Old Looks Good in Bath

From Bowery St. you can see the Sagadahoc Bridge

Americans have a beautiful tradition of taking time every November to give thanks for our many blessings. Last weekend, Joe and I came home to our favorite corner of the United States, Maine, to say thank you to our neighbors, local merchants, artists, chefs, historians, teachers, city planners, volunteers, firemen and policemen for helping to create a peaceful community. Even though our work in Chicago prevents us from living in Bath full time, we spend as many days here as possible. Whenever we return after weeks away, we notice how Maine’s Cool Little City keeps getting cooler. Sadly, our appreciation for Bath, and all of its positive attributes, was heightened last week because we arrived on November 13, 2015, a day – to quote Franklin Delano Roosevelt – that will live in infamy because of the tragic terrorist attack that occurred in Paris. When we woke up the next day to see a magnificent sunrise over the Kennebec River, we counted our blessings and prayed that good would triumph over evil and love would conquer all, and then we decided to take a morning stroll around our neighborhood. What we saw that morning filled us with hope, and I would like to share some of those views with you because I believe they reflect the power of good, hard-working people to restore, enhance and preserve the heart of America, our home towns.

A newly painted Queen Anne shouts "Take my picture and remember me!"

On a clear, chilly morning, we had barely walked three hundred feet up Washington Street when we spied the freshly painted, Queen Anne style home that was built in 1883 for a prominent shipbuilder, Samuel Sewall, and was recently purchased by two visionary newcomers from Roxbury, Massachusetts. Shortly after moving in, the new owners cleared the backyard of overgrown shrubs and drooping trees to reveal the Kennebec River. This impressive view coupled with a restored architectural treasure took our breath away, and then it tuned us into giddy photographers. Joe snapped a dozen pictures with his camera while I snapped at least six with my smart phone.  I suspect we were driven to capture this charming image because recent world events have consumed us with worry. Wise mothers and teachers often tell us when the world seems dark and scary, go out and look for goodness and beauty. Suddenly, Joe and I were on a quest for hopeful images, and we found a bushel in Bath.

Colorful doors say "Welcome!"

A few doors down from the Queen Anne, we spotted a bright blue Thanksgiving door on a nineteenth century, historical home which also boasted a river view. When I saw the cornucopia over the door, I was reminded of my grandmother’s favorite centerpiece and felt a wave of nostalgia. In a comforting way, gratitude seemed all around us. As we approached the corner of Bowery and Washington, I couldn’t decide where to aim the camera first because there were so many delicious images waiting to be snapped.

This eye catching home has a fabulous backyard view

I found myself standing next to one of my favorite houses, a gray one that once belonged to Mark Sewall, the son of the legendary Edward Sewall. From the backyard of this stunning home, you can see the Sagadahoc Bridge in all of its glory. Joe and I stopped for a while to enjoy the view, and Joe made a French connection because he was thinking about Paris. If we were living in the 1750's, we would be looking across the Kennebec River at French territory! We paused, and I thought of Walt Disney's famous line: "It's a small world after all." When we resumed our walk, our thoughts brightened again. Joe focused his lens on York Hall, a Georgian Revival built for William D. Sewall in 1897. This timeless beauty, once featured in a Kevin Costner film, was recently purchased by a Bath couple with a talent for restoration. Moving north to the corner of Edward and Washington Streets, I could see my friend’s old, but lovingly restored home with its bold orange door. Many of the homeowners along Washington Street have received awards from Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc. They certainly deserve applause!

York Hall at the corner of Edward and Washington Streets

 

A view of the Sagadohoc Bridge from Bowery Street.

Despite all of the architectural wonders of Bath, the Kennebec’s natural beauty still comforts me the most, so Joe and I circled back to walk along Front Street. For some mysterious reason, the fast flowing Kennebec River tends to ease our anxiety and renews our hope that in time the world will right itself again. Many people feel that gazing at water has a healing effect. I know it works for me!

Doors open at the Mulberry House

As Joe and I made our way home, we marveled at the updated Mulberry House, which was once the home of Galen C. Moses, one of Bath’s most prominent citizens in the late 1800's. The new owners, Bill and Diane Racine, have added an extra measure of grace to this High Victorian/Italianate and its surrounding property. Last summer it was a featured stop along the Art Walk, and next spring it will be available as a Bed and Breakfast for special events. By far, my favorite addition to the Mulberry House is its new “garden shed” or “play house,” which matches the color and personality of the main house perfectly.

The Mulberry House has a new "play house!"

Whenever I return home to Bath, I am humbled by its unique, enduring beauty and its rich history, but it’s the people who live and work in Bath who have truly lassoed my heart. I miss them when I leave, and I try to hurry back because I hope to see them, and I want to praise them for their imagination, creativity and hopefulness. They fill me up, and for that I will be eternally grateful.

A stellar, local artist opens a new shop in Bath

P.S.

On Monday morning, a few hours before I was due to leave Bath, Kathy Harris, a local artist and the owner of the new wood, glass and oddities shop, Kharris B, called to tell me that my custom order I had requested on Saturday was ready. I was surprised that Kathy could find an image of a green finch and incorporate it into hanging glass that fast, but when I picked it up I was even more stunned. Not only had Kathy finished the piece in record time; like a magician, she made me smile. I believe artists grow in beautiful places, and I have proof that artists grow in Bath! Kathy's artwork is hanging in our sun room as a constant reminder that good people are adding beauty to our world every day.

The Birds, the Trees, and a Love Called Maine

Sometimes the sun, the stars and a blood red moon align to create a perfect day for taking a walk in the woods, and sometimes you’re lucky enough to be in Maine when that happens. Last Sunday I was blessed with the opportunity to hike up Morse Mountain with my true love.  Even though Joe and I have owned our home in Bath for two years, we didn’t know about Phippsburg’s hidden gem, The Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area, until a few months ago when my Wednesday morning coffee friends suggested we “take a hike!” and raved about the views from Morse Mountain’s lofty overlook, which is halfway between the rod iron gate at the beginning of the trail and Sewall Beach at the end of the trail. My clever friends, however, did not elaborate on the many wonders we would find at all of our stopping points along the way. When you walk among birch trees and tall pines, it’s nature's beauty that fills us with hope, and when you’re surprised it’s twice as powerful!

As we drove along Small Point Road on that spectacular September day, we almost passed by Morse Mountain Road. With only an ordinary, blue street sign to mark its existence, it’s a miracle that we spotted it in time to turn left and proceed to the small parking lot less than a quarter mile up the road. Miraculously, Joe and I pulled into the second to last available spot at 1:15 in the afternoon. Clearly, we were not the only couple who wanted to spend a glorious Sunday outdoors breathing in Maine’s apple crisp air.  Hoping to catch every ray of sunshine, we immediately set off down the paved road with our trail map in hand, and our snacks and camera tucked inside our red backpack, which Joe bought for our first hike together in 1977 when we were dating. A few minutes later, we came to the first fork in the road, and I had to repeat Yogi Berra’s sage advice: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” (I was and always will be a fan of Yogi Berra.)

Less than a mile into our four-mile hike, I snapped a picture of a whimsical birch tree. Whenever I see a birch, I smile, and my mind’s eye turns back to my childhood. In the presence of a birch, I see secret notes carefully handwritten on the back of a sheet of white bark; I see miniature canoes artfully made to resemble native American, birch canoes that used to glide smoothly along the rivers of the northeast, and I see young boys swinging on branches like Robert Frost described in his poem, Birches. One solitary birch tree can lift me up toward the sky and let me dance with the ospreys, humming birds, and piping plovers. A forest filled with birches will transport me to another time and space where everything seems all right. If only for a moment, the swinging branch of a birch tree can steal all of my worries away. As a young student, Robert Frost’s poetry encouraged me to play, explore, and live a more daring life. It’s funny how a walk in the woods on a bright, sunny autumn day can make you see more clearly and reflect on all the choices you have made.

In Birches, Frost describes the immeasurable value of a playful, white tree in a serious, green forest:

When I see birches bend to left and right
Across the lines of straighter darker trees,
I like to think some boy's been swinging them.
But swinging doesn't bend them down to stay.

Ice Storms do that…

So was I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.
It's when I'm weary of considerations,
And life is too much like a pathless wood
Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs
Broken across it, and one eye is weeping
From a twig's having lashed across it open.
I'd like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over.
May no fate willfully misunderstand me
And half grant what I wish and snatch me away
Not to return. Earth's the right place for love:
I don't know where it's likely to go better.
I'd like to go by climbing a birch tree,
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.

View of Small Point from Morse Mountain's overlook

Joe and I snapped a dozen pictures of birch trees as we followed the path to Morse Mountain’s scenic overlook. They were simply irresistible. The hike should take no more than two hours, but we wanted to stay and play longer. Luckily, we met a friendly couple, not unlike ourselves, and they offered to take our picture. It’s rare to see Joe and I in the same photo, especially when the backdrop is towering pine trees! Our fellow hikers directed our attention to Mount Washington on the distant horizon. We were astonished, and Joe told our new acquaintances that he had attended high school in New Hampshire and had climbed Mount Washington many times. When we asked the couple where they went to high school, the woman told us that she was born in Bath, but her family had moved while she was still in grammar school. As fate and Bath would have it, she and her husband both had lived on Long Island in New York at different times, and I had lived there, too, but now we all call Maine our home. We marveled over the random connections four strangers could make, and then we went our separate ways, but first we snapped a dozen more pictures, so we could long remember the view from the top: the winding Sprague River, the peaceful beach at Small Point, the dense green foliage, the bright blue sky and Mount Washington in far away New Hampshire!

View of the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area

A car passed us when we returned to the main road to continue our hike to Sewall Beach. At first, we were surprised, but then we realized we were on a private road near the home of the St. John family, the founders of the conservation area. Today, Bates College and the Small Point Association cooperate with The Nature Conservancy and the Maine Audubon Society to preserve the plants, wildlife and natural communities that inhabit the area, including the nesting sites of piping plovers and least terns, both endangered species of birds which nest on the bare sand.  Bates College is conducting environmental research throughout the 600 acres that are framed by the Sprague River, the Morse River and the upland edge of Sewall Beach. 

Sewall Beach

When we finally stepped on to Sewall Beach, one hour after beginning our afternoon trek, we were greeted by a crystal clear view of the lighthouse on Seguin Island, one of my favorite places in all of Maine. It was low tide, and the white sand stretched out for as far as we could see. The sea breeze was hitting our faces with a good punch, so we decided to look for shelter between some large rocks. When we found a sweet spot for two, Joe took out an apple from our old backpack and began to slice it with his antique pocketknife. He handed me every other slice; I felt so loved. As I looked out on the beach, I spied a young couple chasing each other across the sand. He caught her; she touched his chest with her hand; he lifted her into the salty air and spun her around; she threw her head back and laughed; he set her back down; she tossed her hair; he took off his baseball cap and stole a kiss, and then she grabbed his hand, and they started to run back toward the wooded path. Sunday afternoons have always been perfect for a date in the woods.   

The salt marsh at Sprague River

Before leaving the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area, Joe and I paused to gaze for a while at the flat salt marsh, which seemed to expand infinitely from the edge of the woods. The Sprague River divided into scores of small veins in front of our eyes, and the water flowed and glistened through all of them. I thought I saw a hawk fly overhead; Joe thought he saw an eagle, and we both thought of our dear friend, Bill, who was killed in a car crash recently in Oaxaca, Mexico on his way to witness the late summer bird migration. Bill was a quintessential bird watcher and nature lover. A former Peace Corps volunteer, Special Forces Army veteran, and Chicago architect, Bill retired to Oaxaca about ten years ago to watch birds, cultivate gardens and support local artisans. Our friendship spanned thirty years, and within those years our appreciation for art, nature and philanthropy multiplied by thirty! Next Friday we will celebrate Bill’s life at a memorial service in Chicago. Our daughter, Katie, will sing a selection of Bill’s favorite Mozart arias and popular songs. The two that will make me cry are Come to my Garden from The Secret Garden and Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz ( The book by L. Frank Baum, which inspired the musical, was actually written in Chicago in the Fine Arts Building where Bill had his office.) Joe and I had hoped to show Bill and his wife Mary, who is also our cherished friend, the amazing beauty of Maine’s mid-coast. If Bill had been given more time, I know he would have enjoyed identifying the countless birds that fly over us in Maine. Lifted up on an eagle’s wing, he is flying with the angels now.

Upon leaving Morse Mountain at four o’clock in the afternoon, Joe and I were unusually quiet. We tend to talk a lot. Well, I tend to talk a lot, and Joe seems to be genuinely listening most of the time. Truth be told, the natural beauty of God’s creation has a peaceful, calming effect on most souls. It’s good to take a walk through the woods and swing on the branch of a birch tree. That branch can carry us up to the heights of heaven and gently set us down on earth again to live more fully and love more dearly.

Getting to Know You

A seagull enjoys the view at the Robinhood Marina

It’s the end of August, and I feel as though I should pause and think about all that I have learned over the course of this sky-blue summer along the Kennebec. I’m obviously a teacher! Truth be told, at the end of every school year, most teachers enjoy trading places with their students, and they become learners after the last school bell rings. Every June I turn into a wide-eyed kindergartner, and by the fourth of July I’m a precocious sophomore, and in the middle of August I’m a college freshman ready to tackle the world’s problems in 'no ordinary time'! There’s nothing more energizing than meeting new people, discovering new places and opening new books, and that is so easy to do in Bath, The City of Ships.

The Patten Free Library on a peaceful summer day

On July 16th, I attended a lecture by former Senator George Mitchell at Bath's Patten Free Library. Listening to Senator Mitchell, the architect of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement for peace in Northern Ireland, speak about his memoir, The Negotiator, and his view of today’s conflicts at home and in the Middle East, restored my belief that by engaging in productive dialogue we can plant seeds of peace. The library’s meeting room was filled to capacity that night. In fact, many people were turned away at the door. Fortunately, Julie Shea, the owner of The Mustard Seed Bookstore, had told me to arrive at least an hour early if I wanted a seat, and I followed her advice! As fate and Bath would have it, I sat down next to Sue Fitzgerald, a long time resident of Bath. Ironically, both of our homes had been on the Sagadahoc Preservation Inc.’s June House Walk, but we had never met until that moment. Once we started talking, we could hardly stop when the senator finally arrived. Senator Mitchell was at least a half hour late because of the traffic on Route 1, and that extra waiting period proved to be as enlightening as the lecture. As the senator began to speak, Sue slipped me her phone number and suggested we have lunch to finish our discussion on community affairs and politics. Before the lecture started, I had already learned a lot about Bath and Maine from chatting with Sue. I also realized that Sue and I have more than houses on Washington Street in common. We both enjoy talking about history, politics and family, and we both seek to make new friends while cherishing the old!

Lauren Crosby performing at the Mustard Seed

Now that I am back in Chicago and planning lessons for the coming school year, I find myself listening to a CD I purchased in Bath called Lauren Crosby. I first heard Lauren Crosby sing at The Mustard Seed on a sunny afternoon in late June while I sipped an “Arnold Palmer." It was practically a divine experience! Lauren is a native of Georgetown, Maine, and her fresh and salty lyrics caught me like a fishing net. As Lauren sang, I could almost feel the breeze at Five Islands, and in between songs she talked to us about her life experiences growing up on the island of Georgetown. She also thanked us for listening to her music so intently because some of her other audiences were rowdier and less focused on her lyrics! In a quiet moment, she shared that upon graduating from college she would be a teacher (I knew right away that I liked this artist), and she went on to tell us that the thought of being in charge of a classroom of children ”scared” her. Since it was an informal gathering, I felt bold enough to add my own confession: “Don’t worry,” I said. “I have been teaching for thirty years, and that thought still scares me!” Everyone laughed, and I felt like I was getting to know this group of good people along the Kennebec. By the way, my favorite song on Lauren Crosby’s CD is “Good Girls Go to Heaven, Bad Girls Go Everywhere."

The Wonderful Wizards of Bath

I am at heart a language teacher, and a language teacher stresses four essential skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. All summer long I practiced these skills at Wednesday morning coffees with the wizards of Bath. We talked about local news; we listened to funny stories about our own lives; we discussed great books, and then my wise friends inspired me to write  my first novel! Encouraged by the staff at the Mustard Seed Bookstore, I plan to connect with Maine Authors Publishing Cooperative when I complete the first draft of my labor of love. Let's hope I will have enough creative energy to finish what I have started. I'm spinning a romantic story that begins in truth but ends in pure Bath time fiction! 

A statue of Chief Robin Hood

Eager to learn more about Bath and its neighbors, I was delighted to hear local historian, Gene Reynolds, speak at the Mustard Seed. Mr. Reynolds is the author of Georgetown, which is a part of the Images of America series. I am proud to say I now have a signed copy of Mr. Reynolds’ work because his narrative piqued my interest about the settlement of Georgetown, which was incorporated in 1716. Mr. Reynolds also shed some light on the intriguing history of my home in Bath when he told us that the Robinhood neighborhood of Georgetown used to be known as Riggsville. History tells us that Robinhood Cove was named after Robert (Robin) Hood, which was the English name given to Chief Mowhatawoemit, the leader of the Abenaki Confederacy; however, before it was called Robinhood, the area residents called it Riggsville because it was settled by the Riggs family. Here’s the Bath connection. According to the research of Sagadahoc Preservation Inc., one of the most prominent owners of my home was Captain Guy C. Goss, who married Mary Riggs, the daughter of James Riggs of Georgetown. My research shows that Captain Goss and his wife, Mary, were both buried in the Riggs' Cemetery in Georgetown, but until I attended Mr. Reynold's lecture, I had no idea how important a role the Riggs family had played in Georgetown’s formation, nor did I know where their family's cemetery was located.

If you try hard, it's possible to read old tombstones!

I believe it was a little miracle that a volunteer from the Goergetown Historical Society attended Mr. Reynold's lecture and invited me to visit her office to continue my research on the Riggs family. With her help, I was able to locate the cemetery as well as witness the beauty of Robinhood from a new perspective! At the end of July, my family and I visited the Robinhood Marina for the first time, and in early August we went on a family expedition to find the graves of Captain Guy Goss and Mary Riggs Goss. Along the way, we uncovered a wealth of knowledge about the island of Georgetown and the families who shaped its history.  Sadly, Mary and Guy Goss survived their three children. Their son, James, and their daughter, Jane, both died in 1862 at nine years old and six years old, respectively, and their baby, Lizzie, died in infancy. Old cemeteries can certainly teach us a lot about the courage and fortitude of those who came before us. Captain Goss went on to build the Goss & Sawyer Shipyard along Long Reach just north of the Sewall Shipyard. In 1882, he opened the Goss Marine Iron Works at the south end of Bath along with a group of investors. Later, in 1884, Thomas W. Hyde would incorporate Bath Iron Works.

 

Barbara, Sue, Polly and I at the Small Point Club

During the second week of August, only a few days before leaving Bath for the start of school in Chicago, I finally had a chance to have lunch with Sue Fitzgerald, and two of her friends, at the Small Point Club in Phippsburg. To make this epic lunch happen, Sue had to sync four busy calendars, but she was determined to have three women, all former Illinois residents, meet and get to know each other. Sue knew we would all get along, and she was right. We first gathered at Sue's summer home near Sebasco Road. Of course, I got lost even though I had a GPS in my car. After making a few u-turns, I called Sue on my “smart” phone, and she put Barbara Knuckles, her neighbor, on the phone to guide me to her door. I arrived within minutes, and the four of us never stopped talking until we said goodbye! The fourth “Musketeer” was Polly Goldman, who I had been hoping to meet for the past two years because Bathites kept telling me that Polly was from the town just west of where I live in Illinois. This fact turned out to be coincidentally true, and Barbara Knuckles just happened to graduate from the same high school as my daughter (a few years apart). Our lunch at the Small Point Club certainly demonstrated that “it’s a small world after all.” 

The beach at Small Point on a rainy day

Despite the rain that day, I was in awe of the view from the club’s porch. I suspect the impressive history of our surroundings guided our conversation that day because we found ourselves talking about Normandy, France. The fact that we had all visited the American Cemetery there seemed to strengthen our connection. And then, perhaps because of our location, we began to talk about Eleanor Roosevelt, and that discussion lead us to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s beloved Campobello in New Brunswick, Canada. FDR began summering at Campobello as a child, and he introduced Eleanor to the island in 1903 during their courtship. Eleanor continued to spend summers there for the rest of her life, and she wrote both volumes of her memoirs on the island, the first in 1936, and the second in 1947. Polly, Barbara and Sue all agreed that the opportunity to enjoy “Tea with Eleanor” made the long drive to Campobello worthwhile. While lunching at Small Point, not far from The Sebasco Resort, another one of Eleanor’s favorite haunts, these three smart women convinced me that I must go to Campobello next year.  

An old skiff in front of a modern fleet

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “A little simplification would be the first step toward rational living, I think.” I agree with Eleanor. Without trying, most people tend to make life too complicated. A good teacher knows that the way to solve a problem is: simplify, simplify, simplify! I took two lessons away from the Small Point Club. First, it’s a gift to have the opportunity to get to know good, intelligent people. Second, when you meet those people, be sure to listen carefully because they have valuable insights to share, and learning is essential for a long and happy life.

On Monday morning, August 24, 2015, I wrote my name on the chalkboard for the eighteenth time in Room 23, and I greeted 121 high school students at my classroom door with a smile and an open heart because my friends in Bath reminded me that I have an important job. This year my goal is to share as much Bath-like enthusiasm for learning as I can! In order to accomplish that goal, I plan on telling my students what I did last summer, who I met, and how their words and actions affected me. In Bath, Georgetown and Phippsburg, I conversed with some fabulous teachers, and they all encouraged me to read more, write more and complain less!

Finding Foodie Heaven

Now You're Cooking on Front Street in Bath

If you seek good food, you’ll find it Down East in the vicinity of Bath. In fact, when “foodies” arrive, they often ask, “Is this heaven?" And the locals answer, “No, it’s Maine!” In May, before summer even began, when I was still teaching five classes a day in Chicago, I walked into a novelty store in Hinsdale, Illinois, and purchased a cookbook called Real Maine Food simply because it had “Maine” in its title and a picture of two lobster rolls on its front cover. After spending only two summers on the mid-coast of Maine, I knew that the authors, Ben Conniff and Luke Holden, would have valuable recipes to share. With the help of pure Maine flavor, Luke, who fished in Casco Bay as a teen and is the son of a Maine lobsterman, and his co-author and friend, Ben, opened Luke’s Lobster in their adopted home, New York, and the rest is culinary history.  Today, these two phenomenal chefs and their partners operate seafood restaurants in fifteen locations in New York, Philadelphia, D.C., Bethesda and Chicago. 

A wine tasting at Now You're Cooking

One month later, when I spied Real Maine Food on display at Now You’re Cooking on Front Street, I had to smile because I knew I had truly arrived home to my little slice of heaven, Bath! I admit connecting Hinsdale to Bath with a cookbook may seem like a long stretch, but places, like people, can be connected in funny ways. For example, Real Maine Food includes a recipe for “Finnan Haddie Gratin” on page 79 with a description of Maine’s haddock fishery on the preceding page that includes a brief history of Stonington Seafood, which was founded by Richard Penfold, a Scotsman, who decided to settle on Deer Isle in Maine. Michael Fear, the owner of Now You’re Cooking, is also from Great Britain, and his experience with food on both sides of the Atlantic allows him to recognize the rich flavors that Maine ingredients offer every cook and every person who sits down at a table to enjoy a good meal.

Now You’re Cooking, which recently celebrated its fifteenth anniversary, offers monthly cooking classes and wine tasting events that pair wine and food in the best possible way. Nestled in the southeast corner of the store is a fully equipped kitchen, and at most events you will find Mike Fear, wearing his signature bow tie, ready to engage everyone in lively banter at his kitchen’s cooking island. This summer I feel as though Joe and I have earned our frequent flyer card at Now You’re Cooking because we have attended several wine tastings and have stocked up on kitchen supplies that make entertaining so much easier. I have to thank Karen, one of the nicest people in retail that I have ever met, who recommended a large, glass jar that serves as a “bubbler” for ice tea or sangría. In my case it would be for sangría because I'm a Spanish teacher and thought a Sangría Monday party would be fitting. I also thought it would be a good idea to invite Karen, and she came, and the party turned out to be one of the best that I have ever hosted. Our deck was overflowing that evening with “tortillas españolas,” French cheese puffs, and stories about running, which were random but extremely entertaining! Sangría parties are not typical in Bath, but informal gatherings where friends share their stories are common events. ¡Olé! Who knew shopping for kitchen gadgets could lead to so much fun?

Henry and Marty in Brunswick is owned by a Bath resident

The scent of deep fried haddock and buttered lobster rolls transports us all to the coast of Maine and summertime. With all the sunny days Mainers have enjoyed this July, Joe and I have found more than a few local restaurants we adore and highly recommend. On a scale of one to ten, they are all a ten, and I couldn’t possibly list them in any particular order, so randomly let me begin with Henry and Marty, a little place we found in Brunswick, which is owned by one of Bath’s most well known chefs, Aaron. I’m sorry to say I don’t know Aaron’s last name, but I would recognize him anywhere because he always wears his long, white hair in a braid, and he has a smile that reminds me of Santa Claus on Christmas Day! In fact, I recently spotted Aaron at Bath’s Farmers’ Market and had to tell him one more time how much Joe and I enjoyed the fabulous food and smooth drinks at his restaurant a few weeks ago. As fate and Bath would have it, we actually tasted one of Aaron’s signature dishes, brisket and mashed potatoes, at Bath’s New Year’s Eve party in the Freight Shed, which was a benefit for the reconstruction of the Virginia, Maine’s First Ship, and we had been planning to dine at his restaurant for months. After finishing our dinners and raving about the salmon and the perfect manhattans, we told our server about how we discovered Henry and Marty, and she told us that Aaron had been catering the New Year’s Eve benefit since its inception, and the first year the staff arrived before the heaters and set up the buffet in freezing cold temperatures. Nowadays, she can laugh about that big chill, and she enjoyed the memory so much that shortly before closing she brought Aaron out to meet us, and he told us about his love for the Virginia project and his wish to be the ship’s cook when it finally sets sail. He also told us that he rarely gets to pick up a hammer to help the volunteers, but he likes to bring scones to Virginia’s shipyard on Saturday mornings. “Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus!”

The Starlight Cafe on Lambard Street in Bath

On a good ship, what comes after dinner? Why breakfast of course – ideally at the Starlight Cafe, which is just around the corner from the Virginia’s shipyard on Lambard Street. Joe and I tell ourselves if we keep running over the Sagadahoc Bridge we can afford to eat Angie’s apple cinnamon muffins and black raspberry scones. We will also be better prepared for a game of verbal volleyball with Angie’s husband and co-owner, Justin, who is not only a master at grilling; he is a master at throwing sarcasm straight at you from behind the cash register. Only at the Starlight Cafe do I smile, and sometimes blush, as I pay my bill! Justin and his crew, including Donna, are sunny-side up people who manage to make their customers feel good as they offer them bacon, eggs, pancakes and hot coffee! Beyond breakfast, lunch is also "wicked good" at this quirky cafe that I have come to love. All “foodies’ who come to Bath should try their haddock chowder, tomato basil and barley soups. Last winter, on a cold December day, my friend, Lorena Coffin, stopped by our house for a quick lunch. She brought with her two containers of soup from Starlight Cafe, tomato and chowder. No one was disappointed! I cannot tell you why I have turned my thoughts back to December once again. Perhaps the hit song in the musical Mame explains my sentimental feeling best: “We need a little Christmas, right this very minute,” or maybe I just feel merry whenever I’m in Maine!

The Giant Staircase on Bailey Island

At one of our neighborhood gatherings, I had the good fortune to meet Judi, a lovely lady who knows a lot about Bath and Maine's mid-coast region. She also happens to dog-sit for people who need to separate from their furry friends for a day. Since Joe and I are the proud owners of Penny, a dachshund-sheltie mix, we considered ourselves twice blessed when Judi was available to watch Penny for an afternoon and recommended we tour nearby Harpswell and try Holbrooks’ Lobster Wharf and Grille at Cundy’s Harbor for a late lunch. After driving over the Cribstone Bridge to Bailey Island and walking up the Giant Staircase to view Casco Bay from an amazing viewpoint, Joe and I circled back to the Great Island and took Cundy’s Harbor Road out to Holbrook’s. By the time we reached the snack bar at Cundy’s Harbor, our eyes were filled with all the natural beauty we had seen during our drive along the coast, but our stomachs were definitely running on empty.

Holbrooks' at Cundy's Harbor, Harpswell

 First, we saw the menu, and then we saw the view from Holbrooks’ Wharf. Wow on both counts! We quickly ordered a steamed lobster with corn on the cob, but the lobster quesadillas and fish tacos looked tempting, too. While Danny Gilmore, who runs the snack bar at Holbrook’s and happens to be the son of the retiring owner of Gilmore’s in Bath, prepared our fresh lobster, we walked out on the deck to scout out a table. Because of the early hour, there were only a few tables occupied and within minutes a table in the corner overlooking the harbor became available.

The view from Holbrooks' Wharf

Needless to say, we ate our dinner slowly! I guess our eyes were not as full as we thought. Figuratively, there’s always room for one more view of the water; literally, our salt-water appetite called for strawberry-rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream!

Sebasco Wharf in Phippsburg

Perhaps one of our most memorable dining-out experiences occurred unexpectedly on the sixth of July, the Monday evening after all of our adult-children had left. Feeling the emptiness of our feathered nest, Joe and I decided to spend a few hours at Popham Beach and then go to Anna’s Water’s Edge Restaurant for a late dinner.  The Water’s Edge is located at 75 Black’s Landing Road at Sebasco Wharf in Phippsburg, and it’s a favorite eating spot for residents and visitors alike. Truth be told, we had to program our GPS to find this out of the way diamond in the rough, but it was well worth a few wrong turns. Anna’s restaurant opened in 1979 as a take-out window with fair weather seating at picnic tables. When satisfied customers began to praise Anna’s delicious lobster and other seafood, which all came from local fishermen, she was able to add full service dining in what was once the clam processing plant for the Sebasco Estates Foods and Down Easter Foods in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s.

Anna's Water's Edge at Sebasco Wharf

 The owners of this rustic restaurant have worked hard to spotlight the rich history of their location, just east of historic Malaga Island, and their dining space, which sits on top of the original floors of the clam processing plant. From floor to ceiling, this unique eatery is decorated with genuine nautical artifacts and feels like a scrapbook of fishing history. 

I believe the authentic ambiance of Anna’s Water’s Edge is simply enchanting. If you want a table inside, I recommend you call for a reservation! Outside, you’ll find stacks of lobster traps and lots of fascinating new and old fishing equipment, and in the shed you can spy an unusual collection of artwork. Dare I say, it’s a romantic spot on a summer’s evening. Joe and I enjoyed deep fried haddock for two while looking at a stunning American flag flying over a sunlit cove filled with fishing boats. And to make our dining experience in Maine even more memorable, we saw an unforgettable sunset as we left the restaurant. How’s that for a storybook ending!

Sunset from the dock at the Water's Edge, Phippsburg

A wise writer once said, "Never pour out all of your words in one sitting." I should stop here. In December, I’ll write about Blue and Five Island Lobster Company and The Osprey, all restaurants on the island of Georgetown. If I ask, perhaps Lauren Crosby, an up and coming Georgetown vocalist and songwriter, will write a new song that includes the lyrics “We need a little Fourth of July right this very minute!”

P.S. Last Saturday night, Joe and I returned to Solo Bistro in Bath to have dinner with a “young” college friend, Mark, and his better-half, Deb, who happen to live in Phippsburg. It was the perfect place to sit back, relax and catch up on life. The salmon, scallops, steak and pork tenderloin were all great choices and helped us to feel blissful on a beautiful summer’s night. It was Deb’s first time dining at Solo Bistro and, proving once again that there is always something new to discover, was impressed by their round-bottom cocktail glasses that rock on the table! May our glasses always be full and rocking!

Strike up the Band! Let Summer Begin!

Follow the L.L. Bean boot!

In Bath time, summer begins the second weekend of June with a parade of events second to none! In order to arrive for the start, Joe and I packed up our “vintage” SUV and headed east on the fastest U.S. highways. In Ohio on the Interstate near Toledo, we spotted the L.L. Bean boot and followed it far into Pennsylvania before we lost it at a rest stop outside of Erie. The boot, of course, had a coveted Maine license plate. Our SUV, on the other foot (Get it?), had an Illinois license plate, but our bumper was sporting a large Bath sticker, and it was clear that both vehicles were going the same way!

For Bathites, the high season climbs to full speed towards the Morse High School Alumni Association’s Reunion Weekend. As the oldest alumni association in the country, they set the standard for reunions! Morse welcomes their returning graduates with a blue and white banner across Front Street, a score of shop windows displaying old yearbook photos and letter jackets, and wide open doors at all of the local inns, taverns and restaurants around town. This year Maine’s Cool Little City seemed to be humming as early as Wednesday night because that’s the night we arrived from Chicago to find there wasn’t a single vacant seat at Byrnes’ Irish Pub on the tenth of June! Except for the absence of snow, last weekend felt a lot like Christmas in downtown Bath. Everyone was saying hello with a hug, and lots of people were out strolling. They were telling stories and laughing at old, familiar jokes. Their joyful sound seemed to cast a silvery net around hearts that will be forever young when they come home to Bath.

The Mitchell School (a.k.a. Universe Gym) is 100 years old.

 Officially, the first big party of summer was Friday night’s 100^th Anniversary celebration of the Mitchell School at 361 High Street. Today this impressive brick building is home to the Universe Gym and Fitness Studio, which has been owned and operated by Bath’s native son and daughter, Shane and Kari McKenna, since 1996. The building was originally designed by Lewiston architect Harry S. Coombs as a primary school for children in the South End  and was praised for its fire safety because it was built with two stairways at opposite ends. As a high school teacher who works in a three story building built in 1929 in Oak Park, Illinois, I salute the attention paid to safety. I also appreciate the large windows that allow for the entrance of natural, inspiring light! If Joe and I had not been busy preparing our house for the second big party of the weekend, Sagadahoc Preservation, Inc.’s 13^th Annual House Tour, we would have been at Friday night's celebration to applaud the preservation of one of Bath’s genuine treasures! But as fate and Bath would have it, our house on Washington Street was scheduled to be the third “Marching Band” in Saturday’s parade of historic homes. We could almost hear the 76 trombones (a.k.a. docents)!

 Looking back, last weekend seems like a foggy dream. I believe Joe and I together greeted at least 200 people as they passed through our home, and that number of hellos can leave you dizzy.  For us, however, the most amazing aspect of the House Tour is how we became a part of it. Joe and I have only owned our home in Bath for two years, and last year we attended our first S.P.I. House Tour, which happened to take place in Phippsburg. Our participation in this classic Bath-style event seems impossible, but then that’s the magic of Bath!

A community filled with talented volunteers can make the impossible inevitable. How does magic happen? The director of S.P.I., Lorena Coffin, asked us to open our house to possibly 300 visitors and promised there would be docents to guide and watch-over the flow of people. She also offered flower arrangements for the dining room and entry hall, and I am a fool for flowers! Needless to say, Lorena convinced me that people would come if I only opened the door. I said, “Yes.” In turn, I persuaded Joe that it was the right thing to do if we were truly committed to preserving the beauty of this historic city of shipbuilders. How could he refuse? He said, “Yes!" Funny, a song that frequently plays in my head is Before the Parade Passes By. I‘m a fan of the Barbara Streisand version:

Flowers from the Bath Garden Club

Before the parade passes by

I’m gonna go and taste Saturday’s high life

Before the parade passes by

I’m going to get some life back into my life…

When the whistles blow

And the cymbals crash

And the sparklers light the sky

I’m going to raise the roof

I’m going to carry on

Give me an old trombone

Give me an old baton

Before the parade passes by…

We all choose different songs for our playlist. Clearly, I love parades, and the City of Bath loves them, too! You could call me crazy if I were the only person, who wanted to join the parade and play the trombone, but there were twelve houses/gardens on the tour, and many of the owners resembled Joe and I. On Thursday evening, we met the other homeowners and most of the volunteers at the docent meeting at the Winter Street Center. There were almost 80 docents who helped Bath throw the baton, blow the whistles and crash the cymbals during the House and Garden Tour. They were fabulous “musicians” who showed up as early as 9:30 a.m. to review the histories and distinctive architectural features of their assigned homes. I had the pleasure of volunteering with my musical daughter, Katie, as well as Roger and Sukey Heard, who were seasoned docents and helped me feel at ease. I was also honored to have the help of Polly, the owner of Brick Store Antiques, a store which captured our hearts and wallets when we first moved to Bath. After twenty years as a shopkeeper, Polly recently closed the store on Front Street, but she continues to be an active antique dealer in the region. Marilyn Reed, Bath’s famous tap dancer, also guided people through our home, and she did it in her signature pink shoes! Cynthia Galea rode her bike, with her readers and her guidebook in the basket, down the street to our place to direct the visitors upstairs. Joe, Katie and I feel as if we have made some new friends, and that is always a good feeling!

Can you see the glass door knob?

We learned a wealth of information from our docents and guests. One visitor from Phippsburg told me that the glass knobs on our doors were from the 1840’s, but the few brown knobs were from the later, Victorian era, and they are less unusual. A lady from Bath told Joe that we had great fireplaces and could restore them to full use without much trouble; another visitor from the area told us she had the same bannister in her house and knew that a father and son carpenter team made this federal-style bannister only between 1820 and 1840 here in Bath. After touring our home, a neighbor commented that she and her husband had shared their home on the House and Garden Tour four years ago, and even though they had lived in Bath for many years, they met new people and enjoyed the experience. Joe and I agree. By opening our doors to the community, we not only helped support the preservation of Bath’s distinctive architecture, we also deepened our appreciation for our hometown. Bath is a place where people know how to build a caring community as well as strong ships!

Ornament's owner is a proud Morse alumna!

Truth be told, some mighty Bathites volunteered to help at multiple celebrations last weekend.  A few incredibly generous individuals were involved in all of them! I know for a fact that Marilyn Reed left our house and went directly to the Morse Alumni Reception to help serve refreshments. Of course, she was still wearing her fancy pink shoes! And the inimitable Ms. M., who was the chairperson for the entire crew of docents, was also attending the anniversary celebration of the Mitchell School as well as the 2015 Morse graduation! Her grandson graduated, and her daughter, Kari, celebrated her own Morse reunion in addition to celebrating her son’s graduation and the Mitchell School’s 100^th Anniversary! That is officially a party weekend! The good people of Bath certainly know all the lyrics to Before the Parade Passes By, and they like to sing in perfect harmony! Even though I am not a graduate of Morse High School, I certainly enjoyed rocking and rolling with the Shipbuilders!

Now it’s full speed ahead to Heritage Days and the next parade, which will actually include real marching bands with real whistles and drums. I can hear that song, Before the Parade Passes By, playing in my head again:

Look at the crowd up ahead

Listen and hear that brass harmony growing

Look at the crowd up ahead

Pardon me if my old spirit's showing

All of those lights over there

Seem to be telling me where I’m going…