A good movie and bucket of popcorn dripping in melted butter makes me happy. A popcorn engagement ring? Not so much….
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My engagement ring… bought after we were married because we like to do things backwards…reflects a 38 year old paycheck and while fine quality, it isn’t even a carat. So 3.66? Sure. Sign me up.
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But a diamond that’s shaped and colored like buttered popcorn?
Rhubarb time. When everyone who grows the noxious plant tries desperately to pawn it off on unsuspecting strangers. This rarely works, but if you’re visiting Maine in June, be warned.
Our small town has a wonderfully inventive food bank and is supported by many of our organic farmers. You never know what they’ll whip up next.
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Lots of items are advertised for free around these parts.
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No free turtle? I’ll pass.
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Believe me when I say you don’t want this fellow nibbling on your toes.
I saw something interesting advertised on Facebook the other day.
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It’s some kind of fruit filled bubble that bursts when dropped in cocktails and I thought hey… that might be fun for the man cave bar. Until I saw they were $25 per plus tax… and $24.95 shipping. Undeterred, I sought them on Amazon.
While I was a bit disappointed they didn’t have the same brand, I was tickled by the imposter bubbles’ name.
The whole time we were exploring this area we met two other people on the trail.
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Talk about a hidden gem.
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Shame the wild raspberries weren’t quite ready.
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Now that’s my kind of conference room.
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It always surprises me how many beautiful little places there are like this along our coast. I’ve lived in Maine since I was 15 and never knew this existed.
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Another trail lead to a sweet little private beach.
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Hey, it’s Maine. If there’s 3 feet of sand? We call it a beach.
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Ending the hike, we took the final trail back to the parking lot.
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Where there was a wonderful old cemetery. I love exploring those and had just found a headstone from 1837 when I noticed the webs.
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Webs full of squirming worms that could have been the dreaded brown tail moth. No way I was rubbing up against those bad boys again.
Back in the car, there was only one thing left to do to make the day complete. A meal at our favorite Boothbay Harbor restaurant, the Boathouse Bistro.
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It’s not on the water, and the decor might leave a little to be desired but it has the best food around hands down. Spicy Cajun grilled shrimp and veggies on cheesy grits for me.
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And a perfectly cooked filet mignon with herbed truffle butter for the husband.
Have you ever visited a military cemetery and wondered why there are coins on top of the headstones? I get asked this a lot and thought I’d share.
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I once saw a bratty little boy removing coins from graves in a veterans cemetery and while I don’t normally interfere with parents and their children…. you can bet I did that day.
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Judging from the ad photo, I’d say that one.
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I could do without a lot of things in this world, but never my books.
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This is one of our large backyard apple trees. It’s a Granny Smith and has provided us with 20 years of spectacular autumn pies. But last year a massive wind storm ravaged the right side of her and we had to have an arborist in to give her a massive prune. He assured us all would be well but the harvest will be nonexistent in 2022. Sadly there wasn’t a single solitary bloom this spring …. which means a lot less pie this fall.
On the way to the commissary in Bangor the other day we were disappointed to find our favorite little diner closed for lunch. This sent us searching far and wide for something quick other than the awful fast food chains. Pulling off the highway at the small town of Newport, we took a chance on a place called Anglers.
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Despite the name, (Newport is neither new… incorporated 1814… nor a port anywhere near the water) I didn’t hold out much hope for fresh seafood.
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The restaurant is a dressed up family diner but damned if they didn’t make a nice cocktail.
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An Absolute Citron deckhand lemonade. Quite refreshing.
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I went with the smaller ‘minnow’ portion of fried shrimp and was pleasantly surprised. Fresh, light and perfectly cooked. Husband had a nice clam chowder and broiled scallops which he said were equally good. But the thing that really rocked my world and made me do more than merely contemplate returning?
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.99 cent drafts. And my husband doesn’t drink Budweiser, this was a Maine craft beer called Allagash White which normally costs him $7 -8 a glass. We wondered if this was a serious senior discount, a special price for veterans, or the waitress just made a big mistake. On the way out we asked… and were told all drafts are .99 cents, all the time.
Needless to say this will now be our go to lunch destination before the monthly commissary run.
Along one of the prettiest stretches of Maine coast.
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Many private homes line the Cliff Walk and while they all have stunning views, I can’t say I’d want a constant throng of tourists marching past my back door every day.
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A quick video to give you a feel for the place.
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When you near the end of the 1.25 mile stroll you enter Perkins Cove.
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Once a thriving artists colony…
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It now houses two waterfront restaurants and a large parking lot.
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We took advantage of the former, Jackie’s Too.
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Our table was perfect.
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The basil lemonade? To die for.
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Unfortunately the chowder was sub par. Creamy and clam filled, but completely bland and flavorless.
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Husband had tiny and completely over cooked soggy mussels while I fought my way through a husk filled Caesar salad with dried out grilled chicken. $112 later we vowed never to return… to eat. The bar had a great view and the cocktail was fabulous.
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Fueled up, we turned around and headed back to the Cliff Walk.
To be continued….
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Where there's only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.
River's world..... 