Hot Lobster Rolls

In Part One of this post, chronicling our vacation adventures on Cape Cod this past August, I sang this popular destination's praises. Truth be told, there were a couple of things about it that took some getting used to. The main one, which snowballed into creating a few of the others, was the sheer magnitude of people there. The bumper to bumper traffic on the only highway leading to and from the Cape {especially on the popular rental house 'switch days'}, the busy supermarkets with throngs of shoppers daily, and possibly the most challenging to transcend, the slew of beachgoers snatching up every square inch of sand possible. However, with a place as gorgeous as the Cape, can anyone question why?

It didn't take us long to figure out how things worked, so we planned our days around these obstacles. Whether it meant shopping for more than one day's worth of food at a time, or learning different routes to get where we wanted to be - we managed to make the best of it.
When it came to the beach crowds, most of our mornings were greeted with cloudy skies. This turned out to be an unexpected benefit, as it caused many tourists to venture out in directions other than the beach. For us, the overcast weather brought with it an easy parking space, the possibility of better waves, and a guaranteed wedge of sand to call our own. In nearly all cases, the sun eventually made it's appearance while we sat back and enjoyed the afternoons.

That was, until we had a break in our luck on our last day of vacation. On this day in particular, it happened to be glorious out. Made even better with the company of some friends of ours, who were staying with us for a few days. Of course, the usual plan was in order - get lunches, bevvies, and the beach gear gathered up, then head to the beach. What we didn't anticipate was that because of the picture perfect weather, every public beach within a reasonable distance of us would be at capacity. We were locked out, down in the dumps, and @*%! out of luck, until my brilliant friend suggested we try an alternate plan.

The Cape

It's an understatement when I tell you I took a couple hundred photos while on vacation this August. A more accurate number would be in the thousands. But even so, the amount of time it's taken me to get this post up is ridiculous. As we marked the first day of Autumn yesterday, I'm sharing with you Summer Vacation...divided into two parts because yes, it's that big - and it includes a recipe!
If you've read my blog for any amount of time now you'll know that I commonly share pics from our adventures. Having this digital photo album of sorts has become more and more of a blessing to me as the years have gone by. This trip in particular was special on many levels, but most importantly, it was the first vacation we've ever taken alone as a family.

While we've traveled quite a bit together, the purpose of most vacations we take is to visit family. Namely, my family...who happen to be scattered across the country in places like Oregon and Wyoming. We also go away with friends for long weekends. We go on big family reunion type vacations with my parents and siblings. But we've never been away, just us...until now.
To tell you the truth, I was actually a bit nervous about the idea. I'm so used to being around big groups of people when we go away, would it be boring alone? But it was the exact opposite. We really had so much fun, and no vacation has ever felt more like a vacation than this one.

We rented a house in Orleans, Ma. Not far from the ocean, which sits on the Town Cove. We had water views and the most magnificent sunsets daily. The house, which I had only seen in photographs, greatly exceeded my expectations. We live near the water ourselves, so I happen to love the beach house look. Our rental was a beach oasis, with mermaids, seashells, and turquoise blue everywhere. It felt like I was living in the pages of Coastal Living magazine, and I loved every minute of it.
The homeowner loves to cook too, which scored even more points with me because cooking there was a pleasure. All the comforts of my home kitchen, from a sharp chef's knife to stainless pots and pans. Needless to say, we didn't eat out once in the week we were there. I cooked every night, but loved it! It's so rare we can all sit down every night for dinner these days, so it was a treat for us.

The following are some shots of the house, our days at Nauset Beach hanging out with seals and keeping a keen eye out for Great Whites {Eek!}, and a day trip to Provincetown for a whale watching trip. I wouldn't have remembered all this if not for a trip log posted online, but we saw 7 Humpback Whales, some Minke Whales, a few Harbor Seals, and a large pod of Risso's dolphins {apparently a rare sighting off the Cape}. It was gorgeous.

Block Island 2012

These photos are from a recent trip we took to Block Island for a little weekend getaway. Our friends, who vacation there every Summer, were gracious enough to invite us again this year and each time we visit I fall more in love with the place. 

If you've been, then you know how beautiful it is. If not, its unlike any vacation town I've visited in the Northeast. For me, what sets it apart is how far away from it all I feel there. There are no strip malls, bars lining the beaches, or row after row of beach homes crowding every square inch of available space. Instead, it's sparse - many homes are tucked away, accessible only by traveling down a long, unpaved driveway. Those that are close to the main roads have what seems like acres of bright green land surrounding them. Each one a little treasured slice of paradise.

Most of the land is preserved and therefore cannot be built upon. This promises an abundance of wildlife and paired with a wet island climate, rolling hills of lush green foliage, which makes it feel more like the countryside of Ireland than New England.

I did my best to capture how green the island is, but we had a few overcast days on our trip, and it didn't help that my camera's been on the fritz for several weeks now, so I was using my iPhone camera a majority of the time. On the most gorgeous day I shot a few rolls of film with my new La Sardina camera, but I won't have those for a while considering it's incredibly difficult to find a place that processes film anymore - at least in a timely fashion. However, over the years I've accumulated a few posts about our visits to Block Island - if you're interested in seeing more, you can find them here, here, and here.

Better yet, I highly recommend you check it out in person for yourself - the little 7 mile long island is perfect for day trips too. Just be warned, you may not want to come home, and if it wasn't for an upcoming vacation to Cape Cod we have planned I may not have! {I promise - I'll try my best to get a recipe post up at some point in between and I hope to make some of my favorite beach vacation dinners on the Cape!}

I'm always interested in hearing about other possible Summer vacation destinations - do you have any favorites you'd like to share? Did you take a vacation yet this year, or will you? Or was your Summer made up of "stay-cations" like mine was last year?

Tree Chopping 2011

I am so behind the eight ball this year - it's not even funny.  There's something about getting older that makes the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seem shorter and shorter.  When I was a kid, waiting for Christmas to come seemed like an eternity and a day.  But now? It's ridiculous how fast time flies. 
All the cookie posts I intended to post this week just aren't happening.  But I do have this post of our annual tree chopping adventures.  We do it every year, but typically I host a gathering back at my house afterwards.  This year I needed to simplify - so we tailgated at the tree farm.  It was the best and I think it may become our new tradition.  Everyone is always so busy this time of year and it just makes sense.  Everyone who came brought something.  I made a pot of chili, some biscuits and some vermontucky lemonade {maple lemonade with bourbon} - a friend brought hot cider and sugar cookies - and my brother-in-law went all Martha on us and brought a folding table with a tablecloth, a pot of hotdogs, hot cocoa and a basket full of condiments.  We all stuffed ourselves silly, then rode the hayride up to the trees and picked the perfect one.  Here are some pictures from the day...featuring friends and their kids, along with my nephews {one of whom really loves to ham it up for the camera - I love it!}
Do any of you cut your tree fresh?  I love how long they last and how amazing they smell!
{past year's tree chopping here + here}

Note: one or two of these photos could have possibly been snapped by the Dh. He makes a stink when I don't give him credit...so there you go :)
Another note: For those folks out there who happen to like photography and use a Dslr camera with a lens hood...I always sort of wondered how much I really needed to bother using mine, yet always did...until it broke recently.  You can see sun glare in many of these photos - so now I know that I actually did need it! 

Pumpkin Picking 2011

One of the best things about having a blog is that it's doubles as my personal photo album. It's hard to believe I've been at this for almost 4 years now. I love that I can look back to previous Pumpkin Picking adventures, like this one, or this one, or my favorite one, and see how young and cherub-like my guys were! Those angel days are over, but I have the memories right here.
This year's post was supposed to go up yesterday, on Halloween. But - as I mentioned, I had the Bozos home with me all day...which nipped my plans of working right in the bud.
I'm sure most of you have buried the desire to see anything having to do with Pumpkins with the stretchable spider webs, R.I.P. signs and fog machines. But, I couldn't let this year pass without another documented day at Warrup's Farm.
Some lingering consequences of Hurricane Irene two months ago and record rainfalls were very muddy fields, no corn maze [but - a meadow maze instead] and no "real" pumpkin patch this year. We still had a blast.

Bozo Picture of the Week...

Yesterday, the Bozos played hooky. I pulled them out of school for the day so we could go to a Yankee game! Shhh...don't tell anyone.
I couldn't pass up the opportunity, as the tickets were free {a gift from my Dad} and this was our first trip to the ballpark this season. We've had many opportunities in past years to go because my Pops has season tickets, and we inevitably end up getting some of the games he can't attend. But, one common problem is that his tickets are for two seats. So, I always end up having to choose which kid to take with me...a decision that usually ends in tears, along with various other displays of hysterics. Typically, we "take turns" with who gets to go. But, this time we didn't have to because we got three tickets!
It was such a fun day! The weather couldn't have been any more perfect...a gorgeous, sunny, Fall day. We stuffed ourselves silly on stadium food...including cheesesteak, hot dogs, cheese fries, garlic fries, cracker jacks, ice cream, fresh squeezed lemonades...and beer for Mommy. Let me tell you, it was a good thing the tickets were free!
I love spending days like this, alone with my boys. No to-do lists, no emails, no household chores. Just hanging and enjoying each others company. On the train ride home, they told me it was the best day ever. I thought so too. {Thanks Pops!}
[Some other Yankees fun here, here, and here.]

Big Sky

This is my second installment of vacation photos. I think you'll see why I'm calling it Big Sky. Even though Montana is known as Big Sky Country, I've been to both states and the landscape in Wyoming is very similar to it's Northern neighbor. Growing up, and still living in New England, I can appreciate the skyline of Jackson. Here in Connecticut, you just don't get this vast uninterrupted horizon. It's truly breathtaking.

Cowboys & Cowgirls

I've put together a few collections of photographs from our recent vacation to Jackson Hole, Wyoming that I'd like to share here. I took approximately 1000 pictures of the trip...which, once edited down ended up being more like 300. But, still...way too many to share here!
This first one, Cowboys & Cowgirls, is a taste of our Wild West experience...one that my boys got to share with all their first cousins on my side of the family. It doesn't often happen that my siblings and I are all together in one place...especially, when joined by all of their spouses and kids. My Mom {known as Mima to the grand kids} was also with us on the trip. It was a family reunion that happens once every couple of years, if we're lucky.

The Frigidaire Kids' Cooking Academy Event

This past Thursday, my boys and I were lucky enough to be part of a fun-filled event that helps support Save the Children. The event was sponsored by the folks at Frigidaire...you know, that company that makes great appliances? {I own one of their dishwashers...have I ever mentioned that I love my dishwasher?}
Along with Frigidaire, this event was lead by Jennifer Garner {lovely actress, philanthropist & mother of two} and Adam Kaye {chef/kitchen director at Blue Hill at Stone Barns Restaurant & a pioneer in the Farm-to-Table movement}. It's purpose was to teach families about the seasonality of food and gain first-hand experience preparing just-picked ingredients.
It also denoted the beginning of Frigidaire's partnership with GoWalla, the mobile "check-in" app for people on the go. In an effort to give more children access to fresh foods, every time you "check-in" to your local farmer's market using GoWalla, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children, as part of their $500,000 commitment to the cause. For more information on how to do this, you can visit Frigidaire's Make Time for Change facebook page.
Not a mobile app kind of person? You can still help the cause and trigger a donation, by visiting the Make Time For Change website to commit to eating fresh this summer...in addition to the $1 donation, you will also be entered to win a Frigidaire Gallery French Door Refrigerator.

Pumpkin Picking 2010

Another great year at Warrup's Farm, in Redding, CT. We love that place! This was our 4th year going & it was by far the busiest we've ever seen it. Although, in comparison to some other places around Fairfield County, pretty low-key.
We went with friends...some that come every year with us & some new to the place. We also had my brother-in-law & my two nephews with us this year. It was our biggest bunch yet & the kids all had a blast.
Warrup's has other things to offer besides pumpkins too! They have fields of beautiful, fresh produce & flowers. You can grab a pair of scissors from the little hut there, go pick what you want & pay for it by the pound. Most of the vegetables are done for the season...but, they still had cold weather crops, like lettuce, parsley, squash, peppers & green tomatoes.
Previous years Pumpkin Picking adventures can be seen here & here. I love looking at them & seeing how much all the kids have grown. Warrup's hasn't changed a bit though!

Pumpkin Picking 2009

Maine 2009

Block Island 2009

We just returned home last night from a wonderful 10 day vacation. Three days in Block Island with friends & 7 days in York Beach, Maine with family.
Getting back to reality is very hard...especially with the start of school for the Bozos a day away. The following are some shots from the Block Island portion...Maine will follow {at some point soon}.

Bozo Picture of the Week...{Lake Waccabuc}

We spent a day this week with friends at their family house on Lake Waccabuc, in Westchester, NY. It was an overcast day, but fantastic weather for photos.
The Bozos had one of the best days all summer.