July 22nd, 2010

The Splendors of Skylands

On a recent weekend, a group of us flew to Maine to ready Skylands, my home in Seal Harbor, for some upcoming major events.  Skylands is a wonderful place to entertain and I like using it to host important causes, such as a benefit for Friends of Acadia.  The mission of Friends of Acadia is to preserve and to protect Acadia National Park and its surrounding communities.  The house staff at Skylands does a fine job caring for it, but I wanted to be sure that things were in ship-shape order.

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1 After our plane landed in Bar Harbor, we walked across the road to the great Gateway Lunt's Lobster Pound, where they serve delicious fried food.

2 And amazing lobster, crab rolls, and chowder - Shaun, Erin, Kevin, Sarah, and Christy

3 This casual eatery never disappoints.

4 The menu rarely changes.

5 This sign points to the outdoor seating area.

6 Lobsters are steamed out back in these traditional wood fired cookers.

7 The steamers are covered with handmade wooden lids.

8 A lobster roll - it doesn't get much better than this!

9 The succulent lobster meat is tossed with a little mayo and stuffed into a buttery and toasted bun yum!!!

10 The corn on the cob was sweet and had that terrific 'pop.'

11 Approaching the stately main entrance to Skylands - I love the pink granite gravel on the drive.

12 Two giant tree ferns sit on either side of the front entrance in large copper urns.

13 This is the rear entrance leading into the kitchen.

14 Boston ferns adorn the back porch - a great spot for coffee and the morning paper!

15 Beautiful, dark purple heuchera in the faux bois planters

16 This is the terrace entrance protected by a pair of glazed terra-cotta sphinxes designed by Emile Muller.

17 The leaded glass windows of Skylands are a mix of diamond and rectangular panes.

18 The bismarckia palms outside the dining room are growing nicely in their lead pots.

19 The kiwi vines are quite lush over the parlor windows.

20 Another vine growing upon the house is aristolochia, or Dutchman's Pipe.

21 The view from the terrace is gorgeous on a clear day.

22 The thick fog kept rolling up from the sea.

23 This sundial built into the house above the terrace is dated AD 1925.

24 If you seek quiet shade, the side pergola will provide it - Alocasia and Calocasia's in urns.

25 Positioned below the pergola is a 1935 bronze of a reclining woman called La Riviere, by French artist Aristide Maillol. She is magnificent!

26 A mossy bowl on the terrace

27 A succulent bowl with agave and echeveria

28 A giant urn with elepant ears and licorice plant

29 Hosta, trumpet lilies, and oriental lilies

30 Agave and Echeveria

31 Another view

32 A nice contrast of bromeliad and brown carex

33 An upright Boston fern and sedum

34 The pathways through the woods are lined with white pine needles. The needles are picked up each autumn and relaid in the spring.

35 Pink granite steps lead to one of the pools. Ferns and mountain laurel grow well here.

36 Another view - What are those teeth-like objects?

37 They sit atop a pink granite retaining wall.

38 More flowing water

39 All the stonework at Skylands reminds me of ancient Egypt and the pyramids.

40 Sweet-fern, Comptonia peregrina

41 Comptonia has great leathery foliage.

42 Another moss-lined walkway alongside a sugar maple

43 The pretty foliage of American ginseng

44 Snake bark Maple, Acer pensylvanicum

45 A look at its bark - thus its name

46 Simply beautiful!

47 After tending to all of the urns, Shaun spent a good deal of time in the vegetable garden.

Posted on July 22nd, 2010 in Food & Recipes, Friends, Gardens, My Home, Photo Gallery, Travel | Permalink |

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