HalT from S Carolina

Hal, in answer to your question on how many chapters, the answer is - as many as it takes.

Hello HalT - I just read your comment on my photo of the yellow roses on kid's pages and I thought I would let you know that I don't have a garden to be proud of. I happen to have some nice shrubs and bushes that have beautiful flowers but that's about as far as it goes. I don't spend much time in it as I work full-time and I just never seem to find the time to keep it nice.
Hope all is well with you.
Cheers,
Anne

Gidday Hal,

I often see your comments. I have spits and spurts giving comments on Sudoku as I love it but find it takes too much of my time. I have just had a holiday and so got back into it. Now I have to throw the addiction once more but before I do ... Sho sho (Sharon) also like the Daly River crossing pics and I reponded to her in what becam a good story and I'd like to share it with you too.

THanks for visiting my page and for your comments.

I had to cross the river that day... in a 4 wheel drive high clearance Toyota. I hadn't done a river crossing with that amount of current before. Advice that I was given before I left Darwin- all serious - was ...

1. Put it in 4WD wheel drive and 1st gear and leave it there.
2. Keep the Left hand wheels in that upside backwash
3. Wind down my windows (so that if I do get washed off I could get out quickly - YEAH and what about the crocodiles?)
4 Stay in 1st gear and don't try to speed - Go slow - this gives the most traction.
5 Good luck

Well when I arrived at the crossing, I eyed off the river for 20 mins or so, took 3 or 4 deep breaths ... and a few more for luck... and started across (thinking all the time "Open windows!! what about the crocodiles?!" About half way across I was thinking = "What about floating logs!!" I couldn't help it, I planted my foot and couldn't stick to the wise advice I'd been given. I roared out of that river with a huge sigh of relief. ... and continued on the journey to my destination which was 100 kms further along the dirt road which hadn't yet been graded after the wet season.

There were huge washouts... some of them marked by a few beer cans on sticks. The worse the wash out the more beer cans on sticks there were. I do wish I'd taken photos of those ingenious "road hazard signs" Since everything turned out ok it made for a great adventure. All the best fi

Want to come back to the Hard page and cast the new movie?

Hal,, if you go back to yesterday's archives (Mon 4th) you will see that I answered your challenge on British Aircraft at the 2nd last comment on '6x6 Hard'. My apologies to my British friends.

Hal. I too, hope they have learnt something over the years since I last flew a British aircraft. I suppose the first step was getting into bed with the French and Germans to design 'Euro' aircraft.

Okay I googled the legs!!!...

Wow, thanks for posting these awesome photos! This is one part of our country that I haven't visited yet - - I feel like I've gotten a sneak peek!! I'll go back and leave some individual comments when I can. Encore . . . hint, hint!!

Hi HalT - Your pictures are very pretty. It looks like you had a very nice trip last Fall. The colors are just breath-taking!!! I enjoyed seeing the falls, too. Thank you for sharing them.

Great photos, Hal! If you make it up to the New England area again, don't forget to visit Maine. It's worth the trip! You've inspired me...now I guess I'll have post my photos from my trip to Florida.

Thanks HalT! I'm actually not an Ohio native. Grew up in Northern Arizona and then came here for college.

Hi HalT - If you do make it to Michigan and you are interested, maybe we can meet for lunch or dinner. Just let me know. I will contact the other Michiganders!

Hi! - It sounds like a plan! The straits are a must here in Michigan. The Mackinac Bridge is definitely something you want to experience. If you like history, there is a lot up there also. Then there is the Sault Saint Marie Locks. They are interesting. (North of the Upper Penninsula between Michigan and Canada.) I would like to go to the Lighthouse on the shore of Lake Superior and spend the night some time. They have a Bed and Breakfast in an old Lighthouse up there. My husband has a cousin in Wisconsin. We were there about 18 years ago. It is a very pretty area with rolling hills! It would make a very nice vacation for you. Have a great day!

Hal, Mount Desert Island is sensational! I live farther south, but my hubby & I went up there for our anniversary in July. I guess I'll have to get on the ball & post those photos on my page. Right after the Florida pix! Jeana

Stunning photos that I enjoyed browsing thru.Who needs to visit other countries when we can see it all here.LOL
I adore the colourful trees.Thanks for sharing.

Awesome photos, HalT.

Thanks for the information on your photos Halt. I really enjoyed looking at them. Maybe one day I'll get over there & see them for real!!!!

Just dropped by and enjoyed seeing your photos. We saw some covered bridges in New Brunswick, Canada a few years ago and your fall photos bring back memories as well. Great looking Grandson. Enjoyed seeing your photos Hal.

Hi Hal! I stopped in after reading Aimee's post on Medium today. I just loved the pictures in your gallery. You are a talented photographer!
Always enjoy your posts on the pages.
Blessings!

Hey Hal! I finally took the time to stop back in and check your photos. Some nice shots, and I left a few comments for you. Hope all is well in your world!

Hello Hal - a long time since I visited your page so I just went and checked out your photos. Very nice too, I might say.
Hope all is going well in your corner of the world.
Cheers
Anne

Last Christmas our daughters gave us a gift certificate to the Woodland Cove Bed & Breakfast, located on the shore of Watts Bar Lake. The man-made lake on the Tennessee River is about 30 miles (48 km) long. The b&b is about 10 miles (16 km) south of Kingston TN. (Kingston is about 35 miles west of Knoxville.) Compared to most b&bs that we have stayed at, Woodland Cove is relatively new (about 9 years) and was built specifically to be a b&b. Each of the three rooms have a private full bathroom and one room has a jacuzzi. More info and pictures can be seen @ www.woodlandcovebb.com.

We left home Tuesday morning and had an uneventful drive to the b&b, arriving at about 4PM. Our hosts, Della and Bruce Marshall, gave us a tour of the house and grounds, including the boat dock. I asked about internet connectability, explaining my need of a daily sudoku fix, and was informed that wireless was not available, but that I was welcome to use their personal computer. That sounded fine to me until I discovered that their connection was dial-up!!! I would have given up the private bath for DSL, but that was not to be.

We settled in our room, roamed the grounds for a while, and went to Kingston for dinner. Since neither of us like to drive at night, especially on unfamiliar remote narrow winding country roads, we were back in our room before dark. A little reading, a little TV, and off to bed.

Wednesday, we went for a drive to see the local countryside. A stop at a viewing point over a wildlife refuge where tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes stop every October on their migration south sounded like a must. So that was our first stop. Either we were early or the cranes decided on a later start south this year, because all we saw were three Great Blue Herons and one non-descript black bird. The rest of the day was spent driving around the west side of Watts Bar Lake. Another evening like the last.

On Thursday, we spent most of the day in Oak Ridge TN. Oak Ridge is the city that the Federal government founded to create the plutonium needed for building the atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan to end WWII. A tour of the American Museum of Science and Energy was both interesting and sobering. World War II was not nice!

On Friday, after our third gourmet breakfast, we headed home. Intermittant rain through Tennessee and North Carolina. But shortly after entering South Carolina, the rain was steady the rest of the way home. Tough driving, and I was thoroughly beat when we got home. But, not complaining!! All in all, it was a very nice trip.

It sounds lovely, Hal. I much prefer B&B's to a large hotel. If you're not a big breakfast eater when you arrive, you will be when you leave! Glad you had such a nice trip..

What a wonderful gift from your daughter!

Such a beautiful location, Hal! Will you post some photos? I think I'll tell our kids all about your daughters' generous gift, and maybe they'll take the hint!

Sorry I didn't recognize your tongue in cheek remark about Aussie flag today. As the kids say, "my bad."
I looked at your photo gallery and really like the pic of the birds flying in a "V."
I see you are from South Carolina, I often vacation in Myrtle Beach. Ever go to Brookgreen Gardens? I think it is one of the most special places in America. I have a few pics from there in my gallery, like this one:
http://sudoku.com.au/PhotosBig.aspx?PID=6527&UID=9623&Go=O19-7-1991
My visit to Fort Sumter in 2001 was one of the most moving places I have ever visited, it ranks up there with my visit to the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.

Hal, just saw your post on medium and thought I would pop in to see where you've been. Sounds idyllic.
Had a walk through your photos while I was here, some real beauties. Thank you for sharing them.
Hope all is well in your neighbourhood.
Take care,
Gail

Gorgeous photos, HalT! - both the flowers & the surrounding areas! Thanks for the invite!

Hal - what fabulous desert shots! I love the southwest and it felt like I was there seeing your excellent photography!

Hello Hal - I really enjoyed looking at your photos! Thank you for sharing them with us!

Your photos are beautiful, Hal! I can't decide whether to purchase the Mystery Castle or Scorpion Gulch for my next home!

Halt, just had a quick look at your fantastic photos. Thank you.

Amazing photos, Hal.

Wonderful photos Hal, thanks!

hehehe!
Hal - your photos are not sh*t! haha
I know what you mean about submitting pictures for puzzles. Have seen a couple come through, but not nearly the many I've submitted. Heard the same from others. Can't imagine what the deal is with that.

Hi Hal! Just stopping by to wish you and your family a

and happiness in the coming year.

HalT and family!

Hal - where the heck have you been? You and your quick wit are really missed on the Sudoku pages!
Hope all is well with you and that you are just having a life! Hugs!

Happy Valentine's Day Hal! A day of love and hugs to you!

Hello Hal! Saw your post on the puzzle page, and thought I'd drop in to have a look at your photos before they change. You have some fascinating and very interesing photos - I love getting a virtual tour of strange and distant shores (well, strange to me anyway!) Thank you! :)