Amanda Takes Off...

Busan, South Korea

In early August, Sister and I went to Busan together. I finally put together an album of our trip. The complete album is at the link, but here are a few of my favorite photos.

At the Beach

Sister Tries Fennel

Making Wandang

Hard at Work

Sign Failure

On July 30th, Sister and I went to Olympic Park to see an exhibit about Joseph Beuys, a German artist who used images of rabbits (and rabbit's blood) in his artwork.

After we viewed the exhibit, we saw rabbits everywhere. It became a rabbit sort of day.

It had been raining a lot in the days before our visit, which was pretty obvious in some areas.

After the Rain

Rabbit

Fruit

There was a vegetable garden in one area, complete with a trellis covered in squash. I love this idea!

Hanging

Growing

Big Pumpkins

Marching Ants

Sculptures in the Pond

무궁화 (Hibiscus)

Spider!

He Is Our Hero!

Don't Grab the Rabbit by the Ears

"Why are you crying?" Good Man asked at Gettysburg.

I shook my head, "I don't know. I have too much jeong with dead people. Is there a Korean word for 'jeong with dead people?' It seems like there would be."

Good Man thought for a moment, "Confucianism, dude. No lie, Confucianism."

The last day of our weekend trip to Pennsylvania for Good Man's birthday was a visit to Gettysburg National Military Park. We planned to just go for a short walk, but when we got there we ended up paying to see a movie, view the cyclorama, and visit the museum.

Good Man Hanging with Lincoln

The cyclorama was really neat, and I was glad Good Man talked me into buying the tickets.

During the experience (show?) I spotted a very young child of about six dressed in Union Blue and holding his hat over his heart, watching the cyclorama very intently. And I started crying. There was something so touching about what he was doing. It reminded me of a young JFK Jr at his father's funeral.

Cyclorama

Cyclorama II

The museum was extensive and exhausting. About halfway through, we both looked at each other and sort of nodded. It was time to move on but every exit sign we followed just led to...another room in the exhibit. We eventually ended up doubled over, laughing, wondering when it would end.

Afterward, we bought some lunch and then walked down to the cemetery. It was quiet, cool, overcast, and beautiful.

Good Man's Angelic Carrot

Good Man

Green and Purple

Purple and Gold

Twisted

Pennies at the Cemetery

Near the Minnesota Section

Gettysburg Address Memorial Site

Pennies in Stars

Farm and Tree

Stone Wall

Me

Birthday Trip 2011 Album

I completed the birthday album, including Dinosaur Land, Hoye-Crest, Blackwater Falls State Park, and The State Arboretum of Virginia.

Check it out!

On the morning of my birthday, after getting into a tiff over whether or not we needed a map (yes, for the record), Good Man and I "highpointed" Maryland. To reach Maryland's highest point, you start in West Virginia near a tiny city called Silver Lake, at this cairn.

Start Here

The hike apparently runs along national forest property and some coal company's property. Blazes along the way were orange...and red...and blue.

The hike is only a mile long, but you gain 700 feet in that mile, so for the two of us, it was a steep hike. Also, the point is barely inside of the Maryland state line.

About Halfway Up

Crossing the State Line

Almost There

Hoye-Crest

After We Added Our Rocks to the Cairn...

We Signed the Logbook and Got Our Certificates

Good Man Found This On His Pants...

Which Made His Face Go Like This...

The View to the East

We're Here!

All Chained Up

Mushroom

Found on the Side of a Tree

Leading the Way

Downhill

Awww...

After the hike, we went a short distance up the road to Our Lady of the Pines, the "Smallest Church in 48 States." Ahhh, I'll let someone else work out the 48 states part. I'm sure there are actually smaller churches since this Catholic church seats 12.

Right next to the church (and built by the same family) is the "smallest mailing office" with daily outgoing service, window service every Friday the 13th, and parcel service Feb 29th. (No joke—the sign said so.)

Stained Glass

Mailing Office