Manifest: Our Life in Maine

We went for a visit in Maine this weekend. In search of where we would like to end up. It was supposed to be for 3 days and 2 nights, but we ended up coming home a day yearly because the weather just wasn't cooperating for camping with 2 dogs, one of which isn't that great in thunderstorms. Not to mention that it POURED, it poured buckets! And the lightening was blinding with loud thunder directly above us. ALL. NIGHT. LONG. There was no pause, there was no break, I really believe the storm was just circling around above our tent. And even though where we were camped had bunk houses we could have theoretically retreated to, there was no pause in the rain to make leaving the tent worth beans. So We only spent one night in Richmond.

We decided to take a trip to Damariscotta and then back down to Phippsburg (thanks Julie!) and were considering continuing to explore Harpswell, But after Phippsburg we were fried and decided to head home.

It was INSANE.

Stop and go traffic pretty much the whole way! UGH!!! What should have taken up 2 or 2.5 hours took 4! So we had been driving non-stop for over 9 hours that day! And the dogs went along for the ride like champs, thank goodness. But oh boy, if I don't go in the car for a while I wouldn't be sad... We were also hoping to check out Camden, Richmond and Bowdoin/Bowndoinham, as well as possibly visit a few friends, but that will have to be another trip (or few). I am so determined to manifest the life we want I have started creating a vision board at home and one of sorts on Pinterest. Do you do that? Create a collage of photos to help achieve a goal? I am so visual, I think it helps!

Now we are home and are a bit more renewed, both in sleep and in our determination to manifest our new lives in Maine. I already miss it (not the rain, at least for camping) and I am already eagerly anticipating another adventure up that way. I am not sure when we will go up next for home searching, but I do know we plan on attending the Common Ground fair! I have been wanting to go for years, but have never been able to. Have you ever been? Are you going this year? I have heard wonderful things and am so excited!!!

What did you do over this holiday weekend???

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The Last Stops

The last few towns we were in before I left for home:

Tecino (Lugano), Prattln and Zurich.

There aren't many pictures to truly represent the last few stops before I left Switzerland, those may have to wait a bit for Katrin to get home (I put most of my photos on her computer to save room on my camera) or for me to upload and edit the ones on my "real" camera.

In the meantime, a photo of me with one of the largest rosemary plants I have ever seen, along with a sunset behind the mountains in Tecino. Kat playing in the tapas bar, Corazon, in Zurich and then my view from the airplane window heading home.

No pictures from Prattln. I never thought I could say this, but I think it must have been the bum-hole of Switzerland, it was all industrial and not pretty at all. Honestly, we couldn't wait to get up the next morning and leave for Zurich (which is a wonderful city, I must say. And this is coming from someone who isn't a city person!).

So now I am home, trying to teach myself German and get back into the swing of things.

It is definitely an adjustment, after being gone for almost 2 weeks, I had just started to settle into the routine there, as well as feel a little calmer about the language barrier.

Today I will be trying to catch up on some things for business, as well as try to clean up the house a little bit. You know, super fun stuff...

How have the last few weeks been for you?

The view...

...from where we are staying in Tecino.

Driving through the mountains

We literally drove through the Swiss Alps yesterday. These mountains are so grandeous! We were on our way to Lugano and Tesseret which is in Tecino, the Italian speaking part of Switzerland (which is where we are now). We are just a stones throw from the border of Italy!

From Frick to Nyon and on throught the Swiss Alps

Last night Katrin played in a 2000 year old roman cave in Nyon which is French speaking Switzerland. Kinda cool..

Now we are driving (literally) through the mountains to Lugano, in Tecino which is the Italian speaking part if Switzerland.

Zug, Switzerland

We spent last night in Zug (sounding like tzoog)... What a beautiful view! They have a wonderful place to walk around, view the lake and some of the Swiss Alps. They also have an outdoor aviary with all sorts of parrots and exotic bird and they have reindeer (that originate from china)!
Now we are in Frick, but more on that another day.

XO

Plottes, France...

A little sneak peek at where we have been in France.

Traveling in the French countryside

A glimpse of our travel through the back roads in France on route to La Pont De Cotte in Lournarnd and the stage where Katrin performed.

Did I mention...

I am leaving for Switzerland the day after tomorrow?!?
WHOA!!!

First stop, Luzern.

I have been blessed with some amazing friends,

without which I would not be traveling so far!

I will be accompanying my good friend, Katrin, on her European music tour.

I will be there for almost 2 weeks (how excited am I?!?).

We will be traveling around, having a blast...

I can't wait!

My hopes for this trip, aside from supporting and traveling with my talented friend, are to absorb as much around me as possible and bring back new ideas and inspirations.

Of all the packing I (still) need to do, I have my pens, paper, paints, markets and knitting ready to go...

Ha! We can all see now where my priorities lie.

I have been struggling with what to pack, clothing-wise, as well as what footwear to bring.

I am a notorious over-packer and am trying desperately to keep it to a minimum!

This is going to be tough!

Well, I better get back to it.
I already can't wait to share photos from the trip with all of you!

we are heading home and look what we saw! veda would be so jealous of this little pup riding in the backpack on the motorcycle! and check out those shades!