August on a Small Maine Island

August and July are, to my mind, Maine’s most beautiful months. Everything is lush and green, the ocean is cerulean, white clouds skitter across the sky, and outside, little summer creatures buzz and chatter all day long. Butterflies and hummingbirds visit my window boxes every day and it’s impossible not to slow down and take in the show. Maybe that’s what I like most about summer in Maine…it’s all so gorgeous that it’s impossible not to slow down, take it all in, and unwind.
I just returned from a long sail along the coast of Maine from Portland to Bar Harbor with lots of stops at small villages in between, among them, Boothbay Harbor, Bucksport, Castine, Rockland, Rockport, and Belfast. Each place has its own charm, so it would be impossible to pick a favorite.
All too soon summer people here on the island will be packing up for the trip back to wherever they spend the rest of their lives and the island will turn back into a quiet village of 100 souls who will start preparing for the fall holidays and then for a long winter ahead. But there’s time to think of that later. Right now it’s time to finish up the day’s work in my office, do a little weeding in the garden, pack a picnic, and head for the beach for a late-day swim.
Enjoy the fleeting days of summer, and if you have a favorite Maine vacation spot, please let me know and we can share it with other readers.