From One Island to Another . . .

Finally home after a lazy few weeks of reading and resting on the coast of Maine. A summary of the 'highlights' would be the abundant vegetable and herb garden that I attacked like a bunny during a carrot famine, the shockingly rude outbursts of our host that elicited more laughs than indignation, collecting perfectly smooth edged gray pebbles on the beach (it's the simple pleasures), driving along a windy road one night only to turn a corner and see the full moon and her shimmering silver veil across the watery bay, and last but not least, meeting a man at a drinks party one night who after his 44th glass of wine, leaned on my shoulder and languidly confessed to having a daily habit that made my eyes bug out on stalks like a cartoon character.

So here I am back home gearing up for Monday. You would think after two weeks of simple pottering about an island that has one restaurant and no bars that I would be feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed. But no. I feel exhausted and blank. And this week is a biggie for me - we are launching my very small line of products in to the US retail market after several months of preparation. This is definitely not an expedition for the faint of heart, especially for small cottage businesses like myself. One feels rather like David going up against Golliath and the Philistines.  Hope to God I can crank my brain back into action for tomorrow; maybe it rolled out to sea whilst picking pebbles on the beach. Ugh. Someone fetch me a sling.

Hope everyone has a great week! What has been the highlight of your summer holiday?

Another day in Maine...

Another lovely day in Dark Harbor! Had a long walk through the woods this morning only to return home and be warned about pestiferous ticks and the danger of Lymes Disease - yikes! I had a good long scrub in a hot shower and a remedial cup of tea before heading out for a swim. One can't imagine the danger in that except for perhaps the short sharp shock of chilly Maine waters, right? Wrong! There I was splashing about off the beach, all smiles and frolicks until a local man swam up for a chat and casually mentioned that there had been a Great White shark siting only last week in a nearby cove. What? Really! Eeeeeek! Feeling a little disappointed with my second jaunt of the day being tarnished with warnings, I decided to head home and relish in one my favourite activities - lunch!


  There is not an awful lot to do on this little island and frankly that is exactly the sort of trip I need right now. Time to reflect, be mindful and enjoy the very simple pleasures in life such a walk to the post office to mail a hand written letter to an old friend. There is a lush vegetable garden outside of the house buzzing with enormous bumble bees and butterflies. Absolute heaven! It's become a daily routine to walk across the lawn with my basket and to literally pick my lunch - fresh sage, basil and arugula and an armful of rhododendrons to adorn the cottage. This is the life I aspire towards!

Today's lunch was a bowl of home-made cheese torellini with several handfuls of fresh garden leaves tossed in the mix with fresh garlic and pine nuts - yum! I have been meaning to go on a bike ride for a couple of days now. Having found a quiet path  through the woods that leads to a hidden cove on the sea,  I headed out after lunch with a good book tucked in my bag and intentions of a leisurely read on the beach. Ha! Ten minutes down the road I managed to hit a bump and was catapulted off my bike onto a pile of rubble -  grazed my knee, suffered scraped bloody elbows and a sprained ankle. :-(

Limp limp limp all the way home. So here I now sit, on the sofa, foot up on a cushion and glass of remedial red wine in hand. Not sure what tomorrow will bring but one thing is for sure, I predict another delicious garden salad on tomorrow's menu. Surely a trip to the vegetable patch won't prove hazardous. Or will it....?! Watch this space! :0)