Today is Wednesday July 27th and I want you all to wish my Brother in Law, Chuck Daniels a Happy Birthday!
Hope you have a WONDERFUL birthday! We love you!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Day 38 Monday July 25, 2011 Moving Day to Passaconaway CampGround on the Kancamangus Highway in NH
I wish all moving days were like this! We don't have as much packing up to do since we left the camper attached to our car during our visit at Tom & Shelly's. We also did not put up the screen house and did not take out all of our 'stuff'. In addition, we had the treat of being given a full breakfast with coffee to send us on our way. Thanks Tom & Shelly!
We are heading to the White Mountains. Ed's 'ole stomping ground' for hiking. We are off to Passaconaway CG. It is about 1 1/2 hours drive from East Wakefield, NH. We take our time doing the food shopping for our provisions and are still able to get there before noon.
All sites at Passaconoway are first come first serve. It's a Monday morning so we are sure we will find something good. First we try sites by the river: sites 21 thru 25. No. They are all full so we try one of the loops we have not done yet. We decide on site #7 and set up. The site is quite spacious. This campground is like the others in that there is no water or electricity, but there are no potties or showers either, only out houses. Not one of my favorite for sites, but it works. The Town of Conway with library, laundromat and total civilization is about 35 minutes of a very pretty ride:)
My Kindle is full of books family recommended to me this weekend, our cooler and frig are filled and we are set up! We will be here until Friday morning!
Life is good!
We are heading to the White Mountains. Ed's 'ole stomping ground' for hiking. We are off to Passaconaway CG. It is about 1 1/2 hours drive from East Wakefield, NH. We take our time doing the food shopping for our provisions and are still able to get there before noon.
All sites at Passaconoway are first come first serve. It's a Monday morning so we are sure we will find something good. First we try sites by the river: sites 21 thru 25. No. They are all full so we try one of the loops we have not done yet. We decide on site #7 and set up. The site is quite spacious. This campground is like the others in that there is no water or electricity, but there are no potties or showers either, only out houses. Not one of my favorite for sites, but it works. The Town of Conway with library, laundromat and total civilization is about 35 minutes of a very pretty ride:)
My Kindle is full of books family recommended to me this weekend, our cooler and frig are filled and we are set up! We will be here until Friday morning!
Life is good!
Day 35 to Day 38 Friday July 22, 2011 to Monday July 25, 2011 Tom & Shelly's Lake House in East Wakefield, NH
WE HAVE THE BEST FAMILY!
We are off on Friday morning to visit for a few days with Ed's brother Tom and his family. They have a Lake house on Pine River Pond in East Wakefield, NH that has one of the best sunset views around! They have an annual party at the lake (often for no reason) that we have been unable to attend for quite a few years due to our own travel plans. This year, it is a celebration for the Graduation from High School for the son, Stephen (Congratulations, Stevie D!).
The place is packed! Upwards of 50 people for dinner on Saturday night. Most slept over. We set our camper up in the driveway of their second house (right next door) and party all weekend. They are the best hosts! They are relaxed and have fun with you, they assign cooking duties so everyone has a turn to cook and you feel like you are not too much of a burden on them.
The weather is wonderful. It's in the 90's on Friday when we arrive. The thermometer said it was 99 degrees at one point of the ride. We woke to slight showers very early on Saturday but then it turned to be another perfect day. Most people put their beach chairs into the water and sat in a circle and talked and drank all day. If you got bored with that, you would bring your cup to the circle standing in the water and talk and drink some more. Meals were wonderful: Blueberry pancakes and sausages for Sat breakfast, great chicken and salads for lunch, hamburgs and hot dogs for dinner. Sunday was scrambled eggs and Taylor Ham (yum!) for breakfast, more chicken and salads for lunch and spaghetti and sausages for dinner. And don't forget Mike's Seafood Chowder! AWESOME! We ate more then we have eaten all summer. Thanks everyone!
How can you have a family of eight siblings and their spouses and have EVERYONE get along? I haven't heard of any other family who is as lucky as we are. This group is very diverse in ages, incomes, political philosophy, ideas on raising children--you name it--we are different in many ways. But in one way we are all the same--our love of each other allows everyone to be who they are. We love each other regardless.
I consider us the luckiest family around! And coming from an only child, that's saying a lot! Thanks for being my family. I love you!
The place is packed! Upwards of 50 people for dinner on Saturday night. Most slept over. We set our camper up in the driveway of their second house (right next door) and party all weekend. They are the best hosts! They are relaxed and have fun with you, they assign cooking duties so everyone has a turn to cook and you feel like you are not too much of a burden on them.
The weather is wonderful. It's in the 90's on Friday when we arrive. The thermometer said it was 99 degrees at one point of the ride. We woke to slight showers very early on Saturday but then it turned to be another perfect day. Most people put their beach chairs into the water and sat in a circle and talked and drank all day. If you got bored with that, you would bring your cup to the circle standing in the water and talk and drink some more. Meals were wonderful: Blueberry pancakes and sausages for Sat breakfast, great chicken and salads for lunch, hamburgs and hot dogs for dinner. Sunday was scrambled eggs and Taylor Ham (yum!) for breakfast, more chicken and salads for lunch and spaghetti and sausages for dinner. And don't forget Mike's Seafood Chowder! AWESOME! We ate more then we have eaten all summer. Thanks everyone!
How can you have a family of eight siblings and their spouses and have EVERYONE get along? I haven't heard of any other family who is as lucky as we are. This group is very diverse in ages, incomes, political philosophy, ideas on raising children--you name it--we are different in many ways. But in one way we are all the same--our love of each other allows everyone to be who they are. We love each other regardless.
I consider us the luckiest family around! And coming from an only child, that's saying a lot! Thanks for being my family. I love you!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Day 31 thru 35 Monday July 18-Friday July 22, 2011 Mt. Blue State Park in Weld, Maine
It seems that all the State Parks in Maine have similar accommodations. No electricity at the site, water is available to fill up your camper at a main pump, out houses are throughout the campground, with potties and showers in a common location. There is no charge for the showers. Mt. Blue has a beach for bathing on a beautiful Lake Webb, a playground for kids and a boat launch for the kayak.
The town is probably 40 minutes from a Wal Mart Super store for shopping, and 30 minutes to the library and cell service. Not bad.During our stay Ed went fishing on his kayak and a really good hike in the mountains--the most challenging so far.
During our time there I read a lot and did my daily pursuit for civilization. On our last full day on Thursday, we decided to go to the beach about 10 am. Ed, ever the good scout, made us lunch. We brought the scrabble game (Ed won) and we planned to spend the day. It was pretty hot so this was a good idea.
About 2 o'clock, Ed decided to 'tool around a little' and check out the coves on the lake in the kayak. Off he went. True to form, I was expecting him to be gone an hour and his unspoken expectation was to spend the rest of the afternoon on the water.By 3:15, I finished all the books on my Kindle. I read his National Geographic. Then I was bored. I waited another 15 minutes and could not see Ed anywhere, so I decided to go back to the campsite. Unfortunately, he took the keys to the car with him. I made the choice. Sit and be bored on the beach, or walk back.
Buddy and I decided to take the hike through the woods to go back to our campsite. For those of you who REALLY know me, this was no small decision. In fact at one spilt, I (of course) took the wrong fork so I arrived at a different loop of the campsite making the walk longer then it should have been. The walk back in the sweltering heat took us 25 minutes. Buddy almost had to be dragged at one point. He was done. I am sure I looked the same way. But then I saw the showers and knew I was close. Just like when I (for a VERY short time) tried running, when I saw the finish line ahead I could pick up my pace. By the time I got back, WE were exhausted. It took about an hour to stop breathing hard and be back to normal.After another 45 minutes, Ed shows up. When he arrived, it immediately brought to mind a joke he recently told me:
Who is man's BEST friend--his wife or his dog? You can prove who it is very easily: Lock them both in the trunk of your car for two hours. When you let them out, which one is happy to see you?
Buddy was wagging his tail! I was not!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Day 31 Monday July 18, 2011 Moving Day to Mt. Blue in Weld, Maine
We're off! While the sky looks threatening, it's warm and muggy. Packing goes well. Lily Park was a nice Campground! Lots for Ed to do. Biking, fishing, Kayacking.
On Sunday we spent the afternoon in the grassy park by the Lake. There's a kids playground, a sandy beach and lots of picnic tables in the shade. We took advantage of one of those primo spots and had a picnic lunch. Ed is a great Boy Scout! We played Scrabble and I won! (That doesn't happen very often.)
If you come to visit Lily Park CG, we would suggest sites 16, 21 and 23. And if you are using a tent, there are LOTS right on the water. Beautiful ones! The only problem with our site was that it dark and no water views. Nice enough but could have been better.
It looks like about a 3 hour ride today to Mt. Blue. We travel on Rts 15, 16 201, 234. All the roads are 2 lane (one each way) up and down hills, are in pretty good condition, have great views and NO traffic! Our kind of travel. Very pretty ride.
On Sunday we spent the afternoon in the grassy park by the Lake. There's a kids playground, a sandy beach and lots of picnic tables in the shade. We took advantage of one of those primo spots and had a picnic lunch. Ed is a great Boy Scout! We played Scrabble and I won! (That doesn't happen very often.)
If you come to visit Lily Park CG, we would suggest sites 16, 21 and 23. And if you are using a tent, there are LOTS right on the water. Beautiful ones! The only problem with our site was that it dark and no water views. Nice enough but could have been better.
It looks like about a 3 hour ride today to Mt. Blue. We travel on Rts 15, 16 201, 234. All the roads are 2 lane (one each way) up and down hills, are in pretty good condition, have great views and NO traffic! Our kind of travel. Very pretty ride.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Friday night July 15, 2011 Concert on the Green
What a neat idea! Why didn't we think of doing this before!?
While in town getting my Internet fix, I saw the sign at the Village Green (next to Moosehead Marine Museum) announcing a Concert at the Town Gazebo starting at 7 pm. I went back to see if Ed wanted to go. He said he was game so we finished dinner early and headed to town.
What a perfect location! Right on the edge of the Moosehead Lake overlooking beautiful mountains. Weather is a perfect temperature! There are about 100 people here. All ages. Old, young and families. The music tonight is Blue Grass from the Back Porch Bluegrass group. They played for 2 hours! It was fun. Buddy even met a Black Lab puppy that he really liked!
That got me to wondering: How many of you go to Band Concerts in your town during the summer? I know Eastham has them.
How about it: Linda & Keith, Kathy, Kmeaghan, Pam, Bonnie, Peg? Do any of you go? I know the boys would love it!
How about in Franklin: Nicki & Steve, Chuck? Have any of you gone?
What about Holliston? Janet, Eddie. Do you go?
Post me a comment. I would love to hear if you like the summertime concerts in your area.
While in town getting my Internet fix, I saw the sign at the Village Green (next to Moosehead Marine Museum) announcing a Concert at the Town Gazebo starting at 7 pm. I went back to see if Ed wanted to go. He said he was game so we finished dinner early and headed to town.
That got me to wondering: How many of you go to Band Concerts in your town during the summer? I know Eastham has them.
How about it: Linda & Keith, Kathy, Kmeaghan, Pam, Bonnie, Peg? Do any of you go? I know the boys would love it!
How about in Franklin: Nicki & Steve, Chuck? Have any of you gone?
What about Holliston? Janet, Eddie. Do you go?
Post me a comment. I would love to hear if you like the summertime concerts in your area.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Day 26--29 Tuesday July 12-Friday July 15 Lily Bay State Park, Maine
Tuesday July 12 is Moving Day! We are off to Lily Bay State Park
Oh, no. We wake up to rain. While that would normally be my trigger to snuggle under the covers, we couldn't do that today. It's moving day and we have a long ride ahead of us.
By the time we got dressed and put away the inside stuff, the rain stopped. That's the good news! The bad news is that the mosquitoes came out! They weren't terribly bad here all week but they must have wanted a good lunch before we left them.
We got on the road about 10 am or so. Our trip planner says it will be a little less the 5 hours of travel today. How can we go from one part of Maine to the other and still have it take 5 hours!!!? At least the ride is on nice roads. No major highways with super traffic. It's all on 2 lane, well paved roads thru lots of interesting little towns: Meddybemps, Holden, Herman, Corinna, Sangerville, Greenville. Then we see THE LAKE in front of us. Moosehead lake is HUGH!
With lunch and gas brake it was about 4 pm when we arrived at Lily Park SP. It's our first time here and we don't know what to expect. We are at site 19. Decent size. Lots of trees, but it seems a little dark...and there is no water view. Bummer.
It is REALLY hot (and humid) as we set up. And its late and we are tired of driving. I think this is one of our longest drives this summer. I'm glad. I'm not a very good traveler:) We are able to B.I.T.C.H by 5 pm. I'm not at all hungry so we just veg for awhile. Then I start taking out more things to get settled while Ed walks Buddy around the campground. He comes back very excited. He insists I walk thru the woods. He says it's only a 100 feet or so. I reluctantly go and was rewarded. There is a very small stony beach looking west over the mountains at the end of the water--a little cove of Moosehead Lake. This could work as a sunset spot. OK now we don't feel so bad. And the birds! It's like being in a bird cage with all the singing going on.
On Wednesday, Ed takes Buddy for about a 4 mile walk..he says not really a hike. Buddy was thrilled to go. His heart is very willing despite having a body that is failing. But he comes back and is really pooped! We head down to our beach. There's a mama duck and 6 of her babies paddling by us. They don't even care that Buddy is there! And Buddy doesn't even smell them. He's out cold!
Weather on Wednesday, Thur and Friday is beautiful: sunny and warm. And then it clouds a little, drops come and they leave. My kind of rain.
Thursday night we went out for a sunset drive looking for Moose! We go north beyond where our camp site is. Not many cars up here. A few others are Moose hunting, but not many. We watch the full moon come up in the East over a pond that Ed thinks looks good for fishing on another day. On the way home, we see 1 moose, kind of in the woods --we found it since 3 or 4 other cars are pulled over--and 1 deer right in our campground.
The little town of Greenville is where I go for food shopping, laundry and Library for Internet. It's only about 15 minutes away which beats some of the other spots we have been in this summer! The Shaw Library is REALLY tiny. Every time I'm there it's standing room only for the Wireless users of the Internet. Their hours are short and the connection is really poor when they are closed and you have to connect from outside. But at least it's here:)
Oh, no. We wake up to rain. While that would normally be my trigger to snuggle under the covers, we couldn't do that today. It's moving day and we have a long ride ahead of us.
By the time we got dressed and put away the inside stuff, the rain stopped. That's the good news! The bad news is that the mosquitoes came out! They weren't terribly bad here all week but they must have wanted a good lunch before we left them.
We got on the road about 10 am or so. Our trip planner says it will be a little less the 5 hours of travel today. How can we go from one part of Maine to the other and still have it take 5 hours!!!? At least the ride is on nice roads. No major highways with super traffic. It's all on 2 lane, well paved roads thru lots of interesting little towns: Meddybemps, Holden, Herman, Corinna, Sangerville, Greenville. Then we see THE LAKE in front of us. Moosehead lake is HUGH!
With lunch and gas brake it was about 4 pm when we arrived at Lily Park SP. It's our first time here and we don't know what to expect. We are at site 19. Decent size. Lots of trees, but it seems a little dark...and there is no water view. Bummer.
 |
| Lily Lake view (not our picture!) |
On Wednesday, Ed takes Buddy for about a 4 mile walk..he says not really a hike. Buddy was thrilled to go. His heart is very willing despite having a body that is failing. But he comes back and is really pooped! We head down to our beach. There's a mama duck and 6 of her babies paddling by us. They don't even care that Buddy is there! And Buddy doesn't even smell them. He's out cold!
Weather on Wednesday, Thur and Friday is beautiful: sunny and warm. And then it clouds a little, drops come and they leave. My kind of rain.
Thursday night we went out for a sunset drive looking for Moose! We go north beyond where our camp site is. Not many cars up here. A few others are Moose hunting, but not many. We watch the full moon come up in the East over a pond that Ed thinks looks good for fishing on another day. On the way home, we see 1 moose, kind of in the woods --we found it since 3 or 4 other cars are pulled over--and 1 deer right in our campground.
The little town of Greenville is where I go for food shopping, laundry and Library for Internet. It's only about 15 minutes away which beats some of the other spots we have been in this summer! The Shaw Library is REALLY tiny. Every time I'm there it's standing room only for the Wireless users of the Internet. Their hours are short and the connection is really poor when they are closed and you have to connect from outside. But at least it's here:)
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| Shaw Library |
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Day 24 & 25 Sunday July 10 Boring Laundry day and Monday July 11, 2011 Great day at Quoddy Light House in Lubec, ME
Sunday July 10, 2011:
I get to the town of Machias one more time to do our Laundry (and get e-mail!). It's really just our sheets that HAVE to be washed once a week. We seem to have the right amount of underwear and clothes to survive longer. I just use it as my excuse:)
Monday July 11, 2011:
Today is our last day in the Cobscook Bay area. The weather is sunny, somewhat warm, with a few clouds. We decide to go visit the West Quoddy Light House in Lubec. I go into Lubec almost every day but we have never taken the detour to visit the Light House.
By the time we got there, fog had rolled in pretty thick. Looks like Ed won't be able to get many good pictures today. The fog horn was blowing every 20 seconds. It reminded me of the bell we had in Cape Cod Bay up until about 15 years ago. How I miss the sound of that bell! It was melancholy and comforting at the same time! I wonder if it could be brought back? What if I established a non profit and rallied the Eastham residents? Do you think I could do it?
After our trip to the Light House, we headed to the center of town for e-mail and recharging of all things electrical . Ed took Buddy for a walk around town. When I finished, I met up with them and we walked the main street. It actually looked a little better then last time we were here a few years ago. Many of the buildings are still deserted, but some of them are being fixed up.
We stopped at Cohill's Inn for lunch on their new 2nd floor outside deck. (I'm having trouble getting more then one picture onto my Blog posting which is why I am adding links for you to click and see what I see!--Chris G.--What am I doing wrong???) Cohill's sits at the end of the street facing over the pier. Good views of the water. This place has been here quite awhile. Even thru all the depressed times, it's always open. The upstairs deck is new this summer, though. Good choice. Views are great and there's only one other patron plus the bartender. I had another Lobster Roll. (this ranks 2nd). The female patron up there was from Plymouth. She has a second home here in Lubec---the bank right accross from the restaurant! How cool is that to live in a Bank?! Her brother had a place up here on the main street so when the bank came up for sale, she decided to redecorate it into her home. She's converting the vault in the basement into her wine cellar!
The Bartender was a hoot! He looked like Lance Armstrong--about that age and build--but said he was 'just Glen'. Glen doesn't have a home. He kayaked up the East Coast from Key West Florida. Since his equipment needed some repairs, he decided to stay in Lubec for the summer and earn some money! His blog can be found here. In his background info, he says he is living the "journey of Spiritual discovery and Life Simplification, through writing, speaking and photographing my adventures." He's a very cool and interesting guy!
Great way to end this leg of our journey!
We are off the Moosehead Lake area! God's country.
I get to the town of Machias one more time to do our Laundry (and get e-mail!). It's really just our sheets that HAVE to be washed once a week. We seem to have the right amount of underwear and clothes to survive longer. I just use it as my excuse:)
 |
| West Quoddy Lighthouse |
Monday July 11, 2011:
Today is our last day in the Cobscook Bay area. The weather is sunny, somewhat warm, with a few clouds. We decide to go visit the West Quoddy Light House in Lubec. I go into Lubec almost every day but we have never taken the detour to visit the Light House.
By the time we got there, fog had rolled in pretty thick. Looks like Ed won't be able to get many good pictures today. The fog horn was blowing every 20 seconds. It reminded me of the bell we had in Cape Cod Bay up until about 15 years ago. How I miss the sound of that bell! It was melancholy and comforting at the same time! I wonder if it could be brought back? What if I established a non profit and rallied the Eastham residents? Do you think I could do it?
After our trip to the Light House, we headed to the center of town for e-mail and recharging of all things electrical . Ed took Buddy for a walk around town. When I finished, I met up with them and we walked the main street. It actually looked a little better then last time we were here a few years ago. Many of the buildings are still deserted, but some of them are being fixed up.
We stopped at Cohill's Inn for lunch on their new 2nd floor outside deck. (I'm having trouble getting more then one picture onto my Blog posting which is why I am adding links for you to click and see what I see!--Chris G.--What am I doing wrong???) Cohill's sits at the end of the street facing over the pier. Good views of the water. This place has been here quite awhile. Even thru all the depressed times, it's always open. The upstairs deck is new this summer, though. Good choice. Views are great and there's only one other patron plus the bartender. I had another Lobster Roll. (this ranks 2nd). The female patron up there was from Plymouth. She has a second home here in Lubec---the bank right accross from the restaurant! How cool is that to live in a Bank?! Her brother had a place up here on the main street so when the bank came up for sale, she decided to redecorate it into her home. She's converting the vault in the basement into her wine cellar!
The Bartender was a hoot! He looked like Lance Armstrong--about that age and build--but said he was 'just Glen'. Glen doesn't have a home. He kayaked up the East Coast from Key West Florida. Since his equipment needed some repairs, he decided to stay in Lubec for the summer and earn some money! His blog can be found here. In his background info, he says he is living the "journey of Spiritual discovery and Life Simplification, through writing, speaking and photographing my adventures." He's a very cool and interesting guy!
Great way to end this leg of our journey!
We are off the Moosehead Lake area! God's country.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Day 23 Saturday July 9, 2011 It's raining cats & dogs!
It's Saturday morning and it's raining hard. It's about 7:30 am and apparently it's been raining for a few hours. I'm ready to tunnel back under the covers and sleep thru it. Ed's not having any of it. He's been awake for awhile apparently and he wants to go out for breakfast. Okay....I just have to wake up first.
After an hour or so, we set out for a place Ed saw on his bike ride on Rt 1...the Cobscook Cafe in the town of Dennysville, ME. A truly locals Breakfast and Lunch joint. The whole restaurant is about the size of our living room. It reminds me of my Uncle's diner in New Jersey..Dot's Lunch. We sit at a table with other diners. Food was good. Ed was going to order 3 Blueberry pancakes till they convinced him they were really large. So he ordered two of them. Boy were they right. They filled the plate!
After breakfast, it was still raining so we drove around to take a little look at this little town. I'm not sure we ever saw a center and there were certainly no businesses there. How do people survive up here?
Then while we were out we went in search of Internet. We found Pembrook Library and spent a few hours charging equipment and sending and receiving e-mail. They were having a Bake and Plant sale. On the way back, we stopped at Cappuccino Gallery in Pembroke, ME on Rt 1. The outside was a little sketchy but they advertised Lobster Rolls. I decided we should do taste tests for Lobster Rolls throughout Maine so we went in. What a surprise the inside was. Modern, clean lines, and lovely cafe type furniture. And to top it off, it was an art gallery! Lots of paintings, pictures stretched into enlarged canvas frames and carved birds. Very nice. We took our lobster rolls home to have later perhaps as 'Lunner'.
We came back to the camper and the weather had cleared but was undecided about raining some more. We both took naps. Now I know why we stay is unpopulated campgrounds--we would wake people up next to us with our snoring:)
It was a lazy rest of the day with reading and naping. I'll save laundry for tomorrow!
The scores for our Gin Rummy card game is: Ed 19, Nancy 17...we had been very democratic until recently when Ed pulled ahead the other night!
After an hour or so, we set out for a place Ed saw on his bike ride on Rt 1...the Cobscook Cafe in the town of Dennysville, ME. A truly locals Breakfast and Lunch joint. The whole restaurant is about the size of our living room. It reminds me of my Uncle's diner in New Jersey..Dot's Lunch. We sit at a table with other diners. Food was good. Ed was going to order 3 Blueberry pancakes till they convinced him they were really large. So he ordered two of them. Boy were they right. They filled the plate!
After breakfast, it was still raining so we drove around to take a little look at this little town. I'm not sure we ever saw a center and there were certainly no businesses there. How do people survive up here?
Then while we were out we went in search of Internet. We found Pembrook Library and spent a few hours charging equipment and sending and receiving e-mail. They were having a Bake and Plant sale. On the way back, we stopped at Cappuccino Gallery in Pembroke, ME on Rt 1. The outside was a little sketchy but they advertised Lobster Rolls. I decided we should do taste tests for Lobster Rolls throughout Maine so we went in. What a surprise the inside was. Modern, clean lines, and lovely cafe type furniture. And to top it off, it was an art gallery! Lots of paintings, pictures stretched into enlarged canvas frames and carved birds. Very nice. We took our lobster rolls home to have later perhaps as 'Lunner'.
We came back to the camper and the weather had cleared but was undecided about raining some more. We both took naps. Now I know why we stay is unpopulated campgrounds--we would wake people up next to us with our snoring:)
It was a lazy rest of the day with reading and naping. I'll save laundry for tomorrow!
The scores for our Gin Rummy card game is: Ed 19, Nancy 17...we had been very democratic until recently when Ed pulled ahead the other night!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Day 22 Friday July 8, 2011 Happy Birthday, Jean!!!
The weather continues to be beautiful, here in Maine. I have finished the book The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg. It's a chick book for sure, but was recommended to me by my friend Bonnie. It's a good read for many stages of life:)
Hope you are all having a great summer! Be sure to keep in touch.
We will be at Cobscook Bay until Tuesday morning when we head off to Lily Park--a new one for us. I'll be sure to write again soon.
If you see Jean Daniels today, be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday!
Hope you are all having a great summer! Be sure to keep in touch.
We will be at Cobscook Bay until Tuesday morning when we head off to Lily Park--a new one for us. I'll be sure to write again soon.
If you see Jean Daniels today, be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday!
Day 20 & 21 Wednesday July 6 thru Thursday July 7, 2011 Cobscook Bay Campground
The spot we are given here is site 115. It's awesome! Right on the water with just enough shade.
With the tide going out, it smells as if we are living on the Marsh in Eastham. I never thought I liked the smell. I often wondered how my friend Elaine could build a beautiful home on the marsh and endure the odor. But actually, I kind of like it. It's got a fishy and earthy smell combined.
The first morning here, Ed decides he's going for a bike ride and guess where I'm going...that's right. To the Library. The closest one is Lubec Memorial Library about 15 miles away. It's right before you take the bridge over to Canada to Roosevelt's Summer Home on Campobello Island. We went there a few years ago. It's really pretty.
This library is heavy into history and genealogy. There are pictures all over and a group of women scanning family pictures and talking about where their families lived (in town actually) 100 years ago. It doesn't appear to be a prosperous town. Many of the old homes on the way in on the main road are in need of much repair. As you get closer to the center of the town though, there are Bed & Breakfasts and some restaurant. Lots of Haves and Have Nots it seems.
On Thursday Ed wants to try Kayaking so we head back toward Machias and find a good size lake for him to fish. He actually catches 6 or 7 little fish but they were too small to bring home.
I head into Machias and go to the Porter Memorial Library for awhile. Beautiful stone building with a monument outside but pretty small inside. But they do have Internet and electricity. That's all I need!
When we arrived, the water was all the way to the banks below us. It looked like a great spot for Ed to put in his Kayak to go paddling around. As dinner finished, however, we realized that the tide goes out COMPLETELY and then comes back in completely! Ed took a time lapse movie of the water going in and out. Unfortunately, I can't get it to work here. Maybe I'll try posting it to FaceBook. It's amazing.
With the tide going out, it smells as if we are living on the Marsh in Eastham. I never thought I liked the smell. I often wondered how my friend Elaine could build a beautiful home on the marsh and endure the odor. But actually, I kind of like it. It's got a fishy and earthy smell combined.
Cobscook Bay is the quietest place I have ever been. It's not just the spacing of the campsites and the lack of lots of campers, it's in the air. It's like having cotton in your ears at all times. It is truly a peaceful place.
It helps, too, that the weather is beautiful! Sunny, breezy and warm. Not too hot. There are quite a few more mosquitoes here, though, then in Acadia. I am slathered up with bug spray since I really hate mosquitoes. I'm also staying inside my camper or screen house and enjoying the view from here at certain times of the day.
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| Lubec Memorial Library |
This library is heavy into history and genealogy. There are pictures all over and a group of women scanning family pictures and talking about where their families lived (in town actually) 100 years ago. It doesn't appear to be a prosperous town. Many of the old homes on the way in on the main road are in need of much repair. As you get closer to the center of the town though, there are Bed & Breakfasts and some restaurant. Lots of Haves and Have Nots it seems.
On Thursday Ed wants to try Kayaking so we head back toward Machias and find a good size lake for him to fish. He actually catches 6 or 7 little fish but they were too small to bring home.
I head into Machias and go to the Porter Memorial Library for awhile. Beautiful stone building with a monument outside but pretty small inside. But they do have Internet and electricity. That's all I need!Day 19 Tuesday July 5, 2011 Moving on to Cobscook Bay near Lubec, Maine
We didn't really rush today. It's only a 3 hour ride to the next stop and we have reservations. It surprisingly did not rain last night and the sun is shining today. The ride is up Rt 1 and not very busy. These are all towns we have gone thru at least 3 times before. We have camped in Maine a lot since we've been retired. Either to camp in Maine on purpose or on our way into Nova Scotia. It's a favorite for both of us.
We stop around noon at a local restaurant in Machias--The Thirsty Moose (they're on Facebook! Who knew!). Asphalt tiles, pool tables, and lots of quaint type pictures on the wall. Food was good though. We take our time and get to Cobscook Bay State Park at about 4 pm. We have reservations, although we were hoping to get 'our spot'--campsite 29! It's the most perfect camp spot. It is not a reservable site, so we'll see if it's still available.
The area along the way certainly hasn't gotten much more developed then the last time we were here. We went through Jonesboro, Columbia Falls and Machias. Machias is about the only built up town along Rt 1 in this part of Maine. We stopped at the Hannafords in town after having lunch to fill in some rations we were low on. There's a little grocery store in Lubec where I go to the Library but it's not well stocked.
Ed went into the Ranger Station to confirm our reservation. He found out Campsite 29 is already taken. Bummer! The ranger, however, thought the site we reserved was too small for us, so he suggested site 115. It's down about a mile of service road--hard pack and gravel. We pulled in and wow! We thought 29 was a good one! This is primo! So sometimes, what you wish for is not always the best:)
Is that the best view, or what!!!
We stop around noon at a local restaurant in Machias--The Thirsty Moose (they're on Facebook! Who knew!). Asphalt tiles, pool tables, and lots of quaint type pictures on the wall. Food was good though. We take our time and get to Cobscook Bay State Park at about 4 pm. We have reservations, although we were hoping to get 'our spot'--campsite 29! It's the most perfect camp spot. It is not a reservable site, so we'll see if it's still available.
The area along the way certainly hasn't gotten much more developed then the last time we were here. We went through Jonesboro, Columbia Falls and Machias. Machias is about the only built up town along Rt 1 in this part of Maine. We stopped at the Hannafords in town after having lunch to fill in some rations we were low on. There's a little grocery store in Lubec where I go to the Library but it's not well stocked.
Ed went into the Ranger Station to confirm our reservation. He found out Campsite 29 is already taken. Bummer! The ranger, however, thought the site we reserved was too small for us, so he suggested site 115. It's down about a mile of service road--hard pack and gravel. We pulled in and wow! We thought 29 was a good one! This is primo! So sometimes, what you wish for is not always the best:)
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Day 16, 17, 18 Saturday July 2 thru Monday July 4th, 2011--Happy 4th of July!
We have a table on the lawn overlooking the Bubbles--two Mountains and Jordan Pond. Great Spot. It's pretty packed. Everybody had the same idea today. Buddy is able to be with us here. They even bring the dogs their own water bowls. Lots of people have their dogs with them. They are surprisingly well behaved.
While Ed is trying to decide on which activity he wants to do each day, my decisions are easier. I make the trip to the library most days for charging up computers and phones and getting Internet. Cell service is pretty sporadic at best in this area, but Internet is more predictable when there's a library open. Once I've gotten my Internet job done, I head to the supermarket to get daily supplies. Our refrigerator is not that predictable--it freezes as often as it cools so I'd rather buy our dinner fixings each day. Then I come back and read my Book Club selections. So far I have read:
The Post Mistress by Sarah Blake, Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, Left Neglected by Lisa Genova, and I've started reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. I would recommend all of them for all different reasons.
Sunday and Monday are all overcast and threatening days of rain. Even the radio comes on with warning about possible hail and lightning and heavy rains. I don't know how we manage, but the rain never comes to us.
On Monday the 4th of July, we head out to a lake for Ed to kayak and fish and to have a picnic lunch. The fog starts to roll in. Since we are leaving tomorrow, we decide on the way home to take down the screen house, just in case the weather man is right this time. The bugs here are not really bad, but it was nice to have that shaded area to sit in to read.
The campground pretty much empties out by about 5:30 pm on the 4th. Seems like everyone is heading into Bar Harbor for Fire Works at 9:15 pm. It would be a great time to rob all the campers! It seems like we're the only ones left. I didn't suggest going in for fireworks even though I love them. Ed's not that crazy about them, they make Buddy skittish and I can't imagine them being any good since the fog is starting to get pretty thick.
While we're playing cards, we heard the booms from the fireworks. There were only 4 or 5 that I noticed. I'm glad we didn't go. I'd be disappointed. By the way, Gin Rummy is tied at 14 games apiece!
Tomorrow is moving day. Next stop Coobscook Bay CG near Lubec, Maine.
Day 15 July 1, 2011 Welcome Orson Michael Daniels!
Today is a BIG day! Literally and figuratively! Eddie & Doriane gave birth to our 9th grandchild, Orson Michael Daniels! And he is a big one: He came in weighing 10 lbs 15 ozs! Isn't he Beautiful! Good Job Doriane! Everyone is doing well. Orson is welcomed by a sister Lara and a brother Edward IV. Congratulations, everyone!Day 12, 13, 14 Tuesday June 28-July 30, 2011 Blackwoods Campground, Acadia NP
When we arrived on Tuesday to Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, ME, we signed into Blackwoods Campground for the week. Although we had a reservation, they don't actually assign your campsite until you arrive. They wanted to give us a 'really nice site' in Section B. We pouted a little though. We like Section A best since it gets us closer to the Cliffs overlooking the ocean. We often take a walk to the cliffs with our morning coffee. Beautiful spot! The pout worked. They gave us site A32. Not really big, but big enough and pretty flat.Blackwoods Campground is like a well worn slipper. It feels comfortable. This has been my 4th trip to this area. We no longer feel like tourists. It's almost like living in Eastham. There's no real rush to see everything. We've seen most sites. We've walked the town and shopped the shops in Bar Harbor. I know where the laundramat, grocery store and library are. Now, we can just relax and move at our own pace.
Ed's plan is to hike, bike and kayak. The weather is not terribly warm and somewhat cloudy all week. Probably good days to do all of those things. After his first long hike, it was nice to have him come back excited about how his knee and leg felt. He's better the normal! Great news. Buddy can't go with him though. He's really happy with a half mile or so to the cliffs and back. Disappointing but a reality that we are all getting use to--even Buddy!
Acadia NP has a GREAT free bus system through the park, into Bar Harbor and NorthEast harbor! They pick you up at lots of locations, come often, allow you to put bikes on the end. It's ok to bring dogs aboard also. And if you just flag them down along the road, they stop for you. It's supported by grants from LL Bean--I love that company! Their goal is to keep down pollution in the area since this is a heavy tourist area.
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