A Visit to Skylands on the Fourth of July
I spent this last July 4 at Skylands, my home in Maine. Tim Robbins and his wife, Susan Sarandon, who were visiting the area, gave me a call to get together and I was so delighted when they came over to join me for a boat ride. As usual, the views were spectacular and everyone really enjoyed themselves. Come and take a look.
Here I am with Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon aboard my Hinckley picnic boat, Skylands II.
Susan and Kevin Sharkey enjoying lively conversation while
sunning in the stern of Skylands II. The day was glorious as is
evident from the picture. I hope you like the orange Sunbrella
upholstery -- it seems to work well with the teak, cherry, and white of
the boat.
Tim admitted he has never played a "sailor" in a movie, yet he loves the sea.
Southwest Harbor was pristine -- the water clear, the boats all shipshape, and the sky bright blue.
Overtime is the lobster boat owned by the brother-in-law of my captain, Bryan Dow, who also manages the house. He said that
lobstering was a bit of a challenge this year with such high fuel
prices.
Bryan's wife, Stephanie; two daughters, Jillian and Elyse;
mother-in-law, Barbara; father-in-law, Wyman; and brother-in-law,
Captain Hess. The boat doubled that day as their picnic boat.
The Stars and Stripes flies at the stern of my boat. I always like how it looks in the wake and against the sky.
Sharkey and Francesca always come for the boat trips. They keep on
their leashes and harnesses, and spend most of the time napping,
wrapped in towels.
Bear Island is right at the mouth of Northeast Harbor. My friend Martin Morad lives in the lighthouse.
Don't put your boat on auto pilot when focused on a large buoy. A boat did that last year, hit it, and sank!
The skyline of Mount Desert Island -- the bare-topped mountains were
named by Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer. In 1604, he wrote
in his journal, "The mountain summits are all bare and rocky.... I name
it Isles des Monts Desert."
Another view of the incredible coast and skyline of this island
paradise. Mount Desert is the third largest island off of the East Coast
of the United States. Can you name the largest and second largest?
See the end of this post for the answer if you don't know it.
This is the former home of Nelson Rockefeller, right at the mouth of Seal Harbor.
The highest house up on Ox Hill is my house, Skylands.
Another view of the western side of Seal Harbor.
The front drive at Skylands is a round turn.
Here's my Edsel two-door station wagon, which was a gift to me from my daughter, Alexis.
The last of the blue Meconopsis poppies in the council circle garden. This true blue flower is also known as the Himalayan poppy.
Francesca -- statuelike -- on one of the many stone walls at Skylands.
Sharkey on the bench of the council circle garden. I always keep their
harnesses on, with ID tags, whenever we travel, just in case!
I baked two tart/pies for a dinner party. On the left, green
gooseberry; on the right, red gooseberry. One can actually taste the
difference. They were served with buttermilk ice cream made from
buttermilk from the Smith family farm on the island.
We set the table with an interesting centerpiece made from the giant
alliums in the gardens. I always plant these fireworks flowers and
they never fail to bloom on the Fourth of July.
The delphinium were also in full bloom. We picked so many that and
Kevin and Darrah (the gardener in Maine) arranged them in massive
arrangements around the house.
More vibrant blue spikes!
A somewhat clearer view of the giant Allium schubertii and Allium A.christophii.
The answer is: Long Island is the largest, followed by Martha's Vineyard.
More of my blog posts from Maine! Take a look.
Come join the parade in the charming town of Northeast Harbor, Maine
Posted June 1, 2008
Come see what happened when I went boating this past weekend!
Posted May 30, 2008
My pictures from Skylands this weekend!
Posted March 4, 2008
A Fabulous weekend in Maine
Posted October 24, 2007
Martha..I love the pictures of the flowers and the boat trip wasn't bad either
Posted by: Dedra Polinski | July 8th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I give up - what are the other 2 larger islands off the east coast of the US? Long Island, and ...Block Island? I couldn't find your answer anywhere. Love your blog - thanks Martha!
Posted by: Betsy | July 8th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Looks like a wonderful holiday weekend...what a beautiful location! I used your patriotic fan template from the website for some of our 4th of July decorations at a party we threw and they were lovely!
Posted by: Sarah | July 8th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Dear Martha,
Greetings from Northeast Harbor ... and a belated "Happy Fourth of July" to you! Yes, it was indeed a wonderful Independence holiday weekend here on the island and I absolutely loved your wonderful photos (as always) and post! And oh, what a wonderful afternoon you must have had with Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon on "Skylands II." Not only are they two of my favorite actors, but I greatly admire their humanity, social consciousness, involvement, activism and political leanings (which are definitely in line with mine). Also, Mr. Robbins (as many know) portrayed and gave (among many) an amazing performance as "Andy Dufresne" in Stephen King's (a Bangor, Maine native) "The Shawshank Redemption" ... along with James Whitmore. Jim (who is a friend of my Mother and me) portrayed "Brooks Hatlen" in "Shawshank Redemption" and attended Amherst Central High School in Buffalo, NY ... as did my Mother at the same time (who passed away last year). Jim returns east each year from his home in Malibu, California and summers (and performs closeby) with the "Peterborough Players" ( http://www.peterboroughplayers.org ) in Peterborough, NH ... and this year will be headlining in "Our Town." (for those who may have an interest in seeing this American treasure). Oh, how I wish I would have been in town (Northeast Harbor) when Tim and Susan were there as I would have loved to have had the brief opportunity to personally thank them both for sharing their many talents ... and their incredible humanity.
Again, Martha, thanks so much for sharing your personal adventures with us all. Take care and have a wonderful summer ... wherever your travels may take you!
Best,
Bill
Northeast Harbor, Maine
PS I loved not only the exterior and interior pics of "Skylands" (with your amazing floral arrangements as well as your freshly baked pies ... not to mention, some of your beautiful faux bois in the background), but also the pics of Francesca and Sharkey snoozing on "Skylands II." We can all probably guess now (from reading your previous post "Francesca and Sharkey go hunting") just what they both were possibly dreaming of ... i.e., "squirrels!!" 7;^)
Posted by: Bill (Mount Desert Island, Maine) | July 8th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Looks like fun day boating. And running into Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon - how fun! Sharkey & Francesca looked so cute in their blankets. What else did you serve for July 4 dinner?
Posted by: ShopLittleGifts | July 8th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Hi Martha, Thank you so very much for taking us along on another fantastic boat ride and tour of beautiful Skylands. You made this the best Fourth of July ever! As a kid, my family usually spent the 4th traveling to Butte, Montana or Seattle to visit my grand parents and celebrate my birthday on the 3rd. We lived in Ellensburg, WA at the time. Your photos are stunning. I love the one of Francesca and Sharkey. They must still be worn out from their squirrel hunting escapade! Thanks so much for sharing. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | July 8th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
You just 'bumped into' Susan Sarandon, did you? How fortuitous!
She's such a remarkable woman.
Skylands looks beautiful, as always.
Here's a quiz for you: Did Samuel de Champlain discover Canada?
....no, but he settled Quebec!
-Andrew
Posted by: Andrew Ritchie | July 8th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
How cool to run into you like Tim Robbins did and get invited for a boat ride! BTW Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon are not married. Thanks for the beautiful photos. Other than your house, I've never seen photos of Maine. Thanks for sharing. This blog is just great!
Posted by: Cheryl | July 8th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Loved the photo of the flag waving in the brilliant and glorious Summer day...wonderful to enjoy these carefree times!
The delphinium are beautiful...and so nice to fill the house with arrangements. Ours are now in full bloom but alas i have to cut them and give them to my neighbour to enjoy as i am about to leave for our family vacation on pretty Lake of the Woods in northwestern Ontario. The lake has many similarities to the Muskokas and i am sure you have heard of them.
Hope you have the opportunity to do more boating...Martha, it suits you with your hair pulled back and all! Ahh, how we savour our Summertime!
Posted by: Sherey | July 8th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I spent many happy summer vacations in and around Acadia National Park. Your beautiful pictures brought back wonderful memories of boat trips around the islands!
Posted by: T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types | July 8th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Yes when I am in Maine, I always think it's the place God wanted to reassure us He's around. I stay in a log cabin in an area that Thoreau wrote about. the owner knew the Indians that lived there.
Posted by: theresa | July 8th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
What a gorgeous day out! Which pie did you like best? The green or red? I just love your alliums...what a great way to display them on a perfect holiday!! Thank you for such a beautiful and interesting blog!!
Posted by: courtney | July 8th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Seeing your pictures and narrations of Maine brings back such fabulous memories to me, Martha. My husband and I vacationed in Bar Harbor 5 years ago and had a glorious time. I can't wait to visit again! The factoids you add to your photos are so interesting, thank you for sharing. So glad you had a wonderful 4th!
Cheers! From Canada
Posted by: Julie | July 8th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
What a great week-end you had! Enjoyed looking through all your great pics.
Love the Edsel station wagon. A classic!!
Posted by: Maureen | July 8th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Those pies looked AMAZING! Now I hope I can find red gooseberries; they're pretty uncommon here in Oregon.
Posted by: Wendy | July 8th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
What a beautiful post. The flowers and scenery were absolutely beautiful. I love seeing your pets in your posts. I also have a blog and I'm always talking and posting about my beautiful kitties Anna and Bailey. They are my best friends and companions. What a wonderful day you had with Susan and Tim. I envy you.
Posted by: Judy | July 8th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Hi Martha,
Your photos of the Fourth of July are lovely.
Which home do you love the best, they are all beautiful and have their own wonderful feeling when you visit. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Joan Fluor Mason, OH | July 8th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Hi Martha!
I wondered what you were doing this Summer since your show is in reruns, so I decided to check your blog and was so pleased to find all the beautiful pictures of your activities in Maine. My husband and I visited Bar Harbor about 10 years ago and went hiking on Mount Desert Island. We hope to get back to Maine one day.....what a wonderful place to spend the Summer!
Posted by: Rhonda | July 8th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
This post is a feast!
Martha, Susan, Tim -- overload of my favorite celebs! ("Bull Durham" is my favorite movie of all time.)
Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Patia | July 9th, 2008 at 1:11 am
Dear Martha, I read your blog every morning. I have always wanted to visit Maine, and thanks to you and your beautiful photographs, I have! These were so breathtaking and interesting. Thank you for sharing with us, your fans.
Posted by: Susie | July 9th, 2008 at 8:08 am
This is a fabulous glimpse into your beautiful life in Maine!! ?Thank you for sharing! I used to live in Maine many years ago and still have a fondness for it in my heart! Again, many thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Barbaraine | July 9th, 2008 at 9:42 am
m fascinated by the delphinium fireworks, stunning blue, so few blue flowers in the plantworld, shark and franc should have the dog flotation devices(life preservers for dogs, they zip on), my dogs pete & henry wear them in the boat and they r good swimmers, just in case u r on auto pilot and hit a buoy(things happen fast at sea), what a show of photos, u have such a gift!!!!
Posted by: charmayne | July 9th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Martha, The orange Sunbrella fabric will do.
Posted by: Margie | July 9th, 2008 at 11:30 am
hi
you probably get many request like this and maybe tired of them or feel used, which i hope you don't take that way - i am looking for small fine craft shows to do in maine - i make small vases with repurposed glass & wire - "just a few can say so much" - i have been selling at the botanical garden in chicago for a few years now and they do well, even more so now that "event network" has taken it over - do you know of any smallish shows or events? i am from michigan and would like to be able to just pack the car and do a few shows back to back .
this is crazy probably to ask of you - either way if i hear back or not - thank you for being "you" and sharing so much.
peace
gloria
Posted by: gloria | July 9th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
The photo of the dogs napping on the boat couldn't be any cuter.
Posted by: Catherine | July 9th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
thank you so very much for sharing your pictures and your time with us the viewers.from riverdale, md
Posted by: lorena | July 9th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Dear Martha,
Skylands is sure a piece of paradise. It's my favorite of your homes, and this 4th of July seemed to be amazing. You can't beat the great scenery and crisp air of coastal Maine. I'm envious! We had a lovely time on the Fairhope pier/bluff and saw the fireworks from all adjacent areas(Mobile,ect), but it pales in comparison to lovely Maine
Keep these blogs coming as they are a bit of Martha we all love.
Miriam Neeson/Fairhope.AL.
Posted by: miriam neeson | July 9th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Hi Martha..I was fascinated with the Gooseberry pies...do you grow your own or are they imported?
Lovely pies, and I love the photos of the little babies all wrapped up in their blankets..so cute.
Thanks so much!
Posted by: Diane | July 9th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Hi Martha,
It looks like you had a fabulous time on your boat trip. I love the pictures you took, your fur babies are too cute! I also love how you set the table, the flowers look awesome. You inspired me to try this sometime, love it! Thanks for sharing your memories!
Posted by: Karla Crouse | July 10th, 2008 at 3:05 am
Thanks for giving us a glimpse of your 4th festivities in Maine...we too had a great Independence Day in RI...nothing beat a summer celebration in New England with family and friends!
Posted by: Beth | July 10th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Martha,
Your Maine holiday is inspiring! Most boaters think blue, black and burgundy. Thank you for the delightfully refreshing choice of Tuscan in your Hinckley.
My favorite, though, is the gooseberry pie with buttermilk ice cream. Yum!
Hal Hunnicutt
VP Marketing, Sunbrella
Posted by: Hal Hunnicutt | July 10th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Dear Martha,
Your Captain and Manager of your house, Bryan Dow, is the brother in law of my co-worker, here in MA at the Massachusetts Farm Bureau. I heard all about your great 4th of July on Monday!..He visits his wife's family, and his, every weekend, and never misses 4th of July in Maine. He is from Ellsworth, Maine.
He never misses an opportunity to let me know he could visit your house if he wants to, and not invite me! Office humor, I'm sure! He knows what a long time fan and supporter of you I am. But the next time he needs some office work done, I may just be too busy!.
Thank for the pictures, the are wonderful.
Mary Ellen Barnatt
Posted by: Mary Ellen Barnatt | July 10th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Thanks for the nice photoes! what channel can i find your show on in central missouri(otterville).thank you
Paul;ine Caton
Posted by: Pauline caton | July 10th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
We are planning a trip to Maine next year. We want to ride our Harley motorcycles along the coast and check out the lighthouses along the way. What month is the best for warm weather & no fog?
Posted by: Harley Girl | July 11th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Hi Martha!
Loved the use of the "spent" alliums in your centerpieces. I did this same treatment at a small gathering at my home last month (see url below). Thanks for sharing your life with us on your blog!
Cindy
http://cindydyer.wordpress.com/2008/06/22/setting-the-table/
Posted by: Cindy | July 14th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Martha,
The pictures are beautiful. My husband and I go to the Bar Harbor area each year and hope to one day make it our home. It is truly God's country.
Letitia
Posted by: Letitia Ricketts | July 18th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Greetings.
Regarding a question asked by a audience member about how to end a party.
One day at a house party it was 3 am and the guest were not leaving. My brother started to play the song "Tequila" over and over. When the guest started to ask why the music, my brother said that it was the last song. People took the hint and started to leave. Now everytime my brother wants to end a party he plays "Tequila" and people know its time to leave.
Posted by: Damaris | July 26th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Dear Martha;
Love seeing the blog posts from Maine. I have lived here all of my life and have been on Mount Desert Island for ten years... I had the good fortune to be at the event this past week where you spoke of your ten years in Maine and saw the response from the guests. I was one of the workers there and was able to listen to your presentation. It was very nice to know I was from a place that gave people from all walks of life such a good feeling. There is something about Maine that makes you long for more. The photos are wonderful, but can't begin to relay the feeling of being here: only a slight glimpse from the smiles on your guests faces.
Thank you for bringing that glimpse to so many.
regards:
Scott from Bar Harbor, Maine
Posted by: Scott | August 26th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Hi Martha, I am a Maine quilt maker and it is delightful to see your photos of Maine. My husband and I lived in the Brunswick-Topsham , Maine area most of our lives. We retired to this little town in Penobscot County.
He died very suddenly last year. I am staying here with the nice neighbors and friends. Hope I can take care of my 100+year old farmhouse. Alice
Posted by: Alice Goldsmitth | October 13th, 2008 at 4:18 am