Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

A Visit From Roger and Carol and More Pie

Tuesday July 24, 2017                                                                                  Most Recent Posts:
Narrows Too Campground                                                Kayaking Lower Hadlock Pond and Walking its Lovely Shore
Trenton, Maine                                                                                Up, Down and Around Dorr Mountain

 

 

Last week, David got a call from his brother Roger who said he and his wife Carol would be in the area today and would like to come by and see us. Sounds great!

With all the berries we’d picked, David decided to bake a second Blueberry pie in two days. Most of the comments on my last post were on the pie so for pie lovers here is some of the preparation.  

It’s the flaky crust that is really the secret of David’s pies.  Notice how MANY of the little wild blueberries you have to pick for a pie.   Not sure how we have enough with all David easts when he’s picking.

 

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He’s rolling it out with a rolling pin Carol gave us for Christmas many years ago.  Best rolling pin ever.

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Bottom crust is ready

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In go the berries.

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Secret ingredient – REAL butter.

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Getting the top crust on is very tricky to keep it from tearing.

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Crimping the edges to seal in the yummy!

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Ready for the Oven.

 

 

Somehow I have no pictures of the night they arrived or the dinner we fixed for them.  But David did get this one right before digging into the delicious pie which was the meal’s dessert.  We look a bit impatient.  HA!

 

Where to go with folks who only have a day to spend?  Tough choices to make.

We start out with a visit to the Wild Gardens at Sieur de Monts which we think they will like and they do.

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Lilies taller than we are.

 

Giant Jack-in-the-pulpit with its huge green seed pod.

 

Brothers are forever!

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Lovely Paths

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We don’t get to go into the wetlands area to see the pitcher plants.  It’s closed for some sort of work.  That’s a shame since they are so interesting but I get a nice picture of Roger and Carol on the bridge.

 

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From there, we do a little hiking on the Jessup Path nearby.

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Not sure there is a wooded trail in this park without lovely mushrooms.

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I particularly love these colors.

 

 

Can you read the engraving on the stone identifying this as the Strathden Path?  Some of the oldest trails in the park are  marked with these large engraved stones.

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Through the woods. . . .

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Along the lovely Great Meadow with the mountains in the background.  What a gorgeous blue sky day.

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And back to the center of Sieur de Monts with the Wikiup in the background.

 

Just before we  leave,  I spy this lovely Indian Maiden in the doorway of her Wikiup.

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From Sieur de Monts,  we make our way to Bar Harbor for Ice cream of course but no pictures.  Too busy licking!

We walk by the fountain in the park on our way to the water front.

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The lobsters are coming in.  Good thing, since we’re planning on having some.

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On a Wednesday visit to Bar Harbor, I checked out the Bar Harbor Inn’s Lobster Dinner on the Terrace.  It’s a real feast at a price we don’t usually spend but after walking up and checking it out, they all agree that it’s a good idea.

 

 

The Inn doesn’t  start serving until 4:00 so we walk the Shore Path, not to be confused with the Ocean Path beside the loop road that I’ve posted about previously.  This path begins at the Town Pier next to Agamont Park which we walked through, goes a short distance to the East past the Bar Harbor Inn, then wraps around a point before continuing South for about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile along the water.

 

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Along the way, we have views of the Porcupine Islands and some creative rock stacking.

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A lone cormorant flaps his wings.

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A sea kayaking tour comes by.  Good day for it, the water isn’t too rough.

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Carol tells Roger this is the next house she wants to move to.  I suggest she keep her place in Texas for the winters and buy this as her summer home.  I know her girls would vote yes!

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When we cross this bridge we turn west  and head back into the town.

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David wants to go in and see Saint Saviour’s Episcopal Church.   Built between 1877-78, the interior of the church is graced by twelve windows designed by the Tiffany Studio, installed between 1886 and 1907, as well as eighteen other stained glass windows by American, English and European artists. The ten-bell carillon was added in 1938, representing the last major addition to the complex.

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The Village Graveyard established before 1790 is adjacent to the church and holds unmarked and unnamed graves of the pioneers of Downeast Maine.   The large monument built in 1897 is dedicated to those who fought for the Union.  Doesn’t seem there is any talk of taking down their statues up here as there is now in the South. 

The dedication of the statue was by the town of Eden named after the English Statesman Sir Richard Eden.  And here I thought it was Eden because it was so perfect.  The name was  changed to Bar Harbor in 1918.   Can’t find any explanation for why.  I thought perhaps they wanted, after the revolution, to remove any British names but 1918 is a long time after the revolution.  Should have stopped by the historical society.  They always know these things.

 

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Inside the lovely church the large round window is one of the Tiffany stained glass.  The others are scattered throughout the church.

 

They are all absolutely exquisite, but difficult to photograph

 

Looking toward the front and then it’s time to head back to the Bar Harbor Inn.

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We are definitely leading a charmed life when the hostess takes us to one of the best tables on the terrace.  We’re right by the water on the edge.  Everyone seems pleased with their drinks and the view.  Carol does move to the chair beside David so she too can enjoy the view.

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While we are waiting for our food, the Katie Grace goes by.  She’s the ferry between Winter Harbor on the Schoodic Side of the park and Bar Harbor.   Many people from Bar Harbor come over for the day to visit the land side of Acadia and particularly the famous Schoodic Point.  $25 round trip this year to ride the ferry.

 

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After our drinks, this dinner extravaganza begins with Clam Chowder.  It’s wonderful!

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I’m not the only one taking pictures of this delicious food.  Second course is a plate of clams and mussels.  I can atest that the shells of both are all over the shores of the island and the mainland.  Remember the man and his sun raking mussels near our campground until their boat looked  like it would sink.

 

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I know David is anxious to dig into the lobster but in his haste, he puts his bib on backwards.  Too funny.

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Roger shows the proper bib etiquette.

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This is very serious work as Carol demonstrates.

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Not sure it could get any more perfect when the schooner sails into view over Carol’s shoulder.

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The Bar Harbor Inn’s Downeast Lobster Bake includes steamed mussels and clams, 1 ¼ pound freshly caught Maine Lobster with roasted red potatoes, corn on the cob and blueberry corn bread followed up with a slice of fresh blueberry pie.  It’s a once in a summer splurge for us all at $38 a head but we thought it was worth it.

 

 

Too soon it comes to an end and  we are walking back along the shore to the car.  This time at low tide.

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We’re so glad we could share Bar Harbor with Roger and Carol.  Thank you both for coming to visit. 
We had a great time.  Wish you were staying longer

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20 comments:

  1. It is always nice when family visits and you can enjoy pie:)

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  2. Such a fun and delicious family visit. :-) Looks like you had perfect weather, a beautiful walk, and fabulous seafood. $38 doesn't really seem expensive for such an extravagant feast with lobster, clams, mussels, and that spectacular view! I'll bet David's blueberry pie was better than the restaurant pie, though.

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  3. One of these days I'm going to try lobster. When we were there it was so foggy I refused to pay the high price when we could not see a single thing. There were three cruise ships in the harbor shuttling people to shore and we couldn't even see them.

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  4. Oh what a great way to remember the day! It would have been a great day to just see and spend time with my brother and his wife - who I happened to meet only slightly before my brother met her ;) But with all the rest of the day to add to the fun, it was superlative for me. Thanks for doing such a nice rendering of our day!

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  5. Oh my, what an idyllic setting for dinner. I didn't know they came to visit you. I had to laugh at the schooner coming by. It was if you paid them to do that! Love the Tiffany windows, too. What a place. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. What a wonderful visit you had. Notice David didn't give his recipe for that crust. lol It sure did look good. Great price for all that food. And the stained glass windows are just gorgeous.

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  7. That dining view was worth $38 and you got great looking food also. Nice David got some brother time.

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  8. How special to share your time with David's brother and sis in law. I think you sprinkled the time with perfect things to do and eat. Love the picture of the schooner, great framed shot!

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  9. The church, and that stained glass window, are something to behold!

    One can never pass up blueberry pie.

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  10. David's pie is beautiful!! What a fun time with Roger and Carol! The lobster dinner sure makes me hungry for this fresh seafood. Amazing dinner view. Too bad seating isn't better so all four people can have the best straight on view.

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  11. WOW...the four of you sure covered a lot beautiful sites and consumed some amazing food. You certainly do live a charmed life;o)) That dinner in the perfect setting was a once in a lifetime event!! Usually the winds are whipping and it was perfect for you!!

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  12. $38.00 for such a yummy feast is a real bargain, I bet your husbands blueberry pie was delish! Good you got to enjoy your family, the setting looked wonderful and nothing like eating lobster where it is local food, blueberries are delicate and it looks like your whole feast was wonderful! It would cost about $100 here in the pacific northwest for such a feast and it would not be the local lobster whatsoever, yummmmeee!

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  13. If I was anywhere near Maine I would make a side trip for some of that pie!

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  14. That pie looks amazing! That crust is much harder to make than it looks!! Dad is a master! Looks like a nice visit. Nice to see Uncle Roger and Aunt Carol on the blog! Yummy food, beautiful views.

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  15. Beautiful crust - I've never even attempted one! Love the flat top mushroom - great colors. Pretty maiden in her tiny home. The old church is beautiful - love the windows and that ceiling! What a yummy meal and schooner entertainment too :-))))

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  16. Thanks for giving away David's secrets for making blueberry pies. He should have his own TV show on Food Network! :cD

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  17. Sure does look like a wonderful dinner with a wonderful view and great people to share it with. Beautiful. Yeah, I make my crust with pure butter too, and sometimes I splurge and buy Kerrygold Irish butter for something really special. Maybe David could try it sometime.

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  18. May have been a pricey meal but really seems worth it for all you got. Plus the bonus of sharing it with family.

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  19. Can't believe I missed this blog. It was a wonderful evening and a perfect day afterward - always happy to spend brother time especially when there's David's blueberry pie involved. Not to mention the great home cooked dinner, fun hikes, ice cream and a lobster dinner to follow in the most picturesque spot in Bar Harbor. Thank you Sherry for putting this together.

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  20. Indeed... I reiterate all of Rogers comments. Kudos to you, Sherry, for the incredible job you do of capturing memories with your camera. I was beginning to fear you had not put yourself in any of these photos. To you, David, we love that you press on...and move forward... during these difficult challenges. The homemade blueberry pie... made with love...will always be remembered. The day was perfect... and the splurge on the lobster dinner... with one of the best seats in the house...and with family... was well worth it. A celebration of family and life! The photos of the two brothers together... priceless. Roger loves his little brother. Memories are precious. Oh, that Schoodic Bay.... the waves crashing and that blue sky...how do you choose ONE perfect memory. My good fortune of finding Roger when I was young and didnt know much about life. He is my hero... his boundless energy... his wonderful engineering brain... priceless.

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