July 21-28                 Southwest Harbor, Maine

Blake and Winn were due to arrive on Saturday at 5:45 PM.  Unfortunately, their plane from DFW was delayed, the Philadelphia connection was missed and they finally landed after 10:00 PM.  Winn was happy and talked incessantly all the way to the boat.  The long wait gave us an opportunity to see more of Bangor and dine at Massimo’s, a delightful Italian restaurant in the historic downtown area.

Weather reports indicated we would have several days of intermittent rain and fog so we took advantage of a clear afternoon for a scenic nature cruise from Northeast Harbor.  The guide was a naturalist with a store of information and an engaging personality.  He encouraged Winn to aid him in demonstrating the mechanics of a lobster trap and identifying the specific parts of lobsters.  Winn was an enthusiastic learner and was never shy to vocalize his answers and opinions.

The guide was excited to tell us our tour had been exceptional for we saw very active seals moving on the rocks of Bear Island, a bald eagle flying from its nest, nesting ospreys, diving loons, and flying cormorants.  In Somes Sound, we viewed the oldest home in Northeast Harbor, a magnificent shingled cottage style mansion belonging to Charles Butts, the 90-year-old CEO of HEB grocery stores in Texas.  We were awed by the sight of Mr. Butt’s 145’ sailboat under full sail (it is usually on anchor) and rapidly passing us in the sound.

Our tour included a stop at Little Cranberry Island, part of Acadia National Park.  Accessible only by water, it has less than 100 full-time residents but several large summer homes.  We visited the small but interesting museum of the island and the shop of an excellent potter.  Winn was delighted to find a pen of chickens (he has two at home). The fog rolled in but soon lifted for the remainder of our journey.

Blake always takes charge and he immediately decided our TV service was inadequate.  He ordered and installed gadgets that allowed us to receive Netflex and other channels.  Our existing Direct TV is great for quantity but lacks quality.  Lots of infomercials and junk channels.  We are delighted with this new addition.

 Fog and drizzle were prevalent but we found opportunities to venture out almost every day.  Other than running errands, walking to the library to play with their extensive Lego collection, visiting the ice cream store (Moose Tracks and Maine Black Bear were Winn’s favorites) and enjoying the cuisine of local restaurants, we were content to remain in the cozy surroundings of the boat.  Micah brought us six soft-shell lobsters for dinner one evening and I made a blueberry pie.  Soft-shells are easier to crack and sweeter but they are very juicy.  One needs to wear a tent to keep dry!

Blake remained occupied with business in Fort Worth and the ongoing remodeling project of his new house.  On Friday, their last day and hungry for Italian food, we went to La Bella Vista in Bar Harbor and enjoyed a special lunch in a beautifully appointed dining room overlooking Frenchman’s Bay.  Winn and I left early to peruse the shops for a stuffed toy to carry on the plane.  After much consideration, he finally chose a small black bear and a brightly colored gecko.  These occupied every waking moment until we left him and his dad at the airport for the return flight to Fort Worth.  We enjoyed having their company for a week.  Both are easygoing, fun and considerate. 

July 16-20                             Southwest Harbor, Maine

Beautiful sunny weather was interrupted by a cold, rainy and foggy day on Tuesday.  We were concerned this would continue and spoil the visit of our friends from Texas.  Claudia and Rod Stepp would arrive Wednesday on a cruise ship for a brief stop in Bar Harbor.  To our delight, the day dawned cool and sunny.  A great Maine summer day!  We met our friends in Bar Harbor, passed the usual tourist shops for a brief tour of the remaining “summer cottages” (52 had been destroyed in the 1947 fire) and made a quick visit to St. Saviours Episcopal Church to view their outstanding stained-glass window (10 from Tiffany Studios).

A tour of Northeast Harbor and several of its beautiful shops was fun for Claudia and me while the guys found coffee and local conversation.  The scenic drive around Somes Sound brought us to Southwest Harbor and lunch at Top of the Hill.  It was delightful to have lengthy conversations with our long-time friends and show them The Bottom Line.  Afterwards, we returned them to Bar Harbor for an early departure on their ship heading to Nova Scotia.

Jill Cohen and Jerry Orloff, friends from Boston, arrived on Thursday evening for libations on the aft deck before going to Havana in Bar Harbor for dinner.  They are a fun couple and we always enjoy their company.  The following evening, they were guests of honor at a gathering of friends in the lovely marina home of Mary and Ed Dysart.  Jill and Jerry frequented the marina for years in their boat Mandamus and are dearly loved by others who are long-time summer residents.  Mary is the consummate party animal and always has games, entertainment and food to make a successful gathering.  Jerry “officially” marked his retirement from the legal profession by publicly burning his I.D. card. (Something he had promised to do when the decision was final).  Although their boat is still in storage, we are hoping they will return again soon.

July 8-15                               Southwest Harbor, Maine

David left for Texas and I happily surrounded myself with a trove of books from the local library.  Reading and needlepoint kept me busy as well as occasional visits with fellow dock residents.  My days of leisure ended with hours of cleaning and vacuuming to have the boat looking great before his return in time for the annual Flamingo Festival the following day.  I had positioned a basket of pink geraniums adorned with the famous Featherstone flamingos on the bow.

Don Featherstone, the originator of the omnipresent pink plastic flamingo, was a long-time beloved summer resident of Southwest Harbor.  In his honor (and to have lots of silly fun), the residents declare a weekend in July to be the Flamingo Festival with lobster dinners, parades, art and craft shows, and opportunities to wear silly hats and shirts.  We wouldn’t miss it!

On Friday evening, we attended a lobster dinner with all the trimmings held on the town green.  Afterwards, we drove to Somesville to the Acadia Repertory Theater for their production of Shaw’s Pygmalion.  We had seen My Fair Lady on TV only a week before and were surprised the dialogue followed so closely that of the play on which it was based.  As usual, the actors were outstanding and we admired their innovative staging and costuming.

During David’s absence, Jane, the assistant Harbormaster and an avid gardener, went with me to the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden on the former site of the Rockefeller “summer cottage” in Seal Harbor. The garden, created in the 1920’s by Mrs. Rockefeller, the wife of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and noted garden designer Beatrix Farrand, is surrounded by a tall wall with oriental tiles forming an overlapping border which looks as if it were transported from China.  The entrance opens to a setting of moss-carpeted woods filled with ferns and a double row of massive Eastern statuary.  Paths lead to a beautiful view of Little Jordan Pond.

To one side of this combination of Maine beauty and Asian influences, visitors enter a large space centered with a pristine lawn surrounded with rows of flowers, trees and shrubbery.  Most were in bloom and presented a magnificent display of color.  We delighted in watching the tiny green water frogs sitting on the lilies in the pond.  The garden and surrounding acres were presented to the Land and Garden Preserve Foundation in 2017 by David Rockefeller, Sr.  It is open on a limited basis by reservation only for two months in the summer. 

The more than 100 room home that once dominated the property was removed in 1963 but the terrace remains and is a lovely walk from the garden.  The spectacular view from this spot overlooks the outer islands and the Atlantic beyond.  In his book, Memoirs, David Rockefeller, Sr. describes in loving detail the many happy times he spent on Mount Desert Island and the incredible efforts made to transport and maintain his large family to this remote place in the earliest years of the twentieth century.

June 24-July 7                      Southwest Harbor, Maine

The coastal Maine ambiance easily seduces one into days of leisure and contemplation (more of the former than the latter).  We are reluctant to let anything interfere with this wonderful state but, alas, work beckons.  David has been increasingly occupied with the business sale of one of his long-time clients and close friends.  It is a complicated matter and daily phone calls and e-mails occupy much of his time.  He seems to be enjoying the challenges of securing the best possible financial and taxation advantages possible.  However, his pre-occupation with this matter has prevented us from embarking on any short cruises from Southwest Harbor.

We enjoy the Arcadia Reparatory Theater in Somesville, a small village only ten minutes from our dock.  The season’s first offering was Tuesdays with Morrie, based upon the best-selling book by Mitch Albom.  With a two-person cast and minimal staging, it was a riveting, emotional experience that elicited considerable afterwards discussion.  We are always impressed with the quality of acting and staging that this small theater group presents each year.

The Red Sky Restaurant is locally well-known and renowned for being a favorite of David Rockefeller, a long-time resident of nearby Seal Harbor.  It is a small, non-descript presence on a side street of Southwest Harbor and open only for dinner.  The menu is limited but offers exceptional choices.  I ordered an appetizer of Blue Hills Greens with Shitake mushrooms over polenta with balsamic vinegar glaze and an entree of lobster and risotto.  David enjoyed a salad with an entrée of grilled plank steak.  We shared a dessert of crème Brule.  We agreed the food, service and ambiance were exceptional.

The Fourth of July brought an opportunity to decorate the bow of the boat with red, white and blue banners. Many small boat owners came to the marina with their families to watch the fireworks display.  The weather was cool and exceptionally pleasant.  Mary and Ed Dysarts, owners of the marina, and Micah and Jane, their managerial staff, hosted a dock party which featured great holiday food and drinks. 

This gave us the opportunity to meet again other dock residents.  Bruce and Joan Kessler, whose boat Spirt of Zopilote is a frequent visitor to Southwest Harbor, are movie veterans who eschewed that lifestyle to circle the globe in their boat.  Other guests were from Canada and various parts of the United States.  Again, we realize the most interesting part of travel is the interesting and diverse people you meet entroute.