Mystic

This small town on the Mystic River (which runs out to Long Island Sound) was teeming with small-town Americana, historical buildings, summertime visitors (including us), and friendly locals. My cousin and her family are moving there next month, so I anticipate more visits in the future to this cozy little town.

Mystic River dock

the bridge that connects the two parts of Mystic

the bridge going up

boats sail through

lovely old church that anchors the downtown main street

Mystic/Noank library

the docks were perfect for jellyfish and crab watching

the small, pleasant beach in nearby Stonington

it felt even older and smaller than Mystic

check out the narrow street - it can only hold one car at a time

we couldn't believe the vibrant hydrangeas that were everywhere

the pictures fail to do them justice

I fell in love with the old homes in Stonington

our inn at dusk

the everlastingly busy snack place across the street. Not just any snack place, they've apparently been featured in the Boston Globe

the old part of our inn

the gardens

it was very peaceful and still here

garden pond

and waterfall

Mystic shipyard and harbor

Why, Hello There...

I'm alive - really, I am. I know that by the looks of the old post below you might think differently, but I'm happy to announce that I'm still around. I've been much quieter due to a very, very busy spring and summer. I have managed to squeeze in some reading nonetheless (I would sooner stop breathing than not be able to read) and even some traveling. In June I went to Florida with my wonderful friend from North Carolina. It was a time of much-needed refreshment and fellowship. Unfortunately, I was too busy to take pictures - and there wasn't really much to photograph anyway.

In July, Ashley and I went to the East Coast for an extended 4th of July weekend with our cousin and her family. The weather was beautiful for the first two days we were there and then the heat that had followed us from Texas showed up and managed to scorch the otherwise cool Connecticut shoreline for the remainder of our stay. One advantage Connecticut has over Texas when heat waves show up is that no matter how hot the temps are during daytime, it will without fail cool down at night. Below is a photo of the Mystic river at sunset. More pictures to follow!