Visiting #OldPort #Maine with a Donation for #PetsForVets! #Portland #travel

I was honored to present $1,725.00 on behalf of the
authors of Love Under Fire...beautiful day for a walk
along the harbor-side Eastern Promenade Trail, and a
photo with representatives of Pets for Vets Portland
and the sparkling Casco Bay in the background

A few weeks ago, I posted about an upcoming trip to present a donation to Pets for Vets from the authors of Love Under Fire.  Our visit to Portland, Maine, was wonderful, and I wanted to share the pictures from this event!  

A little background on Love Under Fire:  Twenty-one bestselling authors contributed stories to this Romantic Suspense Box Set, and during the six weeks this special deal was for sale, we raised thousands of dollars for Pets for Vets, a wonderful organization that pairs shelter pets with veterans seeking companion animals. 

We decided to split the funds between the Portland, ME Chapter and the Washington, D.C. Chapter.  As a Cape Cod resident, I'm not too far from Portland, and my son goes to college about an hour away from there.  Plus, we have friends in the area, and I love to explore new places.  I volunteered to deliver the check, and we set up a meeting.

My husband and I had time for a walk along the Eastern Promenade Trail, which runs along the harbor for about 2 miles.  We met the Pets for Vets representatives--including two four-legged ones--above the trail at a beautiful spot overlooking Casco Bay, and I was honored to present a check for $1,725.00.

In the background of the picture is Fort Gorges, a military fort built from 1858 to 1864, and never used as it quickly became obsolete due to advancing technology.  It's now a park, accessible by boat, and somewhere I'd love to explore in the future.

I love that I got to bring a few vintage
treasures from Portland back home!

But there was no time for a boat trip out there on this visit.  Before heading to the Promenade, we stopped for lunch with our son, and then when we arrived in Portland, I eked out an hour to hunt for antique finds at Flea for All.  We've been doing a huge remodel of our very dated 1990s master bedroom, and I was looking for some farmhouse-style decor.  Scored a vintage ladder that will be perfect!  Stay tuned for the pics of the new room...I *think* it's going to be finished soon (fingers crosses, it's been months now).

Later that evening, we meet friends for Happy Hour in Old Port, and they took us to a few of their favorite spots.  My favorite was a bar called Bonfire Country Bar, where they served drinks out of red Solo cups, served us a "Box of Bacon" as an appetizer, and offered a variety of unique seating, including silly bar stools, swings, and saddles.  We had such a great time, and finished up with a late dinner and dancing to a few songs by a local band.

Our "Box of Bacon"!

We had to leave early the next morning (6 a.m.!) in order to be home for a soccer game, but I hope to visit again soon...I still have to explore Fort Gorges, and I hear they do wine tastings there on occasion!  Where do I sign up?

Thanks for stopping by, and please check out all the titles from the Love Under Fire set that raised the money here, and support the authors with a purchase if you need a new read!  My Love Under Fire novel is The Haunting of Hillwood Farm, and it's available in print, on Kindle, and on Audible.  If you enjoy spooky mysteries or romantic suspense, I hope you'll give it a read (or a listen!)