After checking out of our hotel, we had breakfast again at our fav diner, and Bob befriended two wonderful local gals, who didn't mind their picture taken for our blog! This is going to be a spectacular day!!!
Just prior to boarding the Ferry to travel to Martha's Vineyard, I asked permission to photograph these precious teens, anxious to spend the day cycling around the Island once we arrive!
On the bow of the ferry crossing over from Falmouth Harbor on the mainland of Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard, where we will be spending the entire day!
Closing in on the Harbor...
Entering the harbor at Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard...
We decided to forego the "Taxi Tour", and opted to rent an open Jeep to tour the various towns and countryside of Martha's Vineyard on our own. (This way I could stand above roof-level to take MORE PHOTOGRAPHS!)
These "Gingerbread Cottages" line the park you'll see below, and make up a large part of this area on the Island called "Oaks Bluff." After this town, Bob and I traveled to other towns, including West Tisbury, Edgartown (the most elegant, and the first colonial settlement, made up of stately white Greek Revival houses built by whaling captains. It is a seaport village preserved from the early 19th century), Chilmark (a town of rolling hills, unmatched coastline, and green fields dotted with sheep...and a main fishing village, Mememsha, is located in the heart of this village where seafood can be purchased directly off the boats. Also, tourists can recognize the picturesque harbor from the movie "JAWS"!), and Aquinnah (home of the famous Aquinnah Cliffs, seriously threatened today and protected/studied by scientists...here layers of and, gravel, and clays of various colors tell a hundred-million-year-old story of a land first covered with forests, then flooded and laid bare time and time again. Fossil bones of camels, wild horses, and ancient whales have been found in the Cliff's layers.) The Aquinnah Lighthouse which you will see on this blog was originally built in 1799 to warn sailors of the perilous rocky coastline. Back then, the lighthouse keeper and his wie had to stand all night and turn the light by hand, as it was one of the first revolving lighthouses ever built!
Today, the more than 300 Gingerbread Cottages look out toward this lush park, complete with gazebo, and leading toward a large, well-inhabited beach on the Atlantic. Oaks Bluff is the home of the Flying Horses Carousel, the oldest continuously operating carousel in the country!
These cozy summer homes in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard aren't TOO UNDERSTATED! Isn't this a BEAUTY???
Here is an unusually ornate railing on the wrap-around porch of this Victorian.
A "Pink Lady" Victorian sits grandly on the corner!
We have now entered the next town and are passing over a small bridge toward a heavily-populated beach, where the teenagers are having fun doing flips off the railings!!!
Honey admiring the vegetation...
This is taken by the Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard Harbor in front of a sculpturer's gallery...and NO! That is not a whale tail coming out of Grandma Header's bum!!! After Bob snaps this pic, he says, "Hey! Didn't you read the sign??? NO SITTING ON THE FENCE!"
On the way to Edgartown Lighthouse, Bob stops on the seashell path to "strike a pose."
The climb to the top...
A view from the top of Edgartown Lighthouse away from the tower, facing East toward the Atlantic.
A very relaxed "Bob," "Roberto," "Monk," "Dad," "Papa", "Rio"!
This is looking back toward the town from the tower and this picture does not begin to show the beauty of it all, particularly the sun shimmering on the water and the picturesque waterfront homes, vegetation, cool summer breezes, etc...you all get the pic!
This handsome guy is the lighthouse keeper's Labrador. He was typical of most Labs...sweet and loving, but later this day, Bob's finger itched (after petting him), and he believes "Beau" may have had fleas!
looking up toward the top of the lighthouse - pretty white on brilliant blue sky...
another view of the tower...
We're standing in front of the "Edgartown Lighthouse" which was originally built in 1828. Edgartown is the second town we drove through after leaving Vineyard Haven (where the ferry dropped us off and we rented our Jeep).
This is the place Pete strongly recommended we meet him at for breakfast before starting out on the road again. Today is a travel day...not too much to blog, but MAKE SURE TO READ THRU THE END OF TODAY!!! There is a real treat at the end!
This is a cute little place that's been around for quite awhile...only about 5-6 tables inside, and a back patio with about 4...and it is PACKED!
Pete can't eat right now, but knows this place well, and they evidently know him. He makes great suggestions for breakfast...
Little Joe came, and DIDN'T FORGET his triceratops (OR his cool shades, like Dads)!
Peter suggests his favorite (which was VERY TEMPTING!!), "crab-stuffed omelette" for breakfast, but I have gained so much weight, I decided to be "good" and just order the "stuffed french toast, topped with strawberries, fresh rhubarb and whipped cream!" Aren't I good???
Bob got the corned-beef hash, wheat toast and eggs..."GREAT HASH!", he declares.
We stopped to get a quick fill-up in Westport, Conn. and loved the patriotic display of flag along this bridge!
This is the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York...just a short drive through this state, primarily due to lack of remaining time. We have to head back to Ohio in the next 2 days, so unfortunately, NY will have to be another trip in the future!
Bob and I are finally in Pennsylvania, after traveling through the rest of Connecticut and a short bit of New Hampshire and New York!
Bob and I exited Highway 487, hungry and getting tired...funds are gettin' low so we were kinda lookin for a reasonable place to stay. No hotels or motels were seen for miles and miles, so finally we drove past what looked to be some sort of "golf place." It was well after 6 pm, so Heather gets out of the car and goes huntin' for SOMEONE in the place who could suggest a room for the evening since we were both so weary. Well...some young kinda pretty gal (not too good with talkin, or even directions, mind you) smiled and said "My Mom owns the "Jamison City Hotel" and it's got rooms, and a restaurant and a bar, too!" Bob and I tried for almost an hour to find this charmer, but directions had been confusing and vague...nonetheless, we persevered by pure DETERMINATION! (and also there was nothin' left but to do it) We were greeted by this welcome sign, and proceeded in several doors, til someone hollered, "If y'all are lookin' for a room, ya gotta see Jody in the tavern!" Well, it didn't take long to find 'er, we just followed the thick cigarette smoke and a bar full of "colorful" drunkards that was havin' some kinda time, and she checked and offered us to look at room #10...lucky us...the LAST AVAILABLE!!!
We was so excited to view the one remaining room in this establishment (9 out of 10 are already taken!), or I would've stepped back a piece to let y'all get the full vision here. Most people nowadays are so wasteful, they would condemn this buildin' in the blink-of-an-eye...but NOOO...nothin' is apparently gonna stop this inn-keeper from wreckin' a true historical building in this neck of the woods! No never mind the foundation is shaky...now to peek at THE ROOM...
That fancy ol' "Hotel Vogue" in Montreal don't have nothin' on this place (I particularly was impressed by the far bed, how it's slanted to the right, rather than buckling in the middle like the other one)! I would've snuck in for a closer gander at the vintage wallpaper and tasteful decor, but after all, we think this suite is spoken for, seein' that the doors wide open and there appears to be some clothin' lying on the bed already. Where is the bathroom, anywho??
Decisions, decisions! I thought I'd seen where I wanted us to nestle up in together until I looked in the open door across the hall, and viewed this sight. (We're not quite sure where the "head" is, but likely folks just pitch in and share one or two bathrooms between the 10 "suites.")
Remember those stately Victorians in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard we showed ya? They don't hold a candle to this stately manor...I really wish my trigger finger had been faster, so I coulda shot the OTHER side. Actually, this is likely the finest building in this entire area, no doubt!
Bob obliged me and backtracked so I could get a pic of my (FIRST! and ONLY!) covered bridge...the kind pictured in postcards from little towns in Vermont and Connecticut. This one is tucked away just outside of Benton, Pennsylvania...not far from the beautiful city of Jamieson pictured above. As I was focusing to take the snapshot, a LIVE POSSUM crawled away from me from about 5 FEET!!! I've never seen a dead possum, let alone a LIVE ONE! So at least we know if we need food on the table, huntin' is plentiful in these parts! :>)
We have found the perfect retiree setting...a nice quiet neighborhood where folks are simple and don't fret about how much fried foods they eat, or even going for any dentists visits! One could really relax permanently here without nary a care.
So...we did some real searchin' around this town, and found the PERFECT retiree haven! It's got a big front porch (something I always did desire!), that holds lots of goodies...' even comes complete with grandkids' toys, and cardboard storage units (for Christmas ornies, and the like). We just need to do some little fix-its, like clear a path for the front door so guests like you all feel welcome..."and we'll leave the light on for ya!" Remember...the MORE the MERRIER!!!
And in case any of the family wants to retire here with us...here's a GREAT FIXER-UPPER! We'd love to have y'all come and get away from that Arizona heat!
