Melville Campground Trails – Newport Rhode Island

At this point I feel I’ve poked and prodded just about every corner Newport RI has to offer but then my trusty companion dusted off an old memory to find this place again and I am so happy he did so because it was another great little hike.

Obviously being a campground it’s probably absolutely infested with children in the summer months but we’re just starting spring so it was delightfully abandoned during this particular adventure. A few RVs were parked in a lot as we drove towards the trailhead. Otherwise this could be the set of a zombie apocolypse movie.

As we got to the trailhead I was enamored by the trees which were grotesquely twisted and bent with claw-like branches reaching in all directions. Clearly this is where every creepy and haunted tree on the island had migrated to. I was almost surprised they weren’t coming to life and hurling apples at us like in The Wizard of Oz.

And beyond those trees? An old rusty and abandoned water tower covered in graffiti and sitting on a nest of millions of broken glass bottle shards. Well now we know where the teenagers go while their younger siblings are traipsing about the trails or locked in the family caravan. *whistles*

The other teenagers of a Gothic persuasion probably hung out at what looked like a summoning circle – two old picnic tables looking at a fire pit and guarded by a cloud of bats. There was a decently sized bat house within view although it did look like it could use some repair.

We did all the trails because they were short and sweet and kept in with chain link fences to one side and the ocean on the other. There were a few cute fishing nooks around the pond and I could see how this could be a nice family destination.

We reached the far end which seemed like a dyke of sorts behind a cute little neighborhood. A solitary young woman walked out here trying not to make eye contact. My companion remarked it was oddly quiet, the only people noises we could hear were from a nearby arena. I looked curiously on at a gaggle of sail boats, still trying to figure out why anyone would want to get on one. My lifelong fear of the ocean has left me deeply suspicious of boats.

We headed back after doing the entire round, satisfied we’d gotten our exercise in for the day.

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Cidar Mill Trailhead – Brookline New Hampshire

It’ the beginning of the season so I was looking for something easy and beautiful to get myself and my mother out if the house and into the fresh air. I had chosen a trail a few days prior and then forgot what it was…. I don’t think I ended up at the same place. I thought I’d be trekking around a pretty pond. Nope!

The Cidar Mill Trail is easy to get to with ample parking, a lovely map on the board, and a series of plaques throughout explaining the wildlife in the area (though I’m betting the bobcats and bears are a lot less frequent visitors than the turtles and foxes!)

I had decided to take the Cidar Mill Trail to its end (at a different parking lot) and then come back, pick up the Sergeant’s Trail, and end up in a nice little loop going by the heron rookery. The map made this look like a piece of pie and upon seeing how wide and road-like the trails were I didn’t think this would be a problem. We read the wildlife boards on our way and then kept going until we started seeing other trails jutting off. Other trails that were not touching each other on the map. Confusing. With an assortment of red and green markers… er… travelling further still we never reached a parking lot and it was really quiet out there which freaked my mother out a little bit. She’s always worried about getting lost. We’d only walked straight so this was not really possible but nonetheless we turned around. (And why is it only when I have her with me that we get lost?!) I found the entrance to the Sergeants and off we went. We walked for a little way until we found the heron rookery and took this little offshoot to see it. Only thing is my distance vision is absolute shit at this point in my life and peer as I may out into that forest of dead trees in the swamp I could not see a nest. Turns out it was directly in front of me. I don’t think it would have been a challenge to see for people with reliable peepers.

From here we left and were met with three options. Go the way we came back up the Sergeant’s Trail, take a little connector back to the Cider Mill Trail towards the car, or wander aimlessly off on another unknown/unmapped trail going in the opposite direction. Clearly, we had to accidentally chose the latter because neither one of us have a sense of direction. We walked past another couple wildlife boards and two little bridges but the trail markers had stopped and everything was getting quiet again. I tried to get my phone to tell me where I was and what direction I needed to be heading but it was being a shit today and would only answer what town I was in. THANKS, THAT WAS NOT HELPFUL.

We walked back to the rookery and found and the four way intersection it formed. Should we go back up Sergeant’s since we knew where that trail went or try this other trail we thought was the connector? My phone, finally giving me a tiny bit of something suddenly claimed we were walking back towards the car. OK… let’s just do that then. The connector was way longer than it showed on the map. In fact the map on the board at the entrance was goddamn horrible. I don’t know if they rerouted the trails and didn’t update it or what but it did not reflect any current reality. Finally, out of breath, we managed to get back to the Cider Mill Trail and to the car. During this whole time we were the only ones out there.

Later I’d find a much better map online from a different blogger. All and all it was a decent walk, very easy with little no elevation, that seemed to be a good place to bring a gaggle of kids or maybe a leashed dog but otherwise wasn’t particularly breath taking or unique. Maybe I’m just jaded but I was sort of hoping to see the foundation of an old cider mill or something. Nothing. And the rookery was nice but we’d arrived far too early in the year to see it occupied by baby herons. We did however hit Aquatic Creations LLC on the way home.

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Aquatic Creations LLC – Brookline New Hampshire

Hopping around to various fish stores is always an adventure. You just never know what you’re going to get.

Recently Google has been showing me Aquatic Creations and upon looking at their website they seemed to be mostly a salt water set up bussiness but they did claim to have a brick and mortar store and fresh water options. I could always use more options for fresh water fish and supplies so I added this stop to my list and swung by afte a hike.

It’s a very small place and still quite a mess as I guess they are still in the process of moving from a different location. Even so they did have a nice tank with corals and frags, a rack of fresh water fish that included guppies and the most personable koi I’ve ever met which looked up at me with big puppy eyes. There was a nice selection of plants as well and of course a few saltwater fish, mostly clowns, but also an adorable box fish. If I had a pond or saltwater tank that koi and or box fish probably would have come home with me!

I stayed a while and talked with the man running the place. He said this was indeed a business helping people create mostly saltwater set ups and ponds. He seemed very friendly and helpful and gave me a business card. Although I am not in need of having anyone install anything for me it’s good to have this place in mind in case that changes or if I am talking to someone who does.

Is this place worth looking at as brick-and-mortar store right now? Uhhh… maybe if you live in town or really close by. Otherwise, it really is more oriented toward instillation – at least until the rest get moved over. I don’t know how long that will take. You know how fish are – the more expensive they are the more fussy they are to big changes!

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Hiroshi Loop Trail – Dublin New Hampshire

Well, I FINALLY have my car back. I haven’t gone out exploring since before Christmas and to be more than honest I have been going out of my mind! I needed some trees!! So off I went to the woods.

I decided on the Hiroshi Loop Trail because it was a loop and claimed to be easy with no more than a 3% grade incline. After my winter torpor it’s probably best to start off easy… It was very wet but GORGEOUS. I had no idea such a lovely trail was hidden here! Moss and lichen grew on many of the trees and tree roots, beavers left their handywork everywhere, and I even scared a pair of grumpy ducks and two Canadian geese. I also found a geo cache signed by sooo many children with little doodles on some of the pages. It was quite darling! I wish I had something to leave with it. I did sign it. It seemed right to do so.

I was the only one on the trail for most of my journey. I travelled through a mixed woodland and passed the “singing stream” although I don’t know why it’s called that. It didn’t seem to be singing today. It did however give me a gift – or rather the beavers did. I found THE PERFECT walking stick in one of their piles. It was hardwood, heavy, exactly the right height for me, and they’d done me a great courtesy in eating all the bark off it first making it smooth and pretty. Also it was chewed to a spike at the end whcih was great for traction! I’d need the stick later on as the loop was longer than I had anticipated. Luckily it wasn’t difficult with only two parts that seemed to have an incline and they were short lived.

I met a woman and her dog as I was getting close to the end of the trail. The trailhead board did say that dog’s were welcomed here. Other than that I didn’t see or hear a soul. It was just this slightly drizzly Saint Patrick’s Day and I completely lost myself taking photos of the raindrops on the water and leaves. It made this place sort of magical.

This was the perfect first hike of the year and I look so much forward to the next one!

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St Paul’s Thrift Store – Newport Rhode Island

Another day, another small exploration. After exhausting all the antique stores in the area it seemed only logical to move onto thrift stores so we checked out this one.

It was a cute little store off a busy street. Initially upon entering I didn’t see much and pondered if this place just opened. No, it was just lacking baubles (save from some creepy dolls and clown bric-a-bracs which are to be expected.) Several other rooms were less underwhelming. One was dedicated to old books and clothes. It wasn’t much but there was an entire aisle dedicated to flannel which is really weird because flannel is so… not Newport. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone wear flannel here. Not even ironically. Still, this thrift store probably just knew it’s clientele. Thrifty lesbians. They make up a huge section of customers at any good thrift store- except the Salvation Army because they’ve made it their goal to be absolute dicks to the gay community, even going so far as to fund anti-gay and anti-trans legislation. Fuck em’ these little independently owned thrift stores are where it’s at anyway.

To prove my point the furniture here was VERY decently priced! I didn’t see anything over $200 and there was some nice pieces! Just look at this funky green chair. $68. I’m not going to lie, if I had a place of my own and was in need of a weird chair it would have come home with me.

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Moody’s Diner – Waldoboro Maine

You know what’s a really great way to wrap up several vacation days of antiquing? Going to a well-known diner and just enjoying a good old fashioned food coma. This place had all the ambience you’d want from a tin diner, including regulars. And the price wasn’t bad for being so well known! I had a turkey salad sandwich with fries, and peanut butter pie for dessert, both I only remembered to take photos of after I ate them. I can’t remember what my companion ate, not because I’m an oblivious twat-waffle but because it’s been several weeks since we were at Moody’s and I only remembered what I ate because I had photos… if it helps I do remember he liked whatever he orders. Like really liked it. He also already knew about Moody’s from something, probably Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.

BUT ANYWAY! You should absolutely stop in for a pie. Their food was delicious but Jesus Christ that pie…

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Vittles – Pittsfield Maine

Vittles (and the eateries that once predated it) has been somewhere I have eaten breakfast for yeeears. Ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I have always adored their tin ceilings which reminded me of my gram’s house. And the staff were always so friendly!

It used to be a pretty standard place but when it became Vittles it got a little fancier. They’re VERY proud of their fries. But we were having breakfast. I got the almond French Toast – the fanciest breakfast item I could find – and ooooo, it was the right decision! That was some primo breakfast right there, and pretty decent pricing to boot. Again, not being a food blogger, I forgot to take a photo until it was mostly eaten but suffice to say this was three whole slices of thick bread and I ate until I wanted to explode. I definitely like this place for breakfast.

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Generations Antique Mall – Rockport Maine

This was supposed to be the last antique store we’d went to after several days of antiquing and it was a nice way to round everything out as it was small and clearly independent. It was more on the thrifty side of things than the overpriced chic markets near the coast we had been poking at.

My new cheap phone did a terrible job taking photos (I guess my hand had to be tripod still and the lightning needs to also be perfect.) In any event we did find a cast iron cauldron, coincidentally just the right size to sit one baby, ‘case you’re into that kinda thing. It was pretty neat. I ended up going home with a record and a lobster cookie cutter because who makes lobster cookies?! I brought it home right before Christmas and used it to cut out some Christmas Crustaceans. If elf on a shelf can be a thing I feel we should at least try and make Christmas Crustaceans a thing too.

Anyway, if you happen to already be in Rockport or are just whiling away the hours this place is nice and cozy but not large by any means so probably not worth travelling very far unless you’re nuts like I am. I will say however the staff were adorably sweet. So, there’s that. I’ve included photos of my Christmas Crustaceans.

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The Rock and Art Shop – Bangor Maine

I love it when we go to one shop and the people there recommend something completely different, we have to go to. That’s what happened when we were out antiquing, and I struck up a conversation with the cashier who thought I “looked like someone who’d like a rock shop.” I don’t know what that means exactly but I’m not going to argue, I do like shiny things, fossils, and bones.

And as far as rock shops go this one was darling! It was streetside so great for if you’re already ambling about the city. It had the usual crystals and charms and quite a bit more utterly unique things – the skeleton of a bat, a number of bizarre games, some really chic ornaments, and some good old fashioned girl power notebooks. I loved this place! So much so I bought a book hoping to find more leads of places to go. And the girls at the counter were burbly and friendly. This is definitely the go-to shop for witchy items and whatnot. If that’s your thing by all means take a looksee!

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