We picked up our granddaughter early on a gloriously sunny and cool Saturday morning. She recommended that we start our day by visiting a local eatery called Wild Oats located in one of the many nearby towns that dotted the area. The drive through the countryside was worth the trip, so it was an added treat to find the incredible variety of food at the huge complex.
It was difficult to decide whether to get a breakfast sandwich or just try the many enticing pastries on display. There were even huge containers of soups of every kind and salads that appeared to have been prepared straight from a garden. I felt like a kid in a candy story as I tried to decide what I wanted to eat. A conversation with a couple who were in town for the Bowdoin College International Music Festival convinced me that I had to taste “the world’s best” mushroom soup. Since they were filling several one quart containers to the rim I felt that the soup must be quite special, so I dove in without hesitation.
At first we sat outside to enjoy the pleasant seventy degree weather, a welcome change from the unremitting heat of one hundred degree days back home. A busy bee determined to invade our space drove us back inside. I did not mind the inconvenience created by the bee because I am allergic to that insect’s stings. Besides my mushroom soup was as heavenly as the people had described. Nothing would have been able to ruin my delight. I found myself wishing that I had purchased more of the yummy concoction like the people who had recommended it to me had done.
We made one more trip to gather more of my granddaughter’s belongings that were locked away in a storage unit. We made quick work of getting everything in her room and then headed to Freeport, the mecca for those of us who like camping and the outdoors, also known as the headquarters of LL Bean.
The town of Freeport is lovely and a kind of village has built up over the years around the LL Bean complex. We parked near a British store and then leisurely walked through the many shops leading to our main destination. Just as we were about to enter one of the many LL Bean stores we were approached by a friendly fellow who asked if we would like to be VIP guests at the concert scheduled for the evening.
At first we were not sure if we were about to be entangled in a scam, but we soon learned that the invitation was legitimate so we registered for the event. We were presented with lanyards declaring that we were LL Bean VIPs for the day which made us mini celebrities wherever we went for the rest of our time in Freeport, especially inside the LL Bean stores
I have been a huge fan of LL Bean for years. I get one of their live wreaths every Christmas and sometimes send them to friends as gifts. Their flannel shirts are the best and I find myself purchasing at least one of them regularly as well. In fact I had Mike take a photo of a new pattern that I would like to receive for Christams or my birthday.
Walking through their big store was like a fairyland for me. It literally took hours to see everything and I made notes of many items that will be on my shopping list this fall. I found myself wishing that it is actually cold enough to use all of the wonderful things they have to offer in the place where I live. I don’t know if the LL Bean products are of a special kind of quality that lasts forever or if they do so for me because I use most of what I purchase only a few times each year in my almost tropical town.
Mike found a light jacket to wear when there is a chill in the air in Texas. Our granddaughter wanted a pair of soft pajamas and I found some fabulous sweatpants on sale along with an adorable pair of winter slippers. Of course we had to get some blueberry jam as well because blueberries are the special fruit of Maine. I also made a checklist of comforters and sheets that I plan to purchase once I returned home.
We were happy with our finds but quite hungry so we found a pub that was bustling with people which is always a good sign. The food was as excellent as everything we had already sampled in Maine. As a Houston foodie I was never once disappointed by the culinary delights that we found.
The weather was becoming chilly as the sun began to set so we made another trip back to LL Bean to purchase a warm throw to keep us from getting cold while we watched the concert. With our VIP badges we were ceremoniously led to the front of the outdoor seating where each of us received an LL Bean bag with a cap and a very nice aluminum water bottle inside. We really did feel special and continued to marvel at our good fortune.
The event featured Shawn Colvin and Marc Cohn, two Grammy winning songwriters and performers. None of us had heard of them but as soon as they began to perform we knew that we were in the presence of incredibly talented professionals. For an hour and a half plus an encore they kept us spellbound and tapping our toes. Not even the coolness of the night could dampen our enthusiasm. We felt as special as LL Bean had hoped we would. We went back to our motel room excited about what we might see next and one hundred percent in love with Maine. Given an opportunity I do believe I would move there in a heartbeat.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 