Some of the grandkids, Lucy, Chris and Reuben from England …. so nice to be together for cookout, s’mores and croquet (on a parched lawn)
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Category Archives: USA
Maine summer = enjoying visitors
Henk and Agnita’s visit wouldn’t be complete without blueberry pancakes and a trip to 3Tides!
Our Dutch kids are here!
So happy to have our Dutch family here again – after two years – especially for pizza and ‘smores – a tradition!
…more camp progress!
Bathroom:
shower grouted √
walls painted√
vanity tiled√
Kitchen:
trim installed√
counter tops completed√
plumbing underway√
The camp ALMOST has a kitchen!
We spent the day tiling the counter tops. Next step grout, then sink install! Yay! maybe in a couple of weeks we can even spend the night!!
Summer days in Belfast with the little guys
It was a beautiful morning for a walk to Steamboat Landing and the little guys walked from the footbridge to the boathouse. Lucy and Moxie enjoyed a cooling frolic in the bay.
Back home fun in the water continued ..
Belfast Summer Evenings – June
Another of those perfect summer evenings spent doing things we love in our home town, and where everyone and everything is bathed in the magical golden light of summer.
Starting out with ” lobstah” at Young’s – a traditional Maine lobster pound….
Followed by the weekly Summer Nights music at Steamboat Landing….
An evening stroll on the Harbor Walk and footbridge….
… back home…
Woohoo! The camp has a loo!!
bedroom is painted^
A functioning loo^
Love the tile we selected for counter tops!^ Continue reading
Memorial Day weekend 2016
Kat, Ian, Moxie and the fabulous foursome were here for the weekend:)
Progress …
We’ve made great progress in the last 10 days. Kat and I stained the kitchen cabinets and painted the kitchen, while Ian and Dennis finished installing tongue and groove, sheetrock, and built a wall for the shower. Since then I’ve painted the eating area and back middle section, Dennis finished off the loft area and burned all the rubbish! We’re on a roll!
Playing in dirt …
My sister tagged me on Facebook with this very appropriate quote ….
Spring checklist:
Manure and compost spread √
Gardens edged √
Weeded and new perennials planted√
Patio pots planted √
Patio furniture out√
Veg garden laid out and straw paths in place√
Onions, potatoes, brussel sprouts, kale, cabbage, swiss chard, egg plant, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, peas, beets, lettuce planted or seeded√
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just sit back and watch it grow (without weeds!) for the summer!!!!
I dream of Africa – valleys and mountain passes
The morning drive was very easy, and as usual, free of other traffic. We had the choice of making a 300 km loop down to the ocean and back up to Oudtshoorn or visiting Prince Albert and crossing the Swartberg Pass – we decided on the latter!
Initially the drive was on a pencil straight road through the Karoo bushland with goats, sheep (different breeds) and cattle grazing – very similar to northern Arizona – and corner chimneyed karoo style houses dotting the landscape. We drove closer and closer to the mountains until we took a turn that took us through a gorge with the most amazing rock formations- diagonally slanted sandstone blocks. The little town of Prince Albert was on the other side and we made a well-deserved stop to peruse the main street and enjoy delicious lemonade and apple pie on the porch of the Lazy Lizard. We also got caught in a sea of Merino sheep being herded out of the field and down the road!
Leaving Prince Albert we took the dirt road that goes over the Swartberg Pass. Whoo! what a ride – switchback turns with virtually no guard and we could see the trail winding its way up the mountain and then once reaching the summit, down the other side and hour and half later!
On the other side of Oudtshoorn we arrived at our destination: Rietfontein Ostrich Palace – an ostrich farm. We had ferocious winds that turned to a rain storm (much needed) during our dinner. The farm has been in family ownership since 1846 and was first ostrich farm in the valley. The buildings date from 1906 and our little “Emma’s Cottage” was luxury personified. The lounge and restaurant are in the former stables/barn converted into very comfortable and appealing settings.
Dinner was comparable with any first class restaurant anywhere in the world and comprised:
Ostrich liver pate with fresh-baked bread and candied figs
Mushroom stuffed with baked brie and cranberry
Black Forest Ham wrapped around fresh fig
Ostrich fillet with new potatoes, julienned carrots and beans
Apple tartine with whipped cream.
Bryant Stove & Music Museum
These photos do not do justice to the scope of the collection and the cacophony of tooting horns, carnival music and much more that meet you at Bryant’s Stove and Music Museum in Thorndike. The stacks of piano rolls are nothing compared to the implements varying from tiny hand crank models to elaborate calliopes. We were lucky enough to have the master mind and mechanical genius, Joe Bryant, give us a tour and share his stories of this unique collection.