With retirement comes the opportunity for new experiences.
Debi has a passion for music, singing, theatre, and travel. With her BMEd and MEd she had an extensive career which included elementary music education, performing, vocal instruction, choral conducting, musical theatre directing, and clinician work. She has, for the most part, retired from this very successful music career. But really, does one ever retire from music? I think not. So now the stage is set for the next act: interweaving her love for music, travel, and whatever else comes her way.
Wherever her travels take her Debi shares her exploits: musical adventures, local interests, historical sites, local cuisine, the journey there and back, plus whatever life sends her. She'll share the hits and the misses, the successes and the failures, as well as any helpful hints she discovers along the way.
I am gratefulfor being alive today. It is my joy and pleasure to live another wonderful day.
Louise Hay
Yes it is.
Beautiful sunrise to start this wonderful day.
A wonderful, relaxing morning on Campobello Island.
Sitting, reading, and looking over the water.
Excellent ending to our adventure.
Viewed speed boats, sail boats, fishing boats, and the pièce de résistance? Seals in the water and a bald eagle soaring overhead.
Sorry. Only got the above picture. Not speedy enough.
This was in “The Porch” where we enjoyed breakfast again this morning.
I spent so many years teaching music I had to share it.
Then back to PEI.
Tomorrow? Sort sea glass. 🙂 I’ll try and remember to share my favourite pieces.
Great trip. .
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
“It’s a beautiful day, and I can’t stop myself from smiling!”
Michael Buble
How true!
What a cool picture.
Wilson’s Beach: where we’re staying
Before breakfast we headed to the Head Harbour Lightstation https://headharbourlightstation.com/ at one end of the island and only accessible by foot at low tide. It wasn’t low tide but we saw it from afar.
2nd oldest lighthouse in NB. Built in 1829 but now the oldest surviving one. Says “closed for tide”
Had the best Yogurt Parfait with lots of fresh fruit and in house made granola. Delicious. Going back this afternoon for lunch and breakfast again tomorrow. Now that’s an endorsement.
Back at Pollock Cove Seaside Resort (where our rental cottage is) we relaxed at their seaside sitting area. https://www.pollockcove.com/Absolutely beautiful weather. To top it off we saw numerous seals in the water, Perfect. Only way it would have been better would have been to spot a 🐳.
We did some beach walking, and found lots of sea glass at various beaches. Richard went to more that I did.
Lunch at The Porch and I just couldn’t pass up having this burger. Would you?
Around the time Mulholland Lighthouse was constructed Campobello Island was becoming a popular summer colony for wealthy Canadians and Americans. The Roosevelt family made Campobello Island their summer home starting in 1883, and it was there that their son Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who became the thirty-second President of the United States, would spend his summers. In 1903, Franklin brought his future wife Eleanor, whom he was courting at the time, to the family’s summer cottage. After the couple married in 1905, they purchased the Kuhn Cottage to be their own retreat on Campobello Island.
Richard went out to do more beach-combing and I blogged.
Both of us happy.
And that’s today. Tomorrow we return to PEI. Great to explore and great to go back home. What a life!
Be safe and stay healthy.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
Off to Campobello Island. Honestly, before Richard suggested it, I had heard of it but had no idea where it was in New Brunswick. I live a sheltered life. Hahaha.
I’m not an outdoorsy person. Not at all. Not a nature loving, tree hugging type of person but I do love the beach and sea glass hunting so I readily agreed.
One way to reach Campobello Island is travel to L’Etete, New Brunswick, and line up to board one of two goverment operated ferries that leave L’Etete for Deer Island every half hour between 6:30am and 5:00pm and every hour between 5:30pm and 10:30pm. There is no toll for this ferry!
Once on Deer Island, drive across the island and get in line to board yet another ferry! This ferry service is operated by East Coast Ferries and a toll is charged for each crossing. The ferry leaves Deer Island on the hour between 8:30am and 6:30pm and Campobello on the half hour between 9:00am and 7:00pm (The two last trips are omitted in June and September). This crossing is only available June through September.
2. By Land
Campobello Island is in Canada, but is only accessible by road from the United States. What’s with that? Remember your passport!
From PEI, drive to St Stephen N.B. From there, cross the border to Calais, Maine and drive to Lubec. Cross the International Bridge to Campobello Island.
I had to choose the lesser of two evils. Not an easy decision. Ever since my first ferry ride as a young child (and there were a lot of them being from Prince Edward Island) I have suffered from travel sickness. Have throw up more times that I can remember. Not a pleasant thought. The other option going through Maine didn’t sit well either. I’m sure you can imagine why.
I had to bite the bullet and choose the land option. Principles thrown out the window. But on a positive note we saw three deer during our drive.
Plan was to arise at 5:00 and hit the road. Best laid plans. Woke at 5:20. What! Apparently someone (not naming any names, Richard) set the phone alarm for pm instead of am. No problem. Still lots of time.
Border crossing? So strange. You go through US border in Calais. Drive for about and hour or so and then go back to Canada through Canada Customs in Campobello. Felt weird.
Customs? Very easy. US Customs’ agent even cracked a joke. Asked if we had any potatoes with us. Funny. HaHa. And at Canadian Customs he whispered if he should remind me that Richard’s birthday is in 5 days. Must have been a slow day. I’ll take it.
Our first two beaches offered no sea glass. Beautiful smooth stones/rocks. And some creative ones.
One happy camper. One not. Can you guess? The reason is the third pic. “Sit on the log Debi.” Sure. Then the waves rolled in and socked my feet. Grrr.
Cottage is rustic but very nice. Lovely view. Richard went beach exploring and I stayed in to blog. Perfect choice. (esp. since it rained again) His beach walk made up for our previous ones.
And that’s our day. We were lucky it was warm and sunny most of the day. Started raining after 2. I’m happy ‘cause I thought it was going to rain the whole day.
We’ve been hearing what sounds like a fog horn every 30 seconds. Brought to memory this song.
Song for Our Ancestors – Steve Miller Band
We’re in the middle of nowhere and have an internet issue so I can’t get the video to embed so please find it on YouTube and give it a listen.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
Take care and stay healthy.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
…about nurturing that creative side within. It does a lot of good activating the right side of the brain.
Marie-Anne Roy
The older I get the faster time slips away.
In June I posted a photo of one of my past backyard creations and said I’d soon share my new ones. Oops.
So the summer slipped away and then the fall. Now we’re closing in on the first day of winter and I thought I should get my act together and show you our summer creations.
But I need your help.
I’d love names for these creations.
Comment on this blog and give me your suggestions.
Living with a beach as our backyard inspires us. Strolling along it there are so many amazing discoveries: driftwood, sea glass, shells. So often I look at a piece of driftwood and just see something in it.
This little fellow spoke “whale”.
This is the shape when I found it. No carving involved. All I did was use some paint, create an eye, and voilà. Love it.
In a similar fashion this fellow came from single piece of natural driftwood and I thought “Pelican”. Then I had to figure out how to paint him. Now I’m the first one to say I’m not an artist. I’ve painted him several times and still not happy. He’s now in the basement so I can work on him some more.
Finding flat driftwood and having an abundance of shells from here and Gulf Shores inspired the next two. if you click on them to enlarge you’ll see I also used some large sea glass pieces.
Richard found this fabulous driftwood. It reminded me of something mythical, maybe because previously we’d watched “House of Dragons”. I searched online and found this. A Nargacuga. See any similarities?
Nargacuga
Put them all together and what do you get?
Oh there’s more.
Richard’s son and family visited in July. They immediately became avid beachcombers. The oldest boy found a huge driftwood piece and dragged it all the way down the beach and back to the house ‘cause he thought I’d love it. (What a sweet guy to do that.) He was correct. I do. What a fabulous addition to the garden.
Two views for you to choose your fav. First the original look. Second after cutting away the hostas. Which do you prefer? (We are not in agreement.)
Comment and let me know.
Original look
After cutting away the hostas.
On the beach we found some beautiful two-tone rocks which inspired a lovely rock mosaic circling our much loved grasses. Much loved by us and our neighbours.
Wind was really blowing that day.
Last garden addition, at least for this year, a bird bath from Lambe Concrete in Albany, PE. https://lambeconcrete.com/
The fish I made a few years ago.
A few years ago we purchased a concrete heron from them for the front garden. Sorry I only have a picture from their website.
I couldn’t get the video to embed but please find it on YouTube if you want to listen.
Here are the lyrics.
I do remember one thing It took hours and hours but By the time I was done with it I was so involved, I didn’t know what to think I carried it around with me for days and days Playing little games Like not looking at it for a whole day And then.. Looking at it To see if I still liked it I did
I repeat myself when under stress I repeat myself when under stress I repeat myself when under stress I repeat myself when under stress I repeat The more I look at it The more I like it I do think it’s good The fact is No matter how closely I study it No matter how I take it apart No matter how I break it down It remains consistant I wish you were here to see it
I like it
Take care and stay healthy.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
Just like sea glass, every person has the potential to become a treasure.
From “Sea Glass” by Anita Shreve
Yes it is Monday. Am I blue? Nope. Not one little bit. I’ve had a great day. A morning sitting and reading on the deck, enjoying the warm sun, the salty sea air, and this view. Love it.
Had to use a photo from last year as I forgot to take a new one today.
This afternoon held a few adventures.
A visit to a lovely little coffee house, Foxy Fox, in Crapaud, PEI. My choices were a Spicy Chai Latte and a Bliss Bar (homemade chocolate peanut treat). They have many drink and sweets choices. There’s also a area with house decor and one with ladies clothing. They have a cute loo too. A bonus is you can sit inside or outside. Such a beautiful day we sat outside basking in the sun. Great start to the afternoon.
Then off for a bit of Beachcombing. I have an idea in my mind for an additional fence creation so Richard and I were searching for driftwood. Found lots. I’ll post the finished project. My fish is one I did a few years ago.
A great bonus from our Beachcombing adventure was our sea glass/beach glass finds. Many. And you see the reason for my title. Excited for all the blue. It’s quite rare for us to find this much blue at one time.
Here are just a few of today’s treasures. Love that large white piece. And the hearts. Any favourites?
Dime is for size reference.
So what started out as a quiet day became a day of adventures. Don’t you love it when that happens?
Blue Monday – Fats Domino
Take care and stay healthy.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
When you get into a hotel room, you lock the door, and you know there is a secrecy, there is a luxury, there is fantasy. There is comfort. There is reassurance.
As this is about my travelling adventures I thought I’d take some time to discuss where we stayed these past few days. Remember these are my thoughts. Others may react quite differently.
Four Days, Three Hotels
Day 1
Quality Inn, Bristol TN
Not easy to find. But another time we’d go in the proper way, not the back way. Lol
Reasonably priced
Clean
Nice bathroom
Queen bed but seemed extra large, super
Comfortable mattress – not too hard – not too soft – just right (like Goldilocks and the Three Bears)
Soft pillows but they didn’t smuch down too much and lose their shape
Bed linens were so comfortable I just wanted to wrap myself up in them and snuggle under them forever
Fantastic night’s sleep
Complimentary breakfast was the standard fare but certainly enough variety to suit us. Richard got to make a waffle.
Would stay there again.
Day 2
Quality Inn Arena, Wilkes Barre, PA
Easy to get to
Reasonably priced
Mostly clean. Small pile of gritty dirt in the middle of the floor.
Clean bathroom: toilet and shower. The sink was in the main room. Weird.
King bed
So disappointed in the bed. Very hard.
Bed linens ok. Not nearly as nice as Day 1’s. Pillows were awful. Flat and hard.
Not the best sleep.
Complimentary breakfast. Similar to Day 1’s.
A plus is that we could walk to Perkins Restaurant as it was right across the hotel’s parking lot. For that reason I’d stay there again. Maybe try a room with a queen size bed to see if it was more comfortable.
Days 3 & 4
View from our main room
Beachmere Inn, Ogunquit, Maine
Expensive
Clean
Had a suite in the Beachmere South building with a fabulous view. Not impressed that the main bedroom was right inside the front door. There was a nice large main room but there were also two single beds in it.
Bed was comfortable but for me not as comfortable as Day 1’s.
Bed linens were lovely as were the pillows.
Disappointingly the restaurant was not open Monday morning. Complimentary breakfast is only available Tuesday and Wednesday but the restaurant doesn’t open until 7:30. Too late for us as we’re out of here at 6:30 tomorrow morning.
Cold in our suite and couldn’t get the thermostat to increase the temperature. Maintenance came but all he did was move one of the single beds out from the baseboard radiator to let the air circulate and it didn’t help. Dressed warmer and under a blanket.
We’ve previously stayed at the Beachmere quite a few times but in a different building, The Victorian. That suite was much, much nicer but I did love that our suite this time had an outstanding ocean view from our main room.
Over the years we’ve found that the service has gradually deteriorated. Sad when that happens. In past years (pre Covid) a complimentary breakfast buffet was offered every morning including the most extraordinary homemade granola. Not any more. The rooms are more run down. They’re showing the wear and tear. The front staff don’t seem to be up to the same standard. Before they were very professional, classy, like you’d see in the movies. They made you feel like you were a valued guest. Now the service is like any other cheaper hotel chain, minimal. C’est la vie.
Five Star Hotels – Rick Moranis
Take care and stay healthy.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
“The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.”
Unknown
So today’s title.
Here’s the story.
Yesterday
Yesterday- up at 3:30, on the road at 4:00, great travelling, saw deer on the side of the road. Beautiful.
Yes great travelling.
Until
Oh yes. There’s an until.
Just reaching Knoxville, Tennessee and rattle, rattle, tick tick.
Why? Why? Why? We were not looking for adventure.
Car still drove well so we took a Knoxville exit, pulled into a parking space and started googling auto repair shops. Of course it’s 2:30 pm. This couldn’t have occurred earlier? And why now? We’d driven the car for three months down there and no problems. (Just the one in Bowling Green that I mentioned in an earlier post)
So Richard found a shop and I put the address in the GPS and off we went.
Up and down streets into what most definitely had to be the roughest part of the city. Fantastic. And it kept sending us round and round.
Enough!
Stopped again and I googled Midas. They gave us superb service in Bowling Green so worth a shot. Twenty-one minutes away. We could do that.
Nice service people. They were busy but about an hour later took the car for a spin. Couldn’t figure out the reason for the sound. Into a bay and up on the hoist. ( I think I used the proper terms.) Found the culprit. Parking brake. Was in pieces. They called around but no luck finding new parts. Decision? Removed the broken parts and we’d keep driving back home, just without a parking brake. I mean, how often do we actually use it.
And
No Charge
Just asked us to give them two reviews. No problem.
Unbelievable. Huge shout out to Mike and Chris for treating us so well.
Two hours from start to finish and we were back on the road.
So we were good to go. Made it to Bristol, Tennessee. (We didn’t get to our originally scheduled destination but for some reason when I had written in my journal possible places to stop I had written four places.) Though it could have been confusing as close by there’s Bristol, Virginia. The Midas guys told us there was a new casino in Bristol, VA but we weren’t interested.
That was a very long day. Finally in our hotel at 7:30. In bed at 8:00.
Interesting sights on that drive.
Then today listened to a talk show about how much emphasis is put on the devil in religion. Saw this on the back of a truck shortly after seeing the road sign.
Think about it. Food. US school lunch program.
Today
Fantastic.
Had a great send off by our little friends.
How sweet of them to wish us safe travels.
Great driving. No problems. Thank goodness.
Arrived in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania at 3:00. Nice salads at Perkins Restaurant (just across the parking lot from our hotel Quality Inn). Then relaxed. Deserved it.
And that’s it until tomorrow.
Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf
Take care and stay healthy.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
And just like that it’s the last day. Time passes so quickly. I find this especially true as I get older.
Seems only yesterday we arrived.
And I have conflicting emotions. I’m sad and happy at the same time.
Do you have similar emotions at the end of a holiday?
My sadness crept in last evening (up until then I was fine) while sitting on the deck enjoying the sunset and a glass of wine. Looking out over the water, listening to the waves roar, filled me with a sense of melancholy. Sad to be leaving our winter vacation home. We love our time here. We love this little beach house. Relaxing. We love the friends we’ve met over the years and will miss them.
But I’m also happy. Happy to be returning home and seeing family and friends. Three months is a long time. Miss them when I’m away.
As we were driving back from the gym today I remarked to Richard how the drive seemed so different today. Usually I don’t even notice the houses, mostly because my mind is off in a cloud singing a song, but today I did. That feeling you get when it’s the last time and you want to embrace every sight.
This suits me to a tee.
And who knows if we’ll return. Always hope to. But health always plays a role as there’s always that uncertainty. As a senior one never knows. Rental fees keep rising and that’s another factor. Imagine this. There’s a huge new build next to where we stay and I was told it’s going to rent this summer for $30,000 a week. Outrageous. In addition there’s the whole political climate we’re experiencing right now and who knows what will occur in the following months.
So packing is done.
Car is loaded.
Some light housekeeping finished. I know. I know. That’s what cleaning fees are for but I just can’t leave the house in a dirty mess.
Supper? Whatever odds and ends are in the fridge.
And that’s a wrap.
Hope to see you Two Views again next winter.
To bed early tonight as 4:00 am will seem very early tomorrow.
So long Gulf Shores.
And remember:
So Long Farewell- from The Sound of Music (Rodgers and Hammerstein)
Yesterday and today the weather has been wonderful.
Good or bad?
Is it good because we’re having some warm, sunny beach days before leaving?
Or
Is it bad because it’s warming up right before we leave?
My choice?
I’ll be happy for these last few days.
Now I don’t like posting a photo of myself but to prove I went in the water.
Pictures aren’t great but they are proof.
Cool, but not a polar bear swim like at home.
So happy to have a day like today.A
And to top it off we saw multiple dolphins swimming by.
On a Wonderful Day Like Today (from The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd – Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.
Take care and stay healthy.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
Indian food is like a symphony of spices, where every note plays its part.
Unknown
Alas. Last night was our last themed dinner. And by the quote you know what it was. Indian Food.
Richard chose the country, went to the library, looked at recipe books, checked out two Indian recipe books, and chose the menu. He spent a considerable amount of time on this.
What a glorious day yesterday was.
Sunny
Warm
Sat on the deck for hours reading.
How was I able to do that?
Simple.
Richard cooked.
Indian (-ish) Dinner
Appetizer: Roasted Cauliflower with Mango Chutney
Entree: Orange Peel Fish with Indian Baked Potatoes, Basmati Rice and Green Peas
Dessert: Mini Bananas with Cardamom served with Vanilla Ice Cream
All dishes tasted delicious. Guests loved everything. Extra positive comments about the appetizer and the dessert. I especially loved the fish. Great flavours.
Issues:
Timing.
If you have ever watched any of the Baking Competitions on TV you’ll have heard that issue mentioned many, many times. And that was an issue yesterday.
There was a lot to do and when you’re working in a kitchen with limited pans it’s tricky. Tricky getting a dish cooked and then set aside so you can reuse the pan to cook the next dish. Not always easy or fun.
Maybe starting the preparations earlier might have helped. Wink wink. Just saying.
And that was our goodbye to these friends. We’re all ending our winter in Gulf Shores.
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Sadly our goodbye lunch with our Minnesota friends had to be cancelled due to her bronchitis. Better to be safe.
Safe travels to all our friends who are travelling this weekend.
Who know what next year will bring. Like most places rents are increasing and becoming harder to justify.
Indian Music
Owing to India’s vastness and diversity, Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms which include classical music, folk, rock, and pop. It has a history spanning several millennia and developed over several geo-locations spanning the sub-continent. Music in India began as an integral part of socio-religious life.
Nina Burmi | Mishra Bhairavi Thumri | Indian Classical Music
Nina Burmi uses her smooth three-octave vocal range to explore the thumri style – a semi-classical genre intimately connected with dance, poetry, and drama.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
I invite you to click Follow or Subscribe to receive timely updates, Like to show your love and support, Share my post on your social media site, and /or Comment here.
Debi's Junket Journal 