Karen's travels: A day in and on the water

Karen's travels: (Backup) A day in and on the water: Today was a day when I was completely "out of my element".  Practically all that I did today was a learning experience.  We travel...

Lives of the rich and famous

Today was a bus and walking tour of the rich and famous in Newport , Rhode Island.  The mansions are unbelievably large and luxurious.  The mansion we toured on foot was one built by the Vanderbilts.  As we entered we were issues ear phones that gave a guided tour of their home.  They even had special ear phones for people with hearing aides which helped me considerably.  They also had elevators which one of the volunteers came to me and almost pleaded with me to use.  It was a beautiful room of its own which moved up and down.  She was most anxious to show me and have me use it.  A few miscellaneous pictures follow.  None are spectacular just what I saw a the time.  It is a large beautiful home on the Atlantic shore.

The Vanderbilt pool table made of solid slate on the top.  The weight I don't remember but it was pretty heavy!!!

The view from the "back porch".

Outside the security gate.

At another rich and famous home, Jackie Kennedy's parents, are some farm animals.  These are belted Galloway cattle.  They are known for their excellent meat and are called Oreo cows.

Sea Gulls are everywhere near the shore.  If you identify this particular gull Allen Pinkall will give you a prize!

Our day ended with a farewell dinner of baked sole or flat iron steak.  Tomorrow we head back to Bostonthen home in the afternoon.  Thanks to all of you for following my blog.  It still has one day missing.  If it doesn't show up in another few hours I will redo it when I get home.  Sweet Dreams, Karen, mom, grandma and great grandma.

(Backup) A day in and on the water

Today was a day when I was completely "out of my element".  Practically all that I did today was a learning experience.  We traveled through Vermont and Connecticut to Rhode Island in a matter of an hour.  We checked in at Mystic Seaport for two hours of immersion into life on and around the Atlantic Ocean. We boarded a vessel that accommodated about 20 people.  Our Captain drove around the large bay describing the buildings along the shore line.  Along one shore were personal residents and along another shore were the working buildings where civilian workers were repairing and rebuilding old ships.  One such  vessel was Mayflower 2 which is being completely rebuilt to duplicate the original Mayflower.  It will then be returned to Plymouth Rock.  There were several small buildings where colonial - like school buildings, a small church, and stores also were displayed.  A few things I learned were:  the difference between a ship and a boat are that a boat can fit into a ship, and that a REAL captain will only call his vehicle a vessel-not a boat or ship.  Also there are classes for teenagers during the summer on learning to operate different sizes of boats much like car driving lessons.  

I will let the following pictures speak mostly for themselves with the help of the previous paragraph.  I didn't have good luck with water and ship pictures today so there aren't many.

One thing we were told when we checked in this afternoon was the exact time of the sunset over the bay- 6:23 p.m. We were there at that exact time and here is the result.

On a sobering note this is a view of the flags at the hotel this morning.  May you all keep safe during this tragic happenings.  Let's keep each other close in thoughts and prayers❤️❤️- Karen

A Norman Rockwell Day

After an early breakfast we headed out to Killington, Vermont to visit the Norman Rockwell Center.  On the way we stopped at a Rest Area which was one of the nicest we have seen on this trip.  Here we saw several landscaped red maples that were red.  Still no color splashes in the hills but at least we saw these which were pretty.

Then on to the Center!!  It is a well organized,clean, spacious and well cared for facility.  The first 2 pictures are from his studio where he painted last.  The painting is titled "Red and yellow black and white they are precious in his sight.

This picture is one of Brooks Robinson signing autographs from Brooks Robinson's personal collection.

From that great experience we traveled to an apple farm-decorated in colorful fall items.  We had an apple cider donut and tastes of apple cider.---more food!!

Our evening meal was at a colonial home that has been remodeled and enlarged to host large groups.  The menu consisted of prime rin roasted on a spit over a hard wood fire, new potatoes. Homemade rolls, fish chowder, homemade apple pie with whipped cream, all grown locally. 

More fake moose.  Goodnight for now!!

A missed picture

The last picture didn't print.  Could it have been because the operator of the blog didn't include it?  Probably so!

A Mr. Rogers kind of day!!

Today we could say;  It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.  The temps were in the 40's when we started out this morning and in the 70's when we got to our hotel.  The first thing I am going to do is share some scenic photos that I have taken.  The location could be in Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont.  We have crossed state lines off and on so I'm not sure where these were taken.  They are just beautiful places and the exact location is not important to me.  We have not seen vivid colors or the splash of color that I was anticipating but the greens are pretty and the water bright blue.  This has happened when we have gone to the Ozarks.  We can't out guess Mother Nature and have to enjoy where we are at the time.  All the northeast states are beautiful   as is Kansas.

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Another interesting characteristic or the area is covered bridges.  We've seen several but have not driven across the bridges-just observed because of the weight and height of the coach.  Some are pictured below.

We visited a working dairy farm owned by the Rockefeller family.  It consisted of a large herd of Jersey cattle.  It was interesting and the picture below is a young woman who was in charge of milking by machine 25 cows .  Then we had an ice cream cone made with the milk which had 4% butter fat.  This old gal is eating waaaay to much this week.

 


And last but not least here is the only moose we have seen.  In the land of moose and lobster that is not such a good example.  The lobster was dead and the moose was a fake.

Goodnight from the granite state!!❤️😄😄❤️