Fall Foliage in NH and VT

We left Maine on Saturday September 29 headed for New Hampshire and Vermont with no particular destination in mind.  We were just heading west along a route marked as "scenic" in our atlas.  Our drive through New Hampshire and the White Mountains was very pretty.  It looked like the trees were about fifty percent of peak.  We stopped at a farm stand to buy some New Hampshire maple syrup.  We visited with the family that ran it for a bit.  They were bringing in some fresh New Hampshire sweet corn.  They said they harvested corn starting in June and it lasted until the first frost in October.  They also told us how they collected the maple syrup in early spring while snow was still on the ground.  They asked us about farming in Oklahoma.

After driving through New Hampshire, we drove into Vermont and continued our fall foliage tour.  Vermont's foliage was gorgeous!  It is at peak this weekend - how could we get so lucky.  Our first stop in Vermont was the Quechee Gorge.  We walked out on the bridge that overlooked the gorge.

As we were driving, we came across the Taftville Covered Bridge.   Since half the bridge was gone, we could see how it was originally constructed which was very interesting. 

We drove a bit further along a very scenic road beside the Ottauquechee River and stopped in the town of Woodstock, Vermont.  It was a pretty little town.  We walked around a bit and then stopped for a coffee. We went shopping in the general store.  We carried a wood-splint basket to hold our selection of Vermont Maple syrup and maple syrup caramel apples.   On our way out of town, we discovered that they also had a covered bridge. 

As we headed on down the road, we ran across another covered bridge and then saw this very picturesque barn.  It was five stories tall.  There was mist rising up in the mountains in the background. 

We stopped for the night in a rustic hotel in the ski area of Killington, Vermont.  And by rustic, I mean no Wi-Fi and what is this thing in the bathroom.

 It says it heats water - I was afraid it was the water for the shower, but after closer inspection it seems to be for tea or soup.  We have a beautiful view of the mountain just outside our door.

 We snacked on our maple syrup caramel apples and they were wonderful.  I think I am a big fan of maple sugar caramel, especially since I can't have the corn syrup caramel we usually get. 

Tomorrow we head on across Vermont towards Fort Ticonderoga just across the border in New York. 

Cape Elizabeth and Portland Maine

On Thursday September 26, we drove to Cape Elizabeth and Portland, Maine about 45 minutes away.  The drive was very pretty.  The trees are starting to turn their fall colors.  Across the bay from Portland at Cape Elizabeth in a pretty park setting is the Portland Head Lighthouse.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used this lighthouse for the inspiration for his poem "The Lighthouse".  We could see three other smaller lighthouses from the point overlooking the Portland Head Lighthouse. 

After a picnic lunch at the park, which used to be a military fort until after World War II, we headed into Portland's Old Port area.  The Old Port was a huge area of historic red brick buildings.  We took a tour of the Shipyard Brewery and stayed for the tasting.  They make the Shipyard and Sea Dog beers there. 

After our tour, we walked around the Old Port area for a bit and checked out some of the shops. 

Cape Porpoise and Kennebunkport

On Tuesday September 24, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and headed out for Cape Porpoise and Kennebunkport.  At Cape Porpoise, we saw the Goat Island Lighthouse. 

We climbed around on the rocks and hung around the dock at Cape Porpoise for awhile watching the lobster boats. 

We talked to one of the lobstermen and  he showed us his catch of lobsters - or "lobstas' as he called them.  We drove over to the beach at Cape Porpoise and enjoyed a picnic lunch and some relaxing time.  We stopped in at the Cape Porpoise General Store and Post Office to get some supplies.  It was as quaint as it sounded. 

We drove back to our favorite spot along the coast between Kennebunkport and Walker's Point.  We unpacked our camp chairs and spent the afternoon reading and climbing on the rocks.

For supper, we went for Gran's Chowder House in Kennebunkport.  We met Tony one of the owners of Gran's the other day when we stopped for a blueberry-apple crisp.  He is an EMT from Ireland and married to an American.  He is to be deported back to Ireland in January since he is not performing a skilled job and was honest and applied for a visa and citizenship the correct way.  

After supper in Kennebunkport, we headed back to our favorite coastal spot and watched the sun set.

Art with a Splash

On Friday September 21, we decided we really liked staying in this area of southern Maine so we called and were able to book our condo for another week.  In the afternoon we headed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire just a few miles away.  We wandered around their Market Square area again and then went to Prescott Park by the harbor for a picnic supper.  We stopped and looked at the Oracle house which was built in 1702. 

We went back to Market Square for a popover with maple butter and an americano for dessert.   I had enrolled in a painting/party class at Art With a Splash.  I took my bottle of wine and headed in to paint with several other people.  Eric decided to check out the local pub scene.  Two glasses of wine and two and a half hours later, here is my masterpiece. 

It reminded me a lot of a photo I had taken a couple of days earlier in Kennebunkport.

Eric said he enjoyed pub hopping around Portsmouth's Market Square and loved the view of the North Church steeple that was all lit up. 

Kennebunkport Maine

Another spectacular day in Maine.

On Thursday September 20, we took a trip up the road a few miles to Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.  On the way, we spotted this antique store/museum.  Doesn't it look like a fun place to poke around?  We may have to stop back by on Saturday when it is open.

 

In Kennebunk, we toured the Wedding Cake house.

 It was built in 1825 for shipbuilder George Washington Bourne's new wife.  It was owned by the Bourne family until 1983.  The current owner of the house is an art dealer and this is only the third time he has opened up the house for tours.  All the proceeds from the tour go to a local charity.  We got to walk all around the grounds which were right on the Kennebunk River and go all through the house.  The interior of the house was decorated in very ecclectic styles.  I even got to play a few chords on the original 1800's Chickering rosewood piano in the parlor.  We got to meet the owner and his four Cavalier King Charles spaniels. 

After our tour, we had a picnic by the Mill Pond near Kennebunkport.  Then we wandered into the port area. 

We found the Shipyard brewery where they make the Pumpkinhead ale that we love. 

Eric bought a growler of ale.  A growler is a bottle that holds 4 pints and you can take it back to the brewery for refills.  We had seen these at the brewery in Cape Ann.  They said that historically fishermen would stop in after work for a refill on the way home.

Like I've noted before, the flowers in all the yards are gorgeous.  They also have lots of hydrangeas.  They are a bit past their prime now but they are just covered in blooms. We've seen quite a few that have grown as big as trees. 

After some coffee and homemade blueberry-apple cobbler, we decided to drive on around the peninsula and see President Bush's compound.  We stopped at a nice peaceful spot to sit on a bench and enjoy the spectacular views. On our way back to the condo, we stopped at a farm stand and got some locally grown corn, tomatoes and raspberries to eat for supper.

President George H.W. Bush's home on Walker Point

What a spectacular view!

The Lobster Pound

On Wednesday September 19, we decided to try the Lobster Pound down the street from us.  We had stopped by the day before on our afternoon bike ride and a very nice young man showed us the lobsters and told us quite a bit about how to choose a nice one.  The restaurant is set back from the road in a beautiful setting of huge pine trees.   

We started off our dinner with some Lobster Bisque soup which was very tasty.  Then we went outside to select our lobster from the "pound".  Will, the nice young man from the day before was there and was happy to help us pick out a good one for dinner.  He helped us pick out a big 3-pound male with giant claws.

 After you pick out the one you want , they weigh it and then cook it in huge pots in seawater piped in from the Ogunquit River right behind the restaurant.  Our lobster was delicious.  The claw meat was our favorite part and the claws on our lobster where huge! We really enjoyed our Maine lobster dinner.

Cape Neddick and The Yorks

On Wednesday, September 18 decided to stay close to Ogunquit because they were expecting a big storm later in the day.  We started out with breakfast at the Omelet Factory.  They were located in the basement of the Tai Restaurant and convenience store.  Even though there were a lot of omelet choices we went with eggs, bacon/ham and toast with homemade strawberry jam.  After breakfast, we headed out in the car along the scenic coastal route to check out nearby Cape Neddick and the Yorks.  There were lots of beautiful homes built out on the cliffs and lots of little coves.  All the buildings have beautiful gardens with lots of window boxes of flowers. 

It looks like anything they plant grows well.  We never see anyone tending the flowers and they all look gorgeous.  I guess that is the trade-off for the hard winters.  All the fire plugs have tall poles by them so they can be located in the snow. 

A harbor building covered in lobster buoys.

Our first stop was the Cape Neddick Lighthouse.  The locals call it the Nubble Lighthouse because it was built on a nub of land.

Our next stop was Old York.  We looked in Jeffed's Tavern which was built in 1754 along the Kings Highway between Boston and the nearby town of Wells (originally Falmouth). 

Across the street from the tavern was The Old Burying Yard.  It was started in the late 1600's.  We found one grave marker that we really liked for Mary Nasson from 1774.  It even had a likeness of her at the top of the marker which was very rare for the time. 

The inscription reads:

Here rests quite free from life's

Distressing Care,

A loving wife

A tender Parent dear

Cut down in midst of days

As you may see

But stop my grief

I soon, shall equal be

When death shall stop my breath

And end my Time

God grant my dust

May mingle then with thine.

A couple of blocks away, we stopped at The Old Gaol (jail).  It is thought to be the earliest surviving British Colonial public structure still standing on its original site in North America.  Construction on this building was started in 1719 with materials from the older gaol that was built in 1653.    It was built as the King's Prison for the Province of Maine, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

After we left the Yorks, we headed back to Ogunquit along the scenic coastal route again.  We even stopped in at the lighthouse again since it was so pretty.  Since a storm was coming, it was very windy and the waves were getting much bigger.  The coastline along here is so pretty and we stopped a few more times along the way to admire the view. 

We made it to Maine!

We made it to Maine!  We've rented a condo in Ogunquit, Maine for the week of September 15 through September 21.  The leaves here are just barely starting to turn their fall colors.  On Monday, we took our bikes on a long ride to explore the area.  We rode to Ogunquit beach which was very pretty. 

We rode for a bit on a bike/walking path called the Marginal Way that goes along the coast until we reached the point where it was walkers only.   We ran across the Ogunquit Memorial Library which is one of the prettiest buildings in town. 

After a bit more riding around, we headed back downtown to our favorite morning coffee spot, The Bread and Roses.  Eric calls it the Guns and Roses.  I have a lot of trouble choosing between all of the delicious treats.  We've tried two kinds of scones, a pumpkin whoopie pie, a cinnamon roll and a chocolate fluffy thing so far that have all been wonderful.   They have some little tables set up in the alley between their shop and another shop where we enjoy our morning americano. 

After our coffee break, we walked around downtown and checked out some of the shops and mailed our postcards.  We had lunch at a Pizzaria.  After lunch, we continued our ride in the other direction.  We stopped at the Lobster Pound and learned all about how to select a lobster from the guy working there.  They piped in water from the ocean a couple of blocks away for a big tank that held the live lobsters.  We checked out a nice antique shop - too bad we didn't need anything.  We stopped for awhile at the Ogunquit River and then walked across the footbridge to Footbridge Beach.  It was also very pretty.  We are right at the point where the Ogunquit River dumps into the Atlantic Ocean.  We were amazed at how clear and blue the water is here.   

The Ogunquit River, the Atlantic ocean is just over the dunes in the background.

Footbridge beach