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Old Fort Western

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Next up on my things to do in Maine before the husband goes back to work bucket list was Old Fort Western. It’s one of those landmarks we drive by often but never take the time to explore.

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Old Fort Western in Augusta is the oldest surviving wooden fort in the United States. It started life as a trading post, then a manned station during the French and Indian war, and then a store supplying early settlers.

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In 1775 Benedict Arnold started his expedition to capture Quebec from this fort. Arnold’s party, which included future Vice President Aaron Burr, stayed at the fort before marching north.

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For a time it was a private home and now, a historic site.

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The day we visited there were a few reenactment soldiers in period dress on loan from Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts.

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You know my husband enjoyed this part.

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Though they wouldn’t let him fire it for safety reasons.

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I love history and totally geeked out during the guided tour.

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Strategically placed on the highest navigable point on the Kennebec River…

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It guarded the colonists well and was never attacked.

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Though I can’t imagine life here was easy.

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To be continued….

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Rainy day barn porch cocktails… with ducks.

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When there’s a summer thunderstorm on the horizon? We head for the barn porch.

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And if it’s cocktail hour?

We add an adult beverage.

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This particular storm was disappointing as all the good rumbling stayed to the north…

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But the gentle rain brought our old friends the ducks to the backyard and they’re always fun to watch.

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I don’t know how long mallard ducks live but we’ve had this visiting pair for close to 4 years now.

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When there’s rain and puddles? They plop right down and make themselves at home.

❤️

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Viles Arboretum… the finale.

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Finishing the outer loop trail brought us close to the end of our walk.

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Another sculpture.

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That my not a fan of modern art husband had a hard time deciphering. I keep telling him you don’t have to understand art … just enjoy it.

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The lilac gardens were next and though it was a small area ….

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The scent was gloriously large.

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Even she thought so.

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Or maybe she didn’t. It’s hard to tell.

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We really enjoyed the time we spent here. A true hidden oasis in the middle of our state’s capitol.

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I had to laugh that my husband has the old wooden apple press shown on that sign.

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So there you have it.

A full tour of Viles Arboretum.

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Ending with the least expensive and smallest sculpture on offer.

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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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Let’s play.

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It won’t hurt, I promise.

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Sadly, I don’t remember a thing.

My maternal grandparents moved back to Austria before I was born and we never visited. My paternal grandfather died when my father was 10 years old, so I certainly never knew him. And though I was 3 when my paternal grandmother died, I have absolutely no memory of her either.

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I’m told this is a picture of her standing in the backyard rose garden of this house….

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But honestly, neither the person nor the house stir any warm fuzzies in my prefrontal cortex.

When my mother died almost a decade ago we took a trip back to my hometown in New Jersey. The state gets a bad rap, and though most of it is well deserved… there are some lovely areas scattered here and there and thankfully I grew up in one.

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We walked north of town…

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Along the river….

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And found my grandparent’s house.

Still in the thick of early grief for my mother, I stood outside this nicely restored and clearly well loved home and cried. The new owners saw me, came outside to investigate and warmly welcomed us … complete strangers! …. inside for a full three story tour.

Don’t believe everything you hear about people from Jersey. This couple was grace personified.

We exchanged stories and histories and they were very sweet to an only child who had just lost her mom. The new owners expressed interest in my old family photos of the house and I promised to email them when we got back home.

So while I don’t have any grandparent memories of this particular house?

I do have nice new memories of the compassionate and caring young couple who live there now…. and that’s fine with me.

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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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