Virtual vacations

There is a lot of stuff to see and do on this great world wide web. What we find out there may inform us, may excite us, may infuriate us, and may entertain us (as I hope this blog does for you). But sometimes what we find offers us a small window to stop this crazy merry-go-round and lose ourselves for a short while in what I like to think of as virtual vacations. Here are my favorite spots for doing just that:

Inspirations Photography: This is my friend Cat's site. I met her on a Catholic Mom message board. She's a phenomenal woman and an equally amazing photographer. She shoots all the pictures herself in her home state of Utah, then selects just the right quote to go with the image.

StoryPeople: This site is full of funky art tied to insightful (and sometimes off-the-wall) musings of artist Brian Andreas. I first discovered them on a trip to Maine about 8 years ago and have been a fan ever since. One of my favorites is called "Illusion of Control:"

If you hold on to the handle, she said, it's easier to maintain the illusion of control. But it's more fun if you just let the wind carry you. -- StoryPeople

And not nearly as relaxing as the other two, but equally inviting to get lost in for a few minutes (or hours!) is Scrabulous, where you can play Scrabble against real people in real time for FREE!

Here's hoping you find time in your day for a virtual vacation. And if you have a favorite spot, please share it.