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Sometimes you just want hang on the deck in the sun.
If you’re a momma woodchuck you can’t do that alone….
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No matter how hard you try.
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Three out of four children are stuck to you like glue.
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Poor momma.
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😉
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Continuing on our cliff side stroll, there were warning signs…
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Which my husband always ignores.
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I swear the man has mountain goat DNA.
The views were lovely.
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.
The wild roses fragrant.
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And full of busy bumblebees.
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It’s a gorgeous walk and I highly recommend it if you’re ever in Newport.
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And though the views were stellar…
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It was what I found around the bend of this tree that made my day.
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A bunny!
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As someone who lives in Maine where bunnies are a rarity….
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This was a very pleasant surprise.
💕
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Up ahead?
The famous 40 steps…
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Which to he honest my husband and I were a bit too foot weary to explore.
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My goal was over there…the section of cliff walk that winds around the back of all the fabulous Bellevue Avenue “cottages” we’d been touring.
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First, a rest room break…
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And an oddly jagged rock wall.
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With a sadly poignant memorial.
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As we made our way to the much anticipated section, my husband stopped to talk.
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And talk, and talk, and talk.
So I quietly slithered away to explore a little further ahead.
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Only to discover the part of the cliff walk I was most looking forward to?
.
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Was closed for repairs and inaccessible.
A big boo to that!
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As seen at a local ice cream shop.
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If it’s not fried?
How can it be fried…
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These days I’m not sure booze free bliss is possible, but kudos to them for trying,
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Remember I said I’d keep checking on the price increase of my new car? It started at $39,000, rose to $41,000 and now I’m seeing $43,000. So glad we bought it before the tariffs saved America.
🥴
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Sh*t just got real people.
Save the planet! For the beer if nothing else…
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I so need that duck!
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Still having some daylight left on our fifth day in Newport, Rhode Island we visited the number one tourist attraction in the area.
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The Cliff Walk. A local favorite and an absolute must do for visitors.
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Parking is a challenge and we had to hike a while past the beach just to reach the entrance to the famous walk.
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But finally, we were there.
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This is a 3 1/2 mile walk along the shore and takes you right past the backyards of all those fabulous Bellevue Avenue mansions we’d been touring.
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It was gorgeous.
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Wild beach roses filled the air with heady perfume…
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And randomly placed plaques were filled with information.
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The beginning of the walk is easy going, with mostly flat paths.
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At some spots, you’re right over the cliff face…
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Others have high retaining walls.
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I should have taken more videos, but I didn’t.
Just this one.
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As beautiful a spot as this is, I can’t say I’d be thrilled to have crowds walking past my backyard every day.
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Even if there are fences and gates.
To be continued…
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Baby chuckers are now partaking of the backyard buffet on a daily basis.
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They stick close to momma….
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And take pointers on the best way to consume whatever vegetables are on offer.
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So stinking cute.
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💕
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Finished with the interior tour of Doris Duke’s Rough Point estate, we headed outside.
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Where the clouds made a dramatic backdrop.
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Doris loved it here…
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And I have to say…
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I understand why.
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The location is perfect.
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The views of the Atlantic Ocean divine.
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It’s an impressive place to be sure.
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Strolling around the side, we found a gated garden.
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With a warning sign.
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Does everyone have bunnies but me?
😫
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At the front of the estate…
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Wired topiaries of Doris’s pet camels.
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They’re filled with succulents that hadn’t quite greened up yet.
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And over there?
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The formal garden that I had to explore.
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Bit disappointing, that.
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Not formal and nothing blooming in its one small bed.
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The hedge was the best part.
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No matter, it’s still a lovely place to stroll.
And as we were pulling out of the driveway? We passed a time appropriate vehicle.
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😊
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9 weeks after we ordered it and were told it would be delivered in two weeks, it arrived.
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Our beautiful new, oh so expensive mattress.
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Is it wonderful?
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Boy howdy is it ever.
Firm, but luxuriously soft… I’ve never slept better.
But what it also is….
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Is heavy. Can’t say I’m looking forward to sheet change day.
It’s also tall.
So tall it swamps the headboard and makes arranging the comforter a challenge.
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If I pull it down far enough to meet the bed skirt at the foot…
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There’s a gap at the head.
I’m a short person y’all.
And even though we bought the super short accompanying box spring, the frame of our old bed raises it so high I literally half to climb in or fling myself on it from a running start at night.
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Now I know why people buy new beds when they purchase new mattresses these days. No box spring ( or ladder) required.
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Climbing the servant’s stairs to the second floor of Rough Point…
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We were surprised to find a mini museum.
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Of furniture.
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But learned a good bit about trade and the history of Newport.
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The oldest piece on display?
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A woven chair from 1680.
And as we moved on to view Doris Duke’s (in)famous bedroom?
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The husband found someone to talk to, so I toured her (in)famous bedroom alone.
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My first reaction was… wow.
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Yellow and purple. Not the most subtle color combination.
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And I can’t say it does much for the Renoir hanging on the mirror.
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They say this room was redecorated in the 1970’s and I have no trouble believing that.
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The furniture? Mother of pearl throughout, which makes for lots of sparkles.
This was said to be her favorite room in the house.
Yikes.
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The bathroom.
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Busy, busy, busy.
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With a fish faucet.
The husband?
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.
Still talking…
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.
Doris, as a child.
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Upstairs sitting room where Doris played piano and recorded.
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Hallway bench.
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With interesting sign.
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Down the front stairs, with family crests and coats of arms in stained glass.
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Intricately carved banisters and railings…
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And our tour of the Rough Point interior was complete.
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It’s weigela time.
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A deciduous shrub that has definitely enjoyed the over abundance of wet weather we’ve had this year.
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It always blooms…
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But rarely this much.
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And the hummingbirds are loving it as much as we are.
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.
Elsewhere in the gardens…
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Snow in summer.
I’m not sure of its real name, but that’s what we always call it.
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An early bloomer that tends to shrivel up and die in the dry heat of July and August, it’s putting on a lovely show now…
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.
Unlike its poor yarrow neighbor that the woodchucks have nibbled down to a nub.
🥴
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.
Continuing our tour of Doris Duke’s Rough Point estate… the morning room.
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.
Because when you’re rich, every time of the day has its own room.
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Family crest stained glass windows.
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The dining room was odd as it was a huge, mostly empty space.
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.
Doris preferred her table, without extensions, in front of the window
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And this was her absolutely favorite piece.
She loved it so much, she took it with her when traveling.
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Apparently a house is not a home without a giant silver swan.
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I thought this was a nice touch.
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Doris’s record collection only contained vintage albums.
Husband chose Louis Armstrong as he was a frequent guest. You can’t go wrong with Satchmo.
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Multiple kitchens.
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With old, but still working appliances.
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The kitchen was 3 separate rooms.
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All with nice views.
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It’s a very workable space.
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.
Though I could have done without the plastic veggies…
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And pots full of plastic boiling potatoes.
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I get it.
It’s a kitchen. There was food.
😉
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River's world..... 