Tag Archives: photos

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Go for the beer, stay for the cocktails.

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On a beautiful autumn day we went beer hopping.

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Heading north to Brewer…

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To visit a brewery about which we’d heard good things.

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The space is large and funky…

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With windows behind the bar that look directly into the brewery.

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After sampling a few beers… the current tap selection was too IPA heavy for my taste… I snagged the cocktail list, and Oh. My. God!

I set to work.

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A true artisan was at work here and luckily he was our bartender.

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I started with the Black Seeds which was a fabulous twist on a margarita.

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We could have sat outside on the patio… but it was too far away from the cocktails.

😉

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The menu had a sense of humor.

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And the Truffle Pig pizza was amazing.

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But my second (and yes, okay… my third) drink was a masterpiece.

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Lilith’s Last Kiss was a complex, multi layered flavor extravaganza that I would happily drive the hour and a half for again.

👍

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Sugarloaf color.

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Continuing north through the Carrabassett Valley on our leaf peeping day trip we passed Sugarloaf,

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A popular ski resort I’ve often heard of but never visited.

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First impression?

It’s huge.

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Long winding valley roads filled with spectacular autumn color.

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It took us a while to find the main lodge..

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And though we were hoping to stop in for lunch and a toddy their annoying restaurant was only serving breakfast and dinner.

Boo to that.

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So we explored instead.

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Past golf courses and condos and glorious trees.

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I love this time of year!

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😊

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🍁🍁🍁

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Carrabassett Valley in the fall.

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Heading for the mountains in Maine is never a bad idea this time of year.

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So we took a leisurely drive and did some leaf peeping.

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These were taken near Kingfield.

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Which is an area known for logging.

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Apparently by bears.

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I do love autumn.

The cool temps, the crisp air, the apples, the pumpkins.

And yes, the color.

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Mother Nature puts on a wonderful show if you take the time to look.

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Albert Camus said…

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower”

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Surrounded by this scenery, it’s easy to see what he meant.

😊

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The New Portland wire bridge.

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On our road trip to the Carrabassett Valley we saw a sign for a bridge.

But not just any bridge, no…

The Wire Suspension Bridge spanning the Carrabassett River in New Portland is a unique structure, the only survivor of four such bridges built in Maine in the 1800’s and probably the only such bridge still standing in the United States.

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Built in 1866, it’s definitely unique.

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The bridge was renovated in 1961, when the tower bases were capped with concrete, the towers were rebuilt, steel suspender rods were replaced by steel cables, and a new timber deck was installed. The tower framing timbers and main support cables are the original material. The span between towers is 198 feet.

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As you walk across it you can feel it sway .

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And when you watch a car drive across it the wood literally bends under the weight.

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Under the archway?

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Floor to ceiling graffiti.

Boo to that.

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Yay for autumn color though.

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An engineering marvel in its day….

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It’s stood the test of time and is still in use 158 years later.

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😊

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Autumn splendor.

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As I said before, the fall color in my area has been less than spectacular this season. Not wanting to miss the full glory of a Maine autumn, we headed north for some serious leaf peeping.

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Ah, that’s better.

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The Carrabassett Valley rarely disappoints.

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I have a friend who hates the fall and sees the changing of the leaves as a sign of death. She says it’s depressing because it means winter is right around the corner.

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Winter is coming, ‘tis true, but the last gasp of nature’s beauty before the temperatures plummet is a show I never want to miss.

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And no, that’s not dirt on my lens, they’re falling leaves.

❤️

To be continued…

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A little bit of controversy, a whole lot of nothing specific.

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Let’s start with some roadside autumn color.

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Is it any wonder this is my favorite time of year?

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Nice try.

My booty does not have a phone.

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I post this for a reason.

Not being a religious person, I take the separation of church and state seriously. In the United States we have the freedom to worship as we choose and I fully support that. If you want to promote bring your Bible to school day at your private Christian academy… fine, please do so. But this announcement was released at a public, tax payer funded school and yes, I have a problem with that.

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That’s pretty much where I am.

I don’t need a supreme being to shame/suggest/command me to do the right thing and help others.

I just do.

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There.

That’s it for my controversial topics. Religion and politics. Checked them both.

😊

Now, a little of our backyard autumn color.

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And since my husband finished two walls and the roof on the shed extension? Since his new toy is covered and protected from the elements?

He thinks he’s done and hung an old cavas tarp instead of building a door.

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Boy, have I got news for him.

🤨

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But voila!

My husband attached the new light fixture on the front porch properly… and though I was beginning to think it would never happen?

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We are officially calling the remodel complete.

When I have time, I’ll dig out some before and after pics for comparison.

😉

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Llamas and chickens and pigs, oh my.

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Is it me… or do llamas look snarky?

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I mean, look at that face.

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Pure attitude.

😊

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The alpaca? Not so much.

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But this guy on the left?

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You know he’s telling his owner where to stick it.

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Chickens are hard to photograph at the fair. Too many cage bars and if you try to get closer? You get pecked.

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Or in this case, fluffy butted.

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Pigs on the other hand, rarely give a damn.

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My late father had a pet pig as a child. He and my mother collected weird little pig oddities when I was young so I’ve always had a soft spot for piggies.

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Clever names aside…

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This poor momma was busy.

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Leopard print pig?

Interesting.

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Can I get an awww?

💕

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Let’s go to the fair!

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If it’s October… it’s time for the Fryeburg Fair, Maine’s largest and last of the season.

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It’s west of us, towards the mountains and that usually means pretty fall foliage.

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Trees started turning early this year and aren’t as bright as they normally are…

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But it’s still a lovely burst of autumn color.

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Our favorite part of the fair is always the animals.

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First up were the large horses that pull the fancy wagons.

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We missed the show by 15 minutes which was a shame.

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But as we entered the barn this family was getting undressed.

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It must feel good to have all that removed.

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It weighs a ton.

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We met the family patriarch and it was clear he loves his horses.

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So you know my husband had to start up a half hour conversation.

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I tried to talk him into sitting here while I continued walking around the fair, but he wasn’t amused.

😉

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A fabulous first for me.

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Our neighbor called at 7:30 last night and screamed at us to “Go outside right now!”. From the tone of her voice I figured we were being invaded by herds of rabid moose… but when I stepped off the front porch steps ?

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Wow.

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I’m 60 years old and have never seen the Northern Lights in person..

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And there they were, right over our house.

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Again, wow.

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My photos don’t do them justice..

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But the husband and I stood out on the lawn like total weirdos snapping pictures for half an hour.

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It was a truly magical experience.

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I’m not sure I completely understand what causes the phenomenon …

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But I thoroughly enjoyed it all the same.

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❤️

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