Grab a cuppa and a muffin, this is a long one. 🙂
It’s time for Jennifer Belthoff’s Love Notes postcard exchange. Woo Whoo! This takes place four times a year. For this round, the option was given to use snail mail or email. For three weeks my postcard partner and I will exchange emails based on a writing prompt. But you know me, I want to send painted postcards. I plan to send the originals when it is safe to be out and about.
I sent an ecard greeting to my partner earlier this week, the prompt was, “Together”. This is what came to mind.
Good Morning!
Together we can welcome Spring,
All of nature’s pretty things.
The plants, the animals,
the sun, the sky.
The birds above,
as they fly by.
Wishing you a JOY filled day!
The tree in front has buds. I swear they were not there yesterday, and today they are. Bright green-gold buds!
Big Train, Little Trains, Cows and a Starship
I’ve been meaning to share this, but as it turns out this is the perfect time for it. Are you up for a mini-virtual day trip?
Early in March, we visited the Scottsdale Railroad Museum. We walked through the Peoria Depot and learned about the Merci Trains. The Presidential Roald Amundsen Pullman Car was next. Below are a few of the photos I took. Follow the link to watch a very interesting video on the history. It’s a short one.
They have a glass partition in the dining area for protection. Here is a floorplan. It is for the Ferdinand Magellan, but the layout is pretty much the same.
Next up was the 10,000 square foot model railroad building. WOW! I never knew there were so many different sizes of model trains! I took lots of photos until my phone died. But somehow I managed to get only one good shot of a moving train. Haha. Most of my images were of the miniature cityscapes.
First up a huge globe.
Had to laugh at the lego cacti.
Throughout the exhibit, there are orange hands you can touch to activate the displays. The spaceship rose out of the crater. Cue the Twilight music. Do do do do, do do do do.
Goodbye Santa Fe!
My photos don’t do justice to the displays. There was so much to see. In every direction. There is more information here and each gauge group has a link to better photos and even some videos as well. The whole time I was writing this post, the Conjunction Junction song was in my head. Anyone else remember Schoolhouse Rock?
I hope you enjoyed the trip! And if that isn’t enough to fill an afternoon, take a look at the world’s tiniest model train! WOWzers!
I used to visit a restaurant in a city an hour away, it had a train set running around the sides just under the ceiling. It was fun.
Those are always such fun, aren’t they Sea? I can’t think of where I ate that had one. And I think it was Christmas.
Stay safe friend 🙂
Such a lovely and cheery post…much needed. Thank you, Sheila! Happy to see your painting of the Three Little Blooms, so beautifully representing this season. What a great museum. We have a train museum here in Vilanova and I have never thought to go, but once this confinement is over I will. How interesting to see the pullman cars and the models showing the history of course of trains but of our country at that time when this was the mode of travel. My first train ride was from Los Angeles to San Diego with my grandparents to see the famous zoo. I’ve always thought it would be awesome to take the famous train the Orient Express between Paris and Istanbul. Not sure it still exists. Trains are big here in Spain and is what is most used for long distance travel within the country. When I first came here over 40 years ago, they had wonderful glass-and-wood partitioned compartments and people would share bread and wine together. They have been replaced unfortunately by modern and comfy trains with internet connections. Stay well everyone!
How funny Laurelle, I rode the train from Oceanside to Los Angels with my Aunt. And I have ridden the train from Williams Az to the Grand Canyon. But that was before we lived here. LA was modern, and Willimas was old fashioned, and not very comfortable. I can’t imagine traveling cross country, in a corset and confining clothing, No wonder women fainted!
I had always wanted to ride one of the scening trains here. But I read that they have stopped running them. :o(
Praying for you!
Wow – what a day that must have been. The train place looks fabulous – thanks for sharing. I like your flowers – springlike and fun.
We had fun Val. I wouldn’t consider myself a train buff, but it was all very interesting. I had planned to take Pete while mom was in class. But she decided she wanted to see it too, so we waited. Pete is a huge history geek. Stay well and safe 🙂
Your Three Little Blooms hit the spot, Sheila, with a distinct feeling of wind and movement (and none of the RAIN that has come with our wind here in the northeast). Bright, uplifting. I am much in need of both! Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed them Dotty 🙂 I heard about the rain and weather, not good timing at all. I hope it passes soon and is not too heavy. 🙂 Stay well. 🙂