Tag: beach

Our Scottish Adventure Part 2 | The Highlands

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Part two of our Scottish adventure started with the most anxiety filled of destinations, the rental car agency. After taking the return tram to the airport from Edinburgh, we picked up our car and started making our way to the Highlands. Our time driving through Scotland had begun. It wasn’t the first time we’d driven internationally but it would be the first time driving on the left side of the road. Little did I know when picking up the rental car that which side of the road we were driving on was the easy part.

Kelpies

Our first stop was the Kelpies in Falkirk which are the world’s largest equine sculptures. This stop was extremely close to the airport and it was nice to have a short initial jaunt on the road before stopping to catch our breath. After parking and walking towards Helix Park, the Kelpies started to rise up in the distance. Kelpies are shape-changing aquatic spirits that typically take the form of a horse. The Kelpies were impressive and unique but other than a few walking paths around the sculptures there wasn’t much to do as we were there extremely early in the day. But, it was a nice photo opportunity and I did get to eat ice cream for breakfast given nothing else was open so the day was off to a good start.

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An infographic on spending a fun filled socially distanced weekend in Maine.

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During my first year of blogging, I created an infographic that highlighted how to spend a perfect weekend in Portland, Maine.  Now that we’re all staying home and access to public spaces is more limited due to the pandemic, I thought it would be fun to create a new infographic focused on how to spend a perfect socially distanced weekend in Maine.

Even if we can’t currently visit our local restaurants, breweries, museums, shops and all the other amazing places that Maine has to offer there are still many ways to support our local businesses while practicing social distancing and having a great time.

The links to all of the sites mentioned in the infographic are listed at the bottom of the blog post. Wishing everyone a fun filled virtual weekend!

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#AtoZChallenge | O is for the Ocean and the pull of a lifetime of memories.

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The memories of my life are so in step with the rhythm of the ocean that the thought of living anyplace where I couldn’t get to the coast within an hour or two makes me anxious.

My grandparents lived at the beach. My grandmother especially loved the water. It’s one of the reasons my grandfather choose to build their home next to the ocean. The salt air is good for the soul. Maine waters are chilly even in the warmest of summer days but my grandmother was undeterred and continued to swim in the ocean every summer until her health waned. She was happy at the ocean.

My mother spent her school years “in town” and not at the beach. Her grandmother and aunt lived there during those years. They were still living there when I arrived on the scene. My only memories of my visits to the house during those years were of the disturbingly vivid portrait of Jesus wearing the crown of thorns as blood streamed down his face. It hung prominently in their living room. It made an impression on me.

Eventually my grandparents moved back to their home at the beach.

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#AtoZChallenge | K is for Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth

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While a popular summer destination, I found the quieter winter scene at Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth especially beautiful during a recent visit. The sun gleaming off the water, a persistent patch of snow by the edge of the sand and an abandoned lobster trap make it a true Maine winter scene.

This was my first visit to the beach area at Kettle Cove, but my daughter and I did enjoy a delicious lunch at the Kettle Cove Creamery & Cafe a few summers ago which I blogged about here:  Serendipity and Strawberries lead us to a stop at the Kettle Cove Creamery & Cafe.  Unfortunately, it’s closed during the winter so we didn’t get to enjoy a second visit on this trip.

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