The full moon and peaches

Another reason fall is a great time to visit Blue Hill: Karen is taking guests out kayaking until Oct. 12. That means Sept. 26 is another opportunity to be out on the water for sunset and full moonrise and there’s tons of nights to see the night phosphorescence. I went out Monday night, with my cousin Stephanie AuWerter, who was escaping her crazy NYC life (her room at the inn is bigger than her apartment), and we had the perfect Castine afternoon and evening. We walked up to Dyces Head Lighthouse, snacked at Dennett's Wharf (and yes, now there’s a dollar bill on the ceiling with our names on it), and then went kayaking with Karen in Castine Harbor. The sun went down in glorious pinks, the moon rose fat and sassy, and my paddling improved a tiny bit under Karen’s patient guidance. As we glided in the dark, our paddles stirred up bioluminescent organisms. We considered after-kayaking drinks but were too pooped and just came back to the inn.

On the menu for tomorrow’s breakfast? Peaches! A local orchard dropped by a big basketful today. And we’ve been serving stuffed tomatoes with our hors d’ouevres—sometimes with a pesto made with basil from our herb garden, sometimes with crabmeat I’ve been picking up at the farmer’s market, and tonight with Greek yogurt, smoked salmon, and some chives from the garden. The tomatoes come from Brooksville and are so good I’ve learned to like them raw, a big change for me.

Music and skiffs and carrot cake cupcakes

Live Music at the Inn!

Long time returning guest Mark Berman, out from Wisconsin, where I'm from, helped organize an evening of chamber music with a few of his friends. They were all in town for Kneisel Hall's Adult Chamber Music Institute (a.k.a. Music Camp). In spite of their busy Kneisel schedules, they entertained us with beautiful music--Hayden's Opus 75, No. 2 and Quartet for Strings No. 17 in B-flat major by Mozart, "The Hunt." Mark, on viola, was joined by Ron Hudson and David Herzig on violins and Ann West on cello.

Don Radovich Photos

Guests enjoyed hors d'oeuvres with a Mexican flair--chorizo from a local smokehouse, crabmeat quesadillas, and tortilla chips and salsa from a Blue Hill salsa-making company, Sisters Salsa, among other offerings. We've added a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, Spinyback, to our wines by the glass, which worked really well with the spicy food.

If you haven't been here yet, you don't realize the "office" is really a corner in the kitchen. As I'm typing this during a quiet moment Sunday afternoon, Matt Jurick, our fabulous breakfast chef, is putting the finishing touches on carrot cake cupcakes. Soon they'll be out for afternoon snacking. They smell heavenly.

The weather has been typically crazy--gorgeous sunny days, crazy rainstorms at night, and today a strong breeze under amazingly blue skies.

This morning, I snuck out of the inn for a moment to buy more blueberries and to look at a 14-ft. skiff that a friend saw for sale. I'm determined to find a small rowboat for me and for guests to use. I've found a parking place for it, thanks to Steve Rappaport, now I need the boat!

I hope your August is going as well.

Live Music in Blue Hill

Stephen Rappaport Photo

Hello from the Blue Hill Inn!

For a small, quiet village, Blue Hill has an amazing variety and quantity of live music.

This week for instance, the Kneisel Hall's music program includes, on Thursday, Aug. 9, and Saturday, Aug. 11, the Young Artist Concerts, and chamber music of Schubert, Brahms, Judith Weir, and Dvorak both Friday evening, Aug. 10, and again Sunday afternoon, Aug. 12. http://www.kneisel.org/

The George Stevens Academy jazz band is playing at the Marine Environmental Research Institute family festival Sunday, Aug. 12, about two blocks from the inn. http://meriresearch.org/aboutus/mcenter.html

On Monday, Aug. 13, at noon, Sebastian and Abigail Greene, vocal with piano, will perform at the public library, a very short walk from the inn.

Later on Monday, Flash in the Pans, the amazing local steel drum band, is playing a benefit for the Ark Animal Shelter Monday, Aug. 13 in the town park, which is right on Blue Hill Bay, a mere two blocks from the inn. The picture shows their "street dance" last week (which got rained out so we had to dance the night away in the local elementary school's gym, less than a block from the inn). http://www.peninsulapan.org/flashinthepan.html

Kneisel Hall is featuring a sonata concert on Weds., Aug. 15.

And by Friday, Perkinstock opens at the fairgrounds with bluegrass in an old-time festival that lasts all weekend. http://www.perkinstock.com/

More information about these can be found on line or from the inn. Just give a call.

Welcome to the Blue Hill Inn

First post August 2007