The Down Side

With the car packed again for the third weekend in a row, we hit Interstate 95 friday, heading south, final destination, Rockland, Maine. You might as well have thrown California plates on our van, because there was no holding me back from gawking at the lobster boats in awe, harnessing my hesitance to touch a real living star fish, marveling over the freshness of the lobster, eagerly asking question to soaking in the knowledge of it all, and giggling in the excitement of the experience of coastal Maine.

I don't know how many times I said, "I feel like the biggest tourist in my home state" but it's one of the simple treasures of Maine.. the vast difference from North to South. Two very different sides of the state, that offer so much that is new and exciting when submerged in each, and we were so thrilled to be experiencing the down side this weekend. There is a vibrant thread of simplicity that runs continuously through the state. We attended the fair, but it wasn't necessary, the Hannaford was impressive, but the farm stands, local fish markets, and freshness of every necessity, jaw dropping, to marvel in nature's creations is both humbling and invigorating. My friend Rachel pointed it out best when she said, "We come up to your fair, so you can show us the live stock… You come down to our fair, so we can show you our sea creatures." Brilliant!

I loved it! The tentativeness Wesley had, when wanting to touch a sea urchin, the curiosity that was brewing in Calvin's eyes, and the giddiness in me, knowing that this was what makes Maine so great, and my boys have it in front of them, at the end of their figure tips, learning their culture, experiencing the realm of it all, and were loving every bit of soaking it in.

{AAAAAAAAAAH!}

If touching sea creatures, taking pictures of sharks (dead, yet some how still making my palms sweat), and filling our lungs with the musty, thick air wasn't enough, the food… oh.my.god. Lobster shucking on a wharf, lobster boats to the left, tide ripple to the right, wasn't even the icing on the cake… that experience alone could have been the cake… a nice savory, butter laced, lobster satisfying, cold beer complimenting cake. I couldn't recommend Miller's Lobster Co. enough, and not because our friend's parents own it, and we love our friends parents… and not because they provide delicious lobsters with an amazing setting to eat it in, or because they make delicious smooth alcoholic beverages that we were allowed to indulge in, at their beautiful home… but because they are good, kind, hard working people… and I love me some trifecta.

{Lobster trap bait}

Our trip was quick, and less than 28 hours later, we were merging on Rout 1, heading North, which was just as well, because the summer's busy continues, but we'll be remaining a little closer to home this week. The kids are overtired and have attitudes to match, so this week we're home based, no road running, or car seat sleeping.  After lunch we're off to catch some frogs, with mega jumping ability for tonight's frog jumping contest, after having a picnic with our teddy bears, of course. With just as much excitement to indulge ourselves in what we have around us, in the up side.

{I forgot to put this picture in… but it's one of my most favorite from this weekend, so I couldn't leave it out!!}