Best Western Riva Rd.

We left Chincoteague this morning and drove through the drizzle to Maryland where is stopped raining.  Tomorrow we’ll spend the day in historic Annapolis which is between weekends of the Sailboat and Powerboat shows.  I’m not so interested in the boat shows, but love to visit the bookstores.  No surprise there.

Ru

Chincoteague for the billionth time….

Randal and I have been to Chincoteague many times.  It’s a great place for lots of things, bike riding,  bird watching, beaches, sea food,  used books…etc.  This year the weather didn’t cooperate for our visit to the Assateague National Wildlife Area, but our walk through town and visit to the Sun Dial Bookstore was what we had come for.  www.sundialbooks.net is just a great place where locals and tourist meet about books.  It’s light and sunny and is a compliment to the great newly renovated Chincoteague Public Library which is also sunny and light and wonderful.  I’d visited the library many other times but this trip it was closed for Columbus Day Monday.   Sundial had lots of interesting books so, of course, I couldn’t leave without one. Kaddish by Leon Wieseltier was my purchase.  The author having spent many months saying the 3 times daily Jewish prayer for the dead for his father decides to examine why he does that and what is the prayer ‘s meaning.

After  the Sundial we went for lunch at Bill’s our favorite restaurant in Chincoteague. http://www.billsseafoodrestaurant.com/ Randal and I split a fried grouper sandwich with granny smith apple slaw and there was plenty for both of us.  I wish I’d asked them to toast the baguette which is how I remembered it from last year.   Then we strolled back to our motel with a stop at the ABC Store for some Glenfiddich for Randal and then the ATM to replenish our supply of $$$$$.  Late in the afternoon we did a drive around Assateague Island but that’s no so fun in the rain.  I did buy a post card at the visitor center to send off to our friends Heidi and Kalle in North Cyprus.  In the “latest adventures” link on her website www.heiditrautmann.com Heidi  wasn’t on the list so I sent off a post card from the post office in Chincoteague.  But North Cyprus isn’t on the list of countries given to US post offices. So I added Turkey to the address as most everything has to go through there first.  Interestingly the post office in Israel could deal with it.  So Heidi, we’ll see what happens!

Our old GPS had no clue this new bridge into Chincteague exists so our map showed us driving across water.

The new bridge skips the main road through “downtown” so I sign points the way.  And how to get out if there’s a hurricane.  We only had annoying drizzle.

Images of Chincoteague, great for birding and home the discendents of “Misty of Chincoteague.”

Horse With No Name Gallery…. It was the owner’s mom who was the “little girl in the Misty story.”

Actually, I’m not sure if this woman is the owner, Zebie Zay , but I am sure it was her mom who was in the Misty of Chincoteague story.

Randal and friend on the gallery’s great purple couch that had been a freebie as was most of the store’s furniture.

Guess these folks watch “Once Upon A Time” too.

The “trick is to….” I can’t read it or remember so you can make up your own answer.

http://chincoteagueislandlibrary.org/

Originally a barbershop, the Chincoteague Public Library renovated with the new addition. Years ago when we visited Chincoteague the library was just the tiny old barbershop building but still a vibrant part of the community.  They consider themselves “the little library that could.”   http://www.mydoramac.com/wordpress/?cat=138 shows the photos I took last year which show the inside.

http://sundial.indiebound.com/ is the website for Sundial Books which was closed last year ( on Tuesdays they close)  when we were here.  When you read about Jonathan and Jane  Richstein, you want them to open a book store where you live.    So good that we were in Chincoteague on a Monday though too bad it was Columbus Day Monday.  Being around books is how Randal and I spend a lot of our free time when we travel.

The pony round up and sale helps to support the Chincoteague Fire Department.

Bill’s Seafood Restaurant on Main Street is a favorite..but Moller’s Ice Cream Parlor is always closed in the fall.

Lots of Victorian homes with bright colors and gingerbread trim.

Lots of election signs and lots of ducks and other migrating birds.

So, we didn’t get the weather we’d hoped for, but we enjoyed our time visiting the shops along the main street and chatting with folks who now had the time after the busy summer season had past.  Then it was off to Annapolis…another favorite place with a really great bookstore I really like.

It is raining here in Chincoteague. . again.

From mid-April until September 18^th Randal and I have had only sunshine. ( No rain in Israel and no rain in Turkey until a sprinkle just the day before we left for the US.  Good thing we got our doses of Vitamin D before we came home as it’s been pretty dreary for the most part. )  Yesterday we did manage a fun morning walk here in Chincoteague and I went out again in the afternoon, but since then, just drizzle.  Good for farmers; not so great for travelers.  Last night found me sitting here in our room  typing this email while I enjoyed a glass of milbrandt vineyards 2009 Merlot that Sheila sent along with us.  One glass of wine and I don’t notice the rain or have a clue what they’re talking about on the PBS New Hour.  Actually I think they’re talking about the Nobel Prize winners for some achievement in Science;  DNA or whatever.   While walking through town we met a woman whose mom was the real  little girl in the Marguerite Henry story about Misty of Chincoteague.  More about the daughter when I write about Chincoteague.  This email is about Sheila and David.

In September 1968 I went off to UMass.  It wasn’t long after that when I met Sheila who lived a few floors above me in the John Quincy Adams tower.  Sheila and I are still friends!  Other things have changed in our lives, but not that.  Sheila and her husband live in a great house in a great location in Ashland, VA.  Walk out the door and hike through the woods….

I have just a few pictures as it’s hard to talk, talk, talk and take photos at the same time!  But I did manage to snap a few very early Sunday morning before David had to head off to work.

David and Sheila

David fixing coffee early Sunday morning before he had to head off to work.

David and Randal

Sheila and Randal

Nute relaxing

David painted this based on the painting of (I can’t remember.)  David is a wonderful artist and photographer!  He can fix most problems that befall their cars and can do lots of whatever the house might need too.

Again, all too quickly it was time for Randal and me to hit the road…off to Chincoteague.

Ru