Road trips are one of our favorite things to enjoy. And with a bead on dog-friendly hotels (thank you Best Western Plus, we love your rewards program), Willa gets to come along, too.
Last week we attended the Arlington Fly-In in Washington state. The scenery in the Pacific Northwest is spectacular with soldier-straight rows of grapes vines in mile after mile of vineyards, vast fields of pole-climbing hops, the heavenly scent of apple trees as far as the eye can see, farm stands bursting with freshly picked bing cherries, and oceans of golden wheat gently blowing in the breeze.
It’s enough to make you burst into song. And we did—America the Beautiful!
When was the last time you spontaneously burst into song?
Tuesdays with Laurie 
Your own descriptions of America command a new song! Enjoy the trip.
Shirley — And I know you’re having a wonderful time bicycling across Norway. Woohoo!
Beautiful post. I must admit for me it also tends to be when I’m driving. It might be a song I’m listening to on the radio or something I see. Thanks, Laurie, and happy Tuesday.
Olga — I think we could form a collective singing group called “The Cars” 🙂
I actually do it all the time, but usually when I’m alone. 😉
Merril — That tells me you’re a JOYFUL person 🙂
🙂
America really is the most beautiful place! I haven’t been to the Washington-Oregon area but have traveled to most other states and find each is extraordinary in its own way.
I think the last time I burst into song was … okay, I admit it, I was in the car and the song was Justin Bieber’s Love Yourself.
Patricia — I love your response. You are singularly responsible for the smile that I’m sure will remain on my face for the rest of the day. Thank you! 🙂
Yes, I do it all the time, too, while driving…or sometimes walking through the woods.
I’d love to set your vivid descriptions to song and add something about ducks gliding on our lake. Next week we plan to sample some beauty just above our Pacific Northwest, the beautiful British Columbia, which may make me burst into a new song.
Great question, Laurie!
If you coming to the Gulf Islands Marian and specfically Mayne Island in British Columbia, do connect and drop by to say “hello.” 🙂
I’ll check with itinerary-planner husband and see if that’s possible. Thank you 😊!
Marian — You’re going to love, Love, LOVE British Columbia. I hope you’ll capture part of your adventure in a blog post 🙂
We’ve been there before (Victoria, Vancouver Island) and going back for more!
Sounds like a great road trip Laurie! Amazing. I love this time of summer bounty in fields and from the farms. I don’t burst into song very often. The noise is too much even for my own ears. But I do hum a rather tuneless hum when something pleases me. I would have been humming if I was on your trip and when I saw the butterfly on the butterfly bush at my new gallery this week.
Terrill — The butterfly on your butterfly bush at your new art gallery is a wonderful sign. I’m excited for you!
This morning actually. I was on”the dock waiting for sunrise. All I could see was a sliver of color through a crack in the sky. I thought it was too coludy for a good sunrise then– bright orange started appearing on the horizon. That inspired a rousing rendition of Morning has Broken as the sun made it’s full appearance. Haven’t been up for sunrise for awhile. Think I need to make the effort more often. Love the “amber waves of grain” picture by the way. That says “home” to me.
Espirational — Ohhhhhh, I haven’t thought about “Morning Has Broken” in a long time. Now I’ll be singing it for the rest of the day. Thank you! 🙂
I last burst into song yesterday, when Kat and I were on the deck having a beer and she started singing. I joined in, grateful there was no one else to hear what I call “singing”.
Carol — Ohhhh, I love it! And I bet you’re having a complete and total blast during Kat’s visit!
I am, for sure, and Gep will be here today.
Beautiful, indeed! Love the wave of grain that leads to the sky. Breathtaking!
Amy — I’m glad you enjoyed the photo. I had fun taking it 🙂
Lovely and breathtaking piece of Americana here Laurie! I broke into song not more than a month ago during the high school graduation, when the school song was negotiated. My middle son Danny was wearing the tassled cap.
Sam — Wearing “The Tassled Cap” is a BIG deal. I would have burst into song, too 🙂
Your words paint such a beautiful picture, Laurie.
You asked…
I answer: Every evening as I prepare supper and the puppies and dog drift off to sleep, I pop in the golden oldie tunes–60s–and sing.
Leanne — And I can well imagine three furry tails at your feet thumping along to the beat!
Such a fabulous description of a beautiful part of the country. I tend to burst into song often especially when doing housework or driving. I love to sing Bryan Adam’s Summer of ’69, even the dog gets excited and wants to dance with me.
Darlene, you are indeed a woman after my own heart! ❤
Darlene — I love that your dogs get involved! 🙂
We are at the ocean and singing Happy Birthday almost all day long 5 of the 9 of us are celebrating right now
Patricia — I’ve been enjoying your celebration photos on Facebook. I especially love the “Thing One, Two, and Three” t-shirts 🙂
Beautiful scenery. To my shame, I burst into song more than once daily, starting in the shower, as DH will testify. I don’t claim to have a great voice, but he often asks me to sing for him. I used to play the guitar and write songs for my nephew and niece many years ago, of which they reminded me years afterwards. Spontaneous Singing and dancing is just part of life. 😊
Fatima — For DH to request you to sing for him, you’ve got to have a great voice!
Love is blind and deaf, obviously! 😁😁😁
I make-up Broadway style show tunes about my dog and cat and sing to them at times… when totally alone, of course 😉
Jeri — I love it! And I bet your four-leggers do too! 🙂
Laurie, when we visited the Pacific N.W. last Summer, we were astounded by the scope and scale of the agriculture – what seemed like endless miles of wheat covering the landscape from horizon to horizon. Did we feel awed and proud to be Americans? You bet! Having traveled from Sea to Shining Sea, we gained a greater appreciation for the American Spirit that always proceeds upwards and onwards towards our future. While watching smoke curling behind the San Bernadino mountains this weekend, I burst into Marshall Tucker Band’s “Fire On The Mountain”.
Sandi — So it was YOU I heard singing backup to the Marshall Tucker Band 🙂
Sounds like a beautiful experience ! Never been to that part of the country ! Yet may be making a across country move in the not to distant future! I don’t burst into song, I open up my camera lens to capture the beauty!!
Jeff — I love the beauty that you capture with your camera. And you’re moving west? Do tell (inquiring minds want to know)! 🙂
Hi Laurie
Possibly something to do with having a flap of skin under my tongue for my first 5 years, but I cannot hold a note, and much as I love the idea of singing, I appear to be incapable of holding a tune. So I have learned to avoid bursting into song anywhere where any might hear me.
Spontaneous singing is a very rare event for me, it exists mostly in my imagination (what emerges from my mouth has very little relationship to song). 😦
And I do get to experience Ailsa’s music.
And I have seen waves in to land (from earthquakes).
And I do enjoy both road trips and flying, though I don’t get to do much of either at present.
Ted — The cool part is that you get to listen to Ailsa’s music whenever and wherever you want. And that, I imagine, is akin to Heaven on earth 🙂
Laurie, I loved you post because it evoked sweet memories of flying to you Navioneer Fly-Ins during the 60;s and 70;s. I always loved watching the patchwork quilt unfold below us. Thank s for the “love”ly and fun family memories. Safe and fun travels! ❤ 🙂
Sheila — Ohhhhhh, how darned COOL is that?! I’m so glad this post brought back fond memories 🙂
Me too!! It was a Grand time in our lives! 🙂
absolutely gorgeous! so much to be grateful for! ❤
YesRising — There IS, indeed, so much to be grateful for. 🙂
I love the Pacific Northwest. It’s gorgeous. I often burst into song when someone utters words that remind me of a particular song. So glad you had great trip.
Joan — I’m glad to know you’re a “song burster!” I thought you might be 🙂
Oh my goodness you have hit on one here my friend . All the time ,and personally , I think it’s quite normal to do so . ‘The Hills are alive ‘ Sound Of Music in the field up the road …’ Consider Yourself ‘ Oliver down the lane . I think everyone should do it , it’s good fun .
What I lovely place you’re at …enjoy .
Congratulations on the Gold did you see my review on Amazon ?
Cherryx
Cherry — I haven’t thought about CONSIDER YOURSELF in ages. Now I won’t be able to get the tune out of my head!
(Noooooo, I didn’t see your review. I’m going to head out there right now. Yippee, skippee) 🙂
So sorry it’s took me so long …it had to be the right words . I am so proud of you ✨nearest I could get to a gold star .
Cherryx
Cherry — I loved your 5-star review. THANK YOU!
What a lovely memory you’ve conjured up for me, Laurie. I sing a great deal, as you know. But my most vivid memory of that “burst into song” is still of me at age 7 or 8, singing Zippity Doo Dah (from Uncle Remus movie) on my way home from school. And yes, I remember skipping as I sang.
Janet — I just love the vibrant word picture you painted of you skipping home after school singing Zippity Doo Dah!
I spontaneously burst into song all the time lol No kidding. I drive my family nuts as I can’t sing. I must just be a very happy person… either that or I’m going slightly crazy.
Sassy Brit — You strike me as an extremely happy person; kind of like the song “Walking on Sunshine” 🙂
How lovely of you to say! That’s a fun, summery song. Now I’ll be singing that one all day long lol — Enjoy your day, and have a lovely weekend!
“I’m walking on sunshine – woo hoo!”
We made that just trip last year. When I saw your picture I could just see Sandi riding shotgun and marveling at the endless waves of amber American grain. Then the words and music of Woody Guthrie popped into my head, “This land is your land; this land is my land …” And it reminded me of another time, sitting in a meeting, far from everything I have ever known, in Moscow.
It was 1994, the wall had just come down, and we were meeting with teachers and administrators about introducing Biblical values into the state school curriculum (that’s a whole ‘nother story). So, during the break, they had a student come in and sing a few beautiful Russian folk songs. Then an administrator asked me if I knew any American folk songs. I said, “Sure I do.” So, she handed me a guitar and asked me if I would play them one. The first song that came to mind was “This land is your land.” As I started to play and sing the lyrics, the rest of the American team spontaneously joined in and, at that moment, seeing the pride in their faces and the confidence in their voices, I was so proud to be an American.
Dennis – ohhhhh, I love your remembrance; thank you for sharing it.
I can’t remember but I do love wheat fields!… 🙂
Arwen — We might be wheat field twins 🙂
I LOVE traveling with Copper and agree Best Western Plus is GREAT with Ptarmigan Lodge in Dillon, CO is my favorite so far! Copper being a pit bull is a benefit to this single old lady because of people’s unfounded fear them (fear the bad owners not the breed).
La Quintas are always pet friendly and have nice rooms but are usually more expensive.
Bonnie — Thanks for the tip about La Quintas being pet-friendly, too. It’s always good to have a backup plan 🙂
We used to spontaneously burst into “Oklahoma” on road trips years ago. I think it was because of an episode of “The Bob Newhart Show” back in the 70s or 80s when one either Bob or his wife, Emily, started singing it for some reason that escapes me now. We sang the song in similar circumstances and enjoyed a good laugh for 20 or 30 tries before it got too old to be funny anymore.
Chris
Chris – I bet you can guess the tune I won’t be able to get out of my head for the rest of the day! ☺️
🙂 Everybody now! O-K-L-A …. !”
I can burst into song in a moment’s notice. It happens frequently. 🙂
DGKaye — That’s one of the signs of a joyful person 🙂
Well that’s me. 🙂