GARY & MARIE...OUR LIFE IN QUEBEC!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Sebasco Harbor Resort, Maine

Chain of Ponds Lake, Maine, 30 minutes from home, 8am

Marie and I spent a wonderful time last week at the Sebasco Harbor Resort, in Sebasco Estates, Maine. It was a beautiful morning when we left home, crossing the US border at Coburn Gore and following route 27 past the Chain of Ponds Lake, through Farmington, and on towards Augusta. Sebasco Resort is on the Phippsburg Peninsula, a half an hour drive south from Bath, and was originally a playground for the rich and famous in its heyday of the 30s and 40s. It hasn't seemed to have changed much over the past 80 years and still keeps it's pure Maine charm : boat cruises aboard the old Ruth, canoeing and kayaking, tennis and golf, hiking trails and great food. We mostly had the place to ourselves what with school back in and summer almost over but the weather was warm and sunny - a typical early September day by the Atlantic. We swam in their huge salt water swimming pool, played croquet, canoed on Wattuh Lake with the gulls and Canada geese, hiked up through a pine forest to Mount Merritt for a great view of the Resort and harbor and watched the sun set from the Pilot House restaurant. When we left the next morning we headed to Bath for the day to explore the "city of ships" on the Kennebec River....gws

our room

outside the lodge

lunch on the patio, Ledges Pub

Beautiful pool (73 degrees) warmed only by the sun

view from the pool

Marie on jetty, with lighthouse

Canoeing, Wattuh Lake, Sebasco Harbor Resort

Poster from 1961

view of Resort from above

Merritt Mountain, view of Resort

Sunset from Pilot House Restaurant and the "Ruth"

Grilled water salad

Fresh local oysters

Marie, jetty and boats

Next morning, off to Bath!

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Viisit of Rafa, Pilar and Pablo

This past long weekend (Labor Day) we entertained Rafa, his wife Pilar and son Pablo, from Montreal. We have known this wonderful couple for a few years now, having been introduced to them by Fernanda while we were still in Ottawa. It was their first time here, although they had visited Mont Megantic before and driven up to the observatory, not aware we were living only 15 minutes away! We hadn't seen them since Amy's birthday party in January in Montreal and we were eager to see them again. Pablo and I get along very well and he is such a bright little boy for only 2 1/2!

Pablo and me reading National Geographic Traveler together

The next Carlos Santana

Lac des Canards

Pablo and red maple leaf

We walked down to the swimming lake the next day, Pablo and me wading in looking for frogs and crayfish. The weather was typically late summer on the mountain, warm with clear nights. Rafa and
Pilar were utterly amazed at the starry skies and laid down by a roaring fire every night on a blanket with Pablo, staring up into the heavens and counting shooting stars. While they were down we had a chance to visit Lac-Megantic, walking around the disaster area and visiting the memorial plaques along the new boardwalk, We also drove up to the Mont Megantic observatory where we took a long walk through the woods along a narrow trail that followed a small river rushing alongside us. I think they had a wonderful time while they were here and hopefully when they return the cabin, which Rafa loved, will be empty and ready for them. It is still being used for storage until the house is completed.

Me and Pablo, Lac de la Passe

Pablo having fun in the restaurant exploding creamers

St Agnes church, Lac-Megantic

site of train derailment, July 6, 2013

"On the night of July 6, 2014, a 72 wagon train carrying crude oil derailed in the middle of Lac-Megantic. The resulting explosion claimed the lives of 47 people and destroyed half its historic town centre ."

view of lake from impact zone. This view was blocked prior to the disaster because of commercial buildings

Marie & Pilar

Pablo at memorial plaque

Sitting by the lake

Mont Megantic interpretation centre

Rafa and Pilar became the newest Canadian citizens recently at a ceremony in Montreal. Now they must learn to walk with a Tim Hortons coffee cup wherever they go, recite all the stats for the Canadiens hockey team and put maple syrup on everything they eat.... Welcome eh and good luck amigos! gws

Back to Montréal

Sunrise

0500, glow in the east with star at left

I was up early - 0500 or slightly before - one day last week (while Marie was in Ottawa) as it was hot and muggy and I wanted to watch the sun come up and record it with my HTC phone camera. Quietly brilliant it reminds me whenever I turn it on and I must agree. It takes great shots in low light, unlike my small Samsung digital camera, and I can instantly forward photos using WhatsApp . Many of photos I took in Europe this spring were taken with my phone and I was very pleased with the quality. Colors and detail are superb.

This sequence begins around 0500 and continues to about 0610, taking a shot every 15 minutes or so. This was the fourth day in a row the skies were clear and already it was pushing 20 degrees Celsius. It was going to be another hot one! gws

0515

0530

0545

0600

BBQ Weekend Montreal

A few weekends ago we drove down to Montreal, stopping first to see Joshua, Lara and Jesse on Nun's Island, then headed for Phil's place in NDG for the night. We were going to babysit while they went out for a few drinks. He had invited the immediate family over for a BBQ that Saturday and the weather turned out perfect. The next day, Sunday, we drove down to Saint Chrysotome near the New York border to visit Marie's parents gravesite. Marie went back with Christina to Ottawa for three days to help her finalize some paperwork and I headed back to the house, laden down with 4x4s to finish the walkway. I would return Wednesday to meet her at the bus station in Sherbrooke. Labor Day weekend Rafa, Pilar and Pablo were coming for four days and I wanted to finish a few things before they arrived. This summer will be known as the summer of visitors! gws