Camping with the boys!

Yesterday the boys came for the day and we enjoyed some time at camp. They loved swimming in the lake, playing with Bean and Alex tried some rowing in the raft. They are also such a joy and make everything more fun, but they also have way too much energy, so grandma was worn out by the end of the day.

The camp has a nice playground and a nature center, so they kept us busy.

Before we went home, we stopped at the salt water launch, nice shallow water, so more time to play and explore. Of course, telling them not to get wet didn't work, too much fun running and splashing.

The day before we went to Blue Shutter beach, across the road. Dogs can go after they close, so we enjoyed a nice walk and I was able to catch this guy surfing. I wish I was able to get his name so he could have a photo. I will check with the local surf groups to see if anyone knows him.

We stayed long enough to watch the sun setting. A beautiful place to go when the crowds are gone. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. We are home for the night. Rain came in today, so we stayed and I got to paddle a bit, then we left, just as the rain came down. They warned of heavy storms, but so far, just rain. We are staying till Saturday, so I will probably post that night or Sunday.

Weekend Wanderings!

We are finally getting some beautiful weather, warm and sunny with a cool breeze, just right for getting out and enjoying some exploring.

On Saturday we did some shopping first to get some camping gear, though we may not go if the weather goes downhill. Looks like rain on Sunday so we won't be able to have the kids down for a picnic, so my son will do the cooking and that way if we do go, we can just go there for dinner and not worry about cooking.

We decided to take Bean for some fun time at his favorite beach. No one was around since it was a bit cool, so he could run off leash and he had a wonderful time.

We had a low tide so we could explore the shoreline and I found a few new heart rocks and some sea glass. Bean was happy running around and pushing rocks in the sand.

On the way back I spotted the Osprey on the perch, next to his nest.

Sunday the kids stopped by and Nick stayed with us for the day. It was so nice that we decided to go to the beach. He was so cute, jabbering away and saying Wow, over and over, when he saw how big and long the beach was. We got him a pail and he had fun digging with grandpa and collecting rocks.

Someone left a row of roses, some going this way and then on the other side, there were more. Not sure why.

The minute we got back in the car, Nick fell asleep. I wanted to visit another area nearby so I got out for a few shots while Nick slept.

No people in this area either, so I got to enjoy the piping plovers who were busy picking at plankton with the low tide.

On the other side, the sandpipers were getting their share of a meal in the water. They are fun to watch and these guys didn't seem to mind that I was so close.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoying sharing my adventures.

New Blocks Finished!

I finally got the newest blocks done and some embellishments, I am thinking this will be a wall hanging so I am adding bells and buttons to make it fun. The hard part will be quilting it, but the good thing is I have my new machine and it will be able to quilt around any bumps.

I love this BOM, it is from Stacy of Buttermilk Basin. There are two more blocks, the W and the longer side piece, can't wait to see what is coming this month. Stacy is at a show so it should be coming soon. I will also have to start going through my stash to see what I will use on the sashing.

Here is how they look together, this one is for me;)

This weekend was the end of Bill's vacation. Saturday we had plans to visit the kids, then they changed it to visiting us and having dinner at our house so we had a cookout, they ate, Ivy fell asleep, the baby cried when I held him and then Nick finally warmed back up to me and we had some fun time together. I am hoping we can get Nick next weekend, maybe take him apple picking, he loves that.

On Sunday we had no plans, a storm was coming so we went shopping and bought our suits. It hadn't rained and I decided to go to the beach and just enjoy the fresh air. Bill went swimming and I just relaxed. We also got a show when hundreds of migrating starlings flew around the area in formations.

Here is one side of the beach, only a few people, best time to go to the beach. Blue skies and sun.

Here is the right side of the beach, cloudy and ominous. We spent a few hours at the beach and not a drop of rain, but behind us the storm had come in and rained at home, so the beach was the place to be. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. This week I am hoping to get Cheri's Blocks made, another fun quilt with wool. You can get her blocks on her Facebook group, Quilts by Cheri.

Weekend Wanderings!

First I would like to mention something a follower mentioned, about my previous post. On the word, It's, it should be Its, no apostrophe. I got the idea for the bell, then the saying since it had bell in it and looked it up to get the right saying, and I took one that had the apostrophe without thinking. I do that a lot and I know I write my posts without thinking and no editing, so I need to be more careful, since they do seem confusing, even to me.

With the lyme, I have days where I cannot remember what I did 5 minutes ago, forget words and mess things up, so you will have to bear with me on those days;) Other days I am back to normal, it is an up and down process but I am having better days, so that gives me hope.

One of the things that helps me feel better is getting out in the fresh air and exercising. Now that I can move again, I thought it was a good time to go to the beach. It is relaxing, lots of fresh air and swimming is one exercise where I can move freely without pain.

Bill had Friday off so we could go to the beach without the crowds. We decided to go to East Beach since we never get to go there on the weekends and there is limited parking. It is a strip of land that divides a salt water pond and the ocean. They also have two camping areas at the end, but no dogs allowed.

It was a beautiful day, the water was warm and very few people on the beach.

The tide was going out and that means more waves. It was fun body surfing in the waves, not so fun when I got slammed a few times when I wasn't looking, lol. The island in the distance is Block Island, that is where the ferries go.

Saturday we we went to East Matunuck Beach. This beach is harder to get to since the roads are narrow, but perfect for a Saturday. Not as many people as at the main beaches and great waves.

It is also a nice place for great views, the channel was to our left and we could watch the ferries that go to Block Island.

They also have large areas with salt water marshes behind the beach, and an area where the Piping Plovers nest. Great place to stroll along the beach and look for heart stones.

I was hesitant about going to the beaches on a Sunday, but we decided to go later in the afternoon and this time we went back to Roger Wheelers Beach. They have a larger parking area and separate sections so you can pick a spot away from the main crowds.

We parked at the end and walked up the dunes, figuring there would be less people.

The minute we got to the end, we ran into, wall to wall tents. This must be the party end, luckily they all set up at the main entrance, we walked down, closer to the water. The tide was going out so we were able to find a spot further down and enjoy a few hours, even with the crowds. Great place to people watch and watch the boats coming in. This beach is on the other side of the channel, that we were at on Saturday. We could watch the ferries as well as the fishing boats that came across, to unload their catch at the docks.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and if you would like to see my videos, you can check out my YouTube Channel. You can see more of the views and hear the sounds of the sea.

Friday Fun!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We kept dinner simple and just enjoyed the day, food and family, no expectations or stress.

Today we had Nicholas, so we decided to take him to The Fantastic Umbrella Factory. It is a group of stores and artisans in a farm like setting. It is a bit like a throw back to the 70's and in the warmer months they have folk musicians playing in the gardens.

Today was beautiful, perfect for walking and browsing the stores and no crowds. They have pathways and a fountain that we stopped to get a photo of Nick. I was unaware of the surroundings, and just took a photo, then noticed what I had missed.

Can you see what put that goofy grin on Nick's face?

We went to the animals first, they have ostriches and a goat, as well as chickens and various birds, running around the grounds. We took him to the bamboo forest, he was a bit apprehensive and then amazed at all the bamboo and how high it went up.

While we walked, we picked up a few buddies who followed us around. We also shopped small and bought Nick a wool hat and some gloves.

After that we went to Ninigret park and walked Nick in the stroller and then let him out to play on the beach. Throwing rocks is still his favorite sport.

Nick needed to eat and there weren't any kid friendly places in the area, so we got him a fresh sandwich and enjoyed eating at Charlestown Beach. The perfect way to end the day and just enjoy the beautiful day.

Four more days and the Christmas Hop begins. My day will be friday. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend.

Definitely Not What You Expect On Vacation!

We come home this morning, to say it was an adventure, would be an understatement. We had a nice two days and I will write more and show photos on Friday, but for now, you can see what kind of morning we had.

It started when we were awoken by lightening at 6:30 in the morning. Bill bought the awning down and went back to sleep but I noticed how close the lightening seemed and realized our windows were open, so I got up and closed them. It was impossible to get back to sleep, I could see huge bolts of lightening coming down by the lake and the trailer seemed to be moving.

Then I noticed people driving off and then a few people walking around outside in the storm, not a smart thing to do, then it stopped and I found out why. Walking out of the trailer was like being Dorothy in the land of Oz. The campground was a disaster, trees down all over the place and as we looked around we saw trees on top of campers, and tents flattened on the ground.

It seems we had hurricane force winds and the worst of it was right in our area. One family had two tents, the parent's tent was flipped over in the air and their kids had a tree land on theirs. Thank God no one was hurt bad. I watched the news when I got home and the entire campground got hit, the tents got hit the hardest so a lot of people left, since they had no place to sleep.

We packed up and left once we knew the main roads were cleared, but they had a lot of work to get the trees off of the trailers and clear the rest out before new campers can come in. I have to admit, they were quick to respond and had the whole town to help in clearing out.

As for us, we were fine, our trailer had no damage and there were just twigs laying around.

This is Doug's Trailer, he was not so lucky. Doug had this huge tree land on his trailer. The day before he was parked in the open area, but decided to move under the trees. I bet he regrets that decision.

And talk about bad luck, this is the other side of Doug's trailer. Not only one tree, but two, fell on his trailer. I heard back that he was able to repair his roof and is still camping.

Weekend Wanderings!

After Friday's paddle, I crashed, that was a bit too much with the sun and paddling against the winds so we decided to do something fun without over doing it. 

Since we never get to the beach during the summer, except in our boats, we decided to go to the ocean and play in the waves. This beach is in Point Judith and the nice thing about it is, it is shallow, so you can walk out and play in the waves without dropping off.

The air was cooler at the ocean but the water was warm.

Going out to play in the waves.

Sunday I was still tired so I decided it was a good day to go to Mystic Aquarium. I haven't been since the kids were little and they had a lot of new things since we were there. We got a senior membership, so for the cost of two visits, we can go anytime for a year and bring Nick along for free, so looking forward to taking him.

They had a lot of beautiful sea displays inside, but it is hard to get good shots through dirty, scratched glass;) I think Jelly Fish are beautiful as long as they are not swimming in the ocean with me.

Not sure what these guys were, but they just looked funny and just sat in their little crate house.

Rock Fish hides with his surroundings. I was taking a photo and Bill was asking, where is it, lol.

I took a lot of photos but most were blurry or washed out from the sun, so next time I will try and go during a cloudy day or later during the day. I did take some video of the beluga whales, they put on a show for me and even made whale cries, but I cannot remember how to convert it for iTunes.

A new exhibit is the Titanic exhibit. There are a lot of fun interactive areas to enjoy and inside some of the rooms, you really feel like you are down in the deeps. Bill and I had fun being goofy on the bow of the titanic, but I forgot she was leaning forward, and posed wrong;)

To end the day, we went to another ocean beach. It was a beautiful day to go and not too crowded. This is East Beach in Charlestown, RI.

This beach was cold and deep, so I decided to sit in my chair and enjoy the views, perfect way to end the day. Now it is time for me to get back to a routine. Today I spent half the day cooking up things from the garden and the other half cleaning, so time for me to relax for the night and tomorrow I can get back to my sewing projects.

Speaking of sewing, I found a wonderful tutorial today. If you would like to make a fun and beautiful halloween bag, check out Christina's tote tutorial at Sometimes Crafter.

Weekend Wanderings!

Another beautiful weekend and of course the perfect weekend for paddling. Saturday was cooler, so we did a river paddle. Except for a few people passing by, we had the river to ourselves and the critters who crossed our path. We saw a beaver, a blue heron, hawks and lots of turtles but nothing that would sit still long enough for a photo.

The river is long and winding and passes under several roads and railroad bridges. This is an old trestle bridge.

We always stop at the state park, wilderness canoe campground. I think it would be fun to camp there, but it is really buggy at the sites which are up on the hill.

The blueberry bushes are all empty but their are grapevines lining the river.

Sunday was warmer so we went to the salt water marsh and paddled out to the breakers. We bought our umbrella and just enjoyed sitting on the beach.

We had our own little spot to sit and cool down in the water while we watched the boats go by.

The ocean is just over the dunes, a perfect place to walk around and enjoy the cool breezes.

On the way back, we passed this guy. I am glad I didn't meet him while we were swimming in the water. It is called a Lion's Mane jellyfish and they can grow up to 120 feet long with their tentacles.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, as well.

Hurricane Sandy...The effects continue and Giveaway!

It was a beautiful day out yesterday, so we decided to go for a walk at the Trustom Pond bird sanctuary. It is a salt water pond that is closed off to the ocean by a barrier beach. If  you click on the link, you can see an aerial photo of the pond and the small sand bar that separates the pond from the ocean.

It is home to over 300 species of birds and we arrived at the first platform, just in time to hear and see a flock of geese coming in.

We also noticed the water marker. It is used to mark the highest waters, due to flooding from storms. I guess it isn't needed now. This was our first indication that something was wrong.

The path we were on, takes us to a point which passes by the inlets, which are inaccessible. Not today, it is now a beach. This area was once covered in water.

At the point we go onto a raised platform to see views of the ocean and Block Island. The pond usually reaches up to the platform. Now, it has wider areas that stretch out into points and the shallows have revealed rocks, all through the pond.

And here is why, the storm broke through the barrier beach and it is now an inlet to the sea. The pond is now affected by the tides. The islands that provide safe harbor for the nesting birds, have land bridges which can be crossed by the foxes and other critters. I have no idea what this will mean for the future of the sanctuary and have heard that they plan on leaving it, as is and let nature take it's course.

We decided to go down the road, to the beach and see how the houses along the shore, fared. It looks like this house is a goner, there is no more support for the house. This is a house that has been there for years, built when there was more land. It shows you how much the ocean has worn away the coast and this storm took even more.

I spied this critter, hiding in the bushes, when we were leaving the beach. What do you think it is? Give me a guess and I will draw a name from the comments and one person will receive their choice of a free epattern from my ecrater shop. I will draw a name on Wednesday at 10pm and announce it that night, along with something for everyone.

The storms are still affecting so many people who live along the coast lines. There are a few places that are looking for help with quilts, blocks and monetary donations. If you have the time, or a spare quilt, or even a few dollars, those who have nothing right now, would appreciate anything you can do to help. Below are links to sites and information on how you can help.

Bumble Bean Basics is still looking for quilts to help those in New York and the New Jersey area.

Phoenix Quilts has rerouted quilts that they have received to help those on the coast, but funds are needed to help out with shipping costs.

The Rock Center has a list of those requesting help and organizations that are helping with the relief cause.

Quilting Gallery is looking for help with their block drive.

Stitch This has a list of places for quilters and other craft needs.