Home and Heart

Two drifters off to see the world…

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  • Himeji, Seto Inland Sea, and Kyoto

    For those of you who have been keeping track of the totality of the trip – we have changed plans. We are not going to India. The geopolitical situation is so crazy and has resulted in such flight disruptions, that we are arriving in Malta March 7, 2026 direct from Tokyo.

    Now on to more exciting stuff!

    We started our sightseeing at Himeji Palace – 700 years old and the first of many World Heritage sites you’ll see in today’s blog.

    We went on to Onomichi from Himeji to meet our daughter-in-law Megan Connolley. She and Zach Howard live in Richmond, VA but Megan has been living in the Seto Inland Sea area for several months teaching English to elementary and middle school students. She was a fabulous host and really has amazing command of the language, the driving, and what is worth seeing.

    She first took us to the Kousanji Temple. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dsan-ji

    Click on the above to see the video

    This is a temple designed and built in the 1970’s by many artists. The next video shows one of many man made waterfalls inside.

    This part of Japan has marble quarries and the artist and his crew who built this temple created a marble garden on the mountain top. The last video of this section is a view of the harbor from the marble garden.

    We caught the very beginning of cherry blossom time. The advantage – fewer tourists.

    Pirate Museum – who knew there were pirates in Japan!? Megan explained to us that the Pacific Ocean converges turbulently from two sides around the 6 islands of the Seto Inland Sea. The pirates ruled for hundreds of years because they were the only ones who could safely navigate these waters. They were called the Noshima Murakami Kaizoku – and MANY of Megan’s students have the surname Murakami!

    On to Kyoto!

    We marvel at the rapid train system here. Get a look at this.

    The second video is from inside the train and gives an idea of just how fast they move.

    Rather than a conventional hotel, we chose to stay in lodgings run by one of the many Buddhist monasteries here in Kyoto. It has been a wonderful experience – this morning we got up at 5:30 am to attend morning services with the monks – in an opulent setting with a huge gold Buddha, breathtaking ornate golden chandeliers, and intricate wooden pillars and ceilings. The chanting was virtuosic, the drumming stirring, and the monks robes were simple but stunning. Sorry to say, no photos were allowed. BUT – we were able to take pictures of the fabulous meals they served.

    We went to the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), a renowned Zen Buddhist Temple originally built in 1397 as a Shogun’s retirement villa converted into a temple after his death. The garden grounds are covered in lush moss and bordered by bamboo fences.

    The Bamboo forest was next!

    We then went to a Shinto Shrine – The Thousand Torii Gates.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fushimi_Inari-taisha

    Tea ceremony in Kyoto tomorrow morning. Train to Tokyo. In Malta by March 7!

  • Introducing…Cliff Ward Deily (and, oh by the way, Kauai)

    Proud parents Evan and Heather showed us their favorite bike path.

    Kauai is the most natural unspoiled island in Hawaii.

    This is a banana blossom in their backyard. You can see the baby bananas behind the blossom.

    Birds of paradise outside our Air BnB

    Tomorrow – JAPAN!

  • Tucson, family, and…

    Warning – excessive cacti photos taken at Tucson Botanical Garden and Sabino Canyon.

    We enjoyed our visit with son Nathaniel and his wife Susana. As you can see, his recovery from his accident is amazing!

  • Nevada, Missouri and Kansas City: Nelson Atkins Museum, and family time

    It is really pronounced “Nah Vay Da”! You will notice Chris is very excited to be at Cottey College in Nevada, MO. She belongs to PEO – Philanthropic Education Organization – For over 150 years hundred of PEO chapters have been sending women to college, and even established its very own women’s college in 1884 – Cottey College. The student to faculty ratio is 7:1 and the campus is a gem. We were driving from Bentonville, AR to Kansas City and THERE IT WAS en route. One of the students took us on a mini-tour.

    Next Stop, Kansas City (both MO and KS – very confusing). Surprising architectural charm downtown and even a Frank Lloyd Wright designed church.

    The Nelson Atkins Museam was pure delight. Check it out sometime.

    And here are Aunt Lucy and Uncle Jim, doing well in their 90’s! Aunt Lucy is Chris’s mom’s sister. Chris was the flower girl at their wedding in 1955!

    Terry is the cutie in the suspenders – only 2 years old! Ginny Wilber is on the bride’s left and Jim Wilber is the first groomsman from the left.

  • A week off the road in Bentonville, Arkansas

    After miles of flat farmland coming out of Little Rock… the Ozarks begin to appear.

    Here’s a peek at downtown Bentonville – the little town that gave us Walmart

    The pickup truck is Sam Walton’s truck that he drove every day until his passing – no fancy car for him.

    This used bookstore is full of wonderful first editions…and flowers made out of the pages of old books.

    Lots of Parks & Playgrounds – very “Kid Friendly” town.

    And the BIG attraction is Crystal Bridges Museum – near the Crystal Springs and less than a mile from the center of town. Dick enjoyed walking back and forth. (Click on the photo below to start the video)

    Crystal Bridges Museum of Art has the largest collection of American Art in the world. They succeed in blending Art, Architecture, and Nature. The last photos here are of an entire Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian House on the grounds. It was originally in New Jersey but was moved to the Ozarks after repeated flooding threatened its survival. We weren’t allowed to take photos of the interior – if you are interested you can find interior photos at the Crystal Bridges Museum website.

    Last but not least – more signs of Spring and a gorgeous sunset.

    Next stop – KANSAS CITY!

  • Moon River…crossing you in style someday.

    We spent 2 days in Vicksburg- right on the Mississippi River. The city sits on high bluffs above the river on the east side. As you look across to the flat western bank of the river there are actual sand beaches.

    Join us on a drive through the Vicksburg battlefield. We learned about Grant and Meade’s siege of the city by reading historical markers. Throughout the battlefield there are thoughtfully placed monuments commemorating the various Union troops and units from many states. None of the trees you see were there at the time of the battle. The land was all cleared farmland at that time and what few trees were there were cut down to build fortifications

    And here’s a look at quaint spots in the historic district…

    The guy who ran this shop in the late 19th centruy was the FIRST to bottle Coca Cola – until his innovation it was only available as a fountain drink.

    Along the Yazoo River which feeds quickly into the Mississippi, there is a mural walk.

    and after everything else, some beautivul old buildings…

    And for all you frozen northerners, a touch of Spring down here…

  • New Orleans, jazz, and drumroll…a new member of the family

    Watch how the drummer in the foreground lifts the drum with his foot to get different resonance.
    Introducing Cliff Ward Deily – born 2/5/2026 to Evan & Heather in Hawaii – here held by Saaraliisa – Heather’s mom. In this video he is less than 24 hours old!

  • Aunt Ruby, Delicious Meals, and Art in New Orleans

    Chris’s Aunt Ruby is a native born Cajun – maiden name DePlantis. To hear her story about being a flight nurse in VietNam, go to http://www.surefootedfilms.org and look for the interview titled I said, “I want to go to VietNam” We love staying with her when we visit. She enjoyed going to The Four Seasons restaurant with us.

    Baked Alaska – and yes, the knife is supposed to be sticking straight down. The three of us shared it!

    Back at her home in Algiers parish, she made crawfish and shrimp pasta. The crawfish (pictured on the fork) are a great delicacy

    We enjoyed the beignet’s at Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter.

    and a wonderful Street Poet wrote us a poem about going to Malta…

    We also enjoyed some time at NOMA – New Orleans Museum of Art.

  • Birthday on the beach…

    We drove the North to South length of Alabama on 2/2 and stayed at an Air B&B in Gulf Shores, AL.

  • Bohemian Rhapsody meal, snow reports, Georgia, and Alabama…

    We were in Georgetown January 22-28 to be sure we got there before the storm and in time for an in person appointment at the US State Department for some of our Malta paperwork. We flew from Charlotte, NC to DC leaving the car in Charlotte for this leg of the trip. Turned out to be a good decision since driving in DC during the storm would have been impossible.

    First up – at La Boheme/Apero restaurant in Georgetown they have themed menus and decor. We enjoyed a Queen (Freddy Mercury rock band) inspired menu.

    Here’s the “Love of my Life” appetizer…

    “Under Pressure” beef entree…

    “Mr. Farenheit” dessert…

    Here are the family snow reports. Seth & Megan Howard got 20″ of snow in Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY. Sam & Kat Howard got 10″ in Queens., NY. Zach Howard got 5″ (plus ice on top of it) in Richmond VA. Caitlin and the Gibsons got 6″ in Baltimore, MD. The photos below are of Terry’s makeshift “pitchfork shovel” he cobbled together with plywood and duct tape. They got 10″ in Salisbury, NC. The last snow picture we took in Georgetown showing that some people just didn’t have shovels.

    From Jan 28-31 we were in Georgia visiting Cousins. Mark Howard and Wendy Lubbers live in Hiram Georgia. From there we headed to Luthersville, GA for a decades late reunion with one of Chris’s cousins – Charles Trammell.

    From Luthersville, we drove to Fort Payne, AL – home of the rock band Alabama and more importantly home of Glynnis (Trammell) Massengale and her children Elizabeth and Jason.