We visited home for a month and now we’re traveling again; same destination, but this time we’re driving to Maine and back and will spend about two weeks aboard Gryphon and travel locally.
While we were home we nearly caught up with pruning and weeding. The agapanthus lilies, purple queen, caressa, and elephant ears nearly covered the front walk. Jasmine vines got caught in the lanai doors and pothos vines were trying their best to creep into the kitchen. One unfamiliar native species (aka weed) had grown taller than me. Despite trying to pace myself, my hands and back will need a month off to recover. A pleasant surprise was that the trumpet plant settled into its new location and had set about ten dramatic blossoms. What had been labeled as an “angel” trumpet, my friend, Kathy, who is a master gardener, identified it from my photos as a “devil” trumpet. It’s still beautiful, despite its name!
We visited Kathy and Paul on their beautiful farm in Winston, Georgia. Paul grew up on the farm and when Paul and Kathy retired they built a wonderful house there with lovely views. They keep cows, bulls, donkeys, labrador retrievers, cats and armadillos. Actually the armadillos are unwanted guests who burrow in the lawn, so the labs have been sent out on a mission to discourage their visits. Kathy and Paul have created multiple garden spaces outdoors and Kathy also encourages orchids to rebloom in spectaculat fashion. Each time we visit the garden has evolved. The weather discouraged me from taking lots of photos this visit, but I assure you it was really a treat to see.
We then drove from Georgia, through the Carolinas and up I81 through the Shenandoah Valley. Instead of averaging five knots on the sailboat, we’re averaging 62 mph and have traveled 1,115 miles so far in two travel days. In contrast, two days of sailboat travel had taken us to Key West.
We’ve been so busy sightseeing or too far from a cell tower for me to keep up with trip. We stayed with friends, Debbie and Steve, who have built a beautiful house on the Concord River near Boston. Our friends, Debbie and Charlie, were also ther visiting, so Debbie made us a delicious “tasting” menu seafood dinner. We also got a chance to try out their new hottub, ping pong table, and theater room. Steve and Debbie took time out of their busy schedules to give us the grand tour of Boston. The weather was sunny, breezy and in the mid 70’s till dinner time, so we made the most of it and saw Harvard, M.I.T. the Boston Garden, Backbay, Newbury Street, and the freedom trail followed by dinner at an Italian restaurant in the North End. Then we got a tour of Concord, seeing where The British captured Paul Revere and dthe memorial of the shot heard ’round the world.
The next two weeks we lived aboard Gryphon in Maine. We spent most nights either at Morris’ moorings in Bass Harbor or at anchor in Mackerel Cove at Swan’s Island. Without staying in a marina it is hard to top up all the batteries if we’re not running the engine, so the frig, heater, ship batteries, and cell phones got priority over the computer.
When i was nice out we took walks, visited a boat show and a special Andrew Wyath exhibit in Rockland, drove down some roads new to us to visit artists” studios, and visited a butterfly garden in full bloom with monarchs flitting about and caterpillars munching on milkweed. When it rained we read books. Our friends, Tom and Susan invited us to help celebrate their anniversary in Southwest Harbor. They sailed up from Newport with their friends, Roy and Kathy. We had a lovely meal and shared lots of stories.
Typing in the car with the sun shining on the screen isn’t very easy. And if you wondered why their are no photos it’s because the camera is packed. The back of the car was skillfully loaded to take as many belongings home as possible. We have listed Gryphon, so if someone wants to buy Gryphon we may not be back to sail the boat again. It made it especially sad to leave. We look forward to more sightseeing and staying with friends in RI, VA and GA on our way back.