Category Archives: Tourism

Artistic Energy Abounds in Steamboat

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Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. –Margaret B. Runbeck

The 5th annual All Arts Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado was this past weekend, and I was busy. On Friday afternoon I browsed booths filled with artisan wares of all kinds – jewelry, photography, sculpture, fiber arts, oil paintings, pottery and more. There was something of interest for everyone.

On Friday evening I ushered at Strings Music Festival, and I was so grateful I was able to see Love Letters. This play, by A.R. Gurney, earned finalist status for a Pulitzer Prize for drama. I adored it. It left me amazed at how two people reading a script could make an evening so engaging. Katherine Ross and Wilfred A Brimley showed their talents, as actors, by drawing me into the storyline immediately, from the first line to the last.

On Sunday morning at the UnitedMethodistChurch, an operatic singer was incorporated into the service. Although fabulous local musical talent is often showcased in our church, Elizabeth Gore-Stanley had come to town over the weekend as part of the Emerald City Opera. Her beautiful rendition of  “Blessings” aptly described the way I was feeling as I listened to her exquisite God-given voice, and thought about this place, Steamboat.

I wrapped up my weekend back at Strings Music Festival ushering.  Lyle Lovett and his big band gave a performance which did not disappoint. All talented musicians in their own right, with albums to their credit. A little bit country, a little bit Texas swing, some rhythm and blues made for a fulfilling evening. Arnold McCuller, Lovett’s sidekick (backup vocalist) was one smooth guy and you can listen to voice and song writing from his album Soon As I Get Paid on his website. http://bit.ly/13yUFog.

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As we move into midweek, this town in the northwest corner of the Rocky Mountains will continue to stay busy with tourists. The nation’s top bikers will pedal their way through Steamboat Springs on August 21 and 22nd as part of the US Pro Biking Challenge “America’s Race.” which begins in Aspen, Colorado and ends in Denver. Breathtaking altitudes (over 12,000 ft), treacherous mountain passes and spectacular scenery will bring over one million visitors to the State to witness this competition.

Come on back to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Spirited Women

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“To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.” 

-Helen Keller

I like being in the presence of spirited women. I guess it’s a result of my upbringing. My mother says “she has been a tomboy all her life. If she wanted to be with my father, she had no choice but to learn how to fish, pilot a boat, be a carpenter’s assistant and do the things he liked to do or be left behind in the dust.” Friends as children, now married 65 years, I guess the relationship has worked out alright.  She does know how to dress, and act the lady. She’s also led a “cultured life.”

I’ve recently come across some really fun blogs and books, for and about women, who like the outdoor life. Today, I’d like to share them on All Things Fulfilling in hopes that they will be interesting for our female readers to know about.

As write to you from Steamboat Springs. Colorado and a few days after I had drafted this blog, I came across the books Glamping with Mary Jane and Sisters on the Fly at the new retail store Remember Me, here in town. It is a fun store, with a lot of spirit, stop by and visit it!

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This is your life, so, whatever moves your spirit, pursue it!

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Click for info & ordering
 Do return tomorrow to the space where independent thoughts, words, and views are all part of the business.

Good News for an Indie Bookstore

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“Once a year, go someplace you have never been before.” ~ Dali Lama

In a time when brick and mortar bookstores are struggling to stay in business, there is good news in the northeastern part of the country. Northshire Bookstore, in Manchester Center, Vermont, an independent bookstore that has won top honors from Publishers Weekly Magazine, just spread it’s wings and has opened in a second location, in a second state.

Saratoga, New York, the site of the new Northshire Bookstore, is a thriving community, the home of SkidmoreCollege. http://www.skidmore.edu/ The town has a vibrant performing arts center (SPAC), http://www.spac.org/ as well as many shops and galleries throughout town. The SaratogaArtCenter http://www.saratoga-arts.org/ teaches workshops and hosts artists in residence. It is also the summer home to many horse racing enthusiasts.

There are many reasons to visit this region. Saratoga is in the Adirondack Mountains region with sparkling lakes nearby for summer recreation. The town boasts of seventeen healing mineral springs, which were first found by the Mohawk and Iroquois Indians.

Next time you are in the area, stop by 424 Broadway and see the newly opened Northshire Bookstore. http://www.northshire.com/ If it is anything like the retail store in Manchester, Vermont, it will be stocked with all kinds of fulfilling reading and it will be well worth your visit.

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Photo Above: Pre-Opening of the Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga, NY

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. Tomorrow we will be sharing stories about art in a different part of the country. Do return to All Things Fulfilling.

Stone Preservation

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“We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them or build with them.” ~ William Arthur Ward

Beautiful stone creations with historical value – things to preserve rather than destroy. Building with stone goes back centuries. Along with our culture’s growing passion for geneology, there has been an increasing interest in the art of preserving stone monuments and markers in America. Even the finest historical markers and structures made of rock, like cathedrals, churches, castles, bridges and roads need attention because their integrity becomes compromised due to land development, weather, neglect, acid rain and vandalism.

Jonathan Appel, is a stone conservator who has been working in graveyards to preserve monuments and markers in Civil War areas, such as in Frederick, Maryland. http://bit.ly/18ApKGI. Finding fulfillment in preserving our country’s history on holy grounds, he trains others to become monument conservators through workshops.

Last weeks blog about the building of rock sculptures for a unique, personal reason left me feeling uplifted, because one man’s efforts became an community building event. stone_sculptor_at_workOut of all the statues, obelisks, monoliths, pillars and plaques that have been created to memorialize the spirit of beings, all over the world,  I hope an overwhelming number of them have been placed to remember positive spirits who have existed on earth.

If you did not read the blog or watch the video about community efforts to support a grieving man and his art, visit this link. It’s an interesting story. Let me know what you think. http://bit.ly/145b3xc

Please return to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow for more independent thoughts, words and views from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com . Our blog tomorrow is about a special angel and how that angel has inspired a blog that I believe deserves special mention for it’s beauty.

Film Friday: Comeback of an Era

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“Any good comeback needs true believers.”  ~ Unknown

drive-in-movie-theaterDo you remember going to the drive-in movies? I love looking back at those nostalgic times of going to the movies with my parents in my pajamas, car packed with snacks, and watching the big screen outdoors, with excitement, till I finally fell asleep in the back seat of the station wagon.

Most drive-in theatres have been demolished. There are only 355 left nationwide according to Las Vegas-based Drive-ins.com, which tracks the industry. In the State of Michigan there has been a resurgence of drive-in theatres. Think about it – with jumbotron screens, like those you see in sports arenas, at concerts, and in Times Square, reviving outdoor movie viewing may make sense in more ways in one!

Reliving a bygone era makes for a fun bonding experience with family and friends. Using land that has been sitting vacant, for drive-in theatres, must be cheaper than building behemoth buildings to house cinemas. Downside is the short season for outdoor movie viewing in some climates.

Zhivago2Imagine watching Dr. Zhivago with snow falling all around you (the real thing) as you watch the ZhivagoDVDmovie!

Interested in rewatching an old classic, Dr. Zhivago? Click for info & ordering

That would be a unique experience. Perhaps there is an untapped niche of people, like the “polar bear club” who would find going to drive-in movies year round fulfilling. Social networking groups, enthusiasts who appreciate the art of the drive-in movie experience, in all conditions, might be the next big thing to spring up. You never know in this creative and interesting economy, perhaps we shouldn’t put drive-in movies in the museum of dying giants yet! http://bit.ly/12GKFTK .

When was the last time you went to a drive-in movie? In Michigan there are people who might answer that question, “very recently.” To read about the comeback of drive-in theatres in Michigan, visit this link. http://on.lsj.com/13QDldB.

Come back on Monday to All Things Fulfilling, the space for independent thoughts, words and views from CFS (www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com). For information on author Sue Batton Leonard, Click for info on her memoir

Rockwell Models Gather

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“I am the oldest antique in town.” ~ Norman Rockwell

RosieTheRiveterI love the images of Norman Rockwell. To me they are symbolic of the innate goodness of people and the average hardworking American. The paintings also remind me of a time when children were not rushed through childhood and were able to retain their innocence and naïveté for much longer. Things like patriotism, creativity, family and fellowship among people are depicted in so many of Rockwell’s paintings.

On July 6th, the NormanRockwellMuseum will be having a reunion of the models who posed for the artist who are still living. This event is being held in honor the 20th anniversary of the new museum building in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Panel discussions and the opportunity to hear Melinda Pelham (the daughter of the Arlington, Vermont Rockwell assistant), talk about her recent Rockwell discovery and her appearance on PBS-TV’s “Antiques Roadshow.” To read more about the Norman Rockwell Museum and this event, please follow this link to the website. http://bit.ly/16z8gcm .Click for info & ordering on Norman Rockwell Publications

Sounds like a fulfilling event! Put this on your “to do list” if you are in the area. While you are there, check out the many antique shops, farmers markets,historic architecture and the spectacular Berkshire countryside. The Sterling and Francine Clark Museum in Williamstown, Massachusetts http://www.clarkart.edu/museum/  is just a hop, skip and a jump away and worthwhile seeing!

Have a fulfilling 4th of July week, everybody. Cheers to independence and all things made in America!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

Fulfilling Flashbacks

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“God has given us our memories that we might have roses.” ~ Unknown

Recollections bookThere is a book by Jim Chambers called,  Recollections: A Baby Boomers Memories of the Fabulous Fifties that is a fun read if you grew up in the 1950’s and 1960s and like to return temporarily to yesteryear. Although I believe in the importance of moving forward in my life, just thinking back to childhood days is fulfilling.

Click for info & ordering

The other day, I returned to my childhood, when I stopped by a snowball stand (also known as snow cones, in other parts of the country) for a treat down memory lane. Choosing a flavor has not become easier as an adult, I can assure you of that. Tutti-fruity, blood orange, thunderbird, lemon-lime, they all sounded good, but root beer eventually won out. The girl manning the stand rushed me to a quick decision when she looked at me with her beady eyes, as if to say “Hurry up lady, make up your mind, I’ve got along line of people waiting.”

As I sipped and crunched on the giant-sized cup of crushed ice with artificial flavoring, I thought back to all kinds of fulfilling thoughts of summer from the 1950s and 60s. Do you remember?

  • “Sea and Ski” suntan lotion? Back then, the thought of adding a sun block to the lotion would have been a travesty!
  • The drive-in movies? The audio box that hung from the window emitted sounds that crackled and broke up.
  • Lazy  days by the pool or laying on the bed reading The Bobbsey twin novels? One book after another?
  • Doing the twist or the “Freddie” with your friends? Loved the Beach Boys, the Mamas and the Pappas, the Temptations, the Righteous Brothers and the Supremes.
  • Walking between bolts of fabric at the sewing store? Dreaming about patterns, colors and materials you’d need to make a back to school dress for      September?
  • Waiting for the weekly airing of Candid Camera? That show always tickled me pink.
  • Screaming like a raving maniac when the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan? How I adored Ringo and also Topo Gigio!

608-worldsfair-postcardI was keenly aware that our family shared a special privilege, the summer of 1964. We went to the World’s Fair in NY. Oh, how I wish my youngest brother was old enough to remember it. He was just a baby. I marveled at seeing the huge globe on display, and colorful flags from all the nations represented, surrounding it. Our family sang “It’s a Small World After All” the entire way back to Baltimore.

Ahhhh…childhood. Beautiful childhood. I had all the time in the world just to be a kid and play. Unfortunate that today, kids get rushed through it, isn’t it?

This  blog brought to you by Sue B Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected Click for info & ordering Sue’s memoir and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

The Viewpoint of a Famed Writer

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“The past actually happened. History is what someone took the time to write down.” ~ A. Whitney Brown

“The town that fooled the British” is a tagline that St Michaels Maryland http://bit.ly/140ExHA earned during the War of 1812. As I entered through the gates of the Inn at Perry Cabin and came upon the rose gardens with a fabulous garden conservatory, my exact thoughts were “I do, indeed, feel as if I am in England.”

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 Above: Garden Conservatory on Grounds of Inn at Perry Cabin http://bit.ly/17JGjCc

Below: Entrance to Inn at Perry Cabin

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St. Michaels, named after the patron saint of mariners, is filled with seafaring history. The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a popular attraction for tourists, and locals alike, who want to learn about the legacy of the town and share its place in history with children.

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Above: Building at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum http://bit.ly/11bNJu2

Below: More sites on the grounds of the Museum

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A trading post for trappers and tobacco farmers back in the mid-sixteenth century, today St. Michaels offers great recreational opportunity on the waters of the Miles River and Broad Creek, just some of the fabled places on the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay that author James Michener wrote about.http://bit.ly/140G54n.

A well-preserved vintage port, my exploration of “St. Mike’s” was fun, educational and inspirational as I took in the museum, shops, art galleries and other sites in heart of Chesapeake Bay country. Join me as I share my journey from St. Michaels to nearby Tilghman’s Island through photographs.

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Above: Entrance to Marina at St Michaels

Below: How to Read the Weather from A Stone

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Below: The very charming “Parsonage Inn” (circa 1883) http://www.parsonage-inn.com/

Love the turret uniquely placed in the center, at the heart of the structure, rather than on the corner as so  many typically  are.

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Gallery Window

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Photo above: Loved the name of this boat “Once Upon a Time.”

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Bridge Restaurant at the Bridge onto Tilghman’s Island

To read more about the history of this region of Maryland, things to see and do, and to see more pictures, follow the links I have provided throughout this article. Thanks for visiting this site. Come back tomorrow!

This blog brought to you by www.allthingsfulfilling.com and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

A Colorful Stroll

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The craving for color is as necessity as water and fire.~ Frenand Leger, “On Monumentality and Color”, 1943.

Walking through the streets of historic St Michaels, Maryland is like tip-toeing around dabs of color on an artist’s palette. The shops, restaurants and some of the houses are painted beautiful vivid colors with eye-catching contrasting trim such as lemon yellow, cerise, aqua, bubblegum pink, lime, amethyst, baby blue, coral, fuchsia, bittersweet and azure. Bright and bold, no watered down pigments and few earthy colors that reign in Western landscapes. There is no doubt I am in the Eastern part of the United States.

One can’t help entering through the doors of the retail spaces out of curiosity to see whether the goods inside are as decorative and enticing as the structures themselves. Come along on this photographic tour of the beautiful harbor town of St Michaels, Maryland. Return tomorrow , I’ll show you what else I found in St. Mike’s that was as tasteful as the gourmet cupcakes they sell at Sweetie Bakery . It was a fulfilling day of doing business in the “Land of Pleasant Living” and on the Chesapeake.

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Thanks for visiting www.AllThingsFulfilling.com, the blog of www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Launching from an International Shipping Port

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You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. ~ Henry David Thoreau

Charming Oxford, Maryland, http://www.oxfordmd.net/ a small waterside town of about 1,000 people is one of the oldest towns in America.  Oxford has a very southern feel with huge, old magnolia trees lining many of its streets. Until the American Revolution, Oxford enjoyed prominence as an international shipping center surrounded by wealthy tobacco plantations.

On my way to St Michaels, Maryland, I boarded the Oxford ferry for a scenic fifteen minute ride across the TredAvonRiver to the town of Bellevue, Maryland. The ferry is the longest running privately owned ferry in the country.  Service began in 1683.

People in Oxford live a fulfilling “waterman’s way of life.” Here are a few pictures from my travels to Oxford.

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Above: A Day at Work for Oysterman & Crabbers

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Oxford is enjoying a new resurgence based on tourism and leisure activities. Its quiet environment, fresh air and cooler breezes provide a haven from the hustle and bustle of  the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.  Boaters, weekend visitors, and summer residents find Oxford a welcoming change of pace.

Filmmakers came to Oxford in 2006 when they captured some of their scenes for the movie Failure to Launch, a romantic comedy staring Matthew McConnaughey, Terry Bradshaw and Sarah Jessica Parker. This film can be ordered through the Internet Movie Database http://imdb.to/14ZGByG .

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Photo: The stars of the film Failure to Launch in Oxford, Maryland

Do return tomorrow and I will show you more photos of fulfilling things I found to see and do, when I traveled from Oxford to St Michaels, Maryland.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.