Still Driving

Well friends, we're still on the road. Vast farmlands stretch on and on. Beautiful even in the rest of mid winter. Fields silent, sun glistening off wisps of snow between the rows. We have passed the most diverse collection of silos and grain storage you can think of. Here is a single complex that seems to be made up of 40-50 silos. Maybe for rail shipment? Fascinating.

We need to get off in Columbus and get the new stall mat. Columbus seems to be a nice city as we approach.

They seem to have been able to keep a nice blend of old and new structures.

Yea!! The farmers toy store. Lets go in and get a buggy cause you never what you might find that you just NEED. Like coveralls for Ted and John Deere socks for us and a flashlight for the truck ..and.. oh yes, a stall mat.

Back in the parking lot it is quickly installed onto the bed of the truck. A cozy and comfy spot for three sheep if I ever saw one.

Some things simply do not exist in northern New England. White Castle is one of them. These little burgers are Kelly's favorite. Actually Crystals are but you just substitute mustard for the ketchup and there you have it. We found a White Castle receipt in the buggy at TSC and Kelly was oooh ooooh, so nothing could go on till we went there for lunch.


On the way we passed a Popeyes, my personal favorite from the south. And also not in northern New England.

Soooo, we feasted in the truck and now we are happy travelers.

Simple Pleasures for Simple Minds

Farmland and highway, stretching flat in all directions as far as you can see. Mile after miles rolls on. We have noticed the woods here are mostly deciduous trees and not many evergreens. What a big change from the forests of Maine.

The highways are in great condition and the bright weather continues to hold. Altogether a pleasant trip so far.

Until next time this is the Mobile Mainely Ewes Farm, keeping you in our prayers and thoughts.

Alex and Kelly

On the Road Again...La La, La

Woo Hoo... Its amazing how much better you feel after a shower and a good nights sleep. And a really good FREE breakfast. And coffee..blessed coffee. We are up, awake and on the road.

After spending about 36 hours awake Kelly is in a Much better mood, even awake and functional. So she gets to drive and I get to take some pics and blog. Hi all!!Woke to cold but just a dusting of snow. The skies are overcast but, come on now, its winter.

We fill up the tank and after a few minor arguments with the GPS lady in the box, we are back on the interstate. As we drive along it is gratifying to see still functioning mills and signs of American industry.These are loaded coal barges on the Monongahela River. Sadly we have passed several closed sites with buildings for sale.

We cross into West Virginia as a skirting maneuver to get to Ohio without having to go into Pittsburgh though it would have been nice to see the city. Maybe on the way back. It would also have been nice to take a little detour to Kentucky to stop and see Tonya Fedders and new baby Wyatt. Hopefully on another trip. We're waving Tonya..see us?

Mere moments later we are in Ohio. A quick check on the ole puter and we have located a Tractor Supply Company store in Columbus where we will pick up stall mats so the sheep don't slip in the back of the truck. Plus it will provide a layer of insulation for them. We want them comfy.

So the blacktop rolls beneath us and we think about the farm at home, inundated with snow.It is under Ted's care and doing great. We miss you all. We will be on later with more pics and news. Much love and prayers from Mobile Mainely Ewes Farm.

Alex and Kelly

Arrival and Rest For Tonight

Time: 4:30pm

Hallelujah the good weather got even better. The roads were clear and dry were traveling speed limit or maybe jut a little over.

The skies were clear and thank goodness New Jersey still has farmland.

This Pennsylvania was a welcome sign for us. We knew that it wouldn't be too long till a nice bed would await.

This is our last photo for the night. I think you get the gist.

We arrived at New Stanton, PA just southeast of Pittsburgh. The room is warm and cozy, the bed very comfortable and oh yes, the water was hot. Phone call to home finds everyone safe and cozy. The storm is still raging but they have electricity, wood and propane. Life is good on the farm. Ted is taking great care of everyone while we are gone. He sounded tired. He has been snowplowing along with the regular chores. We will continue our adventure tomorrow morning so we are calling it a night here. Thank you for your comments and prayers. We are excited and having a great time. We have never been called Thelma and Louise but I have heard Lucy and Ethyl a few times in the 15 years that we have been best friends. Yes, we have had many adventures and loads of fun. You have to have something to reminisce about when you are old and need those memories. Much Love and Prayers from the Mobile Mainely Ewes Farm, it's a tired farm tonight.
Kelly and Alex

Road Trip Continued

Time 10:30am
Wow, we are already in Massachusetts. The reason that it didn't take too long, is that I-95 in New Hampshire is only approximately 18miles long. The funny part is, there are 3 state run liquor stores, 2 with their own exits right on the highway. Keep in mind that Maine really doesn't like you to buy at these stores and transport across state lines because they don't get their tax money. I think New Hampshire does it for spite and they are alot cheaper. The weather is still a mess. More wet snow here.

They still want to drive 80 mph in this weather. Things haven't changed since we worked in Salem before moving north.

This is the view from my perspective. See, Alex refuses to let me drive. I have been awake since 4pm yesterday. This is another reason that I need to get off of days. I don't sleep well. Alex went back to sleep last night and she is a good driver.

Roads are more wet with drizzle in Worcester, MA. (pronounced Woostah) I love it. They hid all of their R's. How in the world do children in MA learn to spell?

Worcester has some amazing mills. Many were built around the time of the Civil War and enlarged with the use of immigrant and child labor. Children at the age of 5-6 years old worked 12 hour days and frequently died from accidents, Tuberculosis and poor care. Child labor laws are an outcome from these times and later in our history. I love that many of these immigrant families stayed in the area and there is a diverse cultural and ethnic population.
Holy Cross College is a Jesuit College with fine academics and by the size of the football field, great sports.

Time to breakaway from I 290 and enter the Mass Turnpike System. This is sorta like the Twilight Zone.

See the little Pilgrim Hat.

Somehow I missed Connecticut sign but we made it! What a cool tunnel. Very Art Nuveau, very Connecticut.

We don't have this detail on our bridges today.

Finally, New York and the roads are looking wonderful. Hey, they don't have any snow to speak of. There is even green grass on the roadside. I have got to get out of Maine more often when I am in awe of grass in January.

The good ole' Tappen Zee Bridge. Tappen was the name of a Native American Indian Tribe that lived in the Hudson Valley. We will be able to skirt NYC and the Jersey Turnpike. That would have taken an extra 3 hours at least.

Just over the Hudson River and we are in New Jersey.

What is that? No, it can't be. It is the sun. Now I know where it has been hiding out. New Jersey!

Okay, time to get off the highway and gas up and have an early dinner. No, what is this? Are we in Maine? Is this the Glenburn Girls, Hudson Girls or Bradford Girls? No this the the Parsippany New Jersey Girls. For a minute there I thought I was home. We have to stop and let turkeys cross the road all the time. I guess there is still a bit of wild left in Jersey after all. Warms the cockles of my heart and brings a tear to my eyes.

Stay safe ladies. Come on up sometime and see us. Do you think we could catch these girls, put them in the back with the sheep and head to Maine?

Now it is time for us to grab a bite to eat and get back on the road. If you ever get the chance to stop at a Fuddruckers treat yourself. They have the best burgers and onion rings around.

Back on the road and heading for New Stanton, Pennsylvania which is just outside of Pittsburgh. We will stay there tonight and leave bright and early in the morning after a good night sleep. Much Love and Prayers from your Mobile Mainely Ewes Farm.

Kelly and Alex

Woo Hoo We Made It To New Hampshire!

Time: 9:46 am
We headed south on 95 and found that it was one lane traveling. The snow is light and dry initially but became more wet and mushy when we went through Portland, Maine.

We are loaded with rivers, lake and streams in Maine. This is the Kennebec River. It is beautiful even at 60 mph. Yes, the signs said 45mph, but roads were relatively good.

The plow trucks had been out all night and were still on the move.

The trees are covered with snow, Birch's are bent with the weight. The Cobbosseecontee Stream feeds into Cobbosseecontee Lake. The biggest lake in Maine. Say that three times fast. Go ahead, I'll wait.....

More snow, more road.....

The Maine Turnpike like many in the US have tolls. Thank goodness for Easy Pass..

Pretty even through a dirty window.

We made it as far as Kennebec but had to make a stop. Coffee in, coffee out. Alex was making a run for it. It is good to be the one with the camera. Don't feel sorry for her. She will pay me back later in the trip.

We finally cross the Piscataqua River into New Hampshire. This bridge is high even in summer. I would have taken pictures of Portsmouth, NH but the fog was thick. Portsmouth is a very beautiful New England city. It has done a very good job of mixing the old with new.

Time for a fill up and a quick biscuit with sweet tea from McD's then onward to Massachusetts. Much Love and Prayers from your Mobile Mainely Ewes Farm.

Kelly and Alex

Really Smart and Really Brave or Just Plain Stupid

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We have been planning a trip to Red Brick Road Farm in Dixon, Illinois for about 6 months now. We were reading Terri Carlson's blog and fell madly in love with a handsome ram by the name of Echo. It didn't seem that far. The more we looked into it, the farther away it got. It seemed like a great idea in August. We planned to pick up 2 bred ewes, Emily, Cierra, and Echo
Jan 2, 2010. It sounded like a perfectly good time to drive west of Chicago from northern Maine. Well, I hurt my back last week pulling on patients and was in bed for 4 days. Then, this giant snow storm came up the coast to eat Maine. We had decided to reschedule for a later date. With work and weather it seemed like an impossibility. After waking up Friday around 4pm and watching the Weather Channel we saw a break coming to Illinois and the possibility of leaving Maine very early and making this happen. After a quick call to Terri, who probably at this time thinks we are insane, we decided to take a more southern route through Pennsylvania. We may only make it as far a New Hampshire but we are going to give it a try. Up early this morning, loaded the truck, a fresh bale of hay to layer truckbed with and a muck bucket for water. We are ready to hit the road. It is snowing lightly as we leave. Here is Alex and I with a self portrait.
We are taking 95 South with reduced speeds on the Maine Turnpike and one clear travel lane. So far the roads are pretty good. However, we are only 25 miles from home.

We are equipped with Verizon MyFi for the trip and plan to blogg our way there. We could use a few serious prayers and feel free to comment. Please keep in nice. I don't like being called stupid. It is not a word we use in our house. Hairbrained, idiotic, just plain dumb are acceptable. We are armed with coffee and high spirits. Much Love and Prayers from Mobile Mainely Ewes Farm.

Kelly and Alex

Happy New Year, Night Views Of Mainely Ewes Farm

Last night was beautiful, peaceful and very frigid. It was also a Blue Moon. A Blue Moon is the second full moon in a month. It is so bright out, that you can read a book without any artificial light. This is our big Blue Spruce. It was planted by the previous owner in recognition of his wife's passing. We honor her each Christmas by decorating and lighting her boughs for all to see.

This was taken at midnight. The temperature was a nice balmy 5 degrees. My fingers were beginning to hurt. I was there. I knew I was heading inside very soon.

The animals were all asleep and cozy in their stalls. Not a baa nor cluck was heard. Even the guineas were quiet. That is amazing in itself. I guess that happens once in a blue moon. wishing We are expecting a big snow storm this weekend so we are putting off our trip to Red Brick Road Farm. It is disappointing but necessary. No one wants a sheep pop. Wishing each and every one a Happy New Year! Much love and prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Kelly