Spring Cleaning at Skylands
Skylands, my home on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, is officially open for the summer season. Even though the building is winterized and I can enjoy it all year long, there is plenty of spring-cleaning that goes on. Cheryl Dulong, who works at the property, sent me some photographs detailing the progress. Cheryl is an excellent photographer and you may recall seeing her photos contributions on previous blogs. I asked her to take other pictures of the Skylands grounds and surrounding Acadia National Park and I share those with you now, taken with her Canon EOS REBEL T1i.
1 This is the view from the Skylands terrace of Seal Harbor and Suttons Island.
2 Inside Skylands - This is the living hall in it's winter covers. The furniture and other objects are covered over during the winter months to protect them from the sun's harmful UV rays and to keep them dust-free.
3 In springtime, those covers are removed and spring cleaning begins.
4 During winter, the windows in the upstairs bedrooms are covered over with winter curtains.
5 This is another bedroom where the winter curtains had been removed.
6 I call this wall in the kitchen, the Great Wall of China.
7 All that China is taken down and washed each spring. This is one of the housekeepers, Gretchen Sweet, busy at work.
8 Here is Gretchen putting the last of the clean dishes back.
9 More of the Skylands crew - Mike and Blake Hodgkins are preparing to move the kitchen table off the floor so that it can be refinished.
10 Each spring, since I've owned Skylands, I have the kitchen floor refinished by Leroy Cousins.
11 Leroy, a real master of his craft, sands the entire floor by hand.
12 After sanding and washing, Leroy applies the finish, a formula of his own creation.
13 Once the floor was dry, everything was put back in place. The kitchen is officially ready for another busy summer season.
14 After all the storm windows had been removed and stored and screens installed, the leaded glass windows were carefully washed, pane by pane.
15 After finishing with the spring cleaning in the main house, the housekeepers moved to the guest cottage, which is still decorated with a pink theme.
16 The guest house, too, is now all cleaned and ready for guests.
17 Spring cleaning outdoors, as well
18 There are so many beautiful wild flowers growing in the surrounding woods. This is a deep red trillium.
19 A white nodding trillium
20 And a beautiful pink trillium - One should never pick a trillium. Doing so seriously injures the plant by preventing the leaf-like bracts from producing food for the next year and it takes a plant many years to recover.
21 A Northern Flicker with a grub - These large woodpeckers are often seen on the ground because they mostly eat ants and beetles, digging them up with their long pointy bills.
22 A Pileated Woodpecker - These crow-sized birds are the largest woodpeckers in the United States.
23 This is a very common male red-winged blackbird. While the male is black with vibrant red and yellow wing markings, the female is a nondescript dark brown. This difference is called sexual dimorphism.
24 A very handsome male American Goldfinch
25 A male Purple Finch
26 And a male Ruby Throated Hummingbird
27 A Barred Owl - This woodland raptor has a distinctive hoot that sounds like 'who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all.'
28 These dandelion-like flowers are Tussilago farfara, commonly known as Coltsfoot. The flowers appear early in the spring before the plant's leaves form.
29 The delicate blooms of Amelanchier, or shadbush - so named because it blooms at the same time as the upriver migration of the shad fish.
30 Purple azaleas with bee
31 Lovely!
32 Fragrant and delicate Mayflowers - This wildflower has been on the endangered list since 1925.
33 Wild Maine blueberries in bloom. These berries hold a special place in Maine’s agricultural history, one that goes back centuries to Maine’s Native Americans, who were the first to use the tiny blue berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, nutrition, and healing qualities.
34 Skylands peony
35 Skylands peony and kiwi vine
36 Clematis montana var. rubens 'Tetrarose' - A vigorous grower, the beautiful rose-colored flowers contrast nicely with the bronze-tinted foliage.
37 Bleeding heart - a quintessential cottage garden flower
38 Skylands allium
39 Skylands tree peony
40 This is the Skylands Council Circle, where we enjoy fires at night and share stories. I had this circle built after finding plans for one in the original Skylands blueprints of famed landscape architect, Jens Jensen.
41 The gardens surrounding the Council Circle are filled with native plants.
42 A close up of the amazing yellow Lady Slippers
43 Dogwood
44 The back porch at Skylands with hanging fern baskets
45 The following photos were taken in Acadia National Park. This is a shot of Jordan Pond and The Bubbles. The North Bubble on the left, has the highest elevation at 872 feet. The South Bubble follows at 766 feet.
46 A Jordan Pond beaver gathering wood
47 This tree was gnawed downed by a beaver.
48 A beaver and a loon
49 A beautiful loon, or diver, as they are known in the UK
50 Loons dive under water to find fish, their main source of food.
51 Coming up for air
52 Water beads right off of the plumage.
53 Simply spectacular!
54 A white-tailed deer lying down
55 A great blue heron taking off
56 The great blue heron is the largest North American heron, having a wing span of 66 to 79-inches.
57 The incredible Asticou Azalea Garden in Northeast Harbor
58 A super moon from the Cooksey Drive
59 A breaking wave at Thunder Hole
60 The same wave - Thunder Hole is a small inlet, naturally carved out of the rocks, where the waves roll into.
61 The same wave - At the end of this inlet, down low, is a small cavern where, when the rush of the wave arrives, air and water is forced out like a clap of distant thunder.
62 The same wave ebbing - Water may spout as high as 40 feet with a thunderous roar!
63 This is Hemlock Bridge, One of only two Gothic-arched bridges on the Rockefeller carriage road system. Built in 1924, it is one of eight major stone bridges on the Around-the-Mountain carriage road loop. The pointed arch design was chosen for its harmony with the pointed hemlock trees which surround the site.
64 And this is Waterfall Bridge, built in 1925, a massive stone-faced bridge that carries the West Sargent Mountain Road alongside a picturesque cascade, which serves as a focal point for users of the road.
65 A shot of Red Admiral butterflies as they made their migration to Canada
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Beautiful pictures Martha!! I think this has now become my favorite blog post of all! Love all the wildlife pictures; especially the Loon and the Yellow Lady's Slipper Orchids. Skylands looks like a dream place to be.
Posted by: David K. | June 8th, 2012 at 1:49 am
Hi Martha, I am finally back, due to my brother Victor. He worked till he got things fixed so I could see all of your pictures once again. He's a good brother.
And, beautiful pictures, they are! Cheryl did a great job!! I especially liked # 49. Is that some kind of camera trickery, or really the water?
I see you have a different Blog page, too. I like it.
Gloria G!!
PS Did I mention I have a great brother?
Posted by: Gloria | June 8th, 2012 at 2:13 am
I love seeing this post every year!! Skylands is an amazing place..and a favorite of Kevin Sharkey..if memory serves me well! http://www.themalemartha.com I would love to have the opportunity to see this place up close and personal! Mt. Desert Island is a majestic place to begin with!
Thank you again!
Dan Viger
Hollis Center Maine
Posted by: Dan Viger | June 8th, 2012 at 5:46 am
Cheryl's photographs are truly beautiful! I especially love the photos of the loon. We have a pair of loons at our family cottage in Eastern Ontario, Canada, but we generally only see them from a distance. I loved seeing Cheryl's photo of the loon underwater - something I had never seen before. I can almost hear their haunting call! Thanks for sharing these.
Posted by: Andrew Ritchie | June 8th, 2012 at 5:57 am
Thanks to Cheryl for the great photos of this beautiful property.
Posted by: Sharon | June 8th, 2012 at 6:13 am
Hello Martha,
I can't get enough of the pictures of Skyland. as well as the farm in Bedford. Thank you Cheryl for taking such beautiful pictures. Acadia National Park is such a beautiful place to visit. I love the Council Circle at Sjylands also. Such a gorgeous property.
Karen
Posted by: Karen Tracy | June 8th, 2012 at 6:45 am
Beautiful images! Interesting spring cleaning pics
Have a wonderful weekend.
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | June 8th, 2012 at 6:48 am
Thanks, as always, for sharing this beautiful and informative post. It looks like summer is finally arriving Down East. Hope you'll enjoy a wonderful season at Skylands. Best, B
Posted by: Burndett Andres | June 8th, 2012 at 6:57 am
Cheryl certainly IS a wonderful photographer!
Posted by: Just B | June 8th, 2012 at 7:02 am
Thanks for photos by Cheryl, makes me very happy to live in a home that needs little cleaning and I can do it myself if I wish. Skylands continues inspiring many of us to learn more about LIVING, especially in Maine as it is such a beautiful historical area.
Posted by: ann | June 8th, 2012 at 7:18 am
i said it before, i'll say it again. please show more of the interior of your homes like you used to do way back when.
Posted by: chris | June 8th, 2012 at 7:52 am
You truly take beautiful pictures Cheryl, especially of the fawn and flora! I'm sure it takes a lot of work to get a house cleaned and opened for the season. I'm amazed by the work of Leroy Cousins, the kitchen floor came out fantastic. I remember your past post about the Rockefeller carriage road system Martha. I love the bridges. Thanks for updating us on Skylands, looking forward to more this summer!
Welcome back Gloria G! We've missed you. Have a great weekend everyone
Posted by: Cindy F | June 8th, 2012 at 7:52 am
Cheryl takes beautiful photographs. Now I want to come visit Maine!
Posted by: homer | June 8th, 2012 at 8:17 am
Dear Martha, how lucky you are to have such talented well rounded people to work for you and take care of your beautiful properties. Amazing wildlife, incredible job by Cheryl. Love your blog thank goodness you are continuing as I visit every morning with my coffee to see what wonders you are up too. Your bolg is better than all the "Housewives" shows for a look at "your lifestyle" and always so positive and "Real"
Posted by: Mairead Doria | June 8th, 2012 at 8:29 am
Amazing, just love all the nature around you. Beauty of life and its surroundings are such a gift.
Posted by: ga447 | June 8th, 2012 at 8:37 am
oh so BEAUTIFUL...Martha, I would NEVER leave this peace of Heaven! I think I would be a happy camper just living there in a ..well, A CAMPER!
Thanks for sharing! ~Kim
Posted by: Baileywife | June 8th, 2012 at 9:02 am
I have a Pileated Woodpecker at my property in Cheverly, MD. They are much larger than the standard woodpeckers. I haven't seen him in a couple of weeks, but hopefully he will return. They are just beautiful. These pictures are beautiful. I follow your blog everyday.
Posted by: John Newman | June 8th, 2012 at 9:33 am
Hi Martha,
Many thanks to Cheryl for great pictures – I always enjoy seeing Skylands. What a beautiful place and you take such good care of it. Someone else could be living there and never have the kitchen floor waxed let alone once a year. It looks beautiful by the way and I can almost picture Pierre preparing a nice breakfast. I’ve always been impressed by the way you have the original pink stones in the driveway picked up every year before winter and then put back down in the summer. I wouldn’t mind seeing how that is done. You’re a wonderful caretaker and you’ve got some very nice housekeepers. Thanks for sharing all of your homes with us. Trish
~
Nice to see you back Gloria – we’ve all been asking about you. It’s also nice to have someone help us with our computers when we need it. My son is the one who helps me if I really get in a bind although I’m pretty computer savvy myself. I’m glad you can see Martha’s pictures again!
Posted by: Trish | June 8th, 2012 at 9:48 am
Hi Martha, My brother was finally able to fix my computer so that I can now make another comment here on your fantastic blogs! I was getting rather frustrated, but he did a good job! Thank you so much for sharing this stunning blog of photos by brilliant Cheryl Dulong at your beautiful Skylands home in Maine! I love everyone one of these photos and want to thank Cheryl for doing such a great job with your other housekeepers making Skylands ready for your summer visits! I enjoy viewing these many times! The information about the Trilliams is amazing and all of the flowers around there are gorgeous! Seeing all of those beautiful birds was tremendous! I love #53 of the beautiful Loon-outstanding! Then seeing all of those breaking waves at Thunder Hole was marvelous! Even the bees and the butterflies were beautiful! Skylands is a tremendous place and your helpers are superior! Thanks for your tweets from your trip to Tokyo! Hope you have another great day and a marvelous weekend! Off to see F&S enjoying seeing so many of the blocks at your Bedford farm! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | June 8th, 2012 at 10:17 am
Martha,
Thanks for sharing this blog,
Posted by: KLBrown | June 8th, 2012 at 10:18 am
I love these pictures of your home in Skyland! The tree peonies are gorgeous. The pink guest room is my favorite room of all with the nice grey antique furniture. Where can I buy winter curtains and winter coverings for the sofas? Please advise. Thanks!
Posted by: arlene of va | June 8th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Love the pictures of Skyland and the amazing wildlife!! Beautiful! Wish I was there to walk across those stone bridges and smell the ocean air!
Posted by: Frances | June 8th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Hello Martha
I'm amazed about the pictures. Wonderful place.
Thanks for sharing so nice pictures.
I love your blog.
Posted by: Maria Lúcia | June 8th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Thanks so much for sharing the photos of Skylands today. I especially love the close-up bird and fowl photos. I can't imagine all the work that goes into maintaining such a beautiful property. I so enjoy reading your posts each morning. You are involved in so many interesting things in your life and it is really nice of you to give us a peek into your world.
Posted by: Cheryl T | June 8th, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Martha - we're visiting Bar Harbor for the first time this summer. Hope to see you there!
Posted by: mk | June 8th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Martha, Such beautiful photos!
Posted by: Yvette | June 8th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
I especially love the photo of the friendly beaver hauling logs!
Maybe he'll join you and sit around the Council Circle and yap it up! 
The photos are beautiful. I've been to Maine a few times, but I see there is much more to discover!
I just love all the photos of the wildlife!
gail
Posted by: gail pierson | June 8th, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Martha, Those photos are amazing. I hope you'll be putting them on Pinterest. I can't imagine all the amazing things you've had a chance to see.
Posted by: Laura Dembowski | June 8th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
OK, the pictures are beautiful, where you should be "house proud" of the place. But the work that was being done made my bones hurt... Enjoy your time there...
Maryann...
Posted by: Maryann Hammond | June 8th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Thank you to Cindy F and Trish for welcoming me back to the fold. As Minnie Pearl used to say...I'm just proud to be here, and as George Burns said...I'm just proud to be anywhere.
But, seriously, I am so glad that I can see all the pictures once again. I felt lost when I couldn't see them, as if part of my day was missing, and it was.
Thanks again, Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | June 8th, 2012 at 3:52 pm
Martha. I really enjoy seeing pictures of such a beautiful place. Now I would like to take a vacation to Maine.
Posted by: Jan | June 8th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
Hello Martha. The photos are beautiful. I've been to your neighborhood and it is absolutely beautiful. My husband retired this year and we are looking forward to returning to Maine. Bar harbor is where we love to stay.
Posted by: Francine L | June 8th, 2012 at 9:54 pm
you have a beautiful house, and design. You have great recipe for food.
You are the Best Martha, with my all love~ Marvin
Posted by: Marvin David | June 8th, 2012 at 10:42 pm
Hi Martha and Cheryl,
Fabulous pictures. We were in mt. Desert not too long ago and it's one of the most beautiful places. Cheryl was able to capture it's natural beauty with her photos. We cannot wait to go back and make new memories. Love the lobsters and the weather. Wish it was like that here in the city. Xoxo
Posted by: Tim | June 8th, 2012 at 10:46 pm
So lovely and always well taken care of...the way things should. Love that the staff take pride in keeping things humming.
Posted by: Sherey | June 8th, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Oh Martha this home is lovely. It is a dream home ....both elegant and surrounded by nature. So odd...the pictures I posted of my bleeding heart and allium are almost identical to yours!
Posted by: nantucket Daffodil | June 9th, 2012 at 7:15 am
Love the Skylands photos as always, hope you will make a beautiful coffee table book someday featuring this property. Its history just seems endless at times!
Thank you for schooling everyone not to pick Trilliums, growing up this was practically law with my mother and grandmother, and you are right, they take 7 years to return.
PS Where's the sexy gray heuchera on the back porch!
Posted by: Rebecca | June 9th, 2012 at 7:45 am
Beautiful photos! Enjoyed peeking inside your world.
Posted by: Blenda | June 9th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
I loved the photos...and the house...
Very beautiful place!
Posted by: Μαρία | June 9th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Writing a report on entrepreneur's for my Bachelor's Degree in Business Admin. I chose you and ultimately wondered, "What's Martha up to lately?" This is my first time with Twitter as well and I have to say that I'm very glad I found your site. Skyland's is gorgeous and a dream fantasy home in my opinion! I could seriously think I'd died and gone to heaven to live there. Beautiful, as well as the surrounding landscape!!! I'm a late bloomer college student (53) now that I've raised my children. You are an inspiration to us all. Thanks for being you and sharing.
Posted by: Patricia Van Dorst | June 9th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Hi, Martha and Cheryl,
Thank you so much for the stunning photographs, particularly of the flowers, birds, and wildlife! I love the close-ups of the birds. I can appreciate the time and talent involved in catching them in their habitat. I think I'll look at the entire blog again!
Thanks,
Posted by: Bobbie | June 9th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
Hello Martha:
Boy I really miss you and your program I did not have cable so I could not follow you at Hallmark. I watch all the programs from your NBC station.
What a beautiful place, the picture reminds me of our beautiful Lake Tahow which I adore and used to spend alot of time when I was younger.
Please comeback to our regular TV station so I can watch your program.
Your Fan,
diana
Posted by: diana escobar | June 10th, 2012 at 8:37 am
Yes indeed, truly beautiful and very fortunate to have!
Posted by: Purpleconeflower247 | June 10th, 2012 at 11:57 am
I've been there two years ago! Wonderful place, great food, quite and people were very nice!
WWWW Maine!
Posted by: Elena | June 10th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Beautiful photos!
Posted by: Carina | June 10th, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Great post! I was lucky enough to visit this part of the country a few years ago with my husband. We long to return for an extended holiday! It's just such a beautiful place.
Posted by: Brighid | June 11th, 2012 at 10:51 am
I always look so forward to any blog regarding Skylands, because I love this area but truly love this beautiful place. Thanks Martha
Posted by: Mercy Garcia | June 11th, 2012 at 11:50 am
The pileated woodpecker is the largest in the country only if you believe that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is indeed extinct.
Posted by: Andy | June 12th, 2012 at 10:49 am
Cheryl Dulong is a great photographer! It's been 5 years since I've been to Acadia and deeply miss it! Looks like spring is great time to be there with all those beautiful flowers and birds.
Posted by: Annie | June 12th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Wow, this is a breathtakingly beautiful post. I've gone through the pictures three times for the sheer joy of it. I didn't realize that Jens Jensen landscaped Skylands in addition to the Edsel Ford estate in Michigan. For your readers who would like to experience the Jens Jensen magic themselves, may I recommend a retreat at "The Clearing Folk School," a spot designed by Jensen for humans to go to and clear their mind. I took Jazz Appreciation classes there, enjoyed fabulous classmates, gorgeous nature and delicious food. The clearing is in Door County, Wisconsin. One more spot I'd love to recommend where people can enjoy his calming serenity, the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Gardens in Springfield, Illinois. http://empty-nest-expat.blogspot.com/2008/10/living-tribute-to-abraham-lincoln.html
Posted by: Karen | June 13th, 2012 at 12:16 am
The Barred Owl has my vote for Martha's next Halloween Costume!
I just love this photo. The large Woodpecker answered a question I had also, saw one recently and didn't believe they could be that size. Thanks!
Posted by: Katescana | June 13th, 2012 at 10:26 am
Thank you so much for sharing these pictures of Skylands. I was in Maine last summer and enjoyed it so much. I love Arcadia National Park. The pictures are beautiful. Thankis
Posted by: Linda Sue Rzatkiewicz | June 13th, 2012 at 2:02 pm
These photographs are spectacular! It is so beautiful in Maine. Kudos to Cheryl for such fine photography. I loved the birds especially! Thank you.
Posted by: Judy | June 13th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
its beautiful I ll go there when i ll b free from by business great pics
Posted by: brilhoservices | August 6th, 2012 at 8:02 am