Morning Tea with the Loons

A few mornings ago the soft tremolo of loons woke me. I sat up in bed, saw the most amazing sunrise, and ran out to the porch to take a photo. The loons called, I called back, they called again, I made my attempt to call just as they did, and they paddled in close to the rocks and woof, woof, woofed quietly to me.

The loons leave the inland fresh water lakes and arrive in John's Bay during September. They usually arrive in pairs (they mate for life), but this year a group of three showed up and they stay very close together. When one paddles too far away, or disappears in the trough of a wave, they begin their soft woofing and looking for the missing bird. I never tire of watching them scull through the water, sometimes with their heads submerged, and then they disappear in a wave and bounce back up hundreds of feet from where they dived.

Jeff and I always eat our breakfast on the porch unless driving winds, salt spray, and rain keep us indoors. This time of year, as our days edge closer to leaving, we make our meals last longer and longer. We take such joy from talking with the loons and seeing how curious they are about us.

Tea for us, coffee for Virginia, toast and cereal with a helping of leftovers for the squirrels, chipmunks, Blue jays, crows, and chickadees.

This morning, after two days of heavy rain and winds, our dear friend Ginny dropped by and ate with us. None of us could believe the size of the waves, the warmth, the beauty. Ginny said, "I am so grateful to be here." We feel the same way.

The Pumpkinfest in Damariscotta was a HOOT! Here are some of my favorite pumpkins, but I am missing some. The one carved by the DeLisle family is great, but when I went to photograph it the mold (from all our rain) had started to form all over it.

Wedding cake pumpkins (see the cake topper?) with books of love sonnets around base.

Outside the bookstore

Debra Arter's teapot.

The little tag on the map says, "you are here."

This is one panel from the pumpkin above.

Another side of the one above.

Humpty Dumpty Pumpkin from artist Susan Bartlett Rice.

Outside Skidompha Library

Inside Porter Hall the contenders are lined up and ready to go. Ginny and Michael are two of the judges.

The four judges pondering the choices (did we ever get sugar highs!)

The cake won first prize of $150.00 and a trophy. I would love to share the recipes, but the contestants did not want to give up their secrets.

The winner of the giant pumpkin contest is smaller than the winner last year, but we had strange weather here all summer and many pumpkins rotted on the vine.

I can't describe the wonderful community spirit of the festival. We had a pumpkin regatta (giant pumpkins hollowed out and were used as boats), we had a pumpkin drop, a pie eating contest, and a parade. On a side street volunteers had pumpkin activities for kids. This small town life is a joy.

I have been out of touch lately and I apologize. So much going on here and now we are packing up for the season. I do not want to leave here and am trying to absorb as much of this beauty as possible. I will try to catch up when we return to California. Promise.

The winner of the Grimy Hands Girls' Club Give-Away of Planting the Dry Shade Garden by Graham Rice (Timber Press) is Lemon Verbena Lady, Nancy Heraud. Congrats dear Nancy!!! 

Although I normally only post once weekly I plan to post an amazing art wall I saw in a home in Damariscotta. It is do-able, fun, and creative. I'll post it the day before we leave here.

Sending love across the miles,

Sharon

The Harvest Moon rising over the Eastern Gap in South Bristol, Maine.

Never Enough Pumpkins

Our final days in Maine are a celebration of the season: bittersweet, rose hips, and a small pumpkin amidst the candles.

Never enough pumpkins.

Early one morning, as we drove into Damariscotta, the traffic was backed up from lower Main St. to the church on the corner of the Bristol Road. We grumped about it. What? A traffic jam in October? Then we realized that the forklifts were moving the giant pumpkins into their places along Main St. Perched every few feet on a raised platform, the pumpkins would hold court over our small town until after Halloween. 

That evening artists converged on Main St. and began painting and carving into the 400 to 600 pound beauties. It was cause for a big community walk-by and enjoyment. By the Saturday of Pumpkin Fest, thousands of visitors surged into town to photograph the giants both night and day.

Artist Debra Arter carves honeycombs into this giant. See Winnie the Pooh going in for the gold? Debra also entered the pumpkin dessert contest and won 2nd place. She baked the smooth and snappy pumpkin cheesecake. It made my tastebuds sing.

A wise old owl outside of Sproul's furniture store beside the bridge.

Some pumpkins became lovely canvases.

This pumpkin reminded me of a moon cameo. This is outside Fernald's Country Store.

The children loved this one.

Outside King Eider's Pub (right next to Comfort Found)

Outside Weatherbird.

I didn't quite understand this one, but the kids loved it.

Yep, it's a pumpkin in fish clothing.

 Cinderella's coach.

Paco's Taco's built this saguarro pumpkin-cactus.

The "stringle-crested harposaurus" was done by Fred Gosbee of Castle Bay fame.

A tapestry of fish outside The River Grill.

A chef's dream pumpkin.

Outside Darling & DeLisle's gallery (below Comfort Found) sat this immense forest scene with birds. You can't see the small holes pierced through the skin, but at night it is lit from within and the tiny openings look like twinkling stars.

On the steps of our beloved Skidompha Library.

The Pumpkin Dessert Contest

 I was asked to be a judge of the Pumpkin Fest dessert contest, which is held on the Saturday of the parade. I sat on the bench with two true judges of the courts, who have discriminating palates and a good sense of humor-unless you've broken the law.

We had 14 delectable entries in the contest and awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes, each with a monetary prize and a trophy.

This fantastic pumpkin-maple cake stole the show.

Judge Atwood asked that I be removed from the bench because I was trying "to influence the judging." Not true, the consistency of the dessert just got to me. 

We're taking things VERY seriously.

The winning trio. 

The judging was tough, but presentation, taste, and originality all played into the final decisions.

Darn it, I'd love to give you the recipes, but after examining them we were required to turn them back into the committee. Evidently some of the recipes are secret. and the creators did not want to share them. Sorry.

The Pumpkin Parade

Saturday's parade was HUGE. We positioned ourselves on the bridge between Damariscotta and Newcastle and caught the parade at its beginning. We laughed so much during this and reveled in the small town pleasure.

The puffin pumpkin boat is prepared for the regatta on Sunday morning.

Two more regatta entries.

The pumpkin contest spawned some monsters.

This was the winner of the contest and was grown by Ed Pierpont. This broke the Maine state record and weighed in at 1,471 pounds. Later in the day Ed cut it in half, distributed seeds to next year's growers, and turned the half pumpkin into a boat for the regatta. I believe Ed won $10,000.00 for this behemoth. 

Looks like nothing but bubbles and water?? Yep, it did look like this and it was the scene of the underwater pumpkin carving contest. Hundreds packed the shore to watch this...hundreds got bored and left. We stuck it out and saw the victors emerge from the depths.

Part of living in a small town is getting to know all the people and their pets. This is Raymond and he belongs to my friend Mary. Every afternoon Raymond and Mary walk to Waltz Rexall Drugs on Main St. (which still has its original 1940s soda fountain) and Mary tells Raymond to chatter his teeth-he is doing that in the photo. Then Raymond is presented a dog cookie from behind the counter.

Our canoe is inside, our hammock is rolled up for the season, our rugs are stowed, the pumpkins have all been taken to my friend Marilyn's house, and the shutters now cover the windows. I can't believe we won't step back inside our dear cottage until next May, but if the fates allow, we'll be back then and until then we'll dream of our beloved seaside haven.