On the Road Again, and Again...

The view from our timeshare at the Bethel Inn in Bethel, Maine 

Recently a good friend and neighbor here in Shrewsbury, after hearing a recital of our coming trips, asked, "Do you really love all this traveling?" Well, I had to admit that I do.  I've had itchy feet since I was born and an excess of energy. But it is true that some of the trips this summer and coming in the fall have been stressful and keep us away from what normally would be our season at home. My sister Paula's stroke and dealing with her future and finances has been and will be very difficult. Although the four weeks we're spending with our youngest son and his new family are wonderful, we do miss enjoying our home here in Vermont. 

We enjoyed a walking path along the river

Rowan generally loves his dinosaurs, but this 
was a little much!

Happiness is....

We had a lovely morning at the Bethel
Inn's Lake House.

Last week we were in Maryland, this week in Maine (with Sean, Will and Rowan) and then directly on to Montana for our second Tortugeezer Reunion (Cruisers from the Tortugal Marina in Guatemala). After a while home with several visitors, we're back to my sister's to finish cleaning out her apartment.  We'll spend Thanksgiving with our daughter and her family in Palo Alto, CA. After Christmas at home, we're heading out across the country again this coming winter. We'll leave on the first of January and plan to return the beginning of May. This year we'll stay further south and turn around in Arizona. We already have 3 weeks reserved near the National Seashore in Florida and almost a week in Big Bend National Park. On the way home we'll visit our oldest son Josh and his family in Dallas and see the total eclipse of the sun on April 8. 

Scott's brother Brent came for a visit with his wife
Wilma but this is he, their cousin Lisa and 
Scott on a hike.

But I'm determined not to face the 2 or 3 feet of snow we had to dig out of twice and the icy driveway and roads. We'll drive our RV down to Maryland, in early December, leave it there and visit Paula.  It will stay down there until we drive back January 1st.  

I can foresee however our RV cross country traveling days slowing down.  But no sense planning ahead that far now! And there will still be a road beckoning ahead for sure. 

Summer Activities

Julie and Peter Gowan came for a visit in
early June. We've been friends now since we
cruised together in the Bahamas. 

Uli & Thomas "Toriba" visited us in June. We've known them
 for years cruising Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico.
Here - having lunch at Mountain Top Inn.

On the top of Killington Mountain

We're on the porch of W.E.Pierce General Store in
Shrewsbury. Heather runs the store several times a week as
a volunteer. It's a Coop.

Tom, Uli, Will & Sean. After visiting us they went to Boston
and stayed with our son and son-in-law before flying
home to Germany.

Scott, his brother Brent, cousins Lisa & Eric Aronson at
Lisa's daughter Marlena's baby shower in Amherst

We visited our daughter Zoe and her family out in Palo Alto,
CA in June as well. Here we are about to take a hike - Scott,
Heather, oldest grandson Nick, George and Zoe in their
backyard.

Younger grandson Tommy at the lake where Nick is
teaching sailing.

Scott had to watch Kolya pretty carefully
during our Fourth of July week! He turned
one August 1st.

Our daughter-in-law Morgen with our
youngest grandson Kolya.

Molly & Patrick in front of Molly's fantastic
Artichoke tarts. Their wedding was just after
our Fourth of July event in Portland, ME

Our son James and Kolya enjoying the sprinkler on the lawn.

Julie led yoga classes out on the lawn.

Kolya, Morgen, James, Julie, Heather, Molly, Patrick, Will, Russ, Debby and Sean at the Lake. Marty, Jenny, Larry, Luke, and Doug didn't get in this photo.  At our first Fourth of July get-togethers, James and Jenny were just babies and the others were yet to arrive!! 

That's Heather's new painting of our Tortugal Marina
in Guatemala where "Scott Free" spends her summers.

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra performed at the
Mountain Top Inn just after the Fourth of July. 

Marty, Molly & Russ Wolf coming down the
aisle to the lovely wedding site near
Portland, ME. It was a fantastic three-day
event!!

We walked all around Portland during the weekend. Here we
met up with David & Leslie Silverstein

Sean enjoyed lots of time with his new nephew
Kolya. We rented a house downtown Portland
from Airbnb that was great for ourselves,
Sean & Will and James, Morgen & Kolya.

Judy, Debbie, Scott, Heather and Paula pose
out on the deck.

My sister Paula came for 2 weeks from Maryland. We also
had Scott's brother Brent for a week during that time - and
briefer visits from Scott's cousin Lisa and Yosi, and my
first cousin Judy with her daughter Debbie and her new
dog.

The annual Haystack Dinner & Dance was as fun as usual -
it was a beautiful night but the bonfires were wonderful
after the sun went down. This benefits our all-volunteer
Shrewsbury Library.

We are so lucky to have such a variety of entertainment options
 here in Vermont. We attend the chamber music concerts:
Marlboro Festival, the Yellow Barn, Killington Festival and
the Lake Champlain Music Festival. This year we saw the
Fantasticks, Always Patsy Cline and Oklahoma at the Weston
and Private Lives and Dig at the Dorset Playhouse. This
photo is at Marlboro - their closing concert. 

We celebrated Pierce's stores 10th anniversary (as a Coop)
with a wonderful BBQ.

Sean & Will's new house in Dorchester. They are in the
process of selling their condo.

Flavia and Joey coming down the aisle
after their beautiful wedding. Flavia and her
family are great friends of our's from
Venezuela.

No this isn't our dining room! It's the Downton Abbey set
which we saw at the Downton Abbey exhibit in Boston.

We loved seeing the original costumes - here several of the
bridal outfits.

And of course the downstairs kitchen!

Frenchboro, ME on "Jumbie"

From left; Scott, Tom (Kathy's), Heather, Brenda, John,
Kathy, Gigi and Tom (Gigi's)

Kathy & Tom on "Jumbie" invited ourselves and Gigi & Tom on "Sapphire" to sail out to Frenchboro, a small island not far from Swan's. We were lured there by the descriptions of football sized lobster rolls for lunch. Just the trip on "Jumbie" was a treat. She is a huge catamarin and has hosted parties of 60 - so there was room for us all. The foredeck as you can see provided the perfect spot to relax and let Kathy thread us through the "local narrow and dangerous" second entrance to Burnt Coat Harbor. From there she just had to dodge hundreds of lobster pots that threatened to catch on their two engine props - no easy task.
Frenchboro has a population of 61 people, 21 households and 16 families, half of which have children under 18. There is an elementary school on the island through grade 8. This is not a fancy resort or summer home community. The homes we saw were quintessential Maine, simple and white.
Walking paths wind all through the island. Tom and Gigi have been there many times and led us through the woods to the long stony beach and then along the shore in a large circle back to the town. As you can see the views were spectacular and the day, beautiful. Unfortunately the little lobster shack with the promised ultimate lobster rolls was closed, but the "larger" "Frenchboro Offshore Store" on the dock was open. And the 1/2 pound lobster roll was delicious - and expensive at $16. John and Scott got the better deal with the lobster dinner; lobster, corn, cole slaw and dessert for $10. Tom (Gigi's) insisted that everyone have the blueberry pie for dessert and treated us. It was excellent.
Another lovely trip back to Swan's Island and in time for the Sweet Chariot Boat concert cruise around the harbor. Our cheering and waving brought them back for a turn around our boat. Everyone joined in on the sea chanty. What a terrific day!

Scott and I on the bow of Jumbie with John mugging behind

Yet another lovely schooner

Tom and Gigi of "Sapphire"

A close encounter

The lobsters waiting for the pot and us!

The tiny town of Frenchboro

Lobster fishing is the major occupation

Tom's promised football lobster rolls didn't materialize

View of the harbor from the hill

The long beach covered with smooth rocks

The rocky shoreline and the trail just inside

Another schooner off in the distance between the branches

One lovely view after another on this trail

And as you can see, perfect weather

The men chat while waiting for us ladies to catch up

Distinct trail markings

Kathy at the helm with Tom looking on

We arrived just in time for another serenade by the
Sweet Chariot Music Festival's boat and crew