Saturday... 661 miles later....

Of course I took some "last minute" pictures before we left the Refuge...  but then, Bill worked almost until the last minute before we left, and I just have to show off his last project.

In his "spare" time... that's when he wasn't working on the new road....  he organized, arranged, and in some cases, built stuff for the woodshop.  My favorite is the vertical "shelf"....  that panel rolls out from underneath the workbench...  on one side hangs all the drills.  The other side is what he was working on just before we left.  He took a leftover piece of sign board and drilled holes part-way through to hold screwdriver bits.  Now each has a place and can be easily found.  Even after having to buy the conduit for the vacuum system, the cost to organize the whole shop was minimal.  

Another project that is nearly complete is a bridge on Beaver Pond Trail...

This wasn't one of Bill's projects, but since there is only 1 full-time employee here, he did get involved in it occasionally.  That's Wayne Selfridge, a local volunteer, who had just finished putting the metal strips along the side and down the middle.  Kirk and Wayne will finish this project soon...  making it easier to drive a Gator or mower up onto the bridge.

Of course I had to visit the photo blind one last time.  

The wind was really blowing and the water on the lake was rough...  

But I saw the Merlin....  he was in his favorite tree...  

Just down the road from the Refuge the workers were picking broccoli..

Aroostook County is known for growing potatoes.  But the crops are rotated each year between potatoes, broccoli and a grain (usually oats).  This year the fields close to us were planted in broccoli. 

 We'd said our goodbyes to Kirk on Sunday before he left for a week-long assignment at another area.  We headed down to Bangor making our first day on the road a short one.  As usual, we stayed at the Walmart near the Bangor Mall.   And, as usual, we hit the sack early.  We had barely gotten to sleep when we heard a vehicle outside in the parking lot...  real close...  and then a voice   "Bill...."   To our surprise... and delight...  Kirk had driven up from his job for a last visit.  Jason, another refuge worker, was with him.  We quickly got dressed and invited them in...  sat around for about an hour talking.  We've known Jason for years, so it was good seeing him again.  What a send-off!

The next day we headed down to Scarborough and Freeport.   LL Bean and Cabela's...  our two favorite stores.  We stayed the night at Cabela's....  and were on the road by 6am yesterday.

On through New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.  

We took an hour or so break in Danbury...  shopped at the Trader Joe's there...  had lunch, and just relaxed for a while.  Then on to New York...

Across the Hudson River...  then turn right and drive a few miles north to our daughter's house.  And...

Evie, our great-granddaughter.

I haven't taken any photos yet, so am showing you this one that was taken last week at the Duchess County Fair.  She'll be 4 years old in a few weeks.

We'll be here through Labor Day and already have plans for things to do.  So we're off to a great start on our latest adventure.

That's All For Today!