More of Enjoying Maine
Last week, I blogged about my most recent trip to Maine and visiting the Maine Crafts Guild Show in Bar Harbor. That show was certainly so wonderful and I received many great comments about it. Whenever I go to Skylands, my home in Seal Harbor, I like to fill the days with as much as possible. I feel so alive and vibrant. Being there is an escape for me, even though my fellow travelers and I are usually busy with some work-related mission. We actually met up with a production crew to shoot an episode for an upcoming show. Details will follow. Here are some more photos taken in a truly heavenly place.
1 Kevin, Anthony, Sarah, Thomas, and Marie enjoying the beauty of Skylands before our drive to dinner in Bar Harbor.
2 Kevin snapping away
3 Stewman's Downtown in Bar Harbor http://www.stewmanslobsterpound.com/ is a great oceanfront lobster pound.
4 Lobsters are their thing, but there are so many other great offerings on the menu.
5 Thomas and Sarah at an outdoor table
6 Laurie and Susan
7 Kevin and me
8 The great big full moon rose over the restaurant.
9 It was pretty amazing!
10 And so bright!
11 After dinner, we stopped in at Havana. http://www.havanamaine.com/index_BH.html
12 Mark “Duffy” Dyer presides over the bar and is the magic behind Havana’s legendary Mojitos. He also chooses the fabulous music for the restaurant.
13 Mixing our Mojitos
14 Perfect!
15 Thomas was happy.
16 And so was Susan
17 Kelly and Marie
18 The next day, I dressed for the shoot.
19 G.K. found a cool and comfortable place on the terrace.
20 Cameras are rolling, G.K.
21 Now it's Francesca's turn.
22 And Sharkey, too.
23 Here I am on the monitor explaining about Skyland's guest book.
24 The flower room at Skylands
25 Some of the crew
26 Moving outdoors
27 We made blueberry pies for the shoot using wild Maine blueberries.
28 Kevin made an extraordinary arrangement of green, white, and pink hydrangeas.
29 Two arrangements of mixed sunflowers adorned the side table at the front entrance.
30 The second arrangement
31 Kevin's completed masterpiece
32 A good look at the different blossoms
33 I like this picture
34 A faux bois basket of moss
35 The smooth, round, pink granite spheres were made for me by Fresh Water Stone.
36 Three young new neighbors came by for a visit. They were happy to sign the guest book.
37 Saturday night dinner - the table was set with an autumn theme.
38 A faux bois planter filled with cactus
39 Alocasia on the terrace
40 I busied myself and baked a large Ile Flottante or floating island.
41 The Ile flottante baked in a bain-marie, or water bath.
42 The unmolded Ile Flottante drizzled with caramel.
43 Because it was Thomas's birthday, the kitchen baked him a cake.
44 It was a yellow cake with chocolate icing.
45 Sarah, me, and Thomas - all the desserts were great!
46 The table for brunch the next day was set with a woodland theme in mind. We even used some of my taxidermy aquatic birds.
47 A mallard duck and kiwis from the terrace
48 A Canada goose with ferns and alocasia leaves
49 Croissants and freshly baked popovers
50 Here I am with Carolina Herrera and her husband, Reinaldo.
51 Posing with Sydie Lansing - art collector and mother of Carolina's son-in-law
52 And with Julia Merck-Utsch
53 This is my collection of heart-shaped rocks, which I find along the beaches in Maine. What can I say? I just love it!
This property is absoulte heaven.... every walk you share with us here I just love. The maine coast just does something to my soul.. Thanks
Posted by: miss holly | September 7th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Your guests always look happy in your vacation homes! It says a lot about the host.
The last photo should be a cover on your magazine.
Posted by: Gloria Brown, Winterport, ME | September 7th, 2010 at 8:09 am
Skylands is one of MY favourite places to escape to also, and I haven't even been there. Through your magazines and shows, it has become a familiar and lovely retreat in my mind, a place to dream about. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Posted by: Andrew Ritchie | September 7th, 2010 at 8:42 am
Martha - thanks for sharing everything Maine! I get to go there once a year and miss it all year long so it is a real treat when you share all the photos and fun!
Posted by: Doe | September 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Your home in Maine is simply amazing!! I love all of the different table settings and flower arrangements.
Gloria!!
Posted by: Gloria | September 7th, 2010 at 9:05 am
Love, love, love the collection of rock hearts! I only have one, maybe I should move to Maine!
PS Martha, you look so cute in the knit pullovers you are wearing in the pictures!
Posted by: Elly Oliver | September 7th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Hi Martha,
I’ve always wanted to visit Maine – I can see why you love it so much and having Skylands makes it all the better. That is such a fabulous home. Thanks for another collage of interesting pictures of your guests and I look forward to the corresponding TV shows. I don’t know how you can stand to be in front of the camera so much but I’m glad that you are. I’m counting the days, six more until another Hallmark moment – your debut. Trish
Posted by: Trish | September 7th, 2010 at 9:58 am
I love Mt. Desert! The floral arrangements are stunning.
Posted by: Kate from Party Resources | September 7th, 2010 at 10:11 am
I think Skylands is my favourite. It has a charm all of its own, almost from a time past. The diamond window panes are charming and Kevin's hydrangea arrangement is lovely.
Always enjoy this blog.
Susie
Posted by: susie | September 7th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Thanks again Martha for sharing another beautiful view of Skylands with us. I don't see how you can stand to be away from there for any long period of time. I can only imagine how beautiful Christmas would be there. Its seems so soothing for the soul. Maine is my favorite place to be. Can't wait for the new season to start.
Posted by: Mona C | September 7th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Hi Martha, Not only do you look so alive and vibrant there at Skylands, you also look beautiful, happy and so relaxed! These photos of that trip are superb and I love viewing everyone of them! I absolutely love the table settings, Kevin's beautiful floral decorations, all of the delicious food you prepared, the activities with the dogs and all of the photos of you and your wonderful visitors! Thanks again for sharing this wonderful blog and all of the others! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | September 7th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Martha, thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | September 7th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Martha,
I am a little nervous over this but I do believe there were shoes being worn in your house. Hope everyone enjoyed themselves and there was lots of laughter ringing through the days and nights.
Posted by: Margie | September 7th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Martha, I have been a fan for many years. Your books are my favorite, the quality of the products with your name are incredible for the price. Recently, I purchased from your new pet line a harness for my dog Spencer, and have been hooked ever since our first walk. He has quite a collection from different countries and of course the U.S. But his favorite and mine is your harness the construction, style and the safety aspect when walking in a city enviorment. I have all three colors in the harness and have purchased items from the rest of your line for gifts.Please create your maginficent harness in a jeans material. Thank you for all of the great years making lives a little more organized, not to mention lovely.Georgianne
Posted by: Georgianne | September 7th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
What a wonderful place to be...no wonder you adore going there. Loved the basket filled with moss, the granite spheres and just about everything! How does one get on your guest list?!
Posted by: sherey | September 7th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
We live in the Keweenaw, the upper pen. of Michigan. My husband was the first to find a "heart shapped" stone...it has now turning into a well loved collection also!
Posted by: Mary Ann Owens | September 7th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Your home is amazing and Iam very proud you have a Venezuelans more famous fashion desiner in your home Iam from Venezuela
Posted by: Yrma | September 7th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Martha - Great blog! Love to see how you get the chance to unwind and relax! You work so hard that it's great to see what you do with some down time!
Posted by: maria | September 7th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Hi Martha,
I am very jealous of your home in Maine. But I am super jealous of your heart rock collection. It is great!!!! I started one this summer and have 4 and they are my treasures! I look forward to collecting more on my future beach adventures. Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Heidi | September 8th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Your blueberry pie looks almost as good as mine! It should considering I use your recipe, I make a lattice top though. My family requests them for their birthdays instead of cake. The blueberry season was short this year, must have been too hot. Is that Giffords famous French Vanilla ice cream?
A Must! Love your photos of Maine even though I live here, it is truly heaven on earth.
Posted by: Jan | September 8th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Hi Martha,
I'm new to this webloging. I was looking through your photos of Maine.I've been telling my husband that we need to go. Could you recommend the best time to see Maine.
Also,when I saw your Heart Rock Collection I thought it was quite beautiful.
Just wondering have you ever traveled upstate NY to Boldt Castle on Hart Island off of St Lawerence River(1000 Islands). I've been there twice and planning to visit this October to see if they remodeled anymore rooms.Its quite beautiful. Thanks, Newbee Blogger Stacey
Posted by: Stacey G | September 8th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
I would love to see this episode of your show. Unfortunately, Martha is not on in the Portland, OR area any longer!! NONE of the channels are carrying it. I'm really bummed that I can't watch your show any more.
Is there anything we can do about that??
Posted by: Clayvessel from Pie in the Sky | September 8th, 2010 at 11:37 pm
Mojitos in Maine... that sounds like a lot of fun... never been there but I've heard such grea things of Maine I'm really wanting to make my way over there...
Posted by: Punctuation Mark | September 8th, 2010 at 11:55 pm
I LOVE the floating island. Drizzled caramel is one of my favourites. Sticky pudding from Ireland/England...wow! Ever tasted it? You keep getting younger! And those flower arrangements for some reason are the best I've seen but they cannot be the best as you've shown so many fabulous creations. I guess it's just becasue the arrangements are so beautiful they look like the best. Thanks Martha. Hope some of your fans read my word press blog and see those great boots you wore in Toronto, Canada at Canada Blooms.
Posted by: http://twitter.com/Geotravel | September 9th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
I LOVE these pictures. I am envious...arranging gorgeous bouquets...baking...as a job? I am a teacher, and love my job, but to have a career involving your passion? I wish...upon every star. Thanks for the behind the scenes peek.
Posted by: Monica | September 9th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Martha, I am so happy to see you are still enjoying my floating island recipe! Making it with you on your show was one of the biggest thrills of my life! All the best, Frank
Posted by: Frank Picchione | September 12th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Hi Martha, so glad to see more pictures of your home in Main. It is a lovely place and I see you really relax there. Love your heart rock collection. How does that happen?? We have red sandstone rose rocks where I live and they are very unusual and pretty but I haven't seen a heart rock. Thanks for sharing these picks with us.
Posted by: Libbygirl | September 13th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
The heart rock collections ROCKS!
I have to be a copy cat and start my own.
Thanks Martha!
Posted by: Sonal Desai Paolello | September 20th, 2010 at 10:33 pm