Category Archives: Uncategorized

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Garden fluff.

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It’s Japanese Iris season at Casa River and I couldn’t be happier.

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While I’ve never been a fan of the fleshy full size irises that always hump their monstrous rhizome roots out of the ground… I adore their smaller less arrogant cousins.

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Daintier, more delicate and frankly less look at me darling, aren’t I gawgous!… they’re a lovely pop of perennial purple.

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Number two rhododendron is now in full bloom though not nearly as full as it’s neighbor. Why this should be is a question that stumps gardeners everywhere. Same soil, same sun exposure yet one is always bigger and better. Personally I think Mother Nature just likes to keep us guessing.

And if you’re wondering what the woodchucks have been chewing this week ?

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The toothy little buggers are eating marigolds!.

Marigolds!

The plant so disgusting no one will eat them. I don’t even like the silly things but have been putting them in my pots on the barn porch simply for the woodchuck gag factor. I thought they’d be safe.

I was wrong.

Very wrong.

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Fisherman’s Walk … part one.

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Still working my way down the There are so many wonderful places to see in Maine I fear I won’t live long enough bucket list… we headed south to York.

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Fisherman’s Walk is beautiful… but let me tell you it’s not easy to find. Punching the address in GPS brought us to someone’s private driveway. Backing up, we turned around multiple times, then turned around some more…. searching in vain for signage. How bad was it? The husband was so frustrated he stopped and asked a stranger.

Trust me, that’s bad!

The local man pointed us down a hill but said we couldn’t park there. Of course not, that would have been too easy. Turning around again, we found parking, but it was permitted for residents only. By this time my husband had lost all enthusiasm for the experience, but I do not admit defeat easily. Circling around again scored us a free spot… and vindication for me. Though we still had to hike back up a hill and down another hill to find what we’d come to see.

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A scenic coastal walking path.

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Make that a poop free scenic coastal walking path. My very favorite kind.

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Lobster boats were plentiful.

And look…

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Now that we were actually on the path?

A sign for the path.

Never let it be said the state of Maine doesn’t have a sense of humor.

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I didn’t know what to expect, so the chances of being disappointed were slim.

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But it was a gloriously cool sunny day, so off we went.

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Past private piers…

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And hilltop homes.

And then? Nothing.

It ended.

We had driven an hour and a half for a 3 minute walk and I was getting some serious stink eye from my spouse.

Refusing to believe it, I kept walking. Past a high fence. Across a road. By a marina. Across another road. Past some tennis courts. Through a parking lot. Until I found…

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A beach.

To be continued…..

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If you leave the door open…

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My husband has a bad habit of leaving the little barn/shed doors open in the summer. He thinks he’s airing it out and cooling it off but in actuality all he’s doing is this:

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Giving momma and baby chucks another area to explore.

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And chew.

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They seem to enjoy it.

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Though if they start chewing tractor wires my husband may have to rethink this habit.

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Old Fort Western… part 2.

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This isn’t a large historic site by any means.

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But here’s a peak at the inside of the building.

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The store.

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Our guide, in the kitchen.

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And no, that isn’t poop. It’s rolled tobacco.

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Since our guide was rather long winded we ran out of time before we were able to explore upstairs …

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And they were literally locking the gates while we were still roaming around.

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Stockades.

I’m thinking of installing a set in our backyard… to be employed when the husband gets the urge to attend a rummage sale.

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The fort.

The end.

Anticlimactic, I know. But I didn’t want to spend the night there so we had to beat feet and leave.

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A sad commentary on where we are as a nation.

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I live in Maine.

Our governor is a Democrat named Janet Mills.

And this is what I saw in a restaurant parking lot the other day.

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How nice.

Without getting political, let me just say two things. I dislike Donald Trump. Vehemently and absolutely, but you will never see a F*ck Trump sticker on my car or a F*ck Trump sign in my yard.

I believe in a two party system and am mature enough to embrace free spirited debate and opposing views. I can agree to disagree.

But the current climate of outright hatred and vulgarity that’s taken over our political discourse disgusts me. There’s no need of this. Children do not need to learn disrespect from the rear window of a passing car.

And speaking of vulgarity?

I received a comment on a video I posted on YouTube last week.

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I have no idea who Dick is, but I’m guessing the name fits him perfectly.

Maybe I’m getting old, but common courtesy and decency seem to be in short supply these days.

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Old Fort Western

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Next up on my things to do in Maine before the husband goes back to work bucket list was Old Fort Western. It’s one of those landmarks we drive by often but never take the time to explore.

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Old Fort Western in Augusta is the oldest surviving wooden fort in the United States. It started life as a trading post, then a manned station during the French and Indian war, and then a store supplying early settlers.

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In 1775 Benedict Arnold started his expedition to capture Quebec from this fort. Arnold’s party, which included future Vice President Aaron Burr, stayed at the fort before marching north.

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For a time it was a private home and now, a historic site.

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The day we visited there were a few reenactment soldiers in period dress on loan from Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts.

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You know my husband enjoyed this part.

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Though they wouldn’t let him fire it for safety reasons.

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I love history and totally geeked out during the guided tour.

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Strategically placed on the highest navigable point on the Kennebec River…

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It guarded the colonists well and was never attacked.

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Though I can’t imagine life here was easy.

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To be continued….

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A whole lotta nothing important.

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I saw something the other day while driving up Route 1 and had to try and grab a picture. Pardon the bad quality but I couldn’t stop completely.

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I have no explanation for this.

Just had to share.

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In true Maine fashion there is now a radio station called Whoopie featuring a lobster holding a Whoopie pie.

You can’t make this stuff up.

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Epic Chinese take out menu fail.

And no, they weren’t trying to be cute.

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I haven’t tried this yet but it sounds good.

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Rainy days mean Scrabble tournaments in the man cave. Yours truly was getting some truly horrible letter combinations.

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But managed to sweep the husband in a three game series all the same.

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Rainy day barn porch cocktails… with ducks.

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When there’s a summer thunderstorm on the horizon? We head for the barn porch.

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And if it’s cocktail hour?

We add an adult beverage.

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This particular storm was disappointing as all the good rumbling stayed to the north…

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But the gentle rain brought our old friends the ducks to the backyard and they’re always fun to watch.

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I don’t know how long mallard ducks live but we’ve had this visiting pair for close to 4 years now.

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When there’s rain and puddles? They plop right down and make themselves at home.

❤️

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Viles Arboretum… the finale.

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Finishing the outer loop trail brought us close to the end of our walk.

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Another sculpture.

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That my not a fan of modern art husband had a hard time deciphering. I keep telling him you don’t have to understand art … just enjoy it.

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The lilac gardens were next and though it was a small area ….

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The scent was gloriously large.

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Even she thought so.

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Or maybe she didn’t. It’s hard to tell.

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We really enjoyed the time we spent here. A true hidden oasis in the middle of our state’s capitol.

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I had to laugh that my husband has the old wooden apple press shown on that sign.

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So there you have it.

A full tour of Viles Arboretum.

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Ending with the least expensive and smallest sculpture on offer.

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