Mimi Mine

In my previous post I mentioned the model/miniature train display  at  Biltmore House and Gardens  in Asheville, North Carolina. This exhibit will continue through September 4, 2017. It is located at The Antler Hill Village area on Biltmore properties. We were so glad to have the opportunity to see it when we visited in mid July. It seems there is always something fun and exciting to do at Biltmore. It is always a treat for us when we can tour little model villages, especially when they have model trains scooting along railways running through them.Vanderbilt Travels Railway was definitely one of the highlights there during our stay. It is a delightful outdoor model train display in which the structures, buildings and scenery which appear along the railway are composed of natural elements, such as leaves, twigs and other materials acquired from nature. It's amazing what has been achieved through the use of mostly natural materials. You can read a bit mo...

There is always something to see and do at Disney's Kidani Village. The following short video is of some of the Cast Members from Africa who work at the resort. The staff is always friendly, helpful and courteous at the resort. These guys seem to really enjoy being a part of the resort experience. Just one more thing that makes for a memorable stay. Thank you very much for coming by my blog! I truly appreciate the time you spend here and hope you will drop by again real soon.

Hello and welcome to Mimi Mine, my blog! As far back as I can remember, I have loved lighthouses. Everything about them is incredibly intriguing. The manner in which each is constructed, from the height, colors and shapes of paint patterns, is so diverse around the world. The location and history of each one is of interest to me. One of the boards on my Pinterest accounts is all about lighthouses from different locations around the world, including a few of my own pictures taken from personal visits and tours. If you care to visit my Lighthouses  board on Pinterest, I am providing the link  here . On a recent day trip to  Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina , we had the privilege of visiting the Hunting Island Light. Though we had visited the beach on the island some years ago, we didn't make it to the lighthouse. Like many of these wonderful old structures, this one is no longer used as a functioning lighthouse, but remains open to the public. For a minim...

When our youngest daughter and her family invited us to ride down toward Beaufort, South Carolina for a day trip to beautiful Hunting Island State Park, we didn't have to think before saying yes. My husband and I have been thinking for months how much we would enjoy a trip to the beach for some relaxation and fun in the sun and so this trip would be perfect. One of the things in life we love most is spending time with our family. We have been very busy lately, so this day trip would be just the thing. By the time all was said and done, our other daughter and her family were in on the plans, as well. That made the trip sound even better. One of our grandsons invited a friend along, as well. Eleven of us, in all, made the trip to Hunting Island. We all left for our trip early that morning and it could not have been more beautiful when we arrived at the park. The skies were a gorgeous blue and the weather was absolutely perfect for beach combing and playing in the sun and oce...

This is a very short post. I wanted mention a couple of things that have happened in her life in the month of May. Sophie works hard in school. She started middle school this year and is doing very well. She was awarded the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award at Aiken Middle School. Go Sophie Girl!! Sophie Received an Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement In my book, our Sophie is outstanding in every good way and, as her grandparents, we could not be more proud of her! Another very big event happened this month. Sophie celebrated her twelfth birthday! She is growing up much too fast. We celebrated at one of her favorite restaurants in town, Mi Rancho. Sophie is an avid reader and The Hunger Games series of books are some of her best loved, so far. She adores The Hunger Games: Mocking jay, both one and two. She chose the theme of The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay for her birthday cake this year. Our neighbor and dear friend, Julie makes some of the most tasty and beaut...

In an earlier post, I told you a little about our trip to Biltmore House and Gardens in mid-March. Currently the Biltmore has an astonishing collection of costumes on display throughout the estate. Fashionable Romance Wedding Gowns in Film is truly a smashing event. Some of the films featured in this collection were nominated for prestigious film awards. Some were actually winners of the Academy Awards for Best Costuming. Being the old-fashioned soul and possessing a hopelessly romantic heart, I was totally smitten with this collection of spectacular costumes from romantic films! In this post, I will continue where I left off in this previous post  with some additional wonderful costumes from a number of other great films.  The last part of this post will take us to Biltmore's Antler Hill Village for some history on the Biltmore family marriages, honeymoons and other interesting family ties and connections! On a previous visit to Biltmore to see the fabulous c...