Author: Susie

We are crisscrossing the east. We stopped at Brattleboro on our way to Maine from Katie ‘s in Ossining, New York and now stopping here again coming south out of sugar hill New Hampshire. It is a great crossroads place with a marina on the swirling Connecticut river which has been our companion since we started this morning on interstate route 91. We stopped at the crossroads of I91 and I89 for a too big great breakfast at white river junction Vermont. Learned at the breakfast diner that New Hampshire and Vermont were one territory, but Vermont was French and they broke off. Vermont is green mountain in French. Little bit of history for us adventurous types. This past week Chuck and I were farmers’ assistants on friends’ 10 acre farm. Following instructions as to what was weeds and what was good stuff I helped Linda weed the gardens. Also helped harvest and dry chamomile and dill. Pulled tomato worms off her many (about 100) tomato plants. Painted the white mountains and a still life of picked tomatoes ripening before being turned into sauce. While I helped Linda, Chuck hauled rocks and drove the ride around "boy toys" tractor and lawn mowers. We had no internet service and actually in the midst of nature’s beauty, I avoided trying to get online. It is so green and beautiful in upstate New Hampshire this time of year. I found myself reciting lines from Keats (seasons of mists and yellow fruitfulness) and Robert. Frost… "After Apple picking…" so lush and fruitful. Also I kept singing "the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye, it looks like it’s growing clear up to the sky" all together now! "Oh what a beautiful morning!" OK all is well on this grand journey as we turn south. It looks like after a morning of fierce storm, the sun is out. May you be warm and creative today! God bless you.

While we are on the road, I grab TV in hotel rooms, or at Dave larson’s the first thing in the morning… and how scary and interesting our world is… scary because of the bombings and plane crashes, interesting because of the political talk… why is it candidates talk about their plans and issues and then… when they are elected, supposedly by a majority of the nation, they can’t get their plans through? Almost makes me think our national "plan" isn’t worki ng. Weather is hot and muggy and still air dominates. The fires in the west need rain. Is it better not to watch TV? Maybe I should be watching HGTV and DIY network so I will be able to jump on "projects" when we get home.

While we are on the road, I grab TV in hotel rooms, or at Dave Larson’s the first thing in the morning… and how scary and interesting our world is… scary because of the bombings and plane crashes, interesting because of the political talk… why is it candidates talk about their plans and issues and then… when they are elected, supposedly by a majority of the nation, they can’t get their plans through? Almost makes me think our national "plan" isn’t working. A celebrity runs and he talks brashly, but people are listening… but it is far away from summer 2016… Weather is hot and muggy and still air dominates. The fires in the west need rain. Is it better not to watch TV? Maybe I should be watching HGTV and DIY network so I will be able to jump on "projects" when we get home. Before we left, I started a little garden with a really pretty hibiscus near the art room window, and I hope it survived and I can clean it up and develop it. Also need to paint the house and update the murals on the back. As for America, how is she doing? Well, let me say WOW! yesterday we left SW Harbor Maine (most people know Bar Harbor… well SW Harbor is on that island too) and we headed west past Bangor Maine on route 2. This is a winding road through little Maine towns. We were advised to stop at the Bankery in Skowhegan and we did! It is a bakery in an old bank in an old town. Actually not only a bakery, also make wedding cakes and rents tuxedos and wedding things! We asked about accommodations and got 2. Stopped at the first, the Towne Motel (same name as our hotel in Camden Maine) and they gave us a room with king sized bed at nice rate… and they recommended we go to the river which we did. And then we sat and I painted a little weir (slight damming of the water that makes ripples and fast current.) We watched kyakers take a string of what looked like little children in tubes down the current … Felt like Big Pine Key with the kyakers! Soon this morning it will be time to continue on route 2 towards Sugar Hill New Hampshire to visit our friends Linda and Joe Mccarthy (no relation)… and then on south into Connecticut to visit all kinds of Peabody family and friends. Good weather to you and God bless you.

We drove up to SW Harbor, Maine via US1 along the rugged coast line of Maine. The weather is beautiful. Sunny and just cool enough in the shade. Went sailing with Moira and Dave Larson on the Virginia J. Sunset while pitching to the side in the slight wind. I don’t know what it’s called when a sailboat lays over while catching the wind in her sails… But it is very exciting. Eating chowda and tonight we will eat lobsta! Painting the beautiful flowers and a gazebo in the park at Bar Harbor. Absolutely a great vacay spot! Trying to avoid tourists… Oh wait, I are one! God bless you.

Sitting over the harbor at Camden Maine. Chuck and I just finished 2 1 1/2 pounds lobster… Burp. We are wondering who owns that 80 foot yacht in the harbor called Joan’s Ark. Did she write "the novel with enough violence and sex" so she could buy that cruiser or did she just marry a rich guy? Chuck finishes the bottle into our glasses, we rip off our lobster bibs; we wish we had crayons like the little girl at the next table, we wish… For more lobster? For Joan’s Ark? We wish the bib would come off… The tide is coming in and maybe tomorrow there will be enough sunshine to sit in the grass on our chairs and sip, paint, and read.

Once again I am astounded at the beauty of America! Today we headed north out of Ossining, bidding a fond, "See you soon," to Katie whom I have known since my first night at Barry University. My first night at the "honors house" I found Katie, Patty, Karla, Ellen, Claire, Barbara, Joanie… all lovely women and we have grown up together. We lost Patty and Joanie and we pay tribute to their beauty and their love of life and love of our God our Creator who welcomed them home too early in our eyes. So after leaving Ossining, we drove north through the "valley" left by a long gone glacier along the Hudson river on the Taconic Parkway and cut east at Hillsdale, ate a snack at a real diner with one counter waitress who also worked the cash register. I did not ask, but I think her name is Flo. I found a Revolutionary War monument dedicated to the men who died from Hillsdale. Then on through the Berkshires. Great Barrington, Adams, Pittsfield. So America! The going was slow, so by 2pm, I was begging for a nap, and here we are at Brattleboro on the Connecticut River. We found a Marina with a restaurant with tables on the marina, facing west… we might catch a sunset over the water. God bless America! Love Sue

Not exactly the best grammar, but when one is planning to let loose, get sand in the shoes and butter to the elbows, well I guess grammar takes a back seat. we left the north end of the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel and turned north towards the ferry. Friend Francis called us and told us some things she hadn’t said… Francis is near 90 and does not want to "go into a home". We all know how hard life becomes with children trying to take care of aging parents. Say a prayer for Frances and her children. We spent the night at Tom’s River on the eastern shore north of Sea Isle City and north of Atlantic City. Went to walk on the beach and eat seafood. Drove through the spaghetti bowl around New York city, crossed the George Washington bridge, and got to Ossining home of Sing Sing prison and also a lovely little town. We had a wonderful issue filled talk with Katie, went out for beautiful Italian dinner and Saturday going to the farmer’s market. Going out tonight to celebrate 45 years of our marriage. We are aghast that we are old enough for that. God bless you.

I understand exactly what Otis Redding meant…"Sittin’ on a dock by the bay…" We ate our oysters on the western shore of the Chesapeake, dropped our friend Frances off back in Virginia Beach, and then headed over the longest bridge tunnel (in the world?) …. If you haven’t done it yet… You drive more than 7 miles and then enter the first of two tunnels and go down… It is eerie realizing we are under the largest Naval shipping channel (in the world?) I know Norfolk naval base is the largest base. Anyhow… It is a tad bit scary. And there are two tunnels which means 3 bridges! So we are on the Eastern shore looking west waiting for sunset, sipping, reading, thanking God we live in the great USA. Happy summer. God bless you.

We thank our Hilton Head friends Karla Mark and dog Jessie for a wonderful visit! After many hours spent on the porch, reading, painting (I painted on two canvasses), petting the dog, long walks, eating out at Hilton Head eateries, talking with Mark’s son and family who live and work in Switzerland, did I say eating??? we finally left the family yesterday and drove up to near Virginia Beach which is FULL. Every Virginia Beach hotel I visited online was full!!! We are staying at Emporia Virginia at state road 58 which is the exit from I 95 when we begin the eastward drive into Virginia Beach at a good Best Western with a pool and hot tub, both of which I floated around in yesterday afternoon! We will drive over in about an hour and pick up Francis Skinner for lunch at an Oyster Bar on the north shore called Bubba’s. I think it is where Ray and Francis used to crab on the beach… Chuck met Ray and Francis back in about 1967 when he and Rick Hartman used to stay there when off on leave from the submarine… After the Navy, we visited many times, and Ray and Francis visited us in Miami with Herman. Many of you know them. Ray passed away a few years ago and Francis is very lonely. God bless them. We will then do our 35 minute "shortest drive" routine across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel and spend the night at the Sunset Beach Inn and Grille at the foot of the bridge on the Eastern Shore. Once before we did this shortest drive: We were looking for "Yuk Yuk and Joe’s" an Eastern shore bar that Al’s friend Ray told us about. We found the bar and sat there all afternoon entertained by the "local talent"…. Today we will repeat the trip back and stay in "the only hotel up thissaway" which is what they told us at Yuk Yuk and Joe’s that late afternoon when we needed a close by hotel (if you know what I mean…You don’t want to do the bridge tunnel drunk). It turned out to be a really cool property on the Chesapeake Bay. That afternoon we ate out at the bay-side bar, watched the sun set over the Chesapeake Bay, and had a great evening on the Bay. Repeating…. I’ll tune in later and continue this little journey. God bless you!

We are out on the porch at Hilton Head drinking wine and suddenly we hear, "slurp, slurp, slurp…" and I’m remembering the commercial with the dog who gets the master’s beer…. The barbeque is heating up and we are doing burgers tonight. We are so lazy! Karla and I went to church this morning and then Karla and Mark went to the eye doctor and Chuck and I read books and took Jessie the dog outside to sit in the sun. We are planning still to go to Virginia Beach to visit Francis Skinner next week.. Until then, lots of play and wine. Love. And God bless you.