Monday's Riddle: A Hint About Helpful Hands...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme? I'm pretty sure the Begonia House has one of these, but I haven't caught sight of him yet.  ; ) ~ F

If you're lucky, I live in your home. I like it inside, for I'm no garden gnome. I wash the dishes while you're away, tidy things up for when you stay. I'll not take payment, for that would be rude! Dobby was strange to want more than food. My names are a few, there's Urisk and Hob, though most of my friends just call me Bob. I'm always helpful, should you abide. If not, then I'll stew and secretly hide. My kin are sweet, but we're not a dessert! We just like to clean and sweep up the dirt. 

What am I?

I gave you a clue!

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Strolling Along the Seine

The DMS was lucky enough to visit Paris, France. We had an amazing trip and learned so much about French history. Plus, the views around every corner are breathtaking. We wish we could have taken our lovely readers along, but since we couldn't, we thought we'd share our travels with you...







Throughout our stay the DMS was excited to see many famous spots in Paris. Today we are spotlighting one of our favorites: The Seine River. Just moments from our hotel, we could follow the river to visit many of the historic places we wanted to see. Not only was the river beautiful to look at, but the book stands, crepe stands, and other assortment of cafes, beckoned us in.

A book stand along the Seine.

Once we were down off the streets, we saw another layer of riverside attractions, like boat tours and recreational areas.

Pont Alexander III with a glimpse at a riverside recreational/workout area (boards).

The distance from one bridge (pont) to the next, wasn't very far, and it was fun to see how different each one was. There are over 30 bridges in Paris alone! It also gave us a chance to choose which side of the river we wanted to walk on. So much to see on either side!

As night started to settle in the reflections off the river caught our eye, illuminating some magnificent sights! No wonder so many people sit along the banks in the evening enjoying good friends, family, food, and drinks.

Riding on the river.

People enjoying hanging out by the river.

What a view from the Seine at night! 

Have you ever walked along the Seine or ridden on it? Do you like to be near the water? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

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The Eiffel Tower

The DMS was lucky enough to visit Paris, France. We had an amazing trip and learned so much about French history. Plus, the views around every corner are breathtaking. We wish we could have taken our lovely readers along, but since we couldn't, we thought we'd share our travels with you...





I don't know about you, but when we think of Paris, the Eiffel Tower comes to mind. It's a monument we'd always wanted to see, and on our recent trip we were lucky enough to visit this historic landmark. We were able to enjoy it's grandeur from various places around the City of Lights.

View from our hotel balcony.

We've seen pictures of the elegant tower, but we really didn't know much about it. Luckily, we took a tour to the top with Jason from Easy Pass Tours. Not only was he entertaining, but we learned a lot too!

It's hard to imagine that when this magnificent structure was designed for the 1889 World's Fair it was only meant to be up for a few months. Even harder to imagine- it was despised by most of the people in Paris at the time. Thank goodness, Eiffel (the architect) made a deal to have the tower up for 20 years, and that he would pay for it to be built, therefor he'd retain all the money made from tourism to pay himself back. By the time the deal was up, it was one of the most visited structures in the world, and it's height allowed for radio transmission at the top, making it a very valuable spot.

Elevator operators back in the day had a tough job being on the OUTSIDE of the elevator to control the hydraulic system. Statues on the lifts/elevators tip their hats to this unique profession. 

We never knew the Eiffel Tower was once red or yellow. It's been a long time since it's been any other color than the brownish hue it has now. There was once a post office, sleeping quarters, and advertisements on the tower. Who knew? Although the the tower has changed over the years, one thing that has stayed the same- the stunning views of a most magical city.

Seine River from the tower.

Champ de Mars

The DMS taking in the sights!

Have you ever been to the Eiffel Tower? Would you like to take a visit? We'd love to hear your thoughts! 

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