SEC Football, Friends and Flowers

October the 24th,

was a cold and rainy Saturday..

what better way to warm the day

than with a group of friends

and an SEC football game on the big t.v.!

Hamburgers were grilled

(under an umbrella)

a pot of gumbo was staying warm on the stove..

chips, dips, and assorted snacks

were spread on the table ...

waiting in anticipation of

Alabama vs. Tennessee.

Soon Benny and Juran arrived

with Jeff and Andy in tow.

Benny and Juran ,

being so thoughtful and sweet brought

a beautiful arrangement of flowers!!

Soon Richard arrived,

followed shortly by

Chris, Angela and their two young boys. the children enjoyed a few toys from the den

and snacks from the kitchen...

We truly enjoyed the company and good times,

we did miss getting to share the day

with Benito, & Exar and his family..

But maybe,

before to much water has passed under the bridge

we will do it again and they will be able to join the festivities..
The day is over..

the friends have gone home..

the memories remain

as do the

beautiful flowers!

Thank you!

Apples to Lighthouses ..Two Day's Full...

Friday the 16th

rolled around so fast I almost felt dizzy...

the week was flying by

I was having so much fun I was asleep each

night as my head touched the pillow!

I did not want this week to end.. Yet, Friday blew in on a cold, cutting

Nor'easter...

who would have thought it was only October?

We started our day with a visit

to Applecrest farms

for apples,apple donuts,

crackers and

Applecrest homemade wicked sharp cheddar cheese...

through the week I had

begun to realize that

not only did Mary like apples,

Mary loved apples!!!
She picked out her prizes with great scrutiny!

a peek in the back for a buggy

afforded me a look

at the

washer sorter apparatus

Cathy found the cranberries...

I found a most helpful looking apple chart..

and lets not forget

our three cups of very hot...

smoldering in fact..

apple cider!

***

Heading north we stopped at the

Galley Hatch

for lunch

then headed up the coastline to

York, Maine.

There we

stood our ground

against Mother nature,

kept our footing in the wind and took pictures

as we visited the

"Nubble" lighthouse on

Cape Neddick.

Across the water..

approximately 6 1/2 mile you can just see the

Boon Island lighthouse

*****

That evening everyone

was toasty and warm inside away from the wind..

***

Saturday morning the sun broke through ,

and we had an unwelcome visitor..

A Great Blue Heron..

seemed to want to feast at our pond...

however, two determined

Great Pyrenees Puppies had other thoughts

as to it dinning on their goldfish!!

They have kept the

"pterodactyl" like giant bird from gorging...

(it is persistent and is still coming around..sitting on the top of the house,

or just out of snouts reach on the other side of the fence...)

the flying dinosaur must have a wing spread that would

be the envy of any small plane!!!

***

Brunch was had at

"Hebert's"

and a guided tour of the new

3rd floor of the Shoal's building

at the

Portsmouth Regional Medical Center****

Then the four of us headed

down to

Portsmouth Harbor..

Today, and today alone

"Friends of the Lighthouse"

were having an open house..

not only could we walk around it...

we got to climb up and stand around the great

lights globe...

while there I flipped the camera over to movie

so that we might all hear the words of our host and guide..

take a listen as you have a look around the light house

from up top..

the harbor is surrounded by four forts..

due to it's importance

in shipping and commerce

especially during the big wars...

After coming away from the lighthouse we

walked around the grounds

and ended up in

Fort Constitution..

Previously known as

"Castle William and Mary"

by the Brits

back in the 1600's.

Before Paul Revere made his "famous" ride,

on December 13 1774

Paul Revere road from Boston, Mass.

to

Portsmouth NH,

coming to warn the New Hampshire colonist

that British troops

were moving from Boston to reinforce

Castle William and Mary.

100's of colonist from

Portsmouth, Rye and New Castle

advanced on the fort

under the command of John Sullivan,

they fought

one British Commander and five men.

They removed and hid nearly

one hundred barrels of gun powder,

fifty rifles and

sixteen small cannon .
Royal Governor John Wentworth issued

an arrest warrant,

but it was of no use in wake of the

revolutionary fever sweeping the land.
Under free American occupation

Castle William and Mary would be renamed...

Fort Constitution.

*

When making a statement to the others about

a "ghost" in a couple of my pictures taken

at the

"Sentry's quarters"

at the time I had no knowledge that

"Ghost Hunters"

the tv show had been there the previous season..

looking for

reported apparitions...

(just learned of this today.."googling"

for the forgotten name of the other lighthouse

"Whaleback"..

stumbling across it rather by accident..

it caused me to experience a quickening of the

old heart muscle...

you look and see what you think for yourself..

as for me..

well,... anything could be possible...

***
After leaving the Portsmouth Harbor we head downtown,

roll down Bow street..

Past the "River House Restaurant"

then take a right down what appears to be an alley

down by the river..

down this narrow alley

we come upon

a little shop...

above the door the building is sporting a

surprizingly "Purple"

ice cream cone..

It's Annabelle's

Ice Cream Parlor!

Does Michael know me or what?

Inside chalk boards and dry marker boards

cover the parlor listing one cold , creamy

confection after another...

I finally chose New Hampshires Maple Walnut..

no recolection of what anyone else

ordered..

only that when all was said and done ,

there was a whole lot of

Licking and Slurrping

followed by moans of delight..

Man!

Do we love ice cream!!

Even when it's

cold outside!!

and it was still cold!!

***

***

Saturday night...

Thibodeaux is ready to help...

and as Cathy has learned...

He is always a big help..

Bags were weighed..

luggage shifted from this bag

to that..

all weighed appropriate amounts..

even with a few of

New Hampshires

granite rocks included....

***

Sunday morning...

Breakfast at

"Mama D's"

then down the beach road...

past Rye,past Hampton

through

Seabrook and into Massachusetts...

on down into Boston

to Logan airfield where we will watch

Mary and Cathy

check their bags with the Sky Cap

and wave good bye...

Now, actually getting on the plane..

well, that will have to be another story for another time..

Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

What fun I have had on their vacation!!!

I can't wait till they take another!
*****