We enjoyed a morning of slowly getting up, drinking coffee, walking around a bit outside and then headed to Bangor to exchange our car rental, stopped at the Hannaford Grocery on the way back to Searsport, ate lunch at our boat house outside while watching the ocean and seeing a junior and adult eagle fly by us to their nest. Enjoying some rest by soaking up the sound of the waves, walking the beach and collecting shells, rocks, and driftwood was a nice change of pace for us.

Another lighthouse was calling our name, so we drove to New Harbor to Pemaquid Lighthouse just outside of Bristol, stopped at the grocery again, and then ate dinner at Delvino’s Grill and Pasta House, an Italian restaurant in Belfast. We had bread with garlic cream dip and pizzinas (topped with artichokes, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, fetta, etc…) – all was delicious and the decor was a mix of local history, modern style, Italian and vintage with brick exposed walls and a depth in size. The broad age range of customers (especially many seniors) we saw there was very community oriented and friendly. After dinner, we drove to our home away from home in Searsport.

Our sixth day, we spent exploring Acadia National Park (primarily on Maine’s Mount Desert Island), which included seeing Bubble Rock and visiting the gift shop nearby, where we purchased some fun finds, and driving up Cadillac Mountain (the highest summit in Maine and the first place in the continental United States to see the sunrise during October through March). We enjoyed hiking and taking photos in the area while admiring the amazing nature views. We walked more around Thunder Hole (a rock inlet where waves sound a thunderous crash when hitting the rocky inlet); we also stopped at the nearby gift shop and picked up some delicious blueberry chocolate truffles. We hiked along Otter Cliff Overlook and went to Bar Harbor for a tasty and most satisfying meal at Leary’ Irish Pub (burgers, pub fries, and Maine Root Blueberry Soda). Shopping at Bark Harbor and Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop (since 1886, Maine’s oldest bookstore) afterward, which was close by, as well as various other stores was delightful and the courtyard center was a great place to rest on a bench while we people watched. Later in the evening, playing a game of Battleship at our boat house rental and watching a movie was a perfectly relaxing way to end our adventurous day!

After a restful sleep, we woke up in Searsport, ME and visited Moose Point State Park. Even though being closed, as they actually do not open until the day after Memorial Day, the park ranger said we could walk through if we like and we were able to soak in the nature preserved by the Park and get some photos. We also got a view from a different angle of the same ship anchored in view of our boathouse! Next, we drove south along the mid-coast to Camden and we got some beautiful shots of a river, where salmon thrive. We were able to capture some more beautiful photographs while driving to Camden. In Camden, we enjoyed a quick bite to eat sitting by the marina while being amused by a begging seagull, shopping and experiencing Mt. Battie Outlook (the highest point of Camden Hills State Park). Gorgeous views of the ocean, island, and Camden abound. Next, we drove through Rockland, visited Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde (my favorite gift shop during the whole trip due to their unique items, which are not available anywhere else (even online) and their reasonable prices. We purchased a magnet, lobster claw kitchen oven mitt, sailor’s rope bracelet, an ornament, and a book titled Nellie, The Lighthouse Dog by Jane Scarpino and illustrated by Robert Ensor, which is about a local dog, who helped find a lost boy by the sea. Beautiful watercolor illustrations are included and I thoroughly enjoyed this book by a local author and illustrator (both members of the Marshall Point Lighthouse for some time). We hit Belfast (closest city to Searsport) for dinner by picking up a pepperoni, mushroom and Kalamata olive pizza at Alexia’s Pizza and were delighted by the unusual and effective crust, which seemed to be a mix of deep dish and thin; it was also tasty and satisfied our appetites. So much so, we attempted to stop by later in the week, but they were not open. We had parked near a shipyard and skate park & after walking around and window-shopping, (some artwork really stood out to us); we got in the car and started our drive back to our boathouse while we enjoyed seeing the massive ships and sailboats parked for maintenance. We were in awe of their size and were contemplating the costs of such grandiose marine crafts.

The next morning, we were out the door at 8:30 am and off to Bucksport, ME after taking some time to chill at our boathouse in Searsport with our needed coffee. Aiming to have a healthy breakfast, we searched online and discovered Bucksport Nutrition, where I had a protein shake that provoked me to tell the owner that she may have gotten me started on something new! Mocha latte protein shakes, a protein pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, and a parfait were our selections after listening to a most satisfied customer share some of her favorites with us.

Next on our itinerary was Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory with its fantastic views; a sailboat was sailing along beside us as we walked toward our car from the Observatory. Nearby, on the same grounds and included in the entry fee to the Observatory was Fort Knox, much bigger than it first appears, as some of it was built underground- looking like mounds in parts. It was also interesting to learn that not a shot ever fired due to the English never approaching as anticipated in the 1700’s, and then we stopped in at Reny’s Department Store in Ellsworth, where I got my Maine baseball cap! 

We sat by the water for a bit in Ellsworth and then went on to see houses used in the Pet Semetary film followed by driving to Southwest Harbor; their public library is so cute! Not many restaurants were open for business, so we decided to go on to Bar Harbor for lunch, where we had a whole boiled lobster out of the ocean and boiled the same day. Served with pine nuts, rice, and asparagus at a seafood restaurant, Galyn’s, the lobster was the best we have ever eaten. We also ordered a wood-fired burger with bacon, cheese sautéed onions, and for drinks, we enjoyed their refreshing blueberry lemonade (so yum- we had 4 glasses!). For dessert, we got blueberry apple crisp alamode and ate it after walking around the docks while we sat on a bench at the top of a hill looking out over the harbor. A Bob Ross look alike with white hair tour guide, who happened to be from Ohio, was leading a tour and sharing about the area nearby, so we listened in & got a free experience of part of the tour while overlooking Bar Harbor from the grassy hill. After visiting Southwest Harbor and Bar Harbor, we took the opportunity to take some photos on our drive back to the boathouse in Searsport.

The A.H. Heisey Glass Company started in 1895 by A.H. Heisey (Augustus Henry Heisey), and the glass company continued making glass until 1957. The company was formed in Newark, Ohio. The National Heisey Glass Museum (part of Veterans Park) located at 169 W. Church St., Newark, Ohio is much bigger than it appears! With three galleries, a museum shop, library, and multi-purpose room, etc. over a span of two floors, it seems to go on and on and is full of gorgeous glassware. On our visit, we saw many pieces of glassware that we were seeing for the first time. I said a handful of times, “I’ve never seen that one!”

The docent was very pleasant and we enjoyed our conversations with her; she was helpful in answering our questions. We learned that there will be an online auction and in person auction in April and one can become a member for $40.00 a year and receive discounts on items purchased in the gift shop and get first dibs on more unique glassware when it becomes available. The docent also shared about the Diamond H trademark or sometimes a slightly rubbed off H that may be found on pieces; however, some glassware does not have any symbols, but a Heisey may always be identified by its glow when held up to a black light. With our provided “Gallery Guide”, we went on our $5.00 per person self-guided tour and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Dawn glass (looks clear black), ash trays in the form of soldier’s helmets, crystal kohinoor candelabrums – Circa 1937-1939 with rings and diamond shapes in the center, lamps, an etched mirror cabinet, and plum glass that looks black from a distance and ruby-purple up close were some of the most memorable items for us.

A great deal of the collection was donated by members of the Heisey Collectors of America, Inc. There are other pieces that have been loaned and still more that the Museum’s Acquisitions Committee selected for purchase. All of the items are carefully and beautifully displayed.

If you’ve never visited the National Heisey Glass Museum; I recommend you take some time to do so, you won’t regret it. The beautiful Heisey glass collage doors provide a gorgeous welcome and farewell. Oh, and the “Heisey Hollywood” section where visitors may enjoy seeing photographs of Hollywood stars using Heisey glassware and Heisey glass being used in classic films is also a special delight.

Last October, we attended the “It’s Alive” (from the producers of “Tecumseh!”) outdoor play at “Haunted Mountain” usually known as Sugarloaf Amphitheater in Chillicothe, Ohio.  The largest Halloween theatrical production in Ohio ran from October 3-26, 2023.  We attended the show on the night of October 14; a chill was in the air along with a constant mist.  Gratefully, paper towels were available to dry off our seats from the rain.  The eerie weather actually added to the atmosphere most effectively.  We enjoyed the production of talented actors and solid writing that stayed true to some original aspects of Frankenstein while tweaking the story with some various twists, developments, and outcomes. It seemed a little short, but we were actually glad of that due to being cold and wet, but we came prepared with our Iceland gear we had from our vacation to Iceland in 2022 (see our travel posts on our adventures there).  We are curious to see what outdoor play the producers of “Tecumseh!” come up with next year!  We are hopeful for a retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but we will be pleased regardless, as this has become an annual experience for us.  The Legend of Sleepy Hallow and Dracula productions in previous years did not disappoint!     

On our way to Haunted Mountain, we stopped for dinner in downtown Chillicothe at an old brick house with an outdoor smoker, which slow-smokes meat over native hardwoods. Bell Farms Restaurant offers all home-cooked meals.   Our selections included Homestead Pimento Cheese Dip (Jalapeno), Homestead Short Order Noodles (smoked brisket simmered in stock and served over mashed potatoes), peanut butter pie, and Grandma Elsie’s Cheesecake topped with cherries.  We were delighted with this scrumptious meal, historical atmosphere (hardwood floors, as well as rustic furniture and decorations), and friendly service.  It was a perfect warm meal for an October evening that got us started in the right direction for our excursion.    

At the end of August on a beautiful summer Sunday afternoon, we visited the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio. Our first destination walk through was the Himalayan Mountains section followed by the Tropical Rainforest and Desert; it was hot and we felt as if we were actually in those areas! Many of the Himalayan plants were unique, and we found them most striking. The various palms, cacti and succulents in these sections were fun to see as well. Next, we went outside to a courtyard full of topiary animal sculptures made of flowers, plants, and natural elements: the Garden Safari. The lion and tiger were our favorites. We were interested in seeing the Bonsais and the natural flow of the path lead us to them. Impressively, a Buttonwood Bonsai tree lives there and its approximate age is 373 years! A Fig Bonsai tree also resides there at the approximate age of 45 years. Bonsai trees are also located on the outer edges of the Conservatory fully outside and a Crape Myrtle stood out to us with its flowering beauty.

We cannot leave out commenting on the beautiful artwork interwoven throughout our tour. The Conservatory’s Chihuly Collection is permanent and it is the largest of its kind in a botanical garden. Eighteen glass art installations by Dale Chihuly may be found throughout the inside spaces of the Conservatory. The colorful glass art truly adds pops of color to the spaces and provides a complimentary artistic reflection to the natural elements.

The Conservatory’s Café was a nice surprise, as we took a break to recharge from the heat of the sun. We discovered that almost all of the food is made in-house and their hummus with whole-wheat chips, veggies, and mixed nuts along with a savory scone consisting of corn, chipotle, and cheddar cheese provided the perfect snack for us to share. The gift shop next door was a pleasant experience as well with the two small outdoor courtyard areas full of plants, pots, and some outdoor decor on display. Inside, we found a clearance section where everything was 50% off and we selected a large candle holder made from a birch wood branch with a star carved on either side to take home with us as a memento.

Just outside the Palm House, on the Grand Mallway, the Paul Busse Garden Railway is on display through January 7, 2024. We enjoyed the immersion for a while in this mesmerizing miniature world of Fairytale Land and Wild West Town to animal and wooden building structure themed models, which included “Who Lives Here” and “European Travels” as we wandered through it. There are an impressive 51 botanical models made from all natural plant materials. There are nine model trains, which keep moving along the track overhead and on the track below, if you miss seeing a train go by, you are sure to get to see another soon. We ourselves hope to travel back for a visit to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in the spring to experience the butterfly exhibit!

From common to unique and rare, Groovy Plants Ranch offers a broad spectrum of plants and garden decorations. Our first visit happened to be during their “Handmade Hoedown” weekend, which included live music and drink trucks on site. Local artist vendors were set up throughout the property. We especially enjoyed looking at some stained glass, Wrappin Osborne’s pottery planter pots and wood with epoxy wall art that mostly had a nature theme, as well as another artist’s works: planter pots made out of cement and rocks. The metal art was also fun to browse; the road runner was my favorite, but cacti, flowers, and armadillos were also portrayed and sculpted using metal.

A mini wooden Bigfoot plant decorative stake was our selected purchase from a vendor and a “Crown of Thorns” cactus, air plant, and Cholla cactus wood (to use as a container for the air plant) were our picks to take home from Groovy Plants Ranch. The property is well organized and beautifully aesthetically arranged for visitors to feel as though they are in a faraway land of natural beauty and fun artistic pots and garden decor that pops with color. A sense of whimsy is also created with the VW van and airplane strategically placed in the broadest range between greenhouses and near the edge of a natural wooded area. While waiting for checkout, we discovered a very old cactus priced at $400 and enjoyed listening to the music. We were especially impressed with the overall atmosphere, reasonable prices, variety, and soil planting stations for those who also purchased a pot. Many places don’t have bonsai trees available, and Groovy Plants Ranch has several healthy bonsai available at a fair price. We plan to purchase one on our next visit!

Just a short drive away and along our way home, we had a nice meal (meatloaf and chicken tenders, biscuits, fried okra, chicken dumplings, and freshly squeezed lemonade) at Cracker Barrel in Sunbury, Ohio, and discovered some cool coffee mugs we purchased as future gifts for our relatives. Browsing around the store after the delicious meal was a pleasure. As a side note, Cracker Barrel really has some beautiful clothing options along with their adorable decorations and tasty old-time favorite candies and gum.

Still in Sunbury, our shopping continued at the Tanger Outlets. Puma, Cole Haan Outlet, and an independent mom-and-pop shop called Humble Heart (home decor) were some of our favorite shopping experiences at Tanger, but Fragrance Outlet stole the show by providing an exciting fragrance experience while we tried various perfumes and colognes and found a couple that we both really liked: Ralph Lauren’s “Safari” for men and Deauville Eau de Parfum Spray for women. It’s difficult to find “Safari”, but Fragrance Outlet had it at a price that was just as rare. We also learned about two fragrances that we plan to purchase at some point now as well. What fun!

A big bang of a day in Ohio took place on July 1, 2022 with Ohio’s New Fireworks Law, which enabled Ohioans to legally light off 1.4G consumer grade fireworks on certain days and specific times in Ohio.  The dates and times correlate around certain holidays.  Of course, there are restrictions on fireworks usage, so all of us individuals are responsible to do our research, seek information, and take precautions.  All of the details on dates, times, locations, and additional information is available at www.ohio.gov, which includes current information.  Currently, and conveniently, Phantom Fireworks notes, “New Ohio law makes Phantom’s full line of fireworks legal to light on the following dates…” on their website: https://fireworks.com/locations/phantom-kirkersville .

Enjoying our firework runs to Phantom of Kirkersville Showroom, located in Millersport, Ohio, we have celebrated the Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Memorial Day with some great fireworks!  We have been able to purchase more than we normally would due to Phantom’s 50% off coupons.  Signing up for their email list has been most helpful.  Some of our favorite fireworks have been bottle rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers, tanks, and “Utter Amazement” (a 20 shot).  While every time has been a fun time for all, the joy that the men in our family get from this experience makes them feel like little ornery boys; it’s obvious by their mischievous wide grins and how they hop along getting the next firework ready.  Let’s see…Labor Day weekend is just around the corner!  Stay safe and God bless us, everyone. 

We recently spent a Saturday late morning and afternoon full of nostalgia and inspiration!  Our joyful experiences started at the Nutcracker Family Restaurant located at the intersection of Ohio Routes 16 and 310 in Pataskala, Ohio.  We encourage you to visit this 1950’s style diner, where it is easy for one to sit in the booth eagerly anticipating dessert: especially a house-made piece of pie or a milkshake.  A uniquely extra special element to this diner is the décor, as black-and-white checkered floors, chrome plating, jukeboxes, and various wall, windowsill, and table arrangements and collectibles fill the space.  Appropriately, nutcrackers abound; it would be fun to try to see how many one can spot and count them up- maybe we will do that when we visit next time.  A hamburger and a patty melt both served with kettle chips were our meal choices along with a nice cold Coca-Cola and a piece of peanut butter pie.  The smell of freshly roasted nuts hospitably sends guests on their way when leaving the restaurant, and the mouthwatering scent is quite the greeting upon entry- what a welcome and goodbye!

Only a brief drive away (just over 5 minutes) is Lynd Fruit Farm, where over 80 booths with handcrafted items and food trucks filled the area during their “Memorial Crafters’ Event”. We were delighted with the amount of creativity, quality handmade items, reasonable prices, and friendly vendors. Some of the available crafted items included pottery, many hand-sewn items (some fabrics and threads naturally dyed), wool sculptures, macromet, crochet, carvings, etc… The amount of authentic new designs was inspiring! Both of us hopped on some projects of our own with revived vigor after our time absorbing all of the works by these Ohio crafters and artisans.