Freeport and Sabath Day Lake Shakers

Thursday

First overcast day in a long time and they are saying rain by noon.
Yesterday we sat at a table with a couple from Long Island, they come here every September she said and we picked up some area insight from her.  I learned a new goodbye phrase from her, "Home Safe".  I often say Safe Travels to other RVers but this was new to me.

I think we are going in to shop in Freeport today especially if it rains.  Well the rain started around 11 and we headed into Freeport around noon.  We started out at the LL Bean outlet and then Bonnie did her shopping and I did my looking around at a few of the other stores.

Then I read on my Kindle.  I was able to finish Nick Russell's new book "Big Lake Scandal" and I recommend it.  It is a part of his Big Lake series.  Bonnie visited quite a few stores and left our credit card impression at most of them.  We both enjoyed the day.  I had a good cup of Claim Chowder at the Lobster Cooker

Good place to eat

Bonnie finished her shopping right at 4pm.  Our friends Bob and Caroline traditionally have coffee at this time.  Bonnie suggested we have some coffee and a donut at Frosty's

The coffee and twists were delicious 

 This sign caught my eye.

Somewhat true

There was still some drizzle as we headed back to the coach.  Forecast for tomorrow is more sun.  So tonight we will relax.  They are also forecasting that the Northern Lights will be visible up here tomorrow night.

Friday

I heard the heat come on in the front of the coach around 5:30 this morning then went back to sleep.  It still looked dark when I smelled the coffee brewing, that means its after 8:30.  Still nice and comfortable in the bedroom.  I got up and started my day.  It was sunny out, the MCD shades do a good job of keeping the bedroom dark.  The coach was comfortable up front, I have the thermostat set at 64.  I opened the front curtain on the windshield and let the sun do its job of heating the coach.  Not sure how cold it was overnight but it was 54 when I got up.  No wildlife sightings yet.  Looks like it will be a beautiful day.

We headed for the water shortly after noon.  We found that it is hard to get good views of the water here.  We did drive out to the state park to look at the campground and it is right on the water.  But no hookups at all.  Then we worked our way back toward Freeport and ended up at the Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster Company.  They were busy and Bonnie got into line to order sides and drinks.  I went around back to the Lobster Pound and order the special two lobsters.  We were able to get a seat that over looked the harbor while we waited.

Lunchtime View

I enjoyed watching the activity in the harbor.  Before long they called number 18, our lobster was ready.  While it cooled Bonnie picked up the drinks and onion rings.  These are new shell lobsters and you can crack them with your hands.  Well I had trouble with the claws but Bonnie was able to do it.  On TV the other day they showed how to eat lobster and we followed their directions and it worked well.

Our 2 1lb lobsters

We enjoyed the lobsters and decided on coconut cream pie for desert.

Really good

Then we watched as some lobster men loaded up some pots.

New use for a snowmobile trailer

Quick picture--the smell was pretty bad

Then we spotted them taking a good size sailboat out for the winter.

Here it comes

Maneuvering into the sling lift

Easy Peesy

On its way to get the hull cleaned 

After that we headed to the grocery store and then another stop at the thrift store and finally back to the campground.  The weekend crowd is coming in and we have some new over nighters.

Bonnie worked on a table harder and threw in a load of wash.  Time to relax now maybe read a little. Oh we did see 2 turkeys today, no Moose yet.

Saturday

It got a little cool outside last night but we stayed nice and toasty.  I turned up the AquaHot this morning and it warmed the coach up nice.  I also cycled the back Heat Pump just to exercise it some.

Todays we decided to drive out to the Sabbath Day Lake Shaker Village.  It was only 25 minutes away and the GPS took us right there.  Plenty of parking when we got there but it soon became crowded.  It is not a very big place but the Shakers are interesting.  There is one brother and two sisters still alive so this is an active village.  You can still join the Shakers after a year long novice trial.  They embrace technology and watch TV and use the internet.  They still hold services on Sunday and about 40 people attend.

Sheep

 They sell the wool from the sheep to support themselves.  Apples are another cash crop.

You looking at us?

Heading for the demonstration area

 There were two men demonstrating today a black smith and a broom/brush maker.

Heating up the metal

Pounding out a pair of tongs

Hot fire in a hundred year old portable forge

 The broom maker was demonstrating turning handles.

Broom maker

Pretty Hydrangea

Main building built in 1893

 We took a wagon ride up through the orchard and the herb and vegetable gardens.
The farm is on the highest land in the county.

Looking down on the 17 remaining buildings

 Apples are another cash crop

Only the Early Macs were ready

The trees are really loaded

Everyone got to pick an apple

The gardens are full

1957 Farmall they just got it running

 Our driver was super nice and turns out he is the director of the museum here.

Back to the barn yard

 From here we headed up to Poland, ME in search of the source of Poland Spring Water.  We located the Resort and wandered around until we found the spring.

Getting close

This was the bottling plant until 1970

 On the left side of the big building is the Spring House

The Source

The original spring

 Also on the grounds is the Maine State Building.  It was built at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair.  The owners of the resort the Ricker's sent there men and head carpenter to dismantle it and move it to the resort.  Its is built from Maine Granite from several different quarries thus the different colors.  It is still being resorted but is pretty grand.

First built in Chicago

Interesting to have the Golf Hall of Fame here

Notice the different colors

After visiting the Maine Building we headed back for the CG with a stop for a few slices of pizza.

It was Good

 And of course some Poland Spring Water

Nice and Cold

Back at the coach and time to relax and read some email.  One more day here then heading North.

Wildlife seen to day, one deceased Porcupine.

Sunday

Its nice and sunny here at Blueberry Pond CG to begin our last day in the Freeport area.  Last nights rain ended before we went to bed and other than a lot of pine needles all over the roof and car no other visible signs that it rained.  Its a bit windy and cool 50 but thats ok.  We have not made any plans for today so we may stick around here all day or just go into town for a meal.  Bonnie was up late (after midnight) reading and so I am still waiting for her to rise and shine.

Well Bonnie got up and decided to wash the towels and clean the coach inside.  Thats my signal to get lost.  So I decided to take a walk around the campground and take a few pictures.  This is a beautiful place in the pines and has some really nice sites especially some of the tent sites.  Here are a few of the pictures I took.  But first I had to shake out the rugs.

Our pile of throw rugs

Now for a walk around the campground.

The bath house out behind our rig

Secluded tent site

Privy out in the woods, yes they use them

A little left over firewood

Even some fungus

Nicely space water bibs

The Frog Pond

Canoe anyone

BBQ and party area

Nice pool, still open

After I made a loop around the CG I stopped at the office and chatted with Wendy one of the owners. Turns out she was also in the Navy as a CT for 6 years and her father was in for 37 years.  Plus she is now a nurse.  We chatted a while and I headed back to the coach just as Bonnie was finishing up.  I put the rugs back in the coach and we decided to take a ride.

We headed for the Wolf Head SP area but did not find much out there.  We decided to take a ride out to Harpswell Harbor hoping to get some good views of the water.  Well we got a couple good views but the roads are mostly tree lined and the views of the water are blocked.  Once we arrived at the harbor we had nice views.

Busy Harbor

Looks like the tide is out

We had looked at Yelp and decided to go to a small seafood shack called Erica's.  It turned out to be fantastic.  A small family run place and we watched them pick out the lobster and steam them.  We talked to the owner and the employees and learned a lot about the whole process.  I even walked out on the pier and talked to the fishermen when they came in on their boat and sold their catch.

This was Erica's

 It was a beautiful day for sitting out and enjoying fresh seafood.

This was less than 1/2 what we paid in Freeport

 We picked out 2 lobsters.  We learned from one of the customers the 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound lobsters are the best eating size.  Our cost for our lobsters was $13.00 and that was cooked.

The tank is getting low on lobster

We ordered some shrimp and scallops, all locally caught and fresh, and waited while all was cooked.  We talked to a couple while we waited and turns out they own the Chowder House Restaurant and come out here for lobster.  They said we picked a great place to eat.  They are friends also with the owner and come out on weekends in their boat.  They called our name and we got busy eating.

An escape attempt 

Bonnie has the technique down

It did not take long to reduce them to this

After we ate a lobster boat came in and sold 469 lbs of lobster to Tom the owner.  He then goes through them and picks the best to cook in his lobster pound.  He also gave Bonnie some sand dollars.

This is the pot the lobster get cooked in using sea water

Cleaning up the boat after the lobster sale.

These fisherman only fish part-time and work other jobs also.  Well we both had a great time and got back to the coach just as it got dark.  I went up to the office and campfire to let them know we had a great stay here and they should recommend Erica's.

Its been fun here in Freeport we head north in the morning.

Thanks For Checking In!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” 
― Albert Einstein