Old Friends and New England

I took a swing through New England back in late August and early September. For some reason my camera went on the fritz and I was only recently able to get photos from it into the computer.

I was moved to head north by 95 degree August heat here in Maryland accompanied by equal numbers in the humidity area. By the time I reached the Hudson River Valley in upstate New York, the temps were quite comfortable. 

I stopped in to see old friends Marty and Bobbie Yandle and Marty’s brother Mike.  They live near the quaint little village of

Chelsea about 75 miles north of New York City within sight of the Hudson River. Marty and I had our first band when we were fifteen back in Charlotte, NC. We both still play, so we broke out the guitars and sang for several hours. They are great with harmonies.

Marty and Bobbie had just gotten their new 2010 Toyota Prius and Marty was eager to show me its space age qualities. The morning after the sing along, we glided into nearby Wappingers Falls for breakfast at their favorite coffee house. The Prius lived up to Marty's enthusiastic descriptions of it's comfortable ride and low gas consumption. Plus you feel as though you're on the bridge of a miniature Starship Enterprise when you look at the futuristic dash and interior.

                     After leaving New York, I zipped through Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire into southern Maine. A lot of small towns in that part of Maine are named for other places.  I'm sure this sign elicits chuckles from motorists driving through these parts.

My destination was Norway where I always enjoy visiting friends who live in this 1820s-era house on a gravel road outside of town.

       

I went to college with brothers Phil and Jim, and we've stayed connected over the past forty years. Phil and his wife, Carol, raised three children in this wonderful farmhouse. The kids have flown the coop now. Jim, fleeing city life, moved up several years ago. 

Carol and son Jason enjoy morning coffee while avid New England sports fan Phil goofs off in the front yard. Phil and Jason are both musicians and we had a great jam session. I enjoyed Jason’s original piano tunes.

I was parked in an open field across from the house.  It was incredibly quiet there – it seemed that not even airplanes fly over this part of the world.  It was great to sit out in the utter silence and read or just contemplate.  And the surrounding woods were great for walks.

After leaving Maine, I spent a few days traveling across New Hampshire, Vermont, and the Adirondacks of upstate New York on my way to the next chapter of this adventure. The backroads of New England are easy on the eyes with numerous lakes, villages and mountains to see.

  











And I could easily get used to the pace of life …