Weekend Wanderings!

Even with the rain, we had a wonderful weekend to get out. We headed into Connecticut just as the rain was ending, so we were able to enjoy a nice ride and visit a few places. I wanted to stop at Mystic Village which has a quilt shop, but it was no longer there. But we were still able to enjoy a walk through town and get a few goodies at the Christmas shop.

One place in Mystic that I love to visit is the Elm Grove Cemetary. I was hoping to see more foliage, but most of the trees had turned. It is still beautiful to drive through though, it is a garden cemetery on the Mystic river, a peaceful place to walk through.

What a beautiful setting for a family plot.

Since we were in the area, we took a drive to Ender's Island, where there is a Catholic retreat center. It was so windy, it was hard to enjoy the views and take photos. I love the buildings on the island, all made of stone, like the church.

There were still flowers in the gardens and views from Block Island to Fisher's Island in New york. In the distance I could see Latimer Reef Lighthouse.

The great thing about being out later is, we were a half hour from sunset so we headed to Napatree Point. What I didn't think about was, the wind. Coming over the dunes, I was hit with blasts of sand and close to the water, the ocean spray, so it was hard to stay still or get good shots. I was able to get a decent one and you can see the waves coming in. It was so beautiful, but hard to enjoy with the sand getting all over my camera.

Sunday was a beautiful day and much warmer, so I decided to hit the beach, while the tide was out. There weren't too many people in the morning, so I found a lot of nice treasures laying on the rocks.

And with the time change, it was still early enough to go for a ride. I needed more apples so we headed to the orchards to buy them from the store.

Along the way I spied this steeple and stopped for a look. The banks of the river were over flowing, so it was hard to get a shot, since we had to stand in the tree line.

We also stopped on the Thames river, where  you can walk out to the old train tracks. Another nice place to go for a stroll.

Since it was getting late, we decided to do a short hike up Lantern Hill. I wanted to see if I could spot the foliage from the first lookout. Of course the views were limited, so we went to the next height and the next, where we had nice views, but still hidden by the tree lines. So our short hike took us up the hill to the top, which was well worth it. The views are spectacular and you can see all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

The sun was getting closer to the tree line and I really wanted to watch it set, but not from the top. It is a steep climb, so we went down to a lower level to watch it set. Since my photo  had a lot of black space, I added a saying I found on the web. We were able to get down before it got too dark, and my muscles are killing me today, but it was nice to finally get in a real hike.

I hope you all had a nice weekend and your own adventures.

Happy Veteran's Day!

I was raised with a military Dad. He retired before I was born, yes I was a late stage surprise;)
My Brothers both enlisted in the 60's, it was the thing to do then.

I am proud of both of them and this is my brother Richard, he is the oldest and he would send me a postcard from all of the different countries that he was in. I still have them, precious memories of a big brother who loved his little sister and went to serve his country and protect her.

Here he is standing in front of the Amangansett train station in 1964, heading for Greece.

My nephews also took on the proud tradition, as well. My Nephew Michael is still in active service and not only has he spent his time in active war zones, he has raised a wonderful family of his own.

I helped raise my nephew Phillip when he was little and my sister was on her own again. He was a sweet boy, very timid and not someone who I ever thought would enlist. He joined the military police and earned a degree in English, so he will be a teacher someday and be there for other kids. Here is is receiving the bronze star, last year. I am proud of my family for serving our country and thankful that they have come home safely.

My prayers for all the men and woman who serve and blessings that they will be protected by angels as they risk their lives to keep our country save.

And, on another note, this has not been a good month for me. I have been in a lot of pain and then sick, so trying to get rid of the rest of the flu and see what pains are left, lol. Since my fall, my elbow and arm are hurting and I find it hard to sew for long and I drop things a lot. So, I know I need to call my doc and see about getting X-rays. It means I will not be pushing myself and making as many gifts as I had wanted. I will be having a contest this month and I might be announcing it on friday, so stay tuned.

Today was my day off, nothing to do but rest and go for a nice ride to get out. Except, my DIL got a part time holiday job, so grandma is babysitting. Bill and Dani were home so they helped when I needed a break and we took him for a ride. As with all babies, he loves to ride in a car and he loves to go shopping, have never seen him smile so much, lol. The beach was too cool and windy to stay long, but it was a nice drive anyways.

Grandpa and Grandson time.