New England

Apple picking at Cider Hill Farm

October 29, 2013

I know, I know… It’s a bit late in the season to post about apple picking but I couldn’t resist sharing these pictures from when we went apple picking a few weeks ago. Plus things are still great in some orchards so don’t think you’ve missed your chance just yet!!

We try to go to different orchards every year to experience something new and see which ones we like the best. Price found Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury, MA so we headed up there for a bit of apple picking.

Once you grab a bag for the apples you are ready to go! They give out a handy guide to inform you about each variety, such as what they tasted like, and where each apple is in the several orchards. As well, we were told which apples were best to harvest now and where they were in the orchards, just to help us out.

I feel that the info could be improved to help you pick which apple you would want for what use. We always go to the orchards to get apples that are great for eating and baking with since I’m not one to really make sauce. So we ended up pulling up info on our phones as we walked around the orchards. (As well, this guide is really helpful!)

Could not get over the hanging baskets. Just look how big they are compared to the pumpkins!

Rows upon rows of apples fresh for the picking!

We wandered around the long rows picking apples at the tips of our finger tips. There is just something so fun about squishing yourself in the branches and just grabbing hold of a fresh shiny apple!

Autumn is just so beautiful.

ahh bliss! These were fresh from the frier and so dang good. They were airy, flavorful, and the perfect consistency for apple cider donuts. We got a dozen because we get them 1x a year and I figured eating 6 was reasonable…

For the 2013 season the price for apples is $1.85/lb and pumpkins are $.59/lb.

Cider Hill Farm

45 Fern Ave

Amesbury, MA 01913

(978) 388-5525

Weekend camping at Pillsbury State Park- Washington, NH

August 14, 2013

Price and I had been talking about going camping this summer for a long time. We finally found a weekend that would work and off we went to Pillsbury State Park for a little camping weekend.

Pillsbury State Park Camping_02

We had been talking about going to Pillsbury State Park for about 2 years but we made it work this weekend since we knew we wouldn’t have another chance. Plus it was pushing my limit of going camping while pregnant. Kinda something related to peeing 10x a day and using a campground toilet.

Pilsbury State Park is located in Washington, NH, about 45 minutes West North West from Concord. It is is comprised of 8,100+ acres that surround 3 large ponds. Open from the end of May to the end of October, the campgrounds have 41 tent sites that are either accessible along the main road through the campgrounds, by foot on a short hike, or canoe across the ponds.

When I called on Thursday the campgrounds were booked up, except that there are few campsites (5, 8, 9, 13, 21, 31, and 34) that are not reservable so we still had some options available. I learned that the state park opens up at 8.30 and by 9.30, after the rangers have done a drive thru to make sure it’s all clean, you can reserve the available campsites.

Once ranger Tracy went through the grounds she came back to inform us that we had 5, 8, and 13 for us to pick from. I picked campsite #8 since it was a solo campsite so it would provide us with a bit more distance from the others, which would be helpful in keeping the dog quiet. As well, it was a very quick walk to the cluster of sites 9-19, which had toilet facilities and a water spigot. Plus then we discovered that there is a little creek just off from the side of the campsite. Kemper loved it.

We unloaded all of our stuff and set up the dog on a stake so he could roam around the site a bit while we set up the tent.

And then off we went to check out the rest of the campgrounds, which include a jungle gym and big, open picnic area overlooking Mill Pond. Then we continued on to our hike up Balance Rock Trail. The trail is 1.2 miles each way from the start of the trail head and is a easy hike for families (and dogs!) that climbs up 550 feet up as it winds up and around Bryant Mountain.

Pillsbury State Park Camping_08

So yeah, this was the typical scene on the trail with the dog looking down at me like “why are you taking so long?!?” He didn’t really care when I was trying to explain to him that trudging up the trail at 6 months pregnant took some extra time. He was breezing up the trail on climbing up rocks, boulders, and hoping over downed logs. Quite the show off.

Not Balance Rock! Just some balancing rocks. Price put on the top one.

The best part of the trail was this overlook on the east side of Bryant Mountain right before you reach Balance Rock. I can’t even guess how far we could see since it just seemed to go on and on. It looked over the North Pond in Pillsbury State Park, the hills of Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail, and way beyond.

When did he get so big?

Some sweaty photos at the overlook.

We finally made it to Balance Rock! It was a nice 3-mile hike (from our campsite and back) but we were saying that if there was no overlook we would have been a big disappointed just to reach the big rock. Don’t get me wrong- it was so cool so see this big rock deposited by glaciers on this ledge, but I’m all about the views. That being said, I would totally go back and do this again later on in the season (next year!) so we could see the stunning fiery oranges and reds filling up the changing forest.

We all took a nap once we got back to the campsite. I just love opening up all the vent flaps on the tent and letting the breeze blow in. Plus any chance I can take a nap is awesome with me.

Obviously, we woke up super hungry since we had not eaten since breakfast (smart). We left the state park and headed north about 11 miles, stopping off at Violette’s Supermarket in Newport, NH. The small market had a nice selection of beers, fresh bakery breads, meats, and all the camping supplies you’d need. We bought some cheese, crackers, and pepperoni for a snack to have as our chicken sausages we picked up for dinner cooked over the fire.

Price had to work really hard to get the fire going but kicked some ass and finally got it going so we could enjoy it for several hours. We enjoyed dinner and roasted up some marshmallows for dessert. Kemper was so tired that he fell asleep in my arms as we sat in front of the fire.

At 6.30 the next morning we walked down to a public boat (kayak, canoe) launch into Mill Pond, located between campsites 10 and 11. We quietly stood there and watched the mist burn off the pond as the 4 windmills spun in the distance.

Pillsbury State Park Camping_19

Stunning.

We made breakfast of bacon, eggs, and blueberry pancakes over our Propane 1-Burner Stove while we sat in front of another fire that Price made to finish off the 4 bundles of wood we had purchased.

Then I said I would lay down for 5 minutes and, of course, Price had to wake me up an hour later. When I downloaded the pictures from the weekend, I discovered these photos of the sunlight casting through the trees that he took during my ‘quick’ nap.

Right before we left we let Kemper do a bit more playing around in the May Pond by the Park’s lodge building. He is fearless and just runs and will take off swimming for sticks we throw him.

On the drive back we stopped at Winter Hill Farm Market. The Farm now has a market in the old Withington Antiques Barn building and it is just darling. I was so in love with the store from the decor to the local produce and products they sold. I picked up a bottle of maple syrup and 2 locally made sodas for our ride home. I want to go back to check out what foods they have and get some ice cream from their air stream out back.

Kemper was drunk tired afterwards and fought sleeping in the car for fear of missing something out the window. He finally settled down and then basically crashed for the rest of Sunday and Monday.

Well, we were all really tired. 🙂

Price and I will definitely go back to Pillsbury State Park for camping and for visiting. It was a fun weekend at a beautiful, clean campgrounds. There were plenty of things to do there from canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, and hiking. As well, the campgrounds were quiet enough to really step back and relax from it all.

Tips and Tricks:

Bring cash with you as you need to pay a small fee to visit the park.
The toilets are just pit toilets so there were no sinks to wash your hands so be sure to pack some anti-bacterial hand gel.
I would not expect to stay more than 2 nights as there are no shower facilities, unless you really like to rough it.
While the park does say not to bring in outside wood we had picked up an extra bundle at the grocery store, which worked out well since that was much drier than the wood at the campgrounds. We ended up starting both of our fires using the grocery store wood and once that was going adding in the campground wood. So either break the rules or be sure to bring a lot of fire starters like newspaper, cardboard, candles, etc.

Monday Munchies: Firehouse Deli- Greenwich, CT

January 21, 2013

As part of my Monday Munchies series, I will feature a different eatery for a review on the first and third Monday of every month. Hope you enjoy!

____________________

Whenever I’m back home in Connecticut I try to get to the Firehouse Deli for breakfast or lunch because I love everything they make. Plus, a great deli sandwich is much harder to come by in Boston and I need my fix when I can get it.

When I moved to Boston back in 2003 for college I discovered that delis don’t exist in the same why that I grew up with. Especially since that within walking distance there were a few delis from my house. I always had a quick option for breakfast or lunch a short walk away. And then about a half mile away is a park and beach when I would sit and eat lunch in the summer. Bliss.

So while I have found some great delis in The North End I always love to head home to get my favorite sandwiches. Besides getting a loaded turkey or ham sandwich I love their hot sandwiches. Some of my favorites are the Hot Gobbler (hot turkey, melted swiss, and garlic dressing) and the FedEx (chicken cutlet, bacon, cheddar, and BBQ sauce). But my all time favorite is the Real Deal Holyfield, aka The Real Deal. Oh, that sandwich is just the best ever with its grilled chicken, bacon, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, and honey mustard. Try it, I dare you.

But don’t worry if you can’t make it to the deli for lunch you can still get a great sandwich at breakfast!

Can’t pass on the classic Bacon Egg and Cheese for just $3.25. Don’t like bacon? Then have sausage, ham, or turkey. I’d always get a turkey, egg whites, and cheese sandwich when I managed to get up a bit early to swing by there before driving to high school. But the bacon, egg, and cheese is a great breakfast sandwich to enjoy from the Firehouse Deli since they layer cheese, egg, bacon, egg, and cheese again on a bulkie. Makes for a complete bite!

Every now and then Price and I will split a Montana on a roll. The Montana is a LOADED sandwich with its 2 eggs, ham, cheese, chili, and a hashbrown . The $4.99 sandwich is jam packed and finger licking good. I think the hashbrown layer is genius but the chili is my favorite part. No wait, it might be the hashbrowns AND chili. It’s quite possibly the perfect hangover cure. Ever.

Everything at the Firehouse deli is fresh, quick, and delicious. Give it a try if you are in the area.

Firehouse Deli

265 Mill Street

Greenwich CT 06830

203.531.002

Apple Picking At Russell Orchard in Ispwich, MA

September 28, 2012

Two weeknds ago I went apple picking with some coworkers and had a fantastic time together getting bags full of apples. We went up to Russell Orchards in Ispwich as it is one of the closest places to go apple picking around Boston. It was my first time going there for apple picking (Price and I had been there for berry picking years ago). The day was beautiful and we had so much fun picking bags of varieties of apples.

Prior to my friends’ arrival I took part in a wine & cider tasting in their general store from their own winery. For $5 I sampled 2 hard ciders, 2 fruit wines, and received a branded glass. They sample different ciders and wines (11% alcohol)every week. This week they sampled their Apple Cider, Perry, Jostaberry, and Dry Blueberry.

Apple Cider- “A very sweet and fruity dessert cider, great with apple pie” … This was very enjoyable. I liked the sweet subtle flavor.

Perry- “A slightly sweet hard pear drink” … I wouldn’t have even guessed this was pear. It was lovely but was not very fruity, esp pear like.

Jostaberry- “The berry is a cross between the gooseberry and the black currant. This wine has a tart, fruity taste.” … I loved this red fruit wine. It was tart but not pucker inducing. I liked the flavors, specifically the currant flavor,

Dry Blueberry- “Similar to the Blueberry, except this wine is aged in French oak. Bold like a Cabernet with a subtle berry flavor” … I didn’t finish my sample of this, neither did the 2 women next to me. They must not have been a fan of the smokey flavor. Had it been described as smokey I would have not had it as I for like smokey flavors, esp wine. If you like very dry and smokey then this is a great wine for you.

I’m glad my coworker picked Russell Orchard as it was convenient to get to, packed full of apples, and was a beautiful place.

Beautiful, beautiful apples.

It’s hard to go wrong with acres of apples, but they organize their PYO (pick your own) fields well. Everything was labeled with clear signs on each end of the row. Having gone to other orchards that just use flags as boundaries I found that Russell’s fields were very easy to navigate.

The fields are a short walk from the entrance so they offer hayrides to get to and from the fields. We deicded not to do this as the lines was l-o-n-g but it looked like a lot of fun. Personally, I think you should walk to the fields and take the hayride back after you (and your kids) are tired from walking around and carring a bag of apples.

For $15 you get a peck sized bag, which holds about 10-12 lbs of apples. I wanted a wheel barrel full but that was not an option nor, I assume, in my budget. I stuck with only picking apples that were good for baking, which were Cortland, Empire, Jonagold, and Honeycrisp. Their chart was helpful for picking which apples were best for baking, sauce, dessert (eating??), and juice. Their site says that it is cash only for weekends and Monday holidays but they did accept debit cards by the general store. You just need to buy your bag there at the store instead of getting it at the orchards

Before we left I got a loaf of cinnamon bread that we enjoyed for breakfast the following week. While there were long lines for their cider donuts I did not get any. I much prefer cider donuts that are coated in cinnamon and sugar while they are fresh from the fryer. Russell makes a plain donut and I just can’t justify the calories on something I don’t love.

I think this is great orchard to visit in the summer for berry picking and in the fall for apple picking. Don’t miss out on picking local fruit at the peak of season!

Gotta go get a pumpkin next, dontcha think?

____________________

Russell Orchards

143 Argilla Road

Ipswich, MA

(978) 356-5366

open 9-6 daily

We saw Puffins!!!! {Seal Island Puffin Cruise}

September 25, 2012

When Price and I were on our annual trip up to Maine this summer, we went on the Seal Island Puffin Cruise through The Isle au Haut Ferry for Price’s mom’s birthday. Back in February we told her about the gift and we were able to enjoy it during our August trip.

The weather was a bit crummy that morning and we hoped that it would clear & burn off as that day went on, sadly it did not. But we still really enjoyed ourselves on the boat ride and watching the puffins bob around in the water and fly around. It was amazing to see the puffins in their natural habitat. Plus they are cute as hell!

We left Stonington on the 47 foot long Mink and headed to Isle au Haut to pick up a few more people and naturalist Kathie Fiveash. Kathie spoke about the preservation efforts for the islands in the area and about the avian and ocean wildlife that we saw along the way. She was able to point out an eagles nest on Isle au Haut, identify the different terns that we saw flying all around, and point out a seal we saw in the harbor. She brought several books as well people to browse thorugh for additional information. In addition to her work with the puffin cruise, she can be hired to be a tour on Isle au Haut to walk around that lush island.

We then headed about 12 miles south to Seal Island to see a summer colony of nesting puffins there. It took us about an hour & half to get from Isle au Haut to Seal Island. Once there we got along side the the East face of the island & carefully looped around the puffins that were bobbing along in the water. Nobody is permitted to land on Seal Island, so we were thankful that so many where in the water for us to see so well.

puffins!!!!!!!

We stuck around Seal Island for awhile watching the puffins float around in the water and fly around. I was very excited about the puffins flying around. I do have to admit that I didn’t know puffins could fly very well. I thought they were like penguins since every photo I saw of them showed them standing around with fish stuffed in their mouth. Plus they are shaped like squat little footballs so I didn’t think of them as being very aerodynamic. So every time one took off I would snap a dozen pictures.

We had such a great time on the Seal Island Puffin Cruise. I highly recommend checking out their 2013 schedule to plan for a visit as they only go out a few times a summer. I hope that you guys have better weather than us too!

Suggestions to enjoy the Seal Island Puffin Cruise:

Dress in layers- better to be able to take something off if it gets hot than being cold for hours
Bring sunblock- you don’t want to burn
Bring a book or a game with you- it’s a long trip back and forth to Stonington and Seal Island so I suggest something to keep you occupied
Bring drinks and snack- the tour is at lunch time so it’s best to have something to eat and drink on the boat
Use a zoom lens- if you have a camera that allows you to change is lens then I suggest you bring your zoom lens, if you have one

Seal Island Puffin Cruise

Seabreeze Avenue

Stonington, Maine 04681

(207) 367-5193

A summer day in Newport RI

August 16, 2012

I can’t think of a better way of spending a day than leisurely strolling around a beautiful New England town. So when it was my turn for our July Surprise Date I decided that we would spend a day in the beautiful town of Newport, RI. I have been to Newport many times but it would be Price’s first time. I find that Newport is fun, relaxing, friendly, and all around beautiful. And that is exactly why I wanted to spend the day down there together.

It was a beautiful, sunny day making this the perfect Sunday. We parked in a lot by The Barking Crab ($15- my advice is to keep looking & you’ll find a $10 lot) and started to stroll around the piers & shops. While walking down America’s Cup Ave we saw a stand for a boat tour around the harbor. I’ve been on several so I could probably give a tour myself but it doesn’t matter at all since I learn something new every time and an hour on the water looking at beautiful mansions does not get old. So we bought our tickets and headed out on the Amazing Grace.

The Amazing Grace took us all around the harbour with our informative tour guide poiunted out several moared America’s Cup competitors and winning sail boats. In addition to all the beautiful sail boats and yacht, we were able to see Castle Hill Inn, Fort Adams, New York Yacht Club- Harbour Court, and all the mansions that line the harbor. One of my favorites is Hammersmith Farm (top right small photo), where Jackie Kennedy Onassis grew up and where JFK and Jackie were married.

After the harbor tour we had brunch at Christie’s. So incredible! Loved the view of the harbor and the food. More to come on our great meal in a later post.

And then after we stuffed our selves we walked all around and peeked into the shops browsing things like rugs, wine glasses, prints, and lots of things stamped with ‘Newport’ on it. We grabbed an elephant ear Country Kettle Fudge to munch on while we walked back to the car. One last stop was to Humidor Cigar World for some cigars for Pricer.

Perfect day together in Newport!

Monday Munchies: Bob’s Clam Hut- Kittery, ME

August 6, 2012

As part of my Monday Munchies series, I will feature a different eatery for a review on the first and third Monday of every month. Hope you enjoy!

____________________

Our yearly trip to ‘gma’s house at Maine’ ends with a meal Bob’s Clam Hut in Kittery, Maine. And not ones to break tradition, we stopped off there today for our late lunch/early dinner.

The menu is large but easy to navigate. Basically, just about everything is fried, but everything is fresh. Don’t let the price’s intimidate you as they are really large portions. The dinner we get always end up being 2 meals. I don’t think it would hurt to share or to order 1 less meal if you are a large party.

Besides the great food one of the things I really love about Bob’s is it’s green initiative. They serve their food and drinks in green containers and even collect rain water for their landscaping. Please just sort your trash in the correct containers for their composting, trash, and recycling!

A ‘Bob & Betty’ dinner with butterflied shrimp and chicken fingers. Several pieces of chicken fingers and several pieces of butterflied shrimp accompany a large serving of fries, cole slaw, and a roll.

A ‘Bob & Betty’ with scallops and clam strips. I often go to a lobster roll but after eating more than my fill of delicious lobster this long weekend I decided to go with a dinner of scallops of clams strips. I do enjoy whole belly clams but I figured Price would be more likely to try the clam strips… ‘they taste like calamari, I swear’. The scallops are cut in half and are perfect size for dipping into a container of cocktail sauce or tartar sauce. Yum!

Whether you are spending your day shopping at the outlets in Kittery or just passing through Maine on 95, you have to stop by Bob’s Clam Hut for a great New England experience.

Bob’s Clam Hut

315 US Route 1

Kittery, Maine 03904

207-439-4233

Brimfield Finds

July 13, 2012

Yesterday I went to Brimfield for my 4th time. It was such a great day- the weather was fantastic and the best part was getting a great deal on the things we purchased. Finding deals and cool things is just too much fun!

Here are some pics of the treasures we left with

4 chairs- $10 each

Got these from some guy named Bob. He was a real sweet heart and was so nice about setting the chairs aside. I think we crushed him a bit when he asked what we were doing with the chairs and I said painting them and putting new upholstery on them.

typewriter- $40

I saw this early on and told myself not to get it. I have always wanted one but really??? Well I went back before heading to the van and it was still there calling out to me so i caved and I am so glad that I did get it. I can’t wait to use this for scrapbooking! too much fun!

milk bottles- $4 each

Byrne Dairy originated from central New York so these are so cool since Pricer is from there.

copper pots and pans set- 13 pieces + hanging rack- $100

I don’t really believe that things that happen for a reason but this is one of those things that does make me believe that things happen for a reason. Long story short…while the seller was wrapping up the milk bottles I just remarked how beautiful the pots were hanging in the back of the tent. He simply replied ‘oh yeah they’re $100.’ I nearly fainted. I had to gather my jaw off the dusty field and pull out my checkbook fast!

Brownie Camera- $23

Such a steal since these can go from $25-$40. Saw a few others selling just the camera for $25 but this vendor had the whole set up – box, 6 flashes, and a roll of film- and for $25. Talked him down a bit. win!!

3 coffee sacks- $5 each

These were a steal since we saw them from another vendor for $15 each. A good lesson in looking around before buying something at first glance. The guy told us that he got these from Houston as coffee is imported there. We are going to use the 1 on the left to hide an electrical panel in our finished basement & the ones on the right for our revamped chairs.

jewelry factory boxes- $5 each

Also, got these from the coffee sack guy. I am going to use these for organizing craft/scrapbooking projects.

creamery metal basket- $15

Also from the same coffee bag guy. This is going in the basement bathroom to hold towels for when people visit.

post cards- $13

Loved the seller. He was so fantastic and funny. His passion for post card art is incredible. He knew so much about them and it was fun to see what

old picture- $5

I loved this photo of these rabbits. It actually is a goof as it is a negative print. The rabbits are white but they came out black and everything else (cage, trees) came out white. So cool! I picked up a frame from Ikea for this.

Silverware- $1 each

Going to use these for props for food photos.

P & T typewriter keys- $1 total

Planning on making cufflinks for Pricer with these

insulators– $2 each

Another reason to browse all around when you see something cool. Saw these for $8 in one area and got these elsewhere for $2 each. sweet!

Brimfield is going on until Sunday the 15th so you should swing by since it is just over an hour west of Boston. It is also held Sept 4th-9th this year. They also announced their 2013 dates so get to planning your visit!

Read more about my past Brimfield trips:

Brimfield Visit #3

Brimfield Visit #2

Brimfield Visit #1

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

Best Pancakes Ever- Polly’s Pancake Parlor

July 9, 2012

We don’t typically have pancakes at home. I tend to burn them or ruin them in the flip. Plus I tend to enjoy waffles more. Mitch Hedberg and I would have been best brunch friends as we share similar views on pancakes and waffles.

That being said Polly’s Pancake Parlor is the only place that I LOVE for pancakes. We typically only go there when we are camping in the Whites, as a 2 1/2 hour drive just for breakfast is a little tough. So while we were in the area to see the sunrise at Mt. Washington, Price planned on us going there to have breakfast. sweet!

While they have a large menu we each go to the pancake sampler when we are there. Price went with plain blueberry, whole wheat walnut, and cornmeal coconut with a side of bacon.

I had cornmeal (no add-in’s), whole wheat blueberry, and plain chocolate chip with a side of sausage. nom nom nom!!!

They bring the pancakes out in 2 batches so that by the time you are nearing the finish line your pancakes are not cold!! The pancakes are so good and are such a treat but they still got the best of me and I left defeated- ha!

This cat found Price and had some fun running around after him as he was making a call. Clearly the cat knew Price is highly allergic and knew it would be much appreciated to rub its body all over him.

Well, obviously…

Polly’s Pancake Parlor

672 Route 117 (Sugar Hill Rd.)

Sugar Hill, NH 03586

603.823.8849

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

Our Sunrise on Mt. Washington Adventure

July 6, 2012

If you’ve caught on by now, Price and I do a surprise date for each other every month. It was Price’s turn for June so he teased and tormented me with little clues about what he had planned. When he said I would need a heavy coat I started to have my suspicious about what we would be doing. I started to think it would involve the mountains, and possibly even Mt. Washington but didn’t want to guess in 1) sounding really foolish and 2) getting it correct and ruining the surprise. So I waited and waited until that weekend when he revealed that we were in fact going to Mt. Washington, highest mountain in New England at 6,288 ft. But this would be no orginary trip as we would be driving up through the night and getting there for one of the few times a year the auto-road opens up super duper early for sunrise. You read that correctly… sunrise.

So on Saturday, June 23rd we went to bed at 9pm and got up at midnight to get ready to start the drive up to Mt. Washington for the 4.56 sunrise. We were pulling out of our drive way at 12.28am, and after a quick stop at Sonic for a midnight snack (I am addicted to the limeades) we were on our way! We took turns driving up through the White Mountains while the other on the look out for moose (their eyes aren’t reflective like deer so they are much harder to spot). After a wrong turn and going the wrong way for a bit we did make our way, thanks so some friendly gas station attendants, to Mt. Washington Auto Road!

4.43am- entering the auto road

The types of vegetation changed as we made our way up. We also started to get more enveloped in the clouds.

5.09am- we stopped at this point because it was a clear area from cars. The eastern pull off areas were packed with people so we decided to just keep going up as we passed. This area was so scary at first as it was completely enveloped in clouds and so windy but waiting 30 seconds changed it all. It cleared up and we could see the clouds coming up the western side of the mountain and rushing up along the face and breaking right in front of us.

5.24am- We made it to the top! These stairs take you from the parking area up to the buildings summit. Man these steps were wet and it was so windy… I was holding on tight!! I really have no idea how the men built the road 150 years ago or even the new buildings on the top. The weather is super crazy up there! There is a building that is actually chained down to the ground! Did you know that the world’s fastest surface wind was recorded here at 1:21 pm on April 12, 1934? 231 mph!!!

Frank did it!!! Price is such an excellent driver so we had no problem taking our time to carefully get Frank up the auto road. (It was not actually this bright- it’s just the actions I used – it was cold and grey but still so fantastic to experience the summit.

6.12am- Coming back down and we get out of the clouds! We made 2 stops on the way down. The first one was still pretty foggy and as much as we waited it didn’t seem to clear up well for some good photos of the view. Our second stop was more on the eastern site (other was like northeastern side) so we were blocked from the wind and clouds at this point. The view was the most beautiful and unbelievable thing I have ever seen. We could see really far into the valley below while watching the clouds blast around the mountain on the northern and southern faces. Stunning.

7.03am- heading back down

All done. Once we got down to the bottom we could see the summit was clear (dang!) but we just figured we would have to come back another time to see the sunrise again and experience a clear summit.

After leaving Mt. Washington we…

had breakfast at Polly’s Pancake Parlor

saw family friends and enjoyed the view of Cannon Mountain

lost our minds seeing a Reliant Robin in person!!

It was such a great adventure up to Mt Washington! It was such an incredible date day. We had so much fun and got to do something that was unique. The views are really breathtaking and unforgettable. We were exhausted the rest of the day (passed out while watching the NASCAR race) and for Monday as well but it was all worth it!!

Mt. Washington

Route 16, Pinkham Notch

Gorham, New Hampshire

(603) 466-3988

The day we went zip lining: Berkshire East – Charlemont, MA

June 26, 2012

As a continuation to my post about the Bridge of Flowers and our May Surprise Date, I am sharing the rest of the afternoon adventure which took us zip lining through the trees in the Berkshires.

How did I pick that we would go zip lining for our May date? Well, in 3 short days we will be on a cruise heading up to Saint John, New Brunswick. And… Saint John has this pretty cool thing going in that it the rapids at the mouth of the Saint John’s River at the Bay of Fundy reverse direction. You can zip line over this bay and see this phenomena occurring. Since I figured that could scare the ever living bejesus out of us me it would be great to try zip lining before we go.

I booked a tour at Berkshire East when I saw a Gilt City coupon. Regardless of the coupon their tours are affordable ranging from $30-100, I just jumped at that since we have a budget on our surprise dates. So at the end of May, in the midst of the chaos of moving, Price and I took a Sunday to spend the day out in the Berkshires.

After getting stuck at the loooongest rail road crossing, we made it to Berkshire East to begin the adventure. I signed us up for the Mountain Top Tour which has 7 zips that range from 250′ to 800′ in length. The highest platform is 45′ in the air in the canopy and at times you zip 100′ off the ground. You get to relax before and after the zips on the ski lifts that take you up/down the mountain.

Berkshire East has a wind turbine that generates 2.2 million kWh of electricity each year, providing 100% of the power for their facility. They even have tours of it a few times a year where you learn about the 3 year process in getting it installed and its production of sustainable energy.

One of our awesome guides as he was first demonstrating how to zip, the gear set up, and the lines. After he zoomed over to the first line our tour adventure began!

Price went off backwards. I think this was the highest platform at 45′. yikes!

We took a moment to wait to see some other zip liners go across the valley on Extreme Zip 1, aka X1. This is 2300′ long zip isn’t even the longest zip in the Valley Jump Tour. I imagine this would be incredibly scary (!!) and beautiful to do in the fall.

I actually took this photo mid zip line on the last zip!

gangsta

And back down the mountain we go.

I highly recommend zip lining with Berkshire East and this tour to everyone. It was such a blast. We loved it. It was thrilling and the views were the icing on the cake. The guides were very skilled and took safety and fun very seriously. We are already discussing our next zip to see the fall foliage!

Berkshire East

66 Thunder Mtn. Road

Charlemont, MA 01339

413.339.6617

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

A beautiful day: Bridge of Flowers- Shelburne Falls, Ma

June 11, 2012

As part of my June surprise date we went to see the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA. (After that we went zip-lining but more on that later!) If you have not heard of the Bridge of Flowers it is an old 400′ trolley bridge that has been filled with beautiful plantings that are a favorite to everyone who sees it. Quickly after it was taken out of service in 1927 it began to be overrun with weeds. In 1929 the bridge began it’s full transformation the eyesore to become a ‘thing of beauty’, as it was envisioned by resident Antoinette Burnham. Since then the bridge has been voluntarily taken care of by the Shelburne Falls Women’s Club. The bridge, and it’s 500+ varieties of flowers, is such a great spot to visit in New England.

of course my favorites…

I highly suggest visiting the Bridge of Flowers (April 1st – October 30th). Wander around aimlessly while taking tons of beautiful pictures. Then grab some lunch at McCusker’s Market (on the western side of the bridge) and enjoy it siting along the Deerfield River.

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.