Our New England / Canada trip

10 years ago

Thought I'd share some photos with you all, who helped me plan the trip to begin with. There are a lot ... this is my revenge for travelling and missing all the "slice of life" photo opps.

This will take a few posts... I will put END on the last photo post.

First we, drove to Burlington, VT to do their wonderful bike trail, which actually juts out into Lake Champlain. Stayed at the sweetest little bnb ever.

Then we drove to Quebec, which feels surprisingly French. I have no picture of the highlight, which was an outdoor evening Cirque du Soleil performance, for which we were essentially on stage!
{{gwi:1520042}}

We then flew to Ontario to see Niagara Falls (thank you to those who suggested NOTL, good call). Uber charming.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (28)

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
We then flew to Halifax, Nova Scotia and drove up to Cape Breton.

{{gwi:1520044}}

{{gwi:1520045}}

Then on to Prince Edward Island via ferry.

This dirt road, through a potato field, is the road to one of the most famous beaches on PEI!

{{gwi:1520046}}

I love this composition:
{{gwi:1520047}}

This is the floating boardwalk at PEI's Greenwich Beach
{{gwi:1520048}}

A PEI lighthouse
{{gwi:1520049}}

Next we drove to Bay of Fundy, and stayed in a yurt overlooking the Bay. Here it is at sunrise, low tide.
The tide rises almost 50 feet.
{{gwi:1520050}}

{{gwi:1520051}}
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Next stop St ANdrews and then Bar Harbor;
{{gwi:1520052}}

Then on to a tiny island off the Maine Coast, from which we caught a private boat to our lighthouse.

{{gwi:1520053}}

{{gwi:1520054}}

The lighthouse, which is operational and we had to ourselves, had three bedrooms, a living room, was furnished with antiques, and a watercolor set!

{{gwi:1520055}}

The lighthouse came with kayaks for exploring:

{{gwi:1520056}}

Finally Ogunquit, Maine.
{{gwi:1520057}}

{{gwi:1520058}}

THE END

It was a beautiful trip. Relaxing and easy. For us, relatively few flights. No cultural adjustments, save a chance to use high school French!
Related Discussions
Cemeteryrose and jannorcal, England rose trip report?
Q
Comments (9)
Yes, indeed, I'm trying to organize my photos and thoughts, recover from a massive case of jet lag, and catch up at home. The trip was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. My photos are not so good. It was bright and sunny throughout our trip, not the best light for photography and actually a bit hot for touring the gardens - not that we let it stop us! Jon was a great host, and we had so much fun with him, David Stone and their friend Joan. We went to Stourhead, too, and some private gardens in Winchester. Our favorite garden of all was Jon's private garden, despite his protestations that it was out of control. We met up with three of the tea authors from Australia, Hillary Merriweather, Lynne Chapman, and Billy West, at Mottisfont. Janelle and I visited it three days in a row, and really couldn't get our fill. So many roses, grown to perfection, planted densely with companion plants, at their peak. Because it was so warm, roses that weren't blooming when we first saw the garden on Friday evening were opening by Monday afternoon. Because the spring had been so late, clematis and peonies were still in bloom. We went to Kew, and enjoyed it although one really doesn't go there for the roses. We spent three days in Kent with some friends of mine, who took us to Wisley, Great Dixter and Sissinghurst, as well as to a village which had a dozen open gardens. We went up to Shrewsbury and visited Peter Boyd, who took us to David Austin (where we saw Michael Marriott). Peter also showed us his spinossissima collection at his lovely Shropshire hillside. We stopped at Packwood House, notable for 100 old yew trees and a very nice border. We went to Hidcote and Kiftsgate. We spent many hours at Peter Beale's garden and nursery, and chatted with him. We ended the trip visiting Roger Phillips and his Eccleston Square garden. Have I dropped enough names? I kept wanting to pinch myself. This Californian could hardly get enough of delphiniums, hedges and topiary, and indulged in cream teas and other delights. Janelle drove very, very well. I navigated desperately. Thanks to everybody who advised us. Yes, I know that you want photos. Give me a little time - but here is a teaser - Mottisfont splendor - Anita
...See More
Draft FAQ on New England Soils
Q
Comments (9)
Thanks all for the compliments. narcnh: I can't put that sort of information into a FAQ - any specific references to a website would be considered too ephemeral. The FAQ is supposed to be timeless (or at least last for longer than the average website). Treeskate: My guess is that you will need to retest and probably amend the soil regularly, since soil particles will continue to erode slowly and reestablish the original pH. ..................................................................................................................... I'll leave the draft here for about a week and then move it into the FAQ page if there's no objection. Remember that I can still edit the FAQ when it's on the FAQ page. Claire
...See More
Driving trip through New England
Q
Comments (13)
Vermont and New Hampshire have many covered bridges. These make wondeful photographs in late summer and particularily when the leaves turn about the first week of October. In Maine, you will not be able to cruise the coastline because it is riddled with inlets that run 5 to 7 miles inland. The tides affect the water level in these inlets and there isn't many bridges across them. A major east-west road tends to be at the upper end of these inlets. You can visit the many little fishing villages on the coast, but must go back to the main road to make any headway east ot west. At the eastern end of Maine, there is a pair of cities, one in Maine and the other adjoining in New Bruinswick with a stream between them. This is a most interesting pair because the city fathers have decided to share municipal services even though one city is in Canada and the other in the US. Schools, water, sewer, fire, and police are shared services. This is probably the most highly used border crossing in the US. I have no idea what has happened to their arrangements since 9/11 and tighter border security. We drove by these towns before 9/11. Old design lighthouses are dissappearing as these get replaced with more modern beacons and radar targets. At the eastern end of Maine is a much photographed lighthouse. It is sought by folks who make a hobby of light house pictures because many of these hobbyists never get to this one because it so far away from the center of population. This light house is fully antomated and unattended. Warings are posted to stay away from the fog horn if it starts to operate - It can damage your hearing if you are too close, and the chest compressions may upset a pacemaker. Bar Harbor is an interesting place because it is the playground of the rich and famous. Just cruise through it to get the flavor - don't plan to stay - expensive. The harbor is filled with boats of all sizes offering photo ops (many are yachts).
...See More
Are all garden soils in New England acidic, with rocks?
Q
Comments (0)
No way! It's true that most of our soils are acidic, and our rocks are infamous; but there are pockets of alkaline soil, and chunks of clay, and sandy expanses with nary a rock in sight. If you're willing to take a chance with expensive (and/or beloved) acid-requiring plant material, then most of the time you'll be OK. However, it's safer to have the soil tested before you go ahead and plant. WHAT IS NEW ENGLAND ANYWAY? The classic view of New England, as learned by local schoolchildren, includes the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. It rolls off the tongue like A,B,C,D,E ... The problem is that the Atlantic Ocean bounds New England to the east and Canada lies to the north, but there isn't a clear boundary to the west or south. Portions of eastern New York along the Hudson River kind of blend into Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and Long Island can be suspiciously like Cape Cod or the south coast of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Open-minded New Englanders are inclined to accept New York as adjunct New England territory for some purposes, so long as the New Yorkers don't get too uppity about it. A SHOCKINGLY BRIEF AND SUPERFICIAL GEOLOGY SUMMARY A very long time ago, long before Spike started Garden Web, there were continents drifting and colliding, and volcanoes spouting lava, followed by glaciers grinding up the rocks, sliding and melting, and depositing stuff all over the land. A turbulent time. The most recent ice age, the Wisconinan, started about 80,000 years ago and finished up about 14,000 years ago. Coming here, it scraped material off mountains and bedrock and carried with it whatever rocks were too hard to grind up. The softer rock got ground into smaller and smaller particles, ending up as what we now call gravel, sand, silt and clay. When the glacial lobes started melting and retreating, these rocks and particles dropped out and either stayed put or were redistributed by the melt-water rivers. The outwash plains and deltas contain large amounts of sand and gravel. Just look at the beaches on Cape Cod and the south coast of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Huge glacial lakes formed, with sediment at the bottom, and these glacial lakes were later emptied when temporary dams burst. The sediments often contain veins of clay and silt. Clay and silt deposits are found along the northeast coast and around Lake Champlain. Smaller kettle ponds were formed when a big chunk of ice melted in place and slowly seeped away until the level reached the water table. These kettle ponds soon filled with organic material and many became bogs. The temperature differential near the retreating ice sheet caused fierce winds to blow and deposit sand and silt every which way, and many upland soils in New England consequently are heavy in sand and silt. As if this wasn't enough, the land gave a sigh of relief as the weight of the ice sheet diminished, and started to rise up, shedding water in the process. However, the sea level countered by also rising, bolstered by the melted glacial water. Sea water covered various parts of New England and marine organisms lived and died, leaving their shells behind. Eventually these shells were transformed into their own idea of rock, resulting in marble, limestone and dolomite deposits in various parts of New England, notably in western Connecticut and northeastern Maine. The final affront to the New England geology was the arrival of humans. We farmed, filled in marshes, rerouted rivers, dug foundations and transported excavated material to landfills wherever we felt like it. The Big Dig in Boston is one of the latest and biggest examples of redistribution of earth by human activity. With all of this diversity in soils, it's no wonder that people always say you should have your soil tested if you want to know what you're dealing with. A FEW EXAMPLES FROM GARDEN WEB MEMBERS treeskate has problems with vernal pooling areas: "We have many small streams that overflow periodically throughout the year - and many of them are not in full sun. Planting is a real challenge! When I had 8 samples done by UCONN it was truly amazing the different levels of nutrients (Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium) and various pH levels, sandy loam, and organic content. It was mind boggling!" mad gallica in New York State: "...technically a bog is a wet place with a low pH. I don't have a bog, I have a limestone fen. A lot more plants will grow there because there are a lot more nutrients available. I don't really garden down there because I'd have to keep the cattails and phragmites under control." cady on the MA north shore has some clay soils. bogey123 near the CT coast : "I lived about half a mile from the long island sound in south western fairfield county and you couldn't dig more than a few inches without hitting rocks of all sizes and shapes. Yes the soil is a bit on the acidic side too." swanz in NH: "I live in SW NH, sandy, gravelly, acidic soil in my town." swanz also has a friend who lives 25 minutes away, but has clay soil. byron lives in NH, but says there are lime mines in Lee, MA. Lee is in the far west of MA near the NY border. narchnh in southern NH: "My only comment would be to emphasize what others have already pointed out, namely, that soil conditions here are about as variable as the weather. Even on one lot the range of soil types, pH, moisture, etc. can vary widely, so in many cases multiple samples would be necessary to get a true picture. For example, I am in an unusual(fortunate?) situation in that I live on top of a small rise right on the edge of the Connecticut River flood plain (across from Wethersfield Bow, if you know the river). Under an 18-inch layer of loamy sand it is, literally, about a 50 foot deep, maybe more, hill of almost pure sand. The only rocks I have ever hit when digging my gardens were placed there by previous owners (old foundations, wells, etc.). The downside is that my soil drains in minutes and dries out quickly, and in a week I can have crispy lawn syndrome. Great drainage for perennial beds, if they are mulched, but not your typical "thin soil over granite bedrock" like I had at my last house. BUT, in some places there is a clay-based underlayer, probably pockets left over from when the river or the streams on the property meandered through thousands of years ago. These areas retain water and have a very different profile. I can easily spot them right now out on the lawn, because in those places the grass is green and tall compared to the crispy lawn around them. On top of this the land has been farmed for over 250 years, so it has been modified with years of tilling in cover growth, cow manure, etc. Depending on where you live, that could definitely play a role in soil quality, since so much farmland is being converted to housing. Again, my point would be that, unless someone really knew that their soil was homogeneous, if they were going to garden in four places on their property and wanted the soil tested, then they should take four samples. More expensive, but it would save money in the long run through fewer lost plants." SO WHAT'S IN GARDEN SOIL? The short answer is, a mixture of inorganic particles derived from rock, plus organic material, plus nutrients, plus various trace minerals. A healthy soil will also have bacteria and fungi and earthworms (although there is an anti-earthworm lobby). USDA SOIL CLASSES - PARTICLE SIZE AND SOIL TEXTURE The USDA recognizes three soil particle sizes: from biggest to smallest - sand, silt and clay. These are usually all present in soil, but in different proportions. Put these together and you have a series of 12 soil texture classes starting with sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, sandy clay loam, ... you get the picture. The important thing to remember is that the more sand, the better the drainage(water races through), the more clay, the more the water is retained. AND WHAT ABOUT pH? pH is a scale ranging from 1 (dangerously acidic) to 14 (viciously alkaline) which can be used to measure the chemical environment in the soil that the plant has to deal with. pH 7 is neutral. Soil pH within a range of pH 4 to 8 is not outrageous, but different plants will grow at acidic pH 4 than will grow at alkaline (basic) pH 8. The pH is mostly determined by the parent rock from which the soil particles were derived. Lots of limestone and the pH goes up towards alkaline. Most soils in New England are acidic, but areas with considerable limestone, dolomite or marble deposits tend to be alkaline. A soil test will give you the pH of your garden soil and tell you how to amend it if you want or need a different pH. However, don't think that you can change the pH once and forget about it. You'll probably have to re-test and re-amend every year or so. Soil has a short memory and will revert to the original pH (or close to it) if you don't keep an eye on it. Did I mention you should have your soil tested? It's easier than you think, and not very expensive. HOW TO HAVE YOUR SOIL TESTED The Cooperative Extension System is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and has local offices in each of the New England States. A web search for "Cooperative Extension System" will give you local contacts. Note that soil testing is usually listed under agriculture or horticulture. When you order the test material you will be given a detailed procedure to follow. The Soils, Compost and Mulch Forum FAQ on Soil Testing and pH gives a good description of the process. WHAT DO I DO WITH THE SOIL TESTING RESULTS? The analysis will tell you what your soil contains and how to amend it to achieve certain goals. Be aware that the soil analysis recommendations may be based on bringing the soil to a generally acceptable standard, such as a more neutral pH. If you're planting something unusual that would like the odd-ball soil conditions, you may not want to follow all of the recommendations. That's the point where you might want to post a question on the New England Gardening Forum or the Soil, Compost and Mulch Forum. Lots of knowledgeable folks on both forums. A FEW USEFUL REFERENCES Print "The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagation Wildflowers of the United States and Canada" by William Cullina is aimed at gardeners and is excellent on soil. "Roadside Geology of Massachusetts", by James W. Skehan is part of a series of geology books for specific states. Very detailed and easy to read. treeskate recommends The Face of Connecticut - People, Geology, and the Land" by Michael Bell. "It is divided into 'Landscapes' (central valley, uplands, the coast, 20th Century Landscape) and 'Geology' (a sense of time, Mapping the land, the changing face of Connecticut, Qui Transtulit...) Great illustrations, drawings, etc. to better understand a particular area and the type of soils found. Internet sites The Society of Soil Scientists of New England has a website with presentations on New England Soil Formation/Genesis and other good information The website of The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the USDA, has excellent soil survey data.
...See More
Annie Deighnaugh
10 years ago
You're not kidding it was a wonderful trip!

Do you have any pics of the inside of the yurt and the lighthouse...how fabulous to stay on a lighthouse...any ghosts? They all always seem haunted....
Sueb20
10 years ago
Wonderful pictures! Funny, I was in Burlington, VT, at the end of July, with my son (toured UVM) and just last night made reservations to go to Bar Harbor in October (we have been there twice). Some of your other stops (Quebec City, PEI) are on my to-visit list. And Oqunquit is one of my favorite places. Thanks for sharing.
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
LOL, No, no one moved my curling irons. : )
It was very cool though, especially for people who like historic buildings, like we do. It was also full of antiques. The sense of quiet and peace is unique; we loved the fact that noone else was there. And you could not have better views. I highly recommend the lighthouse, with a few caveats.

1. It is a not for profit preservation project, not a hotel. It requires a fairly hefty donation to stay, but it is not a luxury property in a traditional sense. Adjust expectations accordingly.

2. They are fund raising in part to install a system for hot and cold running water. The lowest level of the lighthouse, which has the current "bathroom" and in-progress kitchen, will one day offer showers and a full kitchen (the owner has already installed a plum AGA and an old butcher block!, but it is a construction site in the kitchen). So if you go now, think camping. There is some solar power, a marine toilet, and a small fridge. But no running water and you cook on a grill on the deck. For a short stay, no problem.

3. You take a 1hr ferry from Rockland, ME, to the tiny island of North Haven. From there the ligthhouse folks take you on another, small boat, to the lighthouse itself (5-7 minutes). If I had to do it over again, id rent our own boat so we could explore even more than we did on kayaks. Plus then we could go back to North Haven to eat .... (highly acclaimed Nebo Lodge is on N Haven).

Our lighthouse photos are not so great and have a lot of us in them. I will link a youtube video that they have below. I'd love to inspire others to consider supporting this cause, and having fun doing it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Stay in your own ligthhouse!
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Annie,

In re the yurt, again, my photos are filled with sleeping kids. So I am linking to the park service site.

If anyone is interested, there are only 5 yurts, and only two have the great views, so be sure to ask if you go. They also book up the minute reservations open, so you need to call first thing on that day. But it's only $115 a night!!

We had booked two yurts since there are 5 of us and we werent sure how comfy and spacious the beds would be. But we only ended up using one ... it was plenty big and the beds were great (byo pillows, sheets, blankets ... we bought them in PEI). It was spotless, pleasant, and had a propane stove with a thermostat! It is also very well located if you want to walk (hard to tell from photos but you are on a cliff), with steps down the mountainside to walk into town.

There is a dedicated structure for cooking food, just for the yurts. And it is a 2 minute walk to the communal bathrooms, laundry and shower (all of which were perfectly fine, for a park).

Here is a link that might be useful: Stay in a yurt!
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi SueB,

That is funny! This was part of our "quadrant project". We divided the US/Canada into 4 quadrants, and we are trying to see highlights in each region. Last year we did the SW, this year NE/Canada. I have planned our SE and NW trips, but I am not sure exactly when we will do those.

BH in October sounds perfect, btw.

Glad you like Ogunquit. We went househunting while we were there and we are contemplating putting in an offer on a house. The other beachhouse thing is still not resolved (driveway is partially on neighbors property) and I am tired of waiting, plus the Maine house it NOT a teardown, just fun stuff.
Sueb20
10 years ago
I could totally hang out with you, mtn. Love your travel plans. Our middle DS graduates from high school next spring, and we are planning a trip right after graduation -- the "twist" is that HE gets to choose our destination. We are all waiting with suspense to see what he picks. We told him he needs to decide by December. Ideas so far have included a safari, a trip to London (we have been, but last time he was maybe 8-9 years old), Spain, or some convoluted US trip that would involve following his beloved Red Sox to a couple of away games in interesting cities.

Anyway, about Ogunquit. We vacationed there for 5 years in a row, and the whole time I fantasized aloud about buying a place there. DH finally vetoed the idea because he loves to swim in the ocean, and the water is just too cold. Ogunquit has so much to offer, including its proximity to other great towns like Kennebunkport, Portland, Portsmouth. I know, you get a place in Ogunquit and we'll do a vacation house swap!
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
SueB!

Yes, I think we are of alike minds, indeed! I long ago promised my girls a Paris trip when they are 16! And my son gets to choose his trip for his 16th. It's a few years away but he has bounced around Greece, Iceland, Hawaii and Scandinavia. DH and DS go to Fl for Sox spring training every year! Following the team is a cool travel idea! I would vote for safari, it's just something everyone always enjoys and finds memorable.

As for Ogunquit. Yup, the water is cold. That is why we are not putting in an offer until we can make certain we can put in a pool (heated) where we want to. We have been looking for a year and I really like the town (esp the food and of course the Marginal Way and all the charming architecture). I like the idea of the kids getting around by trolley if they want.

And compared to BI, where would have to demo and build, this is ready to stay at. And no ferry stress, either.
Plus, as you know, we have been looking a year and I have never seen an oceanfront property with this much land and privacy (it's only 1.6 acres, but we looked at similar properties on 0.12 acres, LOL!).

PS What kind of camera do you use, or is it one of those complex ones? You took some great great shots!
Sueb20
10 years ago
Some of my pics are from my iPhone, but the ones that look good are from DH's fancy Canon camera, for which he's bought several additional lenses. Apparently he is planning to quit his day job and go to work for National Geographic...based on the time and money he's put into this hobby. I think it's his version of a midlife crisis, which is preferable to an affair or crazy sports car!
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Ahh yes, I feared they could not possibly from a point a shoot. I seem to be one of a scant minority who never took a photography course, so I've no hope of using one of those.

Have a good weekend!
hhireno
10 years ago
Mtn,
Lovely pictures, thanks for sharing them. I do enjoy seeing a few judiciously chosen pics of vacations. How long do we have to wait for the trip to Paris?

Sueb,
Hahahaha, I agree, as midlife crises go an expensive camera hobby isn't too bad. A least you also benefit by getting nice pics of you and the kids.
Annie Deighnaugh
10 years ago
Thanks for the links....looks like so much fun, but I was getting acrophobia just from the pics of that top deck on the light house. But such great views.
User
10 years ago
Love the photos, mtn, especially those of PEI. Did your girls channel Anne of Green Gables? I have fantasized about going there and renting a house for a week and reading the books aloud.... But I would undoubtedly have to do it alone :-(

Your itinerary was ambitious, and it sounds as though the trip suited all of you. I too loved Quebec (and the opportunity to drag out the rusty French) and would REALLY like to go for winter carnival, which is my idea of rustic. Yurts and lighthouses.... oh my!

It will be a great trip for the rest of us if you buy a beach house from it...... You know we all love the fun stuff as much as the tear downs. I'm ready for pictures of the house already!
eandhl
10 years ago
Thanks for sharing your trip. Beautiful, all of it. The Lighthouse and Yurt are my favorites for your lodging.
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
HHI Reno, Paris is a long way away ... 5 years in fact!

Annie, lol, the second level deck was plenty high for me.

Hi KSWL, I went to PEI as a 10yo, and my Dad bought me the three book set, which I read as we travelled. My girls have read or have had read to them,from the very same set of books. We did make the trip to see the house on which GG is based. I had heard before that it is very popular with Japanese tourists and indeed it is; I found out that it is required high school reading in Japan, LOL. My book club actually read Anne a year or so ago. A lot if us shared it with our daughters.

As for the house, insert me jumping up and down here. We are still investigating appropriate comps and verifying pool placement. I hope to bid on it soon. ANd of course I will deluge you all if/when we are under contract!
denali2007
10 years ago
Sounds like a dream vacation. We did Maine a few years back, Portland, Camden and Bar Harbor. It was my favorite vacation ever. I want to do Lake Champlain next.
beaglesdoitbetter1
10 years ago
mtnrdredux, replying to you over here instead of the build-a-house thread so I don't hijack :) Glad to hear you liked Niagara on the Lake. It's one of my favorite places! Your pictures are beautiful! It looks like you guys had a great time! Did you see a play in Niagara on the Lake or just enjoy the little village? What did you think of Niagara Falls (did you go?)

Maine was OK I thought. There were things we liked and things we didn't love. Don't know about where you were but it was incredibly buggy where we were, more mosquitos than I have ever encountered anywhere in my life! We were also in a really tiny town with only 3 restaurants and not much to do. Fine for a week or so, but less fun for a month. We will not be buying a house there for summers... Think we are going to rent a different place every summer for a month until we find someplace we love.

We did love Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park (the dogs really loved it, it was their first time ever getting to go out to a restaurant, they came out w/ us to dinner twice)

How exciting about possibly finding a house you like. I do kind of selfishly wish you'd buy that other one so I could see your remodel though :)
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi Beagles,

Glad you replied over here!

Yes, we had a lovely vacation. To some, it looks like a busy itinerary. For us, it was a more relaxing itinerary than usual.

We didn't see a play at NOTL because there was nothing that really would have worked for all of us. Plus to be honest we are a little spoiled, having NYC for that sort of thing. We did see NF, at dinner, at night and by horse carriage. It was not really something I personally would have gone out of my way for, but the kids wanted to see it and staying in NOTL made it much more pleasant then the alternative, methinks!

It's funny you'd mention mosquitoes in Maine. My DH, who grew up in Mass., always rates locales on the size and numbers of their mosquitoes! He always wants everything screened! As it happens, we had no mosquitoes at all where we were! None. I think that partly sold him. Were you on the ocean? I always hear that breezes keep them at bay.

Also funny you'd mention restaurants. In Southern coastal Maine, we had excellent food. And not just stuffy dinners, but great cafes and casual places too. That was another huge plus.

As far as the house we are looking at, don't worry, plenty to amuse the GW club! It needs a new kitchen and 3 new baths and a pool. As compared to the other house, which needed demo and totally new construction. By comparison, to me, kitchens and baths are "fun stuff". If we stick with the other property, we have at least a year till we can stay there!

Anyway, what are you looking for in a summer place? Maybe the board has some ideas of places you should try.
beaglesdoitbetter1
10 years ago
Yup, definitely better off in Niagara on the Lake than NF! The carriage ride sounds nice though. The last time I went to the falls w/ some friends we took them on a hot air balloon ride which was also a nice way to see it.

We had great food too, don't get me wrong! Lots of seafood and lobster chowder and delicious muscles! Did you have PEI muscles on Prince Edward Island? We ate lobster, but I actually liked the lobster stews and seafood stews better than just the plain lobster for the most part. We just got a little sick of the local restaurants in the area where we were since we ate out every single day for a month (it was nice to eat in Bar Habor, Calais, Eastport and the other places we visited!)

Did you go to Acadia National Park on your trip or no? We did a nice lighthouse/ nature tour in Bar Harbor, which had gorgeous scenery.

We were on a lake, not the ocean. We picked a lake b/c we were told the water was much warmer on lakes in Maine and actually swimmable as opposed to the ocean which was too cold. May have been why there were so many mosquitos!

Glad to hear that you'll be doing some remodeling at least :) A new kitchen, baths and a pool sound fun to do! We're embarking on a backyard landscape/screen porch project soon, but no swimming pool.

Summer place: We want weather that is reasonable cool (no 80 degree days); a place where we can be on open water (lake or ocean, no houses visible) and a place where we can have at least 5 acres. I've learned my lesson after FL and I will never buy property on less than 3-5 acres again, I don't care how good the view is. It would be nice if it wasn't a super far drive from PA but that seems unlikely. If anyone has rental suggestions for next summer for a place for us to try, I'd be open to hearing them :) In the meantime, we're shifting our focus to finding a new FL house to buy (hoping the old one sells quickly this winter!) and will wait a few years for the summer home.
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Sorry, Beagles, I realize I didn't respond.

Alas, we had no PEI mussels; DH and I are both allergic to shellfish. Consequently as well, our kids haven't tried much of it either. I did cajole them into trying lobster at least, but they didn't like it much (?!). I love it but can't risk it. We did have a lot of delicious fin fish on vacation though.

We did got to Acadia, but weren't wowed as we'd anticipated. Part of it may have been that the loop was partly closed. The rest of it may have been that we had just seen very similar scenery in Cape Breton, PEI, Nova Scotia etc etc...

So now, as to your quest:
We want weather that is reasonable cool (no 80 degree days); a place where we can be on open water (lake or ocean, no houses visible) and a place where we can have at least 5 acres.

I think that is pretty tough. Especially because although you don't say it, I assume you also want a nice selection of good restaurants. To be One point in re the 5 acres ... this is a lesson Ive learned the hard way. Our NY state lakehouse has 5 acre zoning. BUT, everyone builds as close as they can to the lake. So we end up much closer together than youd expect, and then all the acreage is behind everyone's house, and it just becomes something to drive through! Especially if they make the lake lots like pie wedges, which is very common (maximizes the number of lots you can sell and still provide everyone lake frontage).

So, all in all, I'm kind of at a loss!
beaglesdoitbetter1
10 years ago
Yea, we are realizing that finding the right location will be tough. I think that's why we will try different rental places each year for a while. There's really no rush, our house in PA is in a really nice area with nature and walking trails so it is kind of like a vacation home and we get the beach in FL for winters (I don't even really swim, only the dog uses the pool even). I just hate the heat. We're adding a screen porch w/ ceiling fans and if that is comfortable enough to sit outside, maybe we won't even need to buy a summer place.

Can't believe your kids didn't like lobster! If they didn't like it in Maine, guess they won't like it anywhere!
sochi
10 years ago
Mtn, when was your holiday? We may have passed you on the road! We drove to Quebec City, then to PEI for a wedding, took the ferry from the New Brunswick mianland to Deer and Campobello Island, then on the Bar Harbor, Acadia Nat'l Park and back home through New Hampshire and Vermont, staying with friends in Jackson. A great trip, as it looks like yours was! I should try post some pics. That lighthouse stay looks fantastic, I would have loved the kayaking.
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Sochi,

That is so funny! What a similar itinerary. We were gone from July 21 to Aug 14.

How as Campobello? It was on our itinerary but we ended up forgoing it.
sochi
10 years ago
We were gone the same time, roughly. Funny. Campobello was really lovely, great parks and beaches. I found it very interesting. I'd like to go back.

Interesting that the coolness is what attracts so many people to the area. It is a tad too cool for me for summer, I'm quite comfortable in the heat. It just seems cruel to have all that ocean and not be able to swim in it! We did have a really hot day on PEI, the kids spent the whole day in the ocean, I went in up to my thighs (quite something for me, I normally don't do cold water).

I can't access many of our pics from my iPad, but here is one from PEI.
sochi
10 years ago
One more pic from the trip I love: the kids in Quebec City running across the Plains of Abraham towards the National Assembly, which from this angle is dwarfed by the Hilton.

Your pictures are fabulous. I love the red dirt road!
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for sharing, Sochi! I wish we had known how closely our paths almost crossed, it would have been fun to have lunch!

BTW, how is your country home coming along?
mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for sharing, Sochi! I wish we had known how closely our paths almost crossed, it would have been fun to have lunch!

BTW, how is your country home coming along?

Our New England / Canada trip

Comments (28)

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

Related Discussions

Annie Deighnaugh

Sueb20

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

Sueb20

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

Sueb20

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

hhireno

Annie Deighnaugh

User

eandhl

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

denali2007

beaglesdoitbetter1

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

beaglesdoitbetter1

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

beaglesdoitbetter1

sochi

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

sochi

sochi

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Our New England / Canada trip

Comments (28)

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

Related Discussions

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

mtnrdredux_gwOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author

mtnrdredux_gw
Original Author