Lubec, Maine!

Every year, my folks rent a cottage on the coast of Maine in a little town of Lubec at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. Last year I visited them for a few days and this year Cynthia & I joined them for most of a week. Last year I returned with a camera full of photos and a head full of memories and this year exceeded that in all ways. When I think of Lubec, I think of lobstermen trying to make ends meet by pulling crustaceans from fast flowing cold waters, trees clinging to cliff-like shorelines, bogs where pitcher plants and sundews inhabit unfriendly soils, coniferous forests stunted by thin rocky soil and cold winters, blueberries and cranberries growing wild, apples doing the same, tides that can cover a two-story home, and huge intertidal zones full of clams.

We came to visit for the last few days of the two weeks. Once I snagged Cynthia from work at about 10am after her 24hr shift... and we had dropped off the dogs at their second home... and loaded up... we managed to get on the road before noon; Google Maps navigating, Cynthia snoozing, my bottle of coffee at hand. We passed Boston uneventfully, went through New Hampshire as Michael Pollan read "Cooked", and continued into Maine... and more Maine... and more Maine. As darkness fell, we pulled into the driveway in front of the cottage and went inside to find dinner served and wine and cheese waiting. What a nice welcome! After eating and chatting briefly, we inflated our mattress on the deck and fell asleep under the stars, a chilly breeze blowing gently over us.

We woke to masses of Jerusalem artichoke flowers

 and a beautiful view over the meadow,

 ate breakfast, then went out for a nice long walk with my folks at Quoddy Head Park.

 We first walked through the bog trail and noticed sundew carnivorous plants (the ones that look like they have dew on them) that we had not seen in the sphagnum moss last time,

 then dad headed back and the remaining three of us went all the way to Carrying Place Cove on the shore path, a very complex, strenuous, and beautiful route.

After that, if my memory serves, we headed home, took a nice long nap before a delicious dinner, and slept soundly.

There is too much more to write about here, so I'll post more over the next week...

PS: Cynthia took all these photos.