Maine Camp Musings ~ July 27th, 2010

Weather has been super these past few days after hot and humid days when we arrived Friday and Saturday. The wind has cooled the days and the evenings have been cool. Makes for great sleeping weather and the moon and stars are visible in the clear night sky. Not anything like the ceiling of stars in Minnesota but these will do considering the trees all around.

Been fishing off the dock but nothing seems interested. I lost my good lure last time I was here and the fish don’t exactly jump at what I have left. Maybe I will see if I can find another one like I lost.
[[It happens... -Hula]]
I spend almost an hour Sunday and Monday (again) bailing out the boat. I should figure how to put on the cover.
Today I painted the bathroom walls above the tile a “Happy Camper Green.” It brightens the room and looks so cheery. Managed to get two coats and did the window as well. Will put up the shower curtain and make curtains for the window tomorrow.
Will tackle some of the outside painting tomorrow since we are expecting rain Thursday afternoon.
Lowell wants to paint the inside window sills which we didn’t do last year. Mostly living room and one window in our bedroom.

Katie and kids are planning to travel Thursday and Katie says her tomtom says it is 7 hour plus trip… hummmmm.
Finally took off one of the storm panels on porch on side toward Voyers. Gives us a better breeze on porch where Lowell does his puzzles and reads the papers. And where the computer desk is located.
Chipmunks continue to beg for food and attention. I have one who takes nuts from my sock band, half stocking band and then climbs on my knee to see where the third nut is. When I only had two, he climbed up and stared at me as if to say, where is the third one?

Got all the laundry caught up from changing beds after Mat and friends were here. Lowell did errands while I was playing at the Laundromat. Such fun!
I found the strawberry hat I thought was lost on the trunk with the towels I had left after the trip to laundry before we went home July 1. I had checked all over and figured it was gone so I ordered a replacement. Now I will have to send the new one back.

Flowers along the camp and the pot on the tree stump and the flowers Linda Voyer gave us are doing great in the cooler weather. They looked a bit limp when we got here Friday afternoon but the weekend rain and the cooler nights seem to have perked them up. We stopped in Peabody, Mass. On the way up we visited Linda and Paul Voyer and enjoyed Linda’s amazing gardens. The yard looks like something from House Beautiful! And Paul made some unique birdhouses to compliment the landscaping. Really neat yard and house.
Linda and Paul got here Friday. Tom and Rose Voyer were here Sunday for Bunny Brann’s mother’s 90th birthday party.

Lake is relatively quiet most of the days so the loons seem to be enjoying traveling up and down the cove early and late in the day. Osprey are taking care of youngins in their new tree loft across from Clark cove. Looks like a full nest. Still haven’t seen the Loon babies but they must be around. It is getting late in the season. Usually we see two or three riding the backs of parents by now.

With the brisk wind my wind chimes have been serenading me. They are beautiful. I hope to get out the clarinet and see if I can attract the loons. Last time, they swam into the dock area to see where the strange noise was coming from. Have to do better.

Nothing much more other than to keep praying for JoAnna and Adam, PJ and all of us. God is good and He will not forsake us if we ask for His help.

God bless from the Maine woods.
Grandma Joan and Lowell

The Statute of Limitations...

.. has expired on this bit of tomfoolery, so we are safe to share these July 2009 photos of Grandma/Aunt Joan and Mr. Voyer messing around on the roof, "looking for leaks".

Unknown if leaks were found, but lots of tar was applied to be on the safe side.

June 25th, 2010

Weather was beautiful today and we got some work finished and some not completely finished.
Lowell took over hanging the framed fish tracings and did a great job. He was concerned my job would not hold after one of the larger frames dropped down when we slammed the table. So he measured and used two nails rather than picture hooks and they seem to be fine. He fussed much more than I would about getting them EXACTLY even in the top of the wall…. Still have more to frame but running out of room…..
Didn’t do any fishing. I painted the ceiling boards which were raw wood from the time Adam and his crew roofed the section over the kitchen. Must be five years or more… maybe longer. Times flies when you are having fun!!!!!!!!!!!!
Used a primer for now until we tackle the kitchen and who knows we may change the colors. Anyhow, I ended up doing more than planned because some of the other painting was faded and wood was showing. It really changes look of the kitchen which I did not expect. Good job. At one point when I was getting down off the ladder to change location, I stepped on newspapers I had on the floor and slipped. They were damp from the cloths which I had dropped from the ladder while painting. I grabbed the ladder which slammed against the window near the stove but thanks to God’s help, nothing broke. My tush is sore when I sit and tonight my joints are stiff. But I will survive. I kept going and painted the rest of the uncovered boards in the next two hours. I didn’t fish because I used my left hand raised over my head from about 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with a break for lunch) so my shoulder was sore again.
Earlier I took down the curtains and washed them and hung them on the line but I didn’t get the windows washed so I didn’t get the curtains up today. Lowell wasn’t worried since neither Voyers houses are occupied tonight...
Should get them up tomorrow after washing windows.
Chipmunks climbed on my lap today looking for more peanuts after I gave them some on my shoes. One is really aggressive and climbed the screen on the slider to get our attention.
The red squirrel chases the little guys and tried to take their food. I am going to get a spray bottle and chase him if he keeps it up.
The wild lilies I planted two years ago are up and blooming. They are yellow and one-half the size of the orange ones I have in Drexel Hill. They are by the water’s edge and look so pretty.
The black-eyed susans are no where to be found. Tag is in little garden spot but they have not come up. Boo hoo.
I planted geraniums which look OK along walk to side door. And I still have petunias to plant under drying pole. Linda Voyer gave me a magenta flowering plant which I planted on the terrace and I have my old planter filled with geraniums and petunias sitting on the tree stump.
Finally got the motor out of water thanks to Tom Voyer who set it up before he and Rose left for home. I couldn’t figure it out. Guess I am going to have to take a boating course yet.
Rain is predicted for tomorrow and I still haven’t got cover on boat. Maybe in morning.

Tomorrow we have to go to dump and take recycling and I am taking some old plastic ware to the swap shop. Never know what we come back with... And we have to get water from the town well. We’re almost out.
Sunday, we are going to take a trip to Bangor Raceway/Casino. We will leave after church and stay at the casino hotel Sunday night. We will go to Acadia next morning and return in time to raceway for Dad to catch the harness racing program. We will be back in camp Monday night, God willing. {I will have cell phone.}
Then we have to get serious about finishing the yard work and laundry so we can leave here by midday Thursday.
As I sit here on porch, loons are talking to each other on lake and the frogs are making noises. Lots of kids around lake tonight so there is more noise than usual. But that’s OK. The lake welcomes all ages, even the older folks.
It is much quieter than most years and I really notice the change on weekends when the boaters get out and race on the lake. But they are gone by Sunday night so it is not too annoying. Not as many fishermen around any day. That’s good. More for us to catch.
Lake is so still tonight. Reminds me of days/nights when Grandpa Connor and Grandma Connor were here and Lowell and Dad would go out and you could hear their motor purring all across the lake. Not a ripple tonight so no one must be fishing…
I almost went down a little while ago, but I know I will really be stiff tomorrow if I do after all the painting.
Well, the loons have stopped talking and so have the frogs. Must be time to go to bed.
Got ready long time ago but was sitting on porch listening to the sounds and reading the Bible.
Lowell is dozing on couch in living room and College World Series is on the TV. I laid a new cover and pad for that old couch in hopes we get another year out of it. Lowell is content with it. I wanted to get him a recliner but he put up a fuss so I will delay that for now. Need to find a small one to fit in living room and fit through door to porch so it can be moved out on porch when he watches TV there. Not easy to find. We will give one of the old chairs to Goodwill.

Better sign off. Realized today I haven’t played the clarinet. Have to take time tomorrow to serenade the loons. They always chime in when I play. Guess they like my key….

Until another day, God willing….
Love and God bless,
Grandma…… and Grandpa T

June 24, 2010

More from Maine:
Nothing like sitting on the porch in Maine with rain on the roof… so long as the roof doesn’t leak.
We now have one leak left.. we hope that is all. However it is making other problems even though it is a small leak. It is at the main door on the side of the camp where the continuous leak since last Fall has compromised the floor boards at the entrance. Fun and games needed again……………don’t know how to fix it just yet.
We moved the fire circle away from the house although not as far as I hoped. No place on second level to move it so it still is on the terrace but closer to the steps to the lake.
I have taken time each night to fish some. I continue to catch the small (6 to 8 inch) bass and tonight I hooked a very large and active bass which jumped twice and twisted and pulled and finally kicked out the lure before I could bring it to the dock. I could see the fish and it looked bigger than the catch last week. Guess someone else will get that one eventually. There is a lot of fish in the cove and lots of fishermen come in at night to get them.
Last night a single fisherman in a bass boat said he had five catches this week. But not in the cove. I didn’t tell him I did.


We are in process of framing some of the fish drawings which had been in the loft. Having trouble figuring how to make the frames secure. Lowell will work on the project tomorrow while I begin to paint the ceiling in the kitchen. I also wanted to paint the bathroom but don’t know. We plan to leave Thursday to be home for holiday weekend. Will probably be a quiet weekend since Katie and Peter and kids will be in Minnesota and Linda and Bill and all are going to picnic at Andrew’s fiancee house. Not sure what Mat and Kim’s plans are.
It has rained more days than not during this stay but the place is still so peaceful and relaxing. Even with all the work we have here.
The storm on Sunday knocked out power for almost two hours . We collected flashlights and the hurricane lamps but the power came back on around 6 p.m. and so did the sun.
The roof over the kitchen did not leak thanks to Mat’s work with the tar. So far so good.
Ah, the loons are in the cove and the chimes on the terrace are playing softly in the wind. It has begun to rain again. Dear me, I will have to bail out the boat again. With all the rain the first two weeks, I was afraid the boat would sink but it held up until I bailed out the water yesterday. It took two hours to get all but a very small puddle near the motor hitch.
Guess I should sign off and get ready for bed. We have a busy day tomorrow. We are hoping to go to Bar Harbor Monday into Tuesday so we have multi chores to get done before we leave.
Love and God bless everyone.
Joan… and Lowell…
June 24, 2010

2010 Maine Camp ~ Vicarious Living thru Aunt Joan

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Catherine Joan Innes is 15 today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And here I am at 5;30 a.m. sitting on the terrace and watching the sun come through the trees across the lake. Houses and trees are reflecting on a still clear lake where fish are moving out of the cove big time. The woodpecker is up and doing his/her thing on a nearby maple tree and the Blue Heron is lurking across the lake waiting for the fish to make themselves known. Oops, there he goes.
Not much stirring around the ground. A squirrel is chattering in the pine tree but the chipmunks are not out yet.
I took photos of the lake. It is so calm. If I were not in my bathrobe, I would go down on the dock and fish but I don’t think it would be good idea on a weekend when so many people are in campsites.
What a peaceful place to be and how blessed I am to be able to enjoy it. Thank you God.
Ah, here come the chipmunks looking for their morning treats. …
Now I am back with pockets full of peanuts. The chipmunks smell the peanuts and are running all around my chair. I dumped several on the ground where they are collecting two and one even has three in the tiny? mouth and running back to their hole at the other side of camp.



I have one peanut on each slipper and the biggest fella ---looks like Grandpa Connor’s Shorty--- climbed on my slipper and sat there looking at me with the peanut in his mouth. He must be waiting for another one. A second fella grabbed the peanut on the other slipper and both took off for their hole. But not for long, they are back and one tried to climb up my leg. They are sitting staring at me waiting for more….
Oh my, it’s 6:10 and I hear Lowell. He was looking for me. I got up at 5 a.m. with a coughing spell. The rain and wet pines are keeping my cough going and then I caught some of that congestion Lowell was fighting earlier this month. But I take the lemon and honey and feel much better. I hadn’t intended to get up yet but the lake looked so peaceful I wanted to sit out and enjoy it.
The bugs are waking up so I will move to the porch. Screens are tight after much work last year so I will finish this in there……
Oh dear, Lowell is playing solitare and has ESPN on. UGH. No more quiet on the lake.

More later I pray.
Happy Birthday Casey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
God bless….
Grandma T in Maine…………………