Saturday, August 3, 2024

It's about time-- in the thick of summer, 2024

 What can I say? I have been remiss with regard to my posting of photos and news of our travels and there is so much. So I will apologize in advance here for the vast number of photos, over late fall, winter, spring nad into summer. 


Some key news: We have converted a Dodge Ram Promaster van into a camper van named Vanna White.. Aside from dirving, this vehicle is entirely off the grid, with a refrigerator, microwave, shower, hot water, sink, fresh and gray water tanks and more. Here's a link to a playlist that includes a few short videos about the van, and one longer video I will mention below. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKlmLdYP9y6xuQahy4hwEtR0SSXULFvD6


And so with van life I have tried out new ways to cook things to make it easier to clean up. 

Here's a link to my newest cooking video: scrambled eggs and black beans in the microwave: https://youtu.be/dM6mwvGWwJA


And here's a link to my most recently poetry reading online, along with Eileen Cleary. The video begins right where my reading starts: https://youtu.be/XMnafjwt32Q?si=MYCRy5ekHHQaI3x6&t=244


Here are a few highlights of these past 8 months: 

Late November/early December we went to Detroit to check out an electric camper van. It was 20 degrees at night and we froze, but lived to tell the tale. 

December: Claude flew to CA to rent an electrified Dodge Ram Promaster, with 165 miles of range. 

January: We purchased an internal combustion engine Dodge Ram Promaster (20 plus feet long) and mostly Claude (with some help from me) designed and implemented a camper van conversion, over the next few months. 

February 2024: We took our annual trip to Craftsbury outdoor center, and did find snow to ski on.

March 2024: We took the dock down on Bear Island and moved the houseboat back to the dock.

April 2024, We drove the van to Williston VT to visit friends and share in the eclipse. 

April 2024: We took the van on an 11 night holiday to visit friends and attend memorials and boon dock at the C&O Canal national park in western Maryland, about 110 miles west of DC, and on the Potomac river. 

May 2024: We were fully operational at Bear Island, still making trips back and forth between Carlisle and Meredith.

July 2024: We took our annual trip to Cape Cod. 


Oh and I'll be reading poems online with Eileen Cleary. Friday Aug 2 at 7 PM Virtually. Here's the info:


Join Zoom Meeting 7 PM Friday Aug 2

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5112338153?pwd=0IhJE3yRtsagu64MKhTC0R1put8VH0.1

 

Meeting ID: 511 233 8153

Passcode: dQH2G2


As alwasys, we would love to hear from you.


Carla


Oh Peaches!

My peaches bloomed and my two varieties showed up in July. I picked early to defeat the birds. 









Thanksgiving Highlights











Detroit, Grounded RV

We took this trip to Detroit to visit an electric RV startup. We rented it for one night but the heat ddidn't work while it was 20 degrees outside. Still it was a nice adventure. 























Mastadons?


Detroit City



Flying Back to Boston




Sculpture on board


Hiking Southern NH in December


















Dennis Brennan Band Plays Boston Harbor Distillery in Decemver 2023





Bluebirds in December





Mass Central Railtrail in Weston. Goes into Newton Now





Breakfast in December 2023: When Cranberries are still in, you make fresh Cranberry sauce



Walkill valley rail trail in Kingston NY headed into Rosendale, NY



















Kingston NY


Bridge across the Hudson St Park Poughkeepsie



Soujourner Truth Statue and Marker




Returning From NY to Boston, December 29, 2023, including biking on the Harlem valley railtrail



Monday January 8, Snow in Carlisle, MA







Skating on Warner's Pond January 2024






Poetry Readings 


Concord Sleepy Hollow Cemetary and Judge Nancy Gertner Speaks







More Snow in Carlisle, January 2024, my ski trail at the house







Frozen Skating Pond in Littleton MA February 6, 2024



Groton Center for Music.. magnificent acoustics and architecture









Friends and Jazzin Central Square




MIT

First Van Modifications: Adding Windows  -- this is the first window, and notice the sheet metal Claude removed




Craftsbury VT February 2024


Sunlight through a prismatic windown in the bathroom at our cabin


Ski from the cabin at Craftsbury







Savoy MA



Spring Flowers







More Camper Van Work Photos taking Vanna White on the Road












































Maiden Voyage: Eclipse Trip





















Bike Ride on the Return: New Hampshire's Northen Rail trail







11-Night Trip through NY, NJ, MD, DC and back





































National Arboretum




























UU Church, DC




Walking Through DC




Hirschorn









Storm King













































Driving Home, a Spotting Cybertruck in April







Gaining Ground Farm Concord, MA


Poetry Reading in Contoocook/Hopkinton, NH







Traveling on the Lake


JP Celebration April 2024





Back on the Lake













Ashland and Bobby Keyes at Farmstand B&B, Chocorua NH





Back on the Lake








Rebuilding the Swim Platform

Our swim platform failed this year, and Claude rebuilt it. It's wonderful.





More lake





Franconia Bike Week


Tamworth with the Van





Billy Wylder band at Farmstand B&B, Chocorua





White Lake State Park, Our Bench with a view


A Hike in May



Downtown Keene, NH



A Trip to Clark Museum and Savoy MA to see friends






















At the Mail Dock, Bear Island









Birthday Flowers, Monarch Caterpillar, Other Critters (turtle, toad)










More Lake, Including Trips to Three-Mile Island Camp


we volunteered this year to give housboat tours at 3-mile island. We also had to replace our twelve-year old Outback inverter/charge controller system ater 12 years when it conked out. the old system cost around $5000 while the new one cost around $700. 






























More Lake






Dock Garden








Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Cooked in the Solar-powered Houseboat for 4th of July


More lake, startign with 4th of July fireworks landing in the lake







Trip to Cape Cod
















Miscellaneous photos 













Miscellaneous poems