Monday at Campobello Island

Good Evening -


The sun was shining on us today as we left Bar harbor and headed north. We are in Halifax, Nova Scotia tonight and officially 1,060 miles from home. We entered Canada through New Brunswick and Campobello Island. On our way we passed through the Blueberry capitol of the World (Cherryfield) and the Maine Museum of Natural history (A junkyard) which gave us a laugh. At the border we had to flash our passports and upon doing so, the guard reminded me to sign mine. Oops - it worked in our favor - such stupid people would not smuggle anything into the country - and he let us in.

Touring FDR's Cottage (note the capital C) on Campobello was a real treat. 17 rooms but not pretentious at all. Lots of windows gave it a welcoming feel and their furniture and possessions were all about the place, including a megaphone that Eleanor used to call the kids to supper.It just seemed the kind of place where a good time was to be had. The gardens were still abloom with begonias and dahlias and the lawn sweeps down to the Bay offering a gorgeous view. The boat dock remains from which FDR was carried off after contracting polio in the summer of 1921. Things like that give me the chills.

We walked next door to Hubbard Cottage as well. the Hubbards were neighbors and friends of the Roosevelts. It too was a very airy space. Light colored woodwork (I think unusual for that time period)and lots of windows. A large oval window in the dining room gave a new meaning to picture window - what a fantastic view of the bay. Mrs. Hubbard was a concert pianist and all around the grand piano (situated in a turret) were window seats with cushions that matched the other (many) pieces of furniture. A very ornate mantle dominated the room but again in the light woodwork.

Afterward we drove to the north end of the island to the lighthouse (Quoddy?). It was so pleasant that we had an impromptu picnic then and there. Moving on (we had lost an hour switching to Atlantic time) we caught the 6 car ferry to Deer Island and then a larger ferry to St. Georges.It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the trips over the Bay of Fundy - which is green (Loke Lithis Springs' pool used to be).

From then on it was just driving. Nothing remarkable However when night falls in these maritime provinces it gets really dark! Driving at night here is like being inside Space Mountain. The roads are up and down and around again and everything is dark, dark, dark.The exits go off into outer space or the twilight zone and I think civilization ends with the ramp.

Clear night - hoping for more good weather.