Treemendous Sunset

Sunset, Denver, Colorado, USA

Beautiful sunsets are not just about unobstructed skies and ocean reflections.  This stunning sunset in Denver showcases the silhouettes of trees and the vibrant colors of the sky to make a wondrous landscape.

As today is the last day of 2013, we thought we'd send the year off with a beautiful sunset.

Tennessee in Georgia

Railroad Track, Buford, Georgia, USA

Despite the Tennessee markings on this track, we took this photo while driving on Georgia's backroads.  We really like the various shades of red and brown in this photo.

Desperately Seeking Seafood?

Seafood Restaurant, Panama City, Florida, USA

Whenever we go to the Florida Panhandle, we have a craving for hushpuppies and deep fried fish and seafood.  This simple, unpretentious, down home place sure did deliver the goods.  We found Hunt's Oyster Bar by accident, but a lot of other folks seem to know about it too.  Check it out the next time you're in Panama City.

Soundstage

DeSoto Theater, Rome, Georgia, USA

The DeSoto Theater was specially built in 1928 for the new talking pictures.  It opened in 1929 and was the first movie theater in the Southeast to show talkies.  The typography and lights on the marquee and the box office in the entryway hearken back to an earlier time.  With movies now shown mostly in multiplexes, the theater is now used for stage plays.

Winter?

United Airlines Boeing 777, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

While much of the nation is in the cold of winter, it is usually warm in Hawaii during December and every other month.

At most airports, you can only see the planes through thick panes of glass.  At Honolulu International Airport (HNL), you can enjoy a stroll outside and see and hear the planes while you await your flight.  They even have lovely gardens to enjoy.

Lookout Below

Tennessee River, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA

Back in the 1990's, we took a trip to Chattanooga during a cold December.  We took this picture from a rock ledge in Point Park atop Lookout Mountain.  We remember the beautiful scenery, but also the bitter cold of that day.

Ice Themed Cone

Pine Cone, Evergreen, Colorado, USA

We saw this pine cone sitting on Evergreen Lake and zoomed in on it to capture this magical scene.

Holiday Travels

Downtown Connector, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Many people are on the roads today traveling to friends and family for the holidays.  Unlike the quiet scene above, Atlanta's highways are likely jam packed today.

Atlanta's Downtown Connector is the combined highway of Interstates 75 and 85.  At the spot pictured above, you can see downtown Atlanta and the ramps to and from Interstate 20.

Atlanta isn't just a leader in air travel (Atlanta has the world's busiest airport), it is also a major hub for road traffic.  You can travel I-75 from South Florida to Canada, I-85 from Alabama to Virginia, and I-20 from South Carolina to Texas.

Lift to Work

Construction Cranes, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

These cranes helped build new freeway ramps between Interstate 85 and Georgia 400.  While construction may have slowed the morning commute for many, drivers were rewarded with majestic views like the above.

Christmas Dinner

Egg Rolls, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Many Jews around the USA will be enjoying Chinese food on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  While their Christian friends are eating ham, they'll be enjoying egg drop soup, egg rolls, and sweet and sour chicken at their local Chinese restaurants.

Hawaiian Twins

One Waterfront Towers, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Honolulu comes in fourth for US cities with the most skyscrapers.  The One Waterfront Towers, named Mauka and Makai, were built in 1990 and were for a time the tallest buildings in all of Hawaii.  The Hawaiian word Mauka means towards the mountains and Makai means towards the sea.

Winter Wonderland

Southwestern Norway

During a trip to Israel from the States, we made our European landfall over western Norway.  Surprisingly, it added very little mileage to our trip.  This was the amazing view as we soared through the sky.

Harbor Hues

Boats, Portland, Maine, USA

This week's Canadian Clipper likely has Portland deep in snow today.  This was the scene by the harbor on a nice fall day back in 2001.

Cone of Lula

Pine Cone, Lula, Georgia, USA

We really struggled to come up with a title and text for this photo.  We decided to be simple and title it "Cone of Lula".

Angelic Request

Angel Sculpture, Prague, Czech Republic

We saw this dramatic angel while walking towards the Royal Castle in Prague.  We loved his expressive, heartfelt pleading to Heaven.

A Trifle of an Orange

Trifoliate Orange, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

This is a trifoliate orange, also known as a Chinese bitter orange and a hardy orange.  It is a relative of citrus, but is grown on a thorny shrub instead of a large tree.

To take this photo, we put the fruit on a white table and placed the iPhone 4 just inches away.

Echoes of the Past

Ruins, Sweetwater Creek State Park, Lithia Springs, Georgia, USA

While touring Sweetwater Creek State Park, we visited the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company textile mill.  The mill was built before the U.S. Civil War and was powered by Sweetwater Creek (the creek is more like a river).  The Union Army shut down and burned the mill and then arrested all of the employees.  The ruins are now a reminder of times and struggles long ago.

Shrunk By Sprawl

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Unlike the dense megalopoli of Chicago and New York, many sprawling cities look like a collection of small cities from the air.  Whereas New York is a continuous city of skyscrapers, Atlanta's skyscrapers are spread out in groups.

Essential Oil

Chanukah Sufganyot, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Besides lighting the Chanukah Menorah, cooking in oil is essential during Chanukah.  For kids and adults alike, these delicious Sufganyot (doughnuts) are fun to make and eat!

While olive oil is preferred for Chanukah cooking, vegetable oil is better for cooking sweets like Sufganyot.