Maine Lighthouse Trip Day 2

 September 8, 2021

Last night we stayed at a nice motel, downtown Ogunquit (that name means "Beautiful place by the sea").  It was Studio East, good price and very clean, handy as well.  We drove out to Perkins Cove, a wonderful area, such beautiful houses, shops were unique and we took a ride out to sea on a working lobster boat.  

                       

It was the cutest place and I love the water, boats and big houses.  Then we headed on down the coast to the second lighthouse on our list.  It was in Cape Elizabeth, name of it is Portland Head Light.  The one out in the water, barely visible from shore, is Ram Island Ledge Light.

The Third one on our list, Bug Light in South Portland.  Just happened to be a car show going on today there, so it was a great spot to stop.  

Number four on our list, in South Portland, the name is Spring Point, where you walk out to it on large stones as the path to it.  Also on this beach, were small pieces of sea glass.  Some weren't fully tumbled and not as pretty as the pieces in Jensen, but I picked it up anyway!  

                                       Number two- Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth

                        Number three-Bug Light, South Portland                        

                    Number four, Spring Point Light, South Portland, big stones to walk out.

The weather was perfect today, rain on the radar for tomorrow.  So we tried to pack it in today.  A pretty great day.  Now to shut it down and get some rest.  Prayers. 

RETIREMENT TRIP NUMBER ONE

 Labor Day 2021 and we are on the road again.  Last summer, we wanted to go look at lighthouses in Maine.  However, Clyde was in the hospital pretty sick in July and with covid and no vaccines, we stayed close to home.  Fast forward, we are on the way!

Hoping to visit ten lighthouses, all in Maine, and within 120 miles of one another.  Clyde has mapped out the ones he hopes for us to see.  On the way home, we will visit covered bridges.  I plan to look for sea glass on the beaches along the coast.  This is not a big priority, but I would love to look and compare how easy/hard/or about the same it is to spy a piece in Maine as it is in Jensen Beach, Fl.   And always look for that hard to find red one!

So, for that's it for today.  A blessing there was very little traffic.  No accidents we saw, a lot of construction/rough roads, but no workers out today, so no delays.  Tomorrow is another day.  Hoping for the same traffic pattern!  

Tuesday Sept. 7, 2021

We arrived in Maine today and visited our first lighthouse.  It was in Cape Neddick and it is "Nubble Lighthouse".  It was erected in 1879.  Here are a few photos from today.  

                            Clyde is saying "number one" lighthouse on our list!

                                                           Nubble Light

                                          A walk around the town of Ogunquit, 

                                      where we are staying overnight.

2020 The Covid-19 Pandemic and More

While we were in Jensen Beach last winter, a virus broke out in our world.  It is a Coronavirus, named Covid-19.  No vaccine at this time, but one is to come shortly.  During this outbreak, all the world shutdown.  In March the public beaches in Florida closed, all public swimming pools (this included our Holiday Out pool), Disney World and Disney Land and every other attraction nation/world wide closed.  All churches, movie theaters, schools, every store except those deemed "essential" for living.  Grocery stores, gas stations, utility workers, hospitals law enforcement officers, etc. all kept working on.  Many were laid off or worked from home.  Covid scare is what you heard everywhere.  Every governor had their daily TV news briefing keeping their state up to date on new cases, deaths and the occasional ones released from the hospital.  

Fast forward to late August, 2020.  We are getting back to some kind of normalcy.  With masks on if you are in public.  Social distance is the word on the street.  You hear those words more than most words.  Keep six feet apart from anyone that you don't share a home with.  After a long wait, phases of reopening started, and gatherings of up to ten people were allowed in Kentucky.  Then churches opened, stores/malls opened, nail salons, etc.  This week, movie theaters are opening, with restrictions.  Everything has restrictions.  The Derby moved from the first Saturday in May, to the first Saturday in September.  September 5th.  No spectators in the stands.  None.  We are hosting our annual party, with ten altogether.  We had to trim our favorite friends.  

But, for the Bakers, we have been more than grateful.  So far, no covid 19 that we are aware.  No hospital stays.  Thank you God.  For all those that have it, had it, or will contract it, God be close to the sick.  To the scared, to their moms, dads, daughters.  Keep us well, through this storm.  Through the battle.  Help the essential workers stay well.  Bring on a vaccination that is available and that works for one and all.  God help this to come to an end.  Let there be light at the end of the tunnel, soon.  People are weary and many are broken.  And broke.  

Fast forward to November 8, 2020.  We are back in #99 (Jensen Beach) for a few weeks.  We have just finished our first full week.  The wind has been heavy making beach sitting scarce.  Today (Sunday) and the next few days, there is a tropical storm moving through south Florida.  

Covid is still as bad as ever, in some areas worse.  The death toll is massive.  Everyday you hear of another family say it has hit them.  Mom, Clyde's mom, both our sisters and his brothers, all our kids and grandkids are covid free (as far as I know).  At least, no hospital admittance, which means no threat of life.  Which is amazing.  Thankful and blessed!  Still no vaccine, but closer than it was.

The 2020 Presidential election was this week, Nov. 3rd.  Although President Trump was not my first choice in the primary four years ago, he was in the 2016 general election.  I especially liked VP Mike Pence.  A Christian and an honorable man.  For them to be voted out of office, is so hard to accept in so many ways.  But they were.  And I know God is sovereign.  He rules.  He orchestrated this election.  We are not to fear.  It is not my job to question.  Do I like it?  No.  Do I wish the office was filled with a Conservative?  Yes.  But God.

God Bless the USA and Home Sweet Home

THE MAGIC THING

ABOUT HOME IS

THAT IT FEELS

GOOD TO LEAVE,

AND IT FEELS EVEN

BETTER TO COME

BACK.

We left Wyoming on Saturday heading to stop overnight in Nebraska.  On Sunday, up and out heading home with a stop over in St. Louis to go up in the Gateway Arch.  This broke up a long day of driving.  However, this made getting in last night after midnight.  Then we got up this morning and went to play pickle ball.  We took it easy, only a couple of games.  Then rushed to pick up Clyde's mom and spend time at lunch with her and ran her errands.  After stopping back home to run in our groceries, off to pick up our mail (on hold) and to see my mommy.  Whew.  Good to be home but our trip was pretty great.

 So many trains!  Clyde drove on and the road was boring, but thankful for trains to watch!

 We stopped on Sunday in St. Louis to go up in the Gateway Arch. It is 630 feet tall, 630 feet wide.  

 These were taken from up high in the arch.  It is designed to withstand earthquakes and lightning strikes and to sway up to 18 inch in 150 mile per hour winds.  Those facts were interesting to me now that I am concerned about "mile per hour winds" due to hurricanes!  

Monday morning, after getting in late last night, we were out the door for pickle ball.  Then to pick up granny for lunch and Kroger's!  We have missed one of our faves...City Barbecue!  

So, that's it for this trip.  Not sure when I'll blog again, maybe tomorrow, most likely not.  It's good to reread this the next time we travel, so we can relive a very good trip.  Thankful that "little red" made another safe trip without any issues!  It sure is a sound car!  We did lose one thing, the BMW emblem off the front!  We see it in pics up to a point, so it came off without us realizing it.  

Happy Trails to you, until we meet again!  

Jackson Hole

Today, Friday, we started off by driving back out to Wilson Road.  This is where the wildlife is suppose to be.  As we drove into Teton National Park, while on this road, we were told the road was closed due to "bear activity".  She said we could go about four miles then turn back.  Well, we only drove maybe 1/2 mile and the road was so bumpy (as we found it to be on the other end, coming from Yellowstone to the Tetons, yesterday).  Another bust for Wilson Road and the Bakers.  So, trying to find moose, bear, and even a herd of elk (although we have seen a few herds) my man drove up and down a few side roads.  Pretty drive but we are tired of driving at this point, so we headed back to Jackson for the afternoon.

Here we walked around town, ate lunch at the Bunnery Bakery & Restaurant, another place our friends told us to try.  It was a delight away from heavy foods, I ordered tuna & veggie soup.  The flowers in boxes were a bonus.  Good choice.

Today are a few photos from town and mountains as we left Jackson Hole.  A very fun town to check out!

 We were happy to find this motel at Jackson Hole.  The Jackson Hole Lodge.  Nice ammenities we didn't use...pool was very nice, a fire pit and hot tub.  Outside looked new, inside rooms were not, but clean and a good find.

 These arches made of antlers are on a couple of corners in the town square of Jackson.  Very cool, a nice photo op!

 We wanted to eat at the place below, The Bunnery, so didn't have a mealtime to eat at the place above.  But we wanted to go inside and see he saddle barstools and cool cowboy up interior.

 This was the patio at The Bunnery.  Cute restaurant.

 The mountains below are taken on the drive out of Jackson.  I was afraid we may drive out of them and not sure when I would see them again, so I kept snapping.  Lovely day, top down.

 I wanted to take one pic "of" the road....long and winding.

Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole, Wy

I wanted to remember the motel we stayed in while visiting Yellowstone.  As mentioned in earlier post, it is in Cody, Wyoming.  We drove about 50 miles to get into Yellowstone at the East entrance and the ride is through tunnels and along the water, beautiful drive.  The motel is Green Gables Inn and it was so clean, had everything you needed and more.  Price was right for that area. Very convenient to everything.

Today we left Cody for the Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole.  Everywhere you go, there is a beautiful lake.  Yellowstone Lake is huge, then we rode along Lewis Lake and stopped at a nice waterfall.  Then you arrive at the Tetons and there is no mistake you have arrived.  Really pretty mountain range.  No camera we own captured the beauty.  A bonus, today was a nice fall weather day so we had our top down, which made the view much nicer.

Here are some photos of today. We took a one way wildlife drive that was on our way to Jackson.  We saw a bear close to the road, in the thicket/brush.  So, video didn't turn out so well, but we got excited!  Tomorrow we will stay around Jackson Hole and see the town.

 You drive into Yellowstone to get to the Grand Tetons then Jackson, Wy.  So the above photos are the last of Yellowstone. Clyde wanted me to see this active hot spring geyser today, as yesterday was rainy when we stopped at West Thumb Geyser Basin.

The motel we are in tonight is in Jackson Hole.  The photos below are up at Teton Village.  It was about a 12 mile drive from Jackson. It is a big ski resort and more.  We ate at the Mangy Moose and rode the Gondola to the top of the resort, at 9,095'.

 More of the Grand Tetons (camera shots)