Happy Friday friends! I hope that your week is going well! Today I am excited to share with y'all about a beautiful drive and adventure on Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National park that my mom and I did while on our cruise with Holland America.
We arrived in Bar Harbor early in the morning and were excited to set out on our shore excursion that we had booked for early in the morning and then spend the rest of the day exploring the cute town of Bar Harbor. I will be sharing more about this popular coastal resort town early next week, but suffice it to say that everything you hear about it being a delightful blend of coastal charm and quiet community is exactly correct. It was lovely and I definitely recommend spending time there! But in the meantime... Cadillac Mountain. *smiles*
Cadillac Mountain is within the municiality of Bar Harbor and is easily accessible from the town.
Cadillac Mountain, located in the beautful Maine Acadia National Park is the highest mountain and point along the North Atlantic seaboard. Interestingly, from October 7th through March 6th it is the first place to view a sunrise in the United States.
When we first met up with our tour guides (we took a small bus tour which had about 12 people in it) I was concerned that we wouldn't be able to see much due to the fog. We still went because even with not great weather you can see so much, but I was concerned it might not be as great as we had hoped. Thankfully I was completely wrong because the weather cleared and awarded us sweetly stunning views of our surrounding areas!
Our views were so lovely and we were so excited to be able to see and explore all that we could at the top. To get to the top we used the scenic Summit Road which opened in 1931. It is about 3.5 miles long and as you drive up it you see beautiful views along the north side. If you wanted to you could spend the time to pull off at several of the small observation points along the way.
One of the things that I so appreciate about this is that this helps to make the mountain accessible for everyone. I love hiking (as y'all know and can read about HERE!), but I also value the opportunity for everyone to be able to visit and see things that they might not be able to do if there was not this offered. After being sick for so many years, I love encouraging people to find spots and places where they can still have lovely adventures outdoors while traveling with a chronic illness.
When you get to the top you will see that there are so many different places to see and explore, but definitely spend the time to look out over both the east and the west.
Just a note that there is a short trail that is wheelchair accessibel for views of the Porcupine Islands and the Frenchman Bay. You can see a bit of the trail in the right picture in the set of pictures above.
Can you see our cruise ship? From the distance it almost looks like another island!
If you look out to the East you will see the Porcupine Islands and if you look to the Northeast you can see the business district of Bar Harbor. If you look to the West you can see Eagle Lake and Blue Hill Mountain. I loved having the opportunity to explore a bit and get off the "beaten trail" on our stop at the top. You can see a video of my exploring in the wind and a bit of rain on my IG stories HERE!
Interestingly back in the late 1800s there used to be a hotel on the summit of the mountain. It was called the Green Mountain House Hotel because Cadillac Mountain used to be called Green Mountain.
Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read today! Please let me know if you have any questions about Cadillac Mountain or our cruise with Holland America! It was simply lovely! You can read about all of our adventures on our cruise with Holland America by clicking HERE!
Happy Friday friends!
Happy Thursday friends! I hope that your week is going well! Today I am excited to share with y'all a little bit about our excursion in Halifax and Peggy's Cove while on our cruise with Holland America. We arrived in Halifax on the day after we spent time in the Port of Sydney (you can read about it HERE) and our time in Baddeck (which you can read about HERE)! We were so excited for this adventure and this excursion because my mom really wanted to see Peggy's Cove and Peggy's Cove lighthouse.
If you have been around the blog for a while you may remember that I visited Peggy's Cove and Peggy's Cove Lighthouse in 2017 while on a road trip through New England, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia (you can read more about it HERE!). After talking so much about this area to my mom over the years, it was incredibly special to be back. My mom was so excited about this part of our cruise stop so this made everything even more special!
When I visited Peggy's Cove in 2017 I visited in the beginning of October and it was a beautiful blue and sunny day and I was wondering what it would look like to visit with the gray skies. Y'all it was so pretty and stunning and I was so glad that my mom got to see it like this. I felt in some ways it added a beauty that was really unique because of the gray skies. Doesn't it look how you imagine lighthouses to look against the ocean in many ways? *smiles*
One note that I will say for those that are curious is that the time of year we visited on the cruise (the second week of August) was a lot more crowded than our time visiting in October. I share that only to say that New England/Canada cruises are still happening in later months on Holland America so if this is something that is a consideration for you check out a later cruise.
Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read today! Please let me know if you have any questions about Peggy's Cover or Peggy's Cove Lighthouse or our cruise with Holland America! It was simply lovely! You can read about all of our adventures on our cruise with Holland America by clicking HERE! Happy Thursday friends!
Why do you travel? Is it because you want to experience new cultures? Do you want to meet new people? Do you want to see amazing things that have been around for thousands of years? Do you want to experience the mysteries that make us all human? One of the most frequent reasons for traveling, is the yearning to understand different nations. There are 195 different countries in the world. They all have their own cuisines, dialects, governments, histories, cultures, music and traditions to name a few. Learning all of these things is what makes traveling so fun. But how can you accurately understand a foreign nation while traveling? Since you don’t have all the time in the world, consider only doing these things.
Understand their politics
When you arrive in a foreign nation, you should try to head over to where their government conducts business. Usually, the houses and or buildings of the government will be in the capital city. This is both good and challenging. Since there are plenty of transportation options to the capital, you also need to fight through waves of tourists to get to see it. However, you should take a guided tour of the government buildings and understand how everything operates. For the United States, when you head to Congress you will realize how the President doesn’t have as much power as you may have thought. He or she has bound both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The experience will show you the legal history that the nation was built on and thus, what the values and customs are of the particular nation you’re visiting.
The main challenges
Every nation has its own challenges that are unique to its civilization. However, some of the poorer nations all seem to share the same problem of hunger, poverty, and disease. If you would like to understand the mood and mentality of the nation then work with a company like https://www.tprf.org/prem-rawat/. They have an Emergency Relief program that you can volunteer for. Basic things that we take for granted like eye care, vaccines, clean drinking water, and chronic disorders are things that this program provides for poor nations like India. It's also based in 40 countries so check with the organization to see if any of the nations on your travel list are featured in their outreach program.
Tasting the nation
If there’s one thing you must do while abroad, it's going to a food festival. You’ll get the best sense of what the country loves most. There will be traditional food as well as plenty of contemporary iterations of various recipes. Food is often the best way to scope a nation and see what it's all about. The herby sauce, meat, and cheese of Italy are strikingly Mediterranean, and just what your taste buds need in the hot sunny climate. The amazing fish of the Japanese cuisine is light and salty, just what you would need for a rainy, sunny Pacific climate.
Traveling around the world should involve self-education. The best thing you can do to make your trips more memorable is to learn about the politics of the nation you’re visiting.
*contributed post*
Happy Wednesday friends! As I shared several months, I am excited to re-share some of the most popular devotional posts that I wrote in 2017-2018 (if you would like to see the complete list you can find it HERE!) and am excited to share this one this week! I hope that this continues to be a beautiful blessing even several years later!
One of my favorite moments in the 1st episode of Season 2, is when Molly Sullivan states, "We've been through hard times before and we will weather them again". This small but simple statement by Molly reminds each of us that there is a beautiful hope that is found in history.
I have been told countless times in life "not to look back" or "not to live in the past". There is a wisdom found in these words (especially when dealing with the topic of total forgiveness) but Molly's words remind us that there is a special hope that can only be found in history.
Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit my workplace where I taught for several years. Some of my former students had written me the most precious letters and sent them to me and I was grateful to have a little bit of time to try to thank them in person for their kindness. As it happened they were all together in one classroom for their 12th grade girls Bible class (one of my favorite classes that I used to teach) at the same time I used to teach it, and in the exact same room that I used to teach it in.
As I walked into the classroom (pictured above from my teaching days) that held thousands and thousands of moments for me, my mind raced with personal memories of all that God had done in that small school room.
I remembered with gratitude the way that the Lord had answered thousands of prayers of mine and my students.
The way that the Lord faithfully kept His promise to carry me each and every day (Psalm 68:19).
The laughter and the tears that occurred in this room as we lived life together.
The amazing times along with the painful times.
The truth was that I entered room 211 in 2009 as a brokenhearted young woman who was still reeling from a broken engagement and left as a woman who had not only healed, but one who had seen the faithfulness of God as He provided time and time again.
The timing of going back was not a coincidence. As I walked into room 211 in 2014 my health was in a very precarious state and I truly didn't know what the future would hold. Going back and having the rush of memories and gentle reminders of all that God had done spoke to my heart and gave me a courage and a hope that couldn't have been found anywhere else.
In the summer of 2010 as I was praying for the upcoming year, I came across a precious verse from the book of Psalms. It said:
"Those who are wise will take heart, they will see in History the faithful love of the Lord."
To be honest as I cut out the colorful letters to place on my wall above the white board and VisionBoard I thought that the Lord was giving me the verse for my students. I shake my head now realizing how prideful that was. Because while the verse may have been used in some students lives, it was a verse that I saw and pondered every single day for two years. It was right about the front of the room and everyday I saw it as I walked the room and taught. I saw it as I sat at my desk to grade papers in the early evening hours, and in the early morning AP review sessions the sunlight would hit the letters and seemed to highlight those words. Every single time I was in that room I was confronted with this truth.
As a former History teacher I can see the hand of God throughout the years and decades and centuries that I taught. I could see that the faithful love of the Lord was not bound by race or culture, state or country, man or woman. And as a woman who walked back into room 211 in 2014 during an incredibly fragile and scary time in my life I was gently reminded anew and could take heart that as I look beyond the history of the world and countries and look back to my own little history I can clearly see the faithful love of the Lord.
I have to believe that if Molly Sullivan was a "real" person she would stand testify similar things. She would have her own set of pictures running through her head of all that had happened. When we first met Molly in season 1, we saw the power of love restoring Rosaleen's (her daughter) lost voice. Since that episode in season 1 to this first episode in season 2, Molly's words show simply and profoundly that she had come to find the beautiful hope that is found in history.
Sweet friends, if you are facing a difficult time or extreme discouragement, I pray that this concept of looking back in History brings you beautiful hope. There is a beautiful hope that can only be found in History... the beautiful hope of knowing that God who has helped us through hard times before will gently and mercifully meet us again in the dark days we are facing. Because of this we find courage and love and most of all the unique hope that only comes in history.
"Those who are wise will take heart, they will see in History the faithful love of the Lord."
-the book of Psalms-
-the book of Psalms-
*originally published on Caravan Sonnet in June 2017*
Looking for past From Hope Valley Devotionals? You can click HERE to find a complete listing of all of the devotionals!
I receive several emails a week asking where you can watch older episodes of "When Calls the Heart". If you have a Netflix account you can find seasons 1-3 there or you can purchase them on Amazon. You can purchase and watch all of the seasons and episodes by clicking on the links below:
*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.*
Happy Tuesday friends! I hope that you have had a wonderful weekend and are excited for this week ahead! Today I am excited to share with y'all a little bit about our drive to Baddeck, Nova Scotia while on our cruise with Holland America. After exploring the Port of Sydney (you can read about it HERE) we took our tour with Holland America for a drive to Baddeck.
Baddeck is a village that is located in the Victoria County of Nova Scotia. For those that may remember me talking about about our drive through Nova Scotia that I did a couple of years ago this is much farther north than we were at. Baddeck is situated on the northern shore of Bras d'Or Lake on Cape Breton Island. The drive over to Braddeck was absolutely beautiful.
Before this trip I didn't know much about Baddeck specifically but had always wanted to visit Cape Breton area of Nova Scotia and the beautiful Cabot trail. I was so excited that this would be a stop on our cruise with Holland America. Due to the time of year that we were traveling there was not the option of a tour on the Cabot trail, but this is an offering at some points during the year for those that might be interested.
Our drive over was so beautiful and our tour guide and bus driver stopped a few times which was very sweet of them to do.
I have to admit that my favorite part of our tour was the drive over and our time driving back. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy Baddeck, but I was expecting a charming lake/ocean town and really didn't find that there. We tried going into a couple of different stores and shops, and ended up sitting at a coffee/bakery shop with another person from the cruise and talking for about an hour of our time. It was nice, but just a lot different than what we had expected from the description of our tour.
Baddeck is most known for being the home to Alexander Graham Bell and the Alexander Graham Bell National Museum. His home (located in the picture above across from the town) you can see from a distance, but you are not able to visit or tour. I think that if you are very interested in seeing the home from a distance or touring the museum than you will really enjoy this tour but if you aren't then you may want to chose a different tour excursion option for the cruise.
Additionally if you are with someone who struggles with a chronic health issue or pain Baddeck is a bit difficult to navigate due to where the bus needs to park and the steep hills in Baddeck. I was thinking of this when I wandered down to the library in Baddeck (and found several books, of course *smiles*) and was hiking the hill back. A couple of years ago when I was fighting for my health I would not have done well on this excursion.
Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read today! Please let me know if you have any questions about Baddeck or our cruise with Holland America! It was simply lovely! You can read about all of our adventures on our cruise with Holland America by clicking HERE!
We hear a lot about self-care nowadays. It’s a trend that people have jumped upon. As with most trends, when so many people are talking about it, and offering up advice, it can start to seem more complex than it actually is. Self-care can seem almost impossible there’s so much to it. Trying to fit self-care into your day can be more stressful than not bothering at all.
But, it doesn’t have to be like this. Self-care is just a new fancy new way of saying looking after yourself. It’s a new name for making time for yourself, to do things that benefit your health, well-being and happiness. There are no rules or regulations when it comes to self-care, and it means something entirely different for everyone. It’s certainly not something that should stress you out.
Self-care should make your life better, easier, more enjoyable and healthier. Practicing self-care should be something that you enjoy, that makes you feel great and gives your confidence a much-needed boost. But, which self-care practices are worth it? Which things should you be bothering to make time for in your busy schedule?
Why Is Self-Care So Important?
Well, that busy schedule is precisely why self-care is so important. We’re all busy. We work hard. We look after our families and try to keep our homes tidy. One in three of us has a side hustle outside of work, and more of us than ever before are trying to start our own businesses. We read so much about all of the things that we should be doing to take care of ourselves, often conflicting advice, and we try to do it all. We’re exercising, trying every new diet trend going and trying to be the best that we can be at absolutely everything that we put our mind to.
Worse still, we never stop. We carry work around with us on our phones, we’re always easy to reach if our friends and family need us, and we check our phones approximately 80 times a day on average. You might find that you never really take a day off work and that you are always checking in. Even if you can avoid work, you might spend a large portion of your time on social media, comparing your life to other peoples, wanting what you haven’t got and doubting your own self-worth.
Self-care is more important than ever because we’ve got so much going on. It can help you to stay fit and healthy, boost your mental health and confidence and improve your relationships. All by simply putting yourself first from time to time. Here are some of the self-care practices that you shouldn’t skip.
A Healthy Sleep Routine
Sleep isn’t self-care, is it? It's essential; it can’t possibly count. Well, sleep is something that we have to do, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t self-care. Make sleep part of your self-care routine, and you’ll give it more importance in your life. It won’t simply be something that you have to do to live.
Developing a healthy sleep routine and good habits can help you to sleep for longer, fall asleep faster when you go to bed and get better quality sleep when you are there.
Some good sleep habits include leaving your phone in another room, reading or meditating before bed, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, whether you need to or not. But, your precise routine will be individual to you and your lifestyle. Try things out to see what works.
Prioritize Rest
Sleep isn’t the only way to give your body the rest that it needs. We all need a break from time to time, and resting is a way to chill out, to clear your mind and to refresh.
Try to rest for a little every day, especially when you are busy. But, again, how you rest is personal to you. Do something that you find relaxing every day. This could be reading a book with a cup of tea in a quiet five minutes, watching some TV instead of doing the washing up, or meditating for five minutes before bed. It might be chatting on the phone with a friend, or going for a walk. It doesn’t even have to be the same thing every day.
A Good Skincare Regime
Taking care of your skin can stop you from suffering from dryness, spots and other skincare issues. But, it’s also a chance to do something for yourself. A little slice of daily pampering, that both softens and soothes your skin, and helps you to feel cared for. There are many sensitive skin causes, and so your routine might depend on your skin type and any specific issues that you face.
Try to get into good habits with your skincare. Take your makeup off, cleanse and moisturize every day, and then treat yourself occasionally, when it needs a little more TLC, or you are craving a small treat.
Exercise for Your Health and Well-Being
So many of us exercise with a goal in mind. You might push yourself harder if you are training for an event or trying to hit targets. Or, you might make more effort at the gym if you are trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, this often means that when we’ve hit our goals, we stop, or cut back massively.
Instead, exercise for your health and well-being. Exercise because it makes you feel good about yourself, boosts your confidence, helps you to sleep and improves your mental health. Exercise because it’s good for you, and because you like it.
Find something that you enjoy, maybe running, swimming, joining a team or class or even just walking, and try to make it part of your routine. Something that you look forward to and enjoy. Not something that you do because you feel as though you have to.
Spend Time Away from Your Phone
Does your phone rule your life? Your immediate answer might be no, but think about it carefully. Do you take it everywhere? Do you check it in the night? Do you check it during dinner or when you are doing something that you enjoy? Do you feel lost without it?
You certainly aren’t alone, and smartphone addiction is becoming a severe problem in modern society.
While phones are good and have many benefits, when it becomes an addiction, it can have a negative impact on your mental health. A full digital detox might be a good idea, but trying to spend just a little time every day without your phone, going for walks without it, and leaving it in another room while you sleep, can all reduce your dependence on your device.
Practice Continual Gratitude
Hopefully, you say thank you many times during an average day. But how often are you actually grateful? And how often do you think about those things that you are thankful for? Most of us just throw the words out because it’s polite and a habit that we have developed over time.
Practicing gratitude is a little different. It’s not about saying the words. It’s about spending time thinking about all of the things in your life, or from your day that you are grateful for. You might even want to write them down as a reminder for the future.
Practice Yoga Daily
Daily yoga has a massive range of health benefits. It can improve your posture and circulation. Over time it can strengthen your muscles, and it will ease any aches, pains and tension that you might have. Yoga can reduce stress, and it could even help you to balance your weight.
For the biggest gains, you need to practice yoga regularly, and really push your body. But, if you just want to sleep better, live more mindfully, ease aches and pains and boost your mental health, even 10 minutes every day, before bed or first thing in the morning could help. Check out some yoga routines on YouTube for ideas.
Start Saying No
So many of us are guilty of saying yes to everyone all of the time. We say yes to helping people out and taking more on at work. We say yes to every night out and social gathering because we don’t want to let anyone down.
Saying no might not sound like a big deal, but it is self-care. Saying no allows you to put yourself first, and means that you aren’t taking on more than you’ve got time for. This can reduce your stress, and help you to keep all of your plates spinning.
Spend More Time in Your Kitchen
Cooking is a fantastic way to practice self-care. When you cook, you genially eat better, as you’ve got greater control over what goes into your meals. When you cook, you are more likely to try different flavors, meals and ingredients, and have a better digestive system. And, of course, cooking is a great way to let your hair down and have some fun.
*contributed post*
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