Last day in Lunenburg

Tomorrow morning we catch a flight from Boston to Vancouver via Dallas, so we will not be posting a blog tomorrow.  Our last night's celebration tonight will be another meal of clam chowder and lobster, accompanied by some good wine, plus the best corn we have ever tasted (called "butter and sugar" - grown locally and in season).

Some information about the lake here (Hickory Hills Lake).  It is fed by underground springs, and was formed in 1957 by a landowner who dammed the flow so he could land his private plane on the water. It is the largest private lake in Massachusetts, is up to 20 ft deep, and covers 319 acres.  It attracts a very large range of wild life, including the flock of Canada Geese which woke us with extremely loud honking at 5 am this morning.  Many of the properties around the lake have a "day-boat" like ours at Eildon.  It is clean fresh water with some floating lily pads near the shore.  Sometimes the surface is like a mirror.

We will miss the squirrels and the birds on the balcony outside the kitchen window, and the ducks which come up from the lake to feed.  There is a large frog living in the pond in the garden, which sits on a rock and looks like a small statue because he is so still.  The humming birds are particularly fascinating - quite small, and its wings flap 50 to 60 times per second, and is the only bird to fly backwards.  They come to drink sugar water which LK puts out for them.  It's heart beats at an incredible 1,260 times a minute!  Photos do not show the wings clearly because they flap far too fast.

We will miss Mark and LK very much.  They have a been wonderful hosts, and their home has become like home for us.  We will see them again soon in AustralIa, because they are travelling for a family wedding in Perth and will be in Melbourne for a few short days.

Best wishes to all.