Author Archives: Chris

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Rosebud Cottage

We opted to book Airbnb accommodation for our week long visit to Dorset and family. This little gem popped out at us and we couldn’t be happier.

Originally part of a row of three thatched roof cottages, built about 300 years ago in Winterbourne Strickland, a beautiful North Dorset village. In the early 1950’s the three were converted to become one cottage – Rose Tree Cottage. Abandoned and unwanted, the current owners purchased it in 2018 and have lovingly restored the cottage and created Rosebud cottage (one of the original three). They live next door in the other two-thirds.

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The Northwoods (Maine)

Lily Bay State park on Moosehead Lake is one of our favorites and we had a beautiful spot on the lake with our own very little beach.

The scenery in this part of the state is stunning, especially with the fresh grass and leaves.

We went twice on moose safari – early in the morning and at dusk – without any sightings, but we believe we’ve found a good swampy spot for future safaris. These safaris entailed bouncing around on logging roads without seeing a single moose soul.

We finally spotted a young moose on a dirt road as we were driving back to Lily Bay! Otherwise I thought the only moose I’d see was the one at Stress Free Moose Pub in Greenville!

sunset at Kokadjo
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Asseateague Island

We crossed the Chesapeake Bay from Norfolk to the Eastern Virginia shore and spent two nights amongst the dunes on Asseateague. We were visited by some of the roaming wild ponies (you are warned to keep a distance of 40 feet and to remove all food items from the campsite.)

We were incredibly lucky with the weather and enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the bay and an amazing sunrise over the Atlantic.

We walked the deserted beach for miles and Ffly enjoyed the freedom of running to her heart’s consent.

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Spring Colors Abound in Cape Fear, NC

BRIGHT COLOR ALERT!!!

We returned to Fort Fisher on Cape Fear, NC. This place epitomizes a southern coastal community with it’s long, sandy beach, palm trees, and colorful stilted beach homes. It is my dream to rent one of these and enjoy my morning coffee on the balcony or terrace overlooking the ocean.

We stopped in Wilmington to visit Airlie Gardens and had our Spring flower hors d’ouevres! Yes, we will be following Spring and passing it by at some point and it will arrive after us!

The private gardens were created in 1886 by Mrs Jones, of the Pembroke Jones family, and the name “Airlie” came from their home in Scotland. It was designed as a natural Southern garden with azaleas, camellias, magnolias, palms and wisteria. In 1999 it was purchased by New Hanover County and made into a public garden. In 2018 more than 300 trees were felled by Hurricane Florence. There are so many beautiful live oaks throughout the park, several of them more than 400 years old.

I particularly like to look closely at all that is growing on the oaks.

Colors abound with the camellias, azaleas and tulips.

Birds and turtles

My favorites .. the dogwood!

And then several hours north (to the east of Washington, NC) is this idyllic state park – Goose Creek State Park – with beautiful private camp spaces surrounded by swaying grasses and jumping Border Collies!