A New England Fall

I'm not sure if it's because I felt stuck at home last year (because of so many travel restrictions and concerns due to COVID) or because I'm a glutton for punishment, but we have racked, stacked, and packed so many trips and vacations over the last couple of months...and it's not going to stop at least until December! This one, however, was highly anticipated and much needed. When I go out of town with the kids, it's definitely a trip, but when I get to escape with just Jeff, it's a vacation! We have been planning this trip for quite a few months and talked about it even months before that. I have never been to Maine or Vermont...and I don't really count New Hampshire, even though technically that's where we went to buy the dump truck and to see one of Jeff's areas on his mission. I was only planning to hit those three states for a long weekend trip, but when we found out the Canadian border was open again, we decided to throw in a trip to Prince Edward Island (to fulfill my adolescent dream of visiting the land of Anne of Green Gables), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. This proved to be a little tricky because I had to find a place to get a COVID test in New Hampshire only a couple of days before we were to cross the border then hope we got the results in time (which we did!...spoiler alert!). On top of that, there were several forms and apps that needed to be filled out and submitted, not only to cross the border, but to get to and from each province. We even got re-tested before we could get on Prince Edward Island. Travel in a pandemic world is harder to navigate, but I'm really glad we jumped the hurdles and that everything worked out because it ended up being our favorite parts of the trip.

Our journey started on Saturday, September 25th. The trip didn't start off too well...and I hoped it wasn't an omen of things to come! Thankfully, it wasn't, but our original flight was delayed due to a mechanical issue with the plane. This meant that we missed our connecting flight into Syracuse, NY. When we got to our layover, we figured out that the next connecting flight wouldn't get us into Syracuse for nearly 7 hours. Therefore, we opted to fly into Ithaca then catch an Uber to Syracuse (an hour away) to pick up our rental car before driving an additional 3 hours to our hotel that night. It was a crazy, long day!, but it worked out. The connecting flight to Ithaca was leaving only 40 minutes after we arrived in Charlotte, NC (our layover stop) so we didn't lose too much time in between flights. Our Uber driver was super nice and made our drive to Syracuse fun. Jeff found a delicious restaurant for dinner that night on Lake Oneida (one of the finger lakes). We were able to eat outside, watch the sunset, and relax a little (without face masks!) before making our final journey to Potsdam, NY.

See the other plane? It was flying in parallel to us.

The next morning (Sunday, September 26th), we headed to Buckton Union Cemetery...the reason for our start in New York. It is here that my 4th great-grandfather, Asahel Smith, is buried. He also happens to be Joseph Smith Jr.'s grandfather. I know it might sound a little weird, but I have grown to love my cemetery trips. I have loved seeing the land my ancestors lived on before they passed. I have cherished the stories I have read about them and the things I have discovered in my research. I feel a greater connection to my past and a greater understanding of my present. I have felt a sense of strength and union from these amazing predecessors. This cemetery trip was no different. It was easy to locate his grave. The deceased first wife of his son, Silas (my 3rd great-grandfather), and two of their infant children were buried along side him. I got choked up as I gently traced their names on their headstones. I thanked Grandfather Smith for the faith he had passed on to his children and grandchildren. I marveled at the premonition he received about the religious revolution that would result from someone in his posterity. While I know that premonition was fulfilled in his grandson, I wondered if he couldn't also have been talking about me. Could I be that type of person to have the faith to speak out and to withstand trials and persecutions? Could I be that grandchild that inspires others to find Christ and hold fast to Him? I treasured those brief moments that I stood by his graveside on that quiet, fall morning with only the birds to be heard.

From there, we moved on. This was just a check list stop for me, but a poignant one nonetheless. However, our real vacation began as we made our way to Vermont. As we left Potsdam, we noticed a lone Amish male with his horse and buggy (we had seen another wagon the night before. It was kind of creepy because the driver only had one lantern to light his way. The lantern swayed in the evening breeze as the horse clip-clopped down the road. It reminded me of something you might see out of a scene of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow!). We pulled off to the side of the road to greet the man. Jeff was really interested in perhaps joining him for his church services. While we were completely sincere, obviously the man asked us not to attend so as to avoid the spectacle. I'm sure he would have liked to have shared his faith, but years have probably taught him that their faith and their lifestyle are more of an oddity and a tourist attraction to others rather than something someone could genuinely participate in. (I'm sure my taking a picture of him didn't help him view our sincerity either...even though we were being completely genuine.)

We thanked him for his time before moving on. We made our way to Lake Champlain in northern NY-VT. We could even see Canada on the other side of the lake. At this point, we could only hope to cross the border from Maine in a couple of days. We drove down the middle of the lake. We wound our way through small lake towns with beautiful vacation homes. We might have to come back during the summer months.

We finally made it to Vermont and headed to Church Street Marketplace in Burlington. This historic downtown area was transformed into an outdoor pedestrian mall. We stopped to stretch our legs and stroll down the street before moving on. I love that these historic districts have been preserved and repurposed. I always get a little sad when I see an old building being torn down or abandoned. I know it's sometimes more cost effective to build something new rather than repair the old, but in some cases, I think it's worth it. 

Jeff and I only entered one store. Many of the businesses were stores you could find in a mall rather than local, boutique shops, but we still enjoyed the red, brick street and people watching as we walked. Next up, lunch! Ok...how about just some ice cream from the famous Ben and Jerry's? We headed into Waterbury, NH for the original Ben and Jerry's factory location. Yes, we waited in line for a scoop of ice cream, but it was worth it. Because of COVID, they weren't offering any tours, but we enjoyed our ice cream and laughed at the many retired flavors in the Flavors Graveyard.

What's ice cream without apple cider and a donut? Ok...maybe not a normal combination but just up the road, we stopped at the popular Cold Hollow Cider Mill to sample some apple cider and grab a "legendary" apple cider donut. While both were good, they still don't compare to our own cider and donuts at home. Still, it was a very "Fall" thing to do...and with the beautiful changing leaves, who could resist?

From there, we kept winding our way north until we hit Stowe. As per our usual, we kept to the back roads as we wound our way through the beautiful fall scenery of New England. The vibrant fall leaves ebbed and flowed with the slight changes in elevations. They still weren't in their peak but were still breathtaking. We passed through many towns and farming communities, but Stowe was our favorite. We first stopped at the Trapp Family Lodge. I remember watching the movie, The Sound of Music, with my mom growing up. The movie loosely tells the story of the von Trapp family who escaped Austria during the war. They eventually settled here and, over time, transformed their home into a resort hotel. The original family has since passed, but they are buried on the property. We stayed just long enough to snap a couple of pictures so I could say I've been there before making our way into the town of Stowe.

The town of Stowe was simply picturesque. We were greeted by the brilliantly white church as we drove into the downtown area. We walked the Main Street and enjoyed (finally) the local, boutique shops before wandering down the walking/biking paths around town. Finally, we made our way back to our car to head to our final destination.

Our last stop of the day kind of felt like coming full circle. We started our day visiting the graveside of Joseph Smith Jr.'s grandfather and ended the day visiting the birthplace of Joseph Smith Jr. Maybe not the same circle, but at least the same family. Neither of us had been to this site. There isn't much left of the original home's foundation. The only thing that remains is the threshold of the door and the hearthstone, which was placed inside the visitor's center. We received a brief tour of the visitor center before going out to see the obelisk that was placed to mark this spot. There was a rock outline of the foundation of the house adjacent to the monument. The obelisk was 38.5 feet tall (a foot for each year of Joseph's life). The Smith family had rented this small home from Joseph's maternal grandparents who also lived on the property. We visited the foundation stones for their house as well as an uncle's home, where Joseph's maternal grandmother passed away. We also saw the remnants of an old stone wall that marked this historic thoroughfare and an old stone bridge with the worn down grooves of wagon wheels still visible. It was humbling to see the small foundation for the home Joseph was born in. He (nor his family) never amassed much wealth in their lives, but what they did have was each other and God. Jeff and I have been incredibly blessed with material comforts, but none of that matters if we don't have our family to share it with. Family and faith are the truest treasures in this life.

We stayed in Vermont that night then crossed two state borders the next day (Monday, September 27th). We began our day in New Hampshire. This was where I found a CVS pharmacy to do our COVID test. We were a little ahead schedule with our planned activities (I thought we would need more time at the J. Smith birthplace site) so we had some time to kill prior to our scheduled test. We found a beautiful lake to drive around as we made our way to Plymouth for the test. One part of the lake drive was even a dirt road! I'm telling you this is how we like to travel. We stopped for a couple of pictures although the photos can never truly capture the beauty of the moment. We found this quaint, abandoned church with a beautiful stained glass window on the road. It made my heart hurt to think that it won't be many more years before this church is probably destroyed. 

We finally made it to our official first stop of the day, the Flume Gorge. I had seen pictures of this hike and it did not disappoint! It is such a unique experience to literally hike up a gorge on these wooden stairs and sidewalks bolted to the canyon walls. There were covered bridges, waterfalls, pools, and more on the hike as well. Plus, the fall colors decorated the landscape with vibrant yellows, reds, and oranges. Not all of the trees were in their fall array, but there were enough to really get the sense of a New England Fall.

We enjoyed more of those colors as we drove along the Kanacamagus Highway towards Maine. This stretch of road drives through the White Mountain Range and was just bursting with colors. Again, not all of the trees were changing yet, but the stark contrast of the fall colors with the green painted a beautiful landscape. As we neared the end of the canyon road, we stopped to rock hop along a breathtaking river with cascading falls. I am constantly reminded of how incredibly intricate the creation is and how much joy and peace I feel when I immerse myself in it.

We were making really good time so we pushed on to Portland, Maine where we stopped for the day. We first visited the Portland Head Lighthouse. Did you know that it was the first lighthouse completed and put into service by the federal government? It stood majestic against the stormy skies and crashing waves. I'm sure it has weathered many horrific storms and saved many lives. I can't visit a lighthouse without thinking of my dad...and as I contemplate my earthly father, I am also led to ponder on the light my Heavenly Father gives. I have weathered many storms in my life. Maybe not as big as others, but big enough that I felt like I would be lost in the depths of the sea...until I found the Lighthouse beckoning me to safety. I can't imagine what my life would be like without that light. 

Before calling it a day, we went to old town Portland for dinner then strolled around the Old Port. Of course, we had to have lobster! In fact, Jeff ate lobster for the next three days. I love that he gets as excited about local foods as I do. We always try to eat at local restaurants and indulge in foods typical of the area. Needless to say, the next few days were filled with seafood, chowders, and blueberry pie! (Here's a photo dump of the food pictures from the trip. After hiking around Acadia, we ate at the Chart House and enjoyed their blueberry pie, but our absolute favorite place to eat was the Blue Mussel Cafe in North Rustico, PEI, Canada. This was seriously the best chowder, seafood, and blueberry pie. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!)

The next morning (Tuesday, September 28th), we headed to Acadia National Park. We decided to drive up the coast then realized that the east coast is a lot more forested than the west coast. Instead of this ocean view drive, we saw more trees and small towns. It was still nice though. We made it to Acadia in the early afternoon and spent the rest of the day hiking throughout the park. I think we most enjoyed those times we got to venture off the trails and hop around on the rocky coastline as the ocean waves ebbed and flowed beneath us. There were a lot of people on the trails, but we were still able to find quiet moments to ourselves.

I wish I could say that I was truly able to focus on the beauty of Acadia, but I was slightly stressed all day wondering if we were going to make it into Canada the next day or not. Let's just say that international travel during a pandemic can be a little tedious. Thankfully, our COVID tests that we had taken in New Hampshire came back, and I was able to finish all the necessary paperwork to make it across the border. Still, it wasn't until we finally crossed into New Brunswick around lunchtime on Wednesday, September 29th, that I finally breathed a sigh of relief! It wouldn't have been the end of the world if we weren't able to complete the planned Canadian portion of our trip, but I was glad we didn't have to scramble to figure out a plan B. The drive that day was a bit longer than the previous days, but we didn't mind. We laughed at all the Canadian road signs while I reminded Jeff that the speed was posted in kilometers/hour not miles. We stopped at a roadside farmer's market and purchased some blueberry scones. We also had to indulge in a little Tim Horton's food because that eating establishment was everywhere! I guess when in Canada, eat at Tim Horton's. 

We pushed our way through New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island. This was an adolescent dream fulfilled! I loved reading and watching everything Anne of Green Gables. I fantasized about what it would be like to walk along the shores of PEI and visit the places that inspired the author, Lucy Maud Montgomery, to write the stories she did. (I also secretly had a crush on Gilbert Blythe in the movies, but visiting with Jeff Southwick was much better!) Throughout our trip, we had been chased by the rain. In a few places, the rain caught up to us. We were certain this was going to be one of those places so after receiving yet another COVID test to get onto the island, we decided to maximize our time that afternoon/evening to check a few places off my "must see" list. Can I just say how grateful I am for a patient husband? He obviously didn't care about the Anne of Green Gables stuff, but he loved that I got excited about it. Plus, he loved the island. It was a beautiful island, full of small farm houses, and giant farms. I didn't realize that PEI produces the most potatoes in Canada! That evening, we visited the Kensington train station that appeared the Anne of Green Gables movie. We also saw the house the author was born in. She only lived there a couple of years when her mother died and she moved in with (and was raised by) her maternal grandparents in Cavendish. We also made it out to the Tryon Lighthouse that also appeared in the movies. We were grateful that we did that this evening because it rained all that night and the road to get to the lighthouse was already a little muddy with ruts and potholes. The lighthouse was beautiful though. It was literally on a cliff's edge (or almost). The shoreline at that location was pure cliffs! And, of course, Jeff had to venture out as far as he could. I have just about as much control over him as I do the other boys. Sheesh! We finished our evening at L.M. Montgomery's final resting place before heading to the Blue Mussel Cafe for dinner. We waited two hours to be seated and served (which sounds crazy, but I would have waited longer! It was that good!). I didn't mind the wait though. We walked along the beach near the restaurant then found some Adirondack chairs to lounge on while we waited the final time until we were seated. It was a longer day, but our accommodations that evening were more than comfortable to rest our weary bodies. Plus, I loved the name of the hotel. (Not sure why the blog is now inverting my picture uploads, but these pictures are backwards from what I just described.)

Just a couple pictures of the countryside we drove through.

The following day (Thursday, September 30th), we finished off the last place I wanted to visit before moving on to Nova Scotia. We got up early enough that we were able to enjoy another stroll on the beach before going to the home where L.M. Montgomery's maternal aunt and uncle lived. The beach was deserted except for us. The morning was cool and the sand was dense and wet from the previous night's rain. I loved holding Jeff's hand as we listened to the waves gently meet the sand. More than the things we saw or did on this tip, the time spent with Jeff far surpasses any adventure. 

Finally, the museum/home opened. It was said that this home inspired her stories about Silver Bush. Moreover, it was here that the Lake of Shining Waters was imagined as well as other small details in her books. She reportedly even created Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert after her aunt and uncle. She was actually married in this house and spent many childhood summers there. It was so cool to see the details of her books come alive as we walked through the house and around the grounds. I am finally able to check PEI off my bucket list!

She was married here.

The room she would stay in when she went to visit.

Notice the puffed sleeves? Her cousin's wedding dress.

The actual writing desk she used to write Anne of Green Gables.

Once we finished touring the house and the grounds, we pushed on to Nova Scotia. We reached our destination (Cheticamp) around dinner time. We contemplated doing the hike we planned for the following day, but opted to enjoy an early night in and hopefully avoid the rain by waiting for the next day. After dinner, we took a stroll along the promenade and watched the sunset. With all the clouds, we could barely see the sun until it hit the horizon. I would say it was the perfect day starting with a stroll on the beach and ending with a sunset saunter along the promenade...all with the best traveling buddy and eternal companion anyone could ever ask for.

This is where we stayed the night. You can see Jeff walking out of our room.

                                          

Knowing that we had another longer drive (and by longer, I mean about 6 hours as compared to the 4ish hours we were driving between points in the US), we got up early to do the hike we had planned so we could then push on to St. John, New Brunswick (our final Canadian destination). Thank goodness though because we could not have planned a better morning! We entered Cape Breton National Park shortly after 7:00 a.m. and had the entire park to ourselves! The roads were silent as we wound our way to the Skyline Trailhead. When we reached the trail head, there was only one other car there. We didn't even see another person until we reached the point, and even then, that small group was leaving as we were hiking down so we had the viewpoint to ourselves. The only visitor we encountered on the trail was a large female moose! Yikes! Jeff was so excited. I was definitely more nervous. It was cool to see, but I felt better once we circumvented the trail to move past her. The trail was absolutely breathtaking. We watched the sunrise over the mountain as we moved through thick forest undergrowth. The colors of the changing ferns on the ground contrasted with the deep evergreens from the pine trees. In a couple of places, a boardwalk had been placed where the ground was too swampy. Jeff was on cloud 9 the whole hike. This was definitely the highlight for both of us. It even pales the beauty of Acadia National Park. The sounds of the birds and the smell of the fresh pine trees after a rain topped off our experience. Once we started to wander out, we saw more and more people starting their hike. We were so glad that we got up early to start the hike! By the time we returned to our car, the parking lot was full. We slowly wound our way down the mountain, out of the park, and on to St. John.

We stopped at this viewpoint on our way back down the mountain.

We made it to St. John around dinner time (again). There wasn't much that we wanted to experience in St. John. I really enjoy seeing the historic districts in the places I visit, but we aren't ones to shop or drink so after a quick stroll up and down the streets, we're done. I think we spend more time doing outdoor activities than having urban experiences. Still, we saw the City Marketplace. This is the oldest indoor marketplace in all of Canada. It's been operating since the late 1800s. We also walked around King's Square park and strolled up and down Prince William Street (yes, I like all the references to royalty. I'm kind of a royal family groupy). We also visited the Reversing Falls. I can't say that I fully understand this phenomenon, but there is a part in the waterways here that the river meets the ocean and the flow of the water literally changes. We visited this location before we went to the hotel that night and a couple times (one really early) the next morning. We were able to witness the water flowing into the harbor and then the water flowing out of the harbor. It was a little crazy, but I'm not sure it was worth all the fuss. Still, we needed to witness it to say that our St. John experience was complete.

This is a picture of the Reversing Falls.

Saturday, October 2nd, was our last full day. We made it back to the U.S. and headed to Boston for our final night. It was (again) another 6 hour drive, but we stopped in Freeport, Maine on our way. Jeff wanted to see the flagship L.L. Bean store and boy did we stumble on a party! The whole town was one big fall festival. There were booths set up in every little green space and down every little street we could see. I guess L.L. Bean sponsors this "Fall into Maine" event every year. There were several art and food vendors along with free craft booths for kids. We wandered through a few of the booths and the L.L. Bean store before grabbing some chocolates (and a whole blueberry pie!, which, yes, we did finish before our flight) before leaving the area.

We made it to Boston with enough time to enjoy the evening downtown. Again, this is the only city I have ever seen Jeff comfortable in. We rode public transportation, visited a few mission spots (Cambridge Square where they would go to talk to people on their first day in the field plus the apartment building he stayed in when he was working in downtown Boston), walked along a part of the Freedom Trail, had delicious pizza at Quincy Market, and simply enjoyed one final evening together. We visited Boston the first fall after we were married. Jeff was vibrant with mission enthusiasm, and I was musing over the miracle of being pregnant. This time back was a little bittersweet. The nostalgia of the mission is starting to wear off, and I was mourning the loss of that pregnancy as I sat in the places I had felt such excitement before. Still, it was a beautiful evening and I wouldn't have wanted to share it with anyone else. It was crazy to reflect on everything that has happened over the last 8 years. It has been such a roller coaster, but there is no one I would rather ride with than Jeff. He is truly my perfect match. We are not perfect, but we fit together perfectly with all of our imperfections. We had grown so much as individuals and as husband and wife. I thought I loved Jeff as I knelt across the altar from him, but that love has been amplified exponentially as we have built our lives together. Even after an entire week together, we still wanted to be with each other. This was a much needed vacation. I love our kids. I love being with our kids. I love planning family gatherings for us and our extended family, but sometimes I just need to be with Jeff. He provides a feeling of safety and peace that no one else can. He keeps me grounded while encouraging me to fly. He is my safe harbor. As we flew home the next morning, I just felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the week we had and for the man sitting by my side. And, as I looked out the window at the Wasatch mountain range arrayed in vibrant fall colors, I felt grateful to be home too.