Land Yacht Safari Blog

Happy Interdependence Day.....

July 4, 2009....Saturday....Independence....I don't think so....none of us individually or collectively are independent....we are all interdependent...this is a universe...and we are all part of it...always were...always will be....and that is worth a celebration....everyday.... .....at the Camden Farmer's Market today, Hannah met relatives from Sarasota who are staying at our campground.....Loki is a large handsome Golden...and Loki had a sibling with him...she was not in the photo and we loved her but cannot remember her name..... .....Dusty and Joanna played their sweet music at the Farmer's Market this morning..... ......this little beauty pulled up her chair and sat soaking in everything Dusty and Joanna played today....in the left background of this photo, see the cowgirl boots the lady has on....I am going to get me some boots.....you may be able to see the boots better if you click to enlarge the photo...I will try that in a minute.... .....Ray took and liked this photo of a lady walking away with her lupine from the Market....it matched her hat, coat and her shoes...the shoes (which were my favorite...other than the cowgirl boots) did not make it in the photo.... .....from the Camden Farmer's Mkt., we went over to Thomaston to their celebration....and got there as their parade was ending..... .......the chicken was still on the grill.....and this little guy was at Billy's Tavern.....they had just opened their Yard today....we stopped in for an Andrew's Pale Ale...made in Lincolnville just around the corner from us.... .......and this is probably the Dad to the lad..... ......and next it was on back to Port Clyde to make reservations to go to Monhegan Island on Thursday....Hannah will go with us for a $5 fee...... ......we came home and Ray grilled the great American hot dog....and made cole slaw..... ......and we celebrated our dependence on each other and all of you.....it is good.....

Thick as a Brick....or Pea Soup.....

July 3, 2009....Friday....for some reason, Camden decided to have their 4th of July fire works tonight....so like good participants....we drove up to the top of Mt. Battie about 8:30 pm....right away we could see (not really) it was a mistake to try to drive up to the summit to see fire works over Camden Harbor....we could not see two feet in front of us....the sea fog was as thick as pea soup...as I think they say..... .....but we went on and reached the summit....we heard the fire works going off....but not a glimmer could be seen...nothing....I love the sea fog.....I do not like driving or riding in the sea fog.... ......Ray is a very patient man.....but he did not think this was fun....so we came back down the mountain....thank God, we found our way down..... ......I still love the sea fog and I love having to wear a coat in July.....Happy 4th of July......love you all.....

Missed the Boat.....Twice....

July 2, 2009....Thursday....welcome, to our July here in Midcoast Maine....for June 11.2 inches of rain...a record...a record for us...even in Oregon we didn't have as much rain....I love the rain and the sea fog and the temperature 60 and under...Ray is thinking 100 degrees back home sounds good...we have been neglecting our walking but intend to pick it back up...Hannah loves Merryspring Nature Center in the wet or whatever it is....and we were honored the other day to meet up with Hilly of Hilly's Cookie Bench...... .......this lovely gentleman has been coming to Merryspring everyday for 20 years, at least....he told us the bench was planted here 20 years ago....Hilly sat on his Cookie Bench and gave Hannah a cookie....she was thrilled.....  .....we had seen Hilly and his dog before but didn't know he was Hilly until now....and we have been trying to learn some new songs.....and Ray has taken banjo and guitar lessons....we have visited with Lynne and Adam of the Songwriter's Workshop....and I don't have any photos of these times....and we bought tickets to a fund raiser for WERU....it was a semi-dinner cruise out of Northeast Harbor....participants were to bring a snack to share....it was to be a three hour cruise in Somes Sound at Mt. Desert Island near Bar Harbor.....we were to board at 6 pm....we left Camden at 4:30 pm and flat out missed the boat....we arrived about 6:10 pm and they had shoved off and were out of sight already....they were to cruise by the Rockefeller estate and Martha Stewart's Skylands....we spend lots of time with our calendar and the local Free Press and Camden Herald trying to make notes to ourselves about what we don't want to miss....there is so much going on all the time...it is a full time job to not miss anything....but miss we did....we missed the boat again....the Schooner Roseway that our friends, Jim and Dot, have crewed on...also our friend and neighbor, J, in Florida has crewed on the Roseway...the Roseway was docked in Rockport on their way to the Tall Ship Festival in Boston....they had an "open boat" while they were here....we missed it....didn't read about it until it was over....we really would have loved to have toured the Schooner Roseway....but Hannah did not miss Hilly....and we are going to try harder....we do not like missing the boat.....

Lake and Mountain Region....

June 26, 2009....Friday....yesterday, after I finished several things in town, we decided it was time for a little road trip....Bob and Susan, the other camp hosts here, are originally from Maine....so they are giving us inside information about what to see that we have not already found....we had not been to the Rangeley and Rumford areas....so we packed up our tenting stuff and all three animals and hit the road yesterday....we arrived at Rangeley Lake State Park in the mountain region in time to set up our tent and cook dinner over the fire....we set up a cat condo in the Jeep....their two pet carriers and litter box and food and water dishes and their cat beds....they were very good....Hannah stayed in the tent with us....we had not replaced our busted air mattress so we used our yoga mats for a pad and the two sleeping bags....and we can tell you, first hand, that a yoga mat is not enough padding between your hips and the hard earth.....but we don't intend to do that again....and regardless, we had a great time....by the time we got it all set up and dinner cooked, it was thundering and threatening rain....so we moved everything not in the Jeep to the tent.....and went to bed....it rained all night....our tent held nicely....and we are so grateful a moose did not walk over us and our tent last night....this is a wonderful park and they are looking for a camp host, if anyone out there is interested...... ....we went on a walk early this morning while we were drinking our coffee....a favorite thing to do.... .....the morning light was exceptional...especially since we went thinking it was at least a 50 percent chance of rain..... .....many lakes and mountains.... .......one painting after the other..... ....it was 88 in the Rumford area this afternoon and 60 when we returned to Camden Hills....lots of sea fog....and I just love it....much prefer the 60 degree weather.....glad to be back home to our own bed tonight.... have a busy day tomorrow.....

Maine Media Workshop.....

June 22, 2009....Monday....yesterday, we went to an open house at Maine Media Workshop  ....it was great.....our friends, Jim and Dot, participate as volunteer actors with this group....at the open house, one feature was portraits done by their student photographers....of course, we had one done..... ......and they did this for anyone that showed up for FREE.....thank you to Shea, our photographer....they had the huge lights and huge backdrop in white or black....wonderful seeming young people with a passion for film, photography, documentary and other media....this organization is about 35 years old according to their brochure....and have a high level of respect internationally, from our understanding..... ....this is Shea, our photographer.... .....that is Ray and Jim standing around waiting on me..... .....this photographer is viewing a photo taken with the black back drop..... .......didn't get her name....but this woman was responsible for leading us to the correct campus for the event...we had both shown up at their offices at Rockport Harbor....the event was at their dormitory area....the lady had a precious 15 year old white poodle, Lily, at the end of the red leash....Lily did not make it in this photo but she had a magnificent one made with her Mother....Hannah is ready to go romp at Merryspring with Sally....and we did....then we went to Harry's birthday party at their camp site....Happy Birthday to Harry....we were too involved with the birthday to take any decent photos....and now Harry and Mary are on their way back to Nova Scotia....safe travels to you and we loved your visit......and this is a portrait Ray did of Ed and Pilot, a rescued Border Collie....Ed has been at the campground for a while....he is working on his sailboat at Rockland Harbor and will live aboard for the season....he has just adopted Pilot and is teaching him to be a Boat Dog...... .......he says Pilot is doing well at being a boat dog.......wonderful boy.....

Harry and Mary Arrive......

June 20, 2009....Saturday....last night.....in the most rain we have ever seen anywhere....Harry and Mary came for dinner and music.....when we met them in 2007, right here at Camden Hills State Park, Harry was an encyclopedia of music trivia just like Ray....we ended up spending some time together in 2007 while they camped and then Ray and I and the dogs visited them at their home in Nova Scotia....that was probably sometime in September, 2007.....at that point, Harry was interested in learning to play guitar..... ....he bought a Seagull guitar, shortly after that and has proceeded to learn to play it....plays even in the morning before he goes to work...because it relaxes him for that 15 minute play.....he is also developing a voice presentation that is exceptional....the main thing is he has learned so much in the two years since we have seen them....he sounds good....and he enjoys it....most important component.....he and Mary credit Ray for pushing him on to buy the instrument and start learning it....I have tried to learn the guitar....it is work....it is work pure and simple..... ........I fixed taco salad and Harry brought a red and a white wine....that he made....just tried the red....it was very good....he and Ray did most of the playing and sharing songs and chords.....Mary did some email from our computer and played tambourine some....their daughter, Naomi, had emailed news of being hired full time as a new RN on a surgery unit....congratulations, Naomi, Great News.....I did some autoharp and singing....it was hard for me to hear anyone over the pounding of the constant rain on this Airstream skin....to make room for everyone in here, we relocated the two cats and the dog to the Jeep until the party was over....they thought we must be going on the road again so they just napped and waited....Ray's idea and it worked very well.... ....we have not done extensive entertaining indoors in the Airstream but this worked out well.....come to think of it....I am just having this trace memory of having the Airstream at a family reunion Thanksgiving and having 12 people seated all around inside...that was crazy and ambitious....that was a long time ago....Harry and Mary are stout of heart and fit right in this little home..... .....and our family......

Campfire Friends.....Cafe Miranda Pup........

June 18, 2009...Thursday.....Jim, Dot and Sally came over for a dog run at Merryspring Nature Center and then a dinner and campfire....and music.... .....Sally had a brief interlude of stillness....she is a good pup...... ......it was a pleasant time together and the pups got along well although Hannah is a bit jealous of some of the attention going to Sally....the food was excellent....we did what you are not supposed to do....we fixed two things we had no experience making (had only attempted spring rolls one other time...tasted good but they fell apart).....spring rolls and nuoc cham dipping sauce and grilled lemongrass chicken....I need to email my friend, Cathy, in Tallahassee for tips because she cooks great Vietnamese style food ....Ray wins the prize for rolling the best looking spring roll....wish I had a photo for you....our next attempt will be pho (Vietnamese noodle soup....much better than it sounds).....we were going last night to check out Paolina's Way in Camden....a new local eatery, with pizza cooked in a wood oven, but they were closed on Wednesday....and Tuesday....the season is not in full swing so many businesses are not open except Thursday - Sunday......that will not last long....we went over to Rockland and did a gallery walk....and saw four people that we know from this area.....all of Midcoast Maine seems like a small town....I think I have said that before.....we tried to be seated at Cafe Miranda...a new to us small restaurant in downtown Rockland near the Farnsworth Museum....it was packed and we didn't want to wait.... .....see the young pup up there on the second story deck....he is looking over the outside seating area of Cafe Miranda....I think the chef lives upstairs and that is his pup.....he, at least, has people to watch and wonderful aromas to smell while he waits on his Dad to come home.....we watched him and Ray took several photos.... ....and when we walked across the street to leave...... .......he stood up and howled after us......bless him......we tried Koncious Kitchen....this is a new restaurant also....Ray had whole fried clams....way too many of them and I tried one more time to discover an English fish and chips as good as the ones at the Blue Whale in Yachats, Oregon....the haddock used in mine was really beautiful and I believe this fish and chips equals Oregon's....to me this pup was the highlight of the evening......

Our Favorite Rig...so far....

June 15, 2009....Monday.....the other morning I was out with Hannah about 5 am....it is light here about 4 am or so....this is what had appeared during the night on the site across from us....I was so tickled....and amazed...I ran in the Airstream and grabbed my camera...then went back to bed....the campers were gone when I got up....so I did not get a chance to hear some of their story....it is not an Airstream.... .....the thing up top is a jogging stroller....I wondered if they also had a cat and a dog in there.....I cannot believe this will make it down the road without falling over....If I owned this rig, I would call it....Where There Is A Will There Is A Way (Sometimes)..... .....I wonder about almost everyone who comes in to camp.....I make up life stories for them based on what I see of them and their rig....for this one, I decided they were a young couple who had been together for a while....they camped and biked and boated and had a great time.....and they were not about to end that because they had a child ....good for them and their child.....I hope that jogging stroller comes off the top often....I wish I could have talked with them....they are our favorite rig...so far....

The House on the Hill.....Jim, Dot, Sally......

June 13, 2009.....Saturday.....last night we visited our new friends, Jim and Dot and their newly rescued pup, Sally....Sally is a sweet Aussie....she and Hannah raced around Jim and Dot's beautiful pastoral yard....Ray and Jim met at the first Songwriter's gathering at the local library.....Jim and Dot met on the Schooner Roseway and married .....Jim is originally from England but has been everywhere and he is a fantastic musician....Dot and Jim both participate with a Maine film school as volunteer actors and they have worked in their local theater group....they live north of us near Belfast....on a hill....with a view of Penobscot Bay..... ......we love their place and love that they rescued Sally from an abusive situation..... ....Sally is a gorgeous girl and she loved playing with Hannah....we hope to take them to MerrySpring off leash dog meadow soon.... .......they fed us a tilapia dish which was excellent...... .....Jim has created labyrinths in the backyard....one is created in a pattern like Our Lady of the Chartres Cathedral near Paris and the other is a thistle pattern....Hannah thought it was great fun..... ........and here they are together...... ....they have a collection of antique musical instruments....this one is from the 1930's and has a resonator on the back of it..... ....things look good from the house on the hill...... .....thank you, Jim, Dot and Sally for an interesting evening.....and after all the hoopla about the pup's birthday on the 9th, we want to recognize a significant birthday for Ray's dear brother and our friend, Tom, on June 10....we are trying to talk Tom into coming to visit us in Maine soon.....

Wassumkeag and WERU....

June 11, 2009....Thursday....some touring today....and the weather cleared...still cool enough for me...yesterday, I checked the weather in the Tampa Bay area....95 degrees....geez.....and here it was 49 degrees......we started the day by walking for over an hour with Hannah at Sears Island...north of us....this is over 600 acres that have recently been saved from development and that is sooooo good.... Wassumkeag for the original natives meant: bright sands....and then the David Sears family owned it for generations....now it is saved for the general public....and what a save..... .....the water is just beyond the trees on in the background..... .....Hannah rolled in every smelly thing she could find....beautiful place..... ....after our walk, we went to WERU the great community radio station for this area and gave them a donation....Ray also bought two of their Tshirts.....very congenial, Adam, showed us around and introduced us to the staff.....this is in Blue Hill, Maine..... ....the people here knew of our community radio, WMNF....and Adam had just returned from a trip to Florida's Panhandle.....so many here we have met have just returned from Florida....this is such a small world and this area is much like a small town....Adam was just last night at Waterfall Arts for the Open Mic night....we did not make it last night because it was so foggy and rainy and dark and we didn't want to drive over to Belfast in the weather conditions....wish we had...our friend in Belfast, Jim, said about 25 participants showed up last night at Waterfall Arts.... .....Meredith, one of WERU's dedicated volunteers...... .....we went on north to Southwest Harbor area.....the lupine has come up overnight....there is so much beauty here....beauty that comes out after the harsh winter.....good things come to those who wait....sometimes..... .....these are painting worthy for sure..... ......this is the rocky shore of Ocean Wood Campground in the Birch Harbor area....we couldn't take a photo of the ocean front camp sites because they were full of campers in the 54 degree chill....but it is a great spot and we intend to tent camp there this season....the campground has been owned by a family for years and the owner recently was denied a bankruptsy judgment....he intends to take his case to a higher court....I hope the family wins and get to keep the campground for public use....what a great state Maine is......oh, and Happy, Happy Birthday on June 9 to Harry, our friend in Nova Scotia....he and his wife, Mary, will be at our campground next week.... ....same birthday as Hannah, Tank and Jackson....got to be a good guy......