Hi Friends!
We've been doing a lot of traveling since August so I figured it's time to catch up on writing it all down. We stopped in Massachusetts for the summer to attend a wedding and renovate a bathroom in our rental property. From there, we felt the pull to go north, crossing into Canada. We landed at the most charming lake house in Saint Hippolyte, tucked about an hour away from Montreal. It was the kind of place that whispers to your soul to slow down. We ventured into the city for the beauty of botanical gardens, crepes on cobblestones, and a few leisurely strolls through Montreal’s streets, but most days, we were by the lake kayaking and finding rest in the stillness.
If you've been following along, you know that we had to put our sweet Jackson down while we were in Canada, and we couldn't have asked for a better last month with him. We spent mornings walking trails together and slow afternoons on the lakeshore. Jack had a peaceful last day with us and was quietly put down in our home surrounded by everyone who deeply loves him.
Toward the end of our stay, the leaves all changed and the lake view turned into even more of a postcard. But with the brilliant colors came the chill, a reminder that it was time to head south.
Our first stop was in Laurel Springs, North Carolina. Our AirBNB was on the most magical farm that overlooks the Blue Ridge Mountains. And included with the stay: farm animals! There’s something about waking up to the sounds of farm life that feels grounding, simple, and pure. It was really healing for the kids to be surrounded by love while they were grieving the loss of Jackson.
This area of NC was just East of Hurricane Helene's path and suffered some damage and although there was quite a bit to clean up in the town, the level of community there was unlike anything we've ever experienced. Neighbors all came together to help each other get back on their feet. It was a privilege to be there, to lend a small hand in the clean-up, to witness a community in its truest form.
After a few days of farm life, we set off for Georgia, landing just outside Brunswick. This was our first time stopping here and we were pleasantly surprised. We rode our bikes on Jeykll Island, stopped at the famous Driftwood Beach, then spotted some alligators at the Okefenokee Swamp. Our stay was short but packed with so much fun. If you've never been to that area, I highly suggest going. It felt like such a hidden gem.
After some fun weeks of migrating south, we made it to Florida. As I write this, we've only been here for two days but already loving it. And I know what you're thinking - no, we have not turned into storm chasers. It was a coininsidence to be in NC just after Helene and then Florida right after Milton!
Our first night, we walked to the beach for sunset and were greeted with purple skies and dolphins. We’ve got a whole month of sunshine ahead of us here in Florida, and I can already tell it’s going to be filled with warmth and adventure. I’ll be sure to recap everything at the end of our stay — with a nice tan, of course!
With love,
The Thompsons
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