Over the last ten days, we have been in Maine. We were enjoying the most gorgeous fall weather until the last few days. Sunday afternoon Winter started nudging Fall with its dark clouds, and gusty winds. The branches had been greedily holding the last beautiful orange, gold, and red leaf-dancers with their flitting gowns of color. These beauties were bent and pulled by grasping relentless swirls of air so strong it howled the windows of the house to mourning wails. The weak ones released their tenuous holds and rode the torrent to the ground or into the lake. Whitecaps rolled relentlessly over the once calm face of the lake. Where kayaks gracefully cut v-waves in the mirrored surface two days ago, opposing enemies of wind and rain lathered the gentle currents to hostility.The spice colored reflections of the hills at the end of the lake gave way to twisted sticks of birch, oak, willow, and maple. Leafed no more they created an odd lace of branch and trunk pulled back exposing change and allowing a chill to penetrate through the windows and doors. Lawn chairs, bikinis, and laughter has long changed to boots and socks, down vests, and sweatshirts. It felt as if Fall was holding on for our benefit. It was beauty holding, showing forth its grace and loveliness for us to view each day.
The power went off and we huddled safely and gratefully in a cocoon of warmth and light, and each other. As power went out, our generator went on, trees all around our area small and huge fell to the ground. They crossed roads, littered yards, and driveways, brought down communications and electricity. The winter, moving in, taunted the workers, and the worshippers and the whisperers to make demands for them to prepare.
As we left Maine today, I realized Fall would be releasing itself to Winter and the changes could not be far away, and then I sadly whispered good-bye.
I have been holding the experience of Maine in the fall close to my heart and it will always stay there but I can give you a glimpse of its beauty through my pictures.
Winter is not far away
Kayaking
Kayaking was fun together
Would love this filled with our community of friends!
Last blog I alluded to heading toward the Maine event. This is a special event because neither Bob or I have ever been here before. This is new territory but has been so far such a magical time of exploration, coming closer to each other, experiencing both of our favorite things, mine art, his music, and adventure.
We are so richly blessed by the kindness and generosity of our friends. It would not have been possible to experience these things this way without Bob's dear friends. Dunner, we owe you a huge debt of gratitude for providing the magic and the guidance to the treasure that is Maine. We were delighted to see that you even arranged a special welcome sign as we made our way into our special destination. We turned a corner in the RV and saw this sign and started laughing. We knew we were going in the right direction.
The crimson, gold, yellow, and rust-colored leaves led the way through quaint New England towns with all the Colonial, Federal, and Victorian style houses, white-steepled churches and a scattering of Irish Pubs and coastal food shacks. We did find out one thing about Maine in October. October is 'out of season' and most of the tourism-driven businesses were closed for the winter. We would find a great place to go online only to find out that it was closed.
The hardest one to handle was Red's Eats which is so nationally famous there are books about it.
We were going to go on Sunday when we arrived but decided to avoid the crowds and go Monday since they are famous for crowds out the doors and around the block for their Lobster Rolls. As we drove up Monday the owners were boarding up the food shack saying Sunday was their last day. They kept it open longer than usual because of the weather but Columbus Day is usually their last day open. We did go across the street to another food shack and had Lobster Rolls but we will never be able to compare them to Reds. That was their last day open.....timing!
All of this beauty and charm and food is nearly eclipsed by the beauty of the countrysides and the wild and gorgeous sea coast. As we view the map of Maine we see mountains (Eastern US mountains) with many rivers and lakes strewn like puddles in the inland fringed beautifully with islands and a seeming million miles of coastland.
Even this late in the fall there were families, seniors, and foreign visitors enjoying its multi-natured beauty. There were even beaches that seemed as if they would be welcoming havens for swimmers and sun worshippers, of which we have already concluded, I am not. We heard the stories from local artisans and shopkeepers that in the summer the traffic is vehicle to vehicle for miles and lines out the door in most places. I am so glad this journey is happening at the timing it is. Almost no crowds, we have not had to wait at any restaurant we have chosen, and there are just scattered small groups of people at the main attraction areas. There are many here and we could be out every minute of every day and not see them all.
I see the families and miss mine. Many of our favorite times were around seacoasts. This one is definitely different from out West on the Left Coast as its called. It is not that the water is different or the dynamics are different but the feel of the whole area is different. The accents are very different but enchanting to hear. I have really loved the diversity we have been able to experience from the Texas drawls to the deep south meaning Georgia. Florida; and mid-south
Carolinas and Virginia. The eastern states of New Jersey and New York are both different, then you go to the Boston area and the northern New England states and there is another completely different flavor of language. I really should be recording these so that I could be reminded of them and how lovely they are.
Two Lights Lighthouse
With the RV
I love lighthouses and Maine's coast is littered with 143 of them. I am in no way going to see them all, but I am getting to see the ones we randomly come across. Some we have researched and looked for, but not all.
We see a sign for a lighthouse and alter course to explore. That could be the reason it takes us so long to get anywhere. I think the RV is now getting radar and can almost take us there blindly.
One of the lighthouses I have seen pictures of on calendars. I never thought that in my lifetime I would get to see it in person. It may be the most photographed but I am still taking samples of all that I can find. The amazing facts we are finding out is that each one of them has a story. There are usually small museums or stores or placards that tell the tales of the sea and the people who have run these amazing landmarks.
It is funny to me that I am reticent to talk to you about where we are staying. I may post some pictures but I am kind of like a newlywed that doesn't want to talk about the honeymoon because it is so personal. I can tell you this place is a joy and so magical especially at this time of the year (which is my favorite by the way). I am being restored here, body, soul, and spirit. We do want to protect the location, but view these gorgeous lighthouses and accept Bob's song and my camera work as a gift to lift your own soul. As you find yourself resting "Beside Still Waters"
After leaving the Farm in New Jersey we set off northward with two goals in mind, reach Maine and find a dump station where we could take care of the Admirals 'black water'. We are well past mid-October. As we were looking for state campgrounds, most were closed for the season.
We went through New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and finally Maine. Even though we found a place to spend the night, their dump stations were locked up for the season. Private RV spots were wanting to charge between 45-60 dollars....I know, WHAAAT?
Schneider
Finally found fall!
We had the privilege to go visit another of Bob's High School buddies named Jeff "Schneider". Well, what you need to know is that most of the "Lads" from Bob's high school have nicknames. Some of them do not remotely relate to what their real names are. I am just meeting them, so here goes, Bill "Dunner", Jeff "Schneider", Rick "Zech", Jack "Grouser", Greg "Watty" my Bob is "Otto" and another Greg who is just Greg. These guys have kept in touch for 45 years. Yikes! The class of 72 I guess was a good one in New Providence, NJ. When we made it into Massachusetts we had the opportunity to spend a weekend lunch at Jeff "Schneider's" home just outside of Boston. His lovely wife Sue and regal German Shepherd dog Pepe greeted us kindly and Sue created a sumptuous lunch. They have a lovely home in a beautiful area where people walk around the neighborhood greeting friends and walking dogs, smiling and waving. We talked journeys and where and how our children are. I am finding out about how Bob was in those 'formative' years and what his peers thought about him then, and how much they love him now. These men have accomplished a lot in their lives and it is amazing to see the wonderful men they are. Love and life change us. These men I am sure are proud of what life they have made for their families. They can also be proud of how they care for their friends.
We left Schneider's house and went north and ended up in a place called Salisbury State Park. It was late when we arrived and we at first thought that they were closed for the season. Luckily, they had one section that they keep open for RVs in the winter. It was great, good places to park right by the water, access to the beaches, all the amenities and very few people to contend with. We had a nice guy from NYC who owns a port-a-potty business help us get signed up and backed into our spot.
The next morning I got up with Bob and we rode our bicycles around the empty parking lots and over to the beach. We watched the sunrise, sat on our nylon beach barrier so we would not get sand in us that we would take to the rig. The morning was gorgeous and we saw it together. That was the best part. We have had so many beautiful together times. I am so grateful for every day.
Morning pours color over the breakers at Salisbury State Park in Massachusetts.
We took photos and talked and watched the dawn awakening.
It was a great morning and charged us to continue on to meet our commitment to go all the way to Maine.
The Admiral was pushing us to go onward but was no help what so ever in helping us find a dump station.
I guess the boats that he was in before did not have those kinds of problems or they were handled in a totally different way. I think the Admiral was so excited to be reaching a destination he felt at home in. It was also a place neither Bob or I had ever been. We were more excited about Maine than you could imagine. I was really careful not to set expectations, especially lofty ones so that I would not risk being disappointed.
What we found was above and beyond anything we could have imagined! But that is for another day.
Over the last ten days, we have been in Maine. We were enjoying the most gorgeous fall weather until the last few days. Sunday afternoon Winter started nudging Fall with its dark clouds, and gusty winds. The branches had been greedily holding the last beautiful orange, gold, and red leaf-dancers with their flitting gowns of color. These beauties were bent and pulled by grasping relentless swirls of air so strong it howled the windows of the house to mourning wails. The weak ones released their tenuous holds and rode the torrent to the ground or into the lake. Whitecaps rolled relentlessly over the once calm face of the lake. Where kayaks gracefully cut v-waves in the mirrored surface two days ago, opposing enemies of wind and rain lathered the gentle currents to hostility.The spice colored reflections of the hills at the end of the lake gave way to twisted sticks of birch, oak, willow, and maple. Leafed no more they created an odd lace of branch and trunk pulled back exposing change and allowing a chill to penetrate through the windows and doors. Lawn chairs, bikinis, and laughter has long changed to boots and socks, down vests, and sweatshirts. It felt as if Fall was holding on for our benefit. It was beauty holding, showing forth its grace and loveliness for us to view each day.
