Tag Archives: travel

Uncategorized

Maine stuff.

14 Comments

.

There are numerous reasons I love my state… the natural beauty, the lobsters, the rocky coast, the ferocious change of seasons, the plethora of craft beer… but this time of year?

Lupine is at the top of my list.

Fields upon fields of gorgeous purple blooms on spikes.

.

.

What’s not to love?

If the damn woodchucks didn’t love them as much as I do, our field could be full of glorious purple too.

.

.

Next up?

The mobile boot.

.

.

Maine is famous for L.L. Bean, and L.L. Bean is famous for it’s waterproof boot. So naturally the boot has to take to the road. It’s currently on a summer tour. Keep your eyes peeled…. it could be coming to your town soon.

.

.

My town seems to be having an issue with runaway chickens lately. They can’t all be curious about crossing the road.

And last but certainly not least?

An infamous Maine landmark. Seriously, tourists drive for miles to have their picture taken under this sign.

.

.

The funny part is, there’s really nothing there. Just the sign, an old farm… and well, yes.

Cow shit.

🤣

.

Uncategorized

Let’s play.

30 Comments

.

Because I want you to, that’s why.

.

.

I know the easy joke would be my husband! but while his years are steadily advancing… he’s not nearly as old as this fascinating carved crystal oddity passed down from my father.

.

.

It’s a bit of a weirdo and though we’ve tried repeatedly over the years, we’ve never been able to positively identify it.

Heck, we even took it to Sotheby’s in NYC a decade ago and if their experts were stumped? It may just have to remain a mystery.

.

.

My paternal grandfather was a world traveler in the late 1800’s and brought this back from Egypt. It hung in my grandparent’s house, my parent’s house and now it hangs in mine. The family lore said it was ancient Egyptian but Sothebys said no, the skull was not used iconographically back then. They did think it could be early Coptic, and as they are the direct descendants… I suppose that’s close enough.

( Historical context. Copts believe themselves to be the descendants of Egypt’s ancient Pharaonic people. They were first converted to Christianity with the arrival of St Mark in Egypt in 62 CE. Egypt became part of the Byzantine Empire in 395 CE, and the Egyptian Church was separated from the Christian community in 451. )

.

.

The famous auction house said the metal work was added later and in its present form could have been used as a talisman for pirates.

How cool is that?

.

.

We never even bothered to ask what it was worth… which in hindsight was rather stupid. But no matter, it’s part of my father’s history and would never be for sale.

So how about you….

What’s the oldest thing in your house?

.

Uncategorized

Fisherman’s Walk… part three.

1 Comment

.

The Wiggly Bridge is correctly named. Though I might add wobbly, swaying and creaking to the title.

.

.

Once you cross it, you’re on the protected side of a preserve.

.

.

Quiet, peaceful and quintessentially Maine.

.

.

So we walked.

.

.

Into the woods.

.

.

It was basically just a small loop trail that skirted the coast in sections.

.

.

And before long we were back at the beginning.

.

.

Wiggling and wobbling.

.

.

A closer look at the motion.

.

.

Even my husband enjoyed it enough to take pictures.

.

.

So ended our day of confused hiking. We may not have started at the right spots for either walk but we thoroughly enjoyed them both.

I did have to laugh as we departed the bridge. Walking up the road to our car…with the wiggly wobbler behind us and to the left … we finally saw a sign directing us to it.

.

.

The fact that it’s pointing in the opposite direction did not surprise me one bit.

🤣

.

Uncategorized

Fisherman’s Walk… part two. The Wiggly Bridge

12 Comments

.

If you remember… my husband and I started our coastal trek searching for Fisherman’s Walk which I thought was entirely too short. As we finished the York Cliff Walk and headed back to our car we realized the walk was too short because we’d literally started in the middle of it.

.

.

These trails are not well marked and it wouldn’t surprise me to find locals sitting on their porches laughing at the tourist’s confusion. Winters are long, we have to get our jollies somewhere.

.

.

Onward…

.

.

Not knowing what to expect around the next corner we almost missed the path as it goes right in front of someone’s house.

.

.

Around the bend, a boardwalk.

.

.

And past that a causeway.

.

.

That leads to a nature preserve.

.

.

It was a lovely section.

.

.

And we really picked a perfect day to do it. Clear blue skies and temperatures in the low 70’s.

.

.

At the end of the causeway was a locally famous bridge.

A famous, and as it turns out aptly named bridge.

.

.

To be continued….

.

Uncategorized

York Cliff Walk … part five.

5 Comments

.

The final section of my cliff walk saga ( but not the entire stroll) contains a monument.

.

.

Which, considering it’s in Maine…. is perfectly fitting.

.

.

I’ve known two lobsterman who lost their lives to the ocean. One was fishing alone and had his leg caught in a skein line. It dragged him overboard and he was drowned at 20 years old. The other went out one morning to haul traps and never came back. The sea claims its own.

.

.

Around the memorial?

.

.

A park we never knew existed, which ironically was the actual entrance to the cliff walk we’d inadvertently found. Never let it be said we don’t do things backwards.

.

.

Oh look.. an informational plaque the husband had to read.

.

.

Not that it wasn’t fascinating history…

.

.

But I prefer to wander and explore. You never know what you’ll find.

.

.

This time it was a heartfelt memorial bench. I love these and have often thought if my husband passes before me I’m going to donate one somewhere.

.

.

This saying would be perfect, as he truly is my rock as well.

.

.

One more clump of wild beach roses.

.

.

A final look back…

.

.

And we returned to the beach where we started.

A fabulous walk through a truly scenic area. If you’re ever in York Maine don’t miss it.

.

Uncategorized

Fisherman’s Walk … part one.

22 Comments

.

Still working my way down the There are so many wonderful places to see in Maine I fear I won’t live long enough bucket list… we headed south to York.

.

.

Fisherman’s Walk is beautiful… but let me tell you it’s not easy to find. Punching the address in GPS brought us to someone’s private driveway. Backing up, we turned around multiple times, then turned around some more…. searching in vain for signage. How bad was it? The husband was so frustrated he stopped and asked a stranger.

Trust me, that’s bad!

The local man pointed us down a hill but said we couldn’t park there. Of course not, that would have been too easy. Turning around again, we found parking, but it was permitted for residents only. By this time my husband had lost all enthusiasm for the experience, but I do not admit defeat easily. Circling around again scored us a free spot… and vindication for me. Though we still had to hike back up a hill and down another hill to find what we’d come to see.

.

.

A scenic coastal walking path.

.

.

Make that a poop free scenic coastal walking path. My very favorite kind.

.

.

Lobster boats were plentiful.

And look…

.

.

Now that we were actually on the path?

A sign for the path.

Never let it be said the state of Maine doesn’t have a sense of humor.

.

.

I didn’t know what to expect, so the chances of being disappointed were slim.

.

.

But it was a gloriously cool sunny day, so off we went.

.

.

Past private piers…

.

.

And hilltop homes.

And then? Nothing.

It ended.

We had driven an hour and a half for a 3 minute walk and I was getting some serious stink eye from my spouse.

Refusing to believe it, I kept walking. Past a high fence. Across a road. By a marina. Across another road. Past some tennis courts. Through a parking lot. Until I found…

.

.

A beach.

To be continued…..

.

Uncategorized

A little training might be in order.

29 Comments

.

During a recent walk with the husband, Lord Dudley Mountcatten spotted my arch enemy.

.

.

Brazen as could be, Momma Red wasn’t disturbed by his presence and stayed in the feeder happily munching seed.

.

.

His Highness stalked and crept closer.

.

.

But she knew he was inexperienced and bided her time.

.

.

Until he was literally right underneath her and she dove over him to reach the safety of the woodshed… where she sat on a high log and chattered at him.

The bitch was laughing, I know it.

Needless to say I was extremely disappointed with His Lordship’s technique …. and purchased a training tool forthwith.

.

.

Okay, technically it’s a flying squirrel. But the size and color are close enough to stand in for that furry red demon for some close quarter combat drills.

Training begins tomorrow.

.

Uncategorized

Creative baking.

48 Comments

.

Do you like to bake cookies?

Chocolate chip? Oatmeal raisin? Snickerdoodles?

In Portugal they’ll do you one better.

.

.

Or worse depending on your point of view.

.

.

Nothing says festive like rows of penis garland.

.

.

Edible penis prayers? If that doesn’t get you to church nothing will.

.

.

Because when you think of Christianity… aren’t phalluses the first thing that comes to mind?

.

.

Underground pecker pastry.

Black market todger trading.

Ah, Portugal. Clinging to their John Thomases for centuries.

🤣

.

Uncategorized

Someone thought this was a good idea.

33 Comments

.

.

You can…

But the question is do you want to?

.

.

In Belgium, they think it’s a great idea.

ORIGINALLY A CHEEKY, IF TITANIC, piece of art, the
one-room Hotel Casanus is a giant intestinal
model that allows guests to spend a cozy night
inside a massive colon.
Resting in the Verbeke Foundation Art Park near
Antwerp, Belgium, the cozy anatomical model
was the work of Dutch designer Joep van
Lieshout. The slim, curved interior of the
furnished anus features a double bed, windows,
heating, and of course, working plumbing. The
exterior of the room is sculpted with bulging
veins and a giant puckered sphincter (non-
functional) on one end, and painted the visceral
red of exposed organs. The colossal muscle tube
almost seems out of place in the idyllic art park,
near a placid pond, yet it is composed of soft,
natural angles, no matter how gross.
Despite the stomach-churning imagery, visitors
still flock to the site to spend the night in the big
colon which is also surrounded by such
wondrous sites as black swans and an
unobstructed view of the night sky. Hotel
Casanus is somewhere between theme bed and breakfast and gross-out stunt tourism, but
whatever the draw, guests can’t help butt visit.

.

.

Not exactly what one would call luxury accommodations, but then again Le Negresco doesn’t have this….

.

.

Uncategorized

That’s harsh.

11 Comments

.

We love visiting the National Parks and always appreciate the helpful Ranger Service that provides excellent directions and local history.

When we were taking in the natural splendor of the Great Smokey Mountains Park in Tennessee and viewing a herd of elk?

.

.

A Park Service employee was right there to answer our questions….

.

.

And make sure I didn’t get a close up photo.

We saw bear in the park as well…

.

.

Though no one was around at the time to give us this helpful advice.

.

.

I can’t say that would ever have crossed my mind, but then again I’ve never been chased by a bear after my girlfriend broke my favorite martini glass…

.

.

Oh, alright.

.