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It’s starling time again at Casa River.
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In the spring and early fall they descend…
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In very large numbers.
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And clean out our bird feeders in no time flat.
Summer may be over, but my flowers have had a miraculous resurgence.
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Everything is in full bloom and looking lovely.
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I don’t know why…
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But I’m not questioning, just enjoying.
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Even my potted hibiscus is hanging in there with the cool nights.
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A few sunset photos for your viewing pleasure.
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No real reason for the next one, it just made me laugh.
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Fall in Maine means apples and pumpkins and above all… turning leaves.
This is our backyard, complete with deer.
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I suffered a major loss recently when I discovered my absolutely favorite cocktail bar had gone belly up. The Blind Pig… with their amazing 10 page menu of creative alcoholic delights… has morphed into an Italian restaurant. Same owners, yes.
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The decor is similar…
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But the cocktail list pales in comparison.
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The food was good…
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The atmosphere pleasant…
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But even the funky silver fish wine decanter can’t make up the loss of my beloved artisan cocktails.
😫
Speaking of food, I’m including this crab cake recipe so I don’t lose it.
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If you try it before me, let me know.
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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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Now that we had a giant hole on the front of the house, it was time to fill it.
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Which meant moving the unbelievably heavy new door into position.
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It may not look like it, but this thing was an absolute beast to maneuver.
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My husband and his friend literally crab walked it across the lawn.
Three steps. Rest.
Three steps. Gasp for air.
Three steps. Regret not paying a contractor to do the job.
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Slowly… it got closer.
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And then? It had to be lifted up the two granite steps.
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Which was even worse.
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Please note my husband is engulfed by an unforgiving yew bush at this point.
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Finally, it was in.
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Though, as you can see….
Not without issues.
🥴
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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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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..... 