Father's Day Weekend in Maine

We headed to Maine to spend Father's Day Weekend with my Dad. It was GREAT. Chris suggested that when I post the photos I ask James to narrate. His comments are in italics.

Grandpa and Jamesy picking strawberries!



We picked 11 strawberries.


I am holding a really big strawberry! I ate it and vanilla ice ream.


Here are honking geese that are eating bushes!


That's Jamesy with flowers and holding a nectarine. (I don't see a nectarine in this picture, but O.K.!)


Some flowers from around the house:




Strawberries! (As you can see, there are more than 11 here.) We ate them over Gifford's vanilla ice cream. James even had seconds!


Playing baseball and then going to the tractors. (Don't you love the goose in the background, getting right in on the game?)


More flowers. I think Dad said the Daisies are Buckeyes? I'll have to check.


Here is Dad on Saturday evening before we headed to the hotel, bringing Gaby the Goose right into the car to say goodbye to James! (Is that a riot, or what!! I LOVE MY DAD.)



Daddy and Baby Sister! I really love this photo--there was a very, very light misty rain coming down and the little droplets were collecting in Ella's eyelashes. She was blinking ever so sweetly.


Jamesy riding a tractor! The tractor was out of the barn getting worked on. It seemed much larger than before!


You feed a horse with your hand out. Dad was showing James how to hold his hand out flat. That will be a lesson that could stand some repeating!


Jamesy riding on Flash like a cowboy! Yes, here he is riding alone. My heart was in my throat, but Flash is a very good and patient boy. Dad showed James how to hold on to Flash's mane and he did great!



Aw it's Grandpa and Mommy.


Flash! Isn't he gorgeous? Sonny Boy is getting older, and was a little camera shy.



Baby Sister and Daddy! Chris was asking her if there was butter on her chin. LOVE THAT!


I am riding in Grandpa's car like a big boy! Mmmmm . . . yup. Its a tradition when we go see the horses--they are a little ways down the road and since it was raining we drove.


I hope everyone had a great weekend!

A Weekend in Brunswick, Part I

We headed up to Maine on Saturday and enjoyed a quiet and sunny weekend with my Dad and sister. Our plans were to hit Danny's on the town green for hotdogs, Cote's a little further up Maine Street (yes, it is spelled M-A-I-N-E) for ice cream and then spend the rest of the day with Dad at the house.

James and I people watching.

I just love spending a few hours on the town green in Brunswick. It brings back all sorts of great childhood memories--and I am happy to be able to make new memories with my own kids.

Ella enjoying the sunshine.

The town green is like many quintessential New England town greens--it extends nearly all the way down Maine Street and has a large pavilion on one end where bands play during the summer. In the winter the town floods part of it for ice skating.


One of the elegant old homes that line the green.

Brunswick's town green is always teeming with a mix of families with young children playing ball, older residents of the town enjoying ice cream on a bench, Bowdoin college kids out for an afternoon free from their studies, and tourists who will stand in line for a half an hour for a famous Danny's chili and cheese dog. This weekend, I was proud to count myself as a local who would stand in line just as long to support my local hotdog vendor!

A fun old car that cruised down for a day on the green.

My sister, Amy and I.

The famous "Maine Street" sign.

Danny's red and white trailer has been a fixture on the green for as long as I can remember. He only serves steamed hot dogs and cheeseburgers hot off the grill, and chips and soda--but that is IT. And let me tell you, there is only one place that rivals a Danny's hotdog in my opinion, and that is the White Hut in West Springfield, MA. (But--those are grilled, so it is a totally different hot dog experience!)

Pure hotdog heaven.

Over the years other trailers pop up on the mall, this year there was one selling fresh squeezed lemonade, and another selling tacos. They never had more than a couple of tourists at them. We overheard a couple ask the guy managing the lemonade / hotdog stand why there were upwards of 40 people patiently standing in line a few feet away at the Danny's trailer, and he said, "A 25 year habit is tough to break, I guess.) HE'S RIGHT!

We spotted a Maine Black Bear on Maine Street!

Anyhow, we got our dogs, scoped out a bench and had a great time people watching. There were tons of dogs--big ones, like the Newfoundland pictured above, small ones, you name it--playing frisbee, lounging in the sun, hoping for a bite of a Danny's dog.


The crazy line for ice cream at Cote's.

Next we headed up the street to Cote's ice cream. They make their own (I can't imagine in the 12" x 12" shack that they sell it out of) and it is awesome. Ever had Grapenut ice cream? Gifford's and Shady Glen are the only other places I've seen it--but I like Cote's the best. Chris had some kind of ice cream with WHOLE Reeses PB cups in it. Amy got the mint choc chip, and James had some soft serve vanilla. Oh yeah, and we did it all over again on Sunday!!!!!

Chris and I soaking it all in.

What a fantastic day. I love my hometown. I'll post Part II of this entry next!