Our biathlon days

We biked a 6 mile trail and hiked about 4 miles before heading into town for a treat and rest each day. True triathlon-type days were planned but swimming was too cold in the waters this time of year. 

John D Rockefeller and other wealthy patrons purchased the lands of Acadia and donated them to the government to preserve for the future. Rockefeller built carriage roads and stone bridges highlighting the views he liked best over a 27 year period.

Sites from Acadia National Park, Maine

view from the carriage road to the Atlantic

I might take the Maine coast over the Gulf Coast. We'll be able to compare this month and I'll get back to you on that. I love the cool temperatures, gorgeous views, lack of mosquitos, charming worn shingle homes and inexpensive lobster. 

These climbers made we wish our friends the Isaaks took vacations with us or lived a little closer. They'd eat this up!
Jackson, back in his element
This sunset closed a wonderful day after a fresh lobster dinner.
M & Em, Sand Beach

Blueberry Fields Forever

blueberry bushes in bloom far and wide in Bar Harbor area

ferns emerging
cherry blossoms
unusual flowers in blueberry field
groundcover with dogwood blossoms
PLUS wild strawberries & raspberries growing along the trail

What a Great Husband does for his Wife

After spending 9 long days in Rochester, NY enduring New Hire Training (death by PowerPoint) my sweet husband suggested we camp outside Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine for the weekend. Great idea! I needed to get outside after being cooped up for two weeks. I like to camp but dislike the feeling of sleeping on stones. Our cozy campsite with great views is pictured above.

Mark gets the Great Husband Award for managing to get the air mattress into our tent so we could sleep in comfort. How he managed it is the real story :). Our first night was like a night at sea because it wasn't inflated fully after a quick fill. Our air mattress has a built-in motor and our tent site didn't have power. Our queen size cushion is almost larger than our dome tent and that makes it tricky. Mark lifted the tent onto our car to drive to an open RV site with power hookups on the other side of the campground to inflate the tent. 

I was embarrassed and then just died laughing. We were getting cat calls from other campers, stares from kids on their bikes, chuckles from old men outside their RVs and rolled eyes from the "real" campers in the area. I felt like Troop Beverly Hills meets The Beverly Hillbillies. I hope the pictures below tell the story better than words. It was a sight I won't forget for years to come. 

What OTHER men in Maine bring with them: a boat, bikes, kayaks, or canoes.

Couples Picnic on the Charles River

Our church couples group has really made a difference in how connected we feel to Boston. We get together every month for a social activity and hang out. The weather's better and so we grilled out by the Charles River. We played bocce, volleyball, and kickball afterwards--FUN!

Rochester NY Lilac Festival

After months of snow in Rochester the lilacs explode in celebration of Spring. Highland Park has a two week festival highlighting 1200+ lilac bushes of different varieties. I wish you could smell the air out there tonight. It was a refreshing break after 3 days of powerpoints with 6 more training days to follow. Rochester has more to highlight than I expected.

Derby Party

Beth hosted her 4th Annual Kentucky Derby Party this weekend. She's from Kentucky and should be proud of her Southern spread: pimento n' cheese sandwiches, Mint Juleps, fruit, sausage balls, spinach balls, salt cured ham in homemade honey-bran mini-buns. These Yanks didn't know what to think :). A Massachusetts native of Korean heritage asked if the green and white sandwich filling was some kind of jello salad on a sandwich. I died. It was a cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwich. 

I'm still laughing about it as I type. . .We enjoyed seeing friends and making new ones. I would have preferred to sing Sweet Home Alabama to the song My Old Kentucky Home, but it was a fun time either way! Too bad I didn't place my bet on the long shot, #8.