Holiday Hotel Trees

Whenever we've traveled during the holiday season, and there's been a fair number of road trips at that time, we've always taken our photo by the decorated hotel 🎄. 

Most times, that's involved several photo opps and this recent holiday road trip was no exception as the tradition continued on our 2021 holiday travels.

We took selfies by 🎄trees in the hotel lobbies of four states — NY, PA, NJ and RI. (We visited family in the last three states; NY was just an overnight stay.)

Without fail, whenever we take a selfie, someone will offer to help. We politely decline as we prefer a facial close-up not a body shot and are pleased with our results. Do you prefer to take a selfie or let someone else assist?

What are you doing New Year's Eve? 

OK, we'll go first. On this final day of 2021, we're at home and later today will share food and a game of dominoes with another couple. We've been regularly meeting up to do the same things last year and this year. All of us have been fully vaccinated (with boosters) and feel comfortable gathering in one another's home. And, long before midnight, everyone will be home and most likely asleep as we're not exactly party folks, and never have been.

How will you spend the first day of 2022?

Again, we'll go first and share our plans. We're staying home, wearing comfy clothes, snacking on appetizers and treats, watching not one, but three vintage films with the same theme: lovers meeting on top of a tall NYC building. The first and last film were made over 50 years apart. Braggin' rights to any of you who can ID them in a comment.

We wish you & yours a Happy New Year

See you in blogland in 2022

Fall Foliage Fotos

Foliage has hit its peak in many areas of New England, especially the colder northern parts of the state. The nor'easter that hung around for several days this week certainly didn't help any retain any leaves still remaining.

We did get on the road for a few day trips and an overnight stay in NH. Many of my foliage shots were taken on the road as a front seat navigator and passenger. This was taken somewhere between Nashua and Greenfield, NH.

As many of you know, it can be quite challenging to try and capture a good scene. Luckily there were no oncoming cars when this was taken on the way to Northwood State Park, NH.

The cars in this photo were far enough away to not be too distracting and thankfully there were no obtrusive power lines. The road's S-curve and that bright splash of red really caught my attention as we were traveling from Nashua to Hollis, NH.

Seeing a hood scenic and then finding a place to pull over for a capture sometimes can be equally challenging. This image was taken in Peterborough, NH.

This image was caotured in Jaffrey, NH, and, as seen, many trees were already devoid of any foliage. Still the ones remaining and the water reflects caught my attention. We stopped for downtown to check at a scarecrow display here, some will be seen in tomorrow's post.

Closer to home last weekend, these images were taken in Mine Falls Park, Nashua, NH, last weekend. 

While the colors were not nearly as spectacular as we've seen in recent years in the park, there was still splashes of fall colors. Mine Falls Park is within walking distance of the mill apts.

Are you knowledgeable about wild 'shrooms? The only mushrooms I know to safely consider edible are those available at the supermarket. That said there's a lot of variety in colors and shapes of those growing wild and safer to capture with a photo than a fork.

Thanks for coming along on this short (for me) NH foliage tour. As noted earlier, we've enjoyed  day and overnight trips in recent weeks. They've been fun, but my post backlog is longish now. 

Did You Know?

In a previous post last week, there were photos of long and winding roads and I asked if anyone could identify the state we were driving through.

In addition to the roads, we also saw a lot of these items — clothes drying outdoors, barns, and cows.

If you guessed (or didn't know) we were in the state of Pennsylvania.

The Long and . . .

Winding road(s) were an actual reality on a recent road trip. These were really curved and hilly roadways that continued for many miles. Yes, it did make me think of the Beatles song title and more about that tune below.

We were completing a recent road trip which took us through several states. However, these roadways were only in one of those states and traveled in a single afternoon. 


The Long and Winding Road, is from the Beatles 1970 album Let It Be. When issued as a single in May 1970, a month after the Beatles' break-up, it became the group's 20th and last number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. 

Paul McCartney wrote the ballad at his farm in Scotland, and has said that it was inspired by growing tension within the group. It was the final single released by the quartet. The Beatles recorded the tune in 1969 as a simple ballad. By 1970, the group was breaking up and Phil Spector was brought in to produce the album. Spector was known for a "wall of sound" in which he added instruments and vocals and layered them to produce a full sound. He removed most of the Beatles instruments and added a string section and choir.

McCartney, who despised the result, tried to get the original version restored on the album. George Harrison and John Lennon both supported Spector which caused further turmoil in the group. McCartney blocked release of the song in the UK as a single, but couldn't prevent its release in the U.S. where it topped the charts for over 2 weeks. (You can watch McCartney performing the song as the piano solo he envisioned it on various YouTube videos, which could not be added herein due to copyrights.)

As for our long and winding roads, as we didn't give any heads-up indication of our road trip destination, can anyone figure out in which state we were driving? 

There's no 💲prize, just bragging rights of "being right" 😀. The "answer" will be revealed next Monday.

The British Are Coming

Actually they've arrived by these sights we saw this weekend.

One thing we've learned on our road trips is that we never know when the unexpected will happen as it did this past Saturday, as we were returning from a trip to visit friends in Mississauga, Ontario.

For about an hour, we were travelling behind this convoy of classic MGs on the NY Thruway. After losing sight of them in highway traffic, we didn't expect to see them again. Surprisingly, we all of stopped at the same rest stop in New York state.

Grenville once owned an MG Midget, so (of course) we had to stop and chat with the car owners. It seems that the cars and their owners, who are members of the Connecticut MG Club, were returning from a British car show in Niagara Falls.

The weather was getting warm and before leaving the rest stop, all the car tops has been put down before the group headed on the road again. 

And, we figured that would be the last time we would see this congenial and very friendly group.

How wrong that assumption turned out to be. Because, once again, we met up at a rest stop, but in another state this time. It was outside Lee, MA, and once the conversation started. We were considering a lunch stop, other than the fast food franchises at the rest stop, and the the CT folks were as well. How ironic we thought. 

Getting off the highway, we all came to the Housatonic Cafe, a deli and sandwich eatery in Lee, MA.

The cafe is housed in a restored Victorian house, with both indoors and outdoors seating. It features made-to-order deli sandwiches and freshly made ices and ice cream. It was a great alternative to fast food. 

We had a nice time lunching with our new-found friends. We learned that several would be attending a British car show in Hudson, NH next month. And now, we plan to attend as well.

Betcha you can easily spot our car in the midst of these vintage autos.

Hint: It's the largest one, by far.
Just wondering if anyone else has had an unexpected/chance encounter.

Snowy Travels

Driving on interstate highways to spend Thanksgiving in our native NJ visiting with family and friend brought a number of wintry sights.

A winter storm hit the east coast on Wednesday just as many folks, like ourselves, were heading on the roads.

Luckily, we didn't experience any major backups or delays during our trip. Even though the day before Thanksgiving is predictably the "heaviest" travel day, traffic moved along smoothly.

Our only "delays" were when traffic slowed to let salt and plow truck drivers to do their job for which we were thankful.

And 2 days afterwards this was the scene as we traveled NJ roadways — what a difference in road and weather conditions.

We hope that all our U.S. blogger friends enjoyed a safe and wonderful holiday, as we certainly did.

Alexandria's Knockers

I'm sure you remember that we recently spent a weekend in Alexandria Virginia. This is a town steeped with history of the early days of our country. A place you can have lunch at the same place George and Thomas ate!!!! (maybe not at the same table though) Where you may you find a couple celebrating their 5th wedding annaversary dressed as they were on their wedding day (Mitch & Maggie..... if your out there we say HI!!!!!!)

As some of you remember, my eye for photography tends to run to the eclectic and less noticed. Things we see every day but blend into the blur of life. The 'Doors of Strasbourg PA." and the "Windows of Maine" are examples as is "Under your Feet in Portsmouth" (NH). What caught my eye in Alexandria was the variety of "Door Knockers" (if your minds have fallen into the gutter you may now pick them up).

Strolling through the Historic Section, it was so refreshing to see how history was being preserved with an almost passion. Gas lamps out side many a door gave a feel of the past to our evening walk. We were to be hunting ghosts, which we never saw, and could almost feel their presence.

Today door knockers are rarely seen and seldom used when present. Much like the mechanical door bell at the F&P. Even though it works, it is seldom used.
What caught my eye was the variety of designs. I found 32 different variations of these simple door adornments and would like to share some with you.

Lions definitely ruled the animal kingdom and on many of the doors.

People were the next most popular. Notice that one face is repeated. And the hairdo's were almost enough to scare a visitor away. HHHMMM,,,, what a novel idea for the politicians at election time.

Then there were the elliptical variations.  Many of these designs have lasted into this century.

As you can imagine, patriotic knockers were popular. Remember that many of the elite of Washington actually lived on this side of the Potomac River. I bet the traffic in DC was terrible even back then.

Sporadically I found the truly eclectic ones. A Claddagh for an Irish family, a Trident for a seafarer, a pineapple to welcome, a hand of friendship, and a squirrel,,,,,,, well you figure that one.
There were even double knockers on the homes of the rich who could afford double doors.

Grenville

Train (and Car) Colors

Our recent road trip to Niagara Falls, NY, involved a long train ride from and back to the Amtrak station in Wilmington, DE. Travelling this way gave both Grenville and I time to enjoy the scenery along the way without worrying about the traffic.

Of course, we passed many trains – much to Grenville’s delight.

Upstate NY was already in fall foliage mode at the end of September. Here on the VA eastern shore, we’re waiting for the leaves to turn and they will, but not until mid-November (or later).

Travelling in late afternoon gave old factory buildings and utility lines a glow.

Driving home from the station there were more colors — highway lights.

The above effect was my attempt at an abstract. It was done by circling the camera during exposure; this was the only “decent” one out of several attempts.

Scene(s) in Dunville

As mentioned earlier, our recent Canadian road trip included  a stop to visit friends in Dunville, Ontario, where we saw a very large mudcat and an RCAF museum.

Driving along back roads, we saw sights that were similar to those back in our eastern shore VA home — farmland, farms and barns. Some of the most scenic buildings were the most run down ones, especially red barns.

And, there were many nicer ones as well — also in red.

Gray and white are also good barn colors from older ones to those in better condition.

As Grenville was driving, I shot these scenes along the drive from Niagara Falls to Dunville without any pull-overs using a Canon Elph point & shoot.

Road Travellers More or Less

Weekend travel along US Route 13 shows some interesting sights in the way folks travel to and from vacation trips. On Friday, folks are usually headed south to beach areas; then on Sunday those travelling north usually are heading home.

Many travel with several bikes, one for each family member.

Others with lots of beach chairs.

Some travel lightly.

Still others bring several modes of transport, including lodgings.

There are those who just hang out and enjoy the ride.

We usually take one of our Jeeps loaded with luggage and "stuff" to be delivered to family members along the route from produce to furniture and tools.

How do YOU travel on a road trip?