I’ve had that since I turned 65 but I never added anything else since I had insurance through my employer. I got laid off in the middle of “Open Enrollment” so there were a lot of resources out there. Each one gave you different advice/information. I did learn that I had to add Part B before I could get in an Advantage Plan. Thus began a frustrating quest to get signed up for Part B.

The advice was to sign up online. One advisor even walked me through the links to get to the application. No luck. They system said my information on file was different from what I entered. That was the last straw. I took myself down to our local Social Security office and got in line.

Social Security

The wait turned into 2 hours for about 10 minutes with the social security representative. My meeting was quick because she just told me I couldn’t sign up online and handed me a form that my (former) employer had to complete stating they had been providing insurance and the effective dates. So It’s back to Redfin again. Until I get that Part B coverage . No Advantage yet.

The Form

I must give credit where credit is due. Redfin set up a “Transitional Assistance Team” and provided an email, I sent the form to that email and got an immediate response. They sent to the Benefits Team. I expected that to take a few days but no, they got the completed form to me the same day! I printed it out sent it off to Social Security immediately. Fingers crossed they are quick.

COBRA

It all depends on how quick Social Security moves but if they get me my new card, I can select just dental coverage through COBRA and keep that a couple of months while we finish up my implants. By being able to select the coverage I want it becomes much more affordable.

Life Insurance

I never considered Life Insurance as I had plenty through my work. Now I had none and being old and diabetic made me high risk. You’d think I was going to die tomorrow! After collecting my denial letters I lowered my expectations and picked up a small policy to cover burial/ cremation expenses. No memorial service, no urn. My poor family will get handed a baggie of cinders.

Still to Do

The insurance was the BIG item on my list but the only other thing I can think of is to close out my 401K. There’s not much in there as I’d shifted my attention to buying stock. My investment (Stock) account, which was my retirement, has to sit until the stock market recovers. I kept investing even as the stock price fell because you buy low and sell high. Right? I’m optimistic about the future of that account once this recession is past.

Natural Wonders of the USA Part 3

Posted on December 10, 2022December 10, 2022 by Dusty Roads

Natural Wonders

Lets continue down the list of the wonders in each state. I hope you are finding this as interesting as I am. Maybe you’ll be inspired to check some of these out.

9. Tennessee – Ruby Falls

I’ve been to Tennessee. Best Bar B Que I’ve ever tasted. It ruined me for our local stuff! Plus I saw so much wildlife on that trip. But I didn’t see the Natural wonder for Tennessee. That is Ruby Falls.

Ruby Falls, Copied from Internet

Ruby Falls is different. You won’t find it off a trail or roadside. No, Ruby Falls is an underground cascade that follows a series of falls down 145 ft. The underground cavern is located in Lookout Mountain. Lookout Mountain is located minutes from downtown Chattanooga and would certainly be an extraordinary experience.

10. Massachusetts – Chesterfield Gorge

Massachusetts, my home state. I’m ashamed to say that I have never heard of our Natural Wonder. It’s called Chesterfield Gorge and if our weather ever clears up I’ll definitely take a trip to see it.

File:Chesterfield Gorge, West Chesterfield MA.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

The gorge features deep walls that rise up to 30 feet high. The cliff edges do not feature any trails that go to the bottom but you can travel along the cliff top, which offers a terrific view of the gorge as well as the river and surrounding forest.

11. Arizona – Antelope Canyon

Every photographer has heard of Antelope Canyon, Arizona. I’ve dreamed of photographing it for years. I’ve been to Arizona several times. I usually stay in Sedona, the beautiful Red Rock country. It’s hard to believe that the Grand Canyon wasn’t Arizona’s number one Natural wonder but I can truly see Antelope Canyon too

Grand Canyon AZ- 2011 Photo credit Deb Neumann

Antelope Canyon- From internet

Antelope Canyon is spectacular especially when you have the right light. The best time to view the canyon is in the summer. Prone to flash flooding, you’ll want to avoid it during the monsoon season.

12. Washington State- Ho Rainforest

Washington is another state that I’ve checked off as visited. I went to Seattle where I rode to the top of the Space Needle and visited the Chihuly Glass Museum. Not Natural Wonders but certainly beautiful.

Seattle Harbor – 2013 Photo credit Deb Neumann

Washington State is located in the Northeastern part of the USA that is considered rainforest. Located in Olympic National Park is an old growth forest that can get as much as 14 feet of precipitation a year! That certainly qualifies the area as rainforest!

Hoh Rainforest, the most famous rainforest in the lower 48 states, has recently gained attention as perhaps “the quietest place in the U.S.”—the perfect remedy to noisy modern life.

I’ve not been to the Ho (Hoh) rainforest but I did experience the rainforest on my trip to Alaska. I believe that was the Tongass National Forest. Amazing places. wet and lush. And yes, quiet. All that moss and soft earth seems to absorb sound.

Next Time on Natural Wonders

We’ll explore 3-4 more natural wonders in my next post in this series. I hope you join in. Have you been to or heard of any of the places we’ve mentioned? Please share your experience in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.

Natural Wonders of the USA Part 5