We wanted to visit Portland while we were in Maine in spite of our daughter’s comment that it was not worth the effort. Instead after enjoying another yummy meal at Wild Oats we drove south and soon were walking through the downtown area and beginning to think that the critique had been somewhat accurate. There really was not much to see there so we travelled down to the the port which was buzzing with activity and way too many tourists for our tastes. It was great to see but we had become accustomed to the slow pace of Brunswick, Topsham, Freeport and other enchanting areas and somehow did not find all of the commotion to be enticing.
We decided to instead to head over the the Portland Head Lighthouse. It was also filled with curious travelers, but the fantastic views of the ocean made the crowds more bearable. We walked around a bit and took several photos before heading over to Falmouth where Mike’s favorite professor and mentor, Dr. S. Henry Monsen, had once lived. It was a beautiful area boasting lovely homes and stunning seaside views. It was also the location of Town Landing Market where we had once enjoyed incredibly delicious crab rolls with our friends, Egon and Marita.
The place had hardly changed and the tastiness of the crab roll was as delicious as ever. There had been a short rainfall just before we arrived but we still found an outside table protected under an overhang. We enjoyed our luscious meal in a quiet and serene atmosphere watching the people who walked or drove by. It was an idyllic scene that made me want to enquire about homes for sale in the area.
I remembered how relaxing the evenings with Dr. Monsen had been in our previous visits when we sat outside sipping on wine and listening to Hank entertain us with his outlooks on the world. I thought of how wonderful it would be to spend just one more hour with him for old times sake. Instead we simply drove around on a tour of the little town and then headed back to Brunswick satisfied with our brief visit to days gone by,
We agreed to meet our granddaughter a bit later than usual on our final day in Maine. She had some business to keep her busy during the morning so we instead drove to the area where we had seen an old cemetery. We have a tendency to walk around in such places to get an idea of the history of the area. This one was particularly interesting because it was in a field next to a still active church that was established in the early eighteen hundreds. Many of the folks resting for eternity there had been born before the American Revolution. Their stories engraved on weathered headstones spoke of faith and hardships. The saddest among them were those dedicated to women who died from complications in childbirth and those of babies who lived for only weeks or months before succumbing. It was quite humbling to think of how difficult the times must have been.
On this adventure we also encountered a cattle pound created out of local stones during the seventeen hundreds. The circular enclosure was used to round up stray animals that were wandering about the town. It was secured by a locked gate so that nobody would be able to help themselves to the livestock without first proving ownership and then paying fines and fees for the care and feeding of the creatures.
A little farther down the road we saw a delightful sight. Colorful quilts were hanging on a clothesline marked with a sign that they were for sale. We only stopped long enough o take a photo of the lovely creations even though I wanted to know more about the person who had created them. I suppose that Mike was holding his breath lest I suggest finding out how much they cost and then insist on buying one.
We picked up our granddaughter around lunchtime and headed to Harpswell again where we indulged in more seafood at The Dolphin, a restaurant with yet another amazing view of the ocean. We sat outside at a wooden table taking in the glories of the area. The scene was breathtaking and the food was outstanding. My order of haddock came with a complimentary blueberry muffin that put every other one I have eaten to shame. It was so wonderful there that I was reluctant to leave. I again found myself imagining what it would be like to live in Maine full time, but I’m not so sure I would take to the winter weather.
Our time in Maine was coming to an end. We helped our granddaughter run a few more errands before we were scheduled to leave. A visit to Target and a late dinner at Panera Bread closed the chapter on our visit. We had hoped to try a Colombian restaurant called Maiz but unfortunately most of the locally owned places were closed on Monday. We would have to return one day to fulfill that experience. Perhaps we will be back when the time comes for her to graduate from college. I’m more than ready to put that date on my calendar and make reservations for another beautiful visit to Maine.
One more night at our quaint motel and a good night’s rest readied us for the two thousand mile journey back home. In spite of loving my everyday life in Texas I was not yet ready to say goodbye to Maine.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 