Maine

A Maine Lobsta Dinnah

August 6, 2015

After our wonderful morning trip to ‘The Hub’ for mussels, we had the most amazing dinner. It was a wonderful way to experience Maine all together.

Elaine set the table full of plate, bowl, platters to serve us freshly cooked corn, steamed lobsters, sauteed garlicky kale, and mussels. And, of course, wine!

Prior to cooking the lobsters, we showed them to Autumn. She was interested but still very cautious of them. Understandably!!

While the lobsters and mussels cooked, Price and Autumn did some golf in the front yard.

And then the feasting began!!

This wild child loved loved the corn on the cob, strawberries, and crackers she munched on for dinner. She didn’t try any mussels or lobster, which didn’t surprise me, but she did check them out.

She cautiously held on to the lobster tail as she examined it. She picked it up and slowly rotated it in her hands as she checked out the shell. It slipped out of her hands and almost hit her face. Oh, poor thing looked so spooked!

There were some little pearls in the mussels that Price had picked for our dinner. One guy had like 12 pearls, but the majority of the mussels were pearl free and delicious.

We cooked up the mussels with some water, wine, and plenty of garlic. A little dip back into the briny broth after we removed the meat from the shells was all you needed before slurping them back.

Sometimes you just need to give your lobster claw with a big rock to crack it up. I insist it’s a much better technique than using a cracker. Louder, but much better! ha!

Dinner was thoroughly enjoyed!!

You can’t beat fresh seafood, good drinks, and wonderful company.

The Hub.2015

July 16, 2015

The best things about our visits to Maine generally are related to just relaxing and being outside.

I can’t get enough of the soft green grasses under my feet when I walk on the lawn. Or when just how quiet it is. I love the peace of it all.

But the best to me is the smell of the robust salty air.

Every time we arrive and we are driving over the last causeway to get to the house, we open up the windows to take in big gulps of air. It is the best. It means we made it. It means vacation has begun for us.

There are so many inlets, coves, bays, and watery nooks and crannies to explore. Our favorite place is what is we call ‘The Hub’. It’s an island at high tide and a wonderful place to explore at low tide.

Price starts to track the tides before we leave for Maine so we can properly schedule our visit to the tide. It’s fun to stroll around there looking at the tiny hermit crabs, slightly larger crabs, and teeny tiny fish along the shore.

Our main mission is to get mussels that are clinging to rocks, hidden under layers of seaweed. Picked, cooked, and eaten within a few hours. Damn, they taste so good.

This year we headed over to The Hub in the morning to get the lowest of the low tide. Price was in charge of getting the mussels and I was in charge with Autumn, who loved checking out the water’s edge.

So much to explore!

She loved checking out the snails sunning themselves on the rocks and watch the crabs scuttle around while Dad went around back of the island to get our dinner. She climbed on rocks and jumped over puddles. It was fun watching her explore and discover.

Price found a bunch of sea stars nestled on the side of a rock as the tide lapped just under them. He carefully picked out the largest one to show us. It was just so stunning.

We hung around for it bit enjoying the smells and sights of the Maine coast before we headed back to the house to enjoy the rest of the wonderful day.

Small Town USA

July 9, 2015

We went up to Maine for the 4th of July.

It was so much fun. It was so relaxing. It was so needed.

We fully embraced the break from technology- no TV, no computer, spotty cell service, spotty 4G service!- allowing us to completely relax. It’s so nice to disconnect. To put the phone down and read a book or just take a walk.

Or just take in a parade!

We went to the Deer Isle 4th of July Parade that is held in Deer Isle Village. This year’s theme was Under the Sea. Super cute.

Mixed into the floats where antique and classic cars. I loved the old trucks. A nice rustic glance into the past.

This float was created by realtors on the island. They built a lobster trap ‘house’ as lobster traps have 2 parts – the parlor and the kitchen. They merged the parade theme with their own realtor theme and I think it was a big success.

I wore my lobster tunic (Gretchen Scott Designs) to celebrate Maine, but it worked out well that it matched the parade’s Under the Sea theme too!

Autumn finally seems to be embracing hats and sunnies!

There were several times that Autumn wanted to just run out and join the parade. I had thought she would enjoy the pair of miniature ponies she just seemed a bit nervous about them. ha!

Autumn did enjoy the lemonade that Price got for us. Even the lemon!

It was a great 4th of July morning watching the parade in Deer Isle. So much fun!

In denial

December 21, 2014

Happy First Day of Winter!!!!

I’m still in denial that the year is almost over. That it’s almost Christmas. That today is the First Day of Winter.

I’m trying to embrace the season but the short cold days get me down. So I always look to the future of the beautiful summer days to help me get through the cold winter. One of my favorite summer time things we do is go to Maine. I love our long weekends visiting there.

Here are some pictures from our visit this past summer. We visited the property of one of Price’s mom’s friends and snapped these pictures with Autumn one evening.

Just 89 more days until Spring!!!

Grampa Rice

December 19, 2014

We were so lucky that Autumn was able to met her great grampa this past summer.

She happily sat on his lap as he cradled her with his massive hands. It was so great to see Autumn with Price and his mom Elaine and her father all together. Four Generations.

Sadly he passed away just a few weeks ago at the age of 94.

Price went to the memorial in Maine today and is having some family time this weekend.

Marshall L. Rice Sr. lived a long and happy life. He did a variety of jobs from being a solider to a business man to a lobster man. He lived all over from Massachusetts to New York to Hawaii to Maine. He was even at the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He loved Sunshine, Maine so much that he even opened a campground so that others could enjoy its beauty as well. He will be greatly missed by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the others who’s lives he touched.

Although Autumn won’t remember getting to meet her great grampa, we can show her these sweet pictures and tell her all about him.

We would see Marshall whenever Price and I visited his mom’s summer house in Maine. He would come over from his house down the road to have coffee and crossword puzzles with Elaine at the kitchen table or the table in the dining room. It was always so lovely to hear his deep voice discussing answers with Elaine as she read the clues out loud. His weathered, yet gentle, large hands gently held on to a floral teacup of coffee. In between the crossword puzzle answers he would talk about the current events on the island or about his past. It was always so nice to soak in those relaxed mornings.

“It was a great trip, and I enjoyed every day of it. Goodbye to you all.”

xoxo

The Hub

August 27, 2014

Whenever we visit Maine we go to an island(ish thing) that is called The Hub. I don’t know if it’s officially called that or it’s something that locals call it or just something Price’s family calls it (Elaine… some insight?).

The last time I was there we picked mussels, but this time we just hung out and took some pictures. It was just a nice mellow time allowing us to walk around, check out the seaweed, find teeny penny sized crabs in the tidal pools, and take pictures. Some of the best ones were the ones with Autumn sitting on the rock where Price’s grandmother would spend time sitting as she watched all the grandkids. We think she was pretty stoked to hang out on ‘Olive’s Rock’.

Kemper was so excited to explore with Price. He was probably dying to get off leash and we were tempted to do it had we had more time than before going back home for dinner. We just figured that he would end up climbing up/down the boulders and getting stuck, so then Price would have to save him. ha!

Honey, don’t eat the sand.

See you next year Maine.

We saw Puffins!!!! {Seal Island Puffin Cruise}

September 25, 2012

When Price and I were on our annual trip up to Maine this summer, we went on the Seal Island Puffin Cruise through The Isle au Haut Ferry for Price’s mom’s birthday. Back in February we told her about the gift and we were able to enjoy it during our August trip.

The weather was a bit crummy that morning and we hoped that it would clear & burn off as that day went on, sadly it did not. But we still really enjoyed ourselves on the boat ride and watching the puffins bob around in the water and fly around. It was amazing to see the puffins in their natural habitat. Plus they are cute as hell!

We left Stonington on the 47 foot long Mink and headed to Isle au Haut to pick up a few more people and naturalist Kathie Fiveash. Kathie spoke about the preservation efforts for the islands in the area and about the avian and ocean wildlife that we saw along the way. She was able to point out an eagles nest on Isle au Haut, identify the different terns that we saw flying all around, and point out a seal we saw in the harbor. She brought several books as well people to browse thorugh for additional information. In addition to her work with the puffin cruise, she can be hired to be a tour on Isle au Haut to walk around that lush island.

We then headed about 12 miles south to Seal Island to see a summer colony of nesting puffins there. It took us about an hour & half to get from Isle au Haut to Seal Island. Once there we got along side the the East face of the island & carefully looped around the puffins that were bobbing along in the water. Nobody is permitted to land on Seal Island, so we were thankful that so many where in the water for us to see so well.

puffins!!!!!!!

We stuck around Seal Island for awhile watching the puffins float around in the water and fly around. I was very excited about the puffins flying around. I do have to admit that I didn’t know puffins could fly very well. I thought they were like penguins since every photo I saw of them showed them standing around with fish stuffed in their mouth. Plus they are shaped like squat little footballs so I didn’t think of them as being very aerodynamic. So every time one took off I would snap a dozen pictures.

We had such a great time on the Seal Island Puffin Cruise. I highly recommend checking out their 2013 schedule to plan for a visit as they only go out a few times a summer. I hope that you guys have better weather than us too!

Suggestions to enjoy the Seal Island Puffin Cruise:

Dress in layers- better to be able to take something off if it gets hot than being cold for hours
Bring sunblock- you don’t want to burn
Bring a book or a game with you- it’s a long trip back and forth to Stonington and Seal Island so I suggest something to keep you occupied
Bring drinks and snack- the tour is at lunch time so it’s best to have something to eat and drink on the boat
Use a zoom lens- if you have a camera that allows you to change is lens then I suggest you bring your zoom lens, if you have one

Seal Island Puffin Cruise

Seabreeze Avenue

Stonington, Maine 04681

(207) 367-5193

Monday Munchies: Bob’s Clam Hut- Kittery, ME

August 6, 2012

As part of my Monday Munchies series, I will feature a different eatery for a review on the first and third Monday of every month. Hope you enjoy!

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Our yearly trip to ‘gma’s house at Maine’ ends with a meal Bob’s Clam Hut in Kittery, Maine. And not ones to break tradition, we stopped off there today for our late lunch/early dinner.

The menu is large but easy to navigate. Basically, just about everything is fried, but everything is fresh. Don’t let the price’s intimidate you as they are really large portions. The dinner we get always end up being 2 meals. I don’t think it would hurt to share or to order 1 less meal if you are a large party.

Besides the great food one of the things I really love about Bob’s is it’s green initiative. They serve their food and drinks in green containers and even collect rain water for their landscaping. Please just sort your trash in the correct containers for their composting, trash, and recycling!

A ‘Bob & Betty’ dinner with butterflied shrimp and chicken fingers. Several pieces of chicken fingers and several pieces of butterflied shrimp accompany a large serving of fries, cole slaw, and a roll.

A ‘Bob & Betty’ with scallops and clam strips. I often go to a lobster roll but after eating more than my fill of delicious lobster this long weekend I decided to go with a dinner of scallops of clams strips. I do enjoy whole belly clams but I figured Price would be more likely to try the clam strips… ‘they taste like calamari, I swear’. The scallops are cut in half and are perfect size for dipping into a container of cocktail sauce or tartar sauce. Yum!

Whether you are spending your day shopping at the outlets in Kittery or just passing through Maine on 95, you have to stop by Bob’s Clam Hut for a great New England experience.

Bob’s Clam Hut

315 US Route 1

Kittery, Maine 03904

207-439-4233

A Simple Mussels Dinner

September 25, 2011

I feel that a plate a steaming hot mussels that have been cooked with wine, butter, garlic, maybe even some onions, makes for a great appetizer to share with friends. Or to enjoy for dinner all by yourself. This is a great meal to make because it comes together so easily. All the while you are sipping some white wine. A splash for the mussels, a sip for yourself. Remember that.

I always just strolled into my local grocery store and picked up a bag of mussels to bring back home. But when I was in Maine over the summer we did things a little bit differently. We actually went out to pluck mussels right out of the waters around an island at low tide.

I had no idea how easy it would be. Just a few fun steps and we were then feasting on fresh food. It was so satisfying to know that the mussels were fresh from the waters, no more than 30 minutes out of the water from when they were in the pot. Plus I think all our ‘hard’ work made them taste better.

1- Go to a place where you can get some fresh mussels. In this case E took us to a spot she calls The Hub off off Deer Isle, ME.

2- Meet a skiddish green crab along the way.

3- Spot some mussels. Target acquired. We came across a lot of mussels under the seaweed. Take a peek and maybe you will find a lot that way.

4- Pluck the mussels off their rocks. Pick a bit more than you think you will eat. Trust me.

5- Throughly clean the mussels. E removed some of the barnacles off as well prior to cooking them.

6) Enjoy with some wine, melted butter, and bread. We also had some corn that I removed from the ears and sauteed.

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Whether you get the mussels fresh from the waters yourself or you go to a grocery store, you should make mussels any time you can. A few ingredients and you have a great dinner that works for any time of year.

Steamed Mussels

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 pounds of mussels, cleaned and rinsed
1 cup water
1 cup white wine
3 cloves of garlic
1 small white onion, sliced (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the bread
1/2 stick of butter
1 loaf of bread
paprika
salt and pepper

Process

Starting with the bread, half the loaf lengthwise. Pour olive oil over the bread, sprinkle with paprika. Lightly toast in a 225 oven.
In a large pot, combine the water, wine, 2 cloves of garlic, onion, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Upon bringing to a light boil, add the mussels to the pot. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the mussels have opened.
While the mussels are cooking, in a separate small saucepan, add the garlic and butter. Melt on low.
Serve the mussels with the toasted bread, seasoned melted butter, and a cup of the cooking liquid from the mussels. Enjoy with a big glass of white wine.

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Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

Maine Snapshops

August 18, 2010

Here is a quick little photo run down from our past weekend in Sunshine Maine.

Escaping Boston

Braedan at the point

Getting lobsters for lunch at Conary Cove

“Tickle me!!!”

Happy (almost) 90th birthday!

Lilly at Ames Pond. Price as a good sport and held on to me while I leaned over the edge for this pic

Relaxing on the porch

It seems like everything slows down once we are on Deer Isle. It is the place where I can walk around a pond within 30 seconds of thinking about it. Where I can see stars… a sky full of them. Where the milky way is not a candy bar but something I can actually see! Just walk by a bush and I can pick a blackberry. The salt air makes me feel refreshed and tired at the same time. It’s the place where we walk on to a dock to get lobsters. I love that the plan for the morning is to get jam (hot pepper jelly to be exact) and the plan for the afternoon is to drink, read, and nap.

Can’t wait until we are back there next!!!

Time flies by

July 30, 2009

I can’t believe it has been a year since our last visits to New Hampshire and Maine. I am afraid we won’t make it to Deer Isle this summer but we have our NH trip scheduled for two weeks from now. Last year’s attempts at kayaking on the Saco River were foiled by too much rain (made the river too fast) so this year we figure not to even try since we have had the wettest June on Record here and July has not been so great either. So we are sticking to kayaking on a lake in the White Mountains. It will give me the perfect chance to take some great pictures… for scrapbooking. Big surprise there.

Anyone in the White Mountains should see The Flume Gorge and go on the Kancamagus Highway. The Kanc is 32 miles of winding road through the White Mountain Natioanl Forest. A must see in the fall!

Or take a trip to Deer Isle when in Maine. Its sorta in the middle of no-where but it is just amazing. We specifically stay on Sunshine. How can you not enjoying a relaxing time on a place called Sunshine? Plus it is where Price’s mom grew up so it is fun to hear all her stories about life growing up there.

When in Deer Isle head over to Nervous Nellies Jams and Jellies. They have the best jams and jellies! Last year we stocked up and got a case. Their Hot Pepper Jellie is just fantastic! In addition to the jellies you can check out Peter Beerits‘ sculptures on the property. You have not been to Deer Isle until you have seen a dragon made out of ‘junk’.

Supplies:

‘The Flume’ Page- Stampin’ Up! Paper, felt flowers, and brads

‘1 Man’s Trash’ Page- Stampin Up! Paper, HamblyStamped Alphabet rub-ons, Halfway Cafe Diecuts from Cosmo Cricut, and Glitter Mist from Tattered Angels