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.