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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Cherished Recovery

Roth Family Bus to Niagara Falls, photograph


This is THEE PHOTOGRAPH I had to have back when I burned out my external hard drive. It's the best pic of our most memorable family trip for Honey's seventieth when first cousins finally met.

Midwest Roths met the West coast Roths, boarded our rented bus and drove to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada to see one of the  great wonders of the world the NiagaraFalls and The Horseshoe Falls.   The big guy, third guy down the line from the left and my youngest son, took charge of the driving, (and the tricky parking). We did the snacking, video gaming, cartoon watching and singing A Hundred Bottles of Beer on the wall way past who cared anymore. We did the Maid of The Mist. We went under the Falls. We enjoyed the nightly fireworks. We spent a lot of time in the souvenir shops--an incredible amount of time in the souvenir shops. But we missed the Butterfly House and the play at the George Bernard Shaw Theater. We have to go back.

Niagara-on-the-lake is a lovely small town just twenty minutes from the grand tourist attraction. Next trip, I'd like to try the hotel Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Phillip stayed in. It was the only one that had an outdoor pool. Looking at it, I did wonder if the Royals took a dip.

Finding this photo in this new cute external hard drive, no bigger than those giant playing cards for old people, was a learning exercise. There was a decision to be made before I found my stuff. I made the right one. I also learned how to eject the drive safely--very important I understand.


19 comments:

  1. Great memories to have. Isn't Niagara spectacular? I never bore of going there. I also regularly visit the wonderful F. E. Church painting of the Falls that lives in the National Gallery of Scotland - epic and beautiful.

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    1. It is! And the area is gorgeous. The town is bustling with much more than souvenir stores. And Niagara-on-the-Lake is charming. I wasn't sorry we missed George Bernard Shaw, but I was sorry we missed the butterfly house. Nana has a lot of the five year old in her and would have been delighted by the little creatures with their magnificent colors. we do have to go back.

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  2. "Memories are made of This", remember the song? Nice post. Pat has family in Hamilton, Ontario near to the falls. A great experience isn't it? I never made it on the Maid of the Mist though.

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    1. They sure are. This photo was one of many that brought tears when I lost all of them.
      The Maid of the Mist was a trip! You really don't have to shower before going. Ponchos or not, you come away wet. They take you right up to both falls; cameras need protection, but aren't any good anyway. You can't see through the mist--mist is hardly the best description. From the bottom looking up they are phenomenal. The little ones (5 and 6 years old) were frightened and went below. But the older kids loved it. I felt very adventuresome and couldn't stop laughing.

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  3. A beautiful family picture, Linda. I visited Niagara Falls many years ago and would love to go again. An absolutely Awesome place to visit.!

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    1. Stay in Niagara-on-the-Lake. There are three 'quaint' hotels that are charming. We stayed in a more modern one slightly out of town where they had an indoor pool the kids swam in every evening while the grown ups chatted over wine and beer. They also had a spa and all the Roths had their choice of treatment. Then we hit the hoop-la of the tourist attractions. Great fun. A nice mix of tranquility and excitement. Wear rubber bottom, I don't care if they get soaked shoes.

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  4. I'm SO HAPPY you found it! Your persistence and correct decision making worked- YEAH!
    You have a terrific family- it's a wonderful photo. And what a great time you guys had- I can see why you wanted to keep this memory. Makes me want to go to Niagara Falls.

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    1. When people's home are destroyed by Hurricanes and Tornados, nature's cruelties, you always see on TV a woman standing in the middle of the rubble that was her home crying about her lost family photographs. I was extremely lucky I had a chance and the means to retrieve mine. That woman will always be remembering those moments caught on camera that can never be replaced. My heart always weeps for her.

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  5. Linda: A fine family! You are fortunate, indeed.

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  6. Hi Linda! Finally I have some time to comment here and there. What a great picture! And a wonderful memory of this family trip!

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    1. Judy, the trip was a dream-come-true. All my sons and their families were in the same town. That hasn't happened since.

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  7. Een foto om te koesteren er straalt warmte uit heel fijn voor je lieve groetjes Danielle

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    1. I do get warm and fuzzy when it comes to family. The trip was a great adventure.

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  8. I know what you mean about trying to save photos. Recently lost a lot here, hohum!

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    1. Funny thing, I was ho-hum about the photos of my art and reference photos. I was not ho-hum about family photos. The loss of them made me cry. When kids live distances away, I got a lot pleasure looking at them and recalling the moments they were taken. I get a lot of pleasure seeing my parents' photos and their lives. I should probably scan those and store them in an external drive. I still want the hard copies though. The family got a kick looking at them when they passed away; they cheered everyone up and got us remembering the time when. Priceless memories.

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  9. Dear Linda,lose and regain the memories ... what a shock before and what a joy it now!
    I also love your family memories and how you tell!

    Since there is daylight saving time, time escapes me.
    Something always gets in between me and what I would do ... then I suspect that I want to do too many things, because the brain is very fast, but the hands do not keep the fast pace of ideas.

    While I want to use two different techniques as result I paint less than before.
    This is my experience now. When I learned to drive, I was hesitant to make the start and we put so much time, when, after having learned it was all a matter of seconds.
    My hesitation in front of what I do and that I should not do, on the one hand leads to awareness of the technique, and it is positive for this, but lengthens the time so sometimes disheartening. So everything concerning the house, the kitchen, the unexpected, it becomes an intolerable waste of time, at this stage I'm going through, where I'm focusing my thoughts "creative" and the way for keep the "creative
    mood".(In this commentary I gather the ideas that came to reading your latest post. Since I've been busier are also more lazy with the blog ...)Warm hugs and happy life&painting,Rita.

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    1. Me too. I've not blogged as often as in years past. I haven't painted as often either. Poor health has been the main reason and questioning why should I paint when there's so little appreciation or reward?

      I think my struggle with my chronic vertigo and sinusitis all winter long has really turned my interest away. Trying to cure the sinusitis has been a bear, but it must be done. Head congestion ticks off vertigo attacks, which tick off dehydration. Not good. A bit depressing. So I've been putting a lot of time into learning NO SALT cookery and reading American history in between making no salt sauces. Sauces are everything when it comes to cooking. . I am making progress. I've lost about seven pounds, which as it turns out wasn't all as important as lowering the threat of vertigo attacks. I do know now that I bought the SAD light for the hell of it. The congestion was the culprit that stole my spirit. Warm hugs to you too Rita.

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    2. PS: I know what you mean about working with new mediums. I did the same thing. That Russ's it's course and you'll settle into the ones you are the most accomplished in and comfortable with. I'm comfortable with acrylics and charcoal. Oils? I'm still feeling my way. Today is an acrylic day UNLESS I get lazy and just pick up a piece of charcoal?

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