Manchester Vermont September 2021

 

AND, going along with my previous posts on inns and Lincoln Family sites in Vermont, we enjoyed the perfect little town of Manchester.  THIS is what I think of when I think of New England!

Hildene Vermont September 2021

 

Here is a video I posted to youtube on "Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home" in Vermont.  We spent an amazing day here.

The Spot Coffee Shop Owensboro Kentucky December 2021

 

I've mentioned them on this blog before, but I thought I would put up a short video on my one of my favorite coffee shops ever, the Spot in Owensboro Kentucky!

Joseph Beth Books Lexington Kentucky December 2021

 

Hey, I wanted to make a quick mention of one of my all time favorite bookstores, Jepseh Beth here in Lexington Kentucky!

Equinox Hotel Manchester Vermont September 2021

 

The previously mentioned 1811 House is a part of the Equinox Property in Manchester Vermont.  This is a wonderful property in a wonderful town, with a very strong link to the Lincoln Family!

1811 House Manchester Vermont September 2021

 

I was THRILLED to have the opportunity to stay in the 1811 House in Manchester Vermont...  The former home of Abraham Lincoln's granddaughter!  Here is a short video about our stay.

Vermont State House September 2021

   

In 2016, we had a guided tour of the State House in Vermont.

We stopped by again for a visit this year, but, with covid and all, they were just doing self guided tours.  I still made a short video of our visit.

Montpelier Vermont September 2021

 

So, we were driving through Vermont in September, 2021, and we spent some quality time in Montpelier, the capital city!

Like the rest of the state, Montpelier has a very nice, casual feel; just because it is the capital, it is still very slow paced, and relaxed.

Check out the short video I posted to youtube about it!

Bragg Farm Montpelier Vermont September 2021

  I mentioned Bragg Farm Sugarhouse and Gift Shop in Montpelier Vermont back in 2016, after we stopped there the first time.  We love this place!

We stopped there again....  well, a couple of times on our latest trip in 2021.  Its a nice drive out to Bragg Farm, and they have a lot of stuff we like.

I posted this sport video to youtube.....

The shop is small, but it is so perfect.  You WILL be able to get all of your gift needs for your pals back home here.

I have mentioned it before, but you can have them ship your purchases to you too!  You know you are going to need to take a LOT of Bragg Family Maple Syrup back home to your pals.  They can ship it to your address!  No worries about dealing with it at the airport!

"Vermont Wild: Adventures of Fish & Game Wardens, Volume 6" by Megan Price

I saw some of the "Vermont Wild" books by Megan Price while we were in Vermont.....  I was curious.

I ended up picking up a copy of Volume 6 in the series at Phoenix Books in Burlington (a GREAT bookstore, by the way).

I love the "North Woods Law" and "Lone Star Law" TV shows.  I also love books by rangers (I've mentioned others here, here, and here.  I also really loved the "Bear in the Back Seat" I and II books.....  that have raised the bar high for ranger books.

The book has 15 stories by Megan with other rangers, and they are sharing their best stories.  All are interesting reads, and most have a bit of an interesting twist at the end.

My favorites involved deception.  A crafty ranger tells (lies) a young law breaker that one of his friends has died to get information.  Another ranger literally cuts himself to get a confession!

Another story I liked involved a poacher being caught because of a complaint....  from his father.

This is just a fun book to read, and its written in a way that just about any reader can enjoy it.

 

Polar Caves Park- New Hampshire September 2021

 We stopped by the LEGENDARY cave attraction "Polar Caves" in New Hampshire!  This was GREAT!  Don't be fooled though, this isn't for cowards!  You crawl, climb, get stuck, etc, etc in their 9 caves that are, at times, a bit of a tight squeeze!  If you have done the slow one hour walk through a show cave....  well, this is very different.  Its much more of a wild cave experience.

Lyme New Hampshire September 2021

Lyme New Hampshire!  This is why you go to New England!  "nuff said.

Lucky's Coffee Garage Lebanon NH 09 2021

 I wanted to give a quick mention to Lucky's Coffee Garage, easily my favorite coffee shop in New Hampshire!  This independent coffee shop has a lot of heart, its cute, and they have good coffee!  We were very lucky to have stumbled across it!

Franklin Pierce in New Hampshire September 2021

In September, while driving around New Hampshire, we stopped at several sites associated with President Franklin Pierce....  In my opinion, one of the most underappreciated Presidents.

Concord New Hampshire State House September 2021

 In September, we stopped by the New Hampshire State House in Concord!  They had announced that they would not be doing tours at this time, but the kind volunteers there still hooked us up!  Here is a video I posted to youtube.  There is a lot to see here, including a fabulous Civil War painting by an unknown artist, and battle flags!

West Baden Springs Hotel near French Lick Indiana

 Here is a short video on one of my all time favorite hotels, West Baden Springs in Indiana!

Concord New Hampshire September 2021

 We had a great road trip swinging through New Hampshire and Vermont recently!  Here is a video I posted to youtube about the great New Hampshire City of Concord!

"Ten years on the rock pile" and Instant Legends from the rock pile" by Lee Vincent

 We planned a trip to Vermont and New Hampshire recently.  Before a trip like this, I enjoy reading books about the area we are going to visit.  

ALSO, there are those places you want to visit, but, because of time budgeting, or the way the road trip plays out, you realize that you are going to have to save certain sites for another day.

So, I found myself reading the classic regional volumes "Instant Legends from the rock pile" and "Ten years on the rock pile" by Lee Vincent.  Both books about a state I would be visiting.  Both books about a site that I would not get to visit.

We really wanted to make it to Mt. Washington.....  it is legendary, but, because of our desire to see certain other places, we realized we would have to save Mt. Washington for another day.

Still, I tracked down these quick reads recently.  I first heard about Lee Vincent and his work in the OTHER legendary volume "Passing Strange" by Joseph A. Citro.  Citro gets into some of the ghostly and strange happenings in New England.  Lee Vincent's two books aren't supernatural focused, but he does mention an unseen force on the mountain.

Most of his stories are just fun essays on living on a massively tall mountain that can be cold, windy and isolated.

I was thrilled to find copies of these books, pretty much independently published in the 70s.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs Lesage West Virginia

 

Here is some video from a visit to Hillbilly Hot Dogs in Lasage West Virginia!  I have mentioned this place before...  and I really love this place!

Wheelersburg Ohio Oct 2021

 We drove through Wheelersburg Ohio on a recent road trip!  

Bluegrass Railroad Museum Versailles KY Oct 2021

 We recently took a GREAT train ride at the Bluegrass Railroad Museum in Versailles Kentucky!

Camp Nelson Kentucky August 2021

 He is a short video I posted to youtube recently about Camp Nelson here in Kentucky!

My Old Kentucky Dinner Train Bardstown KY Oct 2021

 Here is a video I posted to youtube of our recent experience on the Kentucky Dinner Train.....  They actually had to cancel the dinner the morning of the train ride.  We were given a refund, BUT they still offered us a free train ride with drink service!

"Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore & Legends" by Sam Baltrusis

You know I have been fascinated with Salem Massachusetts for some time.  The city is fascinating and weird.  AND, it has all of that strange history and lore.  I've read a ton of books on the place.

Well, I recently picked up a copy of Sam Baltrusis "Wicked Salem:  Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends".   Flipping through it, it looked like it had a lot going on.

In fact, I think thats a good way to describe this one.  Its got a lot of information and covers a lot of ground in its 230 plus pages.  It discusses the famous witch trials and current legends associated with the trials.  It also talks about more recent crimes and legends, unassociated with the trials.  AND, the author gives some biographical info on some of the more interesting modern characters in town.

What I liked about the book most though, is that the author kinda takes an old character from the towns passed, and pulls them into the present...  not literally, but he gets into the places and legends that that persons story affects in town now.

The writing style is original and sincere.  

Houses Decorated for Halloween 2021 in Kentucky!

 I posted this short video to youtube of some nicely decorated Halloween house around Kentucky!