• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me!
    • Press
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosures
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Exploring
    • Exploring- Florida
    • Exploring- Boston
    • Exploring- Cruises
    • Exploring- New England
    • Exploring- New York City
  • Resources
  • Disney Fun!

Massachusetts

Our Cape Vacation. 2015

November 5, 2015

Cape Vacation 2015_150829-8

To celebrate my dad’s 75th birthday, my family stayed together on The Cape for a week at the end of August. It was a wonderful way to celebrate several birthdays in August while getting to all hang out together. I loved getting to spend time with my brother and sister and their families. Everyone had a blast!!

…

Read More

Filed Under: Exploring, New England Tagged With: Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Apple picking at Cider Hill Farm

October 29, 2013

Apple Picking_Cider HIll Farm_01

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!!

Apple Picking_Cider HIll Farm_02

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.

Apple Picking_Cider HIll Farm_03

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!)

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_04 Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_05

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

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_06 Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_07

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_08

Rows upon rows of apples fresh for the picking!

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_09 Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_10

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_11

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!

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_12 Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_13

Autumn is just so beautiful.

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_14 Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_15

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_16

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…

Apple Picking_Cider Hill Farm_17

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

Filed Under: Exploring, New England Tagged With: amesbury, apple cider donuts, Apple Picking, Cider Hill Farm, fresh apples, MA, Massachusetts, New England, pears, pumpkins

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. 

Filed Under: Exploring, New England Tagged With: Berkshire East, Berkshires, Massachusetts, Mountain Top Tour, New England, Valley Jump Tour, Wind Turbine, Zip Jump, Zip line tour, Zip Lining

Whale Watching in Massachusetts Bay (April Date)

June 5, 2012

As we are now in June, I figure I better catch up with things on my to-do list and post about the fantastic April date that Price planned for us. (Quick recap: we alternate months and plan surprise dates for us to go on.) In the midst of packing for a move and buying a house we took some time for some fun together and off went went on April 15th for our special date day.

Depending on the activity we either tell each other the night before or the morning of our adventurous date. Well, Pricer waited until the last minute and told me the morning off that we were going on a whale watch!!!! He had originally planned on us going up to Gloucester and embarking from there but when he called to confirm they said the whale watches were canceled because of the weather causing rough seas. Well, crap!!! He kept calling to see what other options we had for the day and magically we were good to go for whale watches out of Plymouth, some 45 miles or so (crow flies) South from Gloucester. yay!!!

We took our tour with Capt. John’s, who provided a great whale watching experience. The ride out to the whale watching area seemed endless but it only dragged on because of the  anticipation. Once we go to the area where whales feed we saw a real show from the Humpback, Minke, and Finback whales  and the Atlantic white sided dolphins  we saw. I learned so much about whales that day from the staff on the boat. The guides were able to identify the whales that we saw becuase of the markings on their tails, flukes.

The day was so great!! I only wish that I had remmebered to put the charged camera battery IN the camera before leaving the house. (I might have cried in the parking lot when I realized my mistake… might have…)

I suggest that when you go on a whale watching tour you:

  1. bring a fully charged camera
  2. attach a tether to your camera- you don’t want that going overboard!
  3. dress warmly- the wind will chill you
  4. bring a book or a game (cards) for the rides to and from the whale watching area
  5. wear sensible shoes- it will make hopping from side to side to see the whales easier
  6. be prepared to have a lot of fun!!!

Also check out Price’s recap of our day for some great pictures and videos as well.

Filed Under: Exploring, New England Tagged With: Captain John's, dolphins, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Bay, plymouth ma, whale, whale watching

Primary Sidebar

EMAIL NEWSLETTER!

Sign up HERE for meal planning suggestions & tips to take a great trip!

Top Posts & Pages

  • Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
    Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
  • Meghan Markle's Zucchini Pasta Sauce
    Meghan Markle's Zucchini Pasta Sauce
  • Easy Pepperoni Pizza Roll Ups
    Easy Pepperoni Pizza Roll Ups
  • Room Review: Cars Family Suite in Disney World's Art of Animation Resort
    Room Review: Cars Family Suite in Disney World's Art of Animation Resort
  • Southwest Orzo Salad with a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
    Southwest Orzo Salad with a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
  • Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
    Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
  • New Haven Style White Clam Pizza
    New Haven Style White Clam Pizza
  • How To: Labeling Your Garbage Cans
    How To: Labeling Your Garbage Cans
  • The Ultimate Weekend Away Packing List for Babies and Toddlers
    The Ultimate Weekend Away Packing List for Babies and Toddlers
  • Churro Waffles with Dulce De Leche Whipped Cream
    Churro Waffles with Dulce De Leche Whipped Cream
collage of recipes of common ingredients
collage of soup stew and chilis bowls

Follow Us

Copyright© 2023 · Brunch Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.