Mini Maine Getaway vacation

Early Tuesday morning my cousin, Cheryl came to the house. We loaded her stuff into the back of my SUV, and we were ready to hit the road...destination... Maine for a few days. We stayed in Otisfield, at my brother and sister in law's getaway vacation home. Otisfield is near Casco and Windham and Naples.
Below:
My car in the drive way shortly after we arrived at my brother's place around noon. I have lots of photos to share that I took while I was away.


birch trees in the yard
Lake Thompson just down the hill from my brothers place
Lake Thompson

Okay, gee, where do I start? We drove all around thru back roads. We stopped at several gift and thrift shops. I bought a few Christmas gifts in our shopping expeditions. Finding a bead store and then a stamps store was an added bonus. :-)
Tuesday afternoon we drove to Windham to a great fabric/quilt store that we had been to before.
first afternoon stop after bringing our stuff to the house. I bought some fabric and also some wool pieces for penny rugs.

   don't know what I will do with these fat quarters yet. I just liked them.

Christmas stocking fabric and liner

This store has a great selection of fabrics and so many patterns to choose from. A wonderful shop!

Wednesday morning....leaving the house a short distance from my brother's place we saw 3 deer in the field at an apple orchard. By the time I got my camera out, one deer started to walk away, but I was able to get his picture.

further down the road snowy field with mountains in the distance
birch trees and mountains in the background
    snow on the ground, but most had already melted
     island in the middle of a lake
  foggy morning
    Wednesday morning...taken thru my windshield..very foggy
Casco
Portland is about a 1/2 hour from my brother's place.

Portland
Caravan Beads in Portland...a huge bead store




I thought I was in bead heaven.
Portland, a fun sign took a picture because the sign had my last name. Portland
      Portland..funny bandages in a little gift shop
I tend to take pictures that have pigs because my oldest son, Tommy does pig roasts as a side business.
Simply Scandinavian store

heading to Bridgton
 
huge antique phone monument in front of a phone company

elk with huge rack of horns
    the elk all come running when you go to put a quarter in the machine that is filled with corn for people to feed them. We saw this elk farm when we went to get apples.
vintage lace work that I picked up in a flower shop heading to Norway and Paris. The piece on the right has a flower and stem.
chair made of ski's at an apple stand
snow on the roof of this sugar house in West Paris. I was looking for Fancy grade maple syrup, but I didn't find any.
South Paris..taken at the property my cousin Andy use to own.
Tony's Foodland grocery store, Naples, Maine
Tony's grocery store has umbrella's of all kinds hanging from the ceiling thru out the store.
more umbrella's and more..I didn't come close to getting all of the umbrella's that are in the store
  Pigs..painted rocks at Tony's grocery store
funny antique wooden sign at Tony's Foodland grocery store in Naples. The store has wonderful antiques throughout the store.
Raymond, ME
Raymond, ME sunset
Raymond, ME sunset
sunset thru the birch trees
Windham, Maine...Crickets Gift shop. I took a picture of the cut and pierce lampshade that the shades panels had the Lakes near my brothers place. I make cut and pierce lampshades and thought this shade was clever.

I also bought some fabric to make an apron.

Friday, our last day. After we swept and cleaned up the house, loaded my SUV we started to head back home. We drove home on Rte. 1 the coastal route, but made many stops in the little towns along the way home.
Kennebunk beach
Kennebunk
Kennebunk
low tide at the beach, Kennebunk
Kennebunk big waves rolling in with spray

   
huge 1700 pound  solid milk chocolate moose and chocolate bear at a chocolate store in Scarboro

 

chocolate bear cubs

We drove by the B&M baked beans factory in Portland, and When Pigs Fly bread company on our ride home. When Pigs Fly is great bread.
Lunch time at the Maine Diner in Kittery. The diner has been featured on TV on the Phantom Gourmet and Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive In's and Dives. Guy Fieri signed poster in the lobby
I ordered a clam dinner..this photo is minus the cup of clam chowder. Clam cake, whole bellied clams, clam strips, corn muffin, coleslaw and I chose a baked potato. Yum!

  Kittery...wow, this store was a candy lover's dream store
window panel in the front of the store
2nd window panel
3rd window panel..top left corner has my favorite gum..Teaberry by Clark's
4th window front panel   

 my last stop in Maine I was thrilled to find a rubber stamp store.

front with whiskersthe gold bunny Smart Car was parked in the lot at the Lindt chocolate store in Exeter, New Hampshire. We stopped in Exeter for a quick visit with my cousins aunt.
In Maine I cut some Balsa branches and red berries to make an arrangement for my front steps. I still need to add more to the basket. I did up the basket this morning before the dirt freezes.

We ended up coming home late last night. The weather was great, sunny and warm in the 60's. We didn't need jackets. I wore turtleneck shirts and a sweatshirt each day. Yesterday was cold and windy, but I still didn't need a jacket. We had busy days, but had a wonderful time. We have already talked about our next mini vacation, but no definite plans have been made yet and won't be until after winter is over.
Here it is November, and I guess I better start making some Christmas cards. Halloween was too quiet this year. We only had 15 trick or treater's the night before I left for Maine. Most years we get between 60-100.

Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour tonight. I wish the time would stay the same year round.