My apologies for the delayed post, but it has been a happily hectic summer with lots of company, time in, on, and around the water, and plenty of fresh Maine lobster and Maine wild blueberries.
Visiting the quaint village of Castine is always a pleasure. It’s a tiny town of about 1300 people and home to the prestigious Maine Maritime Academy, a 4-year college that prepares students for careers in the merchant marine and other maritime careers. If you visit Castine, you’ll no doubt see the cadets walking around town in their uniforms.
The town itself was originally home to the Tarentine Abenaki Native Americans, now known as the Penobscot Nation. One of the earliest white explorers in the area was Samuel de Champlain in 1612. At various times over the ensuing centuries, the flags of France, Great Britain, Holland, and the US flew over Castine as they fought for control. When you visit, watch for the plaques along the sidewalks that tell Castine’s interesting story.
Today many people visit to view the lovely Federal and Greek Revival Homes and the stately American e
Back here on my small Maine island, life has settled down momentarily before the next wave of visitors. We’ve had some hot and muggy days, but with memories of last winter still in everyone’s mind, I haven’t heard a single word of complaint. We’ll enjoy every minute of summer in Maine, and wherever you travel here, I’m sure you will, too.
Tag: Maine
Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, Maine
I’ve just returned from a long sail along the Maine coast and thought I’d share a few suggestions for those of you planning your own visit here. Acadia National Park, established in 1916, is on the bucket list for most Maine visitors, and with good reason. Its more than 49,000 acres are home to a wide variety of animals, birds and butterflies, and at least 160 varieties of plants.
Hikers will enjoy 1,528-ft. Cadillac Mountain and the panoramic views from the top (go on a clear day if you can). You can also take guided walks or carriage rides through the park, bike on many of the trails, or go kayaking or birdwatching among many other activities.
The park is located on Mount Desert (pronounced “Dessert”) Island, which also boasts the busy tourist destination of Bar Harbor. Here you’ll find shops selling everything from funky t-shirts to high-end jewelry and just about anything in between. Watch for unusual gifts like chocolate-covered blueberries, blueberry wine, Native American-made items, or tourmaline jewelry made from the official gemstone of Maine. Future college students may want to check out College of the Atlantic, a small liberal arts college. 
(c) Karen Hammond
So much to do, so little time! This barely scratches the surface of all there is to see and do in the area. I return year after year, always finding something new, and will be back again in the fall when I find the park to be especially beautiful.
In my next post I’ll take you to the quaint little village of Castine. But for now I’m content to be back on my little island, coaxing much-delayed flowers into bloom at last, and looking forward to the official start of summer.
Maine in May
Spring has truly come to the island at last. Long after the crocuses have come and gone elsewhere, they are finally in full bloom here and looking glorious. Extremely cold winters are said to be good for bulb plants and I’m holding out hope for tulips and daffodils. After the long, gray winter I think we are all hungry for color wherever we can find it.
The island remains quiet, probably for a few more weeks. Around Memorial Day the summer people will start to arrive, and when school gets out around the third week in June
I’ve just returned from a few days in New York City. The city is energizing, to say the least, compared to my quiet Maine village of fewer than 100 people. I always enjoy it…the restaurants, the Broadway shows (finally got to The Lion King, which was spectacular), and the shopping, but after a few days I’m also always happy to head home. It works both ways. In the summer a lot of visitors from New York arrive and it always takes them a while to unwind and get acclimated to a much slower way of life.
For now my days are spent alternating between working here in my home office and getting the yard ready for summer. Today the men arrived to put in our dock and float. Summer’s coming….I can feel it in the air!
Springtime Comes to a Small Maine Island
Well, not quite. The calendar says we are a few days into spring, but with temperatures hovering between 7 degrees and the mid-20s, we know we have a way to go. Still, I can feel the soft touch of spring just beneath the cold air as I walk around the island each morning.
Finally, the island is no longer silent. Birds have returned and the early mornings are filled with chirps and calls. A dove has perched on a wire outside my office for the past few mornings, enjoying the early spring sunshine. We’ll have to wait a little longer for flowers, however. Several feet of snow still blanket the yard, so there’s no chance of snowdrops poking through. Who knows, we may be seeing crocuses in July! But we’re definitely on our way to good weather and recent glorious sunsets have made the long wait worthwhile.
It’s time for vacation planning. Living in Maine–Vacationland– makes it easy, of course, and I’m looking forward to several long sails along the coast and stops at some of my favorite places like Camden and Castine. If you’re planning a stay anywhere in New England, you might want to check out my book, Backroads & Byways of New England: Drives, Day Trips, and Weekend Excursions, for tips on off-the-beaten-
Blizzard on a Small Maine Island
I hope everyone affected by the recent snowstorm has come through it safely. Here on the island we got about two feet of snow that fell steadily from Monday night throughout Tuesday. Today it is glorious outside–crisp and cold with the sun shining brightly. Great weather for shoveling.
A heavy snowstorm makes the quiet island even quieter. A community-wide pot luck supper planned for Saturday night was postponed and may be postponed again if another storm moves in this weekend as anticipated. But no one really minds. New Englanders are nothing if not resilient, and there’s always plenty to do inside on snow days. We stoke the fire, get out the books we’ve been planning to read, knit, clean closets, and for those of us who work at home it’s a rare opportunity to get caught up on email and projects.
A year or so ago I gave a lecture about Maine life and someone in the audience asked if I “really” lived in Maine all winter. When I replied yes, he asked, “Why?” It made me laugh at the time,
New Year on a Cold Maine Island
Although Christmas was warm and rainy here on the island, the new year arrived with a blast of sub-zero weather. Today the ocean was layered with sea smoke, a fog that occurs when the air is colder than the water. It makes for quite a sight to see the huge cloud fog rolling across the water.
Fewer than 100 of us are here all winter, and while we may get together now and then for pot luck or an informal party, for most of us it’s a time to hibernate or to tackle a large project. Life slows down, which is probably a good thing since most of us live very busy lives the rest of the year. I spend the winter writing, and when I see a light at night in my nearest neighbor’s window, I know she is working on her art. A lot of creative people live out here, attracted by Maine’s beauty. Island life is not for everyone, however, and I have occasional visitors who can’t get back to the mainland and “civilization” 
If you love winter sports, don’t hesitate to come to Maine. It’s a great place for skiing, snowmobiling, ice skating, and just taking long walks bundled up in the crisp (ok, very cold) air. With the right clothes and the right attitude, you’ll have a great time.
Happy new year everyone. I wish you a happy, productive, and above all, a very healthy 2015.
Christmas on a Small Maine Island
Here on the island, we are gearing up for Christmas with plenty of snowy and/or gray and rainy days. Luckily we held our annual Christmas open house
From my office window I am watching Christmas lights twinkle through the pine trees, and down on the dock our Charlie Brown Christmas tree is shining brightly in the late-afternoon gloom. Two big ice storms lately have knocked it down twice, but now we have it lashed down tightly and will hope it stays upright for the rest of the season.
A large flock of wild turkeys has been visiting lately, no doubt attracted by goodies in the bird feeders. In the morning their tracks mix with those of deer and the neighbors cats and an occasional animal we can’t identify. I have a feeling our quiet yard is anything but quiet at 3AM.
I wish everyone peace and happiness as you prepare for the winter holidays, however you choose to celebrate them. And remember, if you are looking for a getaway, there are few places more beautiful than Maine under a light dusting of December snow!
First Snowfall on a Small Maine Island
Just 10 days into November and we’ve already had a substantial snowfall here on my small Maine island. It’s always a little dicey when snow arrives before we’re in a winter frame of mind, but being New Englanders, we always manage to cope.
Fewer than 100 of us remain on the island now, with summer residents having moved on to their winter quarters in warmer climates. We’re too far off the beaten path for all but the most intrepid late-fall tourist. And so the island folds back into itself. The little local church has a harvest fair coming up in a couple of weeks, the tiny year-round cafe bustles with locals drinking coffee in the morning, and our charming library is doing a booming business in mysteries as people stop in for books (the old-fashioned kind, with pages!). It’s definitely a time of transition as we move from the bright colors of early fall to the grays and browns of November. The first snow didn’t last long, but the next one is sure to linger
Photo: (c) Karen Hammond
Fall on a Small Maine Island
A busy schedule and a family illness have kept me away from my blog for a bit, but I’ll be working to catch up. Fall has fully arrived in Maine, and here on the island it’s one of the prettiest I can remember. The maples are just coming into their peak color and the contrast against the evergreens is spectacular. Every doorway, including my own, is sporting some kind of fall decoration as we transition from the bright colors of summer to fall’s more earthy tones. I love redecorating for the seasons, and if I hadn’t become a writer, I probably would have worked as an interior decorator. It’s really a stress reliever to swap
around everything from pillows to pictures as the seasons change.
Meanwhile, most of our summer residents and visitors have departed, although a few will remain until Columbus Day. Things are definitely quieter as the island settles in for the fall months and the long winter ahead. One of our two island stores has closed for the season; the other has changed hands, but fortunately will continue to remain open throughout the year.
I’m looking out my office window at a maple that is blazing scarlet in the late afternoon sun. I’ll enjoy every minute of October, which is always a lovely month here. As I’ve written before, I’ve never liked gloomy November, except for the wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
If you’re looking for something to do in Maine over the holiday weekend, I can suggest the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest on the midcoast, a great family event. I attended last year with some young family members who loved every minute. The painted giant pumpkins created by local artists are quite a sight, and the pumpkin races (yes, people really race on the Damariscotta River in hollowed-out giant pumpkins) are a hoot. For more info go to damariscottapumpkinfest.com.
Late Summer in Maine
I like to hold on to every possible moment of summer, so I’m not quite ready to give in to fall yet. After all, there are still nearly three weeks of the best season of the year to enjoy!
Here on my small Maine island we’ve had wonderful weather for the past two weeks. The sun is shining brightly today after a foggy start this morning, and there’s still plenty of beach, boating,
(c) Karen Hammond
Fall in New England has its own special charm, of course, but I’m going to enjoy these waning days of summer before I start thinking about pumpkins and fall holidays. How about you?