Loving The Familiar: A Maine Cottage

Arriving at the Maine cottage we've stayed in for the past three summers felt like seeing an old friend again.  There is a comforting ease in visiting a place you're familiar with and I like that.  What I noticed this time, more than during previous stays, is how we always manage to make it our own.  Sheer necessities, like a favorite pillow, a brand of coffee, sea salt flakes and even a sharp knife now travel with us.  Certain things are moved around to our liking and others stay put to remind us of just why we love this space as much as we do. As the beds get slept on and the morning and evening rituals are established, the rented cottage suddenly feels like a second home.

Even the familiarity of the landscape surrounding the cottage lends itself to exploration, whether one goes at it alone or with others.  Many thanks to JG for yet another unforgettable Maine adventure.

Today we leave Boston and head back home to the Bay Area.  We've had an amazing month visiting friends and family.  I'm very grateful for the opportunity to stay connected and remain part of so many people's lives regardless of the distance between us.

'Til Monday: Maine Memories

Before leaving Maine 2 weeks ago, we took a rainy walk on the beach that led us into the woods along a coastal trail.  It's a path we've taken before but on a dry and sunny day.  The wet morning offered a different perspective on a familiar landscape:  raindrop marks in the sand, silhouettes of tall pines in the fog, the vibrant color of the forest canopy against a gray sky.  It's a walk I would take again, at the drop of a 'rain' hat.  Thanks JG for a lovely Maine experience.

I hope your summer is being filled with old and new experiences as well...

Botanical Inspiration: A Maine Garden

Today's botanical inspiration comes from a dear friend's garden in Maine.  Nestled on the coast and engulfed in salty ocean air the garden is overflowing with lavender, spirea and various foliage plants and shrubs.  Before leaving I couldn't resist creating an arrangement for our hosts.  Take a look:

Thank you EVB and DVB for sharing your beautiful summer home and garden with us.

Life Lately

For the past 2 weeks we've been visiting friends and family on the East Coast, some of whom we haven't seen since our move to California a year ago.  Each day has been a reunion of sorts.  Our children have reconnected with old classmates, cousins, friends and places that have reminded them of their earliest childhood days.  It's been wonderful to witness friendships [young and old] pick right up where they left off, as if time and distance never came between them.

We began our adventure in Cambridge, then headed to the Cape to visit with great friends for a few days.  On the way to my NJ childhood home, we stopped at a great place  in RI for a bite to eat .  We crossed my [once] favorite bridge  [there's a new fav] to spend time with my 94 year old grandmother and the rest of the family.   Our children loved being around their cousins and grandparents.  On the way back to MA, we visited good friends in CT that we hadn't seen in quite a while.  Today, after hanging out in Cambridge for a couple of days with old neighbors and friends, we're off to Maine (our next destination).  Stay tuned for updates and exciting posts on places that I found inspirational during our summer's travels.

Hope you are having a wonderful summer (we sure are)!   A big, hearty thank you to all our hosts and hostesses along the way!

A Grand Summer So Far

I've just returned from spending a week in a very quiet and secluded spot in Maine.  Right before that I spent a very stimulating week in Paris.  Traveling both with and without our children has given me a wonderful opportunity to enjoy time alone with them,  with my husband .....and with myself.  This could be the best summer yet.  I'm anxious to share my favorite sights and shops from both Maine and Paris.  For now take a peek at some of the highlights:

 

I hope you're all having as wonderful a summer as I am thus far.......