For Steve’s birthday we took a drive up to Quebec City for Winter Carnival. There were thousands of people, tubing, skiing, sled racing, skating, toboggan jumping and so much more. Most crazy were the international canoe races in the St Lawrence river, most interesting were the professional ice and snow sculptures who carved away throughout the weekend, most fun was the snow Ferris wheel. and even though it was close to 0 degrees F and windy. Everybody was happy just to be having so much fun at the Carnival, maybe it was the coco.

It started when Phyllis from the Pumpkin Patch (a great antique store just down the road from here who’s way too sought after for a website) brought this picture of Mack Point over to the house…it was taken in 1916.  For those of you who have been here, Mack Point is the utility port that we see at the head of the cove.

Mack Point, Searsport Maine 1916

Betty from the museum looked over my shoulder and asked if we had visited the Maine Memory Network website lately…that it was filling with some wonderful first hand accounts and images uploaded by individuals and institutions under the collective efforts of the Maine Historical Societies.

To make a long story short, today was cold, GREY and surfing the web researching on the computer seemed like the perfect way to spend the afternoon once I got home and answered the necessary e-mail.

I wrapped up in a flannel comforter with a cup of coffee & a plate of chocolate walnut brownies…here are some of the Searsport images I found that you might find interesting too:

The lady and the man (captain) in the middle are the Colcord's...their grandson lives next door to us today

This is what we now call Angler's Restaurant and Bait's Motel

Loading Potatoes at the Searsport Wharf, 1910

When Main Street was just a path of dirt

A six masted schooner in Searsport Harbor

I always think of my blog posts as postcards to friends and family of our daily world here on the coast…this begs the question of what people will be shuffling through one hundred years from now…will they be reading our blogs like we read old postcards?

As you may have guessed, I should have introduced myself years ago because she’s bubbly, outgoing and friendly…not an intimidating bone in her body.  Lesson learned.  I’m proud to share that Susan has agreed to be our Artist in Residence from July 22-28th.

During the week that she’s here, she’ll teach campers and outside artists alike and invites those who have been painting for years…and welcomes those who haven’t done more than scribble a stick figure. Some of the time will be spent in the studio, some in the gardens and with the goats, of course there will be time on the beach…and sometimes you’ll just be sent to scout out your favorite corner of the campground and report back at a given hour.

We are working on the details now.  In a nutshell, there will be an informal gathering with Susan each day of the week.  There is no charge for this session and sometimes you’ll be using paper and a drawing tool other times you’ll be learning to see the world around us through an artist’s eyes.

There will also be the opportunity to sign up in advance for complete sessions with Susan.  You can register for these classes on her website soon…or jump in if a space is available when you settle into the campground…more on this later…

The sun's low at two in the afternoon

It’s the kind of cold that makes the snow crunchy under your feet and the seaweed crackles as the tide water moves in…I always cringe a bit when I see the ducks and gulls settle into the water as the sea smoke drifts over them…hard to believe that they have that much insulation.

Me, I’m wearing two sweaters, two pairs of socks and insulated mittens…this is when I’m really glad that I like to knit and weave.

Rather than fill this post with words…here are pictures from this week in Searsport.

I started working on this rug in October. First washing the wool, then dyed it the color of ripe wheat, blackberries and currants, created fluffy batts and spun the yarn for this 3x5 rug. The wool is from French Hill Farm in Solon Maine.

Recognize Jim from our lobster bakes? Wearing a different hat, we met with the Fiber College planning committee last week and set Fiber College 2012 into motion

On Saturday a group of community activists met with National Grassroots Advocates to organize our efforts to preserve our local environment for generations to come (yes, we met in the art studio). Steve has decided to run for a town selectmen spot...March 6th are the elections.

Were you here last year when the artist in residence was a print maker? This week we're beginning the interview process to line up a fantastic summer of artists to work in the campground. FMI

Sunday we spent an hour at the Penobscot Marine Museum looking through a Big Top Exhibit

By 3:30 it's time to snuggle in and make a pot of warm soup...maybe a nip of brandy

Breakwater on Sears Island

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying.

John Edward Masefield, from Sea Fever

In everything we do, we try to capture the feeling we have about the campground…so there’s some obligatory bias but we temper it by using the photos and words that guests leave with us…that way you see things through the eyes of someone who’s visiting and looking for the same sorts of atmosphere/amenities that you are.

Anyway, today we sent the new rack cards to the printers…what do you think?  You may recognize Jack Chisholm dancing with his granddaughter and there’s a special thanks out there to Jackson for the beautiful pictures he took.  Jackson’s been camping here since he was shorter than me and now he’s a handsome young man with a world of talent at his fingertips…go Jackson!

Rack Card Front

The back side

Celebrating the addition of honey bees in 2011

Our holiday world was filled with popcorn balls, sledding and goat walks on the beach.   

Recipe for Sunny Goat Treats: pour left over caramel sauce (from the popcorn balls) over sunflower seeds. Harden and slice. With these treats you will be the shepard of the day

The preparations and the celebrations left no time for internet…what a strange feeling!

We hosted family from Elkhart, Boston and Sarasota…a full house of little boys and constant movement…it was fun and the memories will only get sweeter with time.

With a renewed sense of rejuvenation, I’m looking forward to getting back to campground and Fiber College work…it’s going to be summer before we know it!

Walking out of 2011 with loved ones...

May health, happiness and good friends fill all the corners of your world in 2012…and thank you to all who make us feel like we’re exactly where we should be, leading the life that fulfills us completely~ Steven and Astrig

Snow? No problem if you've grown a cashmere or an angora sweater

Sitting at the sewing machine...in the art studio

The honeybees are all wrapped up for the winter

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Look at the weathervane

Wonder who lives here

Steve’s home now and doing well, but the hospital discharge process seemed to take forever…so I took JJ the hound and walked around Belfast while Steve napped…it was a warm, gray day so the colors were muted, making the sharp lines of the architecture jump off the streets…contrast the angles with the curlicues of the ironwork.

Did you see the movie Peyton Place?

The Christmas Decorations are on the shelves at Chases Daily

Lots going on around here…ConocoPhillips has us (Searsport) in their sights.  They want to build a big propane transfer station on Route 1…we, small business owners and concerned citizens of Searsport think it’s an insane notion.  So we formed a coalition, “Thanks but no Tank” and fill our time with lawyers and “experts” while we try to figure out how a small community can hold off a company that made $11.4 BILLION in profit and $260,000/Hour in US tax subsidies in 2010.  ConocoPhillips makes more in subsidies in one night than our entire town spends in a whole year.

The plus side of this battle is that we’ve been renewing friendships and gathering as a community again…we’ve hosted potluck suppers or brunches every week.  We don’t all agree on everything but we are unified in our quest for balance…jobs and prosperity, clean air and water, and a chance for everyone to thrive, whether they’ve lived here all their lives or wanted to celebrate their retirement years on Penobscot Bay.  It’s energizing to be at the table with so many friends discussing strategy, research, outreach and the best apples for apple pan dowdie. 

To spread the message of balance, we’re writing letters and engaging in the media…sharing what we’ve learned with our neighbors and trying to look at the issue from all sides.  Some of the concerned are pretty vocal and the call for rallies and protests are reaching far and wide…others of us would rather work quietly with the town officials and believe that logic and conversations are the best approach…me, I want to be a part of it all.  It’s at a cost though, I’ve been spending more time learning about the propane industry than walking the beach and playing with wool, but you know what they say: ”if you want to make the Gods laugh, tell them your plans…”

On a more personal note, Steven is in the Waldo County Hospital recovering from a hip replacement.  So far everything about the surgery has been textbook perfect and I hope to have him home by the weekend.  If you’ve been to our little town of Belfast, you’ll know why I marvel that such a big operation can be done so close to home…the whole experience does more to underline the community message…the people who camp with us are the same people who are now nursing Steve back on his feet…how cool is that?