Salem, Massachusetts

During our visit to Maine we decided to drive to Salem, Mass., for an afternoon.  It’s sad but when I think of Salem I immediately think of the  horrible time in our country’s history when there were massive witch hunts.

The trip was just a last minute decision so by the time we arrived in Salem it was late afternoon and crazy as it sounds for such a big city almost everything closes at 5PM. We were parking our car at 4:40 so left us no time to see any of the Museums or shops.
The only historical place open to visit was the House of Seven Gables and the writer Nathaniel Hawthorne’s home where he lived as a child.  Since he was famous for writing the novel House of Seven Gables his  home was moved to the same property where the House of Seven Gables sits so we were able to tour both.



The grounds between the homes were beautifully landscaped with an assortment of blooming plants.


Below are pictures taken inside his boyhood home. I did not know at the time these pictures were taken that no camera’s were allowed.  I had arrived earlier than the others for the tour and I just did my own little walk thru and was happily snapping pictures. Not until the actual tour were we told no picture taking allowed. Oops.


Since my pictures were so blurry I am thinking something must have been in these pictures trying to block my shots. hahaha



We enjoyed the tours of these homes but the whole time walking around these homes I was wracking my brain to remember more of the book The House of Seven Gables.
  After the tour we walked back toward downtown Salem with me complaining the whole way back because we were told the House of Seven Gables was just down the street.

I learned just down the street is common for people from this area to say when in truth it could mean 5 miles down the street.

If I had known we were going to walk so far I would of worn better shoes but you know how the last minute plans will leave you unprepared. I found walking on gobble stone streets is not for an old lady.  After about two miles my feet were really begging for a break.

Not sure if you can see the nails in this door I took on our walk back to downtown. While touring the Hawthorne house we were told that the nails in the front doors were put there to protect the doors from expanding in the rigid temperatures of the East Coast but also a person with lots of nails in their doors were considered very wealthy in the community. I found that very odd! So I wanted to try and show you a door taken on an old house near downtown Salem. 

The last owner of the House of Seven Gables had twice as many nails in their front door compared to this door.
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We also came across an old cemetery where supposedly some of the women accused of witchery were buried.
 
Outside of the cemetery were these things used back in that time period for public punishment. I have to look up what their called. Anyway of course Christi and myself had to stick our heads inside for a picture.

This picture of me freaked us both out.  My eyes are wide open and for the last few years no one can capture a picture of me with my eyes open. Plus look at the way my hand is curled up. I find this very creepy. lol

As you can see Christi’s picture was normal. lol…. Maybe I have been in one of those before and it brought back bad memories.
Of course I could not leave  Salem without a picture of their coastal area.




Sorry but I have forgotten who lived in this pink house below in Salem. 

Do you see the little sign in the road that says Stop. All over Maine and I guess other East Coasts states they have these in the middle of their streets for pedestrians to cross. In Maine it was a state law that if there was a person trying to cross the street you had to stop and let them cross.

Christi and I both thought this was just so neat. It sure made walking around the cities and villages a lot easier.

Well friends I know you must be tired of all the vacation pictures. I promise I will not show you all two hundred of them. I do want to share with you the villages of Booth Bay Harbor and Camden before I stop. Camden is where the old movie Peyton Place was filmed.
Thursday and Friday I mowed the heck out of the North Forty and covered maybe 12 acres but have at least 20 more to go. I am planning on trying to finish by Wednesday if possible. The temps are still in the high 90’s so I try to not mow all day. Just to hot.
I am seeing from your post a lot of fall decorating and I love your pictures. It just seems like it is still summer here.
Must run but wanted to take a moment and say hello and to show you a few pictures of Salem. I hate to say it but Salem was my least favorite place to visit. Maybe because it was late when we arrived and it was a hurried visit.
One more picture of Maine before I close. Have a wonderful week and do something creative and that makes you happy.

I told Christi to be silly in a picture and here she is acting like she is falling to the rocks and water below.
Love to all
Maggie

Stephen King’s Home In Bangor!

Wow where has this week gone? I wasn’t even on vacation but working like a wild women out here on the North Forty and the days have flown by. I thought last week was fast while I was in Maine but this one has gone by just as quick.
Yesterday I scrubbed my big master bedroom floor on my hands and knees with a product called Rejuvenate I found at Home Depot. Then after the floor dried and I went back and used the varnish they sell to go with the cleaner. OMGosh my floor looks so clean and they are shining for the first time since I lived here. Their beautiful pine floors but always look dull to me so I tried this Rejuvenate and I can testify it worked great on this ole floor.
Of course the instructions call for you to use a mop but I wanted it to turn out really good so like a nut I did it on my hands and knees. I thought I would not be able to walk to today but since I mowed for six hours I did not have to walk. lol
Now if only I had a cleaning fairy to do the rest of the floors. OH how sweet that would be.
I promised a few pic’s of author Stephen King’s house that we visited while in Maine. It turned out to be a fun visit and we laughed the whole time we were standing in front of his house.

We drove up to his huge mansion and his driveway gate is open and three men are getting out of a car near the back entry to the house. Of course we got excited thinking it was HIM! They never went inside the whole time we were there but since we were in the front of the house taking pictures and they were on the side I never could tell for sure if one of the men was King.
So at first we are shy and we park across the street and take pictures. Then I tell Christi that is silly so we walk across the street and get better shots of his entry way. On the top of his gates are Bats and the gate his a huge spider web.

Only Stephen King would think of having such a gate. Right?
What really made our time there was out of no where a Black Cat appears right between my legs. I mean neither Christi or I saw the cat walk up. It’s like out of one of his novels. A big black cat appears from no where. Spooky!
The cat was so friendly he would not go away. Then we hear laughing and we turn to the road and two ladies are in their car taking pictures and laughing at us. They thought it was so funny that we were brave enough to walk up to his gate and stand there playing with a cat all the while snapping pictures.

I told those two chickens to get out of their car and join us. So after a minute of their talking it over they parked and joined us on our stalking of the famous writer. We then let them take pictures of us and we return the favor.

Some neighbors of his are out walking the neighborhood and they stop to visit because I had to ask if the cat belonged to King. They said No it was just a neighborhood cat that went from house to house. It had a red collar on with a phone number so I guess it had a home.
After a while we say our good byes to the other two stalkers and we head for our car. While turning back for my last look of the house bigger than life he coming out of the gate with another guy and they are going for a jog. Naturally they start jogging the opposite direction of our rental car.

I did snap a picture when it finally came to me that I was holding a camera but by then they were pretty good distance away.

His house is huge old Victorian style that sits on a big lot surrounded by trees. What surprised me was he lives in a neighborhood in town where the houses are close to each other. I figured a man of his wealth and fame would live out on one of the many islands off the coast of Maine. 
It even had a playground set in the backyard so I guess he might just be a grandpa.
The idiot introduced me to his writing when we were dating and of course in those days you crawl through hoops trying to impress the other so I read every book of his early writing because the idiot loved them. They were so different from anything I had ever read and yet I kept reading them. I use to think the man had to be doing drugs to write books like these. If I remember right he did mention doing Pot in his early writing career. I knew it. lol
Now his latest books have not kept me interested at all. His writing has really changed. Even my son Clint who has read a lot of his work has trouble finishing his books now. I think he might need to buy another bag of pot.
Here are a few of his neighbors houses.  Anyone wanting to be his neighbor there is one across the street from his for sale.



One thing I noticed in most of the villages along the coast a lot of the cottages had gorgeous Hosta plants growing in their flower beds. I have tried here in Texas to grow them but I just don’t have any luck. I think it is too hot for then.
As you can see I took way too many pictures on my trip. I do have some more beautiful coastal pictures that I guess you will just have to hang in there this too shall pass with me. haha

One thing I noticed about my pictures I am in my hair is never combed and usually my sunglasses are on the top of my head pushing my hair back. I  never have taken good pictures.
Wish I knew the name of the this kitty. We became instant friends.
Now I must turn in for the night. I have to get up early and see if I can get another six hours of mowing in tomorrow. In some places the grass was so tall I thought I might not be able to cut it. We really had a lot of rain while I was gone.
Sweet Dreams
Maggie

PS
You may have to click on the pictures to get a better look.

More Of Maine!

I’m sitting here watching the CMA show which is rare for me. I am behind on who is who in country music that I feel like a visitor from another planet right now. It’s just not the same music anymore which is why I don’t know who is who.
Wanted to share some more pictures of our trip with you while my computer is still plucking along. Slow but still breathing. Kind of sounds like I am talking about myself.
A lot of you ask me on the last post where was the cowboy when his house flooded while I was in Maine. He is a hall of famer cowboy and quite sought after so he travels a lot doing whatever a cowboy does on the road. hahaha  Anyway he too was not home so the water along with the mud made a big mess.
Speaking of cowboys my old Clint Eastwood’s new movie  Trouble With The Curve comes to theaters Friday. I am looking forward to seeing him again on the big screen.
Now let me show you some of my photo’s from our trip.

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state.  As you can see from the pictures I have taken it is worthy of it’s popularity.







Some of these pics were taken inside the lighthouse and reflection of the glass shows. It was very small at the top only room for four people and with the big light in the middle it was crowded with four of us up there.



Here Christi is coming down the tower of the lighthouse. It was the only lighthouse that allowed you to go to the top where the view was spectacular but scary has heck going up and down these narrow steps.





Sorry my pictures are not in very good order. If you click on the picture you can see so much more of it.
Hope you enjoyed one of our outings. I really took too many pic’s and now I am going to have trouble
trying to decide what to share and not. lol
I do have to share with you another time our fun experience in front of Steven Kings house in Bangor.
Hope you enjoyed these photo’s.  Words are hard to describe just how breath taking this state is especially along the rocky coast line.
Sweet Dreams
Maggie
PS
I noticed after posting this the pictures are cropped off quite a bit. I really should try and change my blog where I can show better pic's but I am so afraid of playing around with blogger.  For a better look just click on the pic.

Life As It Should Be!

Oh how I have thought of you and missed you while visiting the amazing state of Maine. If there were two of me one would still be back where Life is lived as it should be. Surrounded by God’s wonderful gift of mother nature at it’s best.
Never have my eyes seen such beauty. Every where you drive, walk or sit you can’t help but take a moment and Thank God for creating this wonder and I found myself thanking him often for giving me the chance to enjoy it.
I want to take a minute here and thank Christi my precious daughter for taking the first steps in initiating this trip. If it had not been for her I would still be sitting here dreaming of visiting a place I have longed to see all my life. She was the prefect traveling companion. Quietly put up with my quirky way of doing things and very seldom showed  signs of wanting to desert ship. I did find it strange she spent money the night before we left on ear plugs. lol 
Not sure how I will manage to show you all the photo’s I snapped of our trip. As I mentioned in a previous post my computer is slower than a turtle here lately. The last few times I tried posting with Blogger my picture icon has disappeared which caused me to almost call upon Ms Pearl to vent my frustrations. She has a way of helping me do that now and then. Instead my sweet friend Kathy from Creative Home Expressions mentioned in her comment I should try Live Writer so after experimenting all morning trying to figure out this program I am now writing on it hoping to be able to share a post and pictures with you. 

Our first day on the trip we flew into Portland and spent the night at a very nice place near the Waterfront and in easy walking distance to the shops and tour places that we had scheduled for the next day.
We took a trolley around Portland and it took us out to Cape Elizabeth which was only across the bridge from Portland.
Here I captured one of my favorite pictures of the trip. I love this and may have to print it out to frame.
This picture was taken standing next to this light house.
Christi took this picture and I need to crop it because you can see me off to the right walking up the steps. Can’t miss my white hair. Notice the big jacket I am wearing. Not too many times in our weeks trip did I not have on warmer wear.  We were so blessed with prefect weather and just the right temps for enjoying our excursions.
Since we were with a tour group we only had 15 minutes to take in the lovely light house and rocky coast line below it.
The trolley driver warned us of being left if we did not watch the time and be back on the trolley in that limited time. I of course had to find a bathroom. Never have I ever went anywhere that I don’t check out the restrooms. Well this almost caused me a long long walk back to Portland by my lonesome.
I want go into the stinky details but yep I was the last one on and they held it for me. What a great start on my first outing. lol

I did manage to capture this picture of Christi while at Cape Elizabeth.
Back on the trolley in Portland Christi took pictures for me of a few of the sights you will see in the largest city in Maine which I believe the population is only around 60,000 which is small compared to our cities in Texas.

Just a few shots of Portland while riding around on the trolley. I am so glad we decided to only stay overnight in Portland and travel further North to Booth Bay Harbor.  Not that Portland is not a great place to visit but I found the small little villages a better way to see Maine.

After riding around on the streets of Portland we were lucky enough to have reservations to tour the harbor on this little tour boat.
Hopefully I can find a way to organize my photo’s and show you some nice pictures in the next few post.
Over all it was a lovely trip and I am so grateful that I had the chance to see the places I did manage to see. There were so many choices of where to go that we had a hard time choosing. 
Maine will be in my thoughts for a long time to come. I came home to problems that the heavy rains caused while I was away. The cowboy’s house flooded while I was away I sometime today I have to visit with him about this problem and then after all the rain you know that I will be on the tractors once again. 
I honestly think if it weren’t for my children being 2000 miles away from me I could of just stayed in the little village of Booth Bay Harbor. Looking forward to sharing pictures of it with you.
Now I am anxious to see what my first post from this Live Writer will look like on my blog site.  Keeping my fingers crossed it won’t look too bad.
Hope all is well with you and that you are having a wonderfully Blessed weekend.
Love to all
Maggie

Just Complaining About This and That!

Just wanted to say hello before my trip to Maine begins on Saturday. I am leaving some time tomorrow for Austin since Christi and I fly out of there at 6am Saturday morning.

I had wanted to share with you some pictures of what I have been doing to the ole farm house but I once again I don't see the picture download button I use for adding pictures to my post. The Link button that sits besides the picture button is there so why not the picture button.

I guess I am going to have to figure out how to switch over to the new blogger their offering. I just have not had the time to try and figure it out and with my computer acting up I don't think I can try it for now. I sure have to do it though when I get home from Maine because I hope to have some gorgeous pictures to share with you.

It beats me why that darn picture button is gone from the top of my page. I sure wanted to show you some pictures tonight. lol I don't even know who to complain to at blogger or where to complain. Or would they even care that grandmayellowhair can't down load pictures.  lol

The past few weeks I have had a crown fall off of a tooth while eating breakfast. Then remember last year when I was toothless and haggard because I lost one near the front. Well now the one that holds the bridge to that tooth needs a root canal and it has been giving me all kinds of fits. I made an appointment to my dentist for it and the next morning after setting that appointment I lost a crown on a back tooth. So the dentist worked on the crown replacement and put off my root canal until I get back from my trip.

Since it is going to cost me big bucks I guess I am glad she waited but if I am going to be in pain for the trip I may have another thought. lol

Then my renter in my home in town moved out leaving me the biggest mess. Fifthy dirty is all I can say about her. I do wish people would have the decency to leave a home the way they find it. She had the nerve to tell me the house was cleaner than when she moved in. Geez where do I find these loosers.

Her kids colored on my newly painted walls and kitchen cabinets so as you can well imagine Ms Pearl has been out for a while now.

While painting the sun room floor that her kids colored on I have messed up my back so now I am bent over like an old willow tree. I may only see half of Maine if my back does not get better.

I wonder why it is when your planning something big that you have wanted to do most of your life that
all kinds of crazy things start happening in your life. lol...

Anyway since I can't share the pic's I wanted I guess I will make this short and sweet. I was sitting here
trying to figure out if there is another way to add pictures to our blogs besides using their buttons. I know
you would think as long as I have been doing this I could figure it out.

I am just use to coming in here and having everything the way it is suppose to be when I need it. Boy what a boring post I am sitting here writing.

My son Chad told me in an email today that he thought we would have a lot of rain on our trip to Maine because of the hurricane out in the Atlantic. I sure hope that thing fizzles out so we can enjoy our trip.

OK enough of my complaining. I need to figure out what jewelry to pack and then I need to try and catch up with some of you on here before bed time. I just hope my computer lets me come by and say hello to you.

Have a wonderful weekend. Be safe and remember I love you.

Sweet Dreams
Maggie

Love to All

Hello Dear Sweet Friend

I have been away so long I have been having withdrawal symptoms. It has been one thing after another
for the past few weeks so I have not been blogging.

On top of all of those problems my computer is trying to crash on me. I am hoping maybe to go by the
library some time soon and do a post.  Not sure what is going on with my laptop but it is so slow that it
takes hours to look up anything so blogging is impossible.

When I came on here tonight to do this post I can't see where you can add pictures to your post. Don't tell
me blogger has changed that too while I was gone.

Hope all is well with you and your life is not as crazy as mine has been. I hope to catch up with you soon.

I do hope to try and do a post tomorrow if I can get to the library. It looks like Iwill be saving up for
a new computer.

Do take care and know you are in my thoughts often.

Love to all
Maggie