We’ve missed having a camper for short excursions around our beautiful state – a couple of weeks ago I found this cutie of a vintage camper on Craigslist and we snapped her up!
We just returned from an overnight at Springy Pond – friends’ lakeside, wooded property. So beautiful – warm pond water and the scent of pine in the air.
The stars were aligned ** and an impromptu decision to buy tickets on a clear and not too cold day in December to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, in Boothbay, for their Gardens Aglow worked out perfectly.
The stringing of the millions of LED lights is quite a feat, and the outcome is spectacular! We arrived at dusk and the setting sun created some dramatic effects.
..and as the skies darkened, the lights became more and more vivid. Just beautiful!
Living in this beautiful rural environment, in the far north-eastern reaches of this vast country has many advantages. One of the many things to be thankful for is the ability to drive 25 minutes along a picturesque rural road to the village of Freedom and cross a footbridge to an old, renovated mill – entering the magical space that is home to The Lost Kitchen.
A little over three years ago, on July 4th, we went to the opening of Erin French’s restaurant in the old Freedom Mill. We have been since, but not since reservations became much sought after. However, last evening we were lucky enough to have been passed down a reservation from friends unable to go.
A fabulous evening with good friends and a total of seven courses (even though only four appear on the menu!) This is probably my favorite restaurant EVER!
Wine selected from the wine cellar on site.
Four happy faces!
First (non-menu) course – delicious cheeses, bread, pickled beets, radishes, almonds, olives.
Ooops! where are they! Second (non-menu) course – Pemaquid oysters with apple, onion, dill vinaigrette.
Third (non-menu course) – juicy pork burgers with blue cheese – oh! my!
Refreshing sorbet in Erin’s signature dishes!
Now to the menu!
A short trip to Waldoboro took me back down memory lane – more than 40 years! and my time spent in Germany. It’s always fun to visit Morse’s for a browse around their store stocked with european food items, and enjoy a hearty lunch in their little restaurant.
For years we have seen the magnificent bronze moose sculptures as we drove back and forth on Rte 1, and knew they were the work of Forest Hart. It wasn’t until recently that a couple of friends mentioned they had visited his property and seen his amazing works of art. Arrangements were made, and off we went – five of us – to visit Forest and see his domain – hundreds of acres in Monroe with far reaching views.
Of course, why would I have expected anything else? This artist, a native Mainer, who took all the time in the world to explain the whole process, talk about his life, share the story of the horrible fire that took everything that he and Susan owned, and all in a humble and selfless way. His interest, at a young age, in taxidermy and his knowledge of anatomy is astounding. His stories of Fearless, the fluffy tailed white weasel, that visited them for 6-weeks, and the photos of the other wildlife on their doorstep is fascinating.
We are so happy to have Agnita, Henk and the girls here again (before they return to Amsterdam:(
It was especially festive with the Arts in the Park weekend, being on the waterfront and all the activities surrounding the visit of the Lynx, and celebrating their 20th anniversary.
Erin French, proprietor, decorator, hostess, and cook is an artiste! Her restaurant officially opened with a 5-course meal in the beautifully renovated Freedom Mill, and it was flawless! Each item on the table had been carefully thought out, and each course lovingly prepared using the freshest of ingredients and cooked to perfection. I can’t wait it go back!
A surprise treat this morning when Nan called to see if I wanted to go to the Amish Community Store in Unity as Wednesday is “freshly made donut day”. I hurriedly got dressed and was ready or be picked up ….
I forgot to take a photo of the perfect donuts in a basket on the counter … Next time….meanwhile I walked away with half a dozen donuts and a new gardening hat! We’ll be back for a couple of Adirondack chairs.
ps. Love the manure mulch in the gardens!!
