Summer in Maine, part 1

Fourth of July weekend at Bar Harbor

                                                                                                    



Throwing rocks in Bar Harbor

Fourth of July weekend

Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor
4th of July weekend



Trying to get coins out of the fountain

Trying to skip rocks in  Bar Harbor

Two of the best things in Maine, Icecream and Whoopie pies.  You combine the two and it is pure heaven.  The blueberries are good too!

Whoopie pie icecream makes a little girl VERY happy!

Shopping in Bar Harbor
Gracie found a stuffed lobster named "lobby" she cant live without

Maine has some of the most beautiful flowers!



These beautiful flowers are EVERYWHERE in Maine



Gracie enjoying a break in Boothbay Harbor



Gracie had the chance to get anything from the shops she wanted.  She chose a tiara that lights up...despite tons of encouragement to get something she couldn't get anywhere else.  This made her very happy while we were in Boothbay.  It broke in half the next day :)

Gracie fell asleep on the "NOVELTY" when we took a boat ride around Boothbay Harbor

Bar Harbor, ME

Squirrel Island

A little boat off the dock at squirrell Island

Boothbay

The lighthouse around Boothbay Harbor

Lighthouse in Boothbay

Tons of tiny Islands with homes around the Harbor.  The boat we were on served as the ferry for local residents going back and forth between the little islands. 

Boothbay lighthouse

Gracie was so excited to take a boat ride around Boothbay Harbor

Boothbay harbor

Boothbay Harbor

Booth Bay Harbor

Boothbay trolley

Trying to find some delicious seafood in Boothbay.  We enjoyed yummy clam chowder, crab quesadillas and fish and chips

Exploring Blueberry Hill

Gracie is becoming a little botanist.  She has begun a HUGE collection of pressed flowers
Picking flowers on blueberry Hill

Tra and Gracie-Blueberry Hill

Picking flowers on Blueberry Hill

Enjoying Bar Harbor

Exploring the rocks at Bar Harbor
4th of July Weekend

Bar Harbor

Searching for sea glass in Bar Harbor

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park

View from Acadia National Park
4th of July Weekend



On the way home from Bar Harbor we passed this man playing his bagpipes on the rock above the water.  He played several patriotic songs

Kennebec River
Our view for the parade on the 4th of July and where we watched the fireworks over the water
Gorgeous!

Winslow 4th of July parade

We waited 2 hours for the parade to reach us!  Gracie got so bored :)

We filled Gracie with cotton candy and water to entertain her while she waited for the parade.  That only worked for about a half hour

We are so proud of our veterans!

Every 4th of July parade needs an Elvis impersonator!  Nothing more american than that

Gracie loved watching the fireworks over the Kennebec River.  It was beautiful and much cooler than the parade.  She brought her new best friend "Lobby" the lobster that she purchased in Bar Harbor.  She has become very confused when we see lobsters in the tanks and hears of people (including us) eat lobster. 

Fireworks on the 4th
Winslow
Kennebec River

We have had a great time in Maine so far. We have sooooo many more pictures to share and I will hopefully get a bunch of them up this week sometime. The whole experience has been wonderful. We have enjoyed the beautiful landscape and the delicious food so much. Every weekend we have gone exploring the coast of Maine, listening to U2, Bob Marley and lots of 80's music. We have enjoyed clam chowder, lobster bisque, lobster rolls, crab quesadillas, fish and chips, shrimp, haddock and more. Gracie and I have become HUGE fans of whoopie pies, a high calorie (seriously, they are almost a thousand calories of goodness) cookie with at least 4 inches of delectable crisco frosting in the middle. Mainers know how to make the best icream in the world and I was not surprised to find out that New Englanders consume something like 3 times the national average for icream. Just last weekend I enjoyed an icrecream cone flavor called "Chocolate Therapy" that made me rethink my purpose as a therapist/social worker. I am now nearly convinced that any problem could be fixed with this icrecream. We have been swimming almost daily at the pool and enjoying this quiet town and quiet state. Gracie and I have become regulars at the local farmers market and I am pretty sure that I can NEVER buy produce at walmart again in my lifetime. It just doesn't compare! It is almost impossible not to relax and enjoy the serenity jere. These pictures are only from the first 2 weeks we were here. I will soon add the pictures from the past two weekends....Just as soon as I finish reading another good book. If anyone is looking for some good "beach" or "summer" reads go pick up Castaways or The Blue Bistro by Elin Hildebrand. They take place in New England and if you ever thought about vacationing in this area of the world you will when you finish them. I just finished Maine by Courtney Sullivan too. It was wonderful and the best part was that we have now been everywhere that the characters in the book visited. Gracie's new favorite book is "Sal's Blueberries".  I promise this book will make any kid want to live in Maine! We hope your summer is treating you as well!...Oh and I forgot to mention that Tracy is over halfway done with the Lancaster course he is taking at Colby College here in Waterville. I am not sure he has had as relaxing a summer as Gracie and I but he is trying :) For now you can find us at 27 Burleigh Street, Waterville Maine....We may come back to Columbus...if only for Tracy to finish residency...and for the air conditioning (we don't have that at the house we are renting here, the house is 150 years old).