Gary and LaVerne came to Connecticut for a New England visit. It was all part of their trip to the "Northlands" which included spending time in Illinois and Wisconsin before arriving in Guilford.
Larry took a few vacation days while they were here. On the first day we went to Newport, Rhode Island to the mansions. The Breakers is the biggest and quite impressive!
It is so hard to comprehend that this mansion was the summer "cottages" of The Cornelius Vanderbilt II family. A summer day began with tennis in the morning at the casino, or a swim at the beach. After a luncheon party there was yachting, polo, or a few rounds of golf.
Cornelius Vanderbilt II had a reputation for gentleness, and fairness. He met his wife Alice Claypoole Gwynne when they were both teaching Sunday School at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York. Together they had seven children.
LaVerne in the gardens.
LaVerne, Gary and Larry. 
All of us!
Me and LaVerne
The view from our table at The Moorings.
Beautiful. . .very New Englandy!
Then we had a great day in a little town called Essex.
We rode on a steam train and riverboat all along the Connecticut River Valley. The colors were just barely starting to turn. . .very pretty.
We took the train to the Deep River Landing and there we got on the Becky Thatcher Riverboat.
While on the boat we had time to look at some menues and decide on lunch. This was always a big decision. . .Gary always said, "Pick a nice place!" So we did. We always made sure that they had a good dessert menu, too.
This is the Gillette Castle and it was completed in 1919. William Gillette (1853-1937) was a stage and screen "superstar" who created the role of master dectective Sherlock Holmes.
The castle building is 200 feet above the river and is made of local granite fieldstone covering steel beams. It was designed by Gillette himself.
Sight seen out of the train windows.
Mr. Conductor with LaVerne.
What a view and what a perfect day!
This is the Hyland House in Guilford, built in 1690.
We visited the Hyland House while Gary and LaVerne were here because they were having a Hearth Cooking demonstration. It was really neat. . .we could have stayed there all day. The prepare a number of typical dishes that would have been served in the colonial times. New England Clam Chowder, cornbread, wheatcakes, and roasted chicken just to name a few. It was delicious and all prepared on an open hearth.
The sink was all of stone and was angled for the water to run outside when the washing was done.
The kids all got to take turns helping with the preparations. Many of these jobs were a childs job in the colonial times.
One of the dangers of hearth cooking was that the long skirts of the women often caught fire. I guess that our life in the kitchen is quite a bit easier now.
Then it was off to Connor's baseball game followed by lunch at The Wharf right on the water in Madison, CT.
Christen and Connor enjoyed doing madlibs with grandma and grandpa. I am not sure how much they enjoyed that activity. :)
While we were waiting for our meals grandma showed Christen how to write her name upside-down and backwards. I never knew how talented grandma was!
Another great game Mets! Tied 8 to 8. . .close one!
The view across the street from the baseball field. . .the Long Island Sound.
We do live in an amazing place. . .that is for sure! 
