Trip Through the Country: Destination Maine
We just returned from an all day trip, part of a quest to track down some information and partly a “let’s fly the coop today” day. We beat over the roads to find a tiny town in Maine where a quilter and her family once lived. I had never been to that area of Maine before. Although she has long since gone to her reward, she left behind a quilt that must speak for itself, via the clues in its construction, its colors, and its pattern.
Elusive genealogical tidbits of data, are beginning to fall into place. How wonderful that a descendant recalls some circumstances that no one else would be able to tell. First hand information serves well, in terms of understanding what may have happened.
You know, all of us are witnesses to the deeds of other living souls. When someone is gone, all that is left are examples of their work, if they created art, or potholders, or quilts, wrote a poem, or left other extant works.
Unless there is a written record of our life and work, somewhere, then when we pass on, no proof, except perhaps a grave marker, will signal that we were here at all. Of course, there are loved ones and friends who will remember us, until they reckon with the same fate as all mankind.
Today was an adventure! Just this morning, Jim and I were discussing yellow lady slippers, (as seen in my e-book about Ellen Webster), and pink lady slippers (wildflowers). We were saying that neither of us have seen them lately. Riding along a Maine road I spotted some pink lady slippers. They are delicate and do not do well if transplanted. In fact, I believe it is against the law to disturb them.
I saw one deer, from the Maine turnpike, along a little riverlet. On a back road, there was a flock of newly-shorn sheep in a wooded pasture. It was a cold, rainy day and they looked rather cold. We saw many miniature horses in a big field, and Swiss cows, those black and white bovines that are marked in a very unusual way, in wide vertical stripes. We passed a horse farm, Christmas tree plantations, and too many antique shops that we simply did not have time to stop at!
I’m always on the lookout for wildlife, birds, and animals. Before leaving Concord, I saw five Great Blue Heron standing in a low bog, down the hill from the turnpike. There were 9 of them together, yesterday. I do not see any signs of a rookery there, and they usually nest atop dead swamp trees. They look so awkward while trying to feed their young in these huge treetop nests which I’ve seen just off the turnpike near Londonderry, NH and again, near Grantham, NH. Never before have I ever seen more than one Heron, at a time, unless one was feeding its young.
We stopped for lunch at Governor’s in Waterville, Maine. The Haddock Chowder there is “to die for.” Jim had breakfast (at 2 p.m.) and I had a shrimp roll. Around the perimeter of the restaurant, a train set runs along an extended shelf, for ambience.
This was a rare “vacation day,” so we splurged and had a dessert (I’m so glad we decided to share it, as the Apple Fritter with vanilla ice cream was huge!). We did not bother eating supper, and at 11:37 p.m., I am not sure I want anything else to eat today!
All in all, when we got to our destination, we found the town to have no signs of visible life, except for a country store and a post office. I was able to find someone to ask a few questions and her answers will be helpful, I believe.
I have much more to do in tracking down some additional information, but this was a fun, but exhausting trip. Sitting for about 14 hours is more tiring than anything I can imagine. Yet it is for a good cause: quilt history, my passion. Much more to follow …
Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
