Summer Roadtrip Part III St George Peninsula

On this first morning at the East Wind Inn in Tenants Harbor I thought I was up early but this painter already had quite a lot on his canvas so clearly he was up earlier. It was pretty much low tide.

 Wandering around this was the view of the backside of our Inn (the white building) which was, as promised, located right in the midst of a working harbor.

 The sea is at the center of life in this area. All those lighthouses are there for very serious reasons. Even so, there are still fishermen lost at sea. This was a lovely memorial to them that we found in the grounds of the Marshall Point lighthouse. Do you see the stone cairns in the right background?

 Moving on we headed to the Owls Head Light. As you can see we were not to be blessed with blue sky weather. It was a pretty good climb up steps to this one - this is taken at the halfway point.

 And rounding out our first day on the St George Peninsula we stopped to admire St George fighting the dragon. We did see a number of these rusted sculptures around the area but no plaques telling us of their origin or story.

Next morning we woke to a foggy morning. The Grange buildings are still important in the area. The flower pots, like most in the area, are carefully tended. It was about 7.30 am when I was taking this shot thinking I had plenty of time to roam and find the best angles but a car pulled in and disturbed my tranquility. Later I discovered that it would be the site for a farmers market tent to set up on this day.

 I liked the quiet reflection here.

 The same small inlet.

 And across the road...did I mention it was lowtide in the mornings?

 However, when the tide came in, the boat floated. The fog, as you can see, actually got more dense as the day went on.

Now I have to tell you, this was my favorite lighthouse to photograph. The Marshall Point Light is located at the entrance to Port Clyde Harbor. Movie buffs may recognize it as it appeared briefly in the 1993 movie "Forest Gump". But on this misty midsummer morning the summer wildflowers and the mist gave it a special appeal for me.

 Marshall Point Light.

 Each time I passed this point on the road I admired the setting and the colors. It being a somewhat busy road during the day I took advantage of the early hour and pulled over to dash back and take a quick shot. When the mist was not hanging about that blue roof was a vibrant eye-catcher.

To close I'll leave you in the dead center of town.

To be continued.

Summer Road Trip Part II - Portland and Beyond

Warning, in this part of our roadtrip we visited a number of lighthouses. You can't go to Maine for the first time and not visit lighthouses...it just would not count as a trip to Maine!

 On this day we headed from Freeport down to visit the various lighthouses around Portland. This is Portland Head Light albeit taken from a different angle than most photographs show it. But I am leading in with this one as I have a little mystery for you. Just to the top left of the keepers house you can see a smaller lighthouse out in the bay. It shows in no other photo I took and nor can I find mention of it in any of the written guide books I picked up. So here is your chance to shine your light (get it?!) - can you identify it for me please?

 This is the more frequent aspect you see this lighthouse photographed from. I read that it is the most visited, photographed and painted lighthouse in New England. Now I have to add that at least another couple also claim similar billing. Oh well. On this day the weather was variable but we did at least stay dry. Why this was important was that this was a Saturday and lighthouses are a very popular location to have an outdoor wedding. We saw our first here at Portland Head.

 Our next stop was for the Cape Elizabeth Light - which is actually "Two Lights". Parking, as in most places, was in high demand and trying to find a good view of either of the Cape Elizabeth lights defeated me. Instead, I am showing you some of the pretty wildflowers that we found in many areas around Portland.

Continuing on we found the Spring Point Ledge Light near to South Portland. It is at the end of a breakwater which we started along but then retreated. The lighthouse was not open to tours that day but there were a number of people fishing from the breakwater along with some interesting seacraft and other sights. It was at this stop that we watched the CAT, the high ferry from Portland ME to Yarmouth Nova Scotia come in to berth at Portland Harbor.  Again, if you want to chime in and identify the building on the left side please do. Wedding # 2 was going to happen overlooking this lighthouse some time after we left. Since we did later get rain I hope the timing worked out for the wedding party.

 Our last lighthouse for this day was the Portland Breakwater Light ("Bug Light"). It was a constant challenge for me on this day to try and get my best shot as, being a summer Saturday, there were people everywhere. While I was waiting in vain for these folk to move away from the lighthouse another local photographer came along and commiserated with me. We both agreed that the sail boat in the background made a good shot and, oh well, you have to seize the moment. Now you might be thinking that this small lighthouse is somewhat insignificant but check out the design. The architect for this, Thomas U. Walter, was also the designer of the U.S. Capitol's east and west wings and the current dome. Wedding #3 had already happened overlooking Casco Bay.

 Leaving lighthouses behind we rattled our way over the cobblestones of old town Portland and arrived at the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum. Part of the experience at the Museum is the ability to take a short ride along the shore of Casco Bay in the restored rolling stock. You roll gently along for a mile and a half and then come to a halt while they disengage the locomotive and then reattach it at the other end of the train. Here the conductor is making sure that we stay within the open and closed carriages while the locomotive is moving past us.

 Once #7 was back on the correct line we could get out and watch while the fireman supervised the recoupling process. Those may be weeds in the background but their bright yellow color created a good contrast to the darker colors of the railroad rolling stock and the fireman.

 On this day the locomotive in use was #7 , built in 1917, from the Bridgton & Saco River Steam Railroad. This stop was specifically for the interest of the navigator who is a very keen railroad enthusiast. He later told me it was fitting we visited that day as it was the 50th anniversary of the Fifteen Guinea Special which was the last steam-hauled train on British Railways. The light drizzle of rain did not impact our visit too much.

 The next morning we said our goodbyes to the Freeport area and were all set to get on the road to head north when I realized I had not documented the Big Indian located next door to where we had been staying. This towering 8' wide by 30' high fiberglass, plaster and steel rod statue has stood here on the side of route 1 in Freeport since 1969 and is a well known landmark. It was originally commissioned by the owner of the Casco Bay Trading Post and intended to draw people in to the business. Constructed in Pennsylvania the trip north of the Big Indian was a draw itself creating much slow traffic with motorists gazing in awe as they passed the big flatbed trailer. On the  NJ Turnpike state troopers pulled it off the road and requested it wait until dark to continue the trip as it was causing a traffic hazard with all the rubbernecking. The Trading Post owner retired in 1989 closing the business but the Big Indian remains. Now it is a conundrum to try and figure out how to photograph it with all those unsightly wires as the backdrop.

 We took a quick break from route 1 and pulled into Wiscasset. This pair was also taking a quick break.

Driving on again our next stop was for the Permaquid Point Light. As we pulled into the parking lot the heavens opened and we were stuck in the car while the rain poured down for more than 30 minutes. This is another of the "most visited and famous" Maine lighthouses. Looking out across the picket fence surrounding the keepers house and into the Muscongus and John Bay you can still see the rain hanging there.

 The lighthouse is not a tall one and we did take the opportunity to walk up the spiral stairway into the light area. For safety reasons this is very carefully controlled and only five people at a time can go up. While waiting our turn I noticed a cutting from a newspaper story dated December 2013 (with photo) reporting on a recent wedding here, yes, right here. The bride (in full long wedding gown) and groom, two witnesses and the officiant ascended the steep stair ladder and the wedding ceremony took place in that tiny confined space. Oh, also notice the seagulls perched on the roof. As we waited out the rainstorm we could see the gulls up there but speculated they must be fake as they stayed resolutely in position all through the downpour. But no, I guess it is just a favorite perch as the entire time we were there the seagulls came and went but there were always some perched on the rooftop of one or more of the buildings.

 This photo I took from high up while in the lantern shows the rocks at low tide. It is a very real danger that the lighthouses are there to alert for.

 Somewhat behind schedule because of the time lost to the rainstorm we did at last arrive at our destination, Tenants Harbor, where we would spend four nights at the East Wind Inn. A small working, fishing and boating harbor village on a peninsula near Rockland we hoped for fine weather during our time there.

To be continued.

Summer Road Trip

And we're off!

 Miss Ava, the navigator and I (the driver) are just back from a summer road trip. Our destination was Maine but we decided not to drive all the way there in one day. Instead we overnighted in Binghamton NY because it was a somewhat convenient  halfway point. Binghamton has an amazing collection of old carousels donated to the city from 1919 to 1934.The generosity of George F. Johnson, a shoe manufacturer and great benefactor, has allowed for everyone to enjoy free rides on these beautiful treasures since then.

 There are six scattered around the city and all are on the New York State Historic Register as well as the National Register of Historic Places. With only a brief overnight stopover we were lucky enough to go and ride on just this one at Recreation Park which still has the original Wurlitzer Band Organ. Being carefully housed in this delightful building keeps it safe from the harsh weather elements but does make it challenging to take good photographs of the horses and riders. It was a quiet afternoon when we were there and we got to ride alone.

The next morning we set out for our next stop in Freeport Maine where we were to spend four nights. While on the road the navigator did a grand job of reading out the instructions and consulting the map when necessary (no gps for us!) and kept Miss Ava pointed in the right direction. Everywhere we went in Maine there were boats moored in pretty bays...and narrow winding roads with lots of signs saying "private, no parking".

 We headed towards the Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park and saw scenes like this.

 And approaching rainstorms like this.

 Walking along the trails in the park I was delighted to come across this view of an osprey nest. In chatting with another visitor who was seated eating his lunch on a park bench specifically chosen so he could watch the nest, I heard that this nest has been there for many years. At home I am an avid watcher of a livecam of a nest in the Chesapeake Bay so I was thrilled to see this view.

 On Friday we headed over to the Skowhegan State Fair which was celebrating it's 200th year. The Fair claims to be the longest running State Fair in the USA. It had all the traditional attractions: animals and other facets of rural life along with the midway area of rides and food, a special antique auto display and some different events in the later afternoon (after we left the Fair) including a demolition derby, harness racing and truck pulls. It was the rural events we spent most time at along with a wander through the antique auto display.

 The poultry tent was full of cages stacked three high holding a wide variety of poultry. Some of the cage inhabitants are clearly used to this environment (and win ribbons too) while others are carefully watched over by their young owners and taken out now and then for some cuddle time.

 This part of the farm animals display clearly had the most entries.

 Leaving the poultry tent I was halted in my tracks by this sight. Two yoked large steers being taken out of their barn area and heading for the display area. Click on the photo to get a closer view of the blissful face of the steer getting a reassuring forehead rub. We spent a good half hour watching while these and similar other beasts competed in the driving competition. Prizes were awarded for how well the pair performed, how closely they matched in size, appearance, walking and obeying commands.

 Wandering into the pig barn we found this litter of piglets that had been born only two days previously.

Other buildings were where the home gardening, produce and handcrafts were to be found. This is one of the displays from a Grange group.

 The tent housing the antique auto display was a marvelous sight of carefully polished and pampered antiques. The white wall tires were a clean white and the paintwork was like a mirror.

I imagine it is quite a different buzz going on in the late afternoon and evening when most attendees are there for the carnival rides and food or to sit in the grandstand seating and watch the demolition derby, the harness racing and other entertainment. But we enjoyed our afternoon tour of the traditional rural aspects to be found in a small Maine town area but common to many other Fairs.

When the Rain Tumbles Down in July

Weather. It is always a topic if you can't think of what else to talk about. And if you have been following the world news lately there have been lots of interesting unusual weather events with either too much rain (causing flooding in Japan) or surprisingly hot, dry weather (in England for instance).

 Here in Virginia we had a wet spring which went well into June. Then we had a stretch of totally dry very hot and humid weather that lasted around 19 days but then, yes, the rain tumbled down in July! On July 21 we had 5.86" of rain beginning around 4pm and going on and on. The weather pattern stalled and we had several days of rain. The Potomac River was full of angry, swirling, muddy water. When there has been heavy rain it occurs to me to go down to the Great Falls and see for myself how the river is running. What I also need to do is take some comparison shots so you can see what it is like during the dry times.

But before the rain, the cornfields around Buckeystown MD made for a pretty picture. Here I like the undulations of the cornrows, the road and the wires on the poles.

 For many years we liked to keep the birdfeeders filled with seed but we have gradually eased up on that as the chipmunks were getting way more seed than the birds. This summer we have spent many delightful pauses in the day watching the backyard birds enjoy our birdbaths. There are about seven scattered around the garden but this one on the back deck is close enough to really see what goes on. Some days there is quite the line of birds waiting their turn. This catbird (?) was enjoying a solo bath on this day. However I have noticed there is a goldfinch who is quite determined to have the bath all to himself and will get out to chase other birds away.

 In Frederick MD I found this picturesque fountain in the Carroll Creek Park. The fountain is set up to vary the water heights and it takes a while to figure out the pattern and be ready to press the shutter quickly to capture the image you want.

 In my garden I have lots of coneflowers (echinacea) to attract the birds. These ones looked quite splendid one night just as the sun was going down. The yellow blobs in the background are black eyed susans.

 More visitors to the birdbath. I'm thinking they are house finches but what do you think? These two don't seem to be talking to each other just now judging by the body language. For this birdbath I am trying to photograph through the window so I don't scare them off.

 After the rains tumbled down in July the coneflowers out front got beaten down on the front walk which is a pity as they were looking quite magnificent. This patch of flowers becomes quite the magnet for the goldfinches in the Fall. Perhaps I can try to prop them up again with some temporary posts and garden twine. It will at least mean that the front walk can be used for walking again!

 The standard phlox have started to bloom - that is , the ones that the deer have not found.

 With the wet spring I was late planting my tomato plants. But just see how impressive this stem of "sweet 100" tomatoes looks. Not quite perfect though as I notice some cracking on the top left one perhaps the result of too much rain.

Ah, summerthyme. Yes, look carefully and see if you can read the fork.