Thursday, August 30, 2012

N. H., R. I. and CT. 8/30/12

N. H., R. I. and CT. 8/30/12: On the Road Again Thursday Aug. 30




Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. We have a few states that we haven't experienced yet. We have driven through New Hampshire on our way to and from Maine twice. But never really done something.




It was a beautiful sunny day for a stop at Hampton Beach. Tire tracks....dune buggy? We drove through blocks of beach houses. It was quiet. Bet it will be a busy place this weekend.




We stopped at the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. We learnt the story of French Canadian immigrants who left Quebec to come to work in the mills and factories.



















Church of the Precious Blood built in Woonsocket in 1754.









Last year when we were at the Bismarck, S.D. Museum we saw a "Thank You for the U. S. assistance during WW I boxcar train" from France. We learned a boxcar was sent to every state. This boxcar sent to Rhode Island.




Again I found the seal for my ancestors homeland.




No longer seeing salt box houses.




Leaving Woonsocket, RI.

We went out to eat with our friends, Mike and Carol in Cromwell, CT. We stayed overnight in our RV in their driveway. They treated us to a fantastic breakfast in the morning. It was so good to visit with them.


Location:Hampton Beach, N.H., Woonsocket, R.I. And Cromwell, CT.


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Canada, Back in the U.S.A. 8/29/12

Canada, Back in the U.S.A. 8/29/12: On the Road Again Tuesday Aug. 29




Stopped to buy blueberry jam that people raved about.




Took a free 20 minute ferry to Deer Island. Good thing we weren't first in line. When they were ready for vehicles to load they just tooted their horn. We just followed the truck ahead of us a don we went.




Then a ferry to Campobello Island. We had to pay for the 20 minute ride but I saw a seal and a whale or dolphin. Well worth the price. It was a smooth crossing on a beautiful sunny day.









But there wasn't a dock for the ferry to pull up to. It just dropped the gangplank onto the the beach.




At Friar's Head observation deck on the Island we were treated with a SPECIAL thrill.




We saw 6 eagles soaring above us for 20 minutes. Later we heard someone saw 13 eagles soaring.




Franklin D. Roosevelt summer cottage on Campobello Island is an International Park. He spent some of his summers here from the age of one until shortly before his death.




The dining room.




What a beautiful view to look out.




There were 18 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. Quite a cottage wouldn't you say!




There was a classroom for the tutor to teach FDR and Eleanor's 6 children.




Megaphone was used by Eleanor to call the children for meals.




Heating up the irons.




Milholland Point lighthouse was built in 1885.




We crossed the FDR Memorial Bridge to go through U. S. Customs. All was ok until he saw the oranges. We had two. I asked could we eat them..he said yes. They were worried about the orange peels. So we ate our oranges and were free to enter the U. S.

Wow, what great places we have visited in Canada for 41 days. If my calculations are right we traveled over 7,120 miles in Canada. Add in our ferry rides of possibly 240 miles. What a fantastic country we have seen, visited with so many Canadians and tourists. So many memories to relive.

We are staying at Walmart in Augusta, ME.
Location:Campobello Island International Park and Augusta, ME


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Canada, Baddeck, N. S. 8/28/12

Canada, Baddeck, N. S. 8/28/12: On the Road Again Tuesday Aug. 28




First we said farewell to our fellow Roadtrekkers who we have been traveling with the last two weeks. Dick and Barb from MN retired to AZ 17 years ago.




Linda and Tom are from Florida, the other Roadtrek couple we traveled with. We will miss them as we head back to the Midwest. They are continuing on to Halifax and more exploration of Nova Scotia. We also miss Denny and Sharon who traveled with us the first week in Newfoundland.




Windows at Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. Among Bell's many inventions was a tetrahedral kite. It is pyramid shape.




The design was used in the Silver Dart. On Feb. 23, 1909 Bell's airplane made the first controlled, powered flight in Canada and the British Empire.




This very rare 1910 French kite is over 100 years old. Kites were influential in Bell's work. He toured many countries. Kites on display were from some of the countries he visited.




German kite with a teddy bear in front. Kites were more than toys. Also used meteorology, aerial advertising and photography.




Malayasian kite.




North American "Barn Door" kite first used in the early 1800's.

Because Bell's mother was deaf he was always interested in helping the deaf. In 1879 he invented an audiometer that is used to detect hearing loss. He worked with electricity for years and thought sound could be transmitted electrically.




Duplication of the first phone.




The patent was granted in 1875 but a great deal of improvements had to be made. This is a duplication of the transmitter of the first sound.




First commercial box telephone. It was both the transmitter and the receiver.




Silver model of the inside of a box telephone.




Bell thought sound could be transmitted by light. He created a phone that worked without wires. This photophone transmitter was developed in April, 1880.




Photophone receiver. Clouds and rain interfered with the sound making it impractical at the time. Still Bell thought of this as his greatest invention... A man ahead of his time.




The battery for the photophone.




He worked on a design for a hydrofoil boat. His fourth hydrofoil boat HD-4 set a world marine speed record 9/9/1919.

Bell created the graphophone.

The Historic Site is here because he lived here and formed the Aerial Experiment Association. The Silver Dart airplane was developed here. He did experiments with the hydrofoil boats here. It was amazing to learn of the accomplishments of Bell.

It started to drizzle as we started on our journey to New Brunswick. Then it rained and even downpours. It would stop and then start the cycle again. We stayed overnight at Walmart in Moncton.
Location:Baddeck, Nova Scotia


Monday, August 27, 2012

Canada, Louisbourg, N. S., 8/27/12

Canada, Louisbourg, N. S., 8/27/12: On the Road Again Monday Aug. 27.




To Louisburg, Nova Scotia.




Paintings of the Harbour of Fort Louisbourg 1744




This was a vibrant 18th century French community from 1713 to 1768.









To enter the Fortress of Louisbourg we had to state our intentions. Phil said he was sent to count the munitions. The guard was very dubious but finally let us enter.




So we can enter.




Soldiers' barracks. Cobblestone floor is very difficult to walk on.




Tunnel




Powder magazine has a wooden floor.









Military Chapel, Governor's Apartments and King's Bastion Barrack in this building. Since the spire was 80 feet tall it was used to guide the ships into the harbor.




Military chapel









Cross of Fort Louisbourg was captured by the New Englanders when they besieged the French in 1745. It was discovered in the 18th century and preserved at Harvard University. Harvard returned it to Parks Canada in 1995. I talked with a docent who traced her roots to the time of the siege. Her relative was an English soldier who fought the French.




Preparing to shot the cannon at noon.









Governor's apartment









Council room














Straw mattresses for the servants were picked up during the day.




Potager used embers to simmer a meal or keep food warm.




Lady making lace




The green paper shows where pins are placed




Then the bobbins of thread are worked in groups of four.




Lace was very time consuming to make and very expensive. It was like jewelry.




This is a simpler lace, box lace.




Seal skin chest.....waterproof.




Ice house. We know the ice is harvested in the winter but it was interesting to learn NO ONE was allowed in the ice house during the summer during daylight.




Playing cards had no numbers because the common people couldn't read.




Interesting chicken.




And rooster.




We were told the officer third in command overspent his budget.....this may be an indication.




Dress of the Mi'Kmaq Aboriginal inhabitants. At this exhibit we talked with an Acadian lady who works for Parks Canada. Being Acadian she is bilingual and of French descent. She shared many new facts about the Acadians. It was interesting to learn that the deported Acadians in 1755 hoped to go to Louisiana because that had been French territory at one time.




Bakery for the soldiers.




The circular loaf in the back was whole wheat and rye flour. A soldier received one 6 pound loaf every four days. The other loaves and biscuits are of varying proportions of wheat and rye flour and were for sale.




Lighthouse at the Louisbourg Harbour. First lighthouse in Canada, it was Latin 1734. A second and third lighthouse were built in 1842 and 1923.




Mesmerizing Atlantic Ocean.




We were told the Atlantic Provinces had been connected to Africa. This is a map showing the land mass formations 400 million years ago.




Formations 135 years ago.




We stayed at Louisbough RV Park on the waterfront. We enjoyed Driftwood Mac at the Louisbough Playhouse. They were four Celtic musicians and singers. The show was over 2 hours and fantastic. We led the fiddler, wow could she fiddle!!! Loved the two step dancers and the dulcimer music was beautiful. We were so glad to experience the Cape Breton music that we have been hearing about.
Location:Louisbourg, Nova Scotia