Mainly Maine

I thought that maybe I would hide in my studio for a month when we got back from the East coast; for the first week of our trip I was loving seeing people everyday and having a super full schedule, but by the time we got to Maine I was starting to wear, and though I enjoyed my time there immensely it would have been even better had I had more energy, especially for socializing.  I was drained enough that I forgot the camera every time we left our friend's house, and consequently didn't take a single photo of our time there.  I suppose I'll have to use my words instead for a change.  We got in to Bar Harbor in the evening, after a 16 hour Greyhound trek from PA (note to self: do not repeat this experience).  Our friend Cali, who we had planned to stay with, was still at work and we were stinky and tired, so we checked into a hotel for the night.  After cleaning ourselves up we went to check out this restaurant, Eden, that was temporarily closed the year that we lived in Bar Harbor.  It's a vegan place, and I heard rave reviews from our vegetarian and meat eating friends alike, so I was pretty excited to try their food after a three year wait.  It was delicious, but in what has become a very familiar restaurant experience, the appetizer blew the entrees out of the water, and were I to go there again in the future I would skip entrees altogether, and just go for several appetizers and dessert (which was also phenomenal).  Dessert was a "peanut butter cup": chocolate mousse, peanut butter mousse, chocolate ganache, topped generously with something that most resembled peanut brittle, and was so damn good that we went back two night later just for dessert and coffee.  After dinner our first night we went back to the hotel and were asleep by 10.

The next morning we met up with Cali and moved over to her apartment.  We went down to the South end of the island with her and her new pup, Knox, to walk around Little Long Pond, which is entirely off leash okay and therefor the social hub for dogs on the island.  Cali had to work again in the evening, so Seth and I went for a bite to eat and posted up at the Lompoc, the bar in town most frequented by locals.  The night went pretty much as I had hoped: a good friend and former coworker of Sarah's was behind the bar, and a good friend of ours' whose number I had lost wandered in partway through the evening.  Phones are still somewhat obsolete on that island: many people don't even have them, and service is spotty at best for those who do.  It worked out quite well to just show up and hang out in the right places, waiting to see the people we were looking for.

Day three, we woke up and got breakfast at my former place of employment; said hello to couple of old friends there.  Then Seth, Cali, Knox and I set out for a hike.  Cali's boyfriend met up with us too, and we hiked a few miles together before they headed back to town so that Cali could get ready for work.  Seth and I devised a plan to hike the whole way back into town from where we were, which we did, rolling in just after dark and making a b-line for the burrito place.  After our eleven and a half mile hike, my burrito tasted like the best thing I had eaten in weeks.  We went and showered at Cali's before going back to Eden for the PB cup, which actually might have been the best thing I had eaten in weeks.

On Saturday we took it easy during the day.  Seth walked down to a quiet, rocky beach South of town and read for the afternoon while I went down to Somesville with Cali and her boyfriend to explore the harbor in his little boat.  That evening the four of us went out to dinner at the restaurant that Cali is currently working at, often regarded as "the best restaurant on the island."  They are especially known for their seafood, which we ate tons of.  Being with an employee carried some nice perks too:  we were brought an extra appetizer compliments of the chef, and then an extra entree as well, which had been prepared for another table erroneously.  I tried cuddlefish for the first time, which was really tasty.  More desserts, and thankfully coffee, as we headed to a party afterwards.  The party was lovely, down in one of the less populated towns on the island.  We ran into several people we were hoping to see, and enjoyed the last of the warmish weather around a backyard campfire.  On the way home we stopped and launched a Chinese lantern over the Sound, which more or less made the night perfect.

Sunday was our last day there.  We woke up and went to the farmer's market with Cali, where we got coffee and Thai food for breakfast, sat and ate on the bleachers while we watched Knox tear around the park.  I had hopes of getting in another hike but we went in search of a friend that we hadn't managed to see yet on our way and ended up spending the day checking out his new place.  This summer he's built himself a yurt on a platform constructed entirely of materials found or hewn on site on-site, cultivated a huge garden and flock of chickens, and built a cob oven and composting outhouse.  He was also in the process of making himself a hunting bow.  It was a wonderfully impressive and lovely existence to step into for the afternoon, and by the time we got back to town Seth and I were about sacked for the evening.  I tried to read but fell asleep within 20 minutes.

Next morning we had to catch the bus to Portland (ME) at 8.  We spent the night there, and had a really lovely time strolling around the historic district and waterfront, getting a bite to eat and a drink.  Had an early turn in again, as we had to wake up at four to catch our six am flight back to our Portland.

Upon our return, I managed to take a day off from people.  Then it was Sarah's birthday, which she and Andy spent here, and then they somehow convinced us to come to San Francisco for a few days with them, for Sarah's birthday trip.  As a matter of fact, it's about time for us to head downtown to meet them now.  We're taking the train down overnight and staying until Friday.  Someday I'll rest and get lost in my projects, but I couldn't pass on the opportunity to spend the week with Sarah in a fun new city; the four of us don't get to travel together often, and I'm really looking forward to it!

Sarah's birthday breakfast, prepared by chef Seth, before and after.  You're looking at a chanterelle mushroom, a lobster mushroom, smoked salmon, potatoes, zucchini, carrots, tomato, kale, pesto, and eggs... all cooked into this delicious hash:

Eagle Creek

Started this post before our trip back East, but didn't get a chance to post it until now.  I was right about the weather; the NW greeted us with a downpour as we made our way home from the airport on Tuesday.


Summer is almost over.  We've seen the first rain that we've had in weeks the past few days, which is nice as I haven't had to water our garden all week.  Things will probably have taken an even more decisive turn by the time we return from the East coast at the end of September, so we're really trying to pack it in while we can.  Last week Seth and I went on a three day trip just East of Portland in the Columbia River Gorge.  It was nice and mellow climbing up into the hills from the river, and we passed so many waterfalls that I began to find them dull.

Yes, that is a tunnel behind a waterfall that I'm about to walk through.

Our campsite the first night

 

Wahtum Lake, our night number two camp destination.  It was a little brisk but we went for a swim here anyway.

There were forest fires burning about 40 miles up river (along the Columbia) from where we were, but the smoke made it all the way to us.  Definitely made hiking a little less pleasant and a little more strenuous, and contributed to our decision to hike the whole way out on the third day instead of camping a third night.  The last day we went through some cool landscapes: lots of rocky outcroppings in the woods and some beautiful exposed sections of trail where we got good sun, and then rain.

Sarah's (kinda blurry) Face

Just before Kat's visit Sarah and Andy came through town for a night, and we had such a nice spread when they arrived that we snapped a few pictures.  Thought you might like to see the visage of your other daughter/granddaughter/etc.  Also pictured (with the wine) our roommate Greg.

Life After Kat

It's been two weeks since Kat headed back East, and I finally feel like I'm getting back on top of my various projects again.  We had an absolute blast while she was here; too much fun to remember to take photos most of the time.  A couple of weeks before her visit, she dropped on me the very new information that she's come around on nature, and is now "into that stuff."  I had thought we would spend her visit in Portland sewing and going to the arcade/second run theatre, and suddenly there was a lot more to try to fit in.  Luckily we got to a little of everything:  Kat sewed her first garment (a gathered, high waisted skirt with an elastic waistband and some very impressive looking pockets); we made a bunch of bread together, including pitas, pizza, and a rustic-type loaf, worked in the garden, spent an afternoon at Powell's, the giant bookstore; Gordon took her to her first concert to see Say Anything and Eisley; she and Sarah went kayaking two days in a row, once out to an island that they explored on a long hike; Kat even tried a bit of surfing one day with Seth and I, borrowing my board to catch waves on her stomach and knees (next year she'll be on her feet for sure!).

We're beginning to reap the rewards of our garden, so far mostly in the form of snap peas and salad greens.

  

Seth put together this garden box with some old windows we found.  We left them down during the beginning of the season to make a mini greeenhouse while it was still cold and we were starting the lettuce, but now its sweltering most days so it stays open.

We also harvested our garlic while Kat was here, and have somewhere around 30 bulbs of 6 different varities, still drying in our pantry.

Kat munching on some peas.  You can see we also have a pear tree and blackberries growing out back.

Planted some corn the other day, a tiny bit late but we'll still get some, just late and maybe not quite in abundance.  We have zucchini and tomatoes that are starting to produce now too; I made a loaf of zucchini bread the other day and think we'll have a few more throughout the summer.  Tomatoes seem... difficult.  Maybe they'll surprise me with a late comeback, but so far they've required more tlc than their production seems worth.  I had hopes to grow a bunch and can our own sauces this summer.  It's kinda early still, but I'm thinking in years to come I might focus more on other things.    Less finicky things.

We've been trying to balance taking advantage of the summer, now that it's finally here in full force, and working on our projects.  Seth has two new boards in the works, which I have remembered to photograph from the very beginning this time (coming soon) and together we've been developing pair of shoes (also more to come soon).  But with mountains and ocean both just a couple of hours away, it's tough!