Pictures of what?

So glad to see you back Maurice,I was concerned that we had scared you off. POE people are really nice, but we can be a little controversial. As they say in photography circles (and many others I'll bet) if you ask for an opinion dont expect continuity of comment across a group of people.

I hope you will stay with us

Hi Maurice.  Welcome!  I echo Sally in saying I hope you will stay with us.  POE is a brilliant site.

I just noticed today that one of the members, Tom Doncaster posted a Worksop picture especially for you.

Picture by Tom Doncaster

That was very nice of you to do, Tom.  It's a great shot, BTW.

Thanks Ruth,

I thought you might like to know that my wife and I are big fans of your country, we have visited the USA quite a lot over the years and I have a lot of "Pictures of America" along with my "Pictures of England".

 Take Care!

Where have you and your wife traveled in the States, Maurice?

Hi Rob,

We have travelled many miles on the West side from the Rockies to the Pacific and on the East from Niagra Falls down to Florida.  Our usual arrangement has been to pick up a car on arrival and then roughly follow a route that we had previously planned.  On our last visit we started in San Francisco and went North almost to Portland, then inland to the Rockies and Salt Lake City.  From there we eventually ended up in San Diego.

Maurice: Sounds like you've done quite a bit of traveling in the U.S. Have you ever been in Michigan or the Great Lakes region (aside from Niagara Falls)?

How did you like San Diego? My daughter's wedding this coming summer is going to be in San Diego at the Prado in Balboa Park. Her fiance's family is from nearby Encinitas, just up the coast from San Diego.

The feeling is definitely mutual, Maurice.  And you've visited many places in the U.S. I've not been to.  But yes, I have to agree, the United States is a very special place!  Did you have fun driving over here?  We had a great time driving over there, although I was a bit blinded by my white knuckles, whilst I was driving. 

We like to travel the same way you do, pick up a car and do independent travel.  You might miss some of the traditional "tourist" spots, but I prefer to get off the beaten tourist path and see the "real" county, meet people, etc.

Very nice avatar, Rob.  I'd love to visit Northern Michigan.  There is a couple at my church who have a place on Lake Michigan and we have a standing invitation.  They are what we affectionately refer to here as "snowbirds," people from the frozen north who winter in Arizona.  So maybe some day (after I get the British Isles out of my system, or get too old to make the transatlantic hop, lol).

Another lovely place near San Diego is Carlsbad.

Thanks, Ruth--I took the avatar photo in my office yesterday via the camera on my laptop. Northern Michigan is very beautiful and heavily wooded, though no longer with the vast forests of white pine, which the loggers stripped out in the late 19th century. Where in Michigan do your church friends live when they are "summering" here?

As to San Diego, my wife Shirley and I are starting to get to know the city and the surrounding area via my soon-to-be in-laws (absolutely lovely and fun people!). We have stayed with them a couple of times this year, including 9 days at Thanksgiving, which was a blast--Thanksgiving dinner for 30 guests and a lobster boil for 20 guests the next day! I don't think I've ever eaten so much food in two days in my life (or cooked and laughed so much, either)!