We are in our clover harvest, a bounty from our lawn. We used the ground flowers in our bread, which makes the dough lighter. Click on the image for a larger view.
Tag Archives: Summer in Maine
The Immaculate Lawn
Lawns are very disciplined spaces. Trimmed and managed into a perfect carpet of green. This is important. This is the way it is done. A flawless lawn is an exemplary symbol of the advances of mankind.
When Naomi and I moved to Maine, we rented a house in Jefferson. It was situated on an acre of land. The lawn mover we were given to maintain that one-acre lawn had broken. In a short time, the discipline of the lawn had been lost. What replaced it was very different (click on the image for a larger view). The lesson was not lost on us when we moved into our home.
Liquid Light
Summer is the season of liquid light—forms and edges seem to melt away. Our forest becomes a chapel dedicated to a goddess of color. Click in this image for a larger view.
Height of the Land
Height of the Land in Rangeley is a magical place. Overlooking Mooselookmeguntic Lake, this spot makes you feel like you are standing at the top of the world. Click on the image for a larger view.
Mooselookmeguntic Lake is the forth largest lake in Maine, covering an area of 25.5 square miles or 66 square kilometers at an elevation of 1,467ft or 477m. It is part of the Androscoggin watershed. The name come from the Abenaki meaning “moose feeding place.” That evening, as we were leaving, we spotted a female with her calf.
Bear River
Bear River flows though Grafton Notch State Park. Click on the image for a larger view.
Screw Auger Falls
Yesterday, Naomi and I took a trip out to Grafton Notch State Park in western Maine near the New Hampshire border. The park is home to Old Speck mountain. The Bear River descends into a valley on the eastern side of the notch. Screw Auger Falls is one of a series of waterfalls along the course of the river. Click on the image for a larger view.
Lupine
Lupine, Lupinus, is a symbol of summer in Maine. The common blue variety can be seen along the roadsides throughout the state. It is an elegant plant—the tip extends upwards as the blossoms unfurl. The flowering head takes a wonderful color gradient as the blossoms darken with time. Click on the images for a larger view.
Blackberry Blossoms
Our blackberry canes are in blossom. The white flowers can be quite striking against the monochromatic foliage of summer. These are probably our most productive plants and give us almost a year supply of fruit, from the fresh berries at the end of the summer to the pies and smoothies we make from frozen berries throughout the rest of the year. Click on the image for a larger view.
Wild Strawberries
The first fruit we can harvest every year is wild strawberry. Not a very larger fruit, about the size of the tip of your little finger. This plant is found throughout our garden, woods, and meadow. It is also a favorite of the chipmunks. Our Newfoundland dog Kai also loved these berries and would sit out with us as we gathered them. We only get a few handful of strawberries each year—they are time consuming to harvest in any quantities, but they are fun to snack on when we are in the garden. Click on the image for a larger view.
Summer Wind, Summer Forest
Yesterday was beautiful. I believe that trees evolved to be tall simply to play and dance in the wind. Click on the image for a larger view.
