Andy and I took a trip to Maine for the week before fall classes started. This was a new state for me - now I'm down to 6/50 (Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii) not yet seen. Maine reminded me of the other 'M' states I've lived in - Minnesota and Michigan - probably mostly due to the trees. And the cool summer temperatures!
It looks like someone is taking care of the 1858 barn. Unlike some of the other barns we saw throughout the countryside.
We went on an informal, self-guided winery tour with Andy's family. This is part of Clem's little vineyard at Younity Winery. He makes all kinds of wines, including blueberry, elderberry, and rhubarb.
The flowers (Liatris) outside of the Savage Oaks Winery were buzzing with bees. There were also pigs out back adding to the country sounds. This vineyard and winery also produces grassfed beef and pork.
Sweetgrass Winery had this nice truck, old-fashioned sled and cross-country skis on the wall, and (I thought) the best wines of all the places we went. They also had beautiful, bright sunflowers!
Looking back towards the Duck Trap River at low tide - barely looks like there's a river back there. The tides are extreme here in the Penobscot Bay. It is wise to either stay with your boat or pull it well onto shore, well beyond what you may think is necessary, to avoid a frigid swim when the tide comes in.
We kayaked north from Duck Trap up the shore and around a point (on left in photo below), where Andy's sister spotted a seal. It followed her as she paddled back towards us, and generally seemed to be hanging around (or maybe it was wondering why we were hanging around), checking us out as it popped its head up every now and again.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/pinnipeds/harborseal.htm
There are lobster trap buoys everywhere - hanging from ceiling fan pull chains, on the walls of restaurants, in every tourist shop, and of all places ... on the water marking a lobster trap!
We eventually left our seal friend and paddled south, back across Duck Trap harbor in a brisk breeze towards lunch in Lincolnville. It's wonderful sailing up here - the home of WoodenBoat is almost directly across the bay and a smidge south from Lincolnville. Every day at any harbor we were near, there were sails dotting the bay. There are no oyster bars to contend with - a small, maybe 14', wooden sailboat was displayed for sale along the highway with a keel deeper than the depth of the hull itself - sailing that on the gulf coast would be a tricky proposition!
We also took a short hike on a peninsula of a lake (I forgot the name). The open, rocky overlook was covered with scrubby low-bush blueberries (we were too late in the season for any wild harvesting) and iconic white pines.
