Fall 2012

After a blog-less stint of many months it seems time to reboot and record some of the events of the errant time that has slipped by so quickly.....a fabulous wedding for Robyn and Gerry: a son leaves home, a daughter-in-law and her family join our family.

Cruising plans swiftly shift from the Great Loop to more local exploration of the Hudson RIver, Erie Canal system to Utica, Champlain Canal system and Lake Champlain to Burlington.  The cruising was grand, the rivers and lakes beautiful, experiences with going through the 50 or so locks amusing.   We had access to a car much or the time so we toured the majesty of the Adirondack's, stood on the Olympic ski jump at Lake Placid, and visited Old Quebec City, Overall it was a lovely summer and fall spent in the splendor of our our back yard.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's finally almost sunny after seven consecutive days, since leaving Annapolis, MD, of cloudy, cold, very windy (25-40k) weather. It's 0800 and we are lumping (it's still very windy) down the Neuse River in NC (the widest River in the US) after spending a delightful couple of days in New Bern; the second oldest town in NC, formerly an Indian town named Chattoka, that served as the capital of the North Carolina colonial government and briefly as North Carolina's first capital. It is rich in history and southern charm, named for Bern the the capital of Switzerland and founded by Swiss and German settlers in 1710. What is unique about this lovely southern city is that the original homes survived the Civil War; the Battle of New Bern on March 14 1862 resulted in New Bern coming under Federal Control and it remained so for the rest of the War, thus the beautiful homes and churches were spared the ravages of war (Sherman) that we have heard reported in so many other southern cities especially in SC.

This afternoon after threading Moorehead City environs the weather has finally improved gracing us with sunshine, and warmth, punctuated with diving pelicans and pods of graceful bottlenose dolphins and a bald eagle, dancing on wild wind cords,  resplendent in her mature feathers.  Happy Thanksgiving and blessing to family and friends.