We're baaaaaack!

We left the hotel in Cornelius fairly early (at least for us) this morning and just kept driving until we got back to Tampa. Okay, so we stopped for snacks and we had a late lunch/early dinner at the Arby's in Starke. And now we're back home, after 4 weeks on the road. It was fun, but it was also time to come home and play with all the stuff we bought. After unpacking most of my stuff I realized that I will have a lot to play with!

We're going home!

We left Gettysburg this morning to make our way back to Tampa. It was raining when we left this morning, but after a while the rain stopped. We had a cloudy day, just perfect for driving. After we had been on the road for about an hour, we decided to have a late breakfast. We stopped at this funky little restaurant called "John's" where we had a good breakfast and a lot of fun. Back on the road again, and we made it all the way to Charlotte, NC. I'm glad we got off the road because we were starting to get into rush hour traffic - not my favorite time on the road. We checked into the hotel and I went across the street to "Acropolis" where I picked up dinner. Tomorrow is another day of driving.

Gettysburg Battlefield

Today was a quiet day, not much happening. We watched the movie "Gettysburg", a 4 hour movie about the battle of Gettysburg. Then Scotty took us to the battlefield and we looked at all the places mentioned in the movie. It was interesting, more so because I had just seen the movie and everything was fresh in my mind.

In the evening the four of us went to dinner in Gettysburg, then spend a quiet evening at the house.

Apple Harvest Festival

Our first stop this morning was to a little Nature Preserve where Judy's daughter Marsha volunteers. Judy met her old friend Bear there.

Marsha, Judy and Jan.

Afterwards, Judy and Jan drove me to the Apple Harvest Fest where I spend the day.

For dinner we were invited to Marsha's house and we spent a really nice evening there.

Chambersburg

It was a beautiful morning and Judy and I spent some time on the porch.

Judy and Duncan went for a walk down to the lake and back again. Duncan is my little buddy, and even though I am not a cat person, Duncan could change my mind.

Judy took us to Chambersburg and on the way there we stopped at a round barn. I always liked round barns, but until today I never actually saw one. Outside the barn was a farm with horses and mules and goats and little donkeys. Judy talked to the horse. I don't know what the conversation was about, but I'm pretty sure carrots and apples were mentioned.

We checked out the round barn where farmers from the area sell their goods. Judy bought a really beautiful plant for her front door.

After the round barn, Judy took us to a winery up on a hill, for nothing other than to show us the beautiful view from the top.

Mannings

We went to another yarn store today - go figure! Judy, Jan and I went over to Mannings in East Berlin. It was raining all morning and the drive over there was really wet. We walked around Mannings, and yes, we bought some things because we still have some empty space in Jan's car.


After the shopping we couldn't get from the store to the car because of the rain. So we sat on the porch at Manning's where we waited for the rain to let up.

It was time for lunch and Judy took us to "Dobbin House" www.dobbinhouse.com . The restaurant is in an old building and we had a good lunch and it was fun to look around the building. There are old embroidered pictures on the wall,

and a place where in the old days the slaves were hidden away so they would be safe.

There is a lot of history in this building!

The restaurant was actually under ground and lit mostly by candles. The waitresses are dressed in period costumes and the menu is fun to read, because they had written it like you would expect it to be written a hundred years ago.

It was still raining when we left there, so we went back to Judy"s house where some of us took a nap and I knit. We had dinner at home, and then knit some more.

Leaving Vermont

This morning Kathie came by the hotel room to give us home made maple syrup to take home. The weather was good for driving, overcast, but not raining. We drove all day, then we got into Gettysburg around 6pm. We got settled in, had dinner at the house and I went to bed fairly early.

Laundry Day

Another rainy day in Vermont. First we had breakfast at "Danya's at the Gorge", where Jan talked to the waitrress only to find out that they both were from the same little town in Massachussetts! It's a small world after all!
After breakfast we checked out the stores next to the Gorge, and allso drove to Cabot Cheese. I don't eat cheese, but they had other things and several different stores in the same area. It was fun.
In the afternoon it was time to do laundry and Jan and I went to the "Laundry Room", a cute little laundromat.

I sent some packages home, since Jan's car is getting really full. I also sent some things to Patrick, since he couldn't go with me on our yearly trip. For dinner we went back to Kathie's house where we had chinese food. It was Edward's 16th birthday and he wanted chinese food. We had a fun evening with the family.

A rainy day in Vermont

We met Joan for breakfast at the "Crossroads Cafe" this morning, then we all drove to "King Arthur Flour". I have a lot of stuff from KAF, but I have never been to the actual store. It was heaven! So, I bought some more stuff and had it shipped to Tampa. One less bag in the car. After King Arthur Flour, Joan took us to "Dan & Whit's" where they really mean it when they advertise that they are a General Store. From food to gardening, screws to knitting needles, everything you would ever want or need is at that store. We had fun looking at all the weird and unusual stuff they sell there. From there we went to a bookstore and a knit shop. "Northern Nights" is just a little yarn store and there was nothing out of the ordinary in there. Joan left and Jan and I drove to Hanover, NH where Jan showed me Dartmouth. Back on the road to Woodstock again, with a stop at "Fat Hats", then to "Scotland by the Yard", a fun celtic shop. Another stop at yet another shop - but it was already close to 5pm when we got there, and everything shuts down at 5pm around here. So Jan and I went to dinner at Firestone www.firestonesrestaurant.com and then back to the motel.

Today was a rainy day, it started when we woke up this morning and it hasn't stopped yet. We still had fun, and drove around despite the rain. Since this was the first day of rain we had so far, it was not a real problem.

No pictures again today - I try to do better tomorrow.

Simon Pearce

Today was all about visiting Simon Pearce www.simonpearce.com and watching the Glassblowers. We had made plans to meet Jan's family for a late breakfast/early lunch at "The Mill", the restaurant at the Simon Pearce store. Jan and I went a little early so we could look through the store and maybe buy some glass. I did not find any glass I couldn't live without, but there are also products from different local artisans and I found a little something I really liked. Actually, two little somethings: I bought a beautiful rolling pin made from different colored woods, and a big round wooden cutting board. I also bought a Vermont cookbook with really good recipes. Other than that, I was good. I went down to the lower level where I looked at the hydro plant that supplies the electricity for the restaurant and the glassblowers. It is so beautiful to look at the covered bridge over the waterfall.

We had a really good breakfast with Joan, Kathie, Lily, and Annie at the restaurant, then Jan and I went over to look at Joan's house. I love her house, it is old and quirky and big and it has an attached woodshed! How cool is that?!?

For dinner we went to "Bentley's" www.bentleysrestaurant.com .

Woodstock, and dinner with the family

This morning I walked into town again, had breakfast and did some shopping. While I was sitting outside eating my bagel, these gentlemen walked up and told me about their encampment on the lawn behind the Historical Society Building.

I walked to the encampment and watched as the ladies cooked and baked over an open fire.

I walked back to the hotel, and Jan and I went to Billings Farm to go to a Quilt Show.

We first walked through the museum and looked at the old farm equipment, and all the other interesting things they had at the museum. My favorite was the old General Store:

The setting of the farm is very beautiful, it is all very calm and happy, even the cows seem very happy. Take that, California!

We went through the Quilt Show and I even participated in a little scavenger hunt. We had to find certain things in the quilts, like wedding rings or ladders or a moose. I'm sure it was meant for kids, but I'm not really interested in quilts, so the scavenger hunt gave me something to do. I got everything right and earned a ribbon that says that I am a SUPER SLEUTH. :)

I walked around a bit more,

found the ice cream shop and got some very good ice cream (sweet cream apple pie for Jan, Maple Walnut for myself). That was our lunch and as I have previously established, there is nothing wrong with ice cream for lunch!

After Billings Farm we drove around the area. Jan drove, I looked. This whole area is so beautiful, the colors are amazing and I think I have a new favorite place: Vermont. Jan took us up mountain roads, we stopped to take a picture of this enormous barn,

and my favorite: a covered bridge. I made Jan drive through and stop so I could walk onto the bridge.

The inside of the bridge is beautifully done,

and the view from the bridge of the Ottoquechee River was lovely!

After our sightseeing we drove to Kathie's house for dinner with Jan's family. Kathie and Annie made dinner, we sat and talked and had a great time (and a great dinner!). By the time we finally got back to the Motel it was dark and late and we just went to sleep.

I am amazed at the different places we have been to so far. The places we have been to are not really all that far from each other, but they are completely different in architecture, feel, and landscape. Cape Cod is a vacation destination, all about cute and pretty houses, the water, the cute little towns, and tourism. Marblehead is all about sailing and boats and fishing and old houses. Salem is Witches, all the history and the very old buildings that go with that, and of course what people think of witches now. Now we're in Vermont, only a couple of hours from Marblehead and Salem, and yet it is all completely different. Here everything is about the beauty of nature, of farming and down-to-earth people. Even with all the tourists and leaf-peepers it is calm and quiet and sweet. I think so far that Woodstock, Vermont is my favorite place of any on this trip.

We're going to Vermont

Jan and I left Cilla's house this morning, had breakfast in Marblehead and then got on the road. It was another beautiful day today, although it got up to 87 degrees this afternoon.

Our first stop was in Henniker, NH where we just had to check out "The Fiber Studio". All I can say about that place is: WOW!!! They have everything for spinning, dying, knitting, weaving, beading, and whatever else one can do with fiber.

They really have everything! I even found the perfect silk thread and beads to re-create that necklace I bought the other day. I do have the tiny little crochet hook I need for the crocheted flowers with me (a girl has to be prepared for all eventualities, right?).

Poor Jan, all this shopping is wearing her out. C'mon, Jan, you can do it!

After our lovely experience at The Fiber Studio, we went back on the road, and went to Vermont. We arrived in Woodstock shortly after 3 pm and checked into the hotel.

Across from the motel is the perfect house for Beverly. It's called the "Village Inn" and maybe Beverly could stay there some day?

Here is "The Shire Riverview Motel", our home for the next couple of days. See the car on the right? That's Jan's car. It is full of stuff we bought and I am considering to send a couple of packages home so it isn't all that full (and so that there is more room in the car for stuff we might still buy).

After we checked in, I went exploring. There is a Antique Books Store next to the motel and that was my first stop. For some reason I was full of energy and needed to walk it off. Jan was tired and stayed in the room while I walked to the downtown area, checked out the stores (yes, there was a yarn store and yes, I went in), and then brought back sandwiches for dinner. We ate in the room and stayed there until Jan's stepdaughter came to pick her up. They went off to watch one of the grandkids play while I stayed in the motel to figure out that crocheted necklace. I made one flower already, but it needs some tweaking. I'll figure it out eventually.