Mark and Nicole's Big Adventure

We closed on our house! And we're in and more or less settled. It's going to be great. Those of you who know me also know that moving is at the top of my "Things I Hate Most" list. I love the outcome. The process is hell. Mark does better and just does what needs to be done. None of this matters now as we winnow down the last of the unpacked boxes, take yet another load to Goodwill and see what, if any of our unwanted furniture, can be consigned.  We downsized dramatically when we left our townhouse in Herndon and put what was left in storage before moving onto our boat. Now, as we move into a compact space with a much different, more contemporary vibe than previous homes, we are letting loose of more. I have never been afraid to get rid of stuff and look forward to the day when the floors are free of outcast lamps and there is more art on the walls. Until then, a few snaps of moving day and the new house.

We revisited one of our favorite historic haunts -- Jamestown -- and found it as fascinating as ever. Jamestown was established more than 400 years ago as the first permanent English settlement in the New World. But it's only been in the past 25 years that its secrets and treasures have come to light. Archaeologists began actively digging in the mid-90s to determine the location of the original fort that housed those first intrepid newcomers. Prior to that the assumption was the York River had swallowed all remains of the fabled site. That assumption would prove wrong. A handful of determined archaeologists discovered the outline of the wooden palisade by the presence of "stained" soil, indicating the location of post holes. That crude, high wooden fence surrounded the fort and today is reproduced so you can see just how small this first settlement was. Rustic buildings such as a barracks, a communal storeroom, the first of several church buildings and a graveyard were sn

While sitting in Jacksonville this past winter we started to discuss whether we wanted to return to land -- at least for part of the year. We decided we did.  You may ask -- and others already have -- why the shift?  We thoroughly enjoy the liveaboard lifestyle. But winter is a challenging season. Heading south on the ICW to escape the worst of the cold is a great adventure that we have experienced twice. We enjoyed those extended cruises but it doesn't call us every year.  One year we stayed on the boat until Super Bowl Sunday early in February (brrrr!), then spent two months-plus traveling Florida and bordering states by car. In 2020, just as the pandemic was taking hold, we rented a rowhouse in Baltimore for the chilliest months. All were good options. But at our root we are homeowners. The boat is one home, but it doesn't suit year round. So we decided it was time to have a land option. On the return trip to Baltimore in late April we docked at York River Yacht Haven, a pre

Mark has always been a fan of cruising to an isolated bay or creek and dropping anchor for a day or two or longer. Initially I was less enthusiastic. Will the anchor hold? What happens if it lets loose in the middle of the night? For most newbie on-anchorites, those are probably the two biggest questions. What if? Many years of boating under my belt, I am now a true-blue aficionado of hanging on anchor. There isn't another experience that compares. First, it is QUIET. Birdsong is the most common noise. Inevitably there will be a lovely sunset. For some reason, we have also seen more than our share of full moon risings while on anchor. You may share your water space with another boat or two, but they want the same thing you do. Privacy, quiet, space. It's doubtful you will ever feel crowded in an anchorage unless you choose it. Dinghy rides, swimming, sunning, eagle watching, grilling dinner and drinking wine on the aft deck. That's about as complicated as life gets on ancho

No season is complete without a visit to a botanical garden. On the cusp of summer, we finally made the 40 minute drive from Baltimore to Maryland's beautiful Montgomery County to see the even more beautiful Brookside Gardens. Many botanical gardens are part of historic properties or estates owned by the well to do that are in turn generously shared with the rest of us. Best I can glean, Brookside Gardens was instead the result of a community effort to create a formal garden open to the public on land once owned by a landscape nursery. It's a lovely garden and obviously an integral part of many local residents' day to day routine as they take their regular turn through one well-designed garden room after another. The butterflies, bees and cicadas were happy, too. Enjoy the photos!