#MFRWauthor 52 Week Blog Challenge Blog Hop
Week 27: The Most Beautiful Place I’ve Been
This is the twenty-seventh week. I guess this means we’re on the down-hill spiral now. It’s hard to believe half of 2017 has already gone by, but here we are again with another 52 Week Blog Challenge post. We have a whole half of year to look forward to.
About this week’s topic… Maybe Mt. Shasta isn’t the most beautiful spot I’ve ever been, but it’s up there at the top with:
The Great Lake State:
- Viewing a lighthouse at sunset at Ludington State Park.
- Bluffs over Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes.
- Viewing Lake Superior from the top of a lighthouse in Upper Michigan (Upper Peninsula).
- Sunrise over Lake Huron in the thumb area of Michigan while making coffee in a van at Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse near Port Hope.
California:
- The Golden Gate Bridge.
- Napa Valley.
I could choose:
- Niagara Falls at night from the dining room in the Skylon Tower.
- Smokey or Allegheny Mountains.
- Horses and donkeys running free in the desert. (I’ve seen both in Arizona and Nevada.)
In other words, so far in this lifetime, I can’t choose one particular place.
But today I’m choosing a “beautiful” trip and heartfelt memory with my oldest son.
Mt. Shasta, California.
It’s Thanksgiving weekend. On this visit to California to see my oldest son, we did a couple day trips. The ones I’ll mention today are our trips to Mt. Shasta, the mountain and the city, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, and Shasta Dam and Lake. On a clear day you can see Mt. Lassen at Lassen Volcanic National Park. We visited Mt. Lassen on my first visit to California.
Mt. Shasta isn’t in view in this image due to the clouds.
The Three Shastas. Lake. Dam. Mountain.
It’s a steady climb all the way up. The temperature was around the mid-sixties when we left, and by time we got there, his temp gage in the truck hit around thirty-two degrees. He wanted to show me the Mt. Shasta Ski Park, but it was closed. We got as far as the gate. I’ve shown you pictures of Mt. Shasta before, but this wall hanging was a Christmas gift from him. My previous (times two moves) apartment wallpaper didn’t look that yucky color in person.
He took the picture from the Oregon side of the mountain. It’s a three-panel canvas and is almost the size of my couch. The time spent with him that long weekend is a favorite memory, and is the reason I shared Mt. Shasta as one of the most beautiful places I’ve been. I can’t wait to see what the other participating authors chose.
Since this is a Blog Hop, please hop over to visit by clicking HERE. Thanks for reading.
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel 
18 thoughts on “#AmWriting ~Easy on the Eyes~ #MFRWauthor Blog Hop”
Teagan Geneviene
How beautiful, Mary. No wonder it is such a treasured memory for you. Thanks for sharing it with us here. I hope you’re feeling better. Here’s to vibrant good health. Mega hugs.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thank you, Teagan. The memory and beauty make a great combination. My back/hip issue hasn’t changed much, but I appreciate the well wishes. Have a good one.
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Pingback: Most Beautiful Places in the World – #MRFWauthor – Author Robin Michaela
RobinMichaela
Beautiful pictures, beautiful memory. Being with the ones you love makes everything better, doesn’t it? 🙂
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Yes, it does, Robin. Thank you. 😊
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Ed Hoornaert
It’s been decades since I’ve seen Mt Shasta, but you’re right — the view from the highway 5 is truly spectacular.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Oooh, I’m glad you know what I’m talking about, Ed! It’s time I see it again. My son goes to the area often for a lot of activities from bike riding or dirt bike riding to running the trails. I hear they have spectacular caverns in the area. A group he’s in does a moonlight run across the dam sometimes, and they do a run for all the seasons. Thanks for visiting.
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Helen Henderson
Being with family, and making special memories makes a place special. And I love mountains. 🙂
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
I know, Helen, there is something special about gazing at mountains. I don’t think I’d ever tire of viewing them. I’m glad you stopped by. 🙂 Have a fantastic weekend.
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RaineBalkera
Lovely post! I like your banner, too. Very pretty. I’m from Michigan and have seen everything you mentioned. Thanks for sharing!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thanks, Raine! There is a lot to see in Michigan. Lighthouse tours are a lot of fun. 🙂 And then, you know, there is a lot of water. 😉 Thanks about the banner. I needed something new so I played around making it.
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D. Wallace Peach
There are so many beautiful places in the world, Mary. I think you hit on what makes some of them extra special – who you’re with. ❤
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Otherwise I don’t know how I could choose, Diana. When I’m visiting him, I always look at the mountain from his house on a clear day, though that far away you don’t see all of it. I remember the first time I saw it as we were coming up over a hill on Interstate 5 on the way to his house the first time. There is sat as huge as the day itself. Mesmerizing. Then I looked to the right, and there was another one. ❤ One day I'll stay there for an extended period of time. I remember the rain forest pictures you’ve shared before. Just beautiful.
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D. Wallace Peach
My “mountain” awe happened the first time I saw the Tetons. I burst into tears with this intense feeling that I was finally coming home. It was something else!
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Oh, that’s sweet, Diana. I’d love to see the Tetons. Sometimes I felt that way when I’d visit our cottage in the Allegheny Mountains, though it wasn’t my home state. It was a favorite place. My book, Christmas at Love House takes place there, in fact, and it’s also mentioned in the other two Bull Rider Series books. Yes, my bull riders family has a ranch in PA. How else could I fit in a favorite place? 🙂
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D. Wallace Peach
Perfect. 😀
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Meka James
Beautiful pictures Mary. It is hard to narrow down just one place. Taking trips with those we love make them even more special and beautiful in their own way.
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Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
Thanks, Meka. So true about trips with those we love being beautiful. 🙂
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