Almost Summer

Martin Point Sunset

Maine bills itself as "Vacationland" on license plates and signs at the border. While it suggests that there's extraordinary places to go and see in the state, it also suggests that if you don't live here already, you probably would never want to. In other words, it's good for visiting, but not for staying.

So in the summer, when the kids (and teachers) are out of school and the big factories (you remember those, right?) close for 2 week shutdowns, people come to Maine to enjoy the cooler weather, abundant forests, fresh air, wonderful coastline, and great seafood. Southern Maine has long, sandy beaches, fine for attracting presidential families.Western and central Maine offers trails, lakes and rivers for fishing, and some pretty golf courses. The midcoast and Down East have ocean adventures, sailing trips, the remarkable scenery of Acadia National Park, quaint little villages, and world class art.

In the modern world, the visitors come by car and plane, and a few thousand on cruise ships. A hundred years ago, the primary mode of transportation was the sea. Thus the coast was populated with ports and a healthy fishing industry. When the roads were built, and cars became commonplace, little villages like Friendship became geographically distant from the action, too far out of the way for people passing through to the rest of Vacationland.

But we still have visitors here, the ones that are smart enough to come to see us and make our house a destination. And our visitor season starts real soon now. So we've been busy getting ready. Putting finishing touches on our house like moving furniture, painting, and upgrading the kitchen with a new refrigerator and dishwasher. Adding some bookcases to hold our books and treasures. And getting ready to build a deck to enjoy the sun in comfortable surroundings.

Getting the lobster traps out

Then there's the boats. Paul's boat stayed here last year, and needed some attention to get ready for the water. The steering gear needed replacing, some wiring was moldy, and a good cleanup. Our pontoon ("The only one in Friendship") had been covered for 20 months, but still needed to be power washed and readied for the water. This year we're going to put it out on a mooring, as it needs a lot of water to launch, and the only ramp with deep enough water has no place to park. We've filed our mooring permit, acquired the needed parts, and should get it out there soon. Meanwhile, to get to the mooring, we have an old dingy which my brother gave us. It will work just fine, but still needs some repairs and a coat of paint. So there's plenty to do.

Then there's the garden. The few things that we planted there already are doing OK, except for the carrots. That includes cabbage, brussel sprouts, and pumpkins. The seedlings are up and ready to plant, the garden is tilled and covered with weed preventive (or maybe "limiter"). All that's needed now is time and energy, both of which are in short supply.

But the first visitors have been here. Last weekend my brother and his wife stayed a few days with us, playing rough and ready games of Taboo, and munching excellent lobsters. This week Paul and Amelia came up, so that Paul could take his boat home. And we're ready for 'em. More or less.

So, if you're on the visitor's list for this year, Come on Down! If not, well, Why Not!