Tag Archives: nature

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The resort, pros and cons.

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This is one of the timeshare resorts where I’ve been wanting to stay for some time and we were lucky to grab a few days in the fall because they’re usually booked solid.

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Located in the White Mountains, right off the Kancamagus … you couldn’t ask for a more perfect spot.

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Pro..

Nestled in the trees, on the side of a hill with mountain views from every side….

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It was blissfully quiet yet within walking distance to town.

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Our condo was nice. Comfortable furniture in muted autumn colors, a fireplace…

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Full kitchen…

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And two comfortable bedrooms.

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No, the husband and I don’t sleep separately…

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But booking a two bedroom unit means we have two bathrooms as well…. and that my friends, is the secret to a happy marriage.

Con…

Over looking the master bed?

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A moose whose eyes followed you around the room. Very disturbing, that.

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Pro…

The whirlpool bathtub was in the bathroom.

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Con…

The fixtures were outdated and the only soap offered was in this environmentally friendly dispenser.

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Ever try to shave your legs with liquid soap ladies? I don’t recommend it.

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Pro…

Glorious foliage and mountains right outside our balcony.

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And terraced rocks all around the property.

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There was even the namesake Pollard Brook running right down the middle.

Results of review – adding it to my “would stay there again” list, I’ll just have to remember to bring my own bar of soap.

👍

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And we’re off! Again.

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Yes, it’s true. We took another mini trip and I’m about to flood you with more travel photos.

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This time we just jumped across the border and headed to the White Mountains of north western New Hampshire.

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It’s one of my favorite areas… filled with scenic beauty and wondrous natural places to explore.

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These photos are from the famous Kancamagus highway. A 30 odd mile stretch of road cut right through the mountains.

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In peak foliage season it’s divine and while we were two weeks late for that, there was still some residual color.

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Until you reached the top.

But back down the other side it brightened up again.

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The resort we chose this time around was literally right off this road at the end of the National Forest.

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And for us, you can’t get much better than that.

Since check in wasn’t until 4:00pm, we headed to Woodstock.

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A quaint New England village…

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With a big brewery/restaurant/inn.

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You knew that was coming, right? The autumn beer on the far right was my pick. A rich, creamy amber with notes of pumpkin and nutmeg. Perfect!

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And right above my head, teasing me with every glance? A vintage ale crate, damn it. The husband was determined to purchase it for me but the manager didn’t care how much beer we drank, the answer was always no.

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And though our lunches didn’t appear appetizing?

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They were both delicious. Baked haddock, garlic smashed red potatoes and squash for me. Charbroiled mushroom Swiss burger for the hubs.

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A good start to the vacation… except for this uber creepy spare parts facsimile of a doll hovering alongside the bar.

That is the stuff of nightmares.

😳

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An udderly strange traffic hazard.

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I always see news reports of the traffic jams in California and sigh. While I grew up in New Jersey and saw my fair share of highway clusterf*cks, I have to admit the traffic issues in rural Maine are much more pleasant to deal with. Like this one we came upon the other day…

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Someone got loose and decided the grass was indeed greener on the other side of the fence.

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While it wasn’t a heavily traveled area, that section of road was a straightaway and people tend to fly by. Not wanting to see a large pile of hamburger on our return trip, we tried to coax the soon to be road block back into the field.

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That did not go well so we knocked on the farmhouse door. No one was home, so we tried a neighbor.

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No luck there either, so we tried again to convince the bovine to rejoin the herd.

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Ever try to argue with a cow?

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We lost the battle, but left a note on the farmer’s door.

The road was happily pot roast free when we came back from our appointment so that’s a good sign.

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Hope springs eternal.

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These sparrows have it in for our poor cat and are seriously driving him crazy.

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All of a sudden there are flocks of them gathering on our back deck and Lord Dudley Mountcatten is positively beside himself with angst.

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He cackles, he cries, he paws at the window and howls to go outside.

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And then runs right to the bushes where they hide when I oblige.

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His Lordship is not a graceful feline and more often than not falls flat on his face.

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Unless he’s sticking it in the bush on purpose.

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He’s on a leash, but there’s not much walking going on.

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Those birds should be ashamed of themselves. Before long Dudley will be needing kitty Valium.

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Stonington, part four.

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Our last stop in Stonington wasn’t planned, and we just happened to drive by… but it was a lovely end to the day.

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Random public access to beaches is common in Maine. They’re not marked, they’re not named, they just are.

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And sometimes they have a fabulous rock that looks like a sleeping walrus.

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Ah, Maine…

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This float had been pulled up for the season.

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And if you know anything about the coast of Maine, you know sand is at a premium.

Mostly it’s rocks, which my ever intrepid husband continues to climb…

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Not always gracefully.

😉

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Stonington, part three.

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Heading out of the harbor proper, we found some scenically beautiful spots.

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For gorgeous coastline, it’s hard to top Maine.

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We drove at will, no destination in mind. And sometimes cutting down side streets resulted in dead ends.

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Like a marina we didn’t know was there.

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Other times there were loop roads….

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With extremely peaceful seating.

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And if you want peace and quiet? Take a tip from that guy.

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He certainly had the right idea.

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Follow the birdies.

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We have a group of sparrows that live to tease Lord Dudley Mountcatten .

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They perch on the deck railing and patio furniture… driving him absolutely insane when he’s on the back of the couch.

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So when we go outside for walkies? His Lordship is primed to hunt.

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Not that he ever comes close mind you. Those birds are too smart and too fast.

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But we chase them from bush to bush around the house and hope springs eternal.

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They know he can’t catch them, and seem to take great pleasure in the game.

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That sparrow is smiling. I know it.

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You can’t really tell from the picture, but trust me.. he was airborne here.

By the time we make a full trip around the house? They’re back on the railing…. and laughing.

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Lord Dudley on the other hand…

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🤣

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The journey home, continued…

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After traversing the Green Mountains in Vermont, we entered New Hampshire.

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Still mountains, but now they’re White. Although technically right now they’re red, orange and gold.

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This is a beautiful section of NH and one we drive through quite a bit in the autumn.

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There are random wooden moose.

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Glorious fall foliage.

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Random skeleton coffee house greeters.

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And more colorful scenery.

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I think my husband shed a tear over the state of this neglected barn.

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Common to this area? Random filling stations for crystal clear mountain fed spring water. Bring your bottles, fill for free and make some amazing tea or coffee when you get home.

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Yes, please.

Do that as well..

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The journey home.

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Since we weren’t in a huge hurry to get home, we took the longer scenic route back and that meant driving through the Northeast Kingdom.

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It’s a rural and mountainous region of Vermont, similar to areas in northern Maine with its low population density and differing political views.

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Unspoiled and undisturbed.

Beautiful? You betcha!

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This region takes their designation seriously so you’ll find “Kingdom” gas stations and “Kingdom” diners scattered throughout the area.

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There’s even a covered bridge staircase.

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While the majority of Vermont is an environmentally friendly, liberal, churn your own butter, Birkenstock type of place… the Kingdom is a bit wilder and leans much farther right. It’s often said there are two Maines, southern and northern.. I find that’s true of Vermont as well.

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And if you’re wondering how far north we were?

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I could see Canada from my window.

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And though we didn’t cross the border, Verizon let us know we might as well have.

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