Lupine! And Belted Galloway Cows

Just as the lilacs bloom in time for the inn's open house, the lupine come along right in time for their very own festival. Deer Isle's Lupine Fest, June 19-21, truly does have something for everyone, and it's all a short drive from Blue Hill.

Recipes, mattress information, recommendations for a tasty lunch--we've been offering it all to guests. "The most charming inn on all five continents, with the most friendly welcome," wrote one guest in our book. It must be Matt's breakfasts that send them into such compliments. He tried a new sauce, blueberry rhubarb, with the waffles. Mmmmm. It's heaven to have rhubarb, chives, mint, sage... right in our garden. Our strawberry plants are coming along well.

Blue Hill Mountain beckons... You can hike right from the inn. We even have backpacks to loan you. This image isn't even from the top but from one of the "catch your breath, catch the view" stops I encourage people to take on their way up. An old homestead at the base of the mountain left its footprint in day lilies and lily-of-the-valley. The apple tree was probably in the dooryard.

Do you know about Aldermere Farm in Rockport? (Thanks to a guest, I now know about it.) The 136-acre farm is one of the world’s premier breeders of Belted Galloway cattle (you know, the Oreo cows) and it's owned and managed by Maine Coast Heritage Trust, a statewide land conservation organization dedicated to protecting the working landscapes of the Maine coast, among other things. The Trust maintains Aldermere as a working farm and educational center, helping visitors deepen their appreciation for land conservation and sustainable agriculture.

I hope you're getting your share of strawberries, and Nervous Nellie's jam filled tea cookies, and Carrabassett free trade coffee. If not, come on along--we've got some for you. Here's to a beautiful June.

Spring in Blue Hill

It has been such a lovely spring--I can't believe you aren't here. A few lobster boats fish out of the boat landing just a block and a half from the inn. It's a tidal boat launch so you will only find the lobstermen there at high tide. We have tide charts available for guests, thanks to Melone Madix-Jackson of Slaven Realty. This photo of the Brady Caleb is from an early morning walk--can you see why I sometimes have to resist dashing through the halls at the inn, shouting, "Wake up! Wake up! It's a beautiful day"?! One nice advantage to the inn being just up from the water--we don't awake to the diesel engines roaring out to sea before dawn.

The lilacs beside the kitchen door are heavenly and the apple blossoms came out just in time for our guest Meredith's wedding. Much of her party were staying here as well. I was so proud of the inn's garden looking so marvelous, just in time.

We've spruced up the inside of the inn, too, and thrown open the doors just this past weekend. The sun has been streaming in the breakfast room windows.

A guest asked for the recipe for Matt's carrot cake cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting (our first afternoon treat offering). Let me know if you'd like me to send you a copy, too. They work well as muffins without the frosting... Or as muffins with the frosting. Who says a muffin can't be frosted?! We often make mini muffins. I figure, if you like it, you can have another (or two, or three). If you don't care for it, there's very little waste. This is a photo of Matt, working on hors d'oeuvres we served at our open house. We also served Maine shrimp ceviche from the Blue Hill Co-op at the open house. I had their scallop ceviche recently. Both are amazing and just another example of how lucky we are in this gorgeous town--we get great food, too.

There is so much to tell you! Jill Smith, from Millbrook Bakery, is becoming an ice cream lady! She'll be scooping right downtown Blue Hill, near the Chamber of Commerce, across from the post office (where I go every single day. It's a very good thing the inn has a lot of stairs to climb and grass to mow). She'll be opening this very weekend.


Elvers may not show up on our menu but they do get flown to o la la restaurants like the French Laundry and Four Seasons. Folks around here have been fishing for these little eels for generations.

"Had an absolutely wonderful time" wrote some guests, former innkeepers themselves, as they checked out. They were heading through Belfast on the way home, hitting the fun stores and Chase's Daily.

You know we only have the nicest guests here--this week it's been Meredith the bride, Fischer the groom, and all their friends and family. And, John and Vera, guests from last year, called to check in. They wrote a lovely review of their stay on TripAdvisor--very thoughtful! We really appreciate the compliments and kind words. Thank you thank you!

The season blooms this month!

May finds us deep cleaning the inn and preparing to open the newly-painted red doors to another season. Our Cape House accommodations, the Suite and the Studio, are available year-round but from May to November, the inn's 11 rooms welcome guests.

I have another book to tell you about! I think it must be in the water here--Blue Hill is chock-a-block full of talented folks. Marjorie Kernan might look familiar to you as she is often in her antique store right down the street from the inn (it's the one with the incredible French items). Her novel, the Ballad of West Tenth Street, is all New Yorky, though, and just a great read. In a small town, everything is connected--Marjorie's partner Andre Strong, an amazing cook, used to prepare dinners at the inn.

I'm often suggesting guests stroll through the cemeteries in town. We have the Seaside, which is... on the water, and we have the Early Settlers Cemetery, which is full of... early settlers, and we have the Mountain View, which... ! The photo above is from earlier this spring, at Seaside.

We're still sad about the Oakland House closing--and still worried about the lack of lodging to be found in this area. Please, please, if you know you're coming and will want to stay here, call ahead! We are already sold out for a number of weekends. I hate to say no but we can't make more rooms the way El El Frijoles sometimes has to make more food (I went out there tonight to celebrate Cinco de Mayo only to discover the early worm gets the special chocolate menu. Latecomers didn't leave hungry, though. I had a great quesadilla. With their salsas--the corn and the mango are my favorites--I didn't miss the mole sauce at all).

Another sadness is that the Wescott Forge has closed its doors. We really would be devastated but Cleonice, a favorite restaurant in Ellsworth, has a plan up its sleeve. I believe it will be called Table. More details to come.

I love a silent auction and recently won 15 pounds of lobster at the local elementary school. I bid over Bob Stephens, boat designer extraordinaire, so felt it was only fair to share the goods with him and his family. He did the cooking honors. Lobster is just soooo delicious. And this was for a good cause.

Maine Built Boats has produced a great video about... Maine built boats. You really have to watch it--beautiful boats and great scenery.

I hope you're planning your summer vacations, packing the binoculars and the bike helmets, the beach books and the car snacks. We're getting ready for you.

March has been amazing

Check out the April issue of Town and Country Magazine! It's their special travel issue and I am thrilled that the inn is included in an article beginning on page 73.

Looking ahead to May, the Wings, Waves, and Woods Festival, May 15-17, has even more great activities this year. You can go on boat trips, join master birders in a variety of locations, and even learn about making bird sculptures from Peter Beerits (most known at the inn for Nervous Nellie's Jams and Jellies).

I bought a field guide, Birds of Maine, from Blue Hill Books, to loan out to guests. While I was there, I bought Bobo and the New Neighbor, by Gail Page, and Underwear--What We Wear Under There, written by Ruth Freeman Swain, both local authors.

I am so lucky to be living in a place that feeds all this creativity. I recently attended A Terrible Beauty, a collaboration between Paul Sullivan, pictured here, and Peter Behrens. As Peter explained, "This project began in January when Paul phoned me and said, 'Let's do a show about Ireland and the Great Hunger!'... We both live in Brooklin. It was snowing. Planning a show for the first day of spring felt like a hopeful, even defiant, gesture." Paul created and played music to accompany Peter's novel, the Law of Dreams. Scenes were read by Amy Grant, of Peninsula Metamorphic, and Rosie Upton, a 13-year-old with an amazing voice, sang. The packed audience left so fulfilled. The very next day the Blue Hill Concert Association's final winter show featured America's Dream Chamber Artists. Ahh. I also had a friend read a bit of E.B. White's Here is New York aloud to me. I've decided that in April, that cruel cruel month, I will challenge myself to find live music or spoken words to listen to every single day. What a treat to have people play and read and recite.

I received a lovely note from guests who recently stayed in the Cape House Suite: "Most comfortable bed in recent memory." They liked the area, Deer Isle and Castine in particular. Even this time of year, when the snow piles can look a bit tired... It's maple syrup time and many restaurants, including Lily's Cafe, celebrate this weekend.
A little something sweet as spring comes along. Enjoy the season!

Happy February to you

Guests often wonder what innkeepers do during the quiet season. You know I read a lot. I pretend to watch a lot of movies but somehow that doesn't happen often enough. Innkeepers generally travel, update the inn, and socialize, or at least that's what I've been up to.

I got away for a weekend recently to Claybrook Mountain Lodge in North New Portland, Maine. Imagine crosscountry skiing or snowshoeing over deer tracks every day. Imagine getting to see a herd of nine, ten, eleven white tailed deer coming to feed right outside the lodge's window. Imagine finding a pile of moose poop! Our host, Greg Drummond, is an amazing outdoorsman with a perspective I found poignant and wise. Between the wildlife, the scenery, the delicious meals, the fresh air and exercise, and the good company--to say nothing of no computer or cell phone access!--I returned to Blue Hill well rested.

For Valentine's Day, I joined Noel Paul Stookey, of Peter, Paul, and Mary, in giving a valentine to the ocean. He gave a concert to benefit the Marine Environmental Research Institute (located right here in Blue Hill). He sang one love song in particular to his wife of many years, Betty, which had us all swooning.

This month also saw me celebrating International Eat Pie for Breakfast Day (the second Saturday in February). In spite of visions of pecan pie, my favorite, a lack of planning left me honoring the day with a slice of pizza pie, pepperoni, from the Eggemoggin Country Store. And then, still in the mood, I had two slices at Finelli's later in the week. They have a bianca, with spinach and ricotta, that is my favorite slice of all time. Now if only I can get that pecan pie...

February also brought new technology to this innkeeper. I'm now often answering your calls and emails on my new iPhone. And, confession time, I am right this minute flying to Baton Rouge to visit my sister and her family. With an on-plane internet connection, I can update my blog and fly.

If you are thinking of coming to this area and don't have your reservations yet, please call soon. I am very sad to report that the Oakland House, a wonderful inn and resort, family run for generations, won't be open this year. In the last few years, this area has lost many guestrooms, leaving a shortage, especially during holiday weekends or when large events are being held.

I'll be updating our calendar of events for 2009 soon but there's always something going on (Wings, Waves, and Woods festival is May 15-17, World Ocean Day is June 8, and the Lupine Festival is June 19-21).

Happy February!

Mid-Winter Reading

In the last few weeks, I've been in Western Massachusetts, New York, and Blue Hill. I can authoritatively say, it's coldest here and those of us in Maine can talk about the weather lots longer than those other folks! We've had amazingly cold nights but days filled with sunshine. I finally got out on my snowshoes and will not be annoying about it as I try to get everyone else out on theirs. This lovely scene is just over a mile from the inn.

If it's that cold outside, you know it's time to be reading inside. I adored Ellen Booraem's The Unnameables.She is just such a delightful writer, as you will see in her piece about her messy desk. Kirkus Reviews says, "Booraem's debut is an ever-surprising, genre-defying page-turner." I just sent it home with Matthew, 11, Lorna, 13, and Paige, the mom, and I suspect they will all love it.

As always, Blue Hill Books will have autographed copies of it for you. While I was in there checking out the latest in the Maine section, I came across Days in the Life of a Fisherman's Wife, by Rusty Warren, and More than Petticoats: Remarkable Maine Women, by Kate Kennedy. Remarkable Women has great photographs and description of hard Maine living that leaves me very happy to be getting through the winter with all the various heat sources we have, including heated seats in our cars. Also on my docket is Notes from an Innkeeper's Journal. Has the book everyone keeps telling me to write already been done? I'll let you know.

Although the book pile is plenty deep enough to keep me busy, I do like to keep up with the Sunday papers. In the Globe recently was a column that answered an old, old question for me. "Make a Joyful Noise," written my Sam Allis, suggests "classical audience should loosen up and applaud at will." I came to classical music late in life, having grown up on an unhealthy diet of 70s and 80s rock and roll, Barry Manilow and Ricky Nelson, and, during those most formative years, mariachi music and folk songs played on the accordion. Allis suggests going with our instinct to clap at the end of a movement, rather than staidly waiting until the very end (which neophytes never recognize anyway, and have to wait until others applaud to finally, at long last, get to show their awe).

Although it sometimes feel as though we will never again be able to throw open the windows to the ocean breezes, we have to get out and enjoy the snow now. It really will melt, it always always does.

Happy New Year!

How has it been so long since I last posted?! Those pesky holidays.

I had to write tonight to tell you about my dinner. My sister lives in Baton Rouge, LA. When she was up for Thanksgiving, she brought me a packet of BBQ shrimp sauce mix from the Louisiana Fish Fry Company. It's shrimp season here in Maine so I was in luck. This year's season is a bit longer than it was last year. PERC, the Penobscot East Resource Center, is working with local fishermen to offer a community supported fishery, where folks can buy a half share or share and receive pounds of shrimp each week. After my scrumptious dinner tonight, I might just have to sign myself up.

We were full up for New Year's Eve and with good reason. Blue Hill's last night celebration is funfunfun. Free live music starts early, around seven, in almost a dozen venues around town, all within easy walking distance of the inn. I started at the Fire House to catch the Brooklin Band, a community band playing holiday favorites (I had to watch them. I had been at the doctor's earlier in the day and the technician who drew my blood said she was in the band. I love a small town!) I danced a bit to the steel drum band and then headed to the Congregational Church to hear Rob and Becky McCall. They are an amazing couple. Rob is the pastor at the church, has a show on our local radio station, WERU, and writes a column for the Weekly Packet, Awanadjo Almanack. His wife Rebecca is an amazing artist (this is one of the books she has illustrated) and clever lyricist.

While I'm reminding you how absolutely lovely Blue Hill is, let me tell you about Stephanie at the post office. I met Stephanie at a rug braiding class I took in the fall of 2007. I have yet to finish a piece the size of a chair mat. Stephanie has made two room sized rugs! Although that was the last time I spoke with her. By now... She also knits which is how I happened to be up to my elbows in a bag full of pairs of socks the other day. I came to the post office for my mail and had to go to the window to collect some glow-in-the-dark items I had ordered for New Year's Eve. Stephanie asked if I liked socks (not too many people can say no to that). She said I could pick a pair from the myriad she had in the bag. In the end I couldn't decide on just one pair so I offered her some glow trinkets and a trade was made.

A friend sent a link to this Maine humor. You know you're from Maine when... That lead me to a very silly song, the Desert of Maine (which is a real place). A friend actually took me to the desert of Maine, in Freeport, off-season, but I can say I was there.

And speaking of friends sending things, so many guests sent cards and photos. Thank you! I love getting to read the newsletters and seeing the family pictures. As you've heard me say, no doubt, my least favorite part of innkeeping is saying goodbye to you after you've spent a lovely time at the inn being interesting and delightful. Come back soon.

I hope your winter is going well. If you want some snow and some solitude, come on up!