This first picture is representative of so many towns we have driven through. Pretty much any collection of buildings that considers itself a town must have the White Church. So many were enhanced by strategicaaly planted trees that were now in full color. This one is in Camden, though it could be anywhere. The spires are the tallest structures in the towns, and it is cool to come upon a town with 2 or 3 poking up above the trees.

We drove down the coast yesterday with a goal of reaching Newport by days end. We planned to see a couple light houses (can you ever see too many?) and an old town with preserved buildings from the 1700's--York.

This first light house is Dyce Head. Can't say much about it. Cool enough, and the walk there was through an area filled with brush and many good smells.

This lighthouse was Portland Head, immortilized in a Hopper painting so Clare says. Very picturesque. There were fabulous rocks to climb on and it was very windy, but the sun was shining! Off shore was another, less picturesque lighthouse, but it seemed a little more honest somehow. I was sorry we could not go out and visit that one. We saw many off shore or on small islands, making almost runway like lighting to guide ships through specific passages. It all seemed treacherous.

We made it to York a little later than we had hoped, but still intime to tour a building or two as they were open until 5PM. Imagine our sorrow when the woman running the visitors center told us things were closing early as they were manned by volunteers who had been asking to go home since 2PM. The old one at the jail didn't want to let us in and acted like we had given him rubles when we wanted him to change a large bill. We left in disgust. We walked around the town a bit and Beth poked her head in a couple places--these buildings had mostly been constructed mid 1700's. We went to an old cemetary and I got to run around while Clare tried for the arty cemetary shot. Many of the tombstones had these weird UFO carvings. Hmm.

Today was our day for Newport, the last thing on our list before we turn toward home. We definitly felt like we could have spent more time here among the mansions! The girls toured The Breakers while I waited in the car. Much talk about how it compared to the Biltmore. Unfortunately, they couldn't take pictures inside, but said the gilded age really used a lot of gilding! The morning room even had platinm gilding to keep the room ever bright. Unbelieveable opulence. Here are a couple arty shots taken outside on the urns and statues, as well as a long shot looking up the lawn.

Tomorrow we start for home, sad but with good memories of another adventure for this small dog.

We have spent the last couple days on the coast of Maine. When we got up yesterday, we left Bath to drive north to Belfast. First was a stop in Freeport, home of LL Bean. A little shopping ensued, but I was patient as I knew it wasn't as much as they would have liked. We drove up the coast, admiring the foliage, samll towns on bays, and lighthouses. The lighthouses were okay, but there was plenty more to hold my attention. We stopped in Camden for dinner, and though I was left in the car, happy for a nap after an exhausting afternoon, I know someone had lobster because I could smell it when they returned.





We are in a lovely hotel in Belfast on Penobscot Bay. We have a back door that opens on a lawn that leads to the water--like my own giant backyard and pool. Very cool. Today we scratched off the second item on our to do list--Acadia National Park. Mine was Dog Mountain. Clare's was Acadia. Guess what we saw? Another lighthouse!











At every stop I was busy, climbimg rocks like a mountain goat (I only got stuck once!), rolling in seaweed which smelled deliciously like fish, swimming after sticks thrown into the surf, and
digging in the sand like a mad man. Happy days.









We stopped at another natural formation called Thunder Rocks, so called because at high tide the water rushes in in a certain way and makes a thunderous sound. Sadly, we were not there at high tide and could not wait.

This has been our first trip with the GPS and it has worked great. The disembodied voice is a bit disconcerting, but you can't beat eliminating the which way to turn debate at every crossroad. Still much map reading, mostly for planing or nostalgia I think. And we have noticed that the northeast loves the Subaru. The car thinks it has come to a family reunion.

Today I leave you with one foliage shot and one quintessential Maine coast shot. Tomorrow, we head out to our third list destination--Newport, Rhode Island.

Here I am, being left in the car while Beth and Clare went off to a museum outside Burlington. It was unlike any museum I have ever seen as there were many odd structures all over an extensive ground--a giant steam ship, a house made out of boxcars, another house moved from Park Avenue, a covered bridge--all very odd. We stopped here so they could see two specific exhibits--Tiffinay and quilts, though I suspect they visited a few others.

The Tiffinay Lamps were beautiful--like a portable stained glass window. The jewels, furniture and tiles were also beautiful and perhaps unexpected--seems he had a bit of a Frank Lloyd Wright thing with the interior decorating, designing every element. Even silverware!

The museum was created by a Vanderbilt descendant, and she collected all these buildings to display her extensive art collections.

There was a collection of motorcycles on display in a round barn.

The quilt collection was also quite impressive with some almost 200 years old. None of them were as good as the one Josie made for me, but still, I wouldn't mind napping on any of them.

There was also a display of hooked rugs that looked nothing like the shag projects from the late '70's. They saw bronzes and samplers like something from the Antiques Road Show, tools the Shakers used displayed in a Shaker barn and old wooden canoes
that recalled a happy afternoon spent canoeing on the Des Plaines river.

After they finally returned from the museum, we spent the afternoon drving across northern Vermont and enjoying the fabulous setting. We stopped a few times by woods and rivers and waterfalls, took pictures and ran around (well, I ran around). We stumbled upon some more CCC remnants, and even a CCC built --
beach house still in use. We have pictures of it all if anyone wants

to see them!

We ended the evening in Saint Johnsbury, the town dog mountain is just outside. I went to bed feeling like a kid on Christmas eve. I woke up to a down pour, our first since Niagra. I couldn't believe it!. We took our time getting ready, hoping, hoping the rain would stop. Went into town for coffee and the skies lightened. Almost miraculously, as we drove the last few miles to dog mountain, the rain stopped, the clouds broke up, and I could see blue skies and peaks on sunshine. I think Sam and Leo were sending some good mo'.

For the uninitiated, dog mountain is the home and studio of an artist who does dog themed works and loves dogs. His name is Steven Honeck. As soon as you get there you see his art everywhere--statues of dogs everywhere--and the odd fish or bird. The fence posts were dog heads, labs in particular as Mr. Honeck is a lover and owner of labs. I felt like music should have been playing, harps maybe or something classical, as we pulled up

and beheld this little corner of paradise just for dogs. We went to the chapel first, and even the door knob was a dogs head. Everywhere in the chapel is dog art, from the bench supports to the stained glass windows. Covering the walls are pictures of dogs and notes from people missing dogs. It had a strange solimnity. On top of the chapel and gallery are these golden weather vanes decorated with labs with wings, a recurrent motif.

After the chapel we went to the pond and agility course where I refused to do any of the agility tricks, but acted like a mad man over a stick. I ran in circles, chased the stick into the pond and generally was just joyful. Just when my energy was lagging,
one of the resident labs, Salvatore, came out to greet me. He put up a good cahse but he was no match for me as I ran around the pond showing off. I had been wishing for another dog to play with, and there he was.

After all that playing, we had to shop for awhile, and I was even welcome in the gallery. Salvatore's 2 siblings were in there as well and it was a veritible dog party. I slept for most of the next few hours, through a thunder storm that started within minutes of leaving.

We drove across New Hampshire this afternoon, the White Mountains. Again with the mountain thing--I think our pass elevation was a measly 2800 feet. But more stunning foliage, rivers, waterfalls and all around breath taking scenery. We came into Maine and have arrived on the coast, our destination for the next few days. I hear tell of Acadia national park and the mansions of Newport. Even here the foliage isn't bad, and we had thought we would have left it behind as we came down from our days in the mountains. I was in 3 states today--can you believe it? I am hoping to dip my toes in the ocean before this is all over. Off to bed for me--it was a very busy day. I'll leave you with a couple more foliage shots:

We woke up Saturday and the sun was shinng. Our goal was to reach our cabin in the adirondacks near Lake George. As soon as we got into the "mountains", we began to see good foliage. We stopped by a river so I could run around and look cute, Clare could take some photos--check out that butterfly! I was very still while she took the picture so I wouldn't scare it away. I am not sure why they call these mountains--the trees grow to the peaks and there is no snow. Maybe I'm spoiled, but when I hear mountain, I think craggy peaks, glaciers.

The first thing we did when we arrived at the cabin was to take a walk--there was a stream running behind us and some lovely scenery.

It was a bit damp from recent rains, and the temperature was certainly autumnal, but the scenery was lovely and the fire all the more appreciated after we returned.

We spent a lazy Sunday morning walking, drinking coffee and reading the New York Times, then we drove around, admiring the leaves and towns. We visited the world's largest garage sale, and stopped by Fort Ticonderoga.

And another lovely evening spent by the fire.

Today we set off for Vermont, driving some of the specially designated scenic drives. Clare was successful in navigating us to a gravel road. What's a road trip without a little gravel? I can't quite tell the difference between the scenic and the non-scenic as it is all pretty beautiful. The scenic drives are way more windy for sure, and with lead foot driving, I get a little queasy sitting in the back. The scenic roads go through towns, many of which are old and scenic in another way, complimented by the natural back drop of the changing leaves. We have been in towns established when America was still a dream of freedom. Oh! We saw our first covered bridge today and I insisted on a picture. And we stopped by Robert Frost's summer cottage and I got to go inside.

There was a lovely meadow adjacent and I ran in circles as fast as I could. Sometimes you just have to run in circles as fast as you can.

More driving and sight seeing tomorrow. I can smell we are getting ever closer to dog mountain (my addition to the places to stop list.) I will leave you with a couple of foliage shots, but with the clouds and sun and rain and ever changing light and shadow, the pictures cannot do the vista justice.

Well, the weather isn't with us.

We made it to Niagara Falls today with much anticipation and at a surprisingly reasonable hour after overnighting in Erie, PA. We had stopped enroute to say hi to some friend of Beth's in Cleveland--he was nice enough but had no snacks for me, not even a crumb on the impeccable floors.

I think it has been rainng since before Erie. It stops for a few minutes here and there, but never when we are out of the car. Between the rain and the mist from the falls, I would say we were all pretty wet within about 15 minutes of our arrival. Did I mention it wasn't even 50 degrees? But still I was mesmorized....

I got Clare to pose for a photo with me but she was none too pleased, mumbling about weather and Ireland...

That might have been the only time she looked up. Mostly her head was down, with the rain running off her hood. Note the drops on the lens.

The Canadian side of the falls had a bit of a Vegas feel to it. Many tall hotels which welcomed neither small dogs nor smokers. We heard these same hotels have altered the wind currnets, trapping the mist that obscures the falls even on sunny days. We can't vouch for the sunny day view. The US side has, as all who are watching the Ken Burns series on the National Parks, the oldest state park in America.

We decided not to wait for the rain to stop and headed east by way of the Lake Ontario shore. We stopped to see a couple light houses along the way, which seemed exciting here at the outset, but may get to be ho hum after the tenth or fifteenth....I've seen quite a few marked for the coast of Maine.

We are stopped for the night in Rochester, holed up with Starbucks (nothing says roadtrip like Starbucks) and Bill Maher, hoping to wake to

sunny skies. We have seen some good foliage in small doses which has only whetted our appetite. Tomorrow it's on to the cabin near Lake Goerge. At least it has a fireplace--they can ha

ng their wet socks.

Last fall, I had the pleasure of traveling to Colorado to see the Aspens turn gold in the mountains. It was indeed some beautiful scenery. Here are a couple picutres to remind you; for those that want a more complete record, please visit Henry's Less big Adventure, link to the right.

There was much talk at the time of the color in the northeast, how the mountains were lacking the reds and oranges. When I heard talk of another trip to look at leaves, I just knew it was east and I thought: Foliage Smackdown! Which would be better? The Aspens or the Maples?? Stay tuned.....