Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Monday, October 31, 2016

What's This? #20

A Halloween prank?


When we were in Bethany Beach at the beginning of the month this was the visage out our window.

Happy Halloween!  Hope you don't see this guy after dark.


Saturday, October 29, 2016

Food Secrets

Another excursion from here at Vantage House.  This time to the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore.  Their exhibits for the year revolve around food: the history, fantasy and future.

Notice the sign below the corners look like someone took a bite but they are that way because in Biblical tradition farmers were to leave the corners unharvested so that the poor could glean what was left there.


As you enter the sloping upward hallway on your left are old lunch boxes with postcards under them. Do you see the hands?  I didn't see them until I looked at my photos.



Someone in a local Maryland town passed out empty postcards asking people to write about their food secrets and then mail them back to him.  Here are a few of the submissions.












Which one is your favorite?  Do you have any food secrets?  One that I can think of involves in-laws.  My sister in law would not tell her husband the ingredients in a favorite potato casserole because he detests one of the key ingredients.  He loved the dish without knowing there was sour cream in it.

More to come from this fantastic art museum in future posts.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Tuesday Treasures #26 - American Art

Reaching back in the archives to my visit to the Smithsonian American Art Museum to post for Tom's Tuesday Treasures.


I think the artist on this first one was Edward Hopper.


Don't know the artist on these other two.



All are quintessential American scenes don't you think?

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Martha's Vineyard #4

Here's another post for our vacation on the island of Martha's Vineyard last weekend.

We went to visit one of the properties set aside in a trust called Long Pond Wildlife Refuge.  Didn't see much wildlife but it was a beautiful spot.

Enjoy!



Can you see the swans in the above photo?










Can you see the kite pulling the surfer through the water?  Look in the upper left corner above.









My son in law was wading with the gulls.  Not really.  He was trying to rescue a water bottle that dropped into the water from their backpack.  He got it.






Saturday, October 22, 2016

Martha's Vineyard #3

Here's the house we rented on Martha's Vineyard in Oak Bluffs.
4 bedrooms and 3 baths.


One night Emily & Sarah steamed lobsters for us all.





 To save on the mess of eating them at the table, Emily sliced off the tails and claws.



They were delicious.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Martha's Vineyard #2


On our second full day at Martha's Vineyard we drove to Edgartown and found parking on the street near Fuller Street Beach.  My daughter, Emily, had read that it was a good spot to look for shells.  There were some very large houses fronting on this beach.


We walked to the lighthouse and then to the street.






We moved the car to be closer to the main part of the town and walked around.
The Pagoda Tree was a stop.






We got lunch and sat out on a bench to eat along the water.


Below was the ferry to Chappaquidick Island.


An interesting weather vane.


The church in town.





Across from the Museum which was closed was this house on blocks.  A new foundation had been poured.



On the grounds of the museum was this light from a light house.


More to come.