Post by rockjunquie on Oct 10, 2024 9:09:14 GMT -5
I left home on the 29th of Sept and got back on the 9th Oct. My sister and I chose to stay the night in Morristown, NJ on the way to southern Maine (Downeast) rather than drive straight through NYC, which is what we have usually done. It made for a much nicer trip.
My pictures from home to Maine got wiped off my phone into the matrix somewhere. I didn't delete them, but they disappeared.
The background- Bailey Island Maine, just off Brunswick, up the coast from Portland, is my ancestral home. My mother and all her relations going back to the 1700's lived their lives there and lived off the ocean. Most were lobstermen. The cemetery on the island holds all of my ancestors since they arrived on the island. Her line goes farther back, but this is where they ended up.
I wanted to find some granite or marble, but I did not find anything cabbable. I did find a shop that had some Maine tourmaline, which is now more rare than hen's teeth. My mother used to find it on the beaches!
Without further ado.... here are the pics from the time we arrived in Maine.
From here, we drove straight to our Vrbo cottage.
It was an ideal location. It was on Great Island, near Bailey Island without the Bailey Island prices. We had lovely views and a big screened porch overlooking the water. There was a bald eagle nest out the backdoor. I only saw the juvenile.
After we were settled, we headed to Bailey Island to get an early dinner (aka suppa) at Cook's. A tradition. Took awhile. We got stuck behind a tractor on the cribstone bridge going onto Bailey Island. The bridge is the only one like it in the world. It is a series of local granite blocks interlaced to let the wicked current through.
The bridge is very, very narrow. My sister had a major, scary curb check when trying to get by a huge pickup.
The view from the bridge. The red building is Cook's. They also sell fresh seafood.
Just over the bridge is Bailey Island.
My sister got the whole deal. I was jonesing for fried fish. So, I got some haddock. I was really in the mood for some fishier fish. Pollack is very mild, but it was done to perfection.
We went to Land's End gift shop, which is also a tradition and headed back to base to chillax.
I didn't get a lot of pictures of the various places we went. But, I did get some from the very disappointing trip to Acadia. It was horribly busy!
We got stuck behind a house or mobile home for at least 25 miles.
It was very congested. Her car's navigation took us on some crazy adventure through back roads and small towns, but we popped out at the head of the line. Yay! It's 35 to get in. Being old paid off. I got a pass for all fed parks for 20.00. 
It was very foggy, but we still had spectacular views.
There was SOOOO much construction going on everywhere. Even in the park.
We only managed to pull into 2 overlooks because the place was so packed. My sister really wanted to visit because she had her honeymoon there with her late husband. She was so disappointed by the changes that we left the park for a nice suppa.
I had a much needed bloody mary, which was one of the best I've had. Nice and simple. Then I ordered a fried seafood dinner with haddock, cold water shrimp, delicious scallops and clams which I topped off with in-house blueberry pie.
On the way back, I spotted a ROCK SHOP!!! Yay!
I picked up a few overpriced things- even though what I got was comparatively cheap.
The little tourmaline pendants were really pretty. Even in base metal, they were 30, but made nice gifts. I had no idea going in that Maine tourmaline getting so rare.
On Saturday, we went to the Harpswell Historical Society. Harpswell is the greater area of islands. I made an appt ahead of time. The keeper was nice enough to open for us. I had some things to donate, too. Turned out our host cricked his neck in his sleep. He was in horrible pain, but still opened for us. We cut it short so he could get back into bed.
The land for the buildings was donated by the botanical club. They still maintain gardens there. There was a one room school house, the meeting hall and the museum. All the buildings had been moved there.
Although, I took a ton of pictures there, I'm only posting these few. The telegraph picture is for my brother in law- an avid ham radio guy. The buggy is in a room full of really cool stuff waiting for the funds to restore. Every year, the school house hosts classes, so the kids can learn what it was like to go to a one room schoolhouse. My mom went to a one room schoolhouse. Her grandmother was the teacher.
We paid an emotional visit to the cemetery and laid some flowers. I had planned to do some headstone rubbings, but the stones were damp from the rain and fog. It was windy, too. It is a very well maintained cemetery.
Heading out again we passed over the Bath bridge. I got a shot of part of the Bath Iron Works. My grandfather couldn't join the military during WWII, so he worked at Bath Iron Works, instead. He was always bitter about that.
Found another rock shop! Yay again! This one I liked much better and enjoyed a chat with the older owner who still had the accent. She enjoyed mine, too. She mostly had specimens, but they were really nice.
I picked up a couple things. I found a very reasonably priced petrified clam for my grand nephew and a really cool mounted flying lizard for my daughter who collects such things. I thought that was reasonable, too. Sadly, she had no tourmaline.
We went to a huge antique store, which made my sister happy. We took the scenic route back.
My sister chillaxing at the cottage.
Our suppas avg 100.00 a piece, so we went to Hannaford's grocery store and got some sushi which was some of the best I've had and we got some red snapper hot dogs which I fondly remembered. Found out the brand we so loved is gone and the others were crap.
Time to say our last goodbye to Maine- in the rain.
Her crazy ass navigation headed us straight for NYC. WTH?? We were staying in NJ to AVOID NYC!
The upper level of the George Washington Bridge.
Luckily, it wasn't straight thru but rerouted us some other crazy way.
FINALLY the home stretch. Had to stop at Stuckey's. It's a Southern thing.
Had to get a pecan roll. So good and I don't even have a sweet tooth.
Got this there, too.
Alrighty then, this little food truck just before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel tells me I'm almost home sweet home. (They are cheaper than Maine lobsta rolls and just as good!)
The tunnel- one of the wonders of the modern world. www.cbbt.com/
Pulling into my neck of the woods now.
I'm home now. Took me an entire day to get over the return trip. Good to be home.
Thanks for following along.
I used to find some of my best cutters in the polished rocks section. Polished Mexican agate half nodules were my favorite. One half nodule can yield 3-4 cabochons.
I used to find some of my best cutters in the polished rocks section. Polished Mexican agate half nodules were my favorite. One half nodule can yield 3-4 cabochons.
