Blue lake and rocky shore

Last weekend, Allison and I took a trip to Maine.  We spent Friday night in Portland, Saturday in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, and then drove back to Portland on Sunday.

I loved it.  We picked an excellent time of year to visit.  Friday was rainy, but Saturday and Sunday were sunny and beautiful, with temperatures in the low 60's.  Perfect weather for a day at Acadia among the spruce and fir trees next to the ocean.  The park wasn't too crowded, and the wildness was palpable.  Even though the coast of Maine has been settled longer than central Wisconsin, nature feels much less tame there than it does here.  Falls colors weren't at their peak, but well on the way.  We hiked the Ocean Path from Otter Point to Sand Beach, part of the Jordan Pond Shore trail, around the summit of Cadillac Mountain, and caught a beautiful, chilly, blustery sunset at the Blue Hill Overlook.  We even saw a bald eagle.

The shops and scenery in Portland were charming, and even on Friday we didn't let the rain stop us from exploring.  We poked in and out of stores - there's a lot of pottery in Portland - and took a monumentally gusty walk in the rain along Casco Bay.  On Sunday morning we found the Maine Historical Society, and I paid a fascinating visit to the Tate House Museum before I left on Sunday afternoon.  I now know what I want to do when I retire ... I was born for docenthood.

On every step of the trip, sometimes by accident, Allison and I dined well.   A restaurant with hanging herbs in the small dining room, a chowder house, Jordan Pond House in Acadia, a funky cafe in Bar Harbor, S.O.S. for brunch in South Portland, drinks at a majestic bar that used to be a church.  And everywhere - stores, restaurants, hotels, museums, the park - people were incredibly friendly and helpful.  Maine knows how to make an excellent impression.  

Controlled burn

I think they did a burn at Badger Prairie. After work this evening I stopped there for a walk, and was startled by how different everything looked. Since last time I was there a couple of weeks ago, the remnants of the tall grasses are all gone. Now there's only black earth with bright green paths cutting through it. Plus the occasional pond.

I felt oddly exposed walking through; I'm used to the plants and grasses hiding everything past the last turn. It was excellent, though, for scouting paths. I already know my way around quite well, but this was an unparalleled opportunity to figure out where the paths connect and diverge on a grand scale. I'll be using this knowledge once the grass is back. (I already see green things sprouting everywhere. I can't wait to chart the prairie's progress throughout the spring and summer.)

The prairie walk was a nice way to relax. After last week's fun, I've been thrust back into deadline city at work. Until next Thursday, things will not be pretty. However, I've been trying to pace myself and not get too stressed or overwhelmed. It helps that I have plenty of things coming up outside work, though even there I must tread lightly in thought. Flight of the Conchords, house guest, Brewers game, Robbie Fulks, friend's wedding, business trip (wait, that's work), EUROPE. Steady, one thing at a time. Too bad my brain always wants to tackle ten.