I grew up in the state of Pennsylvania on a dairy farm that my parents owned. For anyone who has lived on a farm, you know it’s hard work, sometimes lonely, but rewarding.
Some of my earliest travel memories are from a road trip when I was five years old and my brother was eight. My parents loaded their new green 1954 Chevy coupe with luggage, a mattress on the back seat, my older brother and myself and took off across the country. I remember Yellowstone Park and the bears, geysers, and steam. From there we traveled to Donner Pass and I heard the story recounted about the Donner party losing their lives in a blizzard. Being in Hollywood and meeting Trigger (Roy Roger’s horse) was a high point. My mother had a nice little brownie camera and took lots of slides that I am slowly copying into digital format-hmm, inherited photo ability? I remember many exhortations in response to my “I’m thirsty!”, to swallow my spit as we drove for miles and miles, keeping canvas water bags full for the radiator (Death Valley?), lots of oil derricks pumping beside the highways (Texas?).
During what I thought was my first trip to Yosemite in September 2013, memories came forward about that trip from 58 years ago as I Â drove through the Tioga Pass, into the valley, and visited the Sequoia grove – Deja Vu. My Freshly Pressed award winning blog is about that recent Yosemite! trip.
So perhaps those early trip memories gave me wanderlust in my recent years? That and the fact that all my children moved west over the years and I missed them! So now I travel in my RV to places I’ve always wanted to go, along with visiting the family. So far, I’ve been exploring the great state of California, as that’s where the family is. I was surprised to like it so much. My many jet trips over the years had not endeared California to my heart: it seemed fake, no water, irrigation, people rushing at 85 mph on the freeways. But, since slowing down and staying in a couple of places for months on end, I’ve fallen in love with the scenic beauty of the area, and the people are super nice.
My blog thus far, has shown my trip across the U.S. , from North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona and the places I’ve photographed along the way.
My blog name is taken from a hill just northwest of where I lived in Maryland called Egg Hill. Years ago before modern technology, there was a fire tower atop the 422′ hill – the highest point in the eastern part of the county. By climbing the tower, you could see the Chesapeake Bay 15 miles southwest; Newark, Delaware 10 miles east; and Perryville, Maryland 20 miles west. This is no mean feat in country that is covered by trees and you’re lucky to be able to see a half mile ahead! It seems really strange that now I’m living amongst 13,000′ mountains and can see for 50 or 75 miles depending on the haze. The tower has been torn down and the irreplaceable photos I took from it were thrown away by person unnamed who was cleaning out ‘unnecessary’ stuff. Perhaps that pushes me to be out taking photos so often.
from egghill 
Hi, Carrie:
Thanks for the Follow. I like what you are doing here and hope to see more of your work.
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Hi Robin, I’m not Carrie, but I do love your work. My hometown is just a little north of DC, so nice to see ‘almost home’ photos. Barb
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I just nominated you for the Liebster Award. You can see the instructions on my blog. http://notestiedonthesagebrush.wordpress.com/
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I have nominated you for the ” One Lovely Blog” award. If you would like to participate you can check here: http://notestiedonthesagebrush.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/the-one-lovely-blog-award/
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Deborah, thank you for the LovelyBlog nomination. Right now, I’m parked in a satellite feed Internet location only and it’s not good. I have to wait minutes for pages to open and cannot respond in a timely manner to your nomination. Another blogger had nominated the blog for a Sunshine award (I think that’s what it was) and I had to turn that down also. For the winter, I’ll be moving into a town instead of this remote mountain valley and perhaps I can respond then. Thanks very much.
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I am a native Californian and often say that this is a beautiful state. Besides the freeways, there is a lot of gorgeous nature. I feel so lucky to live here and get to take road trips once and while and occasionally short hikes with my daughter. I like your photos of some of the beautiful places and wildflowers.
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Thanks so much. You are right about the gorgeous nature! Sorry for the late response, I’m in a nearly Internet free area!
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Hello Barb, I found your blog through the comments of “Visual Storytelling” post on The Daily Post today. I love that you enjoy close-ups of beautiful wildflowers like me! And, I have hiked stretches of the PCT, right in the areas of the Sierra that you are beautifully sharing. It is such an incredible place. I can’t get enough of that area.
I am usually blogging more frequently, we are in the midst of a move to Northern California…like happening in two days! I am so excited, can’t wait to explore my surroundings and dig in đŸ™‚ I really enjoyed your photographs and felt like I took a walk with you, what a treat.
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Thanks so much. I am totally enjoying the mountains. Back east, the tallest is around 6,000′. Huge difference! I’ll check your blog, so nice to ‘meet’ like spirits!
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Carrie, I just looked at your blog. I LOVE the poem that goes with your Reflections challenge photo. I’ll have to jump to my big computer and check again, (the apps aren’t giving me the whole picture and I can’t seem to comment on it).
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Hello! Sorry to hear you are having trouble commenting. Thank you so much for wandering and reading…it really means a lot. I re-read that poem often, maybe that is strange? Raising two young boys it feels good to read my words that remind me of what it feels to be free đŸ™‚ I of course love my boys, just miss the thrill and freedom of exploring on my own terms! And yes, I totally agree, it is so wonderful when I find and then “meet” a like spirit!
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Barb – where is your tulip post? I want to send the link to another blogger.
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Had to wait ’til I opened my computer – ipad wouldn’t give me full address!
https://egghillphotos.com/2013/05/07/skagit-valley-tulip-festival/
I posted it in May 2013.
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Thanks Barb. Will forward the link. We’re thinking of going this year. What date did you take these great pics?
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The Skagit valley tulip festival takes place during the month of April. The first day was raining like crazy and cold. The second day I went back was sunny and nice. I overheard some workers talking about the fact that the workers were coming in the next day with equipment to cut the blooms off the bulbs and there were still several days of April left. So all the sunny pics were not there after around the 23rd. So don’t wait til the last minute. Of course, the conditions are different every year. Have fun. I think that area of Washington feels like a foreign country – but then I’m not the seasoned traveler you are.
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Thanks for that Barb. I’d be horrified if we got all the way up there and the blooms had been cut! We were thinking of going before Easter so that should be about right.
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I love your photos! I’m not a good photographer, but I love to travel!
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Thanks very much, there is so much to see!
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