Days of Brine and Roses

Between the stones that guard the highway pullouts and along the Shore Path in Bar Harbor, beside the beaches nearly everywhere, in hedges at Campobello and along any path leading seaward are Roses, mostly red, but sometimes white, always fragrant, a sweet mellow undertone to the crisp bright scent of the tides.

This is our first trip to Down East Maine in Spring and it is paying dividends in Roses, and LUPINES!

We've assembled the usual suspects -- our beautiful daughter Joanie, husband Tim, gray-muzzled Lab Chance and, of course, nine year old mountain climber Anthony. Add in sixteen year old Cassie from the Alabama branch and let the giggling begin.

The Grands stayed at Seawall Campground near Southwest Harbor while the Gang of Four plus pooch luxuriated in a cottage in Bar Harbor.  Each day there was a  hike, a favorite like Hunter's Beach to show Cassie...


 

or a new, more challenging, one to show up the septuagenarians.

  In between there was random rock climbing,  purposeful rock balancing and incessant rock throwing. 

 Lobster was  always under consideration, but  more often pizza on the run or fabulous vegetarian dishes by Joanie. Each meal at the cottage was followed by a stroll along the Shore Path to watch the sunset.

Some might say there was excessive high jinx...

But we were warmed by the bonding of the cousins each discovering what it's like to have a little brother or a big sister...

In Maine and especially near Acadia NP every turn exposes a picture  postcard scene. 

Shutters were buzzing most of the time and, yes, there were an inordinate number of selfies transmitted back to Peeps in Montgomery.  (Some of these images are from Cassie's portfolio EXCEPT the one of the chick photographer getting stranded by the incoming tide). 

The contest came down to finding a picture that captured all of the elements of "Stop! I see a picture."   That would be  1. A field of Lupines in bloom, 2. Boats in a harbor and 3. Lobster Traps.

But bragging rights aside, this is the one I'll remember...