Monday, June 22, 2020

My World, Our World

Happy Monday!

 We went on our first overnight trip to Shenandoah National Park. We spent the night in a hotel at Front Royal Virginia, it is close to the beginning of the Skyline Drive.  We had been watching the National Park website waiting for the park to re-open, some trails are still closed. 

A view of the Appalachian Mountains, Shenandoah National Park.



 We saw a lot of deer on the Big Meadows, pretty views of the park and sky.




The trip went smoothly, it was not too crowded. The only thing we could not do was eat at a restaurant, it was take out only.  We took a cooler with some snacks and water. We hiked our favorite trails on the Limberlost Trail, Big Meadows and a little on the Appalachian Trail.  The Mountain Laurel blooms was just about to open when we were there.





The Scarlet Tanager  was heard singing and seen from the Limberlost trail.  My favorite trail in the park, it is very birdie. 



The Scarlet Tanager is a beautiful color, it really stands out among the green leaves.  Other common birds we saw and heard were the Eastern Towhee, Indigo Bunting, American Redstart and I am pretty sure I saw a Chestnut-sided Warbler hiding behind some leaves.  I heard some Veery too, they have a cool song. 




This fungi was everywhere we looked while walking the Limberlost Trail.   I think the fungi is called Chicken of the woods.


The White-tailed Deer are seen along the road, on the road and trails.  We saw a cute fawn crossing the road with it's mama.  You never know what could be around the next curve in the road.  I wish some drivers would slow down, there is a 35 MPH speed limit in the park.



A view of the Big Meadows..Bathrooms were open, which is important for me.  The Big Meadows store was open but their cafe was closed.   




We planned this trip when we had 2 days of good weather for hiking and it had to be during the week. The weekends are just too crowded.  Overall we had a great getaway, I took lots of photos. We are looking forward to the next getaway maybe the Delaware shores..

Knock on wood  14 days later we have come home virus free and feeling good. I hope everyone is doing well, take care and stay well. Now we are looking forward to our next getaway, I have the urge for more road trips.


What's happening in your corner of the world? Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there.


 
Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday



Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!


Thanks for visiting and commenting, have a happy day and a great new week!

123 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks for the visit and comment.
      Take care, enjoy your new week!

      Delete
  2. Um SHOW de fotos e um encanto para os olhos! Adorei ver o céu,os animais os fungos nas árvores. Perfeitas todas! Linda semana,beijos, tudo de bom,chica

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    1. Thanks You Chica, Nature does put on a great show! Have a happy day and a great new week!

      Delete
  3. I'm trying to decide which is more beautiful that gorgeous red tanninger or the chicken mushroom. Both are just gorgeous I'm so glad you got to go to one of your favorite places and that you came home safe and sound. I know how much you love to travel and see different places. And it looks like your favorite place gave you the perfect show for your camera

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    1. Thanks Sandra! We enjoyed finding all the fungi and the Tanager is beautiful.
      Enjoy your day!

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  4. ...a beautiful spot to enjoy nature, take care!

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    1. Thanks Tom! Yes, it is a great nature spot.
      Have a happy day!

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  5. Hello Eileen,
    That's a nice place to go for a walk. Funny reflection with you bothes.
    A wonderful area of nature. Nice the mushrooms on the tree. That red bird is so amazing.
    Fantastic how you could photograph him.

    Warm regards,
    Marco

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    1. Thanks Marco! I like taking shot of me and my hubby's shadow.
      Have a great day!

      Delete
  6. Hello Eileen,

    Beautiful photos! The nature are so great. The Deers are sk pretty. I like the Scarket Tanager too.
    I wish you a nice new week!

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    Replies
    1. Hello Marit,
      Yes, nature is grand! Thanks and enjoy your day!

      Delete
  7. Replies
    1. Thank you Sussi!
      Have a happy day and a great new week!

      Delete
  8. I have not quite understood parks opening without washroom facilities. That just invites a whole other set of issues! Happily you didn't face that. And you saw some great birds too.

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    1. Hi David,
      Yes, the facilities are necessary! I think they had less workers to clean up the bathrooms and the trash.
      People who visit can be messy people...Thanks for the comment, enjoy your day!

      Delete
  9. We prefer to go away during the week too with less crowds, and we usually like to go somewhere we can go bushwaking and relax. Looks like you had a wonderful few days. The colour of Scarlet Tanager is amazing, and the white-tailed deer so precious. A bit like seeing kangaroos in the wild here I suspect. Happy travels, stay safe, and have a good week.

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    1. Thanks Jill! Hubby and I enjoyed visiting places when they are not crowded. I would love to see a kangaroo in the wild.. Take care and stay well. Have a happy day and a great new week!

      Delete
  10. How nice that you could get away for a few days! The Scarlet Tanager pictures are gorgeous.

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    1. Thanks Vera! The Tanager is beautiful! Have a happy day and a great new week!

      Delete
  11. Hello Eileen!!
    The view of the mountains at the park,are breathtaking! Amazing place to visit!
    The dears are so beautiful and the Scarlet Tanager such a preety bird!
    Great shots and captures Eileen! Awesome photos!!
    Have a nice day and a happy week! Stay safe!
    Dimi...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Dimi,
      Thanks so much for the nice comment. Take care, stay well!
      Have a happy day and a great new week!

      Delete
  12. Hari OM
    Oh, that tanager... what a jewel. But then so is being virus free... long may it continue! YAM xx

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    1. Hello Yam,
      Staying virus free that is important. Take care and stay well.
      Have a happy day and a great new week!

      Delete
  13. Hello Eileen,
    Beautiful series of photos and collages of your walk.
    The Scarlet Tanager has a really great color, also nice the deer that are on the road.
    I wish you a nice new week.
    Best regards Irma

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    Replies
    1. Hello Irma,
      Thanks for the visit and comment. I worry about the deer on the road.
      Have a happy day and a great new week!

      Delete
  14. What a wonderful trip! It has been crazy for trails to be closed...but don't get me started on that. I'm glad you felt good about staying overnight and there were facilities open where you needed them. We've wondered about how it would be to make a trip to NC. Love that Tanager...how gorgeous! And the deer are so pretty! Happy Monday.

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    Replies
    1. Hello, yes I do not understand why the trails were closed. Maybe they were just too crowded, people get nasty leaving trash behind too. Thanks for the comment and visit today. Have a great day and new week!

      Delete
  15. That is one of the most beautiful places for sure! Glad you got lots of bird sightings (and hearing them too).

    Bathrooms! LOL I think that is what keeps us from going to far afield. You just don't know the potty situation right now.

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  16. Sweet! Great shots of the Scarlet Tanager and the fawn so cute...I wonder if the campgrounds along the Blue Ridge Parkway are open like Peaks of Otter and Rocky Knob? I must check the website...really enjoyed your Shenandoah get away!

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    1. Thank you Sondra! I hope the campgrounds open soon. Enjoy your day!

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  17. Oh, I would love to stay overnight somewhere... but we're not there yet in Sweden. Love that orange tanager. Beautiful!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! It will be nice for everyone to be back to "normal". Enjoy your day!

      Delete
  18. Thank you for such a wonderful groups of photos! I especially enjoy the beautiful photos of the scarlet tanager. Wishing you a wonderful week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! the Tanager is beautiful! Enjoy your day!

      Delete
  19. What a glorious day -- oh, that Tanager really pops with that brilliant red! What beautiful skies and blues. I'm so glad you finally got to make this journey and that you came back healthy!

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    1. Thank you Jeanie! We were really happy to getaway! Enjoy your day!

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  20. Hard to pick a favorite. They're all wonderful. So I'll go with the shadow shot of the hikers ;) Happy Day.

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    1. Thank you Gayle! I have fun with the shadow shots. Enjoy your day!

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  21. How very nice to go for an overnight and see some fresh views. That scarlet tanager is a stand out for sure. Glad you could see and hear so many varieties of birds on your hike. I was happen to find out that all our rest areas are open along the highways. Glad you came home healthy and are still healthy! Happy Summer to you!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Ellen! A change of scenery was great, just what we needed. Enjoy your day!

      Delete
  22. I love Shenandoah NP! We visited often when we lived in NYC. I'm glad that it is reopen and you were able to take a trip there. Rocky Mountain National Park is open buy requires timed reservations to enter so we haven;t gone as yet, hoping it will relax if our new COVID numbers stay low. I am still worried about traveling far so we take only nearby day trips. I loved seeing the fungi photos you saw and the pretty tanger and doe and fawn. Nature is is so wonderful for the spirit!

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    1. Thank you Pat! I hope things can go back to normal soon, we do enjoy traveling. Enjoy your day!

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  23. WHat a great trip! Love your shadow shot, and that Tanager is fantastic!

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    1. Thank you Karen! It was a great trip, if only just for one night! Enjoy your day!

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  24. What a gorgeous area! That Scarlet Tanager is fabulous, Eileen!

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    1. Thank you! it is beautiful, one of our favorite parks. Enjoy your day!

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  25. What a great get away!!! And wonderful photos...going mid week was really really smart; our son and his inlaw extended family had vacation plans for over a year and are at Myrtle Beach now; he said it's a total zoo. Incredibly crowded EVERYWHERE. Not a smart move on his part...and he's a physician. He should have known better. :(

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    1. Thank you Steph! i heard about Myrtle Beach, they are seeing many new Covid cases. Enjoy your day!

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  26. Great shots of deer and beautiful Scarlet Tanager.....
    little young deer look so cute.

    Have a great day

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  27. Thank you for showing the beauty of a place which has only ever been a beautiful name to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Marie! There are so many places to see! Enjoy your day!

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  28. The get-away sounds like so much fun. I enjoyed your pictures. The Scarlet Tanager would stand out in any crowd1

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    1. Thank you Rose! We did have a fun time! Enjoy your day!

      Delete
  29. Hi Eileen!! wonderful place and pictures... Enjoy your summer and be safe.. Cheers

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  30. What a wonderful landscape and nature

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  31. It must have been exciting to be out and about among nature. Beautiful shots, the Scarlet Tanager is a beauty.
    Take care, have a wonderful evening and new week.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Bill! Yes, it felt good to be away and taking some hikes. Enjoy your day!

      Delete
  32. Hi Eileen,
    A wonderful ride.
    The mountains are beautiful and the flora and fauna are very rich and beautiful.
    Magnificent photos.
    Thank you very much for the excellent sharing.
    Hugs,
    Ailime

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  33. I think one of the best things is to get outdoors and stay outdoors.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Red! We do enjoy the outdoors and nature! Enjoy your day!

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  34. Wow! That tanager sure is striking! Love this series Eileen, that deer is so lovely!

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  35. Spectacular views. (And I like that fungus too)

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  36. Glad you were able to get away. We're not there yet. Beautiful wildlife and scenery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! Stay safe and well! Enjoy your day!

      Delete
  37. Great photos, thanks for taking us along. It's on my bucketlist.
    Yes, and bathrooms are important to me also!

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    1. Thank you Yogi! I hope you get to visit! Enjoy your day!

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  38. A lovely adventure! happy trails!

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  39. The scarlet Tanager is really pretty.
    You had a good time, for sure.
    Stay safe and enjoy the week ahead!

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  40. The scarlet tanager was my favorite picture today.
    What beautiful view in the first picture.

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    1. Thank you Karen! The Tanager is one of my favorites too. Enjoy your day!

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  41. I'm happy you had such a nice getaway. We live close enough that we could get there and back in one day with hours to spare. Thanks to you doing the ground work and letting us know, we will be able to go for a drive soon. Thank you so much for all the great photos and the information Eileen. Really loved this post for the first look at being able to get out and about again. Have a great week!

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    1. Thank you Denise! It is one of our favorite places to visit, we used to go just for the day. But, it is a long drive for us. Enjoy your day!

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  42. Yes, that tanager is gorgeous ~ Great photos and love the deer, of course, and beautiful landscape photos ~ so glad you had a good trip ~

    Be Safe, Be Well,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Carol! Yes, it felt good to getaway! Enjoy your day!

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  43. So beautiful post.
    Amazing pics.
    Stay well.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! I hope you are having a great day and week!

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  44. eileen...what a wonderful little get-a-way, well planned and well thought out. but the best news of all is that you came home without that nasty cover tagging along!!

    the tanger is GORGEOUS, how lucky you were to see it. i always enjoy seeing the deer also....and you and your shadow, that's a great way to take a picture when the salons are not open!!!

    beautiful pictures today, this looks like a great spot for an overnight trip!!!

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    1. Thank you Debbie! It felt good to have a change of scenery and this short trip. Enjoy your day!

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  45. Hi There, We took a 'similar' trip last week and were pleased with the Social Distancing in that area. We went to the Pisgah Inn (on the Blue Ridge Parkway west of Asheville, NC) for 3 nights.... The food was handled differently --but well-done and organized... We got some hiking in and got to see some waterfalls... Not many people around --and we stayed away from crowds.

    We love the Shenandoah area --and hopefully, will be there in August to celebrate my birthday... Maybe a few more things will be opened. Like you, I don't need to wander too far away from the potty... ha

    Glad you had a nice outing.... Don't know about you two, but we DESPERATELY needed that little trip.

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Thank you Betsy! Happy Anniversary, your trip sounds wonderful too. Enjoy your day!

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  46. Nice that you could get away.
    You've spoilt us with your wonderful photographs … they are brilliant, especially The Scarlet Tanager.

    Happy Mid-week wishes - well Wednesday will soon be here :)

    All the best Jan

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  47. One of my favorites books from long ago is "The Girl of the Limberlost". I wonder if there's any connection to the Limberlost Trail. Your photos put a face to the forest descriptions I recall, Eileen. :-)

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    1. Hello, Thanks Susie. I think the book's location you are speaking of takes place in Indiana. Enjoy your day, have a great week ahead. Have a great day!

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  48. Hello, Eileen.
    It was great to see beautiful pictures that were successfully recorded through your beautiful journey.
    I was very entertained to see the photos.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment and visit. Enjoy your day!

      Delete
  49. You got some great photos and a very pretty place to be.
    Merle........

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  50. Beautiful Scarlet Tanager, it is the most colouring, well done Eileen.

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  51. You timed your visit just perfect Eileen. I'm sure the trail would not be nearly so much fun with too many people along there. The Scarlet Tanager is a certainly beautiful colour, the red against the blue sky and the green leaves. A nice list of others too with Towhee, Indigo Bunting, Redstart and other lurking just out of sight. It's good that we are getting back to 'normal' but it's as well you remind us about the good points of the lockdowns.

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    1. Hello Phil,
      I hope things return to normal, it seems like we are having an increase of cases here in great USA.
      Thanks for the comment and visit. Have a great day!

      Delete
  52. Me encantan estos sitios Eileen. Es donde la naturaleza está rebosando vida por todos lados. Precioso reportaje.
    Gracias por compartir. Cuídate.
    Un abrazo.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Laura,
      Thanks for the comment and visit. Have a great day!

      Delete
  53. The tanager is a stunner among those leaves, for sure! I’m glad you got out. We are going to the Coast for a few days soon ...we will take our camper van, mid week also and hope we find some quiet trails or beaches.

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    1. Hello Sallie,
      Enjoy your trip, the coast visit sounds wonderful. Thanks for the comment and visit. Have a great day!

      Delete
  54. Eileen - how wonderful that you were able to get out for an excursion, especially to one of your favorite places and trails. You were rewarded with lots of wildlife. I think the animals got used to the seclusion, and we may be able to spot more creatures for a time until they learn to "retreat" again. Thanks for linking up to Mosaic Monday with this nature post!

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    Replies
    1. Hello Angie
      Yes, I think the animals got used to not seeing humans for a while. It was good to see new scenery, cabin fever is not fun. Thanks for the comment and visit. Have a great day!

      Delete
  55. Hi Eileen, beautiful nature with the mountains. Our country the Netherlands is very flat. The Scarlet Tanager is a beautiful coulored bird. I love deers, they are always very curious. Have a nice day. Greetings Caroline

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    Replies
    1. Hello Caroline,
      I would love to see the Netherlands, I am sure your country is beautiful. Thanks for the comment and visit. Have a great day!

      Delete
  56. Great shots! I have yet to get a picture of scarlet tanager. Perhaps I need to spend some time on the Limberlost Trail.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Linda,
      The Limberlost Trail is my favorite, always lots of birds there. Thanks for the comment and visit. Have a great day!

      Delete
  57. I hope to visit this beautiful NP one day. Glad to hear that it was safe enough to visit and you were able to hike as well. You captured such beautiful colours in your photos. Thanks for sharing!

    -Soma

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  58. Thanks for the comment and visit. Have a great day!

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  59. Number 8 this week and I'm late commenting.
    Great photos and what a wonderful place to get away. My step daughter lives up there and it is so beautiful.
    Dawn aka Spatulas On Parade

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  60. what a nice trip! Loved to see the beautiful Scarlet Tanager and the deer and a fawn too. That is wonderful. The fawn soo cute.
    The fungi reminded me of pancakes :) We have similar ones but not that strong yellow in color.
    Take care. :)

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  61. I enjoyed reading. Fantastisc captures of wonderful nature. Thank you for sharing.
    Stay healthy and well.

    Happy MosaicMonday

    ReplyDelete
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    http://ceuepalavras.blogspot.com/2021/02/blog-post_2.html

    ReplyDelete

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Have a happy day, Eileen

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