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.