A Getaway

I have found over the past several months of quarantine,
social distancing, and all of the life changes brought
about by Covid-19, that I am a homebody at heart.
Most days I relish not having to leave the farm...
staying home in my safe little happy haven.

However, after so many months of very limited socializing,
and cancelled travel plans,
we decided to leave the farm for the weekend and visit
our friends who have a home on the Chesapeake Bay.
If you have visited the farm for some time,
you may remember other trips to the Chesapeake that we have taken.



We left the farm on Friday afternoon and drove 3 hours south and east
to the northern most tip of the Chesapeake bay.
It was a wonderful getaway.

We rode our bikes 30 miles through northeast Maryland into Delaware
on Saturday,



stopping at a farm market to pick up fresh-picked corn
and delicious peach ice-cream after our ride.
I took advantage of their U-Pick flower garden
and cut an armful of this beautiful celosia.


On our arrival back at the house, we came upon 5 fawns playing
in the yard...


It amazes me how un-afraid they were of us.


For a before-dinner appetizer, we had fresh Maryland
blue crabs,



just caught off of our friends' dock.


We baked a couple loaves of multi-grain sourdough bread,




and I brought home some of the starter for future use
here at the farm.
Somehow, up to this point, I had not joined the scores of people
who turned to bread-baking during the pandemic.
(Always late to the party!)
I can hardly wait to bake more of this delicious bread!


Sunday we rode another 20 miles through Chestertown, MD,



and surrounding farm land...



ending, once again, at an ice-cream stand.

While visiting my friend's gardens, I happened to spy
a few unusual (for me) insects...
first, this wasp with the stunning blue wings:



Take a look at the two insects to the left and above the wasp...
what amazing color patterns...



And while we are on the subject of insects...
I was aghast when several of you informed me that Friday's
praying mantis were poised on our hummingbird feeders
with the intended purpose of eating said hummingbirds.
Outrageous!
(and sadly, true)

Before leaving to return home, we took a boat ride out
into the bay...








We packed an entire vacation's worth of fun into one weekend.
It was wonderful to finally see friends that we had not seen in such
a long time.
And it was great to get a change of scenery.

And when the weekend was over...
it was great to be back home again!!

Now to jump with both feet into the world of artisan bread-making!!
It seems like the perfect way to transition from summer
into autumn.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Looks like a wonderful time!
colleen said…
I'm happy for you that you got away and I enjoyed your mini vacation so much. Whoever would of thought such info about the praying mantis??!!
I was telling my husband that I needed to get back to bread making and now you confirmed my decision. I took a couple months off during the heat of the summer. I make oatmeal, white and artisan crusty bread. This coming weekend the high temps are only supposed to be in the 60's....perfect for bread making. xoxoxox
jaz@octoberfarm said…
what a fun weekend! did the praying mantis kill one of your hummingbirds? did you move it from the feeder?
You gave those bikes a good workout too!
Ann said…
Everything so lovely-- and yummy! Haven't had blue crabs in a long time-- such a treat! Great escape.
This N That said…
A perfect getaway for sure..with people you have fun with..Looks like a perfect weekend...Beautiful setting.
Our deer are pretty tame as well...I guess they feel safe.
My mouth is watering thinking of warm, home made bread just out of the oven..Yum..Have fun.
farm buddy said…
Beautiful insects! Glad you had a great time over the weekend!
Oh what a fun weekend you had. I am so glad you did that and shared some of the fun with us! Awesome!
Lynne said…
Beautiful setting . ..
Sounds and looks like great biking places . . .
Happy you enjoyed your friends and getaway!