July on a Small Maine Island

July is slipping by all too quickly, as usual. It’s my favorite month of the year and also seems the shortest. The island has come alive with summer residents and, now and then, a few tourists brave enough to travel  off the beaten park and find us. We’ve had several blazing hot days that we all wish we could bottle and release in February when the snow is piled up to the first-floor windows. There’s plenty to do at this time of year, from swimming in an ocean finally warm enough not to turn you into a human popsicle, to clam festivals, camping, sailing, kayaking, star-gazing, and just kicking back with a local brew and a fresh lobster. Hot days like today, with just enough breeze blowing to keep things comfortable, are reason enough for living in Maine.

As you travel, watch for our local wildlife both on and off the water. Moose, deer, seals, loons, cormorants, and puffins (the only way to see these is from the water–try a puffin cruise with the Hardy III in New Harbor) are all easy to spot at this time of year. Did you know that Maine has the second-largest moose herd in the country? The only one larger is in Alaska.

Time to assemble the lobster salad and make a batch of wild blueberry muffins. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful summer wherever your travels may bring you.

A lobster bake on the beach is a highlight of summer in Maine. Photo (c) Nathaniel Hammond

Summer on a Small Maine Island

A Maine lobsterman gets ready to set his traps for the summer season. Photo (c) Nathaniel Hammond
A Maine lobsterman gets ready to set his traps for the summer season. Photo (c) Nathaniel Hammond
It’s been a while since I’ve posted — a writing trip to Canada followed by a college reunion and a houseful of company have kept me busy. If you live in a popular tourist area, I’m sure you know what I mean about my home suddenly seeming like a B&B as soon as good weather rolls around. But I can’t blame people for wanting to come to the Maine coast. Few places on earth are more beautiful, especially at this time of year.
From my office window, I’m watching the lobstermen come and go over water that today is bright blue and tranquil. But I know how quickly that can change and how hard they all work every day. It’s the start of the busy season for them as well, hauling up thousands of pounds of lobsters to feed hungry travelers to Maine. Last week I took my visitors to see a rare blue lobster that had just been caught nearby. A bright, crystal blue, to me they’re the prettiest of the occasional lobster oddities that crop up — there are also yellow (very rare), calico, red (before cooking), and even albino lobsters, and even some that are half one color and half another. With the exception of the albino lobsters, they all turn red in the cooking pot….not that the rare ones will be eaten. Almost always they are donated to an aquarium for educational purposes.
I’ll be back soon with more news about summer in Maine and some highlights from my recent Canada jaunt. Happy summer everyone! It’s all too fleeting, so enjoy every moment!

Made in Maine

Maine has long attracted creative people, including many who make beautiful items for the home. I was so excited recently to discover the gorgeous table runners and pillows made by Leslie Evans that I wanted to share a photo.  This table runner looks lovely on a bare wood table or over a solid color  tablecloth, but when I first laid it out over the Provencal tablecloth already on my dining room table, I was struck by how pretty it looked — just right for late summer. If you’re a foodie like me and collect dishes and linens, you really should check out Leslie’s work. Her website is leslieevansdesigns.com. You

Lobster table runner by Maine’s Leslie Evans

too can bring a lobster home for dinner!