We had a great time in Maine, but now it’s time to get back on the treadmill (literally and figuratively). Some highlights of our trip:
Lots of lobster rolls – I think I had three. The first I ate on the Plymouth waterfront – here’s the view from our table.
History in Plymouth. Since I’m considering a book on Mary Allerton
Cushman, who came on the Mayflower and died at the ripe old age of 82, I needed to scout out sources of information. There is no original source material, so I met with the Associate Director of Plimoth Plantation on site and got a list of books (some of which I bought there) and then visited the History Room of the Plymouth Public Library. Great resource room plus I found my high school year book!
We also climbed Burial Hill at the top of Leyden Street in Plymouth, where the
original Pilgrims are buried. Nothing remains of their wooden headstones, of course, but we did find the monument to the Cushman Family, including Mary.
Spent a morning with my copy editor, Mary Boutin, who is also a high school classmate. We painted something in her back yard that will be on the cover of my fourth book. Not telling.
Had a reading at the Kingston Public Library and sold out all the books I had shipped ahead for the event.
Lots of lobster! We had rented a carriage house in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, and there was a restaurant just down the street where you could order cooked lobster for pick up. Had that twice with fresh picked sweet corn. What a feast!
Took a late afternoon “Puffin Cruise” out to Eastern Egg Island. We learned a lot about seabirds, but you don’t get to see them up close and personal 
because the whole island is restricted as a nesting site for several different species. The noise is deafening! You can read about puffins in my A-Z Challenge this year. They are delightful little birds, and this island is the furthest point south that they nest. I really didn’t care if I couldn’t get close – being out on the water at sunset on a beautiful day was enough!
Visited the Kennebec Arsenal on the one rainy day we had – after it was built as an arsenal following the War of 1812 (there was a need to beef up our coastal defenses), it was used as the Maine State Mental Hospital for many years. I wrote about the Arsenal as well, in my A-Z Challenge this year, and it is even grimmer than I imagined.
We then visited Fort Williams, the oldest occupied trading post in the US (Benedict Arnold stopped there on his way to Quebec) and did a run by of the Augusta Armory, which figures in my third book. Had whole clams for lunch…
Hiked the Mt. Megunticook trail in Camden Hills State Park. First we drove to 
the top of Mt. Battie and took pictures of the incredible scene of the coast and the off shore islands, then tackled a trail which turns out to be one of the more challenging in the park – lots of steep ups and downs over boulders and a thousand roots. More on that in a later post.
Walked out in the intertidal muck for a photography session. The muck was right off the dock where we were staying, and I sank up to my knees and lost my shoes. But we got the picture – it’s for the cover of the fourth book in the Rhe Brewster series, so I’m not even giving you a hint. We spent quite a while spraying each other with water whilst rinsing ourselves off and then had to do a load of clothes.
Had a signing at Sherman’s Bookstore in Boothbay Harbor – sold out of books again. I got to meet the reporter who wrote an article about Death in a Dacron Sail for the Boothbay Register, and she advised me to come back next fall (2016) for their pumpkin festival to sell my next book, Death by Pumpkin.
Met fellow blogger Bette Stevens, who drove two mile just to see me at the signing. We had coffee afterward and I will review her book, Dog Bone Soup, soon.
Did I mention the fried clams? Of course I did. I had two meals of those, 
along with scallops and baked scrod. No meat for the entire vacation!
So that, my blogging friends, is our vacation in a nutshell. I’m already missing the seafood, the cool breezes and the ocean.
You made my mouth water, love lobster and Ipswich clams. Great pictures. I visited Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts a couple of times.
I was ready for some meat by the end of the week but what a glorious week it was!
Reblogged this on Covey View and commented:
N. A. Granger takes us on a delightful trip to Maine via pictures and interesting details.
Thanks for the reblog!
What a glorious summer you have had combining research, great food, wonderful adventures and book sales! Love your recap. Ease on back into things. So many good things to come from this summer’s vacation. You did it all, and did it right. Welcome home.
Thanks, Strephanie. I’m planning to head to Wrightsville for a long weekend at the end of September – then I will really relax!
Delightful slices of life~
Thanks, Cindy – can’t compare to yours!
Puffins <3
You didn't find that cranberry and orange muffin for me, then?
Darn, no I didn’t but if you come for a visit, I will make some for you. I do make very nice cranberry-orange scones!
Lobster rolls! You made my mouth water. LOL
I was making myself hungry writing this!
I want EVERYTHING you did and ate!
All you have to do is go to Maine! It’s right there, waiting!
It’s a long way to walk!
to say I’m jealous of all that fantastic fish and sea food would be to an insult to my taste buds. I tried to read all the history and wot-not but my fingers kept scrolling back to the lobster rolls….
I am back dreaming of lobster. Those little crustaceans have me hooked.
I so miss Maine and it’s only been since last summer. Might try to get up in early November. How did you like the carriage house in Boothbay? Where was it located?
It’s on a cove south of Boothbay Harbor. It was a bit pricey, though, You can find it on VRBO!
Was it listed as Boothbay Harbor? It wasn’t in Ocean Point, was it?
I found it listed for Boothbay Harbor,
Thoroughly enjoyed our visit, Noelle and delighted to find a copy of DEATH IN A DACRON SAIL still available for me to get signed by the time I got to Boothbay Harbor. Can’t wait to read it! Hugs
Nice to meet you, too! Enjoy the book and I’ll catch you again when I’m next in Maine!
Both food and view look amazingly enticing. And so nice of Bette to come see you. I love it when I meed wonderful people on the blogoshpere. Now … back to writing. 🙂
Thanks, Sylvia. The mud was less than wonderful – but everything else great. I agree, it’s nice to meet fellow bloggers face to face.
Hi Noelle, Happy Birthday, may it be a blessed one! May there be many more trips and stories in your future! 🙂 (I also want scones)
Thank you for the birthday greetings! There will be lots more trips – with food – in the future. I love to make scones – mine are moist. I particularly fancy cherry almond!
nothing better than trips and food! Now I am dying to try your scones, can you part with the recipe?
Stay tuned. Gotta locate it.
Lobster rolls are one of those foods I absolutely love and almost never get. We don’t tend to have them here in the desert in Phoenix ;). Very unfortunate! I would love a trip to Maine.
You ll just have to decide to go. I recommend May to September.
I like that idea!
Maine is another one on my Bucket List. So much history there. As for the food… yummo!
For me, the scenery is just incidental. That’s just my stomach talking!
Thank you for visiting my blog and for liking one of my posts. Blessings, Natalie 🙂