Red hair is something we’ve come to expect from the Scottish. Movies and TV shows have convinced us that most real Scots are fiery redheads. Having traveled to Scotland myself, I can debunk that myth. Though I will report that most of their cows are indeed red-headed.
Who’d have thunk that we’d stumble upon this couch in the middle of the woods?
Okay, okay, you got me. It took an enterprising mommy, a couple of muscular uncles, and one Ford Expedition to haul that couch out to Effie Yeaw Nature Center in my home city of Sacramento. It was totally worth it.
You’ve probably noticed that most people are nervous on their wedding day. One June afternoon, someone else’s wedding was happening and yet I was nervous. I suppose I wasn’t all that surprised by this boomerang feeling as it comes back to me whenever I perform a wedding ceremony.
This tiny pile of stones is interesting enough to look at, and the surrounding scenery is truly stunning. But the story behind these weathered ruins fires up my soul.
After two years of saving, planning, and daydreaming, my family made our way to Scotland. We drove a “hired” van all over the country, exploring grand cities and glory of the the middle of nowhere for two weeks. (Believe me, you’ll see and hear plenty more about this trip at Fits and Stops). This particular day had seen us take a bus and two Cal Mac ferry trips to reach our destination on the Isle of Iona.
The mansion was warm and inviting by the light of day. However, an entirely different character descended upon the house on that November evening.
My wife and I chose to spend her birthday weekend in Napa, California. Strangely enough, I don’t know that we sipped any wine during this entire trip. Instead, we explored the countryside and gentrified downtown district of Napa. At the epicenter of our stay was Churchill Manor: a sprawling and stunning plantation-style home built in 1889. It is today a bed and breakfast — and one of the most beautiful we’ve ever visited. Had you stepped into the place, the furnishing and decoration might have convinced you that you’d been transported back to the day it was built.
