Visiting friends

Sunday June 23, and Monday June 24, 2013
Site 27, Winhall Brook COE
South Londonderry, Vermont

 

SUNDAY JUNE 23

 

Today we take a drive up to Woodstock Vermont.  Not to see the popular little town but to visit with a high school friend of mine who lives there in this cute little house.  He already knows what it is like to live in a very small space so RVing will be no problem for him to adjust to.

 

 

 

This is Jody and his King Charles Spaniel Sparky.

 

 

He has really got the set up for frugal  living, a great little outhouse and an outdoor shower.

 

 

 

Pretty fancy throne don’t you think??

 

 

In the back yard is the 3 sided wooden shower with the shower curtain rod.  No curtain set up yet this year since he’s been gone from home helping another friend of his who has had a stroke.   I’m hoping he’ll be able to return soon to this place he loves.

 

 

Yes that was a vintage RV above in the driveway.  He’s restoring this 1960’s Bailey Mikado T, a Canadian Import.  Nice and small, easy to tow.  Full timing?  Who knows given the size of his house he probably can.  :-))

 

 

It was great spending the day with Jody and Sparky.  Isn’t she a gem?

 

 

I sure hope they both get back out to their fine spot soon.  They look just right sitting in their chairs watching the world pass by.

 

Lest you think this spot looks tooo idyllic, he provided me with this picture of other times in the year.

I think I won’t be visiting at this time of year. 

 

 

MONDAY JUNE 24

 

Today is our last day in Vermont sadly.  Yesterday I visited an old friend,  today we return to visit a new friend, Lowell Lake.  The day is much different from our last visit but just as much fun.

 

 

 

 

 

It turns out to be frog day at Lowell Lake.  They are everywhere and calling to each other.  All we have to do is move slowly along the edge of the lake and there they are if you look closely.   Sometimes I can see them but not be able to photograph them from their hiding place.

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

and sometimes I don’t have to look so closely.  The frog on the log is my favorite of the day.  Right out there in broad daylight he looks pleased with himself.  He never moves a muscle no matter how close I get.

 

 

RIBIT!

 

 

  We also get a good look at the bladderwort today.  It’s another carnivorous plant.  If you didn’t see my post about the great pitcher plants and Venus flytraps on our last visit to Lowell Lake, it is here.

 

 

Bladderwort’s look like they are sitting on some sort of floating stand. They are submersed free floating plants.  They have flowers on erect stems above the water.  The entire floating plant is only about 8 inches tall.

 

 

 

Bladderworts get this name because of the  tiny bladder like structures on their branched underwater leaves.   These small hollow sacs  capture and digest tiny animals like insect larvae, read MOSQUITOS, water fleas and others.    They are now my favorite plant, they capture mosquito larvae!!. Because of their ability to ‘eat’ animals, bladderworts can live in nutrient poor, rather acidic, boggy conditions

 

 

 

Nice reflection.  Looks like a mirror plant and not the stem that is under water.

 

 

We pull over to have our lunch and as we eat, the sky begins looking pretty sketchy.

 

 

 

Shortly we hear the low rumblings of thunder which we have learned means the rain is on its way.  Since we are on the opposite side of the lake from the take out, we decide we don’t want to be the highest spot in the middle of the lake during a storm so we set out to paddle around the edge to get back.

 

But of course we don’t make it.

 

 

David is ahead of me and he stops under a big pine tree along the shore .  I pick a Hemlock which keeps me pretty dry for quite a while.
But once the leaves get saturated, I’m getting wet.

 

 

 

As I’m waiting I look out in the middle of the lake and there is that illusive loon.  He’s pretty far away but it is so exciting to see him in the binoculars that I try to get some pictures.  This is the only one that turned out even half way.  But I love it.  Really hope to see and hear more loons when we get to Maine.

 

 

David comes back to check on me and we both determine that his spot under the pine tree is dryer than mine.  There’s an anecdotal  recommendation for you.  If caught in rain while kayaking and there are large trees overhanging the lake shore, get under a pine not a hemlock.

 

 

 

The rain slacks off, and this fog smoke moves across the mountains as we make a break for the take out.

 

 

Of course we only make it half way when the sky opens up again.  So we paddle on, climb out, throw the boats up on shore.  I run up to the parking lot and bring the car down.  We jump in.  We wait as we dry off for it to stop so we can get the boats on the car and head for home.

 

 

The boats are waiting too.   We’ve sure had a LOT of rain since we left Florida in late May.  Everywhere we’ve stopped along the east coast, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and now Vermont it has rained, A LOT.

 

 

Tomorrow we move on to New Hampshire and you’ve guessed it, they are predicting RAIN!!  

Sure wish I could send this rain out West where they really need it.   We’ve had WAY more than our share.

The Londonderrys

Saturday June 22, 2013
Site 27, Winhall Brook COE Campground
South Londonderry, Vermont

 

 

The Winhall campground’s address is South Londonderry.

 

 

  This is a town with one store and a post office which is open regular hours unless the postmaster comes in late, leaves early or has errands to run.

The “big” town, using the term very loosely,  is Londonderry which has not only a post office but a very nice IGA supermarket, 2 gas stations and a fantastic Saturday Farmer’s market.  As you can see, it has a very large Chamber of Commerce.

 

 

 

 

 

This morning we drive through South Londonderry on our way to the Londonderry Farmer’s Market. 

 

It’s about 2.5 to South Londonderry and six miles in total.  We pull in and park next to this “motorcycle”. Well at least it has a motorcycle license plate.   Ruby doesn’t know what to think.

 

 

 

 

 

I am very surprised and pleased to see so many vendors in such a small town’s farmer’s market.

 

 

 

The produce is nearly all organic, gorgeous looking and reasonably priced.

 

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful setting for the market.

 

The market is located on the beautiful West River which is also the one that flows through Winhall where we are staying. 

 

 

First order of business is to check out the bakery goods of course.
Breakfast at the farmer’s market is a must.  Grandma Miller does not disappoint.

 

 

I have been LONGING, seriously, for a pecan roll for what seems  like forever.  Every bakery has the cinnamon rolls buns whatever you call them but no one until Grandma Miller has the pecan roll. But they are going fast.   SOLD!

 

 

 

They also have macaroons and as a coconut lover I cannot pass these up especially the ones with chocolate chips.  How great is that??

 

 

David chooses a wonderbar and something else which I didn’t get a picture of.   He declares it to be totally WONDERful.   Actually everything in their booth was delicious looking and everything we bought was delicious tasting.  If only we were going to be here for a month or two of Saturdays.   SIGH………..

 

 

The market has other food vendors as well and a great place to sit and enjoy your breakfast or lunch with fine music accompaniment

 

          

 

 

We check out all the booths, probably 40 of them,  before making our vegetable selections. There are booths with home made soaps and lotions, with pottery, grass fed beef and pork, plants and herbs, just to mention a few.   Although I don’t buy anything from the Itsy Bitsy Farm I do love the name. 

 

 

 

On our way home I spy this clever idea.

What a great setting for a fire hydrant.  Talk about Yankee Ingenuity, just put it right by the river and you’re set for water.

 

 

 

 

After the market we stop by one of the local outfitters to get a trails and kayaking map. 

 

They have a lot of gear for summer and winter, this is a BIG ski area, but they seem to have even more clothing and furniture it seems to me.

  

 

 

The most interesting thing I see is this kayak that can be stored in pieces and put together for single or tandem kayaking.  I like my Sea Eagle but prefer my hard sided kayak since it can go many more places and when I’m in a new area, I don’t always know what I may find especially in the rivers.  This one might be easier to cart around IF I had a totally empty basement.  It would be great for a solo RVer who mostly kayaks alone but wants the possibility of bringing a guest along.  Or for a couple where one is a big kayaker and one not so much.

 

 

 

 

As we turn down the road to the park, I notice the wildflowers and the old cottage back from the road. 

What a lovely picture I think. It looks like something from a fairy tale.  We stop.  We seem to have  stumbled into wildflower season here in Vermont or perhaps they have lovely wildflowers all spring and summer long.  But I’m really enjoying these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

In the afternoon we take the short 1/2 mile hike just a short distance down the park road from our site.

 

You can take it one way and walk back the road or just turn around and come back.  Bet you can guess what we did.  It took us over an hour to walk this mile and you’ll see why.

  

 

The forests around here are just simply beautiful.  Tall old trees many of them conifers.  Fern covered floors with mountain streams, babbling and gurgling and yodeling or whatever it is they do.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes this is one of those streams nearly covered by ferns but you can certainly hear it as you walk along.

 

 

 

 

There are wildflowers here too.  I think the first one is some sort of wood sorrel based on its leaves but this is a different flower here from what I am used to seeing.   The second is a GIANT trillium and I am SO sorry I was too late to see its amazing red blossom.  I’ve included a picture from the internet so you can see what I missed.   Earlier next time!!

 

 

 

 

 

What a beautiful tranquil place just steps from our campsite.

 

 

      And wildlife too.

THE END