Vacation: Part two

We got to see a lot of things and visit new places, too many to show. A lot of the views were on the ride and a lot of places have no place to stop for photos, so I just enjoyed the ride and the mountains in the distance. Lots of river ways and lakes are in the area. 

The bad thing in NH is most lakes and ponds are private, but we did find one that was free. Surry lake is a large lake with a boat launch and beach and it is free to the public. We stopped and let Bean get out for a walk but it was a little cooler and windy that day, so I wasn't in the mood to swim.

We started that day with a ride up the river to Bellows Falls. It is a historic town on the Vermont side. I wanted to see the old mill and get a photo. I was surprised at how beautiful the area was and also a lot of industry with the dam and fish ladder.

What I loved was the paintings on the buildings. This one depicts the town in a time, gone by.

At the mill area, I spotted a lot of paintings along the walls.

The mill museum.

As we walked by the building, I noticed a road and pathways along the river. They had a park in the back with gardens and viewing areas. This town is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area. The only thing I regret is, I found out I missed something. When I got back on Facebook that evening, a link popped up for the area. There are petroglyphs on the rocks below the dam area, I wish I had been able to see them.

After that, we headed inland to check out another place I found on the map. It is called Vilas Pool Park. They were getting ready to open next month, but we were allowed to walk around. It is another free place to picnic and swim, but they do have a donation box.

It has a small parking area and you walk across the falls, on a bridge.

The surprise was a bell tower up on the hill. They opened it up for us and the girls rang the bell. I asked, shouldn't it play a song, there are multiple bells. I guess the girls were new and when I walked inside, I saw the mini piano. So, I played a bit of the first noel, which was fun. As we walked back to the car, I heard the bells ringing and playing different songs. Now that the girls learned it could play songs from the charts they had, they were trying them out, lol.

I pick an area I want to visit and look for things along the way. The last day we took it easy and drove to the Connecticut river and found a nice path along the river. When we got back I rested, since I was still a bit sick. Then I hopped in my kayak and took a leisurely ride up river. I always feel better on the water and I got a nice surprise. I spotted a young Green Heron, fishing on the shore. 

On the way home we took the scenic route. I wanted to take a midway break at the Quabbin reservoir in Massachusetts. We took the wrong way in and got confused on which was to go for a parking lot and there was no reception in the park, so we had to turn around to get out, not easy to maneuver a trailer on park roads. I did enjoy a few views and plan on going back. We can camp closer to the area and visit all the towers and viewpoints at the park. Sadly, no dogs are allowed, so car watching is all we can do.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the beautiful places we visited. Enjoy the rest of your week and hopefully I will have my project I started, finished by Friday. I have been busy cleaning up and getting ready for the fourth. 

Vacation in the fall!

 

We were able to take a few more drives this week and enjoy seeing some new places. Our first stop was a pond in Connecticut. When we got there I saw plenty of parking and a dirt road so we parked there and noticed a lot of old cabins. I assume when the state took over the property, the cabins were part of an old camp.

When we got to the end of the road we found a wonderful park with plenty of parking and a beautiful spot to picnic and enjoy the views of the pond. We will have to bring the boys here some day, I think they would have fun, running around.

Our plans were to go to the Connecticut River for a walk along a bike path, but as usual, we got off the beaten path and found places along the way that we stopped to enjoy. We never did get to the river but we enjoyed a stop at a town, we were passing through.

There was a nice park where we enjoyed views of the town and the foliage lined hills, along the way.

A train came by as we were walking in the park.

Since it was getting later, we headed back home and a spot I found on the map. It was a place called Eagleville pond, but no eagles. We did get to see a blue Heron.

Today, rain was predicted. I was almost out of apples so we headed to the orchards. We got two large bags full and since we had time, stopped at the hill to get a little upward hike in and a few views. I wasn't up to the full hike to the top, so maybe next weekend when more color comes in.

Tomorrow will be another day and I am not sure what we will do, it all depends on the weather. I hope you are all having a nice week and enjoyed following along with me as we explore new places in our area.

Friday, No Finishes!

 

This week I have not finished things as much as worked on finishing things. I did make more masks and actually sold some, so that will help with new threads and things I am running out of for my regular sewing. I think I need to get ones done with the material I have for kids and then just make a few if someone needs some, but I have too many unfinished projects and things I havnt had time to make. I also saw a need for quilts for the fire victims and need to start using my quilter and get some tops finished.

I do keep busy with the boys on the weekend and here it is Friday and tomorrow is a day with the boys. I spent the day cooking and made a batch of apple crisp for the boys, theirs has some sugar and a brown sugar topping. I make mine without sugar, so thought it would be fun to make them a special treat.

Last Saturday we went to Jamestown and spent the day at the forts. This time we were able to get a spot in front of the cove, so great views. The boys had fun playing on the beaches and a picnic in the trailer.

On Sunday we headed to Connecticut and took them to Esker Point. There were only a few people in the parking lot and no one at the picnic area. We went across to the street and walked on the beach and decided to head to Groton long point for lunch. It is a beautiful area at the mouth of the Thames river and we watched the ferries as they came and went.

Our last stop was Fort Griswold, another place the boys loved. Lots of exploring and even a bit of history. Nick likes to hear the stories and Alex wants me to read the signs for him, so a bit of learning too.

I hope you enjoyed a bit of our adventures and have a some fun adventures of your own. Stay safe and healthy and enjoy. your weekend. Hopefully I will get back on track and start finishing my projects this week.

Friday Finish!

This week I worked on my painting and got more done, but I also drop my brush so much that I make a mess and have to fix the blobs of paint that I drop, lol. I decided to take a break and give my arm a rest, so I worked on a new stitchery. Yes, I agree, I do not know how to rest, but a brain break to think about my next steps on the painting.

The new stitchery is done with a design by Kathy Schmitz for the One Stitch Club. I do love pieces with inspirational words and this was a fun one to make. I colored the bee but the new colored pens seem to bleed more than the ones I get in the craft store, I don't think they are the same quality. So, a bit of black went into the yellow but I can live with that.

I like making pillows, something I can sell or gift and most people have room for a little pillow, more than a wall hanging.

I also got to spend last Saturday with the boys. The kids dropped them off so we took them to the island. We started with the diving beach, since most people are boating or diving from that spot, so there were only a couple of people on the beach. The boys loved playing in the water, even though it was cold.

After the beach, we drove over to the picnic area and found a nice big spot to park the rig. The boys loved having all that space to run around in and a picnic lunch in the trailer.

After lunch we went for a walk to the old forts. The boys loved exploring the forts and seeing all the graffiti, luckily Nick noticed the drawings more than what some said, lol. It was nice to spend the day with them and Nick told me he had a good day, which makes my day. I hope everyone is doing well and save from the fires, illness and able to spend time with your families.

Weekend Wanderings!

We had a beautiful weekend, although it was a bit warmer than I expected, those fall days when it is too warm for pants and too cool for shorts. On Saturday we decided to go to Connecticut again, lots of towns that we pass by and this time we wanted to explore the town of Woodstock.

The town is full of history, old churches and historic home and some wonderful antique stores, but we didn't do any shopping since this was Bean's day and we wanted to stay outside.

In town I got to enjoy seeing Roseland Cottage, a time when Pink was in, lol. It looks small from the front, but the home extends out in the back and surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Then we went to Cemetery Road and checked out the graveyard. I love looking at the old stones and it sat beside a beautiful historic church. I thought this stone was unique, an old mill stone with the first family at the top in the 1800's, to the latest members in recent years.

The owner of the pink mansion also built a park for the town and his friends. Originally it had water fountains and over 1,000 rose bushes, now it has a few buildings left and the gazebo so visitors can walk out onto the lake.

On the way home, we took the long way around the Patchaug Forest. We got out at one trail and looked around, a beautiful river runs through. We kept going to see if there was a park entrance and stumbled onto a beautiful waterfall and basin. I just happened to see the sign as we were driving by and the cars parked there, so I made Bill turn around and I am glad I did. It is much nicer in person, and the cool air blowing down the stream was refreshing. Further up there is a large basic, where some kids were taking a swim, even thought it said no swimming;)

I had noticed another forest at the end of this one, so we drove around and came to another portion of the forest. I was surprised when we came into the parking area, it is an area we have been to before and I didn't realize it was there, since we usually come by from a different route. It is also a park that has a bike path section, so we will definitely come back, I can imagine biking around the side of this lake into the Patchaug forest above, maybe next weekend.

On Saturday we took Nick out. First we stopped at the park near his house to get a few photos, then we headed to the waterfalls, then the park, and from there we went to the apple orchards and finished it off with a walk up part of Lantern Hill.

In this photo, Nick is walking on the path at Lantern Hill, we had a steep climb than it levels out, then it goes up a steeper climb, so we just walked to the end of the path and turned around. I had to hold his hand all the way up one incline, I wasn't sure we could do the higher one, since we had been out all day and we were all getting tired. I would have liked to take him to the next level to see the views, but I think the next trip will be Bill and I, so we can go to the top to see the foliage from the cliffs.

He loves the bridge and the railroad tracks, I am not sure if any trains ever come this way, but I think a special seasonal train does, for a foliage ride.

And what would a day with Nick be, without a little silliness.

And treasure hunting, Nick found a few rocks, he kept the first one and the rest we left and at the orchards he found a flag rock, so I left it at the park near his house. We also left a few of our rocks for DSmiles4miles on Facebook.

After we dropped Nick off, we passed by the pond and the sun was setting, so we stopped and enjoyed the views. It was a wonderful but tiring weekend and I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and some adventures of your own.

Friday Foibles!

This week I was scanning in slides that my sister had given me. It is fun to see the old photos but sad that most are blurry or washed out. I found one of an old car and my brother gave me the story behind it and his memories. So, I thought, why not do a pillow of the car and send it to him and the others for Christmas.

Well, the idea was good but the execution did not work out as planned, so back to the drawing board. I wanted to fit it on a pillow so I changed the size to make it taller and not as long, but that changed the look of the car, it is supposed to be a station wagon, now it looks like a clown car. I also think the windows need to be indented instead of standing out, and the colors get lost on the tan velvet.

Here is what I ended up with, I will fix it up, I think some thin black or silver piping under the window areas might be a good fix and I can always outline if needed. So, now the plan has changed, I will do it in a punch needle piece and add to it to make it nicer. I think it will be a fun Christmas pattern and I know a lot of you have memories of the old woodie style station wagons from your childhood.

Bill had the day off today, and I have the flu, but I had big plans to go on a new hike today. We went to a pond sanctuary and did the smaller hike which was wonderful, and when I got a little tired, we rested a bit. I will delay showing photos since I have been asked to participate in a national hike day posting, so once I get more details, I will write it up for next week.

We did take some new back roads and found a wonderful old cemetery. I got some photos of some of the stones and ideas for new patterns, as well as the meeting house on the hill. Here is a peak at the cemetery we visited. I also found another but I was getting tired, so I can go back another day. It was a larger one and it looked like it had some wonderful old stones.

I had hopes for some more small hikes, but the drive was enough and I wanted to stop at a pond I had seen last time. It was smaller and the drought had dried it up, but still a beautiful place. The fun thing was, I noticed a side road and we drove down and found a campground and hiking area. I will definitely be coming back, the hike is another climb, but a short one to some cliffs, and there is still some color to enjoy, so hopefully we can get back this weekend. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend filled with adventure and joy.

Monday Meanderings!

This weekend was a bust, I was just so tired from getting ready for the trip and being on the go, then coming home and having to do a ton of laundry. I wasn't about to bring anything upstairs until I washed it all;) Today I got the final things done and started on my sewing room, sewing really does build up a lot of dust and it was time to move a few things and do a good vacuum.

One thing I wanted to mention is, Denise, The Krazy Kraft Lady is offering a free pattern as a challenge. A primitive mouse that you can make into your own softer, any way you want. Her challenges are fun and it motivates us to try something new and be creative, so be sure to visit her page to get your pattern and join in, in the fun.

Here is Denise's mouse, he is so unique and a creative use of fiber arts. She made the body and use roving over that, love the look.

I thought you might like to see more of our travels in Maine. On the way up we took the highway and got off in Freeport. Once in Freeport, you have a nice ride along route 1, going through wonderful towns, over bridges and lots of water views.

I spied this old mill as we drove over a bridge and when my husband stopped for gas, I noticed the road to it, was right around the corner, so we went for a visit and short walk. I wanted to get better photos, but I was standing on a narrow ledge of the dam and the wind started blowing and I almost fell over;)

Bean was too excited about the trip to go to the bathroom at the rest stop, so when I saw Camden Hills park, I knew it was the perfect place to stop for a potty break and to stretch our legs.

The reason I wanted to go to Blue Hill is the diversity of the towns and parks. One park we went to, started on the water, went through woods and more water views and we even found an old cemetery and apple orchard hidden in the woods. The walk ended at a bridge connecting a small island, great place to stop and enjoy the views.

The next day we went to another town, Castine and spent most of the day there. The first stop was the harbor where Bean got to play with the other vacationing pups. This is the restaurant we ate at one year, they do not allow dogs, so no sweet steamers this time.

We drove around the scenic route and stopped at a lighthouse. It is now a private home, but there is a walk to the cliffs, but the stairs were too steep for Bean.

Then we went down the road and stopped at a park and hiked around the maine trail. This area was home to the french and they had areas with plaques for the regiments that camped there. It came to a beautiful lookout point, another perfect place to enjoy views and relax. The smell of pine was heavenly when we walked back through a pine forest.

We ended the day with a walk along the public beach. There was only two families there and a lot of beach, so I enjoyed a nice walk, barefoot in the cool water.

I hope you enjoyed our visit to maine. The area is a must if you are ever in Maine, the views are breath taking, the air refreshing and there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Weekend with Bean!

We had a nice weekend again, so it was a great time to get out and let Bean explore the world outside of our house. We got him a crate so we can use it for him inside while he is training and it is nice for the car since he has his own place to relax.

Our apple orchard is closed for the season, so we went to an orchard in Connecticut. We take the back roads so it is a nice drive with the foliage and the orchard is along the Thames River.

We wanted to make a stop before we went apple picking, so Bean could get out and get some exercise and do his business. There was a park in the same area with a boat launch, so we enjoyed a walk along the tracks and beautiful views of the river. Bill forgot my good camera so I took the photos with my waterproof camera, on this trip.

The orchards were bigger than the one near our house, rows and rows of apple trees. They have a tractor and wagon that will take you into the orchard and pick  you up when you are done. It was a bit slow, so Bill and I walked around, picked lots of apples and walked away with a few bags.

After apple picking, I wanted to go for a short drive to Norwich, which is where we went last week. This time we went to the left and stopped at a waterfall on the Yantic river. The area has rivers running, every which way and was home to a lot of textile mills. The park at the falls was a nice place to stop and listen to the roaring waters as they rushed down the rocks.

Then we walked across the bridge, Bean seemed a bit nervous with the roaring falls, so he got carried most of the way across.

An old trestle bridge makes a stunning photo opportunity with the rich colors of fall.

I wanted to come a round to the other side of the park to see the views from that side and I am glad I did. I found another waterfall coming off a dam near an old mill building. We also saw some beautiful old buildings in the surrounding towns and there are more rivers and towns to explore, so future trips are planned.