The California Beach Girl's Guide to Life as a Mobility-Challenged Traveler: July 2014

We have discovered a Golf and Wine Trail. Totally by accident.

Richard found a coupon for half price at the Carthage Golf Course, which is across the lake from the winery where his daughter got married last year. So, of course, we had to check it out!

We golfed, we ate, we went to the winery and listened to live music on the back balcony while sipping our favorite wine. We loved it and decided to look into other golf courses that are close to a winery. There are actually several.

We went to Barry last weekend and at the winery we learned there is a Mississippi Valley Wine Trail! Hah! A Trail of Wineries and there are golf courses near the wineries. It may turn out to be a great summer afterall!

But, before I start blogging away about our wine and golf adventures I have wedding reception photos to attend to.

Richard's niece got married this summer in a private ceremony on the beach in Florida but they had a reception back here in Illinois. I was asked to take pictures at the reception and I was totally honored to do that. It has been a very long time since I have done wedding photos and I am still getting this camera figured out so it was a little nerve-wracking for me.

I want the photos to be perfect for them. I plan to have the photo album and CD completed this week. Then I will get caught up on our Summer in Illinois.

Congratulations to Monica Gertz and Casey Hummer!

~Patty Hagedorn Photography~

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patty-Hagedorn-Photography/629150070438274?ref=hl

Here in the Midwest you have to constantly be watching the weather.

I am learning this. It may be clear and sunny when I get up in the morning but thunder and lightning can be coming up in no time. A Storm Watch means there is a storm heading your way and there is a good chance of it hitting you. A Storm Warning means storms are just about on top of you so take cover and bring in your pets, plants, and whatever else you want to save.

Being a Cali Girl from the beach I am not used to this. In So Cal it rains a few times a year and when it rains it pours, but thunder and lightning do not usually come with it. Not that it doesn't happen but it is not a usual occurrence.

Here... thunder and lightning are usual. In fact, there can be lightning for an hour and then thunder hits and sometimes little or no rain comes with it. Or there is thunder, then lightning and hail the size of golf balls, or bigger. Or we get 6" of rain in an hour. There can be no wind or winds up to 70 mph. Then there are the tornadoes... I'm not even going there. I had no idea.

On the weekends we try to get out and go places we haven't been to, get in a round of golf if we can. So we headed out to Mt. Sterling a couple weeks ago to a golf course we hadn't seen yet. The weather was questionable but the radar showed it was clear there and looked like we had a few hours before any storms hit.