Afternoon treat: Ice Cream

Yesterday afternoon we walked to town to the ice cream shop. We decided to share a SMALL chocolate almond ice cream cone; Atenas had a little taste of it. Delicious!

Day Trip - Maine

On Saturday we took a day trip to Portland, ME to visit our friends Charlie and Susie. We had an amazing time with them and we were spoiled with their hospitality and generosity. They surprised us by taking us on a ferry to Peaks Island where we enjoyed a delicious meal: crab cakes, scallops, fish sandwich and shrimp. Once we were back to the main land, we walked thru Portland’s first annual lobster festival and bought whoopee pie for dessert. Then we drove around Portland and Charlie pointed out different historical points of interest (he was a great tour guide). Later that day, Cameron and Charlie played golf while Susie and I went shopping!

Buying the tickets for the ferry:

While we were waiting to board the ferry, Susie pointed out the lobster boats/cages and the low tide.

The old white/gray building in the center is the old Customs House. The red and green building on the right is a pizzeria recommended by Susie:

Low tide:

Many people live on the different islands. We saw many of them carrying groceries, luggage, dogs, construction tools, bicycles, furniture and cars in the ferry.

The red boats are called “pilot boats”. Every time a cruise ship comes along, the pilot boat goes and meets the cruise ship and the captain of the pilot boat goes inside the cruise ship, takes control of the cruise and brings in the cruise into the harbor. Never thought the cruise ships had their own valet parking!

Charlie and Susie:

It was foggy and a little cold; fortunately the sun came out for a few hours:

Entering Peaks Island:

Lunch next to the water:

This was our view during lunch:

Portland and a few sail boats:

When we were waiting to board the ferry back to the main land, Charlie gave us a quick lesson on lobster fishing. Maine has regulations on the size of lobsters that can get caught. Also, female lobsters with eggs that are caught have to be thrown back to the ocean otherwise the fishermen will get fined and can loose their license.

Lobster cages:

Shot of Peaks Island:

Fort Gorges - built out of granite and brick - was used by the military during WWII to store submarine mines:

The Cat is a ship that takes you from Portland, Maine to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in approximately 5 ½ hours.

High tide:

Cars on the ferry waiting to drive back to main land:

Portland's first annual lobster festival:

Lobster plate only $12.50!

Gun recovered from USS Maine sunk in the harbor of Havana, Cuba February 15,1898:

The fog started to come back to Portland:

Susie took me to LL Bean’s main store in Freeport, ME:

It is open 24/7, 365 days, therefore the stores don’t have any locks in their doors! We shopped for over two hours and of course that was not long enough to cover all the cool stores and nice little shops.

We had an amazing time and hopefully we can go back soon.

Spring Cleaning and Gardening

We had a busy and productive weekend. We power washed our house and cleaned the gutters; it was a tough, wet and fun job. We also finished planting our tomato and habanero plants inside the garden box that Cameron built from plywood. We have so many trees in our property that it was hard to find the perfect spot for the garden box. Hopefully as the sun shifts, we’ll be able to move the plants so that they can get enough sun.

This is our backyard...yes, there’s someone in the hammock:

It looks VERY different than it did back in January:

After all the hard work, Cameron decides to take a small break:

Atenas thinks sun bathing is also a good idea:

Here are our flowers that demand more sun light: dianthus, begonias, marigolds, petunias and wildflowers (around the rock, under the mulch).
We are also trying to grow basil and chile piquin:

Our garden box with the tomato and habanero plants:

During John and Nancy’s visit, they bought us flower boxes and some impatiens. Nancy and I planted them and they look really nice; they add a little color to the front of the house. We went with impatiens because they don’t need much sun.

More begonias in the flower bed in front of the house:

And impatiens and some wild flowers:

And of course, our “family picture”: