Book Report - Lady Darby Series

I just started the fourth book in the Lady Darby historical mystery series, A Study In Death. I'm reading this on my Kindle instead of listening to the audiobook as I did for the first three installments. I miss the charming British accent of the narrator though caught myself trying to sound British in my head as I clicked through the pages. Ha!

This series includes many of the desirable traits I'm clamoring to find in reading material lately. As usual, I've dug my claws into a rather specific genre and don't appear to be giving up anytime soon. Not just historical fiction. Not just historical mystery. Not just historical mysteries set in England anywhere from 1800-1950. Not just British mysteries depicting this time period that are series. They also need to include a thread of romance between main characters that continues from book to book. 

Which brings us back to Lady Darby. We meet Kiera after her miserable marriage to Sir Anthony ends as a result of his death. He was an anatomist who married her for her artistic ability then forced her to draw his dissections. As a result, she's shunned from society (didn't take much to get the cut direct back then!). In the first installment, she's working alongside handsome investigator Lord Sebastian Gage to prove her own innocence in a murder. They continue to dig around darker and darker cases side by side in each subsequent book. 

With the exception of #2, Mortal Arts, I've been in the dark about the culprit until the bitter end. These are well-written and seemingly historically accurate novels that provide a glimpse of life in Edinburgh in the mid 19th century as well as intriguing cases and nice character development of Kiera, Sebastian, and other minor players.

All in all, there are 5 published novels in the series (and a novella) with a sixth due out in early 2018. If you like murder, history, and all things British-y, I highly recommend you dive in!

Notes From The Travel Journal - Bar Harbor, Maine

We found ourselves the lucky recipients of an all-expenses paid weekend in Bar Harbor so took full advantage and hightailed it up there Friday afternoon. Our complimentary stay at the Bar Harbor Inn and Spa included two nights, a dinner in their famed Reading Room Restaurant, breakfasts, and two massages. Whoop! 

The hotel was one of those classic Maine resorts perched on the water's edge in downtown Bar Harbor. Stunning views of the harbor and surrounding islands which we experienced first hand Saturday morning when my eyes snapped open at 6:30am to a jaw-dropping sunrise (and a huge cruise ship right outside our window). It was a great start to our time in such a beautiful little slice of America.

We knew we wanted to hike in Acadia National Park on Saturday but weren't sure which of the dozens of trails to pick, especially considering I wasn't certain how my knee would hold up. Google to the rescue where I happened upon Joe's Guide to Acadia National Park, a handy outline of available treks, their difficulty, and some creative ways to connect trails for longer day trips. We hemmed and hawed (and gobbled down delicious poached eggs and blueberry stuffed French toast) before deciding on North Bubble and Conners Nubble. 

The adventure did not disappoint. Two and a half hours of vista bliss. The climbing wasn't difficult and the hike took us through pine and fir forest, lakeside bogs, bare granite mountainside, and stunning views of the changing leaves. It was heavenly. 

At the risk of sounding utterly ridiculous, I highly recommend ending a long day of hiking with a massage followed by a yummy dinner overlooking the harbor glittering under a starry sky. Right. Anyway. We were addicted to Acadia and headed back into the park on Sunday for a quick drive up Cadillac Mountain (don't judge) and a much shorter but pleasant on-foot trek up Flying Mountain over on the "quiet side" of Mount Dessert Island. It was great to get another walk in before stopping off at the Bass Harbor Lighthouse then making the drive home. We detoured to Foulmouthed Brewery in Portland for a celebratory beer flight (Vanilla Stout - yum) before reuniting with a squealy Merwin back home.

The entire weekend was magical. When I'm lacing up the hiking boots, I'm always a little hesitant but as soon as I take the first steps into the woods or onto the mountain, it feels amazing. The air, the quietness, the views. It's like I forget how invigorating and refreshing it feels to move and to move in such beautiful places. I love it. I can't wait for more!

Mount Roberts And The Cotton Valley Rail Trail

We journeyed over to the Ossipee Mountains on Saturday for a hike up Mount Roberts (elevation 2582), the western most peak in the range. More gorgeous views of Lake Winnipesaukee and the surrounding areas and a great workout. The colors were out and so were the people - we encountered two different large groups of hikers, seemingly part of the "52 With A View" club. I guess "Over the Hill" hikers came up with this list of 52 mountains as a way to draw attention to New Hampshire's great peaks that are between 2,500 and 4,000 feet in elevation. When you complete them all you get a patch. Man, that's a lot of work just for a patch.

Anyway, we did our best to avoid the groups and had a really amazing time. It was tiring and tough on my legs, but the old knee held up and the views were well worth the effort.

Though it started gloomy, by late morning Sunday was sunny and warm so we explored the Cotton Valley Rail Trail, a walking path set alongside old railroad tracks from Wakefield to Wolfeboro. Completely flat, no big deal right? Wrong. Might have been the shoes or just the body, but the knee pain struck at about mile 5 and the last 3 miles were tough. Climbing a mountain. No problem. Walking in a straight line. No good. Go figure.

Aside from that, it was a great discovery. Wonderfully maintained trail through woods, bogs, and meadows (we saw moose tracks!), all especially beautiful this time of year. Definitely want to give it another go...definitely in a different pair of shoes.

October Mist

It has been interesting to be here so regularly this time of year when we were so infrequently present for this seasonal shift in the past. I remember the slow reduction of humans around the lake, the larger presence of other animals, and the emergence of golden leaves, but what I don't recall is the morning mist rising up from the water. The last few mornings have provided a real visual treat with the cool pre-sunrise air pulling the heat of the lake into the atmosphere. It has also been fascinating to watch it slowly burn off as the sun hits the water. 

These moments are the ones that, when I look back on this time, I want to remember. The little delights I get to experience, the quiet solitude of savoring something I'd otherwise miss out on. I'm so fortunate. I am grateful. 

Notes From The Travel Journal - Oh Canada

My mom recently celebrated a birthday and given that I have so much free time lately, I suggested we take a little trip in honor of the big day. When thoughts of the Grand Canyon got a little too overwhelming, we settled on a road trip to Nova Scotia. She had heard great things about that part of Canada and I was eager to see Cape Breton Island myself. Off we went on our five day adventure!

After a six hour drive through Maine and an uneventful border crossing, we arrived at our first stop - Saint John, New Brunswick. We strolled around the small downtown and took a quick trip over to the "Reversing Falls," a pretty unimpressive tourist feature of "rushing" water where the river and ocean meet. It didn't rush and a huge paper mill provided the scenic backdrop. We weren't impressed but then enjoyed some beers at a local pub and retired for the night before heading to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia the next day.

Wowza! Cape Breton is so beautiful. We found a cute little oceanside cottage for our two-night stay which ended up being in a great spot for exploring Cape Breton National Park. Similar to the North Coast 500 in Scotland, The Cabot Trail winds its way from shore to shore of the island hugging the border of the national park and providing amazing views of the sea. Despite the rain and chill, we drove along the windy (and windy!) roads, stopping often for views, some brief little hikes, and a random cliffside porta potties. Stunning (the views not the potty).

We were sad to leave, but jaunted down the east coast of Nova Scotia to Halifax, a bustling small city that seemed full of young energy and happening spots. Reminding me a lot of Scotland, we enjoyed a delicious dinner of savory pie followed by sticky toffee pudding at a recommended pub before turning in for the night to rest up for another day of driving. The morning brought rain rain rain but we made the trip to Peggy's Cove before learning that the ferry intending to take us from Yarmouth, NS to Portland, ME was canceled the following day due to Hurricane Jose. From our oceanside perch next to Peggy's Cove Lighthouse, we were thankful to the ferry captain because the waves were enormous and the ocean was churning! 

However, it did require some logistical finagling. We consulted our remote travel agent, Simon, who hooked us up with an amazing resort in St. Andrews by the Sea, one of our favorite stops! The quaint seaside town provided a fantastic dinner, gorgeous sunset, and a Farmer's Market for some Canadian Maple Syrup. On the way home, we managed a brief sojourn in Bar Harbor for pizza and a look at Acadia National Park's "Thunderhole" before arriving in Portsmouth tuckered but pleased as punch with our Canadian trek!

A Poem For A Birthday

Dew Light
W.S. Merwin

Now in the blessed days of more and less
when the news about time is that each day
there is less of it I know none of that
as I walk through the early garden
only the day and I are here with no
before or after and the dew looks up
without a number or a present age

I don't know how to articulate how much I love Merwin's work (I guess the fact that we named the dog after him is a demonstration given how ridiculously loved the dog is). It is some of the first poetry I deeply admired, studied, and savored. Today is Merwin's 90th birthday and this poem has a beautiful simplicity that is amplified by that context of his aging. And perhaps even the age old "living in the moment" lens. Happy birthday, Merwin. I hope, from the little paradise of palms you have created in Hawaii, you know how much your work has helped your readers to understand the world, to feel, and to know beauty in words. 

Just A Little Moment

Morning reflection.

Discovering Yoga

Well, duh, you might say. As a former dancer and someone who knows many people who love the practice, embracing yoga seems like a no brainer. But it has taken quite some time to do so. My first memory of trying it out was a yoga on the beach class led by Janey. It was perfect in a way I knew I'd never find again. Subsequent attempts proved incredibly painful and I grew impatient with myself in classes. It hurt, I was too inflexible to even get close to the poses, everyone already seemed to know what they were doing, and exploring the various styles felt overwhelming. Plus, with the commute and limited "me" time, how was I going to fit it in?

Now there are no time constraint excuses and I decided to give it another try. My sister in law pointed me to Yoga Anytime, an online community of teachers and classes of all varieties and levels. I found a coupon code for a free month-long trial and took the plunge. The website has a seemingly endless supply of video led instruction and a handy search tool to find exactly what you're in the mood for. I'm sure I'm missing things by not having fellow students and a teacher alongside me, but being able to explore yoga comfortably at home has been amazing. I found an instructor I really like (thanks Linda!) and have been completing "flows" almost daily. It has been exciting for the poses to become easier and to slowly start to feel better. Less inflexible, less creaky, and little by little a bit stronger. I feel more centered and grounded after each session. Plus with the last couple days of beautiful weather, I've dragged the mat onto the deck and downward dogged with a fantastic view out over the lake. I only wish I had embraced it earlier! 

Two Days, Two Hikes

We finally bit the bullet and booked a trip to Argentina, an idea we've been tossing around for years but always hesitated to make happen. Along with stops in other parts of the country, we're spending a week in Southern Patagonia where vistas and natural delights are pretty much the main event. But to get the most out of it, we want to hike a bit. So we're "in training." I guess mostly I should say I'm in training. Simon's trained. In hopes of being a bit more prepared, on Saturday we hiked up Mount Major about 45 minutes away in Alton, NH. 

There were various ways up the mountain and after some reading we opted to ascend via the Southern Loop Trail, described as "moderately difficult" then take the easier trek down, partly because descents always seem to be trickier for my weak knee. This route would cover 5 miles and an elevation change of about 1,130 feet. This 1,130 foot ascent took place in the first 1.5 miles so it was a condensed (and intense!) period of steep climbing. There were some tricky sections, one where both the dog and I required a boost from Simon, but all in all it was manageable and so incredibly worth the huffing, puffing, and sweating. Outstanding views out over Winnepesaukee and the surrounds. Unreal.

On the way home, I mentioned to Simon how much I enjoyed the hike and how, in the research to find Mount Major, I had also come across a shorter trek near Province Lake, about 15 minutes from Round Pond. He took the hint and we decided to give that one a try on Sunday. While it was much shorter (1.8 miles total) it still covered about 700 feet in elevation change so was another endurance and climbing test. The trail was much narrower but also had some really lovely sections that wound through the forest and some soft pine needle parts of the trail that made for easier walking. And again, beautiful views from the summit, this time of the smaller Province Lake with the Ossipee Mountains in the distance.

All in all, it was reassuring to take these walks. I think with some more practice and some general work to build up endurance and strength, we'll be in good shape. Well, maybe just okay shape. Let's not look for a miracle here.

Nature Fiesta

I don't know if it's because the typical post-Labor Day exodus of humans around the lake made more space available for wildlife, but this past week was exceptional for creature viewing. Merwin chased a raccoon up a tree (and very nearly snagged a mouthful of fur), the bald eagle swooped in for a landing on one of our trees (I observed him from a few feet away, glimpsing the all-American splendor of an eagle pooping), the hummingbird nearly buzzed my face with his supersonic wings, and the loons have graced the lake and airwaves with their beauty more languidly and fully than when they were in competition with jetskis.

Naturally, I tried to capture all of this on camera. I was too awed by the eagle to reach for my phone, but I couldn't resist taking a snap of the poor raccoon clinging to the tree trunk. Combined with some truly spectacular sunsets over the past two weeks, this ease into fall isn't quite as challenging as it usually is. I suppose it helps that the words "The Nutcracker, "annual appeal," and "grant proposal" are no longer part of my daily vernacular.