The ABC's of a BSN Celebration! Trip Wrap up; Final Thoughts (7/11)

[Steppesister]

Yes to good olive oil, olive tapenade, sundried olives with cheese but no whole or sliced olives. Yes, I'm weird.

Huh!! That is funny! Most people I'd think who hate them, hate them for the flavor.... you have more of a texture aversion. Interesting!! I am the same with bananas. I can totally eat Banana bread and a frozen banana, but plain, uncooked ones. <VOMIT>

Liberty Tree Tavern?? 2nd guess...inside the American pavilion?

Both great guesses! Answer in next post!

What are those earrings made of???

I suppose they were silver, but given the over-the-top price, even for Disney, I wouldn't have been surprised if they were platnium. I was in too much of a hurry to ask.

 

[DLo]

Amazing photos ! Love your creativity.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I already knew that quince was a fruit, but I had to look up the colors called Xanadu and Zomp. You have to wonder how they get their names.

 

[pkondz]

O is for Olive, some green and some gray,
A food that some love, but what do you say?

(Ochre works too.)

Then give it a job.

(Bonus points for the location)

Tough one. My first thought was LTT, but I'll go with Gaston's.

What’s a Quince?, ask you may,
Why it’s this, so I say!
(You have no idea how hard ‘Q’ was to find!)

I thought that was an apple. But it's your TR, so quince it is.

I thought this price was pretty funny.

All prices at Disney are "pretty funny".

Can you guess where the T’s were seen?

Sunshine Seasons?

Violet was easy, but here’s Verdigris

I'd heard Violet was easy, but I'm a married man, so she's off limits.
on Verdigris, though.

Beautiful shot.

A color which maybe is new unto you,
Xanadu. Look it up. I swear it is true!

I did. I got this.

Zomp was the last of the colors I found,

Zounds! That's a colour????

 

[irene_dsc]

Very impressive! I also had no idea Xanadu or Zomp could be color names!

(And also guessed LTT for the pewter mugs)

I wish I had an idea (off the top of my head) for another alphabetical scavenger hunt theme, but alas, nothing right now.

Hm. Song titles or lyrics from Disney music you hear? Tho, that doesn't exactly lend itself to photography!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Your scavenger hunt looked fun! A great way to really slow down and notice the small things.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Enjoyed the clever colorful scavenger hunt!
I truly never heard of the last few colors
”Clever Girl”

 

[Steppesister]

Amazing photos ! Love your creativity.

Thanks!! They are always fun to tackle each time.

 

[Steppesister]

I already knew that quince was a fruit, but I had to look up the colors called Xanadu and Zomp. You have to wonder how they get their names.

I wondered for sure, but when I researched them the places I wanted to get photos instantly came to mind!

 

[Steppesister]

I thought that was the direction you'd go. I've seen your detest before.

Then give it a job.

I shall. On the Maharaja Trail as a waterfall support.

Tough one. My first thought was LTT, but I'll go with Gaston's.

Good guesses! I'll let ya know in a post very soon.

I thought that was an apple. But it's your TR, so quince it is.

They are similar in shape to be sure, but since it's quince colored, I took creative license.

All prices at Disney are "pretty funny".

True dat!

Sunshine Seasons?

NIce guesses.... again... soon.

I'd heard Violet was easy, but I'm a married man, so she's off limits.
on Verdigris, though.

Oops!!

And thank you. I was pretty proud of myself on that one.

Beautiful shot.

Thanks! I tinkered with it a bit and settle on B&W to showcase the contrasts.

I did. I got this.

Oh, Olivia.... Such a hottie. Too bad the movie sucked.

Zounds! That's a colour????

Yessirree!

 

[Steppesister]

Very impressive! I also had no idea Xanadu or Zomp could be color names!

I didn't either until I was creating my Hunt. But now I can't UNSEE them!!

(And also guessed LTT for the pewter mugs)

Excellent guesses!! Answer soon!

I wish I had an idea (off the top of my head) for another alphabetical scavenger hunt theme, but alas, nothing right now.

They are hard to come up with!

Hm. Song titles or lyrics from Disney music you hear? Tho, that doesn't exactly lend itself to photography!

OH man! that would be a hard one!! I'd have to capture YouTube snippets! But.... hmmm...

 

[Steppesister]

Your scavenger hunt looked fun! A great way to really slow down and notice the small things.

They super are! I love doing them; and I also love the Hunts they've created in EPCOT for the Festivals!

 

[Steppesister]

Enjoyed the clever colorful scavenger hunt!
I truly never heard of the last few colors
”Clever Girl”
View attachment 561431

Nah... just tenacious and fun-loving.

Nor had I until I had to research my Letters!

 

[pkondz]

I thought that was the direction you'd go. I've seen your detest before.

Yup. Blech.

I shall. On the Maharaja Trail as a waterfall support.

Good. I heard the minimum wage for that was going up.

Good guesses! I'll let ya know in a post very soon.

Right-o.

And thank you. I was pretty proud of myself on that one.

Thanks! I tinkered with it a bit and settle on B&W to showcase the contrasts.

Good choice.

Oh, Olivia.... Such a hottie. Too bad the movie sucked.

Never saw it. Thinking that's a good thing.

 

[vamassey1]

Thank you for joining me on another Steppe's Scavenger Hunts! Hope you are all well and getting the most out of life!!

Love this Hunt! It was so fun and original and I think I learned something new.

 

[Steppesister]

Good. I heard the minimum wage for that was going up.

That's the word on the street.

Never saw it. Thinking that's a good thing.

I'm thinking so too. I did, and once was enough. Although admittedly, I remember not much.

 

[Steppesister]

Love this Hunt! It was so fun and original and I think I learned something new.

YAY!!! I love when people find something new and a little bit different here.

 

[pkondz]

I'm thinking so too. I did, and once was enough. Although admittedly, I remember not much.

Hah! Maybe your 2021 self would love it.

 

[docsoliday1]

I'm thinking so too. I did, and once was enough. Although admittedly, I remember not much.

I did as well and also don't remember much aside from thinking, as you said, she's a hottie. Had a huge crush on her when I was a kid.

 

[Steppesister]

In Love with the Land
*Inspirational Music for your reading enjoyment-

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Not so long ago, and yet what seems like quite a while, Steppe set out on an adventure. With Lewis and Clark as her inspirational guides and galvanizing motivation, urging her on in the spirit of adventure and survival, she gathered her supplies and embarked on a journey across… The Land.

​

Her destination wholly unknown with dangers uncharted, she steeled her mind and constitution for what would be at times a harrowing endeavor into the great unknown. Would she find treasures awaiting her, or face peril and disappointment? Come with me Dear Reader as we discover Steppe’s Adventures of Discovery...

Steadying herself as she settled herself into her pirogue, Steppe cursed as a package of neatly wrapped hardtack tumbled overboard. “Well, crap, now I’ll have to find more food sooner than later.”, she grunted. Putting on her smile and gameface, it was time to wave her goodbyes and hove off. The time for exploring was upon her. With paddle firmly gripped, Steppe began her Journey down the mighty Rivers of Epcotopia. As she set out, onlookers and well-wishers waved their goodbyes from above; many it appeared had brought their picnic lunches of roast turkey, garden vegetables, and rolls. Steppe would miss the comforts of home cooking during her journey… or so she thought…

After a few weeks of lonesome floating, Steppe rowed her boat ashore at the homestead of a family named Disney- a humble lot who were happy with their few chickens and acres. One lad showed Steppe his pencil sketches of a mouse he called Mortimer. “Awww, that kid’s sure a go-getter. Maybe he’ll venture out and do great things.”, she mused. It was here that she was offered the most amazing hospitality. The family fed her well with oddities of pineapple-flavored ice cream, soft warm pretzels, and the most giant roasted leg of a bird. She dare not ask what it was. Too soon though her visit came to an end and it was time for another departure into the great unknown.

​

Her journey was a fascinating one filled with long weeks and months of discovery. She kept meticulous journals just as her explorer-predecessors once did, sketching the flora and fauna along the way. Unfortunately, a few hours of floating later, after saying good bye to the Disneys, Steppe discovered she'd left her last few pages of her hard work behind. It would prove difficult for her to recreate what she'd so painstakingly documented. Deftly navigating, her keel-bottomed boat made its way through areas of dense rainforest, rich, fertile farmland, which Steppe thought surely must be the heartland of this new and exciting, yet-undiscovered land, and some harsh, desolate appearing expanses of desert. It was in the quiet moments of solitude that she also realized that she’d forgotten to pack her socks. At least this time it wasn’t her underwear like she did on that trip a few years back.

One bright and sunny day as Steppe launched her boat again after a particularly difficult portage, her boat began to lurch and spin wildly out of control as if falling down a rabbit hole. With a great thud, she was spit out into a dazzlingly bright and humid territory, altogether alien and bizarre! Within minutes, Steppe was faced with navigating turbulent waters and tumbling falls. As her boat began to steady, Steppe realized that this strange new territory was unlike anything she had ever encountered before in her life. The sky was perpetually obscured by a geodesic-like enclosure and the "soil" was a strange white sandy substance instead of the earthy loam she was used to. It was as if she had discovered a giant farm filled with the most amazing delicacies and oddities she would soon find out!!

(Steppe's handy-dandy dinghy)
​

As evening drew on, Steppe pulled her boat ashore in a great forest of a new species she named the Peanut Butter Tree. For her dinner, she spread the delicious butter-like food with a distinct peanut flavor onto some of her remaining hardtack making excellent sandwiches and realizing that this fascinating new world she had discovered might very well end up being more lucrative an adventure than the Spanish and Portuguese endeavors long before her. Gathering the seeds of these trees and picking a few more samples to restock her rations, she set out again making her way down the placid and easy-to-navigate blue waters careful to keep her hands, feet, arms, and legs inside her boat at all times. For her safety, of course. She was sad that crazy dancing isn't wise for a moving vehicle of any kind at any time. For one never knows when the urge to break out in interpretive dancing may strike.

​

The next morning, Steppe could hardly believe the beauty and bounty she encountered along her watery route. Enormous flowers towered above her and as she floated under the floral canopy in her trusty dingy and she used a net to harvest some of the seeds of this lovely tree with yellow flowers. Perhaps people from her hometown would enjoy a specimen in their homes and public bathrooms someday. Following the marker that the elusive inhabitants placed as a navigation beacon, she shoved off once again wondering what novelty she would encounter next. She had a vague feeling as if she was being watched with a scrupulous eye from some unknown source and wasn't altogether sure she was eager to make contact. Yet, she knew that it was somehow inevitible...

​

It wasn’t long before her patience and perseverance were realized. As she rounded a deep bend on the Steppe River (of course she named it after herself!) she came upon a table neatly set as if she was an expected guest. She’d heard about another girl who landed in strange world once before where the local inhabitants set out a daily tea and, while this was similar, it appeared to be a daily Happy Hour featuring a fine blend made from one of the local plants called agave. By the time she sat down at this lovely table, a few of the residents joined her and happy chatter ensued. She was so relieved that they weren't there to chop off her head!

​

One character, an odd fellow who wore a tall, highly decorated tophat encouraged Steppe to follow her dreams and press on being herself no matter what others may say. She was dare I say, oddly attracted to him and she hoped they'd meet again soon. A cat briefly appeared but he seemed to be an apparition coming and going as he pleased. Yet another guest, a rabbit-like creature raved endlessly about being on time for something or rather and honestly started to get on Steppe’s nerves, so she chugged those delicious drinks and weaved her way back to the pirogue where she dreamed happy dreams before setting off again the next morning. One of the strange characters from the Agave Happy Hour was kind enough to fill Steppe’s flask which kept her in a light and content disposition as she made her way downstream. As she glanced back, there was woman all dressed in black and red with a short, squat man dressed in a loin cloth standing beside her shouting, "A bargain today!! Two heads in exchange for one of yours! Come back!!"

It wasn’t too much farther that our fearless guide came upon what surely must have been the shrine of worship for the indigenous peoples there. A tri-circle shape embellished with fuchsia-colored flowers perhaps placed as tokens of repentance or offering. Nervous she might be encroaching on sacred territory, Steppe hastened her progress so as not to offend the natives and hurried to whatever might lie ahead on the Steppe River.

​

The next scene however was perplexing. She came across yet another image of this tri-circle design and pondered what it’s meaning could be. Object of worship? Symbol of ownership? Sign of identification? Warning….?!? She knew not but thought it best to keep a wary eye out for danger as she went on her way. Off in the distance, she saw some large fruits or produce of some kind hanging from carefully manicured vines, but thought it best to forego a closer look sensing a vague uneasiness as she paddled on. Perhaps these were forbidden fruits used only for sacrificing to the Tri-circled image.

​

Finding adequate sustenance in the hardtack, peanut butter tree spread, and agave juice, Steppe continued her happy sailing along the mostly placid waters through this vast enclosed farm world where peculiar new species greeted her daily. Her sketchbook and memoirs grew with each exciting discovery. One was a particularly intriguing find. Pulling onto the shore for yet another night of campfire cooking and sound slumber on the soft white sand, the explorer came across a pile of neatly stacked round, orange fruits. Among them was a carriage made of gilded metal shaped in graceful filigree with pillows inside, the kind a very important state figure might use as conveyance. Surely this must be a foundry using some sort of yet undiscovered magic used to craft carriages for dignitaries named “cinderellas”. In a neighboring district was a farming operation growing something called “celery”. Parked aside the grow was a diminutive vehicle made from the same buttery spread Steppe had been eating all along her journey and a section of this cut celery. The backrests were made of the dried fruit Steppe had seen earlier near the yellow flowers forest. “Wow!”, Steppe thought to herself, “These natives are so very clever to use The Land's resources in such creative ways!” She also mused that the celery cars were likely for the common folk like herself and the cinderella pumpkin cars were mainly for those with money or fame like politicians or professional athletes. "At least some things are universal", she sighed. She was also wondering if she'd been inadvertantly poisoning herself slowly by eating something she thought was food but instead was a construction material all along.

​

The journey was now becoming wearisome for Steppe as she paddled on day after day. She missed her friends and family, she missed her quiet routine of bathtime in the evenings, coffee in the mornings, and watching 55% of her income be swallowed alive every two weeks. I mean who wouldn’t find joy in that? Just when she thought she was at her lowest, by Providential Design, she made the most happy discovery! As her wooden craft glided along she spotted on her left (the side of the boat where all the most wonderful things seem to happen except sightings of the elusive Baobob Tree)- a tank of Fish and Chips!!! Beaching her boat just as quickly as possible she harvested a hearty portion of the slippery animals, dressed them and fried them over a hot fire, and sat down to a feast of fish and taties. YES!! This was indeed a wondrous Land full of rich and tasty delicacies!

​

And yet the allure of rich and tasty delicacies were no substitute for the comforts of home and hearth, family and loved ones. Steppe was longing for the end of her journey more than ever and was about to give up hope of every being able to find her way out of this unique place she’d found herself in. However, just when despair was setting in, the sky changed from glass-enclosed to a dark tunnel with images of whom she could only assume were the inhabitants of this Wonderland. They had all shades of skin, all shapes of eyes and faces; all were smiling and obviously united in the one common goal of raising food for their people and living harmoniously in their shared space. Lost in her reverie, the boat bumped against another she hadn’t seen until the sudden motion forced her heels to click together 3 times. With a blinding flash and loud bang, Steppe found herself docking at the harbor amid the smiles and waves of the Harbormaster who welcomed her home and pointed with 2 fingers towards the office where her goods would be declared (and taxed at 55% - except the Agave juice which would be confiscated altogether), her 2-week quarantine would begin immediately, and the tabloids would begin their incessant hounding.



Steppe can still be found there 9 years later.



Still in quarantine.