Maine

Chapter 10

Foggy today..... hooked up with brother Gary again.... more sights.

I love this picture...I can see myself wandering through those grasses. Maybe I'll attempt to paint it?

There's my friend Barb playing peek a boo.  That was one huge bolder.

Is it lunch time?  Is there any lobster around? Sure 'nuf!  If you ever get near here..... lobster rolls are to die for.

Now they come in a hamburger roll.... you can get more lobster in one of those!

Do I have a witness?   Ooops, better not disturb her while munching.

We rounded out the day at Pemaquid Point lighthouse.
 http://www.lighthouse.cc/pemaquid/history.html

This is a must see if you get to Maine. Even with the fog it was dramatic.

Barb really hates to leave such a beautiful place.

 Back side from the rocks.

On the road headed West..... Stayed the night in New Hampshire.
Next through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania.
And then... Ohio and back home in Indiana.

Stay tuned for the next adventure..... all of life is an adventure. Enjoy it while you can.

.....night

Maine

Chapter 9

Packed up and headed out.... good bye Airstream.


Breakfast at Dots..... Doug and Laura highly recommended.  There were more blueberries in this than muffin. It was yummy.

Visited a few landscape places with brother Gary. He is an artist in his own right. The difference being.... his canvas is the land.... any shape, any size. He can mold it to suit any situation. I like to brag on him. Trouble is I don't get to see him very often.

We lunched at the Camden Deli.....

Overlooking the harbor.

Then a late afternoon sail on the Lazy Jack II.  2 hours of salt spray and breezes.  God has given us several surprises on this trip. Blessings all the way along.

Staying at the Cedar Crest Inn tonight. I didn't ever want to come out of the shower.

And a level bed to boot. See, another blessing!

.... night

Maine

Chapter 8


Stockton Springs,  Fort Point State Park:


Fort Point Light was established in 1836 in Stockton Springs, at the west side of the mouth of the Penobscot River, to aid vessels bound for Bangor, a leading lumber port. The town of Stockton Springs was also a lumber port and a shipping point for Maine's potato industry.
The first lighthouse was a granite tower. The first keeper was William Clewly, who had sold his land to the government for the station.

Been doing some pen sketches since I returned home.

The pyramidal bell tower is one of the few left in New England and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bell, replaced by a foghorn, hangs outside the tower.

Yep.... sitting under the umbrella again. It helps keep the sun off me, my painting and my palette.

This is an oil house.... it was used to store oil for the lighthouse lamp.

I need to do some finishing on this one too.

Guess what we're having for dinner?  Seafood chowder. Those Mainers really know how to season and cook their seafood. Best I've ever had. Can't find this in a restaurant. Thanks Renee.

Also on the menu was goat cheese, cheese cakes. Now if you've never tasted these little delicacies you are in for a real treat. Mucho deliciousness. I wish I had taken a picture. Sandy picked them up as a treat for us. Thanks a bunch!

More of the Maine adventure...... stick around for the next installment.

...... night

Maine

Chapter 7

We were all pretty tired after a long day yesterday so decided to stick around. Late breakfast and then a short workshop on doing watercolor cards.  It was fun getting to use our new watercolor travel box that Renee gifted us with.




Time to explore. This is the view behind Renee's house.

It was low tide so the little boat was in dry dock.

Would you believe..... Chinese for dinner? Guess I'll fortify myself for the disappointment.
Sniff, sniff..... maybe there'll be seafood tomorrow.

Love it here in Maine....

.... night

Maine

Chapter 6


Up at 5am to catch the 7am  boat to Monhegan Island.

Info:   Monhegan is a small, rocky Island ten miles from the nearest mainland and scarcely a square mile in area. It is accessible only by boat and there are no cars or paved roads on the Island. Since long before the explorer John Smith visited it in 1614, it was known to Native Americans as a prime fishing area, and today its economy is still ruled by those who make their living from the sea, fishing and lobstering. The year-round population has seldom exceeded 65 in recent times.

For more than 100 years, Monhegan has been a summer haven for artists and other visitors who appreciate its isolation, the beauty of its wilderness areas, its quiet relaxed atmosphere, and its unhurried pace.

I was here 4 years ago but had a bum knee so I couldn't walk very far. Knee fixed. Now I can scale at least some of the hills. I settled in at Swim Beach to do a quick study of the shore. I'm there somewhere among the rocks with the umbrella.

This is my little painting of the wharf. I need to add some boats and finishing touches.

Fish Beach.... quaint little places.

Overlook from one of those hills I climbed.

 Don Stone is a well known artist whose studio we were able to visit.  http://www.donstone.com/

Me and my bud at the top of another hill. Phew... time for a sit me down.

Ice cream for lunch. It's been a busy day.

View of Swim beach from the boat dock.  Time to catch the last boat and head back.

We circled the back side of the island. Pretty treacherous, unprotected, open ocean.

Past Marshall Lighthouse.

Dinner tonight is baked cod with herbs, beer boiled shrimp, and spinach salad with tomatoes and avocados!  We had chocolate cake and fruit tart for dessert. Yes!..... Seafood again.

Pleasantly tired.

.... night

Maine

Chapter 5

Baxter State Park is on the agenda for today...here's a little info.

"Man is born to Die, His Works are Short-lived Buildings Crumble, Monuments Decay, Wealth Vanishes But Katahdin in All Its Glory Forever Shall Remain the Mountain of the People of Maine"    
 "Baxter State Park, a wilderness area of 202,064 acres, was a gift to the State of Maine by former Gov. Percival P. Baxter. In 1930 he made his first land purchase of 5,960 acres which included Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine. The Park is a paradise for the naturalist, mountain climber, hiker, and photographer. Many orchids, ferns, alpine and other plants grow in abundance. Geologists will find interest in Baxter's rhyolite, Katahdin granite and many fossil types. Bird watchers, wildlife enthusiasts and winter trackers will find a variety of wildlife to pursue. There are 46 mountain peaks and ridges, 18 of which exceed an elevation of 3,000 feet, the highest being Baxter Peak at 5,267 feet. The park is intersected by about 175 miles of trails."

This was not easy walking. Rocks, roots, narrow boards, up hill and down hill. We hiked over a half mile getting to Sandy Stream pond where we were expecting to see some moose. 

 Beautiful place..... no moose!

Next we drove to Daicey Pond... still in Baxter. There was a slight rain so God showed us this beautiful rainbow hovering over the mountain. Kind of like it was under His protection. Reminded me that's the way we are.... under His protection.

This is a picture my friend Sandy took. Her camera ran out of battery so she borrowed mine. She is a professional photographer.... I can see why.

But I managed to capture a loon all on my own. They are a beautiful bird.

Long drive home but guess what awaits us when we get there?  

Lobster Newburg!!  Oh my, be still my heart.

Tomorrow we are headed to Monhegan Island..... yippee!

.... night

Maine

Chapter 4

Bummer.... It's a rainy day. Now what do women do on a rainy day?  Shop? Right!  And where would you go if you were in Maine on a rainy day? L.L. Bean? Right!  Reny's is also an interesting place if souvenirs are what you're after.

Maybe try on sunglasses in case the sun appears. Renee, those are stunning especially the nose cover?

A few of us (me included) decided to head over to Sears Island. The sky was clearing and I wanted to see this place Renee talks about in her blog.

"Sears Island acts as a great element barrier for one of the most well-protected harbors in the state of Maine, Stockton Harbor, an attractive anchorage both for the protection it offers, and its convenience to upper Penobscot Bay towns Searsport, Belfast and Castine. It is home to numerous species of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and plant life. The shallow shoal off the west side of the island supports meadows of eelgrass and other nursery habitats and features that play an important role in the fish and shellfish populations of greater Penobscot Bay."

No cars are allowed on the island so we walked down to the shore. Renee showed us that around some of the rocks lived mussels. Once we found out they were good to eat, the collecting began.

25 pounds later...... we headed home to clean and eat. Now I know it isn't lobster but almost as good. Renee really knew how to cook them so they tasted really scrumptious.

I'm a happy camper!!!

Left to right..... Kay, Nancy, me, Sharron and Barb. What a fun group of artists!

I can hardly wait to see what is in store for us next.

.....night  zzz

Maine

Chapter 3

FIRST - we pick up more lobster for dinner tonight...... important things first. Of course some people would prefer not to eat lobster every night.... I can't imagine that but to each his own. I'll eat beef and chicken the other fifty one weeks of the year.

Then we head out to Castine, Maine. In particular Dyce's head lighthouse area.  Here we see a couple of the other ladies painting. That's Sharron on the left and Sandy on the right.

Renee, our hostess is doing a demo. I'm watching. It must be 90 degrees. Not usual for Maine.  Not polite to to leave and find shade. Guess I'll tough it out.  I can shower later. Maybe I can get to the only bathroom before the other 6 try? Gotta be quick... and no dawdling!

On to Stonington which is on the southern portion of Deer Island. It's a picturesque old seaport with an active international lobster enterprise. This place was pretty stinky. Dead fish for lobster bait.

Stonington is a pretty place. And cooler as it got later in the day.

Oh yes! These bad guys are for dinner. The other batch is waiting.

Guess I better be going...... um slurp, slurp. 

That must have been the butter.

..... night