From Freeport to Skowhegan

We're staying at a wonderfully old-fashioned motel where lots of hikers stay . These boots have just hiked 17 miles of the Appalachian Trail and are going out again tomorrow.Doesn't that sound like fun ? Before I die I would like to hike at least a part of the Appalachian Trial - anyone want to join me ?

The countryside is filled with blooming wildflowers, mainly Queen Anne's Lace and Black-eyed Susans .



But it's not all summer fun and flowers.Logging seems to be the main source of income and lots of these trucks are zooming up and down the road ; sometimes they have two or three more trailers filled with logs hitched to them.

And since we are in Maine, there are lots and lots of dignified old houses to see.By the time we got to Skowhegan, it was early evening and most people were at home and outside, enjoying the warm weather which is somewhat unusual for Maine. This made it impossible to take pictures - " Pardon me, madam, may I take a picture of you natives at play ? " I think not.

However, I couldn't resist stopping to take this picture of a cool chicken tractor. When I asked permission to do so, the cheerful owner of the lovely old house and chicken tractor turned out to be an organizer of the Bread Baking Conference we came to attend. Not only was she extremely friendly and pleasant, she also had a terrific garden - I felt I wanted to know her better and maybe become friends.Maine is so cool.

The gardens are really stunning here. This perennial border is planted next to a charming old brick house on the banks of the the river, which we discovered as the sun was setting. It was built in 1839 by a blacksmith for his family of 10 children - mighty tight quarters for such a big family. It's a museum now and we would really like to come back and see it in the daytime when the house is open.

The river is the Kennebec, of course,very tranquil and serene here in the early evening light.