Maine

Bass Harbor at sunset

I have the post-vacay doldrums. After spending a week on Mount Desert Island in Maine, I'm finding it hard to be back in crazy northern Virginia and the same old routines. I don't want to do any of the things I have to do, like go to work, make dinner, or even write this blog!  It was so nice to be away from everything in such a beautiful place~~and that's how you feel, away from everything.  We rented the same place we did last year, and really felt at home in the town of Southwest Harbor. We know our way around now, know the good places to eat, where to buy our fruit and cheese, and the prettiest walks. I like that familiarity.

Wonderland Trail

It's so peaceful there and so, so beautiful. We had picture perfect blue skies every day.   I really tried this time to just sit and take in these gorgeous views.

Wonderland Trail

One of the highlights of this trip was a visit to the Bass Harbor lighthouse.  At around 5 pm one day, I suggested we go visit the lighthouse because I knew the light would be great. As we climbed down on the rocks below the lighthouse, we were slowly joined by lots of people, photographers setting up their tripods on the rocks, getting ready for the sunset shots. One couple was there with a bottle of wine and cheese. Sunset wasn't until about 6:30, but we decided to stay and wait. Why not, we had nothing we had to do, we could wait. To sit there on those rocks, with that view--heaven.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse Sunset ~1

Bass Harbor Lighthouse Sunset~2

Bass Harbor Lighthouse Sunset~3

Most days we took one or two hikes in Acadia, either on trails or on the carriage roads. We would take along water, cheese and fruit and a bar of chocolate and eat our lunch on a hike. We got into a routine of hiking for several hours, then coming back to our cottage in the afternoon and reading. Sometimes I would walk into town and look around the few shops, or just look at all the cute houses around the harbor. We'd relax for awhile and then decide where we would eat that night. There are several good restaurants in the town of Southwest Harbor (Sips, Red Sky), so after a glass of wine, we would walk into town for dinner. There is also a bakery in town (Little Notch Bakery) for morning pastries and a great place to get a scoop of Maine blueberry ice cream (Quietside Cafe). Yummo.

Cadillac Mountain

Atop Cadillac Mountain

Bubble Rock Trail

Lichen on trails

There is a lobster pound at one end of our street (Beal's Lobster Pound), so one night we went there for lobster rolls and lobster chowder and sat on their enclosed porch on a misty night, overlooking Southwest Harbor.  Thurston's (in Bernard, ME)  is another lobster pound we like, and we went there twice for whole lobsters, along with corn and coleslaw, and mussels. Delish!

Bass Harbor from Thurston's

Thurston's Lobster Pound on Bass Harbor

Lobster roll at Beals

Jordan Pond is one of our favorite places in Acadia, with a 3.5 mile trail around the water and lots of carriage roads around the area, too.  And of course there are those popovers to look forward to after your hike! 

Jordan Pond

Popovers at Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond

More to come!