Sweet!

Sometimes we get to a place and we get so comfortable that we just want to settle in! WE fell in love with Pennsylvania farm land - gently rolling green hills dotted with very large barns and silos. Of course we enjoyed seeing the Amish folks and their tidy. productive farms - their draft horses pulling tractors and wagons - roadside shops with the best sampling of foods you can find anywhere! The two kids you see are riding homemade scooter/bikes (no peddles but large wheels). We saw men riding them as well for many miles. AHHHH - the simple life.

Homemade Scooters (no peddles)

Naturally, we spent a day in and around the town of Hershey, PA. As they say, The sweetest place on earth. They might be able to hold that title because they do boast the largest chocolate factory in the world. Hmmm - not a bad place to live. For those of you who don't know - Milton Hershey learned the candy business early but in trying to make a go of it he went bankrupt five times. He was about the first to use milk in making chocolate candy. Other interesting facts - he believed men of wealth should give theirmoney away and he did (he died penniless). He started a school for orphans and
underpriviliged boys that is thriving today. Those kids become very privileged becausehe saw to it that they are provided everything and I mean EVERYTHING.

A One Car Garage

Today, the Hershey wealth from selling chocolate is in a foundation and it seems that they can't give their money away fast enough. People buy and eat a lot of Hersheys product!! Cute story, Reeses Peanut Butter cups was a candy bar made by one of Milton Heshey's best friends. During the depression this friend could not make his payments for chocolate and sugar to his friend Milton. Milton carried him on their friendship and made his friend a great success. Today, Hershey owns Reeses and it is their largest selling candy bar.

Well, I hope I didn't leave any chocolate smudges on your screen! SweetDreams.

A Blast in Boston!

I know some of you think that Boston is about a few little historical events that took place here but what can surpass "Make Way for Ducklings" as found in the Boston Gardens. I love these guys.


Next, we have Jon in front of the capital of Massachusets right on the Boston Commons. Which by the way it is still legal to graze cattle, sheep and train militia on the commons which was what it was really intended for! Another note, the people of the commonwealth of Mass. pay two million dollars every two years to redo the gold leaf over the dome which is wood underneath. Hmmm

Jon made me go to the USS Constitution which is the oldest commissioned warship in the world. (key word commissioned) The Navy is spending big bucks to refit the ship so that it can sale on its 300th birthday. We learned a bit about a sailors life - didn't
sound to inviting. Grog - a drink made of rum, whiskey, sugar and lots of lime and lemon juice to ward off scurvy. One pint per sailor per day. Hard tack - biscuits that would never, ever, ever go bad since there was no way to store food. And all meat was heavily salted - soaked in fresh water (questionable) to draw out the salt and fed to the men once a day. Any one ready to sign up for a trip to the Indian Ocean?

Last picture: Jon took Mimi to a New England Patriots Game at Gillete Stadium. I enjoyed every minute of it and I am happy I got to experience it once! But I ask you who can afford to pay for those tickets, go three hours early just to get parking - $50, and then with really good seats miss half the game because people are always getting up to go for beer or whatever. These games are really good on TV! Yet the air, the crowd, the color etc. made the experience great. I was kind of thinking about the leopard boots back in Wall, South Dakota! They look cheap next to the cost of going to one of these games. It's all in your priorities!


Now we leave for Pennsylvania - Harrisburg, Gettysburg, and Lancaster (Amish Country). We are looking forward to that. TaTa for Now.

Scruffy in Boston

So this blog is for Jake - seven year old grandson - first grader extraordinaire!
Jake when I miss you I just take Scruffy along. So Scruffy rode with me on the metro into Boston and then the trolley that took us all over the city. He walked all over the Freedom Trail with me until we found the ducks that are in the Boston Garden honoring the story "Make Way For Ducklings". It is one of my favorite books - does your mom read it to you. The only time Scruffy was naughty was when he wanted to play with the ducklings - then he hid from me under Mother duck.

WE took him on the USS Constitution - the oldest commissioned warship in the world. He really liked it - I thought he might become a sailor.

Lots of people saw Scruffy and I could tell that they wish that they had him. He made a lot of people smile. So thanks again for letting us have him. He is the best friend ever. Hugs and Kisses. Nana

Freeport and Kennebunkport

LAST DAY IN MAINE


How fun is this? We drove into Freeport, Maine not knowing what to expect and yes, we were wowed by LLBean! The town is LLBean. They have 3 huge retail buildings - one for hunting, one for clothing and one for home. We learned that they stay open 24/7 - 365 days a year. They have closed twice in about 50 years - when Kennedy was assasinated and when LL died. Pretty amazing huh? According to the employees we talked to it is a great place to work - they employ 8,000 people in Maine - one guy said LL Bean is Maine. Because they are open all of the time most of the big retailers we are familiar with have put outlets around LL Beans store. It is a shopping mecca. We camped compliments of LL Bean - since they are open all night - you can park all night in their parking lots!



Next stop - Kennebunk Port! Probabably the prettiest place we have been. Of course it didn't hurt that the weather was spectacular (blue skies and 70 degrees)! We walked for about two hours and we were rewarded when we spied the Bush compound in the not to far distance. A place any of us would like to hang out - absolutely pristine and inviting. We enjoyed seeing it. The church you see was built out of stone (that looked like it had been quarried from the rocky coast) sometime in the 18th century. The Bush family history is all over this church. You see George H. W.'s father was Senator Prescott Bush from Maine. The Bush compound has been in the family a long time. When we got back to the village we were very thirsty so we stopped in a harbor side cafe for icetea - nothing special from the outside - kind of run down. Turns out it is George W. favorite haunt. Lots of great pictures - obvious he drops in often. Great day for us!

Now onto Massachusets, Boston and points beyond! TTFN

Bar Harbor and Acadia Nat'l. Park

     Hi Everyone!  Here we are at Acadia National Park - across the country we have talked to people who say it is the most beautiful of national parks.  It has a lot - beautiful fall colors - the rocky coast of main - and sweet village called Bar Harbor.  We went to the top of the highest peak (probably a misnomer - at 1200') called Mount Cadillac.  It was windy and very cold but beautiful views. When we reached the bottom we came across this teardrop trailer with the entwined hearts on the back.  A couple from Ohio celebrating their 50th anniversary!!  They had a tandem bike like ours and the still vibrant and sweet.  Quite a challenge for all of us don't you think?

     After this we went on a great hike along the cliffs of the Atlantic Coast.  We have tried to show you how rocky it is - dark granite everywhere.
     With a couple hours of hiking under our belt we went into Bar Harbor a well known destination for all Maine visits.  Beautiful harbor, shops, restaurants etc.  We had a great time.  There was a ferry that made daily trips to Nova Scotia.  Boy were we tempted.  But the cold weather and closing campgrounds are driving us South!  (I haven't had to sleep in a Walmart parking lot yet! )
     Ta Ta for Now!  Miss Everyone much!

Finally! We took an extensive survey and
we arrived at THE BEST lobster on the East coast! Young's Lobster Pound is in Belfast, Maine. It is a huge barn lined with
picnic tables and two decks and a park also lined with tables. In the summer you can't get in without waiting. Of course we walked right in - they were waiting for us.

Then you walk up to a huge seawater vat and pick your lobster. You treat him real nice. 25 min later you are eating the freshest, finest lobster one can buy. (The price averaged about $8.00/pound. We enjoyed every bite - but I will say that is the only food we ate that day. Pretty rich food. We loved it!

Had a great time in Searsport, Maine - a shipbuilding village. Met a single gal from a wheatfarm in Montana. She was running an antique store - living in Maine for one year. It was fun to hear about her experiences - you learn a lot talking to people.

Vermont and New Hampshire

Hi Everyone! How much beauty can one see and still say, "Look honey, do you see those
hillsides? Aren't the trees amazing? (or) "Isn't this village just the cutest? Look at that white
church and that cool steeple." "Look at that house - can you believe it and that cool barn!"
Well, that's about it for New England.

We take each day as it comes. We often drive in the direction of the only campground that is still open in the area. The last one was in Stowe, Vermont - the famous ski resort where Billy Kidd (Olympic skier that we were all in love with back in the day) grew up and learned to ski. It was surely a quintissential NE village. We had a blast. I kept trying to take a picture of this church steeple because it surely is the highest one in New England. We stayed for two days enjoying the sights and sounds.

We then took the back roads heading for New Hampshire. We stumbled apon Bath - a rather famous small village with the longest covered barn in NH. We enjoyed it so much and stayed for quite awhile. (Check the next blog for more pictures of Bath) We met an artist that had moved to Bath (close to our age maybe younger) from Orange County, CA. He was a very neat guy who had moved with his wife after a tour to view fall foliage. He couldn't say enough about the lifestlye - country living - quiet and peaceful and close community. It sounded idylic.

Enjoy the covered bridge!  Jon especially wanted you to see the interior construction. Oh - by the way the bridge
was built in 1832. If it was hot or snowing the folks parked their buggies inside while shopping or at church.