My Daily Smile

Life is short - begin every day with a smile!

50 wild (and very interesting) facts about North Carolina

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A few days ago I shared this video revealing 50 absurd (and very interesting) facts about Tennessee, one of the neighboring states that lies just a few miles south of my home in Virginia.

That post prompted a lot of responses and I’ll admit it’s one of my favorites as well.

Today I’m going to share a similar video about another near-by neighboring state, also to my south: North Carolina.  [Read more…]

Video: 4 awesome days on the Blue Ridge Parkway

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There are many famous highways, roads and trails that are tailor-made for day trips and sight-seeing adventures.

If you happen to live in or near the southern Appalachians, you have one of the best drives around just waiting for you to enjoy it: The magnificent Blue Ridge Parkway.  [Read more…]

Think all deserts are hot? If so, you’re in for a surprise.

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When most people hear the term “desert”, images of sand dunes, extreme heat and buzzards flying overhead instantly come to mind.

But truth be told, not all deserts are hot, nor are they hospitable to buzzards.

In fact, the largest desert on Earth also happens to be the planet’s coldest place – and there are no buzzards to be found.

[Read more…]

Video: Jana Jae fiddling the timeless classic “Orange Blossom Special” (again)

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Image credit: JanaJae.com

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Jana Jae has been my favorite fiddler/violinist (actually, make that my favorite musician) for decades now.

I have featured this amazing lady’s performances on my blogs and in my newsletters several times in the past and she was even kind enough to indulge my request for a brief interview.

Long time readers will remember this video of Jana performing “Orange Blossom Special” during an impromptu session with Dan Gryder. Today’s video features her playing that same fiddle classic again, this time accompanied by a full band.  [Read more…]

Life tip: Don’t allow your life to be controlled by these 5 things

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Do you ever feel like your life is out of your control – as if it’s being directed by some outside negative force?

Do you believe your happiness depends on things you have no control over?

Do you have trouble even deciding what happiness and success mean to you?

Each and every one of us has just one life to live on this Earth. And as you might have already noticed, the years we will spend living it will be gone before we know it.  [Read more…]