The inn opens May 21!

Two eggs! Shannon, of Mountain View Painting, reported seeing two eggs in the nest at the Cape House. He has been very busy making the inn look fabulous--shutters are up, clapboards are washed and painted--the inn looks great. Tomorrow he'll be painting the front doors red. Spring is looking mighty good at the inn. This photo is looking out from the Cape House living room area onto the private deck, draped in willow tree.

One of the trees in the orchard is already flowering--I'm eager to see what type of apple this early bloomer produces. July will be my first full year as innkeeper here at the Blue Hill Inn so I'm still getting to know the yard.

The lovely hosts at the Hartstone Inn, Mary Jo Brink and Michael Salmon, invited innkeepers from around the area for a party. Michael is an amazing chef--we had a dinner of hors d'oeuvres, my favorite. You know someone special is in the kitchen when guests are raving about the grilled vegetables, not to mention the Thai beef salad, the chicken satay, the potstickers... For dessert, I had to try his truffles with pistachio nuts. If you're stopping in Camden on your way to Blue Hill, consider stopping off at the Hartstone, if just for a meal.

New assistant innkeepers and I took a field trip to Deer Isle to see Nervous Nellie's Jams and Jellies and to pick up some jam for the inn. What a fabulous playground of amazing sculpture (by husband Peter Beerits) all over the property. And the jams! You can try a wide selection on crackers or get a scone in the little, very colorful cafe, and enjoy it with lots of jam.

Do you remember the fabulous bread we have for morning toast? It’s from Blue Hill Hearth, Kathy’s bakery that shares space with the North Light Book Store about two blocks from here. Guests would sometimes happen in for one of her sandwiches or great pizza slices--or a decadent dessert--and Kathy would discover they were staying at the inn and send home the bread order with them! I saw Kathy at the grocery recently and we got talking about Earth Day. Turns out she and her husband have had solar panels for over 12 years.

I just started Man Bites Log, by Max Alexander. My favorite line so far describes a real Mainer: “They speak slowly but are hard to understand, and drive slower but are impossible to pass.” He lives in an area with many fewer curves—it’s the come-from-aways who dawdle around here, or maybe it’s just me.

Head-of-the-kitchen Matt has been busy preparing for our open house on Tuesday. Chocolate covered orange peel, red pepper tarts with feta and scallion, mini carrotcake cupcakes... Wish you were here.