Tag Archives: nature

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Viles Arboretum… part five.

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Nearing the end of our hike there was an old well.

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I’m assuming it had some connection to the old piggery we’d passed.

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The arboretum hosts guest lecturers and holds classes on various nature related topics throughout the year and as you would guess…

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They usually take place outside.

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Though this spot didn’t look like it’s seen any action in a while.

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I’ve been told this is the most popular section of the park.

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And is a favorite for wedding photographs, though to be honest I didn’t find it very impressive.

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The lily of the valley were nice, but heck… my hostas are more impressive than anything they had.

To he continued…

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Viles Arboretum … part four.

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The pond was smaller than I thought it would be.

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But it had a granite bench to rest my bad knee…

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And a catfish that played with flower blossoms …

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So life was good.

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Said catfish also attacked a snail, but the little shelled gastropod prevailed.

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Moving on from the aquatic MMA….

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We came upon the piggery.

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So named because that’s exactly what it was at the turn of the century.

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Though the sign was a little hard to read.

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Not to mention extremely low to the ground.

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To be continued…

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Viles Arboretum… part three.

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An hour and a half in and we were still exploring.

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Which is where we found this mini pyramid.

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It’s basically the same kind of stone my husband used to build my garden bed last year so I suggested perhaps he could build me one of these this year.

He pretended he didn’t hear me, but my memory is long and I have patience.

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Every now and then there was a bench.

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But we were always moving and didn’t dawdle.

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Dappled shade is good for ferns. Add soil too wet to walk over and it’s damn near perfect.

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I have to say I was looking forward to the rhododendron section of the trail. A forest full of rhodies?

Bring it!

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If you’re wondering why the husband looks slightly puzzled? It’s because we were right in the middle of the supposed rhododendron section but didn’t know it.

After doing a 360, you can see why we were confused.

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One bloom does not a collection make.

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Onward. To the pond…

To be continued.

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Viles Arboretum… part two.

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And we’re walking.

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Or rather, I’m walking and the husband is reading…

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This time about the arboretum’s project to reintroduce the American chestnut tree that was decimated by a fungus.

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They’ve planted hundreds.

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Finished reading, the husband caught up and we entered the woods.

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The trails are well marked and not wanting to miss anything I made sure we did both the inner and outer loops.

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Cool and peaceful.

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Melodic bird song and the gentle swaying of branches.

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And a burl.

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Which some little creature had already hollowed out for his home.

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Out of the woods and back to the meadows.

To be continued….

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Riotous Rhodie

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I adore early June in Maine.

Daytime temperatures are warm but not hot. Nights are cool and there’s no humidity. The tourists have started to arrive but haven’t yet overwhelmed the state.

But the best part of early June in Maine?

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Rhododendron season. (Please note I have color coordinated my hanging baskets of geraniums… momma didn’t raise no fool)

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We have two large bushes in the front of our house and they never fail to put on a show. They even have it timed so one blooms after the other for a longer burst of color.

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I trimmed this one back last year and was a little worried I’d done it at the wrong time.

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Clearly, I was wrong.

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Viles Arboretum … part one.

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The weather was perfect. The tourists were nowhere to be seen. And my husband is still retired… for now. So I stuffed him in the car and we crossed something off my endless Things To Do In Maine bucket list.

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Viles Arboretum. A 224 acre non profit botanic garden run by the state which conserves wetlands, forest and fields and offers free access to anyone wanting to enjoy miles of nature trails.

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There were sculptures scattered throughout.

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Most of which were for sale. Though for $15,000, we decided to pass.

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Most of the walking was easy and the boardwalks over the wet areas were quite welcome.

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If you know my husband, you know he has to stop and read every single word of every single plaque about every single tree.

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Scrap metal bird sculpture. Lord Dudley would be terrified.

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It was a lovely way to spend the day and we leisurely strolled through meadows that turned to marsh…

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That turned to ponds.

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That turned to wetlands…

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And back to meadows.

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To be continued….

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A scenic drive that ended with lunch at the shoe factory.

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When it’s a beautiful summer day in Maine, you grab your husband and head west.

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Not quite to the mountains, but we could see them from our windows .

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Destination? A highly recommended Italian restaurant in an old converted shoe factory.

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It was a rustic place, full of exposed beams and brick.

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No, I didn’t order that.

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I went with a fruity white Sangria instead.

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Cheesy garlic bread appetizer with homemade sauce started us off.

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It was too windy to sit outside but we did watch the umbrellas tip over a few times.

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Our meals were amazing. Decadently rich grilled chicken Alfredo for the hubs, Burgundy marinated filet tips on vegetable risotto for me.

We were stuffed and since the portions were hardy, went home with ample leftovers… but that didn’t stop us from ordering dessert to go.

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Yours truly is not leaving an Italian restaurant without Tiramisu.

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Calzolaio Pasta Co, is going on the list of River approved dining spots.

How could it not? On the way there….

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Cows!

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It certainly doesn’t look like 3+ hours work.

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First, I weeded the garden bed.

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Which…. when you’re old adjacent at 59 and have a blown knee… isn’t as much fun as it used to be.

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Then I sprinkled a container of shake and feed bloom booster.

And worked it into the soil with a blister boosting rake.

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Then I watered the soil and planted the few flowers the woodchucks left me.

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Three hours plus for a few measly perennials.

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$200 worth of flowers barely made a dent. That’s just wrong.

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