Friday, April 17, 2015

Visiting New Hope And Memories Of My Mother

When I was a kid, my mother would often take me and my brother, Tom, to a place called, New Hope, which was about 25 minutes from our home in Bucks County. She would drive out there on the weekends and take us for lunch; visit the farmer’s market; have an ice cream cone; antique shop; and then before we left, we would feed the ducks down on the canals with bread that we had brought from home.

New Hope is a charming little town with a special blend of quirkiness, history, an abundance of art galleries, sophisticated dining, and eclectic shopping. And for being such an old, historical town, New Hope is very forward-thinking, open and welcoming. It has such a great "vibe."

My mother, a true country girl, absolutely adored New Hope. In fact, she used to beg my father to purchase property so that they could build a home and retire there in their golden years. And back then, property in New Hope was extremely affordable. Currently though, the cost of property and living are sky-high because of its prime location in Bucks County. Many celebrities have second homes there, and not only because of its stunning location, but also because it’s tucked away in the country; therefore can they live peacefully and quietly.

I haven’t been back to New Hope since I was a young lad, even though I returned to Pennsylvania 14 years ago. You need a car to get there, and I don’t own one, so I haven’t been able to visit until just recently.

One of my co-workers was kind enough to offer to drive out there on Tuesday. She had always wanted to visit New Hope, so when we both ended up having the same day off this week, we took a 45-minute trip outside of the city.

The weather forecast predicted rain, which it did. But we got lucky because by the time we hit the road, the rain had stopped. Still, it was an overcast and somewhat chilly day, but the two of us didn’t mind it at all because we both happen to love those kinds of days. And as you will see from the photographs, it seemed more like autumn than spring.

This trip was very sentimental for me because memories of my beloved mother came flooding back. I could actually feel her spirit with me, recalling precious moments in my childhood and visiting this special little town.

Please enjoy some photographs of New Hope...

A view of New Hope from a hill.

Waterfall along one of the many canals.

Quaint and historical homes.

A rocking chair on a front porch.

The New Hope train station

A vintage train

Tree art!

These French fries sprinkled with sea salt were part of my delicious lunch that day. They were cooked to absolute perfection!

I loved this red metal door.

Cloudy, overcast sky.

A church steeple

Bowman's Hill Tower. 

When I was a kid, we would climb to the top through a spiral staircase within the tower. The view was spectacular!

And when I spotted these ducks and swan in a canal, I couldn't help but think of my mother. What a great way to end my day in a place that she loved so dearly - New Hope!

Have a beautiful weekend everyone!

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