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Please excuse the quality of these photographs. I was shooting through windows at night and some have annoying reflections…. but four skunks and two raccoons are too good not to share.
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We have nightly visitors like this all the time but every time I try to sneak outside for pictures they run off.
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They don’t mind me flipping on the deck lights…
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But as soon as they hear me, they’re gone.
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You’d be surprised how fast a skunk can run.
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Yes.
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I love our backyard…
💕
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It’s nearing the end of the growing season but my geraniums are in peak form. Go figure…
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Construction on the shed extension is progressing slowly.
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And look, it be fancy.
Windows.
🤣
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten finally decided the new porch wasn’t dangerous and explored.
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The stone was particularly interesting and warranted much sniffing.
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As did the new door’s glass panels.
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Please note Polly the Polyphemus moth is still cocooned … weeks past her/his hatching date. I fear we’ll have to keep it safe until next spring now.
🥴
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😉
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We had a surprise visitor the other day.
It was a childhood friend of my husband’s from Connecticut who had stopped by my BIL’s and wanted to drop in to say hello.
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After thoroughly checking out the husband’s new treasure, we moved into the man cave/Barn Mahal where I took a picture.
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(Husband’s brother on the left, old friend in the middle.)
If you look closely… in between my husband and his friend, you’ll see a framed photo on the wall.
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This photo, taken in Vietnam in 1968.
( Husband on the right, old friend on the left, brother next to old friend)
Three of those four men were reunited in our barn 56 years later.
That made my heart smile.
❤️
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On the last full day with our company, we honored their request. No more road trips, no more sightseeing…. just a relaxing day at home.
Or more specifically, the man cave/Barn Mahal.
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T. was like most men who cross its doorstep, instantly smitten and a wee bit jealous. I believe he mentioned wanting one, but I don’t think his wife was on board.
The day was spent playing Name That Crap..
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(Early vacuum cleaner)
Playing pool…
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With some interesting techniques…
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Shucking corn..
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And introducing our southern family to fresh Maine lobster.
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G. was a little leery at first.
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But ended up making friends.
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Never having cooked a live one before, T. was fascinated.
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And after some quality time with the bugs…
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Made his own friend.
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And then dropped him in the pot.
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Unfortunately it was at that exact moment our grill ran out of gas and things had to be moved indoors.
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Finally…
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We had a happy southerner.
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Back in the man cave, cracking instructions were given.
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And everyone enjoyed lobster.
Except me of course. I came up allergic to the succulent crustacean about 9 years ago and am unable to eat it without becoming violently ill.
Boo to that.
😫
The night ended with cocktails and a birthday cake that elicited a good bit of laughter.
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T.’s late father was a career Marine who, when done talking to his children would bark, “Dismissed!”
And since it was our company’s last night in Maine..
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It seemed an appropriate sentiment.
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And so it begins, the project I’ve been dreading.
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I get worried when my husband has to repair/replace something inside our home. He’s fine with rough carpentry and rustic places like the barn… but the house?
Where I have to live?
I prefer professionals.
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I was cringing the whole time he and a friend were removing the old front door…. and lost count of how many times I said be careful.
Note – he wasn’t careful. And it was the friend who put a drop cloth down on our brand new floor.
Thank you friend.
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The fact that they got it out in one piece without breaking the glass is a miracle.
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I think even the husband was surprised.
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Giant hole in the house?
Check.
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Door frame on a shrub?
Yup.
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There was even a door under the truck.
The reason for that placement was clearly above my pay grade.
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And now that we had a big hole, it was time to fill it.
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After checking to make sure there was no rotted wood underneath as was the case with the other two doors we replaced.
Thankfully all was well.
To be continued…
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After a marvelous seafood lunch and cocktails in Perkins Cove, we reversed direction and walked back.
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Where the views were still amazing.
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Spending time with some of our favorite people always makes me smile.
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The gardens surrounding the resort at the end are lovely.
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And are always worth a few photos.
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Saying goodbye to Ogunquit, we headed up Route 1 for a well deserved ice cream break.
After a bit of searching, we found an amazing little place with an anything but little selection.
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In case you don’t want to count, there are 74 flavors.
And if you can’t decide?
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Why have one when you can have 6…?
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Their bathroom was fun.
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And even though I couldn’t escape the pickles…
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A good time was had by all.
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❤️
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More photos from one of the best oceanside strolls in Maine.
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And when you reach the end of the Marginal Way cliff walk at Perkins Cove?
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You have lunch on the water.
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Which, for my husband was a fabulous seafood pasta chock full of lobster, shrimp and scallops.
When T. wanted a taste?
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My spouse was less than generous.
🤣
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For day five of our sightseeing tour we chose Ogunquit.
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And my very favorite place to stroll…
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The Marginal Way cliff walk.
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Words aren’t really necessary…
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Just enjoy the views.
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A Tik Tok video was being made here.
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Here?
I think the husband is trying to speak seagull.
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The waterfront “cottages” along the way are pretty sweet.
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To be continued…
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Our final stop on the Island was an old friend’s farm.
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We got the grand tour and enjoyed hearing his vision for a self sustaining future going forward.
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This is a Katahdin sheep.
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They don’t require sheering and shed their own coats.
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During the long days of lockdown my friend built a Covid Cab…
Boredom is a terrible thing.
🤣
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We’re examining bees here.
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After meeting the scarecrow it was off to the barn…
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Built entirely from wood, the old fashioned way.
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The $200k price tag made me gasp, but it was the contents that made my husband’s dreams come true.
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I knew the minute we walked in we’d be missing the 4:00 boat.
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It’s a tool museum you see…
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And my husband was in rusty metal heaven.
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He and my old friend have a lot in common.
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Did they talk?
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Did they ever.
😊
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My husband would have been happy to spend all night there, but we had a boat to catch.
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⛴️
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After our walk on the beach, G.’s pants were wet so she changed into shorts. This left us trying to dry her clothing in the sun on the roof of the golf cart while we had lunch…. and that required a readying hand.
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The only lunch available this time of year was at the Inn.
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It’s a grand old building…
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That seems to have new management every time we visit.
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We were the only people in the dining room which didn’t bode well.
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Kelp burger?
Hmm… no.
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Tiny flavorless rubber mussels, brightly colored but mediocre cocktails and disappointing sandwiches left us unsatisfied …
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But the view was nice.
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Another shoreline walk on Hamilton Beach…
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And then we drove by my old home.
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Old is the proper adjective because the original section of house on the right was built in 1842.
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And while the old girl still has good bones, I admit to being disappointed by the crumbling stone wall…
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The untrimmed shrubbery, overgrown lawn…
And general feeling of lackadaisical upkeep.
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When we lived here everything was neat as a pin and my father had glorious rows of red roses on the inside of the front wall. I lived here from age 14 to 20 and the place is full of memories, not to mention ghosts of those I’ve loved and lost.
They say you can’t go home again.
I guess they’re right.
😰
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River's world..... 