Message from the Mountain

Thanks to the acquisitions of two special landscapes painted by Mary Bastoni, we are now able to enjoy the lupines all year round. Paintings or photos are wonderful ways to refresh one’s memory of Na…

The milkweed is blooming in the Orchard and Lupine Field. The small flowers develop in a round cluster providing space for butterflies to land and bees to collect the nectar. In the fall the seed pod…

There is something about the moist salt air of the ocean that provides just the right environment for roses to flourish with a beauty hard to achieve inland. People can be affected by the right envir…

The American flag unfurled and flying free is a beautiful symbol of the freedoms we currently enjoy in this country, and today we celebrate all those that came before us with infinite wisdom who crea…

We paused from our walk on the edge of the harbor to watch a large boat under sail. It traveled across the bay and eventually dropped its sails close to where we were. It reminded me of how people se…

We love to visit and photograph lighthouses, as we recently did on the coast of Maine. The Bass Harbor Light is a unique one tucked away above the ocean with a stunning view. Some people are like lig…

I have been waiting for the first of the orange day lilies to open and now they have. I often use Nature as a way of keeping track of the seasons. There is always something new to discover all year l…

One of my favorite walking meditations is through Nature’s beautiful wild floral arrangements like the crown vetch blooming in the middle of pink clover. There are also many beautiful arrangements in…

There is a glacial erratic known as the Balance Rock on the shoreline of Bar Harbor ME that was deposited by the last Ice Age. I am reminded that it is our belief which gives us balance when life see…

The Fairy complex nestled around an old stump on the edge of the Lupine Field has recently received some new additions. I’m not sure who keeps an eye on the fairies, but I am so grateful that others …

When I see wild bouquets of daises shining brightly in the Lupine Field, I am reminded of the song “A Daisy a Day”. My heart sings along with their beautiful dance in the summer breeze. There are so …

Now that summer has finally arrived, the ever-changing views from the mountain are always delightful. I believe that each of us has special places to visit to regroup, whether in person, from our mem…

There is a big dead pine on the side of one of our new trails created by last fall’s logging; it is missing about half of its trunk. It is perched in a very precarious position, ready to fall at any …

We have some perennial herbs growing in the flower garden by the Cabin that were planted before we took ownership. Maybe this year we will harvest some. There is nothing like fresh herbs to enhance a…

Today is a very special day. It is our 60th wedding anniversary. In honor of this special lady that married me, I am including a recording of a song I wrote for our 25th anniversary and rerecorded fo…

 SWEET TREATS – The wild strawberries are now yielding their sweet treats, often hidden in the tall grass. The birds, chipmunks, and squirrels are enjoying feasting on them. I used to, but it is a lo…

Recently a friend cleaned the labyrinth of winter leaves and debris, and it is ready for all those that walk it this summer and fall to contemplate, meditate, and reenergize. It is a great place for …

Now that the forget-me-nots have finished their show, the tall slender cone flowers have taken over. I look forward to this part of the season, and, when it is over, I will more than likely mow the a…

This has been the year for bears. We have been visited by a mother and yearlings, a mother and a small cub, yearlings set free to be on their own and the big boy looking for food. With wildlife one n…

We have different colored columbine on the land. Some grow in the flower gardens and some naturally grow up on the mountain. Each plant seeks to attract pollinators to insure the next generation. Peo…