Saturday, June 05, 2004
Friday, June 04, 2004
Shakers and Bikers
I got up early, dressed and headed out for a run, leaving Dan and the dog asleep in our comfortable room. The roads were nice, but with very steep hills that made for a difficult run for me. In just thirty minutes I managed to find two small family cemetaries that appeared to be quite old. It was interesting to see such a mix of old and new houses, with these cemetaries interspersed among them.
As I finished up my run, I found Talley the terrier waiting for me outside the barn. She trotted up to me with a small stick which I obligingly threw for her to chase. Not only did she retrieve it, but she shook it, bit it and pretty well destroyed it. I believe terriers were once used to hunt rats and other vermin. Good choice. They're good at killing sticks, at any rate. Then I went inside and found our hosts in the kitchen. I made the mistake of mentioning that Talley had slept with us and they started telling her what a bad dog she was. I assured them we had enjoyed the company, but I felt bad for getting that sweet dog in trouble.
I showered and dressed for breakfast, which was served on an antique trestle table in front of the old cooking fireplace. Breakfast was a pear in currant sauce, fried potatoes, bacon and a "Bismark," an odd but delicious omlette-like thing with jelly. After breakfast we reluctantly packed and headed out. I would've liked to have spent a couple days there, relaxing in the country, but it just wasn't in our plans.
We headed over to Canterbury Shaker Village where we went on a couple of tours. I had thought there wasn't much a tour guide could tell me about the Shakers that I didn't already know, but of course I was wrong. Among other things, he did a little Shaker song and dance for us. Weird, but cool. There wasn't as much to see at Canterbury as at the Hancock village, but what there was was excellent.
We tried to get some snacks and water at their little restauarant before we left, but there were several buses' worth of schoolkids overrunning everything. Luckily there was another Shaker shop by the parking lot, with cheese, herbs, etc. They also had water and cookies, which was all I really wanted anyway.
It was a long drive to Kay's in Brownsville, but things became noticably prettier once we had crossed the state line into Vermont. Kay was out when we arrived but had left a note and brownies. She came in soon after we had brought in all our bags and proceeded to tell us that she was closing the inn soon. The mortgage was paid and she wanted to devote her remaining active years to worthy causes. Her daughter, son-in-law and their kids would be moving in with her and were already living in temporary quarters in the upstairs part of the house. We were disappointed to hear she was closing, but it sounded like she was happy about it. It's always nice when someone you know gets to live their dreams.
Then we went to East Dorset for dinner, went to the local cemetary and talked to some bikers on Harleys. Then we came back to Kay's, made some tea and watched the stars from the front yard until we were sleepy and it was time for bed.
As I finished up my run, I found Talley the terrier waiting for me outside the barn. She trotted up to me with a small stick which I obligingly threw for her to chase. Not only did she retrieve it, but she shook it, bit it and pretty well destroyed it. I believe terriers were once used to hunt rats and other vermin. Good choice. They're good at killing sticks, at any rate. Then I went inside and found our hosts in the kitchen. I made the mistake of mentioning that Talley had slept with us and they started telling her what a bad dog she was. I assured them we had enjoyed the company, but I felt bad for getting that sweet dog in trouble.
I showered and dressed for breakfast, which was served on an antique trestle table in front of the old cooking fireplace. Breakfast was a pear in currant sauce, fried potatoes, bacon and a "Bismark," an odd but delicious omlette-like thing with jelly. After breakfast we reluctantly packed and headed out. I would've liked to have spent a couple days there, relaxing in the country, but it just wasn't in our plans.
We headed over to Canterbury Shaker Village where we went on a couple of tours. I had thought there wasn't much a tour guide could tell me about the Shakers that I didn't already know, but of course I was wrong. Among other things, he did a little Shaker song and dance for us. Weird, but cool. There wasn't as much to see at Canterbury as at the Hancock village, but what there was was excellent.
We tried to get some snacks and water at their little restauarant before we left, but there were several buses' worth of schoolkids overrunning everything. Luckily there was another Shaker shop by the parking lot, with cheese, herbs, etc. They also had water and cookies, which was all I really wanted anyway.
It was a long drive to Kay's in Brownsville, but things became noticably prettier once we had crossed the state line into Vermont. Kay was out when we arrived but had left a note and brownies. She came in soon after we had brought in all our bags and proceeded to tell us that she was closing the inn soon. The mortgage was paid and she wanted to devote her remaining active years to worthy causes. Her daughter, son-in-law and their kids would be moving in with her and were already living in temporary quarters in the upstairs part of the house. We were disappointed to hear she was closing, but it sounded like she was happy about it. It's always nice when someone you know gets to live their dreams.
Then we went to East Dorset for dinner, went to the local cemetary and talked to some bikers on Harleys. Then we came back to Kay's, made some tea and watched the stars from the front yard until we were sleepy and it was time for bed.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
New Hampshire
We woke up to gray skies again. Dan didn't care to go to the beach in such weather, so we slept in a bit, then lingered over coffee and bagels in the common room. Then we finished packing and hauled our luggage up the hill to the dock. I insisted on carrying the heavier pieces, so as not to undo all the work Dan had had done on his back the day before. Besides, I needed the exercise.
We had a bit of a dilemma with the remaining hummus we had bought, since they had given it to us in restaurant crockery. With only a few minutes before we had to board the ferry I ran to the only place on the island open at that hour that had lidded coffee cups that the hummus could go into. Then I returned the bowls to the Island Inn and made it back to the dock just in time. Dan asked if all that dashing around had been worth it. Of course it was. The hummus was mine, the bowls weren't, and those nice people had trusted me to do the right thing. I sure wasn't leaving the island with anything that wasn't mine.
The boat ride was uneventful, but this time the unhappy passengers were a cat and a toddler. We saw no seals on the ride back, unfortunately.
Back on the mainland, we bought a few necessaries at the general store and a few souvenirs at the gift shop. Then we headed to Thomaston where we put gas in the car and did our laundry at the laundromat. The washer didn't rinse very well, but we didn't have time to run it twice. While we waited for everything to dry I browsed the antique shop next door and picked up a cute cobalt glass ink bottle. Then I searched the vicinity for a restroom and got some ice for our cooler. By now the laundry was dry and we loaded everything back into the car and headed south.
At first the route was much like the one we had traveled to get there earlier in the week, but we soon turned toward New Hampshire. I had expected New Hampshire to be rather like Vermont, so I was disappointed to find it more built up on the roadsides and not as quaint and pretty.
We took a detour off our route to the B&B to check out a place billed as "America's Stonehenge." What we found was a lot of small gray stones in a forest more mosquito-infested than Houston after a tropical storm has blown through. The mosquitos were so aggressive it was hard to really appreciate anything we were seeing, so we soon returned to the visitor center and bought a book about it instead. It was late anyway, and we were still far from our B&B.
We finally arrived at our B&B-- accurately billed as a working horse farm. As soon as we pulled up the welcome commitee, a Jack Russell terrier, came trotting up the path to greet us and lead us to our host. We were given a tour of the house-- a meticulously restored early 1700s farm house full of original antiques. Our room even had Blue Willow china and Shaker chairs. The door closed with an iron latch instead of a doorknob. The only thing modern, from the ceiling beams to the stenciled entryway floor was our bathroom, which had a heated tile shower and brass sink. After we unloaded the car we went for a walk around the grounds.
Our hostess was in the barn saddling a horse for a workout and Dan talked horses with her a little bit. After we checked everything out, we decided to go find a place for dinner, since country places close early. We were disappointed to find that the place recommended by our host offered mostly fried foods. Dan had some fried scallops while I played it safe with a grilled chicken salad, no dressing. We had tapioca and cookies for dessert. It was hard for me to resist buying some cookies to take back to the B&B with us, but I managed it somehow.
Back at the inn we went for a walk and tried to find the innkeeper's dock on the lake, but couldn't locate it in the dark. Then Dan went inside to relax while I walked a bit more, enjoying the quiet countryside. Then I went inside, thinking I would do a bit of jumprope on the enclosed patio before bed, but I got drawn into a conversation in the parlor instead. The innkeepr and a British guest were discussing a range of topics, from Shakers to experiences in Eastern Europe under Communism. We got into a long discussion about third world poverty and the next thing we all knew it was after midnight. Dan had already gone to bed and I joined him, as did our terrier friend who was so sweet and insistent that I let her join us on the bed after sternly telling her that she had to be good. As if she understood me completely, she hopped up between us, curled up and went to straight to sleep, not moving once the whole night.
We had a bit of a dilemma with the remaining hummus we had bought, since they had given it to us in restaurant crockery. With only a few minutes before we had to board the ferry I ran to the only place on the island open at that hour that had lidded coffee cups that the hummus could go into. Then I returned the bowls to the Island Inn and made it back to the dock just in time. Dan asked if all that dashing around had been worth it. Of course it was. The hummus was mine, the bowls weren't, and those nice people had trusted me to do the right thing. I sure wasn't leaving the island with anything that wasn't mine.
The boat ride was uneventful, but this time the unhappy passengers were a cat and a toddler. We saw no seals on the ride back, unfortunately.
Back on the mainland, we bought a few necessaries at the general store and a few souvenirs at the gift shop. Then we headed to Thomaston where we put gas in the car and did our laundry at the laundromat. The washer didn't rinse very well, but we didn't have time to run it twice. While we waited for everything to dry I browsed the antique shop next door and picked up a cute cobalt glass ink bottle. Then I searched the vicinity for a restroom and got some ice for our cooler. By now the laundry was dry and we loaded everything back into the car and headed south.
At first the route was much like the one we had traveled to get there earlier in the week, but we soon turned toward New Hampshire. I had expected New Hampshire to be rather like Vermont, so I was disappointed to find it more built up on the roadsides and not as quaint and pretty.
We took a detour off our route to the B&B to check out a place billed as "America's Stonehenge." What we found was a lot of small gray stones in a forest more mosquito-infested than Houston after a tropical storm has blown through. The mosquitos were so aggressive it was hard to really appreciate anything we were seeing, so we soon returned to the visitor center and bought a book about it instead. It was late anyway, and we were still far from our B&B.
We finally arrived at our B&B-- accurately billed as a working horse farm. As soon as we pulled up the welcome commitee, a Jack Russell terrier, came trotting up the path to greet us and lead us to our host. We were given a tour of the house-- a meticulously restored early 1700s farm house full of original antiques. Our room even had Blue Willow china and Shaker chairs. The door closed with an iron latch instead of a doorknob. The only thing modern, from the ceiling beams to the stenciled entryway floor was our bathroom, which had a heated tile shower and brass sink. After we unloaded the car we went for a walk around the grounds.
Our hostess was in the barn saddling a horse for a workout and Dan talked horses with her a little bit. After we checked everything out, we decided to go find a place for dinner, since country places close early. We were disappointed to find that the place recommended by our host offered mostly fried foods. Dan had some fried scallops while I played it safe with a grilled chicken salad, no dressing. We had tapioca and cookies for dessert. It was hard for me to resist buying some cookies to take back to the B&B with us, but I managed it somehow.
Back at the inn we went for a walk and tried to find the innkeeper's dock on the lake, but couldn't locate it in the dark. Then Dan went inside to relax while I walked a bit more, enjoying the quiet countryside. Then I went inside, thinking I would do a bit of jumprope on the enclosed patio before bed, but I got drawn into a conversation in the parlor instead. The innkeepr and a British guest were discussing a range of topics, from Shakers to experiences in Eastern Europe under Communism. We got into a long discussion about third world poverty and the next thing we all knew it was after midnight. Dan had already gone to bed and I joined him, as did our terrier friend who was so sweet and insistent that I let her join us on the bed after sternly telling her that she had to be good. As if she understood me completely, she hopped up between us, curled up and went to straight to sleep, not moving once the whole night.
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Rainy Island Day
We woke up to overcast skies which quickly turned into a cold drizzle. After the previous year's poor weather we had hoped for sunshine, but no such luck. We went next door for breakfast in the common room, a rather spartan affair compared to the other places we had stayed. I had cream cheese and jelly on a multigrain bagel, coffee and a banana.
After breakfast we walked up the road to Monhegan House to get Dan signed up for a massage, since his back was bothering him. Then we set off for a short hike that turned into three hours over some difficult, rocky trails. We got a bit lost a few times since the trails are so poorly marked. But you can never be too lost on an island only three miles long, so we always found our way again quickly. We saw some seals playing off the shore and watched them for a long time. They looked like they were having a great time, bobbing, splashing and chasing each other around.
After we got back to town I picked up our hummus and we had a lunch of hummus, goat cheese and crackers. It was kind of funny when I picked up the hummus because the girl at the counter wasn't sure what to charge me, so she just let me take it and I could come back and pay later. It's a very fine thing to be trusted-- something that we certainly lack in our modern urban lives. Then again, where was I going to go? It's not like I could just skip town, absconding with two bowls of hummus.
After lunch Dan went to his massage appointment and I took care of a few errands. I paid for the hummus, bought some more crackers, browsed the town's limited trinket offerings and ate a thoroughly decadent cookie that nonetheless had no calories since no one actually saw me eat it. Then I went exploring up a road by Monhegan House. The road took me up a hill and past a house with some great carvings out front.
I continued past where the road ended and down a trail through a meadow until it was time to turn around and get Dan. I found him wandering outside Monhegan House in a state of such bliss that I ran inside and asked if there were any other massage appointments available that day, but there were none. Oh well. So I took Dan to see the yard art I'd just found and we continued along up the road to see what else was there. We were accosted along the way by a very friendly Golden Retriever which ran out of a gate and laid a tennis ball at our feet, eager to play. Dan threw the ball for it for awhile, but then we got tired of the game and continued along the trail. Instead of going into the meadow, we took a different trail that led us to an amazing cliff with combers I could've watched all day.
We hung out there for awhile, then retraced our steps and went to Lobster Cove for a bit. It was starting to get dark and rainy again, so we didn't stay long and hurried back up the hill to Monhegan House. It was a little early, but the dining room was open so we went in. I had a cup of white bean soup and some pasta with pesto and zucchini. We had lemon cake and coffee for dessert. But just as the previous year, what was really amazing about our meal was the bread. It sounds silly, but Monhegan House has the best bread in the world! We gushed over it so much the waiter brought us a big loaf of it to take with us. I don't know if he was trying to shut us up or was just tired of going back for more, but we were grateful. The chef even came out to talk to us and after learning about all my years in the restaurant business he said I could have a job there any time. Don't tempt me, buddy! Finally, Dan and I had a nice conversation with the couple at the next table. They told us they had been coming to Monhegan for 50 years! Hey, I love the place too, but in 50 years I would think you could pretty much do everything that can be done on the island at least 50 times over.
It had stopped raining and was colder now, so we went back to the apartment and changed into warmer clothes. Then we checked our email at the library, blew off going to the lighthouse and spent the evening in the common room looking at books and working on a jigsaw puzzle.
After breakfast we walked up the road to Monhegan House to get Dan signed up for a massage, since his back was bothering him. Then we set off for a short hike that turned into three hours over some difficult, rocky trails. We got a bit lost a few times since the trails are so poorly marked. But you can never be too lost on an island only three miles long, so we always found our way again quickly. We saw some seals playing off the shore and watched them for a long time. They looked like they were having a great time, bobbing, splashing and chasing each other around.
After we got back to town I picked up our hummus and we had a lunch of hummus, goat cheese and crackers. It was kind of funny when I picked up the hummus because the girl at the counter wasn't sure what to charge me, so she just let me take it and I could come back and pay later. It's a very fine thing to be trusted-- something that we certainly lack in our modern urban lives. Then again, where was I going to go? It's not like I could just skip town, absconding with two bowls of hummus.
After lunch Dan went to his massage appointment and I took care of a few errands. I paid for the hummus, bought some more crackers, browsed the town's limited trinket offerings and ate a thoroughly decadent cookie that nonetheless had no calories since no one actually saw me eat it. Then I went exploring up a road by Monhegan House. The road took me up a hill and past a house with some great carvings out front.
I continued past where the road ended and down a trail through a meadow until it was time to turn around and get Dan. I found him wandering outside Monhegan House in a state of such bliss that I ran inside and asked if there were any other massage appointments available that day, but there were none. Oh well. So I took Dan to see the yard art I'd just found and we continued along up the road to see what else was there. We were accosted along the way by a very friendly Golden Retriever which ran out of a gate and laid a tennis ball at our feet, eager to play. Dan threw the ball for it for awhile, but then we got tired of the game and continued along the trail. Instead of going into the meadow, we took a different trail that led us to an amazing cliff with combers I could've watched all day.
We hung out there for awhile, then retraced our steps and went to Lobster Cove for a bit. It was starting to get dark and rainy again, so we didn't stay long and hurried back up the hill to Monhegan House. It was a little early, but the dining room was open so we went in. I had a cup of white bean soup and some pasta with pesto and zucchini. We had lemon cake and coffee for dessert. But just as the previous year, what was really amazing about our meal was the bread. It sounds silly, but Monhegan House has the best bread in the world! We gushed over it so much the waiter brought us a big loaf of it to take with us. I don't know if he was trying to shut us up or was just tired of going back for more, but we were grateful. The chef even came out to talk to us and after learning about all my years in the restaurant business he said I could have a job there any time. Don't tempt me, buddy! Finally, Dan and I had a nice conversation with the couple at the next table. They told us they had been coming to Monhegan for 50 years! Hey, I love the place too, but in 50 years I would think you could pretty much do everything that can be done on the island at least 50 times over.
It had stopped raining and was colder now, so we went back to the apartment and changed into warmer clothes. Then we checked our email at the library, blew off going to the lighthouse and spent the evening in the common room looking at books and working on a jigsaw puzzle.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Monhegan Island
We slept in until 8:00, having considered and rejected the idea of getting up earlier and going back to the beach. We had an hour until breakfast, so we packed and got ready to head to Port Clyde. Breakfast was in the formal dining room and we got to meet some other guests staying at the inn-- a young, devoutly Christian couple who seemed a bit odd for reasons other than the fact that the girl did not eat. Things got even stranger after they left, though. Our hostess started telling us about her Himalayan adventures and how Boothbay is situated on some sort of spiritually optimal magnetic median. Well, it is a peaceful place, but magnetic?
Our hostess went on to tell us about a dove nesting on the third floor balcony, so we went to go see it. It was a sweet thing, but I don't know how it was planning to manage the heavy tourist season, since the balcony was part of the priciest guest room in the house.
So we finished packing, loaded the car and checked out. We left the car at the inn for a little while and walked back into town where Dan bought me a red fleece jacket I had seen and liked the previous day. I believe that if you still want something twenty four hours later, you should always get it if you can afford it. We then mailed some postcards, got some cash and browsed at a little bookstore before heading back to the car.
Now we were off to Thomaston! We had a little time to kill before we needed to head to Port Clyde so we checked out the Henry Knox museum. The museum was a well done reproduction of Knox's home, Montpelier. It was interesting and I learned a lot, although it was unfortunate that the house was a reproduction and not the original. It's amazing that we've managed to forget Knox, considering how much he did for the American Revolution. The reconstructed home contained a lot of original pieces, including a cabinet that supposedly had once belonged to Marie Antoinette that Knox picked up in France after their Revolution.
Next we were off to Port Clyde to catch the ferry to Monhegan. While we were waiting Dan made friends with two female cyclists, one of whom was an artist with plans to do some painting on the island. After I bought our ferry tickets, we all had lunch together in the general store.
Dan and the ladies had hot dogs and pizza while I had yogurt and an apple. With all the decadent goodies available on the island, I was saving my stomach! After we ate, Dan and his friends checked out a military sea/land vehicle beached nearby.
And then it was time to get on the ferry. We saw a lot of seals on the ride over, which was fun. The ferry ride was choppy but otherwise uneventful for all of us except a timid greyhound who didn't like it a bit. Then after we docked, the poor thing was afraid to get off the boat because the ramps made him nervous.
It was great to be back on Monhegan. We hauled our luggage up the hill to our B&B and checked into our apartment. Unlike the rooms in the main house, we had a heater of our very own-- a good thing when you're a Southerner in Maine! Since it was late in the afternoon I made a quick trip to the grocery store, then Dan and I went for a walk at Lobster Cove. We spent a lot more time investigating the shipwreck than last year and it was all very interesting. I wish I knew more about it. After we had exhausted the possibilities of the shipwreck we wandered around on the rocks for a bit, enjoying the cairns and rock sculptures until about 6 pm.
After we freshened up a bit at the apartment we went to the Island Inn for dinner. Service was unbelievably slow but the hummus was so outstanding we made arrangements to buy some the next day to enjoy in our apartment. After dinner we went to the library. It had been closed the last time we were on the island, so this was our first time to see it. I loved it! Tiny libraries in old homes always remind me of the one in Dennis, MA, where I used to go with my grandmother to check out books when I was visiting Cape Cod as a child. I felt so at home I could've stayed all night, but library hours are short on Monhegan, so we checked our email and went back to the apartment to have some tea and settle in for the night.
Our hostess went on to tell us about a dove nesting on the third floor balcony, so we went to go see it. It was a sweet thing, but I don't know how it was planning to manage the heavy tourist season, since the balcony was part of the priciest guest room in the house.
So we finished packing, loaded the car and checked out. We left the car at the inn for a little while and walked back into town where Dan bought me a red fleece jacket I had seen and liked the previous day. I believe that if you still want something twenty four hours later, you should always get it if you can afford it. We then mailed some postcards, got some cash and browsed at a little bookstore before heading back to the car.
Now we were off to Thomaston! We had a little time to kill before we needed to head to Port Clyde so we checked out the Henry Knox museum. The museum was a well done reproduction of Knox's home, Montpelier. It was interesting and I learned a lot, although it was unfortunate that the house was a reproduction and not the original. It's amazing that we've managed to forget Knox, considering how much he did for the American Revolution. The reconstructed home contained a lot of original pieces, including a cabinet that supposedly had once belonged to Marie Antoinette that Knox picked up in France after their Revolution.
Next we were off to Port Clyde to catch the ferry to Monhegan. While we were waiting Dan made friends with two female cyclists, one of whom was an artist with plans to do some painting on the island. After I bought our ferry tickets, we all had lunch together in the general store.
Dan and the ladies had hot dogs and pizza while I had yogurt and an apple. With all the decadent goodies available on the island, I was saving my stomach! After we ate, Dan and his friends checked out a military sea/land vehicle beached nearby.
And then it was time to get on the ferry. We saw a lot of seals on the ride over, which was fun. The ferry ride was choppy but otherwise uneventful for all of us except a timid greyhound who didn't like it a bit. Then after we docked, the poor thing was afraid to get off the boat because the ramps made him nervous.
It was great to be back on Monhegan. We hauled our luggage up the hill to our B&B and checked into our apartment. Unlike the rooms in the main house, we had a heater of our very own-- a good thing when you're a Southerner in Maine! Since it was late in the afternoon I made a quick trip to the grocery store, then Dan and I went for a walk at Lobster Cove. We spent a lot more time investigating the shipwreck than last year and it was all very interesting. I wish I knew more about it. After we had exhausted the possibilities of the shipwreck we wandered around on the rocks for a bit, enjoying the cairns and rock sculptures until about 6 pm.
After we freshened up a bit at the apartment we went to the Island Inn for dinner. Service was unbelievably slow but the hummus was so outstanding we made arrangements to buy some the next day to enjoy in our apartment. After dinner we went to the library. It had been closed the last time we were on the island, so this was our first time to see it. I loved it! Tiny libraries in old homes always remind me of the one in Dennis, MA, where I used to go with my grandmother to check out books when I was visiting Cape Cod as a child. I felt so at home I could've stayed all night, but library hours are short on Monhegan, so we checked our email and went back to the apartment to have some tea and settle in for the night.
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