Cheers to 49 Years!

 Today is our wedding anniversary!  October 7, 1972, 49 years ago we said "I do".  Getting married that early we really had no clue.  We waited five years to have a baby, and was very happy that happened quickly by the time we were ready.  We had our first baby boy.  Then two years later ready for number two, that was a baby boy, but he started to come way too early, so I miscarried him.  I was 14 weeks I believe.  After about two months, I found I was pregnant again and nine months later, our strong girl arrived.  Actually, she came early so not quite nine months!  She was born about six weeks early and weighed in at 5 pounds 4 ounces.  She lost some ounces before we brought her home, so she was a tiny thing that December day.  Under five pounds.  She was our Christmas gift that year.  We had a two year old, Jason, and preemie baby girl, Becky Lou.  But what a memorable Christmas we had.

Having Christian couple friends helped us as a couple.  We bowled on a couples church bowling league.  I played on a church ladies softball team, as Clyde played on a men's team.  We attended a Sunday School class with other young couples who had young children.  Our lives revolved around friends who worshiped as we believed.  Who kept us accountable.  To this day, with our two kids grown and kids of their own, we still attend a class on Sundays with Christian friends who have grown kids and grand kids.  

So today we set aside some time for ourselves.  We started out at Dixie Cafe for breakfast with "old" friends, new friends, and good fellowship.  Then we took a ride to Harrodsburg and stopped at a mum/pumpkin farm.  Ate at Old Owl's Tavern, where our best Harrodsburg friends came by to visit with us and as we were heading for Lexington, we stopped by to visit our favorite Harrodsburg family, brother & sister in law.  Sat on their beautiful front porch and "caught up" with one another.  

We just had a sweet call from Jason, to wish us happy anniversary and hearing from grandson Lucas just makes life grand.  Earlier we had a text from our daughter, who is working in D.C. this week.  Thanks to our family and friends for each text and FaceBook comment!  

Next year, we will celebrate gold!  

The sea glass tree below is from all the glass I've found at Jensen Beach.  I had big pieces that I couldn't use to make a necklace pendant.  So I saw similar trees in a gift shop in Maine that I tried to copy.  Mine is nothing like theirs.  They had same size pieces, similar in colors, and their trees were nice.  Very expensive, $175 to $250 each.  This one looks better in the photo below than in real.  The green styrofoam cone shows through all the pieces of glass.  I might should have coated it/painted it?  Not sure. 

But as long as it takes to find sea glass, I will like it.  There is no way I would trash it, although I gave it a thought as I was gluing it.  

Harrodsburg Old Owl Tavern & Inn (above) below a few homes around town.

Maine Road Trip Day 7 More Covered Bridges

 When I think I've been on most of the backroads in Maine, he surprises me.  The covered bridges are not on the beaten path.  We saw seven in total, most were easy access, just a few miles (some more than a few) from one another, but a few had very bumpy gravelly roads to access.  We have had the most beautiful day so far to find them.  We came upon a working horse farm, with the nicest ladies there that invited us to get out of the car and look around.  

Again, we have been pleasantly surprised at the size of the homes here (Clyde has been more than me:)  They truly are so well maintained, said that before.  The bridges are all top notch.  Very nicely kept up.  A real gem to find them and see how nice they are.  

So, we are through, for now seeing lighthouses and covered bridges in Maine.  We turned back and staying overnight in the same room we stayed in last Tuesday night, in Ogunquit, Maine.  The Studio East.  This is where we took the lobster boat out of the Perkins Cove.  We'll head back down there this evening or tomorrow morning.  Now, it's rest time in our room.  Here are photos from today.  

My grandkids surprised me yesterday on Grandparent's Day with texts to both Pap and I and all three actually read/looked at our trip pics on this blog.  That was so sweet!  Love them so! Got a text from our son as well, with a very sweet message on Grandparent's Day.  A good day.

Stopped to pick up some more bottled water and found some blueberry jam.  A win.

Number five is Hemlock Covered Bridge, Fryeburg, Maine, built in 1857.  The road to get there (off the main road) was long, about a mile, and gravel/dirt/bumpy.  

There are no McDonald's (for Egg McMuffin and my unsweetened ice tea) in these small towns.  You see a few in the bigger towns, but it is wise to pack a few snacks until you get to a nice place to eat.  We have NOT starved, but the restaurants aren't on every corner.

A mother and daughter run this farm with their nice, big house near the barn & stable area.  Their husbands were away at jobs, and several other ladies were here working the farm and taking care of the horses.

Number six, Parsonsfield Historical Bridge, in Porter, Maine.  Built in 1876, restored in 1999.  

This is number seven and last on our list to see/visit.  It is Babb's Bridge in South Windham.

A boat was passing under as we stood looking and some sunbather's were sitting at the water's edge.  

So now we are turning toward the south and our Bluegrass Kentucky home.  We will have to see all the fall foliage color there, as we missed it here.  There have been some trees changed already and MANY beautiful summer flowers and those BIG cone shaped Hydrangea trees/bushes.  All in all, a GREAT time to visit Maine. 

Maine Road Trip Day 6

 Last night we stayed in Bar Harbor and today turned towards the western part of Maine before we travel south to Kentucky.  Heading home we will visit covered bridges.  Not as many as we stopped to see lighthouses.  But it takes a lot of driving from one town to see another.  

These have been pretty neat!  First stop, Corinth, ME, to see Robyville Bridge. This one was built in 1876 and the sign over the top says "Horses and Mules at a Walk or 1 Dollar Fine/No spitting-No seegars" Ha ha ha.  This made me laugh.  Amazing  that it has stood the test of time.  I took a photo of Clyde driving through it.  

Number two:  Low's Covered Bridge, Guilford, ME.  It was a long bridge.  The sign said "1990" so it was restored then.  Leaving there, we were getting hungry.  NO stops.  NO restaurants, places to eat.  Thankfully, we saw a small grocery/diner and stopped.  The customers leaving bragged on it.  The sign said "Home of the original Whoopie pies"....hahaha.  Also, said they had the world's best chicken salad, "just ask our customers".  Well, I LOVED IT!!!!  I have made it for many years.  I have eaten the best at Tack House and Chicken Salad Chick.  This one had GREAT flavor.  They put tomatoes, lettuce and pickles (Clyde's request) on it.  Honestly, SO good!!!!!  Name "Douin's" Diner.

Number three:  Love Joy Covered Bridge, Andover, Maine, erected in 1867.  Met a couple riding their motorcycle and stayed and chatted for awhile with them.

Number four:  Sunday River Covered Bridge, Sunday River, ME.  We met a very nice couple from Connecticut there.  I didn't see a sign with the date of being built.  It was non-driving, but you could walk through.

That is it for now.  We have another one near here, but we came on to our room.  Found a nice "time share" here in Bethel, River View Resort.  This is snow skiing country, part of Maine.  

Number one Robyville Covered Bridge, Corinth, Me

Number two: Low's Covered Bridge, Guilford, ME

Number three: Love Joy Covered Bridge, Andover, ME

Early in our marriage, we joined a Corvair Club, following our good friends, the Wiley's.  We owned a couple and had them restored, took car trips with the club and saw this one on the road today.

Number four: Sunday River Covered Bridge, in Sunday River.