Decided to take a more northerly route up thru some of the hill country and small towns and ended up in Augusta.  It’s a lovely city with old stately homes. There was plenty of lumber money at one time in this area

Headed back south to meet with some close friends from home who have retired to Brunswick.  Barb & Chuck have built a beautiful home on lakefront property bought by their parents in the 70’s. Rode with them over to Pemaquid Point to see the lighthouse and enjoy the ocean view from the rocks.   

The following day we visited one of their friends who is building a house that’s “off the grid”.  He’s quite a scavenger and a woodworking artisan.  Lots of hard work but will be quite an accomplishment when it’s finished.  Then Barb & I went to the Musical Wonder House in Wiscasset to see an extraordinary collection of music boxes beginning in 1700’s and hear their history. The handmade workmanship that went into placing a miniscule bead on the roll so the exact tone struck on the wire prong, was amazing. Also interesting to see how the location of the music box in a room and where it’s placed would add or detract from its sound.

Began my trip up to Bar Harbor and Acadia.  Stopped off at the information center were a kind man pointed out the “don’t miss” sites and suggested  I call a couple of places from there to lock in reservations as I’ve arrived at one of the busiest times.  Found a comfy (and reasonably priced) place just outside the park. Noted a few interesting ranger tours I wanted to take so had to make some decisions.

Can’t even begin to describe the beauty of Acadia. It was a bit foggy when I arrived so began by taking the Loop Road, making notes of places I’d like to return.  The park actually covers two islands, both have beautiful winding roads that take you along the coast and thru heavily-treed forests. Drove up to Cadillac Mountain and the view of the cotton-ball fog covering each bay  island was breath-taking. 

The young ranger giving the tour on Cadillac Mountain graduated from Chicago-area Hinsdale and spent many of her summer vacations in Acadia.  She gave us a great geology lesson about the formation of the mountains and a history of the Park.  Great bulges of molten granite, which were then covered by a mile-thick glacier, carved out the landscape.  It was disputed land between the French & English for a while until the English finally settled it. Artists from the Hudson River School discovered its beauty and thru them, the rest of the country.  It became a summer escape for the moneyed folk who then recognized the value in conserving it. Slowly, donated land was acquired thru the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations and it soon became a National Monument & then a Park, the first east of the Mississippi River.

Bypassed the Precipice (just like it sounds) and settled on the Headland ranger hike along the  cliff face by the beach. The ranger was darn close to my age so figured if she could do it, so could I. We crawled over human-sized boulders to the top for a beautiful view and then scrambled back down to the beach. All along the way, she pointed out the different rock types which made up the coast. Got the expected sore thighs the following day. 

Climbed aboard the Margaret Todd schooner for another ranger tour of Frenchman’s Bay.  Felt like I was on the Sloop John B (for you Beach Boys fans) as I help hoist the sails. Had never been on a boat that large under sail and it was a strange but relaxing feeling to be moving so quietly thru the water. She pointed out a young bald eagle in the tree on one of the islands waiting for mom (or dad) to show up with lunch.  He was still waiting in the same spot when we came by again.

My final ranger walk was on one of the carriage roads to see the Rockefeller Bridges.  At one time they owned (and donated) most of the land in the park and still maintain a summer home here.  John D. Jr. was a road-building enthusiast and the construction of these roads thru the park are now great trails for walkers & bikers.  The bridges are beautiful stone-covered structures designed to take advantage of the beauty of the surroundings. 

Moved on north with the intention of seeing Campobello.  Little did I know I’d dropped in during Blueberry Festival and the motels were booked almost all the way into New Brunswick. When I began this trip, in the back of my head there was a thought I might have to spend a night in the car and this was looking like it might the time.  Stopped at a B & B in Lubec and a sweet couple made some calls around for me but no luck.  Headed north toward Calais and found a small motel in Robertsonville next to an old house turned into a restaurant.  Across the way was a county park with a long pier out into the bay where I watched bay porpoises.  Luck is still holding.  

A brief stopover in Manchester, New Hampshire, then hustled on up to Portland, ME to pick up my sister-in-law, Janey, from the airport.  She’s always wanted to see New England so we’ve chosen a chunk of Maine to do a week of sight-seeing. Decided to concentrate our travels in the Camden/Rockport/Rockland area and then move on down to Boothbay Harbor for the end. Spent our first three nights in Lincolnville in cabins owned by a woman from Bloomington, IL who bought the property when it went into bankruptcy.  Fixed it up and she now spends her summers in Maine.  

Stopped off at the Audubon’s Puffin Project Information Center in Rockland to see a film on the re-introduction of the puffins to Eastern Egg Rock Island.  In addition to the insecticides, birds took a real beating at the turn of the 19^th century when the decoration of women’s hats included lots of feathers and even the entire bird perched on their heads. Unlike the CA condors, puffins imprint on the place rather than the parents so chicks were moved from other islands to Eastern Egg where they eventually returned as adults.

From 10” birds to elephants.  A vet has begun a refuge for retired circus elephants, complete

with hydro-massage therapy and stretching exercises.  Opal and Rosie are the first residents of the preserve.  We watched as they reached in all directions to kick a suspended ball and find strategically placed treats with their trunks. Their indoor accommodations also includes a radiant heated sand floor.  Good for aching leg joints.  Had to remove the caps from the pipe ends of their pen because Rosie would unscrew them and use them as hockey pucks.

Our $1.50 senior fee got us a ride up to Mount Battie in nearyby Camden State Park. Beautiful view of Penobscot Bay and Camden. Also visited a farm where the “oreo” beef cattle are raised.  Our cabin hostess also had a grill available so we decided to buy a steak and cook dinner that night.  Tasty. 

From there we stopped at Merryspring Nature Center founded by mail-order plant owner, Mary Ellen Ross. The criss-crossing trails pass through flower gardens, a meadow and wooded area. Found out they were having a fundraiser the following day which included a tour of eight local kitchens featuring snacks provided by chefs from local restaurants. Signed us up.

The tour included eight homes, beginning with one built in the 1780’s and covered three towns.  We started at the northernmost one which has been home to a family for eight generations.  Homes came from all periods and styles, among them, an 1880 farmhouse, Federalist, a renovated barn, and a contemporary Maine “cottage” (a huge understatement).  Treats ranged from brunch items (mini-mushroom quesadilla) to appetizers (caprezi crostini with marinated steak) and afternoon desserts (mini-chocolate cake and macaroons). 

Between kitchen stops, we dropped in at the Camden library garden designed by Frederick Olmsted (to honor local resident, Edna St. Vincent Millay) and heard a few numbers by a local folk singer. The garden includes a three tiered circular outdoor stone amphitheater where regular entertainment is held.  Camden was also made infamous as the TV site of Payton Place.

Took a hike out to the nearly mile-long sea wall to the lighthouse perched at the end. The wall is made of huge blocks of granite, not all of which are lined up flush with each other.  Took a bit of ginger-stepping to keep from sticking your foot into one of the larger crevices.

Began our trek down the coast toward Boothbay Harbor but first visited the Farnsworth Art Museum which features artists who have a connection to Maine. Am glad we came after we’d had a chance to explore some of the landscape and appreciate some of the beauty they saw. They’re especially famous for the Wyeth collections – NC (father), Andrew and Jamie.  A tour guide explained the egg tempra method Andrew used and the stories about the warm connections he had to his subjects, who were local residents. NC was famous as an illustrator, a more “directed” art form and may have been a bit envious of his son’s freedom to choose his subjects and style.  

Stopped at New Harbor and signed up for the puffin boat ride over to East Egg Rock. Had some time to kill before it left so took a hike along the La Verna trail over to the bay.  Turned out to be a bit longer than expected (with exposed tree-roots that called for watching where you stepped), but it was a lovely wandering through a woods that ended at the bay, lined with huge boulders.

The evening puffin ride to the island was led by an Audubon guide who pointed out the puffins and other types of birds found on the island.  It’s only human inhabitants are biologists who record information about the puffins and keep the other scavengers from killing the chicks.  The gulls are especially predatory (the main reason they were able to rebound nicely from the hat-fashion craze). Puffins are pretty small and fly really fast so puffin spotting is a bit tricky. Binoculars were available to catch a closer look but using them had the added side-effect of making one’s tummy a little queasy in the rough waters. 

Thankfully, Gaby (GPS) was on board or we never would have found our hotel that evening.  Maine has so many twists and turns to get you to your destination and at night it can be quite daunting.  We woke, however to a lovely (albeit rainy) bay view.

Our rainy day outing included the Maine State Aquarium where we heard all about lobsters. Didn’t realize they also come in blue.  Maine,(after overfishing all but eliminated the cod population) recognized the necessity for setting regulations on the lobster fishing in order to keep the industry viable.  Only a certain number of licenses and traps are permitted.  Also, the size and sex of the lobster are considered. Females with eggs attached must be tossed back as well as small and very large ones (both male and female). If a female with eggs is found, her tail is notched as a sign to other fisherman she has to be returned to the sea.  Lobsters, it turns out, are their own worst enemy.  Their claws are banded not only to keep them from pinching but also from eating each other. Guess a family gathering is out of the question.

The soft rain didn’t keep us from hoisting the umbrellas and strolling thru the Coastal Botanic Garden.  I asked if my Chicago Botanic Garden pass would be accepted and a voice from the sidelines said it would.  In fact, she volunteered there when she left Maine.  Small world.  There’s a beautiful “orchid” sculpture in the middle of the floral garden and a lovely walk down to the meditation garden which is situated along the shoreline. Started to rain a bit harder so we headed back and hunkered down in a hotel with a Jacuzzi and a $20 whole lobster dinner.

One last walk along the coast and lunch in Portland before taking Janey to catch her flight back to New York.  I made a U-turn and headed back up north toward Acadia National Park.

Moved on into Rhode Island and it felt a little pine-ier.  Arrived at the Roger Williams monument just before closing but the kind ranger offered to let me stay and see the film and then talk about the history of Rhode Island.  Roger arrived with the Puritans as one of their ministers and quickly became disenchanted with their heavy-handed dealing of other religions.  Seems they came to the US for the freedom to practice theirs but that freedom didn’t include any others,.  So Roger went in search of a new colony that would be more accepting. Rhode Island has continued that tradition by just passing the marriage equality act.

My first stop in Boston area was the birthplace of JFK in Brookline. A lovely home on a tree-lined street that was re-purchased by the Kennedy family and restored to its 1917 appearance with family possessions.  Most of the information was about Rose Kennedy; her influence on the lives of her children and her work with children with special needs (to honor daughter, Rosemary). She felt a mother’s influence was felt not only by her child but all her child came in contact with - A heavy responsibility.  She and daughter, Eunice were the founders of the Special Olympics. I met JFK during the Wisconsin Primaries in Racine.  He stopped to speak with us in our hotel room and three 16 year-olds from Vernon County put campaign material on everything that didn’t move when we returned home. 

Spent the afternoon at Frederick Law Olmsted’s home, Fairsted, a rambling structure that held his home, studios and a yard that mirrored his park designs, but on a smaller scale – a wooded walkway that opened onto a large open space.  He felt the public park was a microcosm of democracy – an open space to be used and enjoyed by everyone, no matter their circumstances.  Went thru a variety of jobs in his early years and was surprised to hear his first landscaping project was Central Park.

Was going to head down to the Adams National Historic Park but the traffic was so beastly, I turned around and followed Gaby’s (my GPS) lead and headed west. Took all local streets, drove by the Charles River  and finally on a wooded roadway that ended up near Concord.  Took the train the following morning into Boston and conversed with a man who gave me some advice on what to see. When we got off the train he pointed me in the direction of the Old

North Church.  Boston, especially North End, is a maze of streets & alleys.  Preparations were being made for the weekend feast of St. Agrippina with street and building decorations. Also came across a building with windows beautifully painted on the blank brick wall.  Each was different view of the supposed apartment inside the building.  Very striking and colorful .

There’s a Freedom Trail (a red line either painted or made of bricks) to follow to the various historic sights. Began at the Old North Church and moved on to Paul Revere’s House. Paul is famous for sneaking out of locked-down Boston to warn the rest of the area about the British movements. The lantern signals from the church told him how they would be coming so the militia could prepare.  

Took a trolley tour and got to see a wider area of the city.  Especially fun to see some of the legendary sites like Fenway Park and Cheers.  Gave my condolences to our guide when we passed the stadium where the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Boston Bruins for the Stanley Cup. 

The trolley tour included a boat ride over to the Charlestown Navy Yard, home to the USS Constitution - called Old Ironsides because shelling couldn’t penetrate the “steel” hull. Turns out it was very tough oak. It’s the oldest member of the Naval fleet and is taken out once a year to keep it on the active list. Beautiful views of Boston from the boat. Didn’t know that Boston is almost 75% landfill. Was also told about a molasses plant explosion back in the 1800’s that produced a 20’ tidal wave of molasses.  Sounds funny until you hear about the 22 people who were killed in addition to the animals.  Imagine the clean-up.

Was feeling pretty smug about my decision to take the train until I got off at the wrong stop. Stepped off at Concord and Patience was parked in West Concord so had to wait an hour for another train.  Soothed my bruised ego with a double chocolate fudge brownie ice cream cone.

Took the road thru Minuteman Park beginning at the North Bridge. This is where the militia made its stand against the British, driving them back along the trail to Boston.  My next stop was the Hartwell Tavern where a young intern gave presentation on the Minutemen.  The militia were more like our National Guard.  They trained a couple times a year as protection from Indian raids and French from Quebec. The Minuteman had regular training and they AND their equipment had to be ready to go (in a minute).  Drop the plow, grab your gun and knapsack and report.  She also gave a demonstration on the procedure for loading a gun and firing it.  Always wondered why the soldiers were always lined up smartly in rows.  It’s because the guns weren’t very accurate.  It was hoped  lots of firings would produce some hits. 

The main Visitor’s Center had a wonderful film that gave you the feeling you were in the home of a Minuteman standing in his doorway relating the events of the battle on April 18-19, 1775.. Lots of ill will between the people of Mass and Parliament because of unfair taxes and laws.  British General Gage decided it would probably be smart to remove the Colonial arms and ammunition and began a secret plan to carry it out. The secret was leaked and thus began the famous ride of Paul and the equally famous “shot heard round the world” in Lexington.  Wasn’t supposed to be a real battle but sure got things started.

Massachusetts has some lovely driving areas and lots more to see.  The Wayside Inn was closed for repairs so decided I’ll brush up on my reading and come back at another time and do the author/poet tour of Lexington/Concord area. 

Stopped off to visit Denise’s daughter, Adrienne in Jenkintown near Philadelphia and she suggested I stay with her family and take the train into the city.  Much better idea than the one I’d come up with.  She and her husband bought a large old stone home and have done a beautiful job of updating it without losing any of its lovely charm. Also gave us time for some catching up.

Caught the 7:15 train to Philly and didn’t return until 7:30 that evening.  The dogs were barking but well worth it.  Took Adrienne’s advice and stopped by the visitor’s center to pick up a ticket for the tour of Independence Hall.  The tickets are free but only so many are available so times get filled up. Visited with a Texan who was picking up tickets for her family and we traded San Antonio stories. Trotted over to get in line to see the Liberty Bell.  Interesting fact – it was first called by that name during the abolitionists movement.

The tour of Independence Hall was ranger-led and took us through three rooms in 15 minute segments.  You can’t help but feel an emotional connection to the place where it all came together. Men with faults and failings who hammered out some difficult decisions for the larger good.  Perhaps our current Congress should take the tour. 

They’ve also stationed story-tellers throughout the park and kids are given flags so they can collect 13 stars for each of the stops.(prize is a free ride on the merry-go-round). They’re not “moments in history” type stories.  More like moments related to history.  I listened to an exchange about a general (Washington) returning to Valley Forge where he ran into one of the men who fought with him.  Another was about the accidental beginning of a station on the underground  railroad and a young Temple drama student told about an artist winning the grand prize at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair for his Betsy Ross project. 

Visited both Friend’s Meeting Houses.  The Free Quakers got more involved in the Revolution than their pacifist brethren.  Paid my respects to Ben Franklin at Christ Church cemetery and wandered over to Washington Square.  In betwixt, I had a cheese steak hoagie at the Reading Terminal.  

Found a twisty-turny along the Delaware River and ended up at the Delaware Water Gap Nat. Rec. Area.  Began at the Apple Pie Bakery (who wouldn’t?) and criss-crossed between PA and NJ. Stopped at Dingman Falls which had a bonus falls.  Lots of rain the day before had both in good working order.  Gonna have to balance my viewing admiration with watching the road.  A rotary snuck up on me and Patience was almost a little thinner.

Crossed thru some beautiful roadways in CT including one that took me up and down both sides of the Connecticut River.  Stopped in East Haddam (home to the Goodspeed Opera House) for lunch.  Offered to take a picture of a woman and young girl at the table next to me.  Turns out she was the little girl’s aunt and they were repeating an outing she had taken the girl’s father on, many years before. 

Landed in the Hudson River Valley  and drove up to Hyde Park. Took the tour of Springwood with one of the more effervescent rangers I’ve come across. She REALLY enjoyed her job. Franklin’s father died when Franklin was a young man but he was his mamma’s pride and joy and that didn’t end with his marriage to Eleanor. The house remained in Sara’s name until her death, making Eleanor remark she’d “been a guest in Sara’s house for 30 years”. Amazing  tho what this wealthy and sheltered couple were able to accomplish in their

lifetime. The CCC projects are still evident in almost every park

I’ve visited and I’m especially grateful for the Social Security

Act.  Sadly, I arrived too late to tour Eleanor’s Val-Kill cottage down the road. Painfully shy, she didn’t become politically active until Franklin developed polio and she was called upon to be his representative for various events. After his death, Truman appointed her US UN Ambassador where she became a leader in the campaign for world-wide human rights.