We've been on multiple trips over the past few months, but our trip to Cape Cod in July was by far the most photogenic, so I'm going to share a BUNCH of photos. Afton and I had not been to Alex's brother Nathan's new house yet, and we were impressed by the peaceful retreat we had heard about. George the dog greeted us and helped give us a tour around the expansive grounds, including the bee hives and chicken coop.
The house itself is an interesting combination of traditional Cape Cod and Frank Lloyd Wright-esque modernism.
There was so much space to explore outside!
Such beautiful natural sights to see!
And of course, chickens. Everyone thought it was hilarious that I wanted to take pictures of the chickens, but... look at them! What photographer could resist?!
We did a lot of good eatin' during our stay. Of course, we had delicious chicken and eggs, but Liling also made some tasty sushi!
We were a little nervous about how George and Afton were going to get along, but they were fast friends.
One afternoon, we all took a wonderfully peaceful walk along the beach in Falmouth.
Such gorgeous views!
We thought Afton's red, white, and blue whale romper was pretty perfect for a Cape Cod Fourth of July.
We spent that day enjoying downtown Woods Hole.
This patriotic cutie even enjoyed fireworks (from afar) for the first time that night!
Another day, we took the ferry to Martha's Vineyard.
We sampled the obligatory local chowder...
...and took in the adorably charming scenery.
One of my favorite parts was visiting the grounds of the Campmeeting Association, also known as Wesleyan Grove. I spent a lot of time exploring the Tabernacle...
...and the gardens nearby.
I could have spent all day admiring the many colorful "gingerbread" houses. What an idyllic place to live!
Afton got to ride her very first carousel, which happens to be the nation's oldest. She loved it!
Until next time, Martha's Vineyard!
We were happy to meet back up with Nathan and Liling for a relaxed picnic by the water that evening.
On our last day, we headed to Hyannis Port, and I got to check something off my bucket list: whale-watching! It was awesome.
What a wonderful trip!