Hangin’ with the Maine Bean, Beautiful Boston, and Amish Country

I don’t know about you but when it’s hot, my energy seems to evaporate and so I have not written. Until today, that is and it’s still hot – even hotter I think, but I couldn’t let another day go by without checking in with you.

Last Saturday we left Saint John, New Brunswick and made our way mostly south and a little bit west to Freeport, Maine. I know it sounds cheesy but I can’t get enough of that LL Bean. Their flagship store is there along with a number of other well know retail establishments, of which I did not darken the door. We spent a couple of hours hangin’ with the Bean and I managed to find stuff I like and stuff that fit me. As a bonus feature, we also found a few replacement items for my man: shorts and jeans. I have been throwing out clothes as I go. The good thing about me (smiling here) is that I tend to wear my clothes out. A friend of mine only goes clothes shopping once a year and buys all she needs then. That sounded like a great idea so that’s exactly what I did. I highly recommend this strategy.

Needless to say, the only photos I took of Maine are of the store. Amanda will be most disappointed in me.

Next day we headed for Boston, crossing two state lines and braving city traffic Gord managed to find an apartment for a real steal in a quiet neighbourhood close to all the action. That’s where we bunked two nights while we walked our feet off exploring this historical beauty. I hardly know where to begin when describing the city.

As for Boston’s claims to fame, and there are many: the infamous Boston Tea Party and start of the American Revolution, site of Harvard and Cambridge Universities, home of John F. Kennedy, site of Boston Marathon, home to the Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots as well as the swan boats of the Boston Commons (I was pretty excited about that one!) and inspiration for Robert McCloskey’s children’s book, Make Way for Ducklings. These are some of the sites we saw.

Today we drove mostly west from Boston to Intercourse, Pennsylvania and through New York without stopping. We were sure Jane was trying to take revenge for all Gord’s nasty comments to her over these past two months when she directed us along the Atlantic coast and into Yonkers then the Bronx. Thankfully, she redirected us over the George Washington Bridge and into New Jersey before we found ourselves stranded on a one way street amidst shaking fists and colourful taxi-driver metaphors at the cornerstone of the Empire State Building. Our view of that towering structure was (safely) from the Jersey side. We crossed 5 state lines in as many hours before we reached our destination.

Apparently, Intercourse was renamed in 1814. Its previous name was Cross Keys, named for an old tavern. The original village was founded in 1754 so it’s been around awhile. Three popular explanations are touted for the change: 1.) it was the name of a racetrack called “Entercourse” and the name evolved over time, 2.) the site was a crossroads of the King’s Highway and Delaware Highway 3.) its meaning came from the filial fellowship the people in the area experienced with one another as they worked and socialized together.

Whatever the reason, it’s located in Lancaster County and boasts the oldest Amish community in the US. My heritage is Mennonite and so my interest in all things Anabaptist is personal. It was news to me that our last name, Smoker, is a common Amish name and so when I reserved our campsite under our surname, the owner didn’t even blink – and that’s unusual.

As you likely know, the Amish and Mennonite women are renowned for their quilting, and that’s another very good reason to make Intercourse a stop. You can imagine where we spent the later part of the day, can’t you? In a quilt store, just in case you need clarification. It stands to reason that our little grandbaby will be well supplied with adorable homemade flannel receiving blankets as a direct result of our visit.