July Has Arrived

With the arrival of the heat of mid July and the threat of a heat wave this week, I dream of the sea.

 I long to be here...

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

or here...

Belfast Bay, Maine

as well as many other shores, but for now I have to remain here, near no shore...

Roanoke County, Virginia

Could be worse...I could be here...

New York City, New York

You know I love New York City, but not in the summer.

Ciao Acadia!

Although I have many, I'll post just a couple more shots from Acadia...to really appreciate the rock formations I suggest clicking on the photos to enlarge.

Ciao Acadia! You were well worth the drive...

Acadia -- Sand Beach

Our disappointment at the lack of parking near Jordan Pond House was quickly forgotten once we arrived at Sand Beach.

It was a beach unlike any I've seen before, and I've seen many beaches.

I regret I did not dip my toes in the water. At the time it seemed too much trouble to remove my socks and sneakers. Foolish me.

There are showers, changing rooms and I believe lockers. If I lived in the area, this would be my beach.

In my fantasy, I'm alone on the shore with my lounge chair, water, camera, Kindle and note book. No cell phones, no computers, no people. Just me, listening to the sounds of the surf and the cry of a gull. This is my new goal. My husband doesn't know it yet...

Acadia National Park Continued...

Besides wearing comfortable shoes, bringing cold water, snacks, and your fully charged camera, the most important advice I can impart when visiting Acadia National Park is to arrive early in the day. You'll feel like you own the universe because once those tour buses start navigating up those slim roads, you'll resent having to share this paradise with "tourists." And when you can't get near the Pond House for lunch because there's no parking, you may be as disappointed as we were.

Luckily, Mother Nature has a way of making you forget those little annoyances that mean nothing...

For the next post, pack your bathing suit...

Awe at First Sight -- Acadia

Even though the $20 admission is good for a week, we planned to spend only one day at Acadia National Park. The ranger station at the entrance was very helpful, providing a map and recommending we drive the Park Loop and stop at various points. The route was a mere fraction of the park and geared to the average traveller. The more adventurous, able-bodied folks could explore the rest of it...I'd be fine with the Loop.

Our first destination was Cadillac Mountain. Up we drove.

Thinking I would see a steep drop, at first, I was afraid to look out the car window. When I realized I felt safer on this road than on my local Sugar Loaf Mountain Road, I relaxed.

Once we stopped, and I stepped out on the mountain, it was awe at first sight.

I actually teared up. Speechless.

I'll let my pictures do the talking. It's going to take a couple of days...

Maine's Smallest Lighthouse

Did you know that besides lobsters and moose, Maine is also noted for blueberries? We didn't, but after finding out we decided we would have blueberry pancakes at a small mom & pop restaurant on the way to Acadia National Par called Just Barb's. I had a short stack which was huge! They were the best blueberry pancakes I'd ever eaten.

As we pulled out of the parking lot we saw a small sign pointing to a lighthouse. We had yet to see one of Maine's infamous beacons so we thought we would check this one out before heading further north to the park.

We finally stumbled upon it in a national park, the name of which I cannot remember. It's probably Maine's smallest lighthouse.

It's no longer manned, but the huge warning bell still works.

There were modest homes built all along the shoreline and I could just imagine living in one of them and waking up every morning to a beautiful sunrise, or ending the day on a peaceful sunset.

Now how do I convince my husband?

Onto Acadia...