The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

Tag Archives: connecticut

Weekend in Connecticut

Posted on by Posted in Family, Ornamental grass .

We spent a long weekend in Connecticut after being off from work all last week. Now we return to reality tomorrow and I don’t like reality very much. Actually that’s not true, I feel ready to conquer the world and do some big things in the near future. But that could be the vacation vibe talking. But who cares, right? Enjoy that feeling while it still lasts, right?

Before I jump back into spreadsheets and conference calls and holistic synergies, here are some pics from the weekend.

Time spent at the family retreat at Cedar Lake in Chester, CT always does the soul well.

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I have a lot of fears in the water (thanks Mom) and thankfully my daughter didn’t inherit those genes. She jumped right in the kayak and took off around the lake. Deep breaths and a few beers got me through it.

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My wife and I were graciously granted a lunch date by our host and hostess. Before they could say “enjoy”, we were at the Madison Beach Hotel restaurant, a luxurious hotel housed right on the Long Island Sound.

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Of course oysters …

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Followed by beach selfies with my one and only.

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On our way to the beach at Watch Hill, RI we stopped at a legendary italian ice joint, Vecchittos Italian Ice in Middletown, CT. Beyond delish and easily the best I’ve ever had.

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When in Watch Hill, RI one must pose for pics near the Ocean House. I wrote about this grand hotel a few years ago (you can read it here) and we are still in awe each time we see it.

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Once on the public beach in Watch Hill, the kids attacked the ocean and stayed in for hours, no exaggeration.

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I could go on and on about how well we were treated by all family this weekend, but you don’t know them and I need to protect their identity so only WE can enjoy it for years to come. Just know I ate Belgian Waffles for three mornings straight and never wanted for a single beverage.

And last but not least, the return to the garden. Always a consolation prize after returning from vacation.

Still plenty of blooms …

coneflowers and be susan

 

… but it is clear that the grasses have announced their arrival. It is their time to take center stage. Expect them dominate on this blog for weeks to come.

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karl foerster bee balm

 

panicum joe pye tomato cages

 

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QOTD – have you ever dreamed up a big idea or made a life change decision while on vacation? If so, would you be so kind as to share the experience? I think I’ve got one but it will be a secret until it comes to fruition.

Recap of our vacation to Chester, CT

Posted on by Posted in Family .
We just returned from our annual trip to the family “Cottage” in Chester, Connecticut and once again, it was nothing but good times. 
The kids spent most of their days swimming in the lake:   

  

I was ordered to join them … :

To throw them around non-stop:

And then this old man would collapse and beg them to just swim around:

The lake lends itself to so many amazing photo opportunities and hopefully this amateur photographer captured them OK:   

We spent one day at the beach in Rhode Island just to mix it up a bit:

East Beach was our kind of beach; just a natural oasis with nothing built up around it:

We made sure to partake in the the legendary Del’s frozen lemonade while in RI:

And on the trek back to CT, we made a few stops along the way for more pictures:

My personal fave, making the kids suffer in the bright sun:

 We spent another morning at the aquarium in Mystic, CT:

We met up with family and kicked it old school with roasted marshmallows and … :

Sparklers baby:

My son turned 10 (you friggin kidding me?) while we were away and we celebrated it well:

But when all was said and done, the best part was spending a week with my three favorite people in the world:

It kind of sucks to be back, but I can now get back to the garden and believe me, it needs me desperately.

John

Our vacation to Stonington, Connecticut

Posted on by Posted in Family .

My wife and I (sans children) just returned from a four day vacation at one of our absolute favorite locales:

This is not one of your ordinary beach towns that are so common up and down the East Coast. When staying here, you feel like you are immediately integrated into the community and not a tourist. At breakfast each morning, the staff at the inn would offer up the best of the local attractions and you could feel the sincerity behind it. We rarely needed our car as anything we needed was within walking distance. True village life.
One of the most enjoyable activities was a simple walk up and down the main street where we passed the locals walking their dogs or watering their gardens. I swear I could tell each and every one of them were stress free and thrilled to be living where they did. Here is a sampling of what we witnessed on these walks and I’m sure you’ll see why it was so enjoyable:          
          
You feelin me dawg? When can I move in? It was a garden lover’s dream to see it all and you could tell it was a community wide effort. I swear to you (and I know everyone says this when on vacation) we would move there in a second if all the particulars were worked out. You hear me Stonington? If you need an obsessive gardener and garden writer, call me. We’ll do lunch. 
Speaking of lunch, there are 4-5 restaurants within the village, all distinctive in their own way, that offer that local feel. We would have a margarita and guacamole at one and then eat from the raw bar at another. Along the way, we would listen intently to the natives talk about their adventures out on the boat or discussing the additions to their gardens or the new shipment of lobsters they just received. No where did I hear any discussions about the usual corporate crap and that put a smile on my face. 
Did I mention there were a number of local wineries in the area? Well now you know. We even purchased cheese and other deliciousness and had our own picnic inside one of the wineries while live music played:             

The back drop of the Long Island Sound wasn’t so bad either:

Each day we watched the kids at sailing camp and wondered if we could convince our kids to participate WHEN we move there:

Oh yeah, we also found a pristine unspoiled beach right over the border in Rhode Island (East Beach) and I didn’t long for the Jersey Shore for one second:

That is pure genuine happiness my friends:

One thing my wife and I promised to each other throughout this trip was that we would do our best to incorporate what we loved during this vacation into our every day lives. We know what we love and what we ideally would love to do professionally in the future. Now is the time to start working towards it. Thank you Stonington!

John