Opening Camp (lots of pictures)

This past weekend we went to the North East Kingdom of Vermont to open our camp.

ML took lots of pictures.

When we arrived we were amazed to find that the pond was 99% frozen over. There has never been ice this late in 15 years.


There was a sliver of water in front of the blue camp. ML photographed some hooded mergansers - a fish eating aquatic bird.
I think this is a great photograph


While the pond was mostly frozen it reached at least the mid 50s every day.
I enjoyed some tea on the deck. I was reading the fishing regulations.


ML and the dogs also enjoyed the bright sunshine.




Of course I did some letter writing. The peace and quiet is conducive to fountain pen use. I drew a picture of the male merganser!


Sunday morning we had pancakes and sausage or scrapple for breakfast. Scrapple and camp go together.



We went to look at the Wells River and I did some fly fishing.
With the spring melt the river was moving fast.


I fished just below that little falls. I had to stay close to shore due to the fast current.


We took the dogs for a walk and could see this snow covered mountain off in the distance.


ML asked me to drive her to look for a good photo opportunity of the snow covered mountains.
70 miles, YES 70 miles later we were at the base of Mt Washington in NH - the highest point in the north east US.
ML did get some nice shots. You can see structures related to the weather observatory station.
The jagged snow line just left of center in the bottom half of the picture is the track for the Cog railroad. Old fashion steam engines ferry tourists to the top. The engine has a gian cog that engages teeth on the tracks. Otherwise the grade would be to steep for a regular train to climb.


We stopped to eat before our return journey. Fabyan Station - an old train station converted to a family restaurant.
I expanded my culinary horizon and had a fried Twinkie for dessert. It was just okay. Tasted like a fresh warm doughnut.


Sunday I fished from our dock and ML explored the pond edge.

She photographed the mergansers taking flight.


A beaver.


A pair of Canada geese walking on the ice. With no boots!!! Made me cold just looking at them.


Some turtles enjoying the sun.


And lastly a mallard in flight.


It was a nice week end. We both had a lovely times. As did the dogs.

Lovely photo, Phil and you guys seem to be taking advantage of the outdoors. Good for you both.

Phil, I always look forward to these photos of Mary Lou's and yours. They are truly beautiful.  However, I have to be honest and tell you that the fried Twinkie looked... well, let's just say better you than me. Something to rank right up there with Spam.

As always, it looks like you two had a great time and thanks for taking us along for the ride.

Phil, I always look forward to these photos of Mary Lou's and yours. They are truly beautiful.  However, I have to be honest and tell you that the fried Twinkie looked... well, let's just say better you than me. Something to rank right up there with Spam.

As always, it looks like you two had a great time and thanks for taking us along for the ride.

That made me laugh. And I had an epiphany at camp.
Spam has replace scrapple as my favorite breakfast meat. ML thinks that is a choice between gross and grosser
She likes sausage and finds my two favs disgusting. She calls Spam - dogfood that went bad.


Yes the fried Twinkie was a letdown. I thought it would be battered and fried but it was just deep fried. I can check that off my list and no need to have another.

Nice photo story, as usual.

At one time I thought spam was made of inedible things that if you saw them before grinding would make one lose their last meal. But I found out that it's made of pork shoulder... exactly what I make my southern BBQ out of. That made a light go off in my mind. I smoked some spam. EUREKA! It tasted just like southern BBQ pulled pork.

Phil, after refusing to eat Spam for decades I now also consume it. Once one knows that it isn't made out of taint it's a bit more than merely OK. Smoked it's just delicious. Go to the website and it's made in all sorts of flavors that I never see locally. Smoked is one of those flavors, or was. I've had the garlic and wasn't crazy about it; I thought I would be. The bacon flavor we can buy locally and it's more baconlike than plain Spam, but it won't take the place of bacon in flavor any time soon.

I don't know about the fried twinkie. It just sounds like it would be a sponge filled with grease.

Thank you! I love spring