Category: Travel

Heavy and Light

Such a weird weird time, isn’t it?  Are you still masking everywhere?  Doctor’s offices still require it but many stores do not.  Around here I would say the ratio is more masked than not, but there are naked faces and I must admit, I am SO TIRED OF THE MASK!  I cannot imagine how the folks who have to wear it all day long for work/safety reasons are tolerating it.  And the poor kids!    To be clear, I’m not debating it, not wading into that mess because I just don’t have all the answers, and neither does anyone else, and I totally get the need to be cautious and protecting  ourselves and others and have done that more so than not for the past two years. TWO YEARS, wow.  As a hearing impaired person the masks are even more of a hinderance for the obvious reasons.

About those shots and boosters –  We’re boosted around here, but there is an odd uptick in strokes lately and I’m not going to lie and say that doesn’t concern me.  Strokes among younger folks, not where you usually see them. And I’m not going by news sources,  I’m talking about people we know.  I’m not anti vaxx, but I’m not sure I’ll be getting more covid shots now that I’ve had these three.  I want more time spent on it, more research.  In the meantime we’re both on a weight loss kick (AGAIN) and I’ve been walking/hiking with Kai as often as I can talk myself in to it, at least four times a week when weather permits.  Eating less meat and more greens and fruits, drinking more water.

2024 – raise your hand if you think we all deserve better choices than Biden/Harris and Trump/anyone  in the next presidential election.   Man, I feel like we’re floundering big time on so many fronts and for a variety of reasons.   We need a reset, but not of the hideous kind, of which I worry we are headed.

Enough of the heavy – here’s some Light –

We’re gearing up for a family wedding this June – my son and his lovely fiance who is also like a daughter to us now… and the wedding planning has been so fun!  The bride has wonderful taste in what she’s picking out – simple and elegant – lovely whites and creams and greens and elegant black.  My mom will be Justice of the Peace, and the whole thing will take place at an old Lace Factory that is now a wedding venue…  family and friends and the groom and his men will arrive aboard the Essex Steam Train – how romantic is that!  All of this set against the CT River.   A few pictures below to give you a sneak peek at the vision board, so to speak .

We’ve got that wonderful day to look forward to… and a three day trip booked on the Vineyard for the Mr. and I in July… plus! .. a really exciting trip planned for June 2023 with a cousin and his wife – Italy!  Starting at the Amalfi Coast where my husband’s family 2 generations back are from.  This will be the first time across the pond for the two of us and I am over the moon excited.  We met them for dinner the other night, they’ve been to Europe many times.. and my workaholic husband has decided it’s about time he starts enjoying life and even some travel.  Encouraged by travel accompanied by a couple who know the ropes, so to speak, he agreed.  Hooray!

I hope this finds you well and sane, and I hope love found you in one way or another yesterday, so many ways to see and appreciate and give  love in it’s many forms. Found this quote and love it –   May you see love in everything today and may your heart be filled with gratitude for all

Till soon…

 

 

 

 

Holidays during Pandemic times

How were your holidays?  Scaled down like ours?  We managed some smaller gatherings and I’m grateful we’re all still here and relatively healthy.  We even did a weekend at The Woodstock Inn, a favorite place for us. Last year’s trip was cancelled because Vermont was basically closed to outsiders, and this year still looked different but was enjoyable,  regardless.

Christmas came early while in the Woodstock village, the Mr. obliged my obsession with these boots as we kept passing them in a store window and they whispered to me every time, I’m  not even kidding.

 The Inn was magical, the depleted staff did a fantastic job with a difficult scenario.

Christmas rolled around and we did what we thought was best – smaller gatherings,  and some of them  cancelled.

🎄  Mom holding  a  delicious refreshing  Christmas Drink –  the Poinsettia – Prosecco, Elderflower liquor and a splash of cranberry juice, with some frozen cranberries thrown in.  Mix together according to taste – pretty and yum.   I’m not a big drinker but I like a refreshing one now and then and this hits the spot.  And kills the germs, right? LOL

 

We’ve decided to scale back down the restaurant dining since the new Covid surge, but we did get out to our favorite cafe in Stonington, the Dogwatch.  Their “power bowl” is my favorite – packed with healthy eating. the Town of  Stonington is beautiful any time of year, but especially during the holidays.

 

The kids and I have done some hiking and that is the single most awesome thing that happened to me this year- upon the adoption of Kai, my spirit dog as my mom calls him, I knew he needed a lot of attention and trust building and hiking was a good way to do it.  That also gave me the opportunity to tone up and get in better shape, and my adult kids don’t mind hanging out with mom to do it. I’m not a gym rat, I hate being stationary to exercise. Treadmills, elipticals, blah blah blah.   Get me out in the scenery and I can go for miles, and so I do.  It’s been a win for all of us during pandemic times and my goal is to continue exploring trails long into the future.

Yesterday’s hike at Hammonasset State Park on Long Island Sound, Madison, CT

Wishing us all good health and much joy in the years ahead.

 

FALLing

Man, it’s beautiful out there! New England in her Sunday best – Even in the rain – we’re getting some of that big weather much of the country is getting apparently.   I’ve been walking a lot with my favorite hiking/walking buddy – he’s been so good for this weary soul.

My son and fiance had their engagement photo session here on the farm recently – here are just a few of my favorites…

Their wedding will take place next June along the CT River  in an old factory with gorgeous windows and wood floors, an old fashioned train will bring guests to the venue – stay tuned!

The Mr.  and I took a quick ( like eight hours start to finish) trip to Vermont last weekend and  I got my apple and cider fix  –

Some art projects I’ve been working on…  beaded horse shoes (old mule shoes found here on the property… and a new painting on the easel.  The shoe I “sold” for a donation to a farm animal rescue here in CT called Shut the Door Farm – and the painting might just serve the same purpose once it’s done.  I love making things, but when they actually serve a worthy cause, it’s that much more rewarding.

With this season comes a desire to dig out more recipes, comfort foods, holiday fare, and I love every minute of it except for the cleanup.  Every rose has it’s thorns 🙂  And speaking of roses….

Check out this recipe – made it for company yesterday and it was AWESOME!  and fun to make – not complicated, I promise!

Apple Rose Pastry 

 And here’s another fantastic easy fall recipe…

Creamy Roasted garlic Butternut Squash Pasta

     I hope all is well in your neck of the woods – wishing you all good things in this season of thanks giving. ❤

 

Catching up…

I miss my blog friends!   Go grab a coffee or a tea or water, which is better for you anyway – we’ve got ground to cover!   I finally have a little time to sit down and read some of your blogs, that’s next, and I sure hope I find you are all well and staying sane.   I stay away from the news more often than not in recent months, just hate to see all the division that continues, all the fake news that flourishes,  makes one long for simpler times.  And so I’m trying to make my times… well, simpler.

The kids living nearby on the outskirts of this farm in their own homes is truly a blessing.  We all stay out of each other’s way enough so that we’re not tripping over one another or wishing to move elsewhere, and yet we chip in together to keep this place running and enjoyable for all. The farm animals are always a source of joy, and also a source of work!

We all benefit from the chicken coop and the gardens – this year the raspberries and blueberries were more than abundant, we’ve got a freezer full. Potatoes and onions are also stored in crates downstairs – (the purple potatoes are DIVINE!) and we discovered this year all the produce loves to live and grow on the hill behind the house, better than the two garden plots we have down AT the house. So.. that’s where we will garden from now on, up on the sunny hillside.

Kai, our newest rescue dog, is doing super!  He went from two years of feral living to completely well behaved house dog in a matter of months, smart as a whip, and just a joy to be around. We take many walks together, kai and I… and sometimes my kids with their dogs too.  Speaking of which – my son’s rottie, Leo, has grown into a bull, a big mush, a little bit of a bully, a LOT of dog to be sure, but a love just the same.  At just a year old, he’s still growing, too.

Stella by the Sea –  Welp, as much as we said we were going to spend a lot more time down there, like maybe even LIVE there a few weekends at least this summer, it just didn’t happen.  The farm and work demands keep us busy throughout the year, but my mom does get to live down there for short spirts of time and we all congregate for dinners, swims, kayaking, the occasional lounging around.  Soon it will be time to pack it all in and close up Stella till next year.  I dread the emptying of the refrigerator – just sayin.

 

The Mr. and I did manage to get away in the first week of August, to one of our most favorite places, Martha’s Vineyard.  We rented a cottage on South Water Street in Edgartown, an older home with loads of Vineyard Charm.  It was just the two of us, which is unusual, but the slowed pace and not having any particular agenda was nice.  We both came back feeling rested, a much needed reprieve.

With this season comes a renewed interest in fall recipes… this one I haven’t tried yet but I think I’ll give it a go for the Thanksgiving table instead of the traditional Pumpkin Pie, which some of us don’t even like.  (I do!)

Pumpkin Tiramisu from Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
  • 2 packages (3 ounces each) ladyfingers, split
  • 1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • Additional pumpkin pie spice

Directions

  • 1. In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pie spice and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Fold in whipped cream.
  • 2. In a small bowl, combine coffee and remaining pie spice and vanilla; brush over ladyfingers. In a 3-qt. trifle dish, layer a fourth of the ladyfingers, angling some up the sides of the dish if desired. Top with a fourth of the pumpkin mixture and whipped topping. Repeat layers three times. Sprinkle with additional pie spice.
  • 3. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours.

  Wishing you all good things this fall, Lord knows we all deserve it!  – Till soon, my dear blog friends –

St. John, USVI – March 2020

We went, we saw, we conquered, and if I had known the whole world was going to turn into a shit show overnight due to coronavirus concerns,  I probably would not have….. But since we did go… I will say we had an extraordinary time in an absolutely beautiful, stunning, magnificent place.  Peter Bay, St. John, USVI.

Travel report– There were no reported cases of the illness two weeks ago on the islands, but that has changed since.   Sanitizing wipes handed out in airplanes, most people brought their own and were wiping down all surfaces in their seating area, many masks, gloves, some hazmat suits, no joke. On the islands the airport did the same. JFK looked like a chemical war zone but that’s ok, people were being responsible. I have never appreciated my elbows and feet so much when using a public bathroom, didn’t even want to breath in there but you gotta do what you gotta do.  

The islands of St. Thomas ( where we fly in) and St. John are definitely still suffering from the 2 hurricanes a few years back.  The effects are still very obvious, some businesses still shuttered, there are still some gutted homes, some ruined cars and boats on the sides of some roads.  Just google Caneel Bay 2019 and you’ll see a once beautiful resort in ruins. It sits there exactly like that today due to litigation and an uncertainty of what precisely can be done there.

That being said, what a naturally beautiful place, St. John.  A particular member of the Rockefeller family deserves much credit for that.  Laurence S. Rockefeller, a wealthy philanthropist and conservationist who died in 2004 , with a small group of his friends  is credited with preserving St. John’s natural resources by sowing the seeds for V.I. National Park.
St. John Administrator Julien Harley said that without Rockefeller’s foresight, St. John would look vastly different than it does today.
“If the land was private, we wouldn’t be able to walk on the trails.
Thanks to the national park’s presence, St. John has a healthy economy that lures more than a million visitors a year.”

We rented a beautiful Villa for the week, something we don’t do often and it was such a beautiful location, an experience of a life time.  I am so grateful that I got to do this with my children and their significant others.  The villa was located on Peter Bay in a private community just 10 minutes from Cruz bay, the main hub and only tourist town on St. John.  We were right around the bend from the world famous Trunk Bay, one of the most photographed beaches in the world.  We swam with turtles in Maho bay, snorkeled among beautiful tropical fish like tangs, wrasses, angels, puffer fish in Trunk Bay and a sand shark cruised by my legs while standing around oblivious until he was about five feet away.  It’s one moment I was grateful to freeze in near panic.  We rode horses on the beach, we ate fabulous food and drank fancy fruity drinks.  We slathered a gallon of SPF 50 Reef Friendly  lotion on our limbs and still came home tan because the sun is that strong, the water that reflective.   There are actually free lotion stations at the beaches, I kid you not, like the hand sanitizer pumps at hospitals mounted on the walls.

The icing on the cake was.. my son’s best friend came with his GF for a few days and they got engaged at the beach!

I took a zillion pictures, hard to choose what to share here …..  maybe half a zillion would do?

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Chef Lori came for two dinners and two breakfasts and she was the loveliest person! Delicious healthy food too –

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My son on the right and his best bud since kindergarten days…

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We had two iguana couples living among us – a pair by the pool and a pair in the trees next to the roofed patio… the males always kept a watchful eye on us.  Those holes in the rocks are their cave.

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Peter Bay beach is private, for use by Villa owners and renters only – such a gift to have a beach this pristine and not crowded with people. Often we were the only ones on the beach.

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Donkeys live freely on the island – motorists are advised to drive slowly on the steep winding roads to avoid hitting them… and are asked not to feed them also.

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Dana of Carolina Corral is one hardworking woman who takes in all the rescues on St. John, including the horses she uses to provide trail rides for tourists.  Her farm has been hard hit by the hurricanes and she relies on tourism and donations to take care of the animals in her care and make the repairs still needed.  If you’d like to make a donation in any amount, and I can guarantee you it would be for an excellent cause and a very decent, caring, hard working woman… hit the donate button on her website… it will be put to great use and is very much needed.  The horses in the picture below wouldn’t be here on this earth without her intervening.  Water is scarce and she often has to buy it to give the animals.  There are donkeys, goats, pigs, chickens, sheep, dogs and cats in her care as well – many dumped or injured with her as the only island rescue.  And she’s doing it all by herself.

horsesstjohn.com

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The LOTION STATION… I wasn’t kidding!

… one of these guys is not like the others…

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The newly engaged couple💕

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Did I share with you in an earlier post my dear husband’s comments when I was trying on bathing suits to ask his opinion before our vacation?   “That one’s good.  It breaks it all up”…..

Believe you me, I wrung the hell out of that one with photos sent home…

“Breaking it all up here on Peter Bay”…..

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So we’re back home, re-entered Coronazone… where the husband has had a cough for a week and I have allergy symptoms and it’s scaring the hell out of all of us… all of it, everywhere.   I’ve been to the grocery store and dropped off groceries to mom,  Dad is on lock down at the nursing home, and we are practicing hand washing to the Nth- degree and safe social distancing and hoping the allergy symptoms and cough aren’t the dreaded other dreaded C word.  Seems a lot of people have a lot of symptoms they are monitoring, which is all we can do, besides being responsible and staying home when possible.

Stay healthy and sane, all – and WASH YOUR HANDS

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Karen

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

Due to business and farm obligations and a husband who  is a very capable person who gets a lot accomplished but has an aversion to stepping out of his comfort zone which means going anywhere that he is not familiar with, which means no further than our state lines  or the next state over more often than not,  we don’t travel much.  On occasion, I have managed to talk him into a nice trip somewhere outside “the zone”.  Much goes into the actual taking of that trip, ’tis no easy feat, let me tell ya.  I make sure all travel plans are laid out well in advance, the destination is mutually agreed upon well in advance, the accommodations are not complicated or iffy in any way, shape or form so that all hopefully runs relatively smoothly and the Mr. can actually relax.

That doesn’t mean the panic doesn’t set in on occasion, regardless.   Case in point –  Last time we went on a family vacation to St. John, USVI (ten  or so years ago now)  all was going well, we arrived on St. Thomas after a loong car ride to  the insanely congested JFK airport, then an uneventful  plane ride, non stop!… then landed on a tiny island airport runway that JEEzus CHRIST  really didn’t look possible but hey, we made it, obviously … And the Mr. was still sane.  You’d think the scary part was over, right?

We grabbed a van taxi that took us to the ferry dock to board the ferry that would bring us to the island of St. John.  The Redhook ferry is not a huge boat –  We’re not talking the Staten Island Ferry here – if memory serves me correctly there are two decks, upper and lower –  and you could throw a ball  in a game of catch from the front to the back if you wanted to.  We had a pile of luggage and there were seven of us – we boarded the boat as the luggage was handed to the employees of the ferry – and somehow the Mr. lost sight of us for about 35 seconds.   There was only one boat, we were all on it,  and you could get a good scope of everyone on board in about 2 minute’s time.   You’d have thought we left him on a deserted tropical  island  with Wilson the volleyball as his only companion for  a month.

Then!… after the scorn was laid upon us thick and we reached our destination island, we walked up the street to pick up our rental Jeep.  The Mr. suddenly became aware that everyone was driving on the wrong side of the road – and it was determined right in that same moment  that I would be the designated driver  for the week.  Upon arrival at our rented villa, it was also determined that  holy-mother’a God the driveway was so steep with no guardrail going down a cliff that said Mr. did not want to trust his wife to navigate, however, the fear of the driving on the wrong side of anything was just too much… and SO… he was indeed stuck with me driving Miss Daisy for the week.

And here we are… preparing to go on another family vacation to the same destination… and I saw the warning signs a few weeks back.

“Ugh, I’ve got so much work piling up, I don’t know. ” 

  ” Jeez, this really isn’t the best time to be going on a vacation, you know?  SO MUCH WORK. ”   

  ”  This is ridiculous, the stuff just keeps piling up!  How can I go away and get anything done?” 

 Then (when he’s truly already made up his mind and there isn’t going to be any negotiations here at all) … “ I just don’t think I can go with you”. 

The corona virus was all he needed to put a big exclamation point on the ordeal, feet dug into the mud of it.    “I’M NOT GOING”.  

And he’s not.  And maybe that’s OK, less stress for me.   I’ve done it before without him because the above scenario is not a new one.  And.. he can watch the house and look after the animals.   But also..  .maybe we shouldn’t go either?   I’m on the fence.   I’ve asked a few people who travel often, I’ve asked the local Pharmacist, too.   They have said – just use the standard precautions – and WASH YOUR HANDS A LOT.

If we don’t go, we will lose all of the money we paid for this trip.  And as I’ve said already, we don’t vacation often, we’re really looking forward to it.  Anyone have any opinions or advice  you care to share?    In the meantime,  I’ll be keeping an eye on  the travel recommendations on the CDC website. So far, travel to the USVI’s is still green lighted.

Also in the meantime, here’s an awesome dessert being shared online that would be perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day Celebration…

Bailey’s Chocolate Cheesecake Pots

Ingredients

  • 8 (+-140g / 0.59cups) double chocolate Digestive biscuits (in the US Graham crackers are a good equivalent)
  • 360g / 1.5 cups full fat cream cheese, chilled
  • 60ml / 2 fl oz double cream
  • 60ml / 2 fl oz Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur
  • 100g / 0.42 cups caster sugar
  • 30g / 0.12 cups cocoa powder

To serve

  • 125ml / 4.2 fl oz double cream
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Chocolate sprinkles

Roughly chop the biscuits with a sharp knife. Tip: We prefer doing this so that you don’t end up with fine crumbs and powder as you get when you crush them.

Spoon the crumbs into 4x 250ml preserve jars. Set aside. Tip: If you don’t have preserve jars, you could also just use small bowls or drinking glasses.

Place the remaining cheesecake ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Using an electric mixer beat on low speed just until dry ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then beat again on high speed until the color is uniform and mixture is smooth and has thickened slightly for 1-2 minutes.

Spoon the cheesecake mixture into the preserve jars on top of the biscuit crumbs, close the lids onto each jar, then refrigerate until serving time. Tip: The quickest and neatest way of filling your cheesecake pots is to use a piping bag. Fill a large piping bag with the cheesecake mixture, cut the end of the piping bag off, and then squeeze the mixture into your preserve jars.

Spoon generous dollops of the whipped cream on top of each cheesecake pot, then decorate with chocolate sprinkles.

Cheesecake pots can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, but the biscuit crumb base will lose its crunch after the first day. Still tasty, though!