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Happy Birthday United States Navy
Credit to Patriot Post
On Oct. 13, 1775, the U.S. Navy was born when the Continental Congress authorized the arming of two sailing vessels with 80 men and 10 carriage guns in order to intercept British supply and munitions transports. The Declaration of Independence came nine months later, followed by the creation of the Department of the Navy in 1798.
Providing transportation to the United States Marine Corps since November 10, 1775.
Only Ten Percent Of People Can Pronounce All The Words In This Poem
I love to write, have written much and shall pull some stuff with dust and cobwebs at some point and share. Herself will tell you I love to talk, she is write, oops, right. I am an engaging person who loves words, I want to learn everyone’s story and will also share my story when given the opening. When I read the following earlier today I just had to share.
How will you fare?
Dearest creature in creation,
Studying English pronunciation,
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy.
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye your dress you’ll tear,
So shall I! Oh, hear my prayer.
Pray, console your loving poet,
Make my coat look new, dear, sew it!
Just compare heart, beard and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word.
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how it’s written).
Made has not the sound of bade,
Say said, pay-paid, laid, but plaid.
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as vague and ague.
But be careful how you speak,
Say break, steak, but bleak and streak.
Previous, precious, fuchsia, via,
Pipe, snipe, recipe and choir,
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, shoe, poem, toe.
Hear me say, devoid of trickery:Daughter, laughter and Terpsichore,
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles.
Exiles, similes, reviles.
Wholly, holly, signal, signing.
Thames, examining, combining,
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
Solar, mica, war, and far.
From “desire”: desirable–
admirable from “admire.”
Lumber, plumber, bier, but brier.
Chatham, brougham, renown, but known.
Knowledge, done, but gone and tone,
One, anemone. Balmoral.
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel,
Gertrude, German, wind, and mind.
Scene, Melpomene, mankind,
Tortoise, turquoise, chamois-leather,
Reading, reading, heathen, heather.
This phonetic labyrinth
Gives moss, gross, brook, brooch, ninth, plinth.
Billet does not end like ballet;
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet;
Blood and flood are not like food,
Nor is mould like should and would.
Banquet is not nearly parquet,
Which is said to rime with “darky.”
Viscous, Viscount, load, and broad.
Toward, to forward, to reward.
And your pronunciation’s O.K.,
When you say correctly: croquet.
Rounded, wounded, grieve, and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive, and live,
Liberty, library, heave, and heaven,
Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven,
We say hallowed, but allowed,
People, leopard, towed, but vowed.
Mark the difference, moreover,
Between mover, plover, Dover,
Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,
Chalice, but police, and lice.
Camel, constable, unstable,
Principle, disciple, label,
Petal, penal, and canal,
Wait, surmise, plait, promise, pal.
Suit, suite, ruin, circuit, conduit,
Rime with “shirk it” and “beyond it.”
But it is not hard to tell,
Why it’s pall, mall, but Pall Mall.
Muscle, muscular, gaol, iron,
Timber, climber, bullion, lion,
Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, and chair,
Senator, spectator, mayor,
Ivy, privy, famous, clamour,
And enamour rime with hammer.
Pussy, hussy, and possess,
Desert, but dessert, address.
Golf, wolf, countenance, lieutenants.
Hoist, in lieu of flags, left pennants.
River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,
Doll and roll and some and home.
Stranger does not rime with anger.
Neither does devour with clangour.
Soul, but foul and gaunt but aunt.
Font, front, won’t, want, grand, and grant.
Shoes, goes, does. Now first say: finger.
And then: singer, ginger, linger,
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, and gauge,
Marriage, foliage, mirage, age.
Query does not rhyme with very,
Nor does fury sound like bury.
Dost, lost, post; and doth, cloth, loth;
Job, Job; blossom, bosom, oath.
Though the difference seems little,
We say actual, but victual.
Seat, sweat; chaste, caste.;
Leigh, eight, height;
Put, nut; granite, and unite.
Reefer does not rhyme with deafer,
Feoffer does, and zephyr, heifer.
Dull, bull, Geoffrey, George,
ate, late, Hint, pint,
Senate, but sedate.
Scenic, Arabic, Pacific, Science, conscience, scientific,
Tour, but our and succour, four, Gas, alas, and Arkansas.
Sea, idea, guinea, area, Psalm, Maria, but malaria,
Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean,
Doctrine, turpentine, marine.
Compare alien with Italian,
Dandelion with battalion.
Sally with ally, yea, ye,
Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, key, quay.
Say aver, but ever, fever.
Neither, leisure, skein, receiver.
Never guess–it is not safe:
We say calves, valves, half, but Ralph.
Heron, granary, canary,
Crevice and device, and eyrie,
Face but preface, but efface,
Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.
Large, but target, gin, give, verging,
Ought, out, joust, and scour, but scourging,
Ear but earn, and wear and bear
Do not rhyme with here, but ere.
Seven is right, but so is even,
Hyphen, roughen, nephew, Stephen,
Monkey, donkey, clerk, and jerk,
Asp, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.
Pronunciation–think of psyche–!Is a paling, stout and spikey,
Won’t it make you lose your wits,
Writing “groats” and saying “grits”?
It’s a dark abyss or tunnel,
Strewn with stones, like rowlock, gunwale,
Islington and Isle of Wight,
Housewife, verdict, and indict!
Don’t you think so, reader, rather,
Saying lather, bather, father?
Finally: which rhymes with “enough”
Though, through, plough, cough, hough, or tough?
Hiccough has the sound of “cup.”
My advice is—give it up!
The above is from Country Living, you can view the entire article by way of the below web site.
And the Winner is!!!!!
Abby Birthiaume
Here’s Abby last Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. Abby treated her grandfather (that would be the Rooster) to a Misissippi State vs U. of Mass football game. Can anyone say road trip?
The total mileage for the trip was 3,051.8 miles, Abby entered 3,002 miles.
Thanks to all who participated. No one went over the total mileage which I found interesting. Most of those who entered were quite a bit lower that the total mileage. Now I’m hoping we can do another road trip come next spring. We’ve gotta keep those wheels a turning.
“T” Shirt contest ends tonight at midnight.
Are you in?
Cast your guess on mileage driven during our recent trip to New England and the Canadian Maritimes. Check out the previous blog for all the particulars on where we went and what we did. Submit your guess to any of the contacts at the end of this blog.
Send your mileage to:
In the comments section of this Blog.
on Twitter @: https://twitter.com/Fiddelstix
on Facebook @: https://www.facebook.com/Lee.FiddlerCSP322
12 hours and thirty minutes to go.
T Shirt Contest
Our trip north has ended and we are back home after XXXX number of miles. How many miles did you put on that Subaru of yours you might ask. Well, thats why we’re having a contest and the winner will receive a Maryland Flag “T” Shirt.
Six years ago my brother in-law Bobby and I made a cross country trip together to Colorado, we were delivering a car to my granddaughter at the Air Force Academy. I blogged our trip through the Ohio River Valley, the bread belt of Illinois and Kansas and up to the Rockies of Colorado. We had a T Shirt contest for that adventure as well. Our winner was Della Baird of Wilmington, NC and her photo in her winning T Shirt was posted on a later blog. Uncle Bobby is no longer with us, but whenever we go on a trip his spirit for adventure lives.
So, here we go.
You must email the Rooster @ elfidd@gmail.com no later than midnight on September 30, 2016 with your guess on the # of miles driven on our trip through, CT, RI, MA, NH, ME, NB, PEI, NS and back. The person who comes the closest without going over the actual total mileage is the winner.
The Itinerary
Departed Eden/Allen, MD, 21822 on 21 August and drove to Vernon then Tolland, CT. We hung out in CT for six days taking a few side trips to Mystic, CT, Westerly, RI for one and to our daily walking path in Vernon and breakfast there a few times also. We went to Stafford Springs, CT for my State Police Troop “C” reunion also.
Back on the road 28 August we would leave Tolland and head to Bangor, ME. We pretty much drove a direct route to Portland, ME and then the all back roads to Bangor began. We tried to stay parallel to I-95 but we got off the beaten path more than once.
After a nice evening in Bangor, ME we headed out to cross the Canadian border on 29 August at the Calais/St. Stephen crossing and drive to Moncton, NB for the evening. Rt 1 was our road for that trip. We drove around some to see the tide change and have dinner while in Moncton.
On August 30th we arose well rested and after a great breakfast we were off to the home of Lucy Maude Montgomery, the Author of “Anne of Green Gables.” Garmin got us there directly. Now you must do a bit of detective work and locate the site. After some time at Lucy’s homestead we headed to Charlottetown and our hotel. Oops, the rooms not ready. To kill some time we would drive to Brackley Beach and have some great fish and chips. After much it was back to Charlottetown and the hotel right down town.
We arose on the 31st and after some walking about town we drove semi directly to the ferry located at Wood Islands where we would cross to Nova Scotia and the city of Halifax. We would drive directly to Halifax via Garmin and park our car for two days in the garage of the Residence Inn. Our feet would be our transportation for this stop.
We would hop back into the car once again on 2 September and drive via Garmin to Saint John, NB. We did take a side trip to Fundy National Park along the way. More figuring for you readers out there. Once again our feet and a Trolly tour were our transportation while in Saint John for two days.
On Sunday 4 September we departed Saint John, made the border crossing at ST Stephen/Calais once again and followed Garmin’s direction to Bucksport, Me. Once checked into the Bucksport Motor Inn, highly recommend it by the way, we were off on a drive along Route 1 south to Bayside, Belfast and the Young’s Lobster Pound. If ever in Belfast try it out, you will not be sorry, provided you like Lobster that is.
Labor day, September 5 we headed south to Portland, Maine, we ignored Garmin once again and motored along Route 1 south. We saw old haunts along the way, Lincolnville and it’s ferry to Islesboro where we ventured with family for a beachside picnic many years ago. Going through the town of Bath you pass the Bath Iron Works, a neat view as you cross the Kennebec river.
We made a stop in Camden, a must if you ever travel Route 1. Slow down people, get off the Interstate. Entering Camden I had an “Epiphany.” “Wallack” I shouted out as my wife glared at me like I was some crazy man. Ever since heading south from the border I had been trying to remember someone’s name. I’d gone through the alphabet over and over. Have you ever done that? I knew his first name was Mark and when he retired from the CT State Police he had moved to Maine. I had known this man dating back to 1981 when he first applied to the department for a Troopers position. I was working in the Selection Unit back then.
So I remember a name, the man possibly living in Camden from a contact I had back some ten years ago about him retiring to Camden, ME. No address, no phone number and no internet to go searching. “Dang” says I to myself as I ease into a parking spot right in downtown Camden. The little lady want’s to walk the shops, “$$$,” visit the waterfront and just take a nostalgic stroll, we’ve been here numerous times over the past 51 years.
She sees an eclectic souvenir shop and enters. I stroll ahead totally oblivious to her disappearing act which is commonplace. Many times I’m thankful she has her phone with her, “where are you I ask?” On this occasion I recover from the alone feeling quickly and trace her back to the said store. I mean I was a Detective, right?
The Mrs. searches the shelves for something to take to Oklahoma to the great grandkids in October and I think, this place must have a phone book. I borrow the book, peruse the “W’s” list of names and no Mark Wallack, “damn” I mutter to myself. No luck I say to the store owner. “Who are you looking for,” he asks. I explain who, and the connection going back thirty-five years ago. “Mach” he exclaims, “I know Mach.” You see, there are no “R’s” in the Maine vocabulary. The man goes into a lengthy explanation of how he knows him and how much a part of the community he is. I get a phone number and address from him, he lives just one mile out of town. We’re out of the store, $58.95 later, and we head up the street to see an old friend.
We find the house, an adorable Cape on a lake, kayak with fishing rod rigged to the side, (every man’s retirement dream) just waiting at the dock. A feisty Aussie Mini Collie, (could be something else, but that’s close enough) is greeting us on the porch. I find out later the dog’s name is Frisbee. I knock, Mach answers, we recognize each other after all these years and it’s Man Hug Time.
We pass an hour’s plus of time, take a few remembrance photos and say good-by. I shall MACH this epiphany in my journal. It was great seeing you old friend.
We continue south, stop and get a Subway, grinder in hand, New England for Hero, Sub, Italian Sandwich, or what ever. We have ourselves a roadside lunch stop in Rockport and continue south to Freeport, home of L. L. Bean. You can not go through Freeport without stopping at the store, I think it’s a law or something. I have my picture taken in front of the customary boot, spend a few dollars and we’re off again.
We will spend the night in Portland, take a side trip to Windham to have dinner with old friends, Gilbert’s Chowder House was the venue for this last taste test. This time a Bread Bowl of Fish Chowder. Great to see you Shirley and Ray. Shirley and my sister Donna were best of friends, having first met as student nurses back in 1963. Shirley was part of the family at my sisters bedside when she died on July 1st. Thank you Shirley for all you have meant for so many years. The few, the proud, the Pie Maker. Too short a visit, we will make it longer next time. Back to the hotel on Mall Road in Portland for a good nights sleep prior to leaving for Tolland, CT the next AM.
Herself on the left with good friends Shirley and Ray
Garmin would be happy with us on Tuesday, September 6. No U-turns were suggested as we cruised the speedy interstates the entire way. We did continue past Tolland to Vernon Pizza for a great Grinder, Capiccola for me, Pastrami for herself.
We lay over one night with the son and family, say good-night and are out the door by 0500 the next morning. Our last day on the road was an easy one, Garmin is not needed at all, I drove this route for the first time 57 years ago. I’ve varied the route countless times, often going far out of the way just to do something different. I’ll keep Garmin on in case a detour is needed at some point but not for directions.
Here you go, last bit of mileage to calculate, Tolland, CT via I-84 to I-684 Brewster, NY to I-287, to Garden State Parkway in NJ. NJ Turnpike, cross into Delaware ( She wore a Yellow Ribbon by the way) Rt. 1 south to Dover, DE to Rt.13 to 21810.
OK you readers out there, get calculating, googling or what ever. Make your best guess and submit it by September 30, 2016 by 2400 hours to elfidd@gmail.com
If you win and want the shirt, please state size and your mailing address. I shall not flood you with junk mail, only a “T” shirt.
Just a little FYI, we got four new hens last night, 15 weeks old and our first egg this afternoon. Six hens now and one very happy Rooster named Casper. The girls are Mary, Hillary, Donna, Linda, Bobbie and Marie. Hillary by the way is a liar. Always spending time in the layer box, squawking like she just laid an egg and no egg to be found. Liar, Liar, pants on fire.
Thanks for stopping by. Plenty of links for you this time, enjoy. We have now traveled every mile of and touched touched both ends of U.S. Route 1. Can you say Xylophone?
Porch Time
With the family spread all over the place, ME, VT, NH, RI, CT, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, NC, FL, TN, MI, OK, OR, WA, AK & I’m sure I’ve missed a few, I am the Town Crier and aged Patriarch at the moment.
It is just so much easier to put out a blog from time to time, let the reader’s take what they want, and disregard the rest. Here I am retired, have so much I want to put into print and feel so often, I have such little time. My goodness it goes fast when you grow old. Don’t wish yourself into retirement. Fenrick Russell once said: “Until you find that work you enjoy, enjoy that work you find.”
I try not to pass up porch time, you see we solve everyone’s problems out there. We never speak them mind you, but boy do we have the answers. Seventy plus years of experience lends one to have the answers. They’re just nuts I’ll say, and herself will smile, nod her head in agreement, and we move on to the next item. On occasion we might take a sip of the Nectar of the Gods. If you see us on the porch, stop by, we share.
All this is accomplished while waving to those passing by. Besides the family cemetery across the street, they usually get rowdy the end of October, we have neighbors walking dogs in baby coaches, bikers, walkers, joggers, every kind of farm equipment known to man kind, golf carts, ATV’s and of course cars and trucks. Thursday evenings we have a train of bikers, on occasion as many as thirty. It grows exponentially the closer it gets to the “Seagull Century.” We have an MSU cowbell next to our chairs that we ring on occasion when the big trains go by. Perhaps we’re the nutty wavers?
“Who was that” she will say. “Bunny” I’ll answer,“ on her way home from the Bd.of Ed. I’ve been doing this for the past 13 years from this venue and every day the same thing. “51st Date” you say?
We missed this morning. No Gym class tomorrow, we shall be on the porch early. Coffee, check, hand bell, check, Rotator Cuff loosened up check, WAVE!
Thanks for stopping by.
Halifax Nova Scotia
I know Nova Scotia means New Scotland, but if you ask me, I was in Ireland, at least in Halifax, I’m writing this from Saint John, New Brunswick and half the time I think I’m in France now. We just took an hour and a half Trolley tour hosted by a delightful 69-year-old lady named Jodi. Jodi works for Aquilla Tours.Uncle Bobby and Aunt Barb got us started in taking tours many years ago. I feel we have never had a bad one. The pride your host or hostess has for their home town and the stories they can tell can only be realized through their knowledge. One time in Nashville when we were on a tour, our guide stopped the bus, motioned for a lady on the street to hop aboard and say HI to us. That lady was the sister of Johnny Cash. Thank you Jodi for a ditto to many previous tour guides. We were lucky to take the last regular scheduled tour for the year. When the cruise boats come in they will run specials through October. I’m guessing it gets a bit chilly after that.
We have found that with a one day stop while traveling, the best thing you can do is get a meal in a good restaurant. A two-day stopover gives you only one full day to explore. We have determined that future travels will require at least a three-day stop over. We have left too much on the table that we would have liked to have done. Even at our age, you’re never too old to learn. Once we leave Saint John, NB we will make three one night stops before reaching home. Tomorrow we look forward to returning to the US of A, save the possible angst with our fellow countrymen at the border crossing. We shall put our heads on pillows in Bucksport and Portland , Maine, Tolland, CT once again and finally home to the Land of Pleasant Living. No complaints though, it’s been a fabulous experience.
Happiness Hollow
I’ll now put forth a few photos and add a description or two along the way. We have loved sharing this voyage with all of you who have ambled by. I must give a special thanks to my Daily Journal that I’ve been keeping these past two years. Without that little Black Book, I’d not remember from one day to the next of the who’s, what’s where’s or when’s of each and every day. A wise man once told me many years ago, document, document, document. If it’s not written down, it never happened.
HMCS Ville de Quebec coming in to Halifax harbor. Halifax is home to the Canadian Atlantic Fleet, HQ.
Not like my old pontoon boat.
Samuel Cunard, Born in Halifax
Thought we were almost home for a minute.
Just one last thing, Happy Birthday to my granddaughter Abby. More to come down the line, thanks for taking a peek.
PEI & Nova Scotia Ferry
The Ferry Boat
Here’s the Rooster once again, back to you with some PEI action and from Nova Scotia. We have felt like we were in Ireland once again. Halifax is one neat active city. Very eclectic, very European through our eyes. There were two cruise ships in port while we there, one ship was the Anthem of the Seas. The ship had poured close to 5,000 people into this hustle and bustle city. The other ship in port was the Veendam, it would only spit out 1,300 passengers into the city.
The Anthem of the Seas sits dockside in Halifax Harbor. It is the largest passenger ship ever to dock in Halifax.
The Theodore Too brings happiness to those much younger than us.
Somehow we were fortunate to get a seat at Five Fishermen on day one and Durty Nellies on day two. At each venue the little woman ordered Fish Chowder. Now 3 Bowls full after skippers in Moncton, she rates Nellie’s #1, Five Fishermen #2, and Skippers #3. Just to let you know, Skippers was voted #1 Chowder in Moncton by their Foodie Votes. Some great bowls of warm you up in these neck’s of the NE woods. At Nellie’s we went all in for Irish. I had the Lamb Shank with great Root-Veggies, washed it down with a Harp Lager by the way. The Mrs had Sheppard’s Pie after the customary bowl of chowder, and we washed it all down with Coffee & Jamison after while listening to some fine Irish fiddles. A grand evening it was.
We took the ferry from Wood Islands, PEI over the waters to Nova Scotia. For you folks in the Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey area, 75 minute crossing on a Quad deck vessel, quite similar set-up to the Cape May Lewes Ferry. They also have COW ice-cream on board.
Four decks of parking space on this big girl.
It was a gorgeous day to make the crossing. While we awaited our ship to come in, an Irish trio entertained us. We were back to our days in Dublin and Kilkenny where we spent time this past December. Our ride into Halifax was uneventful as the city was emptying out from their work-day and we had clear sailing on the way in.
We would walk most of Thursday morning along the entire River Walk, seeing all there was to see. I’m guessing I got more steps in on this day since I was in my thirties. We went on a Whale Watch trip, no Whales, just a Seal, Dolphin and lots of Seagulls. Our guide, a College senior, dual major in Marine Biology and Statistics provided a wealth of information. One tidbit, largest Lobster taken from the waters off PEI, 44 pounds. It’s been said a Lobster grows 1 pound for every four years of age. That equates to approximately 176 years old. That old boy was with us back in the 1840’s as a youngster. What was happening back then, the Great Famine in Ireland for one. You want the rest, well here you are.
Prior to leaving Charlottetown, PEI we got some steps in downtown. They have a walking story book tour and here are two photos from it.
A few more pics of Charlottetown. Northern Watters Knitwear makes their own. Fishes on the Roof rang close to home, (some will get it.) Husband Day Care is a great idea and a moment of thanks in the Lords House for this wonderful opportunity was expressed.
The worker Bees spinning their yarn @ Northern Watters.
St Peters Cathedral (Charlottetown)
Enough banter for this night. The bride’s asleep, my eyes are having a want to close, I’ll catch up later. Thanks again for following us on our journey and you folks on the Eastern Shore, as Jim Cantore says, “batten – down.”
Attachment to a Friend
Today I share with you the writings of a fellow blogger who I’ve come to admire and appreciate. His name is Sir David Prosser, and his web site is https://barsetshirediaries.wordpress.com
In his about me column he writes:
A retired ex Local Government Officer with a horse mad wife, a sadistic cat who acts as my alarm clock at the time he wants me to get up, and a daughter who must be wonderful because she thinks her dad is. I live in a small village in North Wales and became an author almost by accident when a friend liked a day’s diary I sent her in answer to a ‘How was your day”? query. Needless to say the day was a fiction from start to finish.
I was lucky enough to meet another author who became both friend and editor for me, I can’t say THANK YOU often enough. Ilil Arbel is an exceptional person and I hope to have the pleasure of making her the first author I interview on this site.
I have come to enjoy writing and using characters I meet as part of the stories. Not only does Lady J nag less when she’s reading my books but I have the thrill of hearing someone laugh out loud and knowing I caused it.
His post from Someone watching over me was written on August 27, 2016
Some of you may remember a post from either last year or the year before when I told of a butterfly that visited with Yvonne and I in the middle of a shopping arcade. It was a very surreal experience not just in the fact that the arcade was nowhere near any gardens from which it was likely to have come but also that it chose to sit with us despite it being a busy place. Yvonne insisted it was her mother coming to give comfort at a very low time.
A Wiki commons image.
Today after shopping Mike was anxious to do something different and not waste the weather by coming home. I suggested a trip to the town of Denbigh where we could take a slow walk round the shops and have some lunch. We parked in Vale Street which is where the main shops are and walked towards a restaurant called The Forum that Ju and I used to visit with MuJo. Gone, Kaput, Closed. What a disappointment.
We turned to cross the road as there were other restaurants and cafes there. Mike took two steps to reach road level again and as he did a butterfly came past his leg and settled on the bottom of my left crutch. I was amazed since the crutch was in motion and it doesn’t seem the ideal place to park oneself. I expected the butterfly to launch itself off as we entered the sunshine from the covered arcade we’d been in but it seems the butterfly had other ideas.
Despite me trying to be careful the stick must have jarred each time it hit the ground. After ten minutes it was still hanging on as we entered a cafe which had a notice about pets not being allowed. Mike threatened to report me. It stayed with me all through lunch and during our visit to an antique emporium afterwards. I suggested showing Mike a little wholesale place which frankly Ju hadn’t liked and at that the butterfly took off. It had been with me almost exactly an hour.
I texted Yvonne to tell her and she came back to say it must be her Mum coming to try and lift my spirits. I have to say that the strangeness but joy of the visit did lift my spirit.
Hugs to you all, (he signs off).
My response to this written piece was as follows.
The Butterfly surely comes and visits us as we sit on our porch during the afternoon watching life pass us by on our country road. We are blessed with shade most of the day and two overhead fans to combat the heat. Our Hydrangea lure the butterfly and quite often they visit for a time. Who are you I sometimes ask and fully expect them to sit upon my glass of Chilled Wine and take a sip with us.
The Dragonfly has ridden with me on many occasion as I mow my .4 hectare yard, they will often perch upon the hand when held out. I equate the Dragonfly to a visit from my grandson Andrew who died at age seven. I greet them each time with his name and a smile and enlightenment. I once had a boat named “Dragonfly Angel.” Andrew was enamored with the Dragonfly.
A Wiki commons image.
Being the Inquisitor that I am, I now know of Denbigh up to the north and it’s history back to the 1200’s. Always learning and keeping the wheels turning. From Halifax, NS, (this day) Cheers Sir.
A side note.
As a side addition to that porch time I must tell you, we are able to solve many of the on-going issues in the world. No military has to be dispatched and very little financial burden is put upon the tax paying public. Just a few dollars for a bottle of KJ and the world is our Oyster. Well, not last night, it was a pound of Mussels and Halibut over Salsa at the Five Fishermen.
Arising in Halifax where we will spend the next two days. Good morning all and thank you for stopping by.
Bucket List Fulfilled
The Campbell home, that L.M. Montgomery called the “wonder castle of my childhood”, was built in 1872 by her Uncle John and Aunt Annie Campbell. The first Campbells’ settled here in 1776 and it is still in the Campbell family after over two hundred and thirty years. Here, L.M. Montgomery, author of the world-famous novel Anne of Green Gables was inspired to write many novels and it is the setting for Anne’s Lake of Shining Waters. * From the website http://annemuseum.com/
Notice the cat, the Mrs. has always said ” A house without a cat is not a home.”
On Tuesday we broke out the Bucket List and checked off my girl’s #1, PEI and the setting for L.M. Montgomery’s inspiration for “Anne of Green Gables.” I’ve been told we have to purchase the CD of the entire series, 70’s era and watch it. You’ll love it she says. Will not be watching Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays or Monday Nights. My on-going Bucket List of Pigskin frolics (Football) will be on the big screen over the fireplace.
I am quite impressed with our adventure to the Maritime Provinces. It all started when leaving the USA at Calais, ME and being greeted by the Border Security ambassador. The roadways have been wonderful, the scenery superb, the homes well cared for and litter non-existent. The people we have come in contact with are congenial and quite forthcoming when engaged in conversation. And just to let you know, I’m an engager. I have realized I must get a new business card promoting the Rooster and his Blog. I’ve got to hand my contacts something when I approach them and ask, ‘Hi there, do you mind if I ask you a few questions.”
Upon leaving the house that Anne was realized in, we headed to Charlottetown, PEI and our hotel for the night. With the room not ready for a few hours we headed out to explore what PEI had to offer. We headed out to Brackley Beach, a Provincial Park on the Ocean. The entry, much like back home in Assateague, MD was staffed by what I shall call Park Rangers. The fee for Seniors is $6.80 each. However after asking directions off the park for a restaurant, we were granted free access. It seemed that a ways up the beach there were several restaurants, Richard’s being one of them. The Ranger says, and I quote ” free enterprise you know, we can’t charge you for going there.” We had the most tummy filling Fish and Chips meal of fresh caught Cod that morning.
64f, nice breeze, no flys, a glass of Chardonnay and the smell of the ocean. As Uncle Bobby would say, were he here, “Leroy, that’s what he always called me,” It don’t get much better than this.” Of course now he would have had a Coors Lite, which they have up here. Miss you Robert. We talked on the phone almost every day for a lot of years, What’s going on time we called it. They were usually lengthy calls after an Eagles loss.
So this young lad, Ben was his name, eight years of age and a nonstop jump off the bulkhead 10 foot high kind of kid, swim to the beach with a rushing tide and do it over and over again. An amazing young man.
Just a gorgeous place to be on a wonderful trip with my best friend. Good-by PEI.
We made it to Nova Scotia on the Ferry from Wood Islands, PEI.
Hello Nova Scotia
Thanks for stopping by. We cant wait to see what Thursday brings as we continue our adventure. Dinner tonight at Five Fisherman, it’s a keeper. Mussels, Blacken Halibut for me, Fish Chowder and Lobster Linguine for the lady. It’s like being in Pittsburgh without the bridges.
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