What is it to be "summer in Maine"? (Portland: to buy, living)

[mainegrl2011]

Hi
Summer in Maine for me means living in the house I grew up in that has been in my family for over 50 years. Half of the house was originally in Washington County. My parents moved to Hancock County and started to raise three children. Some years later around the time I was born, my dad made the house bigger. I have many favorite places and things to do. We have lots of great memories and make even more of them. Some of our family traditions include visiting relatives and lifelong friends, Bar Harbor on July 4, (take time to smell the wood fires at the lobster pound combined with the sea air between Trenton and Thompson's Island) picking strawberries in Bucksport in July, cook outs at Thompson's Island and Schoodic, taking hikes in various locations (who or what could duplicate the smell--fragrance--of Maine woods?!), picking and eating raspberries and blueberries. Acadia National Park...we have an annual pass. We have our favorite beaches and go to the beach almost daily (sometimes saltwater and sometimes freshwater). We canoe and kayak and go to my favorite restaurant, Jordan's Snack Bar, get up early enough to watch the sun come up combined with Dunkin Donuts' coffee, lightening bugs, wildflowers--the list is almost endless. In recent years we have made at least one trip to Rangeley....

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Originally Posted by MaineMathTCHER

We had a posting about winter and spring-how about summer.

Here's mine--
I came to Maine to be cool, if not downright cold. I am eagerly awaiting the first snow of the next season! But I can appreciate the beauty of summer. I pick wild flowers daily from our land, can walk at night without too much problem from bugs, and my porch can be used to sit on (trust me this can't happen in Texas! the bugs are startling). My plants I have grown from seed are LOVELY and I get to meet more of my neighbors now that everyone is out. At night we open the front door and the kitchen widow and a sea breeze of wonder blows through the whole house! Plus, I get to see bald eagles almost EVERY day!

What is summer in MAine to you?

When I lived in Mass, we would vacation in Maine and it was idyllic. We had a travel trailor and my Father would take the less traveled roads, we would pull over by a stream to eat and I would accidently fall in the stream with the family dog, my Father would join in and my Mother would come to the door to let us know how displeased she was. The wonderful times we had by the oceans, looking for sea shells, checking out every lighthouse we came across. We even took the ferry out to several islands off the coast of Maine to enjoy their solitude.
There is no better place then Maine in the summer.
Of course there is wonderful antique shopping and outlet shopping and one can never forget the 24 hour LL Beans, I have been in there in the middle of the night, whenever we were traveling, we would stop by no matter the time of day or night and check out what was on offer.

[Maineah]

Mosquitoes, blackflies, green headed horse flies, common horse flies, green bottle flies, house flies,midges, deer flies,dog ticks, brown ticks, deer ticks, earwigs,no-see-ums,gypsy moth catepillars,brown tail moth catepillars, japanese beetles, potato beetles,moths, june bugs,yellow and black spiders.....the list goes on.

[forest beekeeper]

Our windows are all open and will stay open until next fall.

The forest all around us is lush and green.

Every 'hot' day I water a score of fresh planted nut trees, and last year's apple orchard. We have a big garden, so we tend that too.

I have built some new hog pens, awaiting to have new piglets soon.

I got some new beehives, and our bees are busy.

I will be digging some new trenches and an access trail through a portion of our forest.

I have not seen the eagle over head yet, but I should think he will show up soon. He has been flying over our place each summer so far.

Our one sheep is freshly sheared, he looks goofy without his wool.

In another month we expect a couple new breeds of chicks to arrive, so we will have brooders setup for them. And we are setting up a row of new chicken coops.

I have noticed a lot of butterflies this spring.

I should go kayaking.

[American girl]

a few of us at work walk a fast two miles after lunch every day that it isn't pouring rain or too slippery with ice. The first day we sweat is the first day of summer. Today I'm dripping. (first day nose runs is fall, first day we wish we had our ear muffs is winter )

[Hartwell Girl]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Our windows are all open and will stay open until next fall.

The forest all around us is lush and green.

Every 'hot' day I water a score of fresh planted nut trees, and last year's apple orchard. We have a big garden, so we tend that too.

I have built some new hog pens, awaiting to have new piglets soon.

I got some new beehives, and our bees are busy.

I will be digging some new trenches and an access trail through a portion of our forest.

I have not seen the eagle over head yet, but I should think he will show up soon. He has been flying over our place each summer so far.

Our one sheep is freshly sheared, he looks goofy without his wool.

In another month we expect a couple new breeds of chicks to arrive, so we will have brooders setup for them. And we are setting up a row of new chicken coops.

I have noticed a lot of butterflies this spring.

I should go kayaking.

EXACTLY why I want to live in Maine...I visited there for the first time two summers ago. I fell in love with it day one. I toured beautiful gardens, met the nicest of people, and ate some of the best meals of my life. I came home and told my husband we were moving there. I log on to the Maine thread just to enjoy all your stories and to refresh my memories of my best summer trip ever!

[Maineah]

Oh yeah and tourists, everywhere, Traffic increases 10 fold! Construction time, roads torn up 'till fall. This year-rain three to four days a week. Broken lawn mowers from mowing wet grass. Temperatures in the 50's still! Yeah Summer sure is great in Maine! Fourth of July and then back to winter!

[reloop]

Well, let's see ...

Mobs of wild children roaming the neighborhood .

Assorted screaming children (crammed 4 deep) in my pool (two I claim biological relation to - the rest are mine by proxy) .

Trips to camp, the Pancoe Pool, Trenton water park, Acadia Park, (NOT the Acadia Zoo AKA Kisma Preserve ) Jordon's Snack Bar, Bar Harbor, as well as trips to the grocery store (twice as many as during the school year) .

BBQ's that don't require my clearing snow off the grill.

Bees building nests on my deck and sheds. Fending off deer flies, mosquitoes, dog fleas, and the above-mentioned mob of wild children.

Garden growing, picking and processing.

Steeling myself to begin hearing the cacophony of "I'm bored - there's nothing to do!" and "There's nothing to eat!"

Spending evenings listening to the bullfrogs and watching the fireflies (one year the entire field was covered with them - the show was better than the 4th of July).

[reloop]

Originally Posted by reloop

Bees building nests on my deck and sheds. Fending off deer flies, mosquitoes, dog fleas, and the above-mentioned mob of wild children.

Oh, silly me...bee nests? What was I thinking ? Hives of course.

Pardon my brain fog-induced slip.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Hartwell Girl

EXACTLY why I want to live in Maine...I visited there for the first time two summers ago. I fell in love with it day one. I toured beautiful gardens, met the nicest of people, and ate some of the best meals of my life. I came home and told my husband we were moving there. I log on to the Maine thread just to enjoy all your stories and to refresh my memories of my best summer trip ever!

Your so sweet!

So when are you moving?

Where are you thinking of moving to?

What do you and your Dh 'do'?