Maine

New Painting by Lucy Packert - Out to Pasture

2009-09-26T07:07:00.001-07:00

Lucy Packert - Out to Pasture, Jonesport, ME, 9/24/09

New Painting by Lucy Packert - Boathouse at Spednic Lake (6/09)

2009-07-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

Spednic Lake is one of the Chiputneticook Lakes, a chain of lakes that form the border between Maine and Canada, located roughly halfway between Calais and Houlton. Spednic is one of the largest lakes in Maine with over 100 miles of shoreline that for the most part remains wilderness but for the occasional house or camp; much of the surrounding forests are paper company owned. Spednic feeds the St. Croix River from a dam at Vanceboro, the St. Croix continues the international border until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean south of Calais.

A Must Read Acadian Journal - The Foley Island Blogs

2009-07-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

(Photo by Don Foley, 2009)

Our first renter of the 2009 season, the Foley family has beautifully documented their Acadian vacation on a website that is loaded with great photography, and lots of great descriptions of their week on Mount Desert Island. The degree to which they achieved full immersion in Acadia National Park and the general area is inspirational. And the degree to which they've employed the iPhone to enhance their vacation experience is very cool too. After reading about their Maine vacation, check out the rest of their website for lots more great photos and descriptions of their special corner of the world near Cape Canaveral, FL. Don Foley is a well published illustrator and has done a fabulous job creating a website to share his family's joie de vivre; it's a must-read.

Foley Acadia Vacation, 2009.
The Foley Island Blogs.

Wesley Avenue Cottage, Southwest Harbor, Maine

2009-05-31T18:35:00.000-07:00

Wesley Avenue Cottage painting by Lucy Packert (2006)

Location: The cottage is located in a secluded wooded setting on Wesley Avenue in Southwest Harbor, Maine. The location is very convenient to Acadia National Park, as well as all of the areas of Mount Desert Island. From the cottage, it is just a five minute walk to the center of town with restaurants, shops, library, and post office. Southwest Harbor is located on what many prefer to call "the quiet side" of the island, and has its own unique charm, yet it is only twenty minutes from the town of Bar Harbor which is known for its many shops, restaurants and nightlife.

Accommodations: The cottage is fully carpeted with three bedrooms and a finished loft. Two bedrooms have queen size beds, one bedroom has bunk beds, and the loft has two single beds, accommodating up to eight people. Towels, sheets, blankets, comforters, and pillows are provided. The cottage has a full size deck off the livingroom and kitchen. There is a Vermont Castings wood stove/fireplace in the living room, firewood is provided. The bedrooms have electric heat. The full bathroom includes bathtub and shower.

Kitchen facilities include refrigerator, electric range, dishwasher, microwave oven, dishes, and cooking utensils. There is a laundry room with washer and dryer. A telephone is provided with no extra charge for local calling. The cottage has wireless high-speed internet (WiFi), a stereo system that includes am/fm, ipod hookup, cd and cassette, and a color television with DVD, VCR and digital cable including HBO. The television is located in the loft.

Rental Information: Rentals are by the week, Saturday through Saturday. Check-in time is 2:00 PM, check-out time is 9:00 AM. A fifty percent deposit is required to hold your reservation, the balance plus $100.00 security deposit is due two weeks before your arrival. The security deposit will be refunded after review of the telephone bill for the rental period. For canceled reservations, deposits are refundable only if the week(s) can be re-rented to someone else.

2009 Rates: All rates include Maine sales tax.
July & August - $1,095.00 per week.
May, June, September & October - $695.00 per week.

Directions: The cottage is located at 51 Wesley Avenue. Traveling south on Route 102 into Southwest Harbor, Wesley Avenue is the first street after the blinker light. Turn right at Southwest Cycle. Continue past the top of the hill, take the last driveway on the left.

Photos: For a photo tour of Wesley Avenue Cottage, click here.

Reservations & Questions: Please email wkates@hotmail.com.

Wesley Deck painting by Lucy Packert (2006)

Wesley Avenue Cottage - Photo Tour

2009-05-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

For rental information on Wesley Avenue Cottage, click here.

Living room & kitchen.

First bedroom (queen bed).

Second bedroom (queen bed).

Third bedroom (bunk beds).

The loft.

Loft bed.

Loft bed.

Laundry.

Bathroom.

For complete rental information on Wesley Avenue Cottage, click here.
Email wkates@hotmail.com for reservations and questions.

New Painting by Lucy Packert - Bass Harbor Head Light (2009)

2009-05-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

This will be a familiar sight to frequent visitors to Acadia National Park, the Bass Harbor Head lighthouse.

Moonrise Over Machias, 5/25/09

2009-05-25T23:43:00.000-07:00

About 8:40pm tonight the moon appeared to be just a tiny sliver of light but it looked as if the entire dark side of the moon was visible, so I stopped for a few pictures which bear that out. Have a look.

Hiking Kebo Mountain, 5/24/09

2009-05-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

There's nothing better after arriving in Maine late on a Saturday night, than getting up Sunday and going for a morning hike before breakfast, and I use the terms "morning" and "breakfast" loosely. Today I didn't let a little light rain deter me from hiking, and even though I've been on most every mountain in Acadia at one time or another, I realized that I'd never hiked Kebo Mountain, and I use the term "mountain" loosely too, being that the summit is a mere 407 feet. Nevertheless, with questionable weather, the length (short) and location (near Bar Harbor) were both favorable, and the hike was quite enjoyable. There aren't spectacular views from Kebo, but after only a few steps up you start looking down on Bar Harbor and the Porcupine Islands, and when you do reach the summit, you get views of and can continue on toward Dorr, Cadillac, and Champlain Mountains if you're of a mind to.

The North Ridge trail starts from the Park Loop Road, not long after it becomes one way going toward Sand Beach from the Cadillac Mountain entrance. There's no parking area, you have to park in the right lane of the Park Loop Road. The hike up is one of the shortest in Acadia, three tenths of a mile. Continuing down the other side of Kebo to the trail junction has many ups and downs and makes for great exercise; despite it being 53 degrees, the activity and the humidity combined to make the flannel shirt I started out wearing totally unnecessary after only a short way. If you go left at the first trail junction, you're on the Strath Eden trail, another left turn takes you back to the Park Loop Road. Going the other way will take you on a short hike to Sieur de Monts Spring. The walk back to the road is a quite pleasant and mostly level walk through the woods at the base of Kebo. It's not a major hike but it's a nice way to reacquaint the hiking muscles with the trails of Acadia after some time away. Here are some photos from this morning's hike.

If you don't watch where you step, it might be all over for this guy.

Kebo "summit".

One of the Porcupine Islands.

Here you can look down on the world class golf course that takes it's name from Kebo.

This view looks further east towards Schoodic Peninsula across Frenchman's Bay.

Dorr Mountain on the left, and Cadillac on the right.

Champlain Mountain.

Water on the rock.

Near the Strath Eden trail junction, an unmapped carriage road.

Back at the Park Loop Road.

Bass Harbor Marsh Sunset, 5/25/08

2008-05-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

Acadia National Park has many wonderous features but one of the most beautiful spots is the Bass Harbor Marsh as seen from Route 102. As many times as I've visited and/or photographed the marsh, it has never looked exactly the same way twice. The lighting is constantly changing, the air might be clear, might be misty; even fogged in, this is a magical place.

Sunset is a time when the view is always stellar and today was no exception. Enjoy these shots and be sure to check it out yourself sometime; I guarantee that it may look different but it will always be every bit as amazing. Click on photos to enlarge.

Memorial Day Weekend in Acadia, 5/25/08

2008-05-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

Jordan Pond and the Bubble Mountains.

Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends bookend the summer season and many shops, restaurants, and accomodations are opening for the season now. Having arrived in Maine late last night for opening as well, the first order of business this morning was to hike, then hit Jordan's in Bar Harbor for breakfast.

Jordan Stream.

Acadia National Park is always well attended on this holiday weekend, but today's weather (65-70° and gorgeous clear sunshine) really brought out the crowds to Acadia. Parking areas in the park were full and there were so many cars parking on the road shoulder that it looked more like August than May.

We found a spot in the Jordan Pond House overflow lot and had a nice walk by the lake and up the Penobscot Mountain trail. From there it was on to Bar Harbor for breakfast and a walk around town. Here's a tiny sampling of some of the many activities that take place in Acadia and Mt. Desert Island on any typical day. Welcome to the unofficial start of summer, it didn't get here a moment too soon. Click on photos to enlarge.

Penobscot Mountain Trail.

Hikers stopping for a photo.

South Bubble, Jordan Pond, & Pemetic Mountain.

Blooms on the Jordan Pond shore trail.

Bar Harbor.

Jordan Pond House ice cream in Bar Harbor.

The start of the shore trail.

Bike riders on the boat ramp.

The Maasdam (Holland America Line) docked in Bar Harbor.

Views from the shore trail.

Sea kayaking in Bar Harbor.

Sea kayaks at the ready.

Cadillac Ice, 11/19/07

2007-11-19T20:39:00.000-08:00

Along the Acadia Park Loop Road where the west shoulder of Cadillac Mountain drops toward Eagle Lake, the freezing water coming down off the mountain catches the afternoon sun in a magical way. It's very likely that the same freezing water is the reason that the road to the summit of Cadillac is now closed for the season. Please click on each picture to enjoy the full size version.

Hiking the Gorham Mountain Trail, 11/18/07

2007-11-18T21:58:00.000-08:00

The day dawned clear, sunny and brisk with temperature about 38°F, just perfect for a morning mountain hike along the Ocean Drive in Acadia. The Gorham Mountain trailhead is located at a marked parking area near the Otter Cliffs just south of Thunder Hole. Here are some photos shot along the trail this morning. Please click on each photo for the full size version.

Above is a closeup of ice crystals extending up from the dirt, visible at many points along the trail.

This is a view looking down at Sand Beach from the Gorham Mountain trail.

The morning sun on the water was dazzling to say the least.

Frozen pools along the trail make cold weather hiking especially interesting.

Granite, lichens, and sunlight.

There is a side trail that traverses the bottom of some very nice cliff formations and allows you to go up one way and come back the other.

New Painting by Lucy Packert (2006)

2006-09-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

Wesley Avenue Cottage by Lucy Packert (2006)

Lucy Packert, one of Maine's best watercolor artists has just completed the above painting of Wesley Avenue Cottage under commission. Born in Pennsylvania and now painting at her home on the Downeast Maine coast, Lucy specializes in watercolor paintings of Maine landscapes. Her work has not previously been exhibited or published, but hopefully that will soon change. Many thanks to Lucy for this fine piece of work. Click on painting to enlarge, © Lucy Packert, 2006.

Long Pond & Mansell Mountain - A November Hike in Acadia, 11/20/05

2006-02-11T17:22:00.001-08:00

On the Sunday before Thanksgiving it was sunny and relatively warm with temperatures in the fifties, just perfect for a fall hike in Acadia National Park. Although I set out intending only about an hour's walk along the shore of Long Pond, it was so nice that I couldn't turn back and wound up hiking the complete loop through Great Notch, to the summit of Mansell Mountain, and then finally back to the pumping station at the foot of Long Pond. Time seems to stand still on the trail while in reality it evaporates quickly, which meant that I almost missed breakfast at Jordan's Restaurant in Bar Harbor (a long held Sunday tradition); as it was I made it there by about 1:45pm, just in time to get in before the 2pm closing. Here's a sampling of photos from along the trail; click on each photo for full size view.

Plants & rocks in the November light.

A reminder of impending winter.

The view across Long Pond.

The south shore trail.

The blue paint stripes mark the trail ascending Mansell Mountain.

A nice view from a mountain not known for its views.

A classic Acadia stone stairway.

Looking down toward the pumping station.

Long Pond view from the pumping station.

Nicky's Cruisin' Diner, Bangor, 11/25/05

2006-02-10T23:33:00.000-08:00

An airport run to Bangor on the day after Thanksgiving facilitated this find, located just across the street from the Bangor International Airport at 957 Union Street. After braving a bit of black Friday shopping, I was looking for something a little more local than a national chain restaurant, maybe even hoping for some fresh local seafood, even at this time of year. As you can see, from the outside Nicky's Cruisin' Diner looks like nothing special, in fact I've driven by it many times over the years without even a thought of stopping.

The main room you enter looks like a typical diner and you can see the automotive theme reflected in the mural on the wall. At this point, the food was more impressive than the surroundings, with delicious offerings reasonably priced, including some very tasty seafood.

A kind waitress noticed me taking this picture of their wall of license plates and suggested I check out the back room, which it turns out is really the main event here at Nicky's.

From the front you wouldn't even know that there was another dining room, so this was quite a surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed lunch at Nicky's Cruisin' Diner and definitely plan to come back. Click on each photo for full size view.

Nicky's Menu:

New Balance Factory Store, Skowhegan, 11/25/05

2006-02-09T23:57:00.000-08:00

New Balance Factory

Not far from Waterville, located just a few miles off I-95 between Augusta and Bangor is the picturesque town of Skowhegan, best known for its proximity to the ski mountains of central Maine. A classic old brick industrial building houses the New Balance shoe factory and an old school house immediately adjacent is the site of the New Balance Factory Store at 12 Walnut Street.

Unlike many so-called outlet stores that offer little more than an average discount, this is a true factory outlet. Unless you are really familiar with the company, you'll be amazed as I was to see how many varieties of athletic shoes they make. The factory store stocks virtually all of them, with a huge selection of sizes unlike some outlets that sell just the unpopular sizes. New Balance is also one of the very few companies to offer most of their shoes in wide widths. The prices in the outlet store are amazing too. My NB canvas sneaks had given me many years of good service but were ready to be replaced. These same canvas tennis sneakers which sell retail at $44.99 in Bar Harbor are available in the factory store at $19.99, even less with coupon from the Bangor Daily News.

The outlet ostensibly sells factory seconds, but I could find no flaws in any of the shoes I looked at. And here's another surprise: New Balance also makes Dunham boots and shoes, and the factory store is similarly well stocked with Dunham's product line including some really nice hiking boots, work boots, and leather shoes.

Dunham 4128SB

On a whim I bought the above pair of leather slip-ons which were so reasonably priced I couldn't pass and I'm now pleased to report that these are without question the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned, and I like the look of them as well. I spent the better part of the afternoon browsing here, and as you can see in the photo below it was starting to get dark by the time I finally made my purchase. Click on each photo for full size view.

New Balance Factory Store

Coupons for the factory store can usually be found in the Out & About in Downeast Maine guide published by the Ellsworth American; you can also find one in the Experience Maine special advertising section published periodically by the Bangor Daily News. There may be coupons in other tourist publications as well; you can find a complete collection of tourist guides at the Maine State Visitor Information Centers which are located at several locations in Maine including one that is located just north of the Kittery exit on the Maine Turnpike.

Christmas Shopping in Freeport, 11/25/05

2006-02-08T08:28:00.000-08:00

Shopping the outlets of Freeport might not be the sanest thing to do on the biggest shopping day of the year, but by early evening the town had almost entirely cleared out. A few stores are open 'till 9pm and after that L.L. Bean is the only game in town, open 24 hours, 365 days per year. As you can see in the photos that follow, I pretty much had the town to myself for some leisurely and most enjoyable gift shopping. Click on each photo for full size view.

The L.L. Bean Hunting & Fishing Store

The stairway from Main Street down to the lower parking.

A fun shop near the L.L. Bean Factory Store.

The view along Bow Street.

The other side of Bow Street.

Main Street across from L.L. Bean.

Visions of nalgene water bottles danced in their heads.

Kayak city at L.L. Bean.

One more view of the store that knows the outdoors.

Complete Site Index

2005-12-29T16:05:00.000-08:00

Click on title to navigate:

Bass Harbor Marsh Sunset
Cadillac Ice
Christmas Shopping in Freeport
Gorham Mountain Trail
Kebo Mountain Hike
Long Pond & Mansell Mountain - A November Hike
Lucy Packert Painting - Bass Harbor Head Light (2009)
Lucy Packert Painting - Wesley Avenue Cottage (2006)
Memorial Day Weekend 2008 in Acadia
Moonrise Over Machias
New Balance Factory Store, Skowhegan
Nicky's Cruisin' Diner, Bangor
Wesley Avenue Cotage - Painting by Lucy Packert
Wesley Avenue Cottage - Photo Tour
Wesley Avenue Cottage - Rental Information

Maine - The Way Life Should Be

2005-12-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

This site will offer information and images from the greatest state in the union - Maine. Comments and recommendations are always welcome by blog comment or email. Cheers, and welcome to the way life should be.