Made it to September

Tuesday August 29 –Friday September 1, 2017                               Most Recent Posts:
Schoodic Woods Campground                                                          “Take NO Pictures of the Facility”
Acadia National Park                                                                        Trying to Speed Up

 

 Thanks to Scott I’m still on track.

TUESDAY August 29

We did 3 hikes in the last 4 days and did them all on one day, today.   We began with a Ranger Hike on the Lower Harbor Trail which we were familiar with from having hiked it just a week ago.  Being familiar with the trail, we were interested to see what the ranger would point out.  We walked from the Campground to the Ranger Station and then down the drive, across the loop road to the trail head.

She started by talking about  the  reindeer moss we’d noticed at the beginning of the trail on our previous hike.  Of course it isn’t a moss at all but a lichen.  How do things get misnamed like that?  Sort of like the red bellied woodpecker.  He doesn’t have a red belly.

Loved Jodee’s comment on my post our hike of this trail  when she said the moss was so delicate it looked like Cinderella caught the lace trim on her dress and left it behind.    So here’s today’s picture for you Jodee.  Light, fluffy and lovely.

 

As we move on down the trail,  David points out the Indian Pipe and I’m posting another picture of it because I just love it. It looks more like a mushroom or some other fungus than a true flower plant due to the lack of color.  But it has a stem and bract like scales in place of leaves and a single flower at the end of the stem.  No chlorophyl though, thus no green.  Instead of generating energy from sunlight it gathers its nourishment through its roots via a mutually beneficial relationship with a fungus in the soil  ,which is in turn in a symbiotic relationship with trees.  The bottom line is it can grow in dark totally shaded places because it ultimately gets its energy from photsynthetic trees.   And it’s ephemeral so its only around for a short time.  We’re lucky to have seen it twice though this may not be the exact same one since our previous hike was a week ago.

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Most interesting new thing to us was when we reached the rocks on the shore and she pointed out the evidence of the glaciers on the rocks.

 

 

 

These glacial striations show where the glaciers slowly moved across the rocks and created scratches or grooves in the bedrock.  The direction of the marks tells us the direction the glacier moved over the rocks we were standing on.

 

 

After hike #1, it’s back to the campground where we hook up with Ruby to take us to our next hikes which start at the same point.  She’s always so accomodating.

 

We head out of the park a few miles to Gouldsboro where there are two trails across from each other preserved by two different groups.  The first is another of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Trails.  It’s called the  Salt Marsh Trail where the mosquitoes were bothersome for the first time since we arrived in June.  It is a nice trail that took us to two views of the marsh which was at low tide.   The information says there are several pairs of bald eagles nesting nearby but we suspect that must be in trees nearer the water than those on the trail as we didn’t see any of them.

The Salt Marsh Trail is in red and goes from the small parking area to the edge of the marsh but high above it.  Our view was from a distance.  I suspect we might have seen some wading birds had the water been up just a bit since there were certianly areas of open water.

 

But first we hike through the forest to get there.

 

 

As you can see, we were a long distance from the marsh looking out through the trees at the salt marsh.  At first we thought it must have water in it but my zoom lens said differently.  The mudflats are completely empty though not “dry” thankfully.

 

 

 

Lovely things along the trail to the second overlook.

 

 

The second overlook is around on the left side of the marsh from the first one.  It’s pretty hard to overlook with the trees directly in front of the viewing platform.

 

Even attempting to move over to look between the trees didn’t help much.

 

Again, the zoom does a little better.  the area we were looking at first is visible to us but not in this picture.  It is to the right in the far back behind the trees.

 

We remember that this preserve is for the marsh and its critters, not for the people so I’m happy enough to have seen it and enjoyed the beauty big, small and from a distance.

The Salt Marsh is an out and back trail on NWR property.  We reach the shared parking lot to access the second trail head.  This is such a great example of environmental organizations working together for the benefit of all.

 

The second hike from the parking lot is in the Frances B Wood Preserve, which is part of the Frenchman’s Bay Conservancy whose trails we have also done before.  These 438 acres sit above the Maine Caostal Islands National Wildlife Refuge on the West Bay.  This preserve protects the upland area of a watershed that contains significant tidal estuaries and mudflats as we’ve just seen. We read that these uplands  contain small natural streams and bogs and offer relatively easy walks up the old woods roads.

Loved this cartoon on the information board.   Seriously, what must they think of us?

 

From the parking lot trailhead we go down a path through the woods.  The path dead ends into one of those old roads.

 

 

 

Along the way we interrupt a cute little diner and enjoy a painted lady.

 

 

As the trail dead ends into the road, we see the double blue hash on the tree and turn left onto the road.  And that’s where things get sketchy.

 

We come to a very large puddle in the road and wonder why there is no trail or boards along the edge for hikers.  It looks like we might be able to walk on the left edge without muddy feet but we have waterproof hiking boots on so we’ll manage.

 

 

You can see from the above picture with my hat brim in the lower right corner how far away we are from the “puddle”.  Not only does the puddle stop us in our tracks but  what we see there is unexpected.   It’s just a mud puddle for heaven’s sake. 

 

 

 

What can a solitary sandpiper find to eat here? (Thank you Sondra)  Well possibly acquatic beetles, spiders, worms, small clams, assuming any of those have moved into what seems to be a temporary pond.  Sure hope no one drives down here any more.

 

 

On we go and when we reach the next puddle with no signs of a hiking trail we are really starting to wonder but then. . . .

 

Look who’s here.   Four or five frogs have moved in.  Wonder what they’ll do in another month or so?  Maybe burrow into the mud here or if they are wise, move over into mud in the real wetlands.

 

 

 

After this second  pond in the road we begin to climb and I continue to have the feeling we are just in the wrong place despite the information saying there were easy walks up old wood roads.  I just don’t think this old wood road is a trail.

We decide to retrace our steps and go in search of a “real trail” more like the one we were on with the blue trail markers on the trees that led to the road.   So we go all the way back to where we got on the road and look in both directions.   About  75 yards from where we first got on the road was this very faint blue mark on the trees saying go back in to the left.  We’d gone half a mile out of our way and back because neither of us was apparently looking in this direction at the right time.  Do you see the blue hash on the tree?
Oh well, the hiking is good for us.

 

 

Once back on the official trail, we pass some perhaps new wetlands and thus all the dying trees?  Too acidic?  Disease?  Bugs??

 

We enter the woods and begin to climb.

 

It’s beginning to look like an MDI trail.

 

 

At the top, no views so we head back around the lolipop loop to the trail head.

 

On the way back David discovers something I’m sure glad we didn’t disturb.

 

 

At the farm,  he was  much more tolerant of wasps than I since I swell up like a basketball whenever I get stung and he just gets a little sting and sometimes his stings itch. 

 

 

One of the most interesting things on both trails but more prolific on this trail were these black mushrooms which at first I thought were just decaying mushrooms turning dark.  But they weren’t, they were just black mushrooms. And there were a lot of them.

 

 

Upon researching them I couldn’t find anything that looked like these unless somehow they are collapsed Black Trumpet Mushrooms but I don’t think so.  Any micologists out there?

 

None of the individual hikes was long but together with our very interesting off trail finds, they totalled  7.06 miles and 17,207 steps.

 

Wednesday August 30

It’s Wednesday and I take the bus to Winter Harbor to try Gerrish’s Naked Lobster Roll for lunch.  As lobster rolls go, I rate it high up there mostly because it was naked with butter rather than cold with mayo.  They could have tried a little harder with the “roll” I thought.  I’m always impressed when they bring me a pot of hot water rather than just a cup.

 

 

After lunch I return to the cute Winter Harbor Library, shown in an early post, for an author reading.

Allan Lockyer’s book is called Imagining Maine and he reads some very funny anticdoes about coming initially from New York City to Winter Harbor as a teenager and the adjustment.   This was in the 60’s – can’t imagine Winter Harbor in the 60’s although the population is listed as 756 people that year on its way to an all time high of 1157 in 1990.  It has been dropping ever since. 

In the 2010 census there were 516 people which is pretty close to the population of 571 in 1900.  The population has dropped by almost half since 2000.  Wonder what the 2020 census will show?   Allan Lockyer has returned to help increase the statistics even though this was not the place of his birth or where he spent most of his life which was in Georgia as a professor of Geology.  He only actually lived in Winter Harbor for about 5 years   Clearly from his reading this is the home of his heart. 

He had a very good turnout for this small room.  All the chairs were taken and some were brought in from other areas of the library.

 

I was sitting to the author’s left with my back against this great pillow.  Here is the chair before I sat down.  So comfy.  Love the pillow of Nancy Drew book titles.  Did anyone else read them as a child?  I recently reread The Secret of the Old Clock which was the first book of the series published in 1930.  I read the 80th Anniversary edition and just laughed over descriptions of Nancy such as these.  “Nancy, wearing a yellow sun back dress and jacket, hurried away to get her groves and jacket” or “Nancy hurried downstairs looking very attractive in a blue summer sweater suit”.  Ahhhh the good old days.   Guess that’s what Allen Lockyer was saying too and why he returned to Winter Harbor.

 

 

THURSDAY – September 1

Randy is back today to tackle the black tank by putting in the new valve and making sure that the seals are in the right place.  All fixed.  Thanks Randy.

 

While they are busy I take Ruby over to the Dorcas library in Prospect Harbor where I walk around outside on the shore behind the library.  Inside I spend some time looking out their beautiful windows at the view, perusing their interesting books and just enjoying the atmosphere.  I’ve made two visits here, one with David on our way back from the 2 hikes we took on Tuesday in Gouldsboro and today’s.   These pictures are a combination of all both visits.

Parking right outside the door.

 

Notice the hours.

 

There’s a very informative history board in front of the library, telling about Prospect Harbor through time.

 

 

The library sits on the harbor and  outside in the “back yard” there are picnic tables and a lovely spot to sit and enjoy the birds like this plover.  Low tide while I’m here today

 

 

 

Time to head inside.  Approaching the front door feels like walking up to and into a wonderful friend’s home.   Even windowboxes.

 

 

One of the first things I see inside is on the right just inside the door.   It’s a white board with a wonderful question and on the table a paper to write your answers.  Wish I’d taken a picture of those.  They must be making plans for what they will do during the winter when the library may well be a gathering place for the year round residents during the cold and snowy times.

The white board also has upcoming events including a writer’s group, a poets group and fabulously a civics discussion on the U.S. Constitution. Too bad Donald Trump can’t attend.  Sure wish I were still going to be here.

The circulation desk is just around the corner on the left.

 

Stepping inside and looking around, it appears the living room has been divided into sections of various types of books with sitting chairs near the fire places on each end.  

 

 

 

 

There are several doorways, with no doors, which lead into rooms that might have once been bedrooms.  One is clearly for children and their books.

 

The left side of the room has windows that also look out upon the water.   What a cozy spot for story time with a big rocker, little chairs and a beanbag chair as well.

 

 

Across from the circulation desk are the audio books and DVDs behind a game/puzzle table.

 

Another doorway across from the circulation desk leads into a room which I’ve found all three of the libraries I’ve visted have and I love it.   It’s called the Maine Room.  Books somehow connected with Maine, about Maine, set in Maine, by Maine Writers or by those who lived in Maine while writing the book are all housed here along with magazines, newspapers and nice reading chairs.

 

The back room runs the length of the house and I’d say it’s an add on with its lovely wall to wall windows.  On a wooden clothes drying rack just at the entrance hangs a quilt

 

After reading the information, I wonder if the Dorcas Library still has a quilting bee.   Have you ever been part of one?   I wonder if anywhere still has them.

Or if anything is still handquilted rather than done by machine.  I think I’ve mentioned that I come from a long line of female quilters who would probably insist that this lovely spread be called a comforter since it is pieced and hand tatted not pieced and hand quilted.  None the less it is just wonderful to see it here whatever you call it.   It would be a beautiful cover for any bed.

 

 

In what I’ll call the “new room” the walls are lined with bookcases and rows of bookcases fill the front and center of the room.  Notice that the ones not lining the walls are on wheels.  My guess is that they are pushed back against the walls to use this room for other purposes.  Like maybe a quilting bee???

 

I walk up and down the isles picking out books I’m going to look through sitting in one of the comfy chairs in the back.

Throughout the library, the librarians have set books up all along the top of all the book cases in every room to draw your attention to them.   And they do just that for me.  I have to be careful to only take a few.  The library closes in an hour.

 

In the back of the “new room” are chairs for reading and a table for working or using the library’s wifi as this man seems to be doing.   You can sort of see a book I left sitting in the soft chair in the distance of the picture when I got up to take this shot.

 

 

I spend the next hour happily reading and  wishing I could check some of these books out and take them with me for a spell.

 

The view outside is definitely enough to distract you if you let it.

 

Here are two nonfiction books I picked up off of their displays to look through.  
So many books, So little time.

 

I really love these little local libraries as I’m sure you’ve noticed since I’ve been multiple times to each of the 3 I’ve visited around Acadia. Regardless of the town’s population, Prospect Harbor has a population of 152 down from 204 in 2010, there seems always to be a library. They are often only open limited hours and days a week.  They are often staffed by volunteers. But very sadly I wonder for how long after reading a 2014 article in the Portland Press Herald.

These posts on the wonderful little libraries you can walk to in town are my love song to them.  May they find some way to be there forever for those of us who so enjoy them and for little children to come and explore the wonder of books and reading.

 

Friday – September 1

I have made it to September!  Can November be far behind??

The small craft advisory issued for today didn’t make much excitement at the point but it did make it windy and cold.   Of course since it was cold it makes no sense that we stopped at Birch Harbor’s ice cream parlor, Me & Ben’s,  on our way back to Winnona.

 

 

Heat? What heat?