What Do Marriage and Independence Have to Do with Each Other?

For one thing they are both late in making it into my blog.

Three weeks ago we had Jess home for the first of the Summer Weddings Marathon (which is extending into next year). David Manz and Heather Henningsen were getting married in Richmond, VT at a cross-country skiing lodge, and it was a wonderful affair. We were joined by members of the Morris family—James, Stephanie, Thomas and Robert—so much of our extended family were in attendance (sorry to not have Sarah and Margaret with us).

Rain held off enough that the affair took place around a gazebo and small pond next to the inn. Grandmothers were escorted in... Mothers were escorted in (along with Dan, father of the Groom)...My apologies to Charlene for not getting a picture of the Mother of the Bride coming down the aisle; as fate would have it I needed to change the battery in my camera just at that moment. The bridesmaids were all gorgeous...the ushers dashing...and David and his brother Matthew (best man) arrived in style in David's restored VW Bug.

Heather looked fabulous coming down the aisle on the arm of her father Ed and the couple looked extremely happy throughout the service.

David's grandfather, the Reverend Robert Woods, presided over the service which was very touching.

Following the service we moved to a covered area for cocktails and then the arrival of the wedding party. A DJ provided music and we had the bride-and-groom first dance before others joined in.


Dinner was held in a round lodge and it was an opportunity for visiting, a great meal and some traditional events—fathers toasting the couple, wedding cake lovingly shared between the newlyweds.


Then it was back outside for some more dancing.

After the DJ finished up we retired to a meadow just above the inn and lodge. There Dan shared some stories about his experiences with bows and arrows, and then how could we have a Manz gathering without a bonfire. Dan had decided to light the fire with a flaming arrow, and to quote Dan, “What could possibly go wrong with this?” Everything seemed to work our alright and you can see in the photo that the arrow is sticking out of the bonfire as it gets started.

Next in the marathon series we have Michelle Codding's wedding, then Sarah Manz's wedding, and planning taking place for the Matt Manz and Rachel Smedy wedding and Andrew Walker and Sarah Swenson's wedding next summer...let the marathon continue.

In the interim, our Adventures continued with the annual Fourth of July (Independence) Celebration in Andover, NH. Grampy joined us staying at Dennis and Margaret Fenton's house in East Andover. Deb and Scott Whitney along with Dan, Monica, Tim, and Laura were all staying at the Cottage, and we crashed there a few times over the weekend. Laura's friend Lauren was there for the weekend as well as several of Scott's family—his mother Adeline, brother Russ, sister Deb, and niece Ashley. It made for an active and very enjoyable weekend complete with fireworks, parades, good food and good wine.


Sarah was separately having an Independence Day and Engagement Party (aren't these two items somehow mutually exclusive) at her home in Gowrie, Australia, and you can read about it on her blog at http://dvlwearingkhakis.blogspot.com/2011/07/british-are-coming.html

Viewpoints Revisited

A year ago I wrote about Viewpoints and Points of View, and the timing is now right for a trip back to Little Lyford Pond Camp. Seven of us set out on this journey—Ted Bradley, Bob Donahue, Bobbie Donahue, Bob Kirk, Bruce Lyman, Jim Nowak and myself—to the 100 Mile Wilderness of Maine. Driving up from Woodstock takes about six hours…but the trip is worth the travel.

We arrived at the Lodge at Little Lyford Pond in time to still have family style supper with the other adventurers at the camp. Following the meal we were all invited to stay and listen to Shannon LeRoy, a Registered Maine Guide and fly-fishing instructor, give an introductory lesson about fly-fishing and some knot tying.

Bob D. and Bobbie D. were signed up for the full lesson, and Ted already has fly-fishing experience, but we all learned something from Shannon.

After the fishing  lesson we settled into the two cabins we had reserved and then got together for a little bit of story telling, cribbage (more of a lesson than playing…I’m just saying), and a libation. We could tell that the group was beginning to gel when Ted reached (and we are talking about his whole hand into the glass) into Bob D’s gin-and-tonic thinking it was the ice container for everyone. Since we were all going to be out and about the next day, we made it a fairly early evening. Bob D., Bobbie D. and I headed back to our cabin for a little three handed cribbage—won by Bobbie D., the rookie—and then it was off to bed.

Being in a backwoods setting, I was up with the daylight and headed down to Pond 1 for a little kayaking and picture taking. It was nice to paddle around for awhile, and after about 40 minutes I was joined by Bob and Bobbie D. We did a little more exploring on the water before heading back for breakfast at the Lodge.

Pancakes, maple syrup, and sausage was an option, or you could have some oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar…

…or you could have it all…

The Rim Trail follows the along the Pleasant River where it has carved in a 400 foot gorge over thousands of years.  What started out as  a rivulet like this…   It was a wonderful 8 mile hike with many waterfalls, pools and cliff edges. There were many opportunities for great pictures.

After breakfast we went our separate ways with the Donahue Boys and Ted going fishing and the rest of us heading out to hike the Gulf Hagas. …now looks like this.

Near the Buttermilk Falls we stopped for our pack lunch and then worked our way over to the Pleasant River Trail for the hike back. It was an outstanding trek. Back at the Camp we joined up with our fishing buddies to share stories and enjoy a cold beer…which tasted especially good after the bit of walking-about we had done. Then it was off to the Lodge for another great family style dinner with plenty of vegetables—for those inclined to focus on those—and some great beef with a gorgonzola sauce—for those of us who focus on that.

The meal was finished off with some cheesecake made that afternoon by the staff.

 

It was still very light after dinner, so we headed down to Pond 1 for some fishing from the dock, some boating and a few more pictures…it’s always gorgeous around sunset.





 

 

Our cabin became the center for stories and cribbage this evening, and we invited some of the Camp Staff—Chuck, the Camp Manager and Casey, a Registered Guide—to join us.

They were fortunate to witness Bob D. beating me for the first time in cribbage…by pegging the final point…and winning by one point…but a win is still a win.

Regardless of how late I stayed up, I still arose with daylight the next morning. I decided to take a slightly longer walk over to Pond 2 for some photos before breakfast and caught someone else out fishing from a canoe in the early morning mist.

A part of the loop took us past the original site of the camp where the fireplace is the only reminder remaining.

Following breakfast we split up again with Bruce and Bob K. heading up Indian Mountain, Bob D. packing up our cabin, and the rest of us heading out to hike the Pond 2 Loop.

We finished up packing when we returned to the Camp and were on our way out…driving along the logging roads by 10:45 am. The six hour return trip—after a quick stop in Northern Outfitters for some much needed gear—was fairly uneventful. Along the way we exchanged some messages with our wives and arranged for a final event of the weekend…brats and salads at the Donahue’s.

The brats event simply topped off the weekend and made for a nice close to the Adventure…