Summer Vacations

Image 1: Cinque Terre near sunset, Italy

This post features photos from past summer vacations while answering ten questions about summer vacations.  Compare answers with me!  (Question list below). 

Image 2: Overlook at Ferry Bluff Natural area, Wisconsin.
View of Wisconsin River with Sandbar
Notice the tiny canoes at the bottom edge in the river

1.  Share your summer trips for 2025!  

(2024 trips would be easier!)  Summer trips in 2025 should consist of (2) weekend in-state camping trips, (weather permitting).  One is a canoeing trip where you camp on a sandbar in a large river, water levels permitting.  

Image 3: Overlook at Ferry Bluff Natural area, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin River view with my kids and nephew, 2023

I hope to add in a visit to Door County, and possibly (a day trip? or two??) to Chicago.  This summer is a good time to stay home and enjoy Wisconsin in it's best season, especially when money and vacation days were used for the spring trip to Japan.  Someone has work on the 4th of July this year, so no July 4th mini-vacation to Door County or Michigan, both destinations I've enjoyed in the past.

Image 4: Canoeing on the Wisconsin River with three adult  children

2.  How do you manage the post vacation laundry?

I try to wash vacation laundry almost right away once home - within a day or two.  It might have sand or bugs or whatever from afar. 

Image 5: Sandbar Camping on the Wisconsin River

3.  What are your most memorable summer vacations.  

My most memorable summer vacation (post pandemic) was a trip to Italy including Venice and Cinque Terre.  Hot but wonderful!    

Image 6: Rialto Bridge at night, Venice, Italy

Another special summer vacation was a road trip from Wisconsin to Charleston South Carolina which included three National Parks (Smoky Mountains!)  I discovered driving trips could be fun, and I set a goal of visiting all of/(most of) the National Parks !  

Image 7: Angel Oak Tree, Charleston, South Carolina

4.  Do you cook or eat out on vacation?  

We eat out on vacation because of places we stay (mostly hotels).  We have camped out and cooked, but I am not great at it.

Image 8: High Tea in Tokyo

5.  Do you over pack, under pack, or are you just right?   

If I'm driving, I way over pack and that car is filled!  Even flying - It's so hard to not over pack.  Especially if there will be cold weather (gloves and heavy coats needed.)  Doing laundry on vacation isn't fun, and extra shoes are a must. (If it rains, I am not wearing wet shoes.  In Japan we had to buy my daughter new shoes because hers got soaked...)  

Image 9: Spring in Tokyo, Japan - with wet shoes in the rain

6.  Beach, Lake or Mountains?  

Where do I want to go? or what's close? (particularly for summer).  For me it is sights.  I'd prefer mountains and beaches, but this summer, near Wisconsin, no Mountains, so Lake.  Beaches can be rocky around here, like in Door County.  

Image 10: Door County Beach, Wisconsin
Notice that the rock Cairns can be taller than the kids*

7.  Road trip or Fly? 

Road trips for small things (Weddings, camping), flying for "real" trips, and then rent a car once there if needed.  If you only get X days of vacation, I want to get to a spot fast and enjoy the location.  Except for that road trip to Charleston...

Image 11: Unknown bridge from car at sunset, South Carolina

8.  My favorite vacation activities are... many things!  Seeing sights and museums, dining at great restaurants, exploring new places and cultures, hiking in beautiful locations, and shopping!  

Image 12: Oak tree on Wisconsin Hillside

9.  Best packing tips?  

Packing cubes, but not black ones.  (which is what I have)  Looking for adapters and power cords in black packing cubes tucked in with black clothes is a pain.  Having all socks and undies and technology extras in neat flexible packages, magic! 

Image 13: Kids Watching Sunset, Door County, Wisconsin, USA

10.  Favorite road trip songs?  

With multiple people we take turns selecting songs.  My daughter has incredible musical tastes, and I like hearing new tunes, .  When I pick a song it could be Billy Joel, Greatest Showman tunes, and Josh Groban's Oceano, and Canto Alle Vita.  I like peppy, upbeat and beautiful music.  

Image 14: The list of questions from Pinklady

This is a new kind of post for me.  I am participating in a link party where the questions above were posted (by Holly and Patty) with a link party where people answer these questions.  I hope you enjoyed my answers.  Thinking about the responses and writing this post took such a long time, but allowed me to organize vacation photos to find photos to share.  Feel free to post your answers or ideas on some or all of the questions below!

I hope your summer includes fun vacations
with friends and family!
...and a lot of beautiful sunsets! 

Click on the images to see them enlarged!

Let me know any thoughts you have on the questions above in the comments!  Anonymous comment are welcome!

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See other FANTASTIC travel posts here...

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If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy...

Summer Sunsets

Glass Garden

Italian Garden

Lotus Garden

Winter Garden

God's Garden

Spring Blossoms

Yellowstone

Flower Mirror

Bluebirds

Travel Memories

Rock Window

Bonsai in Bloom

Orchids

Lilies of Valley

Orchid Peacock

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I am linking up to these parties:
Holly pinklady: Monthly Musings Summer Vacation (Entry 27 of 27.)
Bosworth Life*: POCO Love (Entry 14 of 14.)
Esmesalon: Salon Pit Stop 367 Mon 4a (Entry 14 of 173.)
Rachel Swirl*: Sunday Snapshot (Entry 2 of 6.)
Mostly blogging: Inspire me Mon 523 (Entry 6 of 41.)
My Random: Anything Goes 450 (Entry 3 of 56.)
Good Random Fun: Good Fun Mon 4a (m Entry 8 of 39.)
*BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (s Entry 17x of 33x.)
Holly pinklady: Hello Mon (l Entry 10 of 25.)
Loulougirls: Fabulous-party Mon 586 (l Entry 4 of 54.)
Keeping it Real: Party 469 (Entry 2 of 49.)
Wisdoms+Wrinkles: Wisdoms Party Tue (Entry 9 of 15.)
Mersad photography: Thru my Lens (Entry 1 of 16.)
Kristin at Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 333 (m Entry 10 of 127**monthly)
* Marty at Stroll Life: Inspire Me Mon 783 (l Entry 1 of 107.)
Karins Kottage: Linky Party (Entry 4 of 108.)
Image-in-ing: Weekly link up (Entry 7 of 36.)
Nicholasjv: Travel Tuesday (Entry 4 of 13.)
Jenerally informed: Happy-now 483 Tues (m Entry 42 of 79.)
Altered book lover: T Tuesday (Entry 4 of 13.)
My Wee Abode: Tuesday Turn About (s Entry 44r of 118r.)
Stonecottageadventures: You're the star (l Entry 9 of 86**)
Flusterbuster: Creative Muster 643 (l Entry 4x of 107x.)
Studio27 - Jennifer: Wed Studio 16 (Entry 19x of 29x.)
Artsy Mama: Team Creative Crafts (Entry 17 of gone.)
Eclectic Red Barn: Wonderful Wed (Entry 3r of 142r.)
Grandmas house: Grandmas house 459 Wed (m Entry 20 of 70.)
My world Thru My Lens: My Corner Wed (Entry 10r of 35r.)
Fifth Sparrow No More: Whimsy Home 141 (Entry 4r of 78r.)
Our Hopeful Home: Vintage Charm 497 Wed (m Entry 11 of 46.)
Simple Life Mom: Homestead Blog Hop 555 (Entry 10 of 73.)
Lisa Howeler: Weekend Traffic Jam Thur (Entry 2 of 70.)
Karins Kottage: Linky Party (Entry 4 of 108.)
Pennys Passion: Thinking out Loud Thur (Entry 2 of 42.)
French Ethereal: Share Your Style Wed 459 (b Entry 19 of 28.)
KatherinesCorner: Th Fav Things 498 (Entry 36 of 84.)
Also Our Hopeful Home: TFT 498 (Entry 36 of 84.)
Its a small town life: Thankful Th 24 (Entry 12 of 15.)
Modern on Monticello: Home matters 537 (s Entry 1 of 119.)
Answer is choco: BFF open house Thur (Entry 4 of 95.)
Coastal Bohemian: Funtastic Thur 549 (Entry 7 of 120.)
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks Fr 679 (L Entry 10)
Countyroad 407: Farmhouse Fri 405 (Entry 3 of 103.)
Shoreline Journeys: Time to Travel July (Entry 4x of 5x.)
Skyley: Skywatch Fri (Entry 40r of 40r.)
Momfessionals: Fri Favorites (Entry 21 of 22.)
** Cottagemarket: A morning cup of Joe (L Entry 29 of 55.)    I was featured here!
Shabby Art boutique: Create-grow-gather 682 (L Entry 64x.)
Crazy Little Love Birds: Link party 96 Fri (Entry 15 of 48.)
Rambling Woods2: Nature Notes Fri (Entry 5 of ?6.)
Pams Party: Dare to share 456 Fri 11p (m Entry 16 of 59.)
Weekend Reflection: reflections (Entry 6 of 14.)
Huisvlijt: Huisvlijt Party Sun (Entry 10 of 32.)
Nixpixmix: Sunday Best 440 (l Entry 4 of 11.)
The house on Silverado: Sun on Silverado 255 (Entry 1 of 107.)
Eclectic Red Barn: Happiness is Homemade Sun a (Entry 6 of 121.)
Life and Linda: Dishing it Digging it Sun 315 (l Entry 7 of 114.)
A pinch of joy: Busy Sun 681 (l Entry 24 of 111.)
Jaipur Gardening: Garden Affair Sun (Entry 3 of 7.)
A Labour of Love: Happiness is Homemade 497 (Entry 6 of 121.)
Pienilintu Finland: Wed around the World (monthly)
Life tales books: Will blog for Comments Mon (25 of 50.)
Create with Joy: Inspire me Sun-Mon (monthly)
Grace filled moments: Sweet Tea Friends (monthly Entry 5 of 150.)
April Harris: Hearth and Soul Sun 10p (Entry 20 of 50monthly)

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Reflections on Spring

Spring: my favorite time of year, where I get to watch the natural world come alive in a myriad of spectacular steps.

Image 1: Lush Pink Cherry Blossoms in Japan

While I try to see, experience, and contemplate spring's miracles, I find myself wanting to encourage others to do the same. 

Image 2: White Cherry Blossoms in Japan

I think a synonym for spring could be "transform".

Image 3: Pink Cherry Blossoms past peak in Japan

Spring is a season of miraculous transformations.  

Image 4: Cherry Blossoms like Pink Lace against the Sky

Spring's transformations are so ubiquitous that many forget to realize the miracles happening before their eyes.  

Image 5: Cherry Blossoms like lace backed by sky

I find it hard not to be awed by the complete change in the landscape from winter to summer.

Image 6: Cherry Tree in bloom, Kyoto

I love the mad rush of blossoms that transform some trees into an exuberant floral fantasy for a couple of days, changing the tree from months of bare branches to months of green leaves. 

Image 7: A Floral Fantasy: Cherry Tree in Bloom, Kyoto Japan

Emerging spectacles link together to form the season of "spring", yet the individual scenes of spring, the blooming cycles of individual plants, are sometimes only 2-5 days long for a specific plant type, and the weather can interfere with those periods.  

Image 8: Pink Cherry Blossoms

Spring's joyous surprises are fast and fleeting.  

Image 9: Cherry blossoms in Japan

If a modern person found a watch on the surface of the moon, they could recognize the watch as evidence that a watchmaker existed, because the watch could not "naturally" occur.  I see spring's, and life's transformations and I recognize spring as evidence of a Creator. 

Image 10: Cherry trees with Tulips, Kyoto Botanic Garden

Spring, and all of nature's miracles, convince me that a Creator existed, a designer of our planet's miracles, a watchmaker of life.  

(Some people say - "Who made the Creator?" which sidetracks the point that a Creator existed.  One shouldn't ignore the evidence a watchmaker existed just because we don't know where the watchmaker came from.)

Image 11: Fun Shaped White Cherry blossoms

All of these photos where taken on my trip to Japan in 2025.  I hope to someday document parks and gardens I visited, but I wanted to share some of the cherry blossoms I saw while it was still spring 2025.  (In Wisconsin USA the redbuds are still blooming, and the Lilies of the Valley are in full bloom - it's still spring here!) 

Image 12: Japan's Ueno Park in Tokyo with Cherry Blossoms

Here are two photos from Tokyo's Ueno Park, to show that I also tried to take lovely landscape views...

Image 13: Ueno Park with Cherry Blossoms reflected in water

 But today's post consisted mostly of cherry blossom portraits - trying to capture close-ups of a fraction of the millions of blossoms I saw. 

Image 14: Bird in Cherry Blossoms

I know further South it's summer (and in the Southern Hemisphere fall will be starting soon) - I find the seasons and timing of spring fascinating.  Spring photos can be enjoyed any time of year.  

I hope you had a great spring with some beautiful memories, and I hope you enjoyed my photos while reflecting on spring...   If you read to here, I would love to hear your thoughts!

"The Earth laughs in flowers"

Ralph Waldo Emerson  

 

 

(Note:  This garden sign from Shinjuku Gyoen garden in Tokyo Japan is packed with information on cherry blossoms.  Sorry about the quality, the photo was taken in pouring rain.  Sigh...)

Image 15: Garden Sign in Tokyo about Cherry Blossoms

As always,
Click on the images to see them enlarged!

I blog for fun and my blog is ad free.  Comments encourage me, and I sometimes need encouragement. Please leave a comment if you have time!  Anonymous comment are welcome!_____________________________________

See more from Japan here...

_____________________________________

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy...

Summer Sunsets

Glass Garden

Italian Garden

Lotus Garden

Winter Garden

God's Garden

Yellowstone

Flower Mirror

Bluebirds

Travel Memories

Summer Vacation

CBG Orchid Show

Rock Window

Bonsai in Bloom

Orchids

Lilies of Valley

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I am linking up to these parties:
Lisa Howeler: Weekend Traffic Jam (Entry 54 of 73.)       I was featured here!
Sticky mud+belly laughs: Mon Morn (Entry 4 of 17.)
Rachel Swirl: Sunday Snapshot (Entry 5 of 7.)
Mostly blogging: Inspire me Mon 518 9a (Entry 16 of 75.)
My Random: Anything Goes 468 (Entry 1 of **)
Good Random Fun: Good Fun Mon 4a (m Entry 19 of 41.)
*BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (s Entry 1x of 19x.)
Holly pinklady: Hello Mon (l Entry 15 of 31.)
Loulougirls: Fabulous-party 581 Mon 1p (l Entry 4 of 52.)
Keeping it Real: Party 464 (Entry 19 of 42.)
Mersad photography: Thru my Lens (Entry 1 of 19.)
Kristin-Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 332 (m Entry 13 of 78Monthly.)
* Marty at Stroll Life: Inspire Me Mon 778 3p (l Entry 3 of 92.)
Karins Kottage: Wed Linky Party (Entry 12 of 98.)
Image-in-ing: Weekly link up (Entry 4 of 36)
Nicholasjv: Travel Tuesday 498 (Entry 5 of 17.)
Jenerally informed: Happy-now 478 Tues (m Entry 10 of 87)
My Wee Abode: Tuesday Turn About (s Entry 16r of 100r.)
Stonecottageadventures: Tues with a twist 630 (l Entry 12 of 33)
Huisvlijt: Huisvlijt Danish Party 22 (l Entry 16 of 19.)
Studio27 - Jennifer: Wed Studio 16 (Entry 19x of 28x.)
Artsy Mama: Team Creative Crafts (Entry 15 of 90.)
Eclectic Red Barn: Wonderful Wed (Entry 14r of 132r)
Also Ducks n a Row: Wonderful Wed (m Entry 14r of 132r.)
Grandmas house: Grandmas house 454 Wed (m Entry 40 of 59.)
Artsy mama: Artsy Party Wed 10a (Entry 15 of gone.)
My world Thru My Lens: My Corner Wed (Entry 3r of 41r.)
Fifth Sparrow No More: Whimsy Home 136 (Entry 5r of 79r.)
Our Hopeful Home: Vintage Charm 492 Wed (m Entry 4 of 85.)
Simple Life Mom: Homestead Blog Hop 550 Wed (Entry 15 of 40.)
Pennys Passion: Thinking out Loud Thur (Entry 22 of 70.)
French Ethereal: Share Your Style Wed 457 (Entry 2 of 27.)
KatherinesCorner: Th Fav Things 10a (Entry 36 of 124.)
Also Follow the yellow brick: TFT 10a (Entry 36 of 124.)
Its a small town life: Thankful Th 24 (Entry 7 of 16.)
Days filled with Joy: Home matters 532 Fri (s Entry 5r of 98r.)
Answer is choco: BFF open house Thur (Entry 7 of 107.)
Good Random Fun: Little Things Thur (m Entry 17 of 21.)
Coastal Bohemian: Funtastic Thur 8p (i Entry 1 of 130.)
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks 673 (L Entry 4 of 112.)
Countyroad 407: Farmhouse Fri 400 (Entry 26 of 120.)
Skyley: Skywatch Fri (Entry 28r of 38r.)
Momfessionals: Fri Favorites (Entry 37 of 50.)
Cottagemarket: A morning cup of Joe (L Entry 28 of 55.)
Shabby Art: Create-grow-gather 677 (L Entry 1x of 106x.)
Crazy Little Love Birds: Link party 91 Fri (Entry 13 of 51.)
Pams Party: Dare to share 456 Fri 11p (m Entry 3 of 99.)
Weekend Reflection: reflections (Entry 14 of 14.)
Nixpixmix: Sunday Best 434 (l Entry 3 of 9.)                                   I was featured here!
The house on Silverado: Sun on Silverado 254 (Entry 12 of 106.)
Life and Linda: Dishing it Digging it 306 Sun 2p (l Entry 6 of 116.)
A pinch of joy: Busy Sun 672 (l Entry 10 of 109.)
Jaipur Gardening: Garden Affair Sun (Entry 5 of 13.)
Insta encouragements: Linky Party (Entry 5x of 13x.)
Labour of Love: Happiness is Homemade 587 Sun a (Entry 4 of 63.)
Shelbee on the edge: Spread kindness 757 (Entry 49 of 50.)
Esmesalon: Salon Pit Stop 362 Mon 4a (Entry 39 of 155.)
Create with Joy: Inspire me Sun-Mon (-- monthly)
April Harris: Hearth and Soul Sun 10p (Entry 43 of 149monthly.)

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