Don't Worry Be Happy

The torrential rain of yesterday has eased to a steady, misty drizzle for our last day at Bantry Bay as we reflect on our time at the farm and anticipate our arrival in Paris and the south of France.  Our rental car is booked, train tickets printed off, and the internet has informed me that Friday is market day in Prayssac, the small village where we'll be living for two months. Despite the rain yesterday we've made the most of the warm fall weather here, lawn chairs outside the 5th wheel often serving as our informal happy hour spot.  We've managed several golf games at the fabulous coastal Algonquin resort (although one was rained out after 9). The next few weeks will bring changes to the farm as several of us leave and a few more arrive.  Rieteke, a 67 yr old WWOOF'r left yesterday, Kath's mom came last week and Luke's brother will be arriving shortly.  We'll miss the enjoyable camaraderie over dinners with 8-10 people gathered around the table every ...

If ever there was a quintessential Bed and Breakfast this is it. Huge (20 rooms in this house, 4 for guests), built in 1898, high ceilings, intricate moldings,etc. We're on our way to Boston to see the Sox at Fenway and stopped off not too far from Portland Maine in North Berwick. Found this place on the Internet this morning, amazingly we're the only guests tonight. It's unbelievably beautiful. Reminds me a lot of Sue's or Rosemary's houses. We actually have 2 adjoining rooms - the bedroom and the sitting room where Mike will sleep on the pull out couch. It's even bigger than the bedroom. Taking this photo required me to perch the camera on my sunglasses on the edge of the box of the pickup then make a mad dash for the steps. The hostess, Sally is enthusiastic and welcoming and she'll have breakfast ready for us at 8:30. I can hardly wait.

Thursday is always the busiest day on the farm. Market in the morning and CSA in the afternoon. By the time I forced apart my eyelids at 7 am Ross had already been up for a couple of hours, long enough to harvest basil and several types of vegetables. By 7:30 Mike and Scott had packed up all the cartons of veggies, tables and tent and were off to set up at the farmer's market in town. Be ten I was ready to start my day and grabbed one of the bikes for the 20 minute ride into town. It's always refreshing to go to a farmer's market but this one is particularly great. Not that big but quality abounds. The market is in a little town square right beside the big dock. I wasn't there long before I knew I had to have the fresh fruit crepe - banana, apple, blueberries, strawberries, apple, chocolate, whipped cream. It's so good I think I actually mentioned it in a blog a few years ago. There are a few craft stalls, baked goods and several single table produce ...

We've been here for a week and it's been anything but laid back.  Calming and gentle, yes, but not laid back.  There's ALWAYS lots to do. We arrived in Moncton on Thursday am and by Friday evening we'd bought a truck and 5th wheel and were on our way with the truck to St. Andrews.  However, we had to head back to Moncton on Wednesday to pic up the 5th wheel.  Here's Ross with his new toy!!! We've got a bit of United Nations happening at Bantry Bay these days.  Rob and Caitriona are from Ireland, Sarah from France was here yesterday (she actually lives not to far from where we're going), Nellie is from Germany and a mother and her 3 children arrived from Guelph Ontario. And of course there's the vegies - plentiful and fresh!  This is the first week that fennel has gone in the weekly CSA (customer) bags along with garlic, tomatoes, cukes, zucchini, and much much more! Mike is just filling some bags of mixed greens for inclusion in the packages. ...