Today's blog should be called "Notes from on the Road". Ms. Kate and I are in Berea Kentucky and are spending a couple of nights here at the Historic Boone Tavern Hotel,and Restaurant. Berea is the home of Berea College and is an "artsy" kind of small town. The hotel gets an "okay" rating from us. We've stayed in a lot better for a lot less. But --- it is haunted which is a plus, for me at least. I heard what sounded like a child laughing and riding a tricycle down the hallway twice yesterday afternoon, but I have yet to see any children around this place.

Our trip down was enjoyable. The best part was stopping by and picking Julie up for lunch yesterday. The leaves are turning now so the scenery along the highways was nice.

It is breezy and a little cool this morning. It has rained last night and in fact just quit. I can hear several Mockingbirds singing around here. I'm sitting on a nice veranda watching traffic and the students as they trudge off to college. The veranda is brick with at least a dozen large white columns holding up the roof. There are big planters of petunias drapeing the rails as well as massive planters of ferns and hybiscus, and mums sitting everywhere. It is quite nice.

We had a  good breakfast. The dining room is very nice and intended to be "elegant". Slow service didn't add anything to that theme. We had checked it out last evening and the hostess had indicated that we should make reservations, so we made them for 9:00 a.m.  however, a lady waled up in front of us this morning and asked for a table for ten, --- and they had no problem doing it. Nor, did they ever ask us our name when they finally took us in. But --- its hard to screw up breakfast, so the meal was tasty.

There are lots of little stores and shops around here to visit and I reckon that is the plan for the day. Assuming the rain is pretty well done, it will be fun.

I send out prayers of gratitude this morning for family and friends and those I love and who love me. I also thank God for the beauty of this world. As I sit here, surrounded by flowers and trees and listen to all of the birds singing, it simply reminds me that peace comes from within when we stop to count our blessings. God is so good. I hope you have time to count your blessings today. It will add joy to your life.