Holidays 2024

I think I will mostly let the photos speak for themselves this year.  Had a great time making cookies and dog treats with the grandkids, reading, building Lego, playing games - EATING, etc.  Not pictured in any of these photos is our new grandson!  His parents want to keep him off the internet which I totally understand.  Just know that for every photo you see here, there are at least two other photos featuring HIM.  And Caleb and Meredith were here for Christmas!  I just didn't have any photos with them and NOT the baby!

Also not featured is one of my favorite things about the holidays - the music!  Terry and I are both enjoy singing in the choir at church - especially at our Christmas concert in early December.  It really sets the stage for the holidays.  I also enjoy the holidays lunches with friends.  Next year I'll try to get some photos of those so that I can look back with joy when I'm old and gray (or should I say older and grayer?).

 

Heading Back Home

We headed back home over about 5 days via lower Maine, Connecticut, New York, Baltimore, Harper's Ferry, and finally Shenandoah.  Here are interesting sites along the way:

This was one of many political signs we saw, but we thought this one was particularly eye-catching. 

An appropriate license plate

Camden, Maine

We saw lots of Halloween displays, but this was one of the most elaborate!

A line for lobster rolls that we decided NOT to join

Ate some clam chowder in Mystic Seaport, where Terry ate on several business trips

Getting back on the interstate at Mystic, we were rear-ending on the entrance ramp. Turned out to be a much bigger deal than we originally thought. 

The next day we took a turn around Central Park.  Traffic was not bad. 

We stopped for an hour or so in Baltimore Harbor.  It was very pretty/ 

We took a hike above Harper's Ferry.  The leaves were not quite perfect yet, but it was still pretty.  

We met up with Ann and David at Shenandoah. 

The guys hiked Old Rag Mountain - the "most badass hike in Virginia."  

Ann and I just went on a drive along the parkway.  The high was in the 30s, and I was just tired of being cold. I'd love to return in better weather.  

Acadia National Park

Acadia is beautiful in October!  We camped there for four nights and saw the "quiet side", the busy part near Bar Harbor, and even the Schoodic Peninsula.  Our favorite things were hiking the Beehive and Precipice Trails and e-biking on the carriage roads.  We both agreed that this is a place we would love coming again.  The trails are lots of easy trails and activities that are easier for the older crowd as well as the fun things in town.  

We didn't LOVE Schoodic Peninsula (just not nearly as scenic) or seeing the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain (WAY too cold).  

Echo Lake

Sunset at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

Beehive Trail

Precipice Trail

Celebratory selfie with the folks we bonded with while tackling this trail!

Sunrise at Cadillac mountain

E-biking near Jordan Pond House

Friday night in Bar Harbor

We ate seafood at Geddy's

Schoodic Peninsula

Terry gets a fire ready for us to watch the UT-Florida game

We moved inside the van and kept the door open for ambience