Stephen & Barbara: Pixs from Utah Camping

Barbara, apparently awaiting the hummingbirds to get in focus.

Bee on the Global Thistle

New On-Line Newspaper

After creating a blog site to replace some of the news lost by the demise of the Black River Tribune, I finally got a group together to back the development of a user-friendly newspaper format on our own web site.

Check out the Black River Reporter at www.brreporter.com.

Fourth Fireworks In Ludlow

Pictured above are two of the many great firework scenes we shared with friends on the night of the fourth of July, courtesy of the local American Legion.

Fourth Of July Celebration

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra played a Fourth of July concert at Grafton Ponds, featuring, of course, the 1812 Overture and fireworks. Janet and I joined some other Ludlow friends for a nice picnic dinner and "a little night music". Some additional pixs are available at http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANG7Ny0aNGzCrg

Our Trip to Maine, June 2005

Thanks to the gracious gift from the boys (read that as "men of the family"), we were treated to two nights at the Bufflehead Cove Inn in Kennebunk (the Lower Village), Maine. We had a fantastic room with a jacuzzi, fireplace, large balcony overlooking the tidal river, huge bed (covered with pillows), sitting area, and beautifully done stencils on the walls. We enjoyed elegant breakfasts at the Inn along with the company of other sojourners from Mississippi, Ontario, and Connecticut.

To view some of the photos of the trip go to http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANG7Ny0aNGzCyA

When the fog lifted, we toured around Kennebunkport and viewed the summer home of former President Bush at Walker Point. We even had the "opportunity" to see the Bushes and presumably Bill Clinton leave in a large group ob very black SUVs as they headed for dinner at a local eatery. Janet was particularly impressed with Bush's huge speedboat.

One of the Kennebunk highlights was a tour of the Rachel Carson Wildlife Reserve dedicated to showing the critical and fragile link between the ocean, tidal marshes, and abutting uplands.

Moosehead

From Kennebunkport on the southern shore, we travelled inland and north to Moosehead Lake to revisit our old haunts. Greenville seemed to be built up more and, per local rumors, the area around the lake was fast developing with planned hotel and condos,

We drove up the east side of the lake, along Lily Bay Road, and took the six and a half mile, dirt road journey into Casey's Camp grounds where we had camped three times before. Casey looked almost unchanged from the fellow we remembered twenty-five years earlier (although he had severe health problems that apparently have been resolved).

Moosehead still remains a large, basically unspoiled area that still attracts us.

The Rangleys

From Moosehead we headed into the far western section of Maine known as the Rangleys, that featured the Rangley Lakes and mountains (a continuation of the White Mountains). During the drive we were stunned by the beauty of the lupines growing along the highways.

I had heard of the Rangleys as a boy and had always thought of it as the last true frontier in the east. When we arrived in Rangley, we were confronted with many motels, restaurants, et al, exactly what I had not expected.

The lakes are a series of presumably interconnected lakes, large (but no where near the size of Moosehead, the largest fresh water lake contained wholly in one state east of the Mississippi) and clear. It is still a very lovely area and, perhaps, worth a trip back one day.

All in all we drove 873 miles for our northern New England tour. It was great fun and we owe Stephen, Jeffrey, and Douglas our thanks for getting us started on this fun trip