It looks like August will be more of the same as far as social distancing is concerned, so next month in This Awful Awesome Life will be challenging.
Honestly, I’m not sure what our theme will be or who our contributors will be.
I can tell you I’ll be making a peach pie for “August 2020 in The Twelve months of Pie. Linda Cahill will be back with more delicious recipes from Pampered Chef, Orlando Bartro will send me something brilliant, and we’ll feature a poem from Rachel Ann Bovier.
Hopefully, we will have some good news to share, but we won’t try to pretend COVID-19 hasn’t changed our communities.
Come back and read our articles and take our quizzes, we’re here to be of service. Please share our site with your friends.
Until next month, Stay Safe; Stay Well; You are Important, and You are Loved!
Fran
Answers to the July 2020 Vacation Quiz:
Located between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Juan Mountains, the tallest dunes in the United States at over 700 feet high make for an exotic hike (you’ll think you are in the Gobi or the Sahara).
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado - Photo #4
Choose from hundreds of hillside vineyards or visit Castello di Amorosa Winery, an authentically styled, a 13th-century Tuscan castle constructed using historically accurate medieval building techniques. The castle is open daily for tours, which include tastings.
Napa Valley, California - Photo #17
This stretch of American coastline has been called the American Riviera. The Santa Lucia Mountains rise adjacent to picturesque beaches and waterfalls.
Big Sur, California - Photo #2
Few places in America feel more remote than this. Be prepared to see more animals than people. Wildlife watchers can observe a myriad of birds, mammals, and Marine mammals that live in the surrounding waters such as seals, sea lions, walrus, and grey, minke, humpback, Orca, and sperm whales.
The Aleutian Islands of Alaska - Photo #1
This 7-mile long island offers quirky independently owned boutiques, and restaurants serving fresh local cuisine free of large hotels, shopping malls, and chain restaurants. Watch leatherback turtles and giant anole as you lounge on the beach, and after dark observe the bioluminescent organisms that often light up the coastal waters.
Culebra, Puerto Rico - Photo #9
Discover oddly shaped plants indigenous to the region, and gigantic boulders reaching hundreds of feet into the sky, the landscape here is something you might find in your favorite science-fiction movie.
Joshua Tree National Park, California - Photo #6
Hike the Horseshoe Lake Trail - 1.5 miles through spruce and aspen forests. Try your hand at mountaineering, flightseeing, or take in the view from one of the many scenic overlooks. The forests are home to the grizzly bear, wolves, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, martens, lynx, beavers, and fox.
Denali National Park, Alaska - Photo #7
Experience the Caribbean without leaving the continental United States. Stroll down streets with colorful buildings, and enjoy beachy boutiques, art galleries, snorkeling, sailing, and kayaking. Feast on fresh seafood and local specialties and be prepared to dance the night away. Pay a visit to the former home of Ernest Hemingway.
Key West, Florida Keys - Photo #11
It’s the largest Chinese community outside of Asia. Visit fish markets, restaurants. and retailers. Seethe interesting architecture and colorful décor around the financial district, and don’t miss the oldest dim sum house in America, the Hang Ah Tea Room, or the Golden Gate Bakery.
Chinatown, San Francisco Photo # 8
The oldest continuously occupied European settlement in North America was founded by the Spanish in 1565. Many historic buildings still standing, like the Castillo de San Marcos, which was built-in 1672, the historic city gate, and the Plaza de la Constitucion.
St. Augustine, Florida - Photo #18
Imagine a wild coastline, forests, beaches, and glacier-capped mountains with misty cliffs, waterfalls, and a temperate rainforest all in one location.
Olympic National Park, Washington - Photo #16
The largest privately-owned home ever built in the United States is the former mansion of George Washington Vanderbilt. It sits on 8,000 acres with beautifully manicured gardens and its own winery. The 250-room French chateau-style mansion also has a bowling alley, 65 fireplaces, beautiful medieval tapestries, and an extensive library. On the grounds, you can visit a farm with a petting zoo, old fashioned toys, and farm equipment. Tour the winery, learn about the wine-making process, and enjoy a tasting.
Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina - Photo #5
Visit a Bavarian village on the edge of the Cascade Mountains. Turned into a replica German village in 1960 to promote tourism, during the Christmas holidays the village transforms into a winter wonderland. It is often compared to a Bavarian snow globe. The annual Christmas Lighting Festival includes old fashioned caroling, Christmas characters, and dazzling lights.
Leavenworth, Washington - Photo #13
This mountain landscape and shoreline has been the backdrop for numerous Hollywood films such as Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the 2005 King Kong. Visit the soaring cliffs of the Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Wailua Falls.
Kauai, Hawaii - Photo #3
Visit the oldest state capital in the United States. This adobe city is known for its exceptional art galleries, museums, hand-made jewelry, and magnificent architecture. The adobe city is also famous as a haven for artists, including Georgia O’Keefe.
Santa Fe, New Mexico - Photo #12
This town, founded by a group of Dutch teachers in 1911, is in the Santa Ynez Valley and pays tribute to Danish culture and the literary hero Hans Christian Andersen. Visit shops, restaurants, and office buildings, built in the Danish style. Shop European imports, high-end arts & crafts boutiques, and visit the Santa Ynez wine country.
Solvang, California - Photo #10
Reminiscent of the Swiss Alps, the architecture of this location features decorative woodwork, detailed doors, and charming balconies. Enjoy skiing in the winter or hiking, trout fishing, and observing wildlife in the summer months.
Vail Village, Colorado - Photo #15
Enjoy walks through alpine fields of colorful wildflowers, and observe massive glaciers and waterfalls while you view this majestic 14,411-foot-high mountain.
Mount Rainier, Washington - Photo #14
