Another Trip – Italy, Greece and Turkey – May 10th Elizabeth and I are about to embark on another adventure – this time to Southern Italy, Athens, the Greek Isles and Ephesus in Turkey. But first, we were in Chapel Hill to attend Carter’s graduation. He graduated yesterday with a Master’s Degree from UNC’s School of Information and Library Science. So, another Franklin joins the Tar Heel Community! I want to take a moment to comment on how important it is to stay flexible and “roll with the punches” when traveling. When we headed down to Chapel Hill on Thursday, I got hit by a 36-hour intestinal virus. I felt…

You never know where you will find your New Year's Resolution...

Saturday, August 24th – Calgary, Alberta  As with most of my Backroads trips, I try to add some days at the end or beginning of the trip to see more of the region – I started with Calgary.  Calgary, my entry into and exit out of Canada on this trip, started out as a fort in 1875 to protect the fur trade and was named Fort Calgary in 1876 after Calgary on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. It officially became a city in 1884, with a population of 4,000.  It is now the largest city in Alberta with approximately 1.4 million people, located just east of the Rocky Mountains. Known…

A story of how something lost can lead to discovering what community is all about.

It is forgivable to give your children affirmation when they do not deserve it.  It is unforgivable to not do so when they do.

Thank God for those who do not stand on the dots….. As I sat on my deck drinking my cup of coffee on this rare cool August morning, I read the following from my favorite blogger: On the dot  Hardy came home from school and proudly showed his mom the cheap plastic trinkets he had earned that day. “I stood quietly on the dot and so I got some tickets. And if I stand on the dot quietly tomorrow, I can get some more prizes!” First grade! That’s one way to indoctrinate kids in both obedience and consumption. It’s rare we see it so brazenly and vividly executed. Is standing…