Rain, Rain, Go Away!
What’s the weather? If you’re wondering, we’ve probably endured the same weather you have if you’re reading this from the northeast. And I apologize for not writing sooner! It’s been a very busy summer despite the weather…
Let’s back up to mid-May: Long-time friend Malcolm Charles and his friend Dwight Violette were up for some spring fishing during the week of May 19th. Mike and Bob Daubec (Worcester and Paxton, MA) fished the 18th-22nd. We woke to frost on the 19th then clouds rolled in and the following days were partly sunny and windy. Wayne and Grant jacked up the lodge on the 22nd and got the deck level again and made a huge improvement to the front wall in the living/dining room. It still has its famous tilt but isn’t nearly as noticeable and now we can open the doors without taking them off the hinges! The Babine family joined us over the long Memorial weekend, arriving on the 23rd. I enjoyed seeing three generations of Babines here at the lodge: Dan (grandpa) and Mark (dad) enjoyed watching baby Eve explore on the grass under sunny skies. We got out the lawn chairs – our summer season is officially underway!
My grand daughter Acadia, daughter Miranda and soon-to-be son-in-law Tyler joined us for Memorial weekend too. Ernie and Paula Smith (Bucksport, ME) – friends form the “old days” when we all went to Greenville, bought Warden Jim Fahey’s camp in Portage. They surprised us with a visit and we welcomed them to the neighborhood! The 24th dawned sunny. Bronwyn Babine took a swim – our first swimmer of the season! Later Acadia and I took the ATV to town to ride with the club in the Memorial Day Parade. Just as the parade formation broke in front of the American Legion, the skies opened and it poured! We made a run for the lodge! Wayne was out fishing with Maurice Pollard and a friend. Tyler towed some stranded boaters across the lake when they sought refuge here at the lodge during the down pour and their motor was acting up. Later rain turned to quarter-size hail – Tyler waited it out across the lake at their camp and Wayne and his fishermen holed up on the porch of the cabin on Fish River. Meanwhile, up the hill across route 11 a tornado tore through town snapping trees like match sticks and toppling a tractor trailer rig and gravestones. It ripped a 2 ½ mile swath of destruction. Fortunately no one was injured. May ended with a few sunny days but the wind continued. The lodge’s most loyal client – the legendary Joe Decker from Jersey – arrived on the 26th. Joe was our first guest when we took over the lodge in 2005 and we celebrate each passing year with Joe’s return. He showed us how to put out the dock and fish the lake the first year we were here. Joe always catches fish and although the fishing had been slow, he managed to bring some in every day. Finally on the 28th temps reached 68 degrees after days of temps in the 40s and 50s. Brian Stevens (West Haven, CT) and Dave Hughes (Stratford, CT) settled in on the 30th for a week of fishing, followed by the John Buccos (Fonda, NY) party. He was joined by fishing buddies Eugene Rescott and Joey Cristo (West Sand Lake, NY), and Irv Sewell (Averill Park, NY). John entertained us with stories of Irv’s exploits over the years (builder of fine firearms, pianist, prize fighter, rodeo cowboy, and sportsman) and Gene’s skills as a race car mechanic. John himself is quite renowned and is the owner of the largest maple syrup producer in New York State! While it was an “on again/off again” week of fishing every one caught salmon and brook trout. Wayne took Joey over to Blake Lake the last night of their trip. They had a hard time catching their limit. After losing count after 28 brook trout in the 14-16” range, they each struggled to catch their one, 12” fish!
Brian Stevens wrote after their stay “This past week has been awesome and went by too fast. Wayne and Tenley were great hosts and the lodge and camp was comfortable and rustic, just what you want when going to northern Aroostook County, Maine. The home cooked meals were top notch and we’re looking forward to going back to get the “Big One”. Total fish caught: 45 salmon and 67 brook trout.” Not a bad week at all!
And did you see Wayne’s picture on the FRONT of the NORTH WOODS SPORTING JOURNAL? They used a photo we’d sent a year ago for the cover of the June issue!
JUNE: Our dog Alli had a visit with the vet on June 1st. She returned home after her morning run sneezing constantly and then her sneezes produced blood spray. While on her daily romp she had managed to shove a stick up her nasal passage! The vet removed it and she recovered quickly. We enjoyed our first camp fire of the season on the 4th. We woke to another frost on the 9th and a high of 58 degrees. Since the ice went we’ve had cool temps, high wind, overcast or rain almost daily. We’re hopeful June offers better weather. Harold Hutchins and friends were up to fish the 7th-14th. They had a slow week of fishing – I think Brian and Dave caught all the fish last week! Acadia celebrated her seventh birthday on the 10th. Mary Ellen Chasse’s Ashland Methodist Church group joined us for dinner on the 10th and on the 12th we hosted a dinner party for retiring school teach Dick Fortin (Fort Kent Community High School). He and 49 of his friends and colleagues joined us at the lodge for a dinner party that wore on well in to the evening, even as it rained. When the rain let up the party spilled out on to the deck and down to the fire pit. The last of the evening’s revelers left at 2:00 a.m.! A great time was had by all. The dinner was a success because Steve Daigle, Jesse Jandreau, Linda Englehardt, and Dave Kelso helped serve and clean up. Many hands make light work!
On the 13th I headed south to visit my grandpa. I had written in May to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. He has spent several weeks in the hospital and then was moved to Amenity Manor in Topsham, Maine. Since he can no longer live unassisted, I drove down to Brunswick to help mom and dad and Miranda clean out his apartment. It broke my heart cleaning out his apartment but I suppose it is a much easier task to complete while he is still with us. It was a very sad weekend, although the highlight was spending time with grandpa. He looked so frail at the nursing home seated in a wheel chair, wrapped in a blanket and drifting in and out of sleep but I enjoyed my time quietly sitting with him and telling him stories of what we’d been doing at the lodge. Tears fell like rain as I kissed him good bye. Mom called on the 16th, grandpa had passed away. It was the same day my brother-in-law Bill (Denver, CO) had surgery. He has been diagnosed with liver cancer. He now needs your thoughts and prayers, as does my sister Heidi and niece Sami. This has been a tough spring for our family and the miles that separate us makes it that much more difficult. But if you recall, last year my mother brattled breast cancer. Her treatments were tortuous but she is bouncing back with a new, full head of hair. She is a survivor! What keeps Wayne and I going is the arrival of our guests. We look forward to making new friends and enjoying the return of our seasoned guests that have become like family to us. They are our sunshine on even the grayest of days.
It was hazy, hot and humid on the 18th, the day the moose permit lottery was held in Fort Kent. Wayne and I went and recognized many of the names that were drawn although we were not among them. However we did appear on the front page of the Bangor Daily News the next day – a gentleman sitting in front of us was drawn and we appeared in the back ground of the photo! We’re looking forward to guiding Denis O’Connor (Greenville, ME). He will return to hunt moose again with us as one of the lucky permit winners. We spent the next couple of evenings folding, taping, and sticking address labels on our 525 moose brochures. We sent them to all zone 2 and 3 permit holders south of “the County” and all non-resident permit holders in zones 5 and 6. The Andy Payne party (Milford, NJ) spent the week of the 20th at Fish River Lodge. Jerry Whitcomb his wife and grandsons spent several days with us while he was up in our neck of the woods delivering bear bait. Earl and Gene Burgess returned to fish the 21st-25th. You’ll remember Earl and Gene – they hunted moose with Wayne last fall. Wayne’s cousin Tasha, husband Pete, and their baby daughter Kaylin joined us for a couple of days at the end of the month.
June passed much too quickly. It rained almost daily. Wayne and I continue working our second jobs. He’s cooking at the nursing home in town and I still work for Steve Daigle at Paper Signs Ink – the print shop in Fort Kent. My job is more “full time” than “part time” so between work away from the lodge and keeping up with running the lodge, most days it seems all we do is work and sleep! Every once in a while we can sneak off for an evening fish. We welcomed back John and Sue Chasse and their grand daughter Savanah on the 27th. John is famous for his “trash can turkey”. Dirck and Joanne Brandt (Mt. Desert Island, ME) snuck away from the “rat race” on the coast to enjoy a few days of peace and quiet here in the St. John Valley, arriving on the 30th. If you’re looking for a quiet “get away”, the slow pace of Aroostook County and calming effect of Eagle Lake is just what you need to re-charge your batteries!
JULY: Since the 4th fell on a Saturday it was a very busy day for us saying “so long” to some and welcoming others, which meant cleaning cabins! We got busy right away in the morning so we could have all the cabins ready for guests as they arrived…the Bragdons, Lou and Germaine Levesque and daughter Gloria, the Calverts, and Devoes. Wayne’s mom delivered Kaitlyn to spend the next two weeks at the lodge with us. John prepared his famous turkey on the beach, using an aluminum trash can as the “oven” (the trash can is used ONLY for baking turkey!) When it was done everyone gathered at the lodge for a pot luck supper, then a fire down at the beach, and fireworks! Unfortunately, after Wayne and John hauled their pyrotechnic show over to Duck Point and set up for their show, it started to rain, and rain, and rain. They tried to light them but many were too damp so we enjoyed half a fireworks display! The rest we fired off on Sunday the 5th. Throughout the week all the Calvert, Devoe, Chasse, and Bennett girls kept each other company, swimming tubing with John, paddling, giggling, and just plain having fun – girls being girls! Our dear friend Shawn Pelletier was home for two weeks and introduced us to his lovely girlfriend Jamie. They were both out from Washington State and home visiting family. We took the afternoon of the 11th off and drove in to Duboullie with Shawn and Jamie for an afternoon of fishing. We each caught several brook trout but the most exciting part of the trip was the drive home. We saw 6 bull moose, a cow and calf, a bear and a fox!
Lou Levesque joins us often in the evening to watch the Red Sox or catch up on the news. Gloria enjoys relaxing with her knitting and we sometimes find her rocking and knitting in the lodge. The weeks after the 4th of July holiday are generally slow since most people have already vacationed. It’s a great time to plan a vacation at Fish River Lodge because there are fewer guests here and you’ll nearly have the place to yourself!
On the 13th Lindy Howe, Kevin Quist, Larry and Irene Murphy, and Dave Bell joined me for a meeting to begin planning for our “Snow Dog Adventures” dog sledding school we will host this winter. We will offer 3, 5, and 7 day dog sledding schools January – March. We’re all very excited about this new venture and look forward to sharing our enthusiasm for dog sledding with others. Wayne and I drove down state to attend grandpa’s memorial service on July 15th. He is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Dresden, along side his wife Avis. While it was a melancholy day honoring my grandfather, it was also a day to spend time with family and friends we’ve not seen in a long time, some for many years. We found comfort in the tie that bound us together, my grandpa.
In my personal journal I find many entries that read simply: “Rain, work.” July weather has been no better than June. As we now say…”If you’re going to mold, you might as well come up and mold with us in paradise!” The locals are also saying “it will stop raining when it starts snowing”. We fear the truth in that!
Finally, we had a full day and two half days of sun on the 19th-21st but then more rain and overcast skies. So far the highlight of my summer has been a visit from my dear friend Mary Heald (Litchfield, ME). She, Dan and Dan’s son Ian drove up hauling a horse trailer to spend a few days with us. She was kind enough to bring her horses Rea and Quincy so we could ride. Only those who knew me before Fish River Lodge know how much I LOVE horses and riding. I had my own horses for nearly 20 years and sold them only because we moved to Eagle Lake. So you can imagine how much I’ve missed my horse and “horsey friends” from down state. I looked forward to Mary’s visit for three weeks! Finally the day arrived. My heart was full of joy seeing Mary, catching up and just spending time together, watching the horses graze as we talked, and riding! The weather didn’t really cooperate. We worked very hard at the print shop on Friday, the 24th so I could get home early and ride with Mary. The day started out sunny. By the time I got out of work it began raining! So we enjoyed drinks with the horses and were sheltered from the rain under the awning on Mary’s trailer. We did get to ride the night before and after waiting all morning Saturday for the rain to stop, we finally headed out in the drizzle, then got rained on but we had a very enjoyable ride just the same. I’m hoping next summer I can lease a horse for a few months. I’d forgotten what good “therapy” they are for me. Miranda celebrated a birthday on the 18th and mom’s birthday was the 24th.
The Stevensons spent a few days with us. Dorothy Procks (New Britain, CT) and her family were here the 23rd-25th – they enjoyed playing fetch in the lake with Gracie and ATV rides. Although Wayne assured them the ATV was “fine” one afternoon even when the “low battery” light was on. They called from Old Mill Marina – the ATV was broke down. We all had a good laugh when Wayne returned, towing them home.
The last wee of the month was like “old home week”. Mike and Sharon Bolduc (Fairfield, ME) and her sister Deb and husband Tom Endyke (Litchfield, NH) we up “molding” with us. Actually, the week of July 27th was the best week of the summer yet. While many days began or ended with rain most were dry and we even saw some sun. Melissa and David Smey, their Westie “Sophie” (Brooklyn, NY) and aunt and uncle Randy and Deb Murasso (Andover, CT) and cousin Megan and her husband Scott spent the same week here. Melissa was surprised one day while out for a walk when they saw a small bear scoot across the road! Sophie will soon participate in her first agility competition. She and Melissa practiced the “weave poles” beside the lake in preparation.
July has come and gone and summer slips away. Today is dad’s birthday – happy birthday dad! We spent this past weekend getting ready for this week’s guests: Edgar Satterfield and his fishing buddy (Poland, ME), Johnston family (Ellicott, MD), Crosby family (Sharon, MA) and Dubreuil family (Clinton, CT). The day started with sun, then clouds and it is raining now. I took the Johnston family paddling this morning. Mom and Noah (10 y.o.) in the green canoe; dad, Hope (11 y.o.) and Ivan (4 y.o.) in the red canoe, and I in the kayak paddled up the Fish River. I had to send Alli home after making a stop at Duck Point. She was swimming along with us! We saw an eagle high overhead and looked for turtles on logs. We didn’t find any turtles. The water is very high. Three times this month Wayne had to pull the dock to higher ground as the lake level rose. Maybe, just MAYBE, the weather will improve in August. Otherwise, the locals may be right…”it will stop raining when it starts snowing!” C’mon up and mold with us!
Let’s back up to mid-May: Long-time friend Malcolm Charles and his friend Dwight Violette were up for some spring fishing during the week of May 19th. Mike and Bob Daubec (Worcester and Paxton, MA) fished the 18th-22nd. We woke to frost on the 19th then clouds rolled in and the following days were partly sunny and windy. Wayne and Grant jacked up the lodge on the 22nd and got the deck level again and made a huge improvement to the front wall in the living/dining room. It still has its famous tilt but isn’t nearly as noticeable and now we can open the doors without taking them off the hinges! The Babine family joined us over the long Memorial weekend, arriving on the 23rd. I enjoyed seeing three generations of Babines here at the lodge: Dan (grandpa) and Mark (dad) enjoyed watching baby Eve explore on the grass under sunny skies. We got out the lawn chairs – our summer season is officially underway!
My grand daughter Acadia, daughter Miranda and soon-to-be son-in-law Tyler joined us for Memorial weekend too. Ernie and Paula Smith (Bucksport, ME) – friends form the “old days” when we all went to Greenville, bought Warden Jim Fahey’s camp in Portage. They surprised us with a visit and we welcomed them to the neighborhood! The 24th dawned sunny. Bronwyn Babine took a swim – our first swimmer of the season! Later Acadia and I took the ATV to town to ride with the club in the Memorial Day Parade. Just as the parade formation broke in front of the American Legion, the skies opened and it poured! We made a run for the lodge! Wayne was out fishing with Maurice Pollard and a friend. Tyler towed some stranded boaters across the lake when they sought refuge here at the lodge during the down pour and their motor was acting up. Later rain turned to quarter-size hail – Tyler waited it out across the lake at their camp and Wayne and his fishermen holed up on the porch of the cabin on Fish River. Meanwhile, up the hill across route 11 a tornado tore through town snapping trees like match sticks and toppling a tractor trailer rig and gravestones. It ripped a 2 ½ mile swath of destruction. Fortunately no one was injured. May ended with a few sunny days but the wind continued. The lodge’s most loyal client – the legendary Joe Decker from Jersey – arrived on the 26th. Joe was our first guest when we took over the lodge in 2005 and we celebrate each passing year with Joe’s return. He showed us how to put out the dock and fish the lake the first year we were here. Joe always catches fish and although the fishing had been slow, he managed to bring some in every day. Finally on the 28th temps reached 68 degrees after days of temps in the 40s and 50s. Brian Stevens (West Haven, CT) and Dave Hughes (Stratford, CT) settled in on the 30th for a week of fishing, followed by the John Buccos (Fonda, NY) party. He was joined by fishing buddies Eugene Rescott and Joey Cristo (West Sand Lake, NY), and Irv Sewell (Averill Park, NY). John entertained us with stories of Irv’s exploits over the years (builder of fine firearms, pianist, prize fighter, rodeo cowboy, and sportsman) and Gene’s skills as a race car mechanic. John himself is quite renowned and is the owner of the largest maple syrup producer in New York State! While it was an “on again/off again” week of fishing every one caught salmon and brook trout. Wayne took Joey over to Blake Lake the last night of their trip. They had a hard time catching their limit. After losing count after 28 brook trout in the 14-16” range, they each struggled to catch their one, 12” fish!
Brian Stevens wrote after their stay “This past week has been awesome and went by too fast. Wayne and Tenley were great hosts and the lodge and camp was comfortable and rustic, just what you want when going to northern Aroostook County, Maine. The home cooked meals were top notch and we’re looking forward to going back to get the “Big One”. Total fish caught: 45 salmon and 67 brook trout.” Not a bad week at all!
And did you see Wayne’s picture on the FRONT of the NORTH WOODS SPORTING JOURNAL? They used a photo we’d sent a year ago for the cover of the June issue!
JUNE: Our dog Alli had a visit with the vet on June 1st. She returned home after her morning run sneezing constantly and then her sneezes produced blood spray. While on her daily romp she had managed to shove a stick up her nasal passage! The vet removed it and she recovered quickly. We enjoyed our first camp fire of the season on the 4th. We woke to another frost on the 9th and a high of 58 degrees. Since the ice went we’ve had cool temps, high wind, overcast or rain almost daily. We’re hopeful June offers better weather. Harold Hutchins and friends were up to fish the 7th-14th. They had a slow week of fishing – I think Brian and Dave caught all the fish last week! Acadia celebrated her seventh birthday on the 10th. Mary Ellen Chasse’s Ashland Methodist Church group joined us for dinner on the 10th and on the 12th we hosted a dinner party for retiring school teach Dick Fortin (Fort Kent Community High School). He and 49 of his friends and colleagues joined us at the lodge for a dinner party that wore on well in to the evening, even as it rained. When the rain let up the party spilled out on to the deck and down to the fire pit. The last of the evening’s revelers left at 2:00 a.m.! A great time was had by all. The dinner was a success because Steve Daigle, Jesse Jandreau, Linda Englehardt, and Dave Kelso helped serve and clean up. Many hands make light work!
On the 13th I headed south to visit my grandpa. I had written in May to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. He has spent several weeks in the hospital and then was moved to Amenity Manor in Topsham, Maine. Since he can no longer live unassisted, I drove down to Brunswick to help mom and dad and Miranda clean out his apartment. It broke my heart cleaning out his apartment but I suppose it is a much easier task to complete while he is still with us. It was a very sad weekend, although the highlight was spending time with grandpa. He looked so frail at the nursing home seated in a wheel chair, wrapped in a blanket and drifting in and out of sleep but I enjoyed my time quietly sitting with him and telling him stories of what we’d been doing at the lodge. Tears fell like rain as I kissed him good bye. Mom called on the 16th, grandpa had passed away. It was the same day my brother-in-law Bill (Denver, CO) had surgery. He has been diagnosed with liver cancer. He now needs your thoughts and prayers, as does my sister Heidi and niece Sami. This has been a tough spring for our family and the miles that separate us makes it that much more difficult. But if you recall, last year my mother brattled breast cancer. Her treatments were tortuous but she is bouncing back with a new, full head of hair. She is a survivor! What keeps Wayne and I going is the arrival of our guests. We look forward to making new friends and enjoying the return of our seasoned guests that have become like family to us. They are our sunshine on even the grayest of days.
It was hazy, hot and humid on the 18th, the day the moose permit lottery was held in Fort Kent. Wayne and I went and recognized many of the names that were drawn although we were not among them. However we did appear on the front page of the Bangor Daily News the next day – a gentleman sitting in front of us was drawn and we appeared in the back ground of the photo! We’re looking forward to guiding Denis O’Connor (Greenville, ME). He will return to hunt moose again with us as one of the lucky permit winners. We spent the next couple of evenings folding, taping, and sticking address labels on our 525 moose brochures. We sent them to all zone 2 and 3 permit holders south of “the County” and all non-resident permit holders in zones 5 and 6. The Andy Payne party (Milford, NJ) spent the week of the 20th at Fish River Lodge. Jerry Whitcomb his wife and grandsons spent several days with us while he was up in our neck of the woods delivering bear bait. Earl and Gene Burgess returned to fish the 21st-25th. You’ll remember Earl and Gene – they hunted moose with Wayne last fall. Wayne’s cousin Tasha, husband Pete, and their baby daughter Kaylin joined us for a couple of days at the end of the month.
June passed much too quickly. It rained almost daily. Wayne and I continue working our second jobs. He’s cooking at the nursing home in town and I still work for Steve Daigle at Paper Signs Ink – the print shop in Fort Kent. My job is more “full time” than “part time” so between work away from the lodge and keeping up with running the lodge, most days it seems all we do is work and sleep! Every once in a while we can sneak off for an evening fish. We welcomed back John and Sue Chasse and their grand daughter Savanah on the 27th. John is famous for his “trash can turkey”. Dirck and Joanne Brandt (Mt. Desert Island, ME) snuck away from the “rat race” on the coast to enjoy a few days of peace and quiet here in the St. John Valley, arriving on the 30th. If you’re looking for a quiet “get away”, the slow pace of Aroostook County and calming effect of Eagle Lake is just what you need to re-charge your batteries!
JULY: Since the 4th fell on a Saturday it was a very busy day for us saying “so long” to some and welcoming others, which meant cleaning cabins! We got busy right away in the morning so we could have all the cabins ready for guests as they arrived…the Bragdons, Lou and Germaine Levesque and daughter Gloria, the Calverts, and Devoes. Wayne’s mom delivered Kaitlyn to spend the next two weeks at the lodge with us. John prepared his famous turkey on the beach, using an aluminum trash can as the “oven” (the trash can is used ONLY for baking turkey!) When it was done everyone gathered at the lodge for a pot luck supper, then a fire down at the beach, and fireworks! Unfortunately, after Wayne and John hauled their pyrotechnic show over to Duck Point and set up for their show, it started to rain, and rain, and rain. They tried to light them but many were too damp so we enjoyed half a fireworks display! The rest we fired off on Sunday the 5th. Throughout the week all the Calvert, Devoe, Chasse, and Bennett girls kept each other company, swimming tubing with John, paddling, giggling, and just plain having fun – girls being girls! Our dear friend Shawn Pelletier was home for two weeks and introduced us to his lovely girlfriend Jamie. They were both out from Washington State and home visiting family. We took the afternoon of the 11th off and drove in to Duboullie with Shawn and Jamie for an afternoon of fishing. We each caught several brook trout but the most exciting part of the trip was the drive home. We saw 6 bull moose, a cow and calf, a bear and a fox!
Lou Levesque joins us often in the evening to watch the Red Sox or catch up on the news. Gloria enjoys relaxing with her knitting and we sometimes find her rocking and knitting in the lodge. The weeks after the 4th of July holiday are generally slow since most people have already vacationed. It’s a great time to plan a vacation at Fish River Lodge because there are fewer guests here and you’ll nearly have the place to yourself!
On the 13th Lindy Howe, Kevin Quist, Larry and Irene Murphy, and Dave Bell joined me for a meeting to begin planning for our “Snow Dog Adventures” dog sledding school we will host this winter. We will offer 3, 5, and 7 day dog sledding schools January – March. We’re all very excited about this new venture and look forward to sharing our enthusiasm for dog sledding with others. Wayne and I drove down state to attend grandpa’s memorial service on July 15th. He is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Dresden, along side his wife Avis. While it was a melancholy day honoring my grandfather, it was also a day to spend time with family and friends we’ve not seen in a long time, some for many years. We found comfort in the tie that bound us together, my grandpa.
In my personal journal I find many entries that read simply: “Rain, work.” July weather has been no better than June. As we now say…”If you’re going to mold, you might as well come up and mold with us in paradise!” The locals are also saying “it will stop raining when it starts snowing”. We fear the truth in that!
Finally, we had a full day and two half days of sun on the 19th-21st but then more rain and overcast skies. So far the highlight of my summer has been a visit from my dear friend Mary Heald (Litchfield, ME). She, Dan and Dan’s son Ian drove up hauling a horse trailer to spend a few days with us. She was kind enough to bring her horses Rea and Quincy so we could ride. Only those who knew me before Fish River Lodge know how much I LOVE horses and riding. I had my own horses for nearly 20 years and sold them only because we moved to Eagle Lake. So you can imagine how much I’ve missed my horse and “horsey friends” from down state. I looked forward to Mary’s visit for three weeks! Finally the day arrived. My heart was full of joy seeing Mary, catching up and just spending time together, watching the horses graze as we talked, and riding! The weather didn’t really cooperate. We worked very hard at the print shop on Friday, the 24th so I could get home early and ride with Mary. The day started out sunny. By the time I got out of work it began raining! So we enjoyed drinks with the horses and were sheltered from the rain under the awning on Mary’s trailer. We did get to ride the night before and after waiting all morning Saturday for the rain to stop, we finally headed out in the drizzle, then got rained on but we had a very enjoyable ride just the same. I’m hoping next summer I can lease a horse for a few months. I’d forgotten what good “therapy” they are for me. Miranda celebrated a birthday on the 18th and mom’s birthday was the 24th.
The Stevensons spent a few days with us. Dorothy Procks (New Britain, CT) and her family were here the 23rd-25th – they enjoyed playing fetch in the lake with Gracie and ATV rides. Although Wayne assured them the ATV was “fine” one afternoon even when the “low battery” light was on. They called from Old Mill Marina – the ATV was broke down. We all had a good laugh when Wayne returned, towing them home.
The last wee of the month was like “old home week”. Mike and Sharon Bolduc (Fairfield, ME) and her sister Deb and husband Tom Endyke (Litchfield, NH) we up “molding” with us. Actually, the week of July 27th was the best week of the summer yet. While many days began or ended with rain most were dry and we even saw some sun. Melissa and David Smey, their Westie “Sophie” (Brooklyn, NY) and aunt and uncle Randy and Deb Murasso (Andover, CT) and cousin Megan and her husband Scott spent the same week here. Melissa was surprised one day while out for a walk when they saw a small bear scoot across the road! Sophie will soon participate in her first agility competition. She and Melissa practiced the “weave poles” beside the lake in preparation.
July has come and gone and summer slips away. Today is dad’s birthday – happy birthday dad! We spent this past weekend getting ready for this week’s guests: Edgar Satterfield and his fishing buddy (Poland, ME), Johnston family (Ellicott, MD), Crosby family (Sharon, MA) and Dubreuil family (Clinton, CT). The day started with sun, then clouds and it is raining now. I took the Johnston family paddling this morning. Mom and Noah (10 y.o.) in the green canoe; dad, Hope (11 y.o.) and Ivan (4 y.o.) in the red canoe, and I in the kayak paddled up the Fish River. I had to send Alli home after making a stop at Duck Point. She was swimming along with us! We saw an eagle high overhead and looked for turtles on logs. We didn’t find any turtles. The water is very high. Three times this month Wayne had to pull the dock to higher ground as the lake level rose. Maybe, just MAYBE, the weather will improve in August. Otherwise, the locals may be right…”it will stop raining when it starts snowing!” C’mon up and mold with us!
Labels: Mid-May through July 2009
posted by Unknown | 9:36 PM
|
0 Comments
