Now I mentioned previously the two most exciting aspects of coming to Maine - picking blueberries and going moose hunting with the off chance of spotting an elusive moose. There are actually a couple more that rank high on the list. The kids were obsessed, for example, with the idea that they were going to get to spend each night sleeping in Mimi and Grampy's attic. While this was technically true enough, it is not nearly so Jane Eyreish as it may at first sound. When they bought the place Mimi and Grampy converted one of several attics of their 100+ year old Victorian into a fully insulated, walled, carpeted, windowed, even air conditioned bedroom. It is on the same level as all the other bedrooms and has no expose rafters or resident bats. The only thing that hints at its attic past is that the roof gables down two sides, one side of which has a standard dormer window built in, the other some pretty cool skylights. Great for star gazing. We tried not to spoil the romance of it all, and now a couple weeks after the fact, L and N still refer dreamily to their time spent sequestered in the attic.
The other big Maine drawing point is our inevitable visit to Mr. and Mrs. Kinney's pig farm. Sure, the smell is... pungent, but it's a site these city kids can't resist. And I have to admit, I find it fascinating too. The downside is, for the rest of the day, even if you shower and burn your clothes, there really is no doubt in the mind of anyone you meet who you've been hanging out with.
 |
| Eventually even L can't take it any more. |
 |
| Child of the Corn. |
Another cool aspect of the Kinney farm is that, once you are done with your porcine pursuits, there is a way-cool garden to explore, an enormous raspberry patch, a railway boxcar doubling as a feed storehouse (and kitten nursery!), and some dogs so happily insistent on cuddling that you can't deny them a scratch or two.
 |
| You have to work for the good berries. |
 |
| Off to explore the garden |
 |
| N scores a ride on Mr. Kinney's mini-tractor. |
 |
Happiest dog in the world meets
the happiest boy in the world. |
No comments:
Post a Comment