We moved to the Philadelphia area last June. When exploring the area we found the Philadelphia Premium Outlet Mall just 20 minutes away. Well we had a little time and decided to stop by. Quite a surprise, a nice outlet mall. Best of all, right after getting there and looking at the store directory I spotted this Big Ornament. Had to get this photo.
Outlet Mall Ornament
On the way out of the Arrowhead Lake Community where Ben and Annie purchased their Lake House we stopped by the Community Club House and they gave me a tour. Really nice and lots of room for all the activities available. In the lobby area I had to get this image of the Big Native American.
Arrowhead Lake Big Native American
Ben had told me about this Big Chair previously and when we were on the way back from shopping we stopped by to grab this image. The chair is in front of a farmer’s market on PA940 at the corner with Long Pond Road.
Farmer’s Market Chair
I was up at the Ben and Annie’s “Lake House” when they closed and we made a trip to the Big Box stores in nearby Mt. Pocono to pick up some items for the new property. While leaving we stopped at Gelco Paints since they had this Big Paint Can and Painter out in front. Gelco is on PA 940 and looks like a great place to pick up some Benjamin Moore paint.
Gelco Paint Can
Gelco Painter
We were in New Jersey for Grandparents Day at Nate’s preschool. Actually it was more like Grandparents Hour. Anyway we took Nate out to lunch and then spent the afternoon at Johnson’s Corner Farm in Medford. A great place to spend time with Nate. They have a very nice playground, animal feeding, and hayrides out to pick the crops in season. For us it was apples and pumpkins. On the playground was this big baseball glove with a hole in the palm to throw beanbags through.
Johnson’s Farm Glove
We stopped in Friday night at a “pop-up pub” in downtown Lansdale with Andy, Lindsey and Willa. This is Willa’s first Big Thing photo with Grandpa. Both of us were pretty excited (well, maybe one of us was more excited!)
Willa’s 1st Big Thing photo
Here’s a Bird Dog sighting from my sister Catherine. She and Dale were in San Antonio and spotted this big beauty. If you look closely you can see Dale standing below the Big Can of Pearl Beer.
Pearl Beer Bird Dog
Pennsylvania Midas Hand
We drove into Philadelphia during the Democratic Convention, it seemed only fair since we were in town during the Republican Convention in 2000. There was lots to do and at lunch time what better than stopping at Reading Terminal Market for lunch. I had to have a cheese steak to celebrate being back. While there we spotted this Big Ice Cream Cone.
Reading Terminal Market Ice Cream Cone
On the way back from the ACE Hardware in Harleysville (see below) Andy and I stopped at Isabelle’s Kitchen to grab this Big Whisk. In truth, Deb spotted this earlier but I didn’t stop for the photo.
Isabelles’s Kitchen Whisk
Andy and I ran to the local ACE Hardware in Harleysville to pick up some items I needed to get the new house in order. Most of them I had but they were packed away. He took this photo of another Green Egg Grill. I captured one previously from the display at the Sullivan Hardware store on Keystone Ave. in Indianapolis.
ACE Hardware Grill
We were running out of time to get this photo. The house was sold, we were finalizing the move and knew about this chili out in front of Chili’s on 86th Street in Indianapolis. Most Chili’s restaurants have this up high over the door. Had to grab this before leaving town.
86th Street Chili’s
Our last Spring Break trip to Philadelphia found us taking Nate to the Garden State Discovery Museum. We’d been here before but did not get this photo of the Big Bug standing over the entrance.
Discovery Museum Bug
We found that with enough time on our trip to Philadelphia we could get to the Homewood Suites in Mechanicsburg. It is a great property, left us only a few hours to Philly and we could eat at the Appalachian Brewing Company brewpub. Great food and a cold malt beverage after a long drive. This Big Apple sits over the dining area at the motel.
Homewood Suites Apple
Our last Home Show in Indianapolis. In the dead days of January it was a break to go, get out of the house and think about improvements we were considering. The Home Show in the past offered Big Thing photo opportunities. 2016 was no different. We got this Big Xfinity Handset.
Indy Home Show Phone
Young Nate knows the Franklin Institute, he showed his favorite places to Deb and me. Along the way we found the Big light switch, Big power outlet and Big heart. A great time.
Franklin Institute
A Sunday after Christmas at the Philadelphia Zoo with Nate, Ben and Annie. The Chief Photographer grabbed this image in the primate house. This gorilla is made from corrugated cardboard, kind of like industrial papier-mâché.
Philly Zoo Gorilla
Roadside America Amish Couple
Unexpected find close to my sister’s house in Missouri. Over breakfast on Thanksgiving Dave and Dale spoke about a giraffe nearby. Was it larger than life? Would it count? We piled into Bob’s new F-150, 4×4, with a crew cab and went in search. We found it on N. Geyer, a few blocks south of Clayton. It’s across from the Old Des Peres Church, one of the oldest churches west of the Mississippi. Dave and Bob, avid geo-cachers, immediately went back home and created a cache to place under the watchful of Geoffrey. The giraffe is actually sitting in front of a private home.
Des Peres Giraffe
A second visit to Casey, Illinois revealed a few Big Things we missed on the first trip. Here is a Big Wooden Token (nickel) in front of the Casey Statek. There must be a lot of traffic since they had signs at the entrance to the parking lot directing visitors to parking locations to view the token. Actually, it wasn’t such a big deal. Just a sign for the bank.
Casey Bank Token