Our One Week in Maine! I can still hear the sounds of Spring peepers, the birds, the waves, soft sounds of distant horns on the water, the breeze in the trees and a cozy night of rain. We saw the most beautiful pink sunset and the sky full of stars in the field. Tapley Farm is a true example of the beauty of Maine country life. The coastal farm has an incredible history and everything is lovely about the location, the barn house, the animals, and beach. The girls were delighted when they discovered on the first morning that there were alpacas looking at them in the field. The water so close down the dirt rode was most surprising. Life is simple here- quiet and no fuss, and the beds are very comfortable! I will miss the fantastic fresh sea air coming through the screen windows.
After breakfast (by the warmth of the gas fireplace) we went down to the beach then back for lunch. We spent most of the afternoons reading, painting with watercolors, writing, arranging shells on surfaces all over the porch. The girls loved the tree-swing. We went swimming in a pond nearby 2 times.
For one breakfast we bought cinnamon twists and chocolate croissants from the Tinder Hearth bakery nearby. That was good with bacon and coffee! In the evening we mostly cooked (but great restaurants and CoOp in Blue Hill) then took another trip to the water. Made a fire in the wood stove upstairs most evenings. We played games and watched VHS's, had some wine. Brought me back to my family vacations in Northern WI in my youth. All these little things that I did and my parents did before came back naturally here with my own family and we were so content. The towns and islands and scenic drives were just what I have always imagined Maine would be like only more so- more dramatic, more rugged, more stunning. The farm is so close to the places in which stories that we know well were inspired by and close to where the authors lived and are buried- Robert McClosky's Buck's Harbor (a Condon's Garage and Buck's Harbor Market were there), EB White (Allen Cove, Brooklin)....Burt Dow (The REAL Deep Water Man buried on Deer Isle) etc.
The owners, Carol and Dick, were so kind, helpful and generous. We didn't want to leave! One of the best weeks of vacation we have ever had together. We hope to come back one day. Keep doing what you are doing Tapley Farm. It is so very important!