contact information

While we wander around with no fixed address, we've hired a mail service to collect incoming mail, and send batches on to us - wherever we may be.

So for the next several months our official mailing address is

Anita & Fred Palsgrove

411 Walnut Street - # 7455

Green Cove Springs, Fl 32043

Anita: 207-677-3337

Fred: 207-592-5060

pemaquid373@gmail.com

We hope you'll stay in touch!

FINALLY - heading south

The dust is still settling  - and we're looking forward to some time to process the wild 60 days of September & October:

We listed the house for sale (after talking about it for several years).  Our trip to Northampton to celebrate the wedding of two wonderful young people was the perfect time to start showing the house.  Little did we suspect that the house would sell so quickly - that same weekend!

So on September 1st our house looked like this:



  

  but on October 20th it looked like this:

we sold what we could - donated what was left, and stashed a small amount of irreplaceable things (like rocks and rusty metal for some future assemblage art project, and, of course,  Fred's pottery) in the teeny tiny storage unit. Being "unfettered" means to leave nothing behind.  We got close.

So in a 60-day period we went from this:

to this :

.......... from a 1 cat household, to an 8 cat household (thanks to our rescue Siamese, Mishka, who came into our lives with a BIG secret)

Her babies arrived on September 3rd - on a camping trip.  These babies are destined to be good travelers.  We found homes for 5 babies in October (while we were finding homes for our furniture & personal belongings)  But one kitty stayed with us.  This is Sophie - truly born under a wandering star

 So after a brief visit in MA with friends, a brief visit in PA w/ Fred's family - and a brief visit in MD w/ my family, we are FINALLY headed to warmer climates to reflect on our new life choice as nomads -  

We look forward to planning our travels for the spring, toward sharing time in Florida with visiting friends & family, and we plan to be back in Maine for July, August and September -  but that's a long way off.  For now, we have no property responsibilities, no mortgage or obligations.  It's a strange feeling....  and our heads are still spinning.  But, we are finally Tumbleweeds.

Fiber College in Maine - and more family members arrive

The first week in September is a gathering of Fiber Artists in Searsport - about and hour and a half from our home.  The gathering takes place in our favorite campground, Searsport Shores, on Penobscot Bay.  This year they hosted the famous Gee's Bend quilters - and my friend,  Cheryl Lawson, posted a wonderful blog about these amazing women and their legacy

( you can see her Gee's Bend photos
and the backstory of Fiber College at

  http://22applegatelane.blogspot.com/

The sewing machines were humming - and the Ladies were harmonizing with soulful hymns - and the colors were eye-popping.  I hovered around the edges watching (since I'm not a serious quilter).  At lunchtime I returned to our campsite to discover Mishka was having her kittens!

6 beautiful kittens !

at 3-days old I could hold three in my palm.

a new family member

We lost our beautiful Sasha in early July, and by the end of the month (with the help of the internet) Fred had located a young rescued Siamese in need of a family.

Mishka & Ivan enjoying a truce on the porch

She was moved to the Portland area, from Northern Maine, and we fell in love at first sight.  This is Mishka -  and she settled right in.


We began to notice that she was picking up weight quickly - too quickly?  And within 2 weeks she looks like this

and then we got suspicious!  but she had a spay certificate from the Shelter!

so.... there is more news coming.

Where to start?

Fred discovered Pickleball - and plays as
often as he can - here in Maine, or on the road

River Walk San Antonio -  Museum Reach 

Everything is BIGGER in Texas

 I can't believe it's been a year since I've tended to this blog!  So much has happened - and we've traveled to so many places.

La Mercado, San Antonio

We spent 4 months in Texas - enjoying beautiful State Parks, the excitement of San Antonio - and we ate lots of Bar-B-Q Texas Style.

 We had a chance to spend time with friends in Houston (Bob & Patt Avery) and ate even more BarBQ - the best in Texas!   And we stayed long enough to be totally astounded by the arrival of Texas Wildflower Season (that went on for week after week).



AND THEN IT GOT HOT!!!  and we moved on.








We arrived back in Maine -  and started the maintenance work on our property that had been untended for 8 months!

playing BEANO with the Cousins at the Round Pond Schoolhouse

We also worked to prepare for the vacation visit from my Annapolis Cousins - Jeanne, Danny, their adult daughters, Amye (and David) and Joy -  along with 3 absolutely terrific grandkids, Ella, Jack & Sienna
We had such fun, ate way too many desserts, laughed as the kids built forts all over the place - and played the official Maine-version of Bingo:




We were thrilled to have a surprise visit from friends  in early August - and then in late August we headed to Northampton to celebrate the marriage of Miranda and Nicole - as the guests of dear friends Bruce & Barbara.  The food was amazing - the gathering was joyous - but the time shared was too short (as always)

and we have more news to share!    watch for more posts ---SOON

Giving Thanks

As the Thanksgiving Feast approaches we send our thoughts out to you all - wishing you wonderful gatherings with friends and family.

We'll be sharing our day with fellow travelers here in North Beach -

The potluck dinner will be complete with all the fixings - but a lot less work!

We may roast a turkey breast on the grill - 

or not;  haven't decided yet.

Be safe  -  be warm  - be joyful - be thankful.
love you all

Nights of Lights 2013

St. Augustine loves the Holidays - and they start the celebrations early.  The weekend before Thanksgiving is the official opening of the Christmas Season, and the celebration begins with the 20th annual Nights of Lights.... when the mayor flips the switch on thousands of tiny white lights.

We joined thousands of revelers at the Plaza de'Constitucion  to await the official count down.  A  swing band performed in the bandstand, families picnicked.

spotted an Ibis perched on the overhead lines watching the activities

 the Colonial Regiment marched with fife & drums, the mayor said the appropriate things... and then  .....

 ----  the lights flipped on.

Awesome!