At a Belfast Garden Club meeting in November, the lovely co-owner of The Heirloom Garden of Maine, Diana George, gave a talk about the bane of my existence – flowers.  We have flowers everywhere in our one acre garden in the spring and summer, and not a name I know.  But that is not the point.  The Heirloom Garden also crafts beautiful balsam holiday decorations, and I immediately latched onto Diana to work her magic on our Inn.  When she finished installing the exquisite outdoor wreaths for the doors and garland for the balcony and lamp posts, Christmas magic, indeed, had arrived.

As you may know by now, I am a city girl; and in the city, one goes to a “Christmas Tree Lot”  to select a tree which had been cut down two months previously, bound and gagged.  Of course, we were always delighted if all the needles had not fallen off by Christmas eve.   I asked Diana of Heirloom Gardens where the Christmas tree lots were; she looked quizzically at me and suggested I should try a Christmas tree farm instead.

Just three miles out of Belfast on Route 3 is located Fishers Christmas Tree Farm; this place has acres and acres of living and growing-in-the-ground Christmas trees – balsam, fraser fir, pine and others.  A wonderful couple, Gary and Melba Fisher, run this farm; Melba told us to just walk around and select a tree.  After a ten minute search, there it was – a  perfect eight-foot fraser fir and all for a perfect $35!  Mr. Fisher cut that beauty down with his power saw, we strapped it onto the top of the car and off we went! (The Fishers do not have a web site but their information can be found on the site maintained by the National Christmas Tree Association.)

Of course, I embellish this story a little for my pals down in Washington, DC  who are slugging off to the Christmas tree lots for a $100 purchase.  I tell them about the day in early December when Santiago and I trekked through the forests and cut down our own tree — well, sort of. 

Merry, merry

Diana

The Fisher fraser fir in the Living Room of the White House Inn

Beach near Thunder Hole. Photo by Jim Dugan

The nineteenth of November 2009 was a perfect day in the mid-coast area for hiking – cold but not too cold, clear, no wind – in a word pristine.  So Santiago and I put on three layers of clothes (we are city slickers after all), packed a lunch, grabbed some hiking sticks, and headed out to conquer Mt. Cadillac in Acadia National Park.  Okay, it is only about 1000 feet above sea level, no Everest to be sure, but the sun’s rays in the morning hit Mt. Cadillac before anything else in North America.  Now that is a pretty cool fact.We arrived at the trail head at 11:30 AM; you should always listen to that voice of reason which from time to time speaks forth.  On this day, I did not, and put on a winter jacket over those three layers of clothes.  By the first half mile, I was burning – whipped off my hat, gloves and coat and crammed them in Santiago’s back pack.  Lesson one: dress appropriately, and listen to that inner voice.

The guidebook stated we had four miles to the top with non-stop panoramic views once we cleared the forest.  The book did not mention that the first long haul up to a peak did not put intrepid hikers at the top.  Once we achieved this first peak, the views were spectacular and,  indeed, panoramic, but there loomed clearly before us another hill.  So down the side and up the other side, and the views were more stunning; alas, this was not the tippy-top either!!   One more ascent faced us.  As we scrabbled up rocky faces, muscles aquiver, huffing and some puffing, I kept thinking of the banality of panoramic views, apologies to Hannah Arendt.  Lesson two: the first ascent is never the final one.

At 2 PM we gained the top of Mt Cadillac; we had the world to ourselves.  It was quite amazing and to celebrate we took our our turkey “sammie” (Rich-speak for sandwich) and quietly munched as we watched the sun descend in the sky.  At 2:15, the sun was hurtling to the horizon; at this point we remembered that  we faced at least a two hour descent.  Soon we were hurtling down the mountain side, barely reaching the parking lot in the final whimper of twilight.  Lesson three: start early in the day and do not play chicken with the sun.

Diana conquers Cadillac

Happy Thanksgiving to All

I am a harsh critic of automobile license plates.  Washington DC plates feature a political statement, “No Taxation without Representation,” which is so unoriginal.  Some years ago, the plate  was more clever proclaiming, “Last Colony”.  Santiago and I are big fans of “Live Free or Die” — no doubt there!  All this intro leads me to Maine where the car license plates sport a tweeter bird or maybe a lobster with the scintillating and innovative tag line “Vacationland”.  Now, Maine is certainly a place for vacations with all its bountiful forests, spectacular hiking trails and rugged coastline, and I have talked about this cornucopia with great abandon in my blogs.

Maine is also a place for “informed discourse on world affairs” as exemplified by the annual Camden Conference, scheduled 19 – 21 February 2010 with the topic “Afghanistan, Pakistan, India — Crossroads of Conflict.”  The first conference was held in 1987 in the Camden Library to much acclaim, and subsequently progressed to the beautiful 19th century Camden Opera House where the upcoming 23rd conference will take place.  The founders of the Camden Conference recognized that the mid-coast of Maine was home to many retired, distinguished members of the US Foreign Service, domestic and international business and academia.  (To prove this point, Santiago is retired Foreign Service and I am an adjunct professor of political science — however, please do not look for our names on the agenda but you can find us in the audience!)

In addition to the main event in Camden, the conference sponsors Community Events throughout Maine from September through January.  The next scheduled event is a 14 November lecture by Dr. Seth Singleton in Bar Harbor on the Afghanistan-Pakistan Question.  Other events include the 3 Dec showing of a film, Outsourced, in Rockland, and a book review of Three Cups of Tea scheduled for 19 Jan in Damariscotta.  My book club just read Three Cups of Tea — and gave it rave reviews.  Wrapping up the community events program is the Sixth Annual Energy Symposium to be held in Belfast 30 January 2010; the Symposium is entitled, “Fueling the Conflict – Energy Issues in Central Asia.”  We all suspect that energy has something to do with the problems of this region – this symposium promises to provide spirited dialogue.  (Click on the hot link to peruse the entire schedule which is a dynamic and evolving process — so check the calendar often!)

See you at the Camden Conference!!

We moved to Belfast last March and ever since then I have see a million signs on the highways proclaiming “Moose Crossing” or “Beware of Moose”.   I have not see one moose, nada, niente.  Now, friends tell me I don’t want to see a moose, especially if I am in a car because in the battle of car and moose, apparently the moose always wins.

The closest thing I have gotten to a moose is moose moccasins.  I am in love with my moose shoes; they are so warm and cuddly, unlike moose on a highway.  For months, I passed Colburn Shoe Store on Main Street in Belfast, convinced they did not carry my city-slicker Gucci and Prada shoes (yes, the Devil Wears Prada as well as many a city girl like me!).   BTW, I was right on that score: no Gucci in Colburn’s.  Then early in October, a girlfriend from DC came to visit and promptly headed into this cute shoe store, dragging me in tow.   Now, I am a total convert to Colburn’s and moose moccasins.

Colburn’s is of course the oldest shoe store in the USA — it is 177 years old, for those with subtraction challenges, that translates into an opening year of 1832, the same year that Alexis de Tocqueville visited America, prompting him to write Democracy in America. (I had to get in my political science training somewhere!).  Anyway, if you visit Belfast, stop in Colburn’s for your moose shoes (they come in men’s and women’s, black and brown).

ciao, Diana

When we took ownership of this wonderful Inn, one item we thought important was placing Hi-Def TVs in each guest room and creating a library of various movies for those with some “spare time”.  We have classics to action to favorite romances (aka chick flicks) for those in touch with their sensitive side! 

The other day, some of our guests proposed gathering in the “cinema room” at around 8 p.m.  to watch a movie as a group and critique the film over wine and cheese.   Our 52” plasma screen is available for group use but we never thought anyone would come to lovely Belfast to just watch a “flick”.  Well, that night we had a ball; ate lots of popcorn, drank sodas and “spirits” and, just prior to the movie, read a synopsis – for those inclined to take 40 winks during the showing! 

 The event was so well received that we are now offering a “movie night” weekend.  For any group renting two or more rooms Friday and Saturday nights, we will show a movie of choice (except maybe Debbie Does Dallas – now do not ask how I know that title) in our cinema room and prior to the film serve dinner as part of the package.   We hope “Cine Citta” in the White House Inn will be your choice for a cool fall or cold winter weekend .  Movies , good food and a cracklin’ fire.  Call us for arrangements or just more information.  888-290-1901 or 207-338-1901.

Cheers, Diana and Santiago

Last week, a lovely couple from Virginia stayed with us for several days as they researched the islands in Penobscot Bay and elssewhere; they hope to buy a place here for those golden retirement years!   Alas, I am a land-lubber at heart, boating not being my thing (ruins the hair).  Yet, their visit focused me on the islands nearby Belfast, and they are a real treasure.

Islesboro, reached by the Lincolnville ferry, is a 14 mile long, 700 acre island populated by a whopping 604 people.  In 1692, the English arrived only to find the French and the Indians who they promptly booted out.  Well, remember who won the French and Indian War!  The island has a long and colorful history annotated in various places including the Maine Memory Project.

Monhegan Island which proudly refers to itself as the place time forgot is an artists’ colony where personal cars are forbidden.  Now, try this for quaintness, one can arrive via the US Mail run operated by the Monhegan Boat Line, in operation since 1883.  This is on my list of things to do.

Isle au Haut has a thriving community of 74 – Islesboro eat your heart out – and boasts a part-time grocery store, one room school house, library and lighthouse.  In 1943, the local community gave one half of their island to the feds, and now that half is part of Acadia National Park. To get there – you guessed it — one must take the US mail boat departing from Stonington.

So much to do and so little time…….

Diana

Not too long ago, the only association I had with the word “peepers” came from two sources. One, “peepers” were those disgusting yellow and pink sugared-coated marshmallow globs the Easter Bunny brought on Easter morning in addition to the made- in-Pittsburgh chocolate that tastes like cardboard.  Two, peepers came from that song, ”Jeepers, creepers, where’d you get those peepers?”  I guess that was meant as a compliment.

Now there is a third meaning which I learned from my Garden Club ladies.  Leaf Peepers are those edification-seeking individuals who wish their breath taken away by the glorious foliage colors evident all over New England, but particularly in Maine.  Fascinating fact: Maine with 17 million acres of forest has more land covered by trees that any other state.  That is some statistic. If you are not impressed, try Maine has 76 tree species with almost that many variations on fall foliage colors. 

There are a zillion web sites for New England foliage; the one I like (because it has a minimum of ads and a great deal of information) is Visiting New England.  (Beware – this web site does recommend a few towns for lodging but Belfast is glaringly absent! )  Apparently the very best time to be awed by the fall colors in Maine is late September through the third week in October.  I can attest to the end date for certain – four years ago Santiago and I took a driving trip through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine; by the time we reached Maine in early November nary a leaf remained on any branch.

Jeepers, creepers, where are all these leaf peepers?   Jeepers, creepers, they have all gone to Maine!

ciao, Diana

Summer has finally arrived this year in Maine – after the torrential downpours of June and July, il sole ha retornato, grazie mille.  August is glorious, and with the return of the sun, the son, Taylor,  also returned after a month in Oxford studying Shakespeare.  His mother called this venture “summer camp” .  Taylor was not here long before he started working for Green Tree Coffee, a terrific company co-located here in Belfast (on the wharf no less) and New Orleans.  The company, among other things, roasts coffee — you cannot get a cup of java but shortly one may purchase roasted coffee over the internet.  The owner recently brought me a bag of newly roasted coffee calling the blend “Who Loves Ya, Baby?”  For those too young to know, this expression came from Kojak, a TV police show from way back when. (Don’t ask.)

PS   How do you like the new look of the blog?   Three cheers for the master web designer, photographer and general Renaissance man Jim Dugan who gently reminded me that my blog did not need to look so generic and, well,  boring.

You would think that innkeepers are the proveyors of information — aha, it also works the other way around!

Recently, guests from the “out west’” who are seasoned sailors stayed with us a few days at The White House Inn, then headed to sea.  Upon their return, they raved about the sailing in and around Penobscot Bay and highly recommended Twilight Charters.   The guests were very impressed with the crew/owners and the boat was, in their words, top-notch. 

And then there was the couple who wandered over to sweet little Union and discovered the Badger Cafe; Santiago and I made a beeline the following week — an enjoyable drive and terrific eats.

Here is the cat’s meow — another guest took a walk about Belfast; upon her return, she marvelled at the beach a mere three blocks from our Inn!!  I had never heard of the beach, let alone seen it!  Now, we are adding this jewel to our suggestions of things to do and places to go! 

For our indomitable readers, rest assured I shall pass on these tidbits as they come in.

ciao

Apologies to the annual Lobster Festival soon to be underway at Rockland — but Maine also means incredible and different activities to enrich the mind and also the stomach!  Last weekend, Santiago and I were invited to the Opening Party of Salt Water Farm, a lovely and unqiue escape in Lincolnville Beach where recreational cooking classes are offered by Annemarie Ahearn.   Now we are not just taking about lobster bisque; in August, for example, a bevy of New York chefs are on hand to demonstrate butchering, filleting and whatever else can be done with meat!  For me, I prefer the class on brick-oven pizza making – yum.  

These classes are a terrific addition to the more traditional activities along the mid-coast.   Take a cooking class, then drive on over to the nearby Cellar Door Winery for wine tasting.  Now that is a Maine vacation.