My friend, Ann, and I set out yesterday for a little wine tasting. The weather was perfect for it - gray and spritzing a bit. We started off at Cellar Door Winery where we sampled four wines and had some cheese that was out of this world: Cotswold Cheddar. Oh it was good. The wine sucked but hey! this is Maine. Not exactly known for it's wine. Next we went to Savage Oakes where the wine was even worse, if that is possible, but the landscape was beautiful and the lady at the tasting bar was fun.

Cellar Door vines

 Next up: Sweetgrass Winery. I love Sweetgrass, a simple place in a big barn plus they make the most wonderful gin and they make smash. Their wine is horrid but this is Maine, people. Not northern California.

We were hungry and realizing we were near Morse's Sauerkraut, off we went to the Kraut House where we split their fabulous ruben and the famous Kraut Balls. (Yes, that is really what they are called.) Yum! A fun day and all I wanted when I got home was a nap.

And check it out. July 18th and I needed a fire in the fireplace to take the chill off. Maine may have lousy wine but it is still The Way Life Should Be!

My sister and my niece came for a visit, short but sweet. We spent 80 percent of our time on the dock and in the Lake (it was hot!) and the other 20 percent trying to fix the toilet. oy
Anna left yesterday for a semester abroad in Australia and oh will she ever be missed. I think my sister and her husband have already gone through a case of kleenex. She is such a lovely person, inside and out. Please come back to us - the Aussies can't have you for more than one semester!

On Monday, Anna and I went for our ritual Strawberry Shortcake for Breakfast at Beth's Farmstand and seriously, if you have never had it, you really haven't lived. It is phenomenal and the best we've ever had (sorry, Mom).

homemade biscuit, whipped cream and fresh berries

beautiful Beth's

My garden looking summery

My intrepid sister. Nothing worked and we finally had to call a plumber.

We went for dinner at King Eider's and Anna and I had breakfast on Tuesday at Chrissy's downtown (love their Mexican Rice Bowl-yum!). We are big breakfast girls.
It was so wonderful to have them here and I will miss my Anna like cuh-razy!

Well, the fourth of July holiday was a whirlwind of activity, especially for yours truly who doesn't get out much.
Lu and Tom came up from Florida and Catherine and Ebner came up from Mass so I had a house full. I gave Lu and Tom my room; Sophie and I moved to the guest room, and Catherine and Ebner took the couch. Tom cooked us breakfast every morning and Catherine took care of lunch. Divine decadence! On the fourth, we met up with Wendy, took a picnic and went to the Round Pond Parade. It's been a few years and it did not disappoint.
Then lunch in the park, dinner at King Eider's (beginning with the best oysters you've ever had) and off for a cruise on the 50-foot River Tripper for more oysters, a beautiful sunset and fireworks over the harbor.
On Sunday, another beautiful day and after Barbie Dreamboat had a good cleaning, we took a shakedown cruise and enjoyed a day at the Lake. The water is perfect for swimming and I took my kayak out for the first time this year.
Lobster dinner and a sunset cruise capped off the weekend. It was lovely.
Here are a few pictures from small town Maine.

Lu and Tom

Tom with some guy at the parade who had matching shorts

Lu strikes a pose.

Enjoying their hotdogs - how cute is that?

Quilt show at the Little Brown Church

hot dogs at the other church

check out the gorgeous quilt behind the altar, made by my friend Carole

Dot's Bakery float

My friend, Daphne

This was funny - click to enlarge

This was so cool. See the guy in the brown blanket at the end?

At intervals, he runs to the front of the line, gets on his knees and covers up to become Iwo Jima.

Game "on" Thrones (i.e., sitting on toilets, playing cards!)

Making fun of the republican candidatees. FYI Rt 32 goes through Round Pond - get it?

Tacky Tourists lawn chair brigade

Catherine and Lu on our front row seats

Later, we went to town and had a picnic and ordered our lobsters for the next day. Then home to see the doggies before we headed out for dinner and the fireworks.

Damariscotta lunch

Lu, Catherine and Wendy waiting to board the River Tripper

Thar she is. Almost low tide and here you see a phenomenon called reversing falls that occurs twice a day in the Damariscotta River. Looks wild and crazy but doesn't last long.

Cruising the river

Sunset

The fireworks begin over the town. 

Ebner settles in for the night-is he a dollbaby or what?

Sunday morning and the crew gets to work - bless

First cruise of the season

Second cruise of the season!

Good night, Barbie Dreamboat

I count myself lucky to have such wonderful friends, whom I love and who love me back. A priceless gift.

My affirmation for July says:  This month I look for ways to prove to myself that I unconditionally love and appreciate who I am. Oh, this is going to be fun! Dam straight! So much loss and sadness this year, I fear I have been wallowing in it. So, I hereby declare that I am throwing away the depression, fears and tears and will start enjoying the Maine summer. Which hasn't exactly started yet. It has been cold and rainy but I am anticipating a warm and wonderful rest of the week after today's rain. Visitors too.

And, guess who came home last night?  Yes, it is she. Barbie Dreamboat! Sweetest little boat on the Lake. Mermaid Barbie, her bowsprit, is looking a little rough around the edges though. Must have been the long cold winter. She actually has a gray streak in her hair now and her nose and chin look frostbitten.

yikes!

My garden is loving all the rain and the bleeding hearts and hosta have taken over and have got to go. Instead of dividing them this fall, I'll move them to make room for the other plants.

There is more activity at the Lake now and a few people in residence on my lane. The loons have moved out of my cove and further out into the Lake. It is summer. 

Sophie has been swimming most days and I put a ramp in so she can get in and out of the water more easily. She is having none of it so far but we are working on it (liver treats help). 

Five things I'm loving today, not necessarily in order of importance:

1.  Leonard Cohen's "Popular Problems" album. How often do you love every single song?

2.  Guided meditation with Depak: Expanding your Happiness. And oh do I need this right now.

3.  Denise Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy line. Those yummy fabrics, lovely patterns!

4.  Judy Blume's new book: In The Unlikely Event, except why did I read it before I had to fly . . . oy vey had to take a whole Xanax.

5.  My beauteous Sophie. What's not to love? She has been sleeping with Lucy's skunk. So sweet. So lonely. Glad we have each other.