Oddz & Endz From Dollywood & The Island AND Another Giveaway!

Looking back on last week I really had fun taking a slew of photos from Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. To read more and see more visit my Travel Blog's post Coming Soon...To The Island.

This photo here is also from The Island.  It's a row of those chairs I spoke about in the link above.  I was testing out my photography eye a bit and was going for shadows, textures, color, lines, and 3D type shots in this one.  I mentioned the last couple of posts that all of the photographs from this trip were done on my iPhone.  Usually I take one of my other cameras but since we were packing light and traveling in my Fiat I wanted to just use my iPhone.  I was very pleased with the outcome.

A little bit more from Dollywood now...here you will see one of their many artisans that were set up thru out the theme park.  This was the Glass Blower.  I've always enjoyed watching people blow glass.  It's quite the process.  I've been fascinated with it since I was small.  I remember my first experience visit Cornell, NY, and have loved it ever since.  There were others around the park showing off their crafts and trades...baking, painting, metal, candles, wood, leather (I hate the smell of it and of course I don't wear it so I walked right by it) and LOTS of other arts, crafts, trades!

Another neat part of Dollywood was the replications of her childhood.  This was one of the one-room-schoolhouse that she went to while a child.  It was incredibly done.  There was another one of her childhood home, too, a one bedroom house with a kitchen that ALL of her family members shared and she had a large family!

I will probably squeeze in more photos from time to time in the next few weeks but I have lots of other things to blog about, too!

One of the many things I will be blogging about is MORE GIVEAWAYS!!!!  Today I have a package of Organic Chia Seeds from Garden of Life!  All you have to do is comment on this post and let me know a valid email addy to contact you if you are the winner.  US Shipping Addresses, only, please.  I'll choose a winner by 5pm EST tomorrow! (Friday the 3rd)

Some of the things I have done with Chia Seeds in the past have been:
* Strawberry Chia Jam
* Chocolate Chia Pudding
* Blackberry Chia Smoothie

Dollywood Photography From My iPhone

Over at my Travel Blog earlier today I posted More From Dollywood and there are plenty of more photos over there if you want to check those out but the ones I am posting here today are ones that I feel turned out exceptionally well especially since all I used was my iPhone to take them.  This is the first time I haven't taken an actual camera on vacation to take my 'good' photos.  Needless to say I was pleased with the outcome.  We were trying to travel light and most of what we did pack was for Paco.  We drove over 10 hours in my Fiat and it certainly got the job done.  We averaged about 400 miles a tank.  We only spent a bit over $100 for gas so that was AWESOME.  Now on to the photos, eh!?  This first one is one of the many mills that Dollywood featured.  It was functional and festive.  Inside you were able to purchase their fresh made breads that they made daily.

One of the many decorated gardens was this one.  It had flowers galore!  Not only that they had a turning Ferris Wheel that moved slowly with the potted flowers in each Ferris Wheel Car.  I stopped and stared at it for a few moments.

I mentioned in another post that we visited Dollywood at the beginning of this years Gospel and Harvest Time Festival.  It last about a month and a half and features over 350 live performances throughout the theme park.

While we were there we did see a number of preachers, reverends, pastors, etc from different denominations and faiths.  There's a small church there that is named after the doctor who delivered Dolly Parton as a baby.

One thing I will have to research more is if there is a connection to birds and birdhouses and Dollywood and/or Dolly Parton.  I saw a SLEW of birdhouses throughout the theme park.  And I don't mean just any old birdhouse.  I mean INVOLVED birdhouses that were colorful and creative...ones that were HUGE...ones that had multiple stories...even ones that were themed.  Some were unusual, some where tall yet thin, and others were just so stunning I couldn't help but snap a photo...or 10 photos!

This one was behind a kiosk.  I couldn't believe that it wasn't more out in the open!  It stood about 6 to 6 and a half feet tall, had 3 floors, windows, doors, a deck, etc.  It was very beautiful!  If we visit Dollywood again...I just might have to try and count how many birdhouses I see!

Going along and keeping with the Harvest Time theme - giant colorful displays like this one could be seen throughout the theme park. 

As you can see this is almost like a Christmas Tree made out of potted flowers that tier into the sky.  Behind it was Hay, Wheat, Corn Stalks, and other festive decor. 

You can tell that Dollywood goes above and beyond to change things up and make the place look amazing!  I hear that Christmas Time is even more involved, too! 

We saw several people working on adding lights to many of the standing structures.  I bet they were getting ready for the Christmas Time Festival.  I'm sure it takes a LONG time to decorate for that!

Surprises at Dollywood!

Check this out!  It's part of my lunch at one of the places inside Dollywood!  I had their Salad Bar which also included a Mac & Cheese Bar.  I asked them if I could do it with no meat or dairy and the wonderful lady who was doing the custom mac n cheese orders went back to the kitchen and found the olive oil and did mine vegan style!  I thanked her multiple times for the special treatment!  This is what we came up with!  Macaroni in Olive Oil with tomatoes, green onions, read peppers, onions, mushrooms and it turned out yummy!  A special shout out and THANK YOU to Dollywood!

One of the many things I enjoyed about Dollywood was the friendly ducks throughout the park just waiting to greet passerby's.  Everyone who worked at Dollywood treated them like guests of the park...they were completely free to come and go as they please.  There were many natural places for them to frequent including ponds and streams.

Another neat part of Dollywood was the artisans and their demonstrations.  This guy was one of the blown glass guys.  Everything they make during the day goes into the last part of the process to cool over night and then it's available for sale the next day in the gift shop next to the demo area.  I posted a bunch of photos of me over at the Travel Blog if you want to check it out and I will have a lot more from Dollywood in the very near future.