REALTOR® GramE Pat's Piece of Maine in Acadia

The Tranquil Hour in Acadia

2012-02-23T11:28:00.001-08:00

Arrived home last night...just in time to capture the end of the 'tranquil hour'

“When the day changed …………..
… Settled to rest, and for a tranquil hour
The lengthening bluish shadows on the snow
…………..Flooded the earth with beauty and with peace.”
Quotes from the Poem: The Winter Scene by Bliss Carman

A Visitor "With an Eye that Fires and a Spell that Charms"

2012-02-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

We had a magestic vistor in our cove on Long Pond this AM... (sorry we could not get a close up shot)

The Eagle (by James Gates Percival)
Bird of the broad and sweeping wing
Thy home is high in heaven,
Where wide the storms their banners fling,
And the tempest clouds are driven.
Thy throne is on the mountain top;
Thy fields---the boundless air;
And hoary peaks that proudly prop
The skies, thy dwellings are.

This is how I imagine him this AM...circling our cove, looking for his breakfast

"My prey I seek with piercing eye,

grasp with talon strong.

Then lift into the endless sky

to sing my victory song."

(Don R. Wilkins)

"With an eye that fires, and a spell that charms " (James Gates Percival)

Wise Trees Sleeping in the Cold

2012-02-18T12:26:00.001-08:00

Winter Trees
Poem By William Carlos Williams 1883–1963

All the complicated details

of the attiring and
the disattiring are completed!

A liquid moon
moves gently among
the long branches.

Thus having prepared their buds

against a sure winter
the wise trees
stand sleeping in the cold.

(Thank you, artist Gail Ribas for sharing your painting

Home is Where the Heart Is

2012-02-11T09:53:00.001-08:00

"I wasn't born in Maine, but I got here as fast as I could"
(thanks to the recent AARP news for this wonderful quote)

I LOVE our piece of Maine!.

Happy Valentine's Day from Our Home to Yours.

(GramEpat and GrampEbob)

So Thankful for Our Piece of Maine

2011-11-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

Watching the sunset tonight....was like watching Mother Nature photo-shopping the sky...

Almost as soon as our cameras clicked, new colors and deeper shades appeared on the horizon!

We are so grateful for our spot on Long Pond in Acadia National Park....

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

gramEpat

"Oh the Places You'll go and the People You'll Meet"

2011-11-19T17:26:00.000-08:00

What a great event at the Somesville Village Library this AM...
"Oh the places you'll go"(Dr. Seuss)

Our Little Library on Somes Harbor

A fabulous and fun Dr. Seuss Costume party and free children's program... (click link for photo album)

("who says we can't carry on the fun of Halloween just a little bit longer")

The Library's Children's Program director, Jen Wales and helpers put together a wonderful collection of books from one of our favorite authors along with crafts, activities and of course- unusually colored snacks.

Many thanks to the staff , library board trustees...and volunteers....and to the many young families who attended the event. ("and the People You'll Meet")...

"You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.

You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead."

"You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!"

"Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best."

"And will you succeed?Yes! You will, indeed!"

"And when things start to happen,don't worry.

Don't stew.Just go right along.You'll start happening too."

"Kid, You'll Move Mountains"

"There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored.

there are games to be won."

"Wherever you go, you will top all the rest."

"With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,

you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street."

"You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing".

"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes....
You can steer yourself any direction you choose"
(gramEpat)

"Beauteous, Golden, Autumn days!"

2011-11-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

Autumn Days (Author: Will Carleton)
Yellow, mellow, ripened days,Sheltered in a golden coating;

O'er the dreamy, listless haze,

White and dainty cloudlets floating;

Winking at the blushing trees, And the sombre, furrowed fallow;

Smiling at the airy ease
Of the southward-flying swallow.

Sweet and smiling are thy ways,
Beauteous, golden, Autumn days!

"I Love the Stillness of the Woods."

2011-11-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

I love the Stillness of the Woods
(Lewis Carroll )

I love the stillness of the wood:
I love the music of the rill:
I love to couch in pensive mood
Upon some silent hill. -

Thank you Stephen for the photo of Christin's Pensive Pose

Scarce heard, beneath you arching trees,

The silver-crested ripples pass;

Thank you, Michael Walsh for capturing the 'stillness of the woods' in Acadia

And, like a mimic brook, the breeze
Whispers among the grass. -

"Late Autumn....Acadia's Sweet Season"
Gramepat : Acadia Pines Rentals, Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island, Maine

Halloween Foolishness at GramEpat's

2011-10-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

Lots of fun tonight...Halloween at GramEpat's Office in Somesville...
For all you ghosts and goblins who stopped by to trick or treat...click the link above to see this year's photo album...Thanks for sharing your time, energy and families with me.
Happy Halloween!...("Stay Foolish"...Steve Jobs,...You have left your footprints in our hearts)
(A special thanks to 'my girls' at Bar Harbor Banking and Trust... ;-)
PS...One of you little goblins left your black polar fleece gloves in the playroom.
I'll put them on my office porch for you to pick at your convenience.

Awe-Struck in Acadia

2011-10-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

The Red Sunsets II, 1883 Mathilde Blind
"The boding sky was charactered with cloud,
The scripture of the storm--but high in air,

Where the unfathomed zenith still was bare,
A pure expanse of rose-flushed violet glowed

And, kindling into crimson light, o'erflowed ,
The hurrying wrack with such a blood-red glare,

That heaven, igniting, wildly seemed to flare ,
On the dazed eyes of many an awe-struck crowd."

(and , this evening...in Acadia...an awe-struck GramEpat!..)

Heaven is Where You Are

2011-10-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

"I'll build a stairway to heaven..cause Heaven is where you are."

Our little bit of 'Heaven on Earth' in Acadia
'Heaven on Earth' is a choice you must make, not a place you must find.
Dr. Wayne Dyer

Clouds..Fluttering and Dancing in the Breeze

2011-10-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

“I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills, ...

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”
Wordsworth

A Cloud withdrew from the Sky
Superior Glory be………..
Emily Dickinson

“Low-anchored cloud,
…………Drifting meadow of the air,
…………Spirit of lakes and seas and rivers”
Henry David Thoreau

As I pedaled in the cove this evening, I found myself humming this old Joni Mitchell tune...

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ •♫♪ I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now ♪♫

Something's gained ♫ in living every day..♪

"Mother Earth just closed up the drapes on another Year"

2011-10-19T17:53:00.000-07:00

"If winter is slumber and spring is birth, and summer is life, then autumn rounds out to be reflection. It's a time of year when the leaves are down and the harvest is in and the perennials are gone. Mother Earth just closed up the drapes on another year and it's time to reflect on what's come before."
Mitchell Burgess (From TV series Northern Exposure, Thanksgiving, 1992.)

As we 'close up the drapes on another year', our hearts are filled with gratitude.

A special thanks to our 'paying house guests' at Acadia Pines Chalets.

Bob and I hope that your Maine vacation in Acadia National Park far exceeded your expectations.

We look forward to your return visit to Mount Desert Island. http://www.epatfoster.com/

Autumn Unconfined in Acadia National Park

2011-10-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

"Thy bounty shines in autumn unconfined

And spreads a common feast for all that live."

James Thomson (poet)

We love sharing the beauty of Acadia National Park with our paying house guests who are 'from away'...Let us know when you want to book your spot at Acadia Pines Rentals for 2012.
(BTW: Just a 'heads up'...Our return guests are already reserving their spots for 2012) . 

gramEpat@epatFoster.com

Moon River and Me

2011-10-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

♪♫♪♫"Moon River... "I'm crossing you in style some day" ♪♫♪♫

2011 October 'Moon River' in Acadia

50 years later and it seems like yesterday....( Thank you, Audrey Hepburn...for your sharing your talent and grace)

I may not be having Breakfast at Tiffany's...but it's hard to beat 'Breakfast at Jordan's'...(in Bar Harbor)... (Thank you, David Paine for sharing your talents and grace!)

♪♫♪♫"off to see the world..There's such a lot of world to see" ♪♫♪♫

(Let me know when you are 'off to see the world'...and want to vacation in Acadia...I'll be happy to help)
REALTOR gramEpat

"Splendor of Ended Day" in Acadia

2011-10-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Quotes from Song at Sunset (by Walt Whitman) ...

"SPLENDOR of ended day, floating and filling me! "

Views from my window on a rainy October evening in Acadia

"You, Earth and Life, till the last ray gleams, I sing. "

"Illustrious the passing light! "

"Illustrious whatever I see, or hear, or touch, to the last. "

"Wonderful to be here! "

"How the clouds pass silently overhead! "

"How the trees rise and stand up—with strong trunks—with branches and leaves! "
"O amazement of things! "

"O setting sun! though the time has come,
I still warble under you, ....., unmitigated adoration."

Beautiful Spirits are Breathing Now

2011-09-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

"There is a beautiful spirit breathing now

Its mellow richness on the clustered trees,

And, from a beaker full of richest dyes,

Pouring new glory on the autumn woods,

And dipping in warm light the pillared clouds."

(Autumn…by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

Visiting Acadia National Park this Fall?....The Beautiful Spirits are Breathing Now!....
Realtor GramEpat Somesville Village, Mount Desert Island, Maine

Where the Wild Things Are

2011-06-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

"People need wild places. Whether or not we think we do, we do. We need to be able to taste grace and know again that we desire it.

We need to experience a landscape that is timeless, whose agenda moves at the pace of speciation and glaciers.

Photo of Acadia , by my friend Ben Kimball

To be surrounded by a singing, mating, howling commotion of other species, all of which love their lives as much as we do ours, and none of which could possibly care less about us in our place.

It reminds us that our plans are small and somewhat absurd. It reminds us why, in those cases in which our plans might influence many future generations, we ought to choose carefully.

Looking out on a clean plank of planet earth, we can get shaken right down to the bone by the bronze-eyed possibility of lives that are not our own." - Barbara Kingsolver

Come visit Acadia National Park...."Where the Wild Things Are"

GramEpat has a few Acadia Pines Cabins still available in late June/early July . Email epat@epatFoster.com

to reserve your spot.

Getting Back Up is Living

2011-02-23T07:31:00.000-08:00

I recently saw this quote posted on Twitter (@gramepat) and Facebook (Pat Cooney Foster) ...and wanted to share these words of wisdom...

An old woman once said.."There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, GETTING BACK UP IS LIVING."

"Pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. And Start all over again"

This 'old woman' loves 'getting back up and LIVING'...in Acadia National Park....

All the Old Familiar Places

2011-02-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

Tonight as I was coming home from my office, I had all I could do to keep my eyes on the road and concentrate on my driving....
The sky was a kaleidoscope of colors...
I found myself humming an 'Oldie but a Goodie'...

"I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places "...

"I'll find you in the mornin' sun..."

"I'll find you in the mornin' sun"
"And when the night is new..."

"And when the Night is New"

"I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you ! "

(I see you, Mom..."in all the old familiar places ...that this heart of mine embraces ...

...In everything that's light and gay. I'll always think of you that way." )

If you can't be with the ones you love, Love the ones you're with!

Belated Happy Valentine's Day Greetings to "the ones I'm with".

Small Efforts...One Shovel Full at a Time

2011-02-06T15:58:00.000-08:00

"I think I can...I think I can...I think I can... "One shovel full at a time"..
Eventually we'll be able to dig out from under!...

Long Pond Vacation Cottage

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
Robert Collier

"Come See the North Wind's Masonry"

2011-02-03T18:16:00.000-08:00

Waiting for GrampE Bob to plow the driveway so I can eventually get to the office today.

Dressed to the 9's in 5 layers of clothing with my latest fashion statement: Ski Pole Accessories!

Pleasant day...(15 degrees Above instead of 15 Below)

Realtor GramEpat

The 'North Wind's Masonry' is getting piled pretty high. I'm beginning to wonder where Bob's going to put the additional snow predicted for this weekend. Gotta Love Maine winters!...

Somesville Landing on Somes Harbor

Come See the North Wind's Masonry.

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving o'er the fields,
Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air
Hides hill and woods, the river, and the heaven,
And veils the farmhouse at the garden's end.
~~~~~
To mimic in slow structures, stone by stone,
Built in an age, the mad wind's night-work,
The frolic architecture of the snow~~Ralph Waldo Emerson

My Piece of Maine
Acadia National Park

"The Landscape Belongs to the Person Who Looks at It"

2011-01-31T20:20:00.000-08:00

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote so eloguently about Sunsets.

( He was born in Portland, Maine )

"Softly the evening came. The sun from the western horizon Like a magician extended his golden want o're the landscape; Trinkling vapors arose; and sky and water and forest Seemed all on fire at the touch, and melted and mingled together."

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Then and Now" photos taken from

"Our Piece of Maine"

("The landscape belongs to the person who looks at it".)

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Winter is "The Time For HOME" in Acadia

2011-01-30T15:57:00.000-08:00

Winter-Time by Robert Louis Stevenson

Somes Harbor, Mt.Desert Island

Late lies the wintry sun a-bed,

A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;

Blinks but an hour or two; and then,

A blood-red orange, sets again......

Luv Acadia National Park!....

"My Piece of Maine"

REALTOR GramEpat

"~ Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:
It is the time for home. ~ " Edith Sitwell

Looking For a Sunset Bird in Winter

2011-01-29T19:25:00.000-08:00

Looking For a Sunset Bird in Winter
by Robert Frost
The west was getting out of gold,
The breath of air had died of cold,

When shoeing home across the white,
I thought I saw a bird alight.

In summer when I passed this place,
I had to stop and lift my face;
A bird with an angelic face
Was singing it it sweet and swift,

No bird was singing in it now

A single leaf was on a bough
And that was all there was to see
In going twice around the tree!
----------------------------------------
It's Snowing AGAIN!...
Another Great Weekend for winter sports in Acadia National Park!

Contact REALTOR GramEpat for Broker Owned vacation rental reservations.
(We have a few spots left for 2011).

Magical Moments to Remember

2011-01-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

A cold, winter day...Holin' up in our Maine Cabin on Long Pond....
Just got a glimpse of fire in the sky....(Several Feet of snow...and more on the way!)....and thought...
"OMG...Where's my camera. "..

On a snowy winter afternoon in Acadia, these magical moments to remember pass by so quickly!
Luv Acadia National Park....all seasons!
(If you want to visit in 2011, we have a few openings left in our broker owned Acadia Pines Vacation Rental Cottages)

Fasten Your Seat belt and Hang on to Your Ski Poles!

2011-01-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

"Love doesn't make the world go round, Love is what makes the ride worthwhile".
Elizabeth Browning

Fasten your seat belts.....and Hang on to your Ski Poles...!

It's a beautiful day in Acadia National Park....Perfect snow conditions today for creating custom Valentines!

It's a little early for Valentine greetings..but it was hard to resist creating a special message for my BFF.
(Look out the living room window...GrampE Bob...there's a special message for you!)

Bambi could care less about GramEpat's foolishness...She's in love with our Cedar Trees!...

Winter Shadows Lean, Reach and Stretch.....

2011-01-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

Winter Shadows..Leaning, Reaching and Stretching.....

What Fun!.....Living Year Round on Long Pond ..on Mt.Desert Island Maine.
(And you thought the summer months were fun! )....
Ever try snow shoeing or cross country skiing in Acadia National Park?.....This afternoon I took a little hike across the pond to check on the ice fishermen...chatted with the kids playing in their snow igloos....and watched the eagles soaring .They were looking for their Sunday dinner (Fish on Ice!)

BTW: There are a few weeks still available in some of our Acadia Pines Vacation Rental Cottages for Spring, Summer and Fall. Let me know what time frame you want to reserve.
(The deck and entry to the Long Pond Rental Cabin next to our home look a bit different in August!)

And the Sensational Somesville Sunsets..Occasionally look like 'Fire and ice'...

Hope you get a chance to visit Acadia this year..Let us know if you want to be one of our paying house guests .
Just let us know your cottage preference and your time frame...and we'll send a confirmation. GrampE Bob will put your name on a sign on the cottage, GramEpat will bake some home made bread and jam...and we'll leave the lights on for you!

BTW: If you want to spend the whole summer in Northeast Harbor, contact us about our village homes (located on Sylvan Road) . Two homes currently available . Special rates quoted for our full season guests.

Looking forward to sharing Our Piece of Maine with you.
REALTOR GramEpat

Greetings from My Piece of Maine

2011-01-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Greetings from "My Piece of Maine"... 1099 Main St. Somesville Maine...

May the New Year bring you Peace of Mind.....and 'Your Piece of Maine"

(Let me know how I can help with your 2011 vacation plans to visit Acadia National Park).

Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Hopeful New Year full of wonderful New Beginnings!

REALTOR GramEpat

Luv the Ones You're With

2010-11-13T11:14:00.001-08:00

Fun event at the Someville Village Library this AM!...What a great group of parents , children, staff and volunteers!

On my walk back to my office, I found myself hummin' the song "If you can't be with the ones you love, Love the ones you're with" :) (Luv those kids and this village!)

Playing with Words in Acadia

2010-11-04T19:06:00.000-07:00

Fun Event planned for the children at the Somesville Village Library.

I look forward to "Playing with Words" and "Playing with Kids" in our historic little building on Somes Harbor.

A big Thank You to the Caspar Weinberger Foundation for Funding our Children's Programs........and to our volunteers and our Librarian for all their hard work.

(Pictured is Caspar Weinberger, Jr. presenting a check to Grace Carreno, Librarian Tom Lange, and Nicole Carreno, coordinator of the Children's Programming).

We are very grateful to all of our friends and neighbors who continue to support our Historic Library, located on Somes Harbor, in the heart of Acadia!

Halloween in Acadia is a Wicked Good Time

2010-11-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

Halloween in Somesville Village Maine is 'Wicked Fun' !

The Spooktacular event at my office last night was lots of fun!...

The Somesville village ghosts and goblins came by for a 'bite' and the parents sat for a 'spell'.

We're already looking forward to next year's event!..

The kids tell me I am "'The Ghostess with the Mostest" !

Season of Mist and Mellow Fruitfulness

2010-10-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

To Autumn (John Keats)

"While barred clouds bloom the soft dying day"

"Hedge-Crickets sing "
"Gathering swallows twitter in the sky"

"Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours "

(In a quiet cove on Long Pond, in Acadia National Park)

"On the Road Again", Leaf Peeping in Acadia

2010-09-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

We had a great time last weekend, touring New England with our street rodder friends.

Car Photo Above (2009) : "Ernd It"belongs to our Canadian friends Greg and Sharon Hayes. Their fabulous car has won several awards at the recent NSRA shows...

The photo below (2009) : A view of Jim and Louise DeWare's beautiful car...tootin' down the highway.

Instead of the Real Estate phrase 'a room with a view'...we have a '67 Corvette with a view" !

Attention Leaf Peepers: In the next few weeks, Fall foliage should be at it's peak in Acadia National Park.

(BTW: If you have not made your fall vacation plans yet, we still have a few openings left in our Acadia Pines Chalets.)

Hope to have the '31 Chevy 'on the road again' for next year's rod run to Burlington Vermont for the NSRA Northeast Street Rod Association Nationals Event!

Realtor GramEpat

So Many Talented Artists on Mt.Desert Island!

2010-08-10T18:19:00.001-07:00

Thank you Diana Ansley (one of the many talented artists in Acadia National Park) for giving me permission to share your Long Pond Fog Landscape. I have seen this view on many mornings when I drive from my home on the pond to my office in the village...

"FOG" reminds me of Carl Sandberg's legacy...(What does it mean to be an American?).."Who am I, where am I going, and where have I been?"

The Fog comes on little cat feet

It sits looking over harbor and city

on silent haunches and then moves on

(Poem by Carl Sandberg)

Acadia Vacations, Quiet Reflections

2010-06-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

I found this Fall Foliage photo of the Somesville bridge in last year's files...sent from one of our 'paying house guests' at Acadia Pines...

Fall Foliage will be here before we know it!

If you have not booked your Maine cottage yet, email or call ASAP to reserve your spot.

We'll leave the lights on for you, welcome you with homemade bread and jam...and GrampE Bob will make a special welcome sign for your 'Piece of Maine'.

"I stood on the bridge at midnight as the clocks were striking the hour,

and the moon rose o'er the city behind the dark church tower,

I saw her bright reflection in the waters under me..."

Poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Born in Portland, Maine)

Realtor: E Pat Foster, GramEpat Somesville Maine

Time flies when you're having fun

2010-05-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted photos of Somesville, Long Pond, and Acadia National Park. Guess I've been too busy spring cleaning, getting the cottages ready for our paying house guests!

If you have not made your vacation plans yet, there are still a few weeks open in GramEpat and GrampEbob's cabins. The rates and dates available are posted on our Acadia Pines Vacation Rentals web site. (When you email a note to reserve your spot, remind me that I offered a special online coupon promo discount

($50 off the summer rate).

We look forward to sharing this beautiful island with you!

Realtor GramEpat E.Pat Foster Real Estate, Somesville, Maine

Thank you, Diana Ansley, for letting me share your incredible talent! (Somes Harbor, Mount Desert Island)

Fun Times and Fond Memories

2010-04-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

We are looking forward to the children's program this Saturday AM at our quaint village Library.
Hope you can drop by to visit. (Fun Times)

When I was driving by the village Library this AM, I saw my favorite ducks (Max and Matilda) waiting by my friend Elaine's bench, wondering when the kids were coming to feed them. It's hard to believe the wonderful warm weather we have this year for Mud Season...
(Three Seasons in Maine: Summer, Winter, and Mud Season :)
BTW:I took this photo last summer..It is not THAT warm yet!)

Thank you Nicole for the designing the event poster...and Thank you Gail for letting me share your painting of Elaine's Bench. Elaine Reddish was a good friend and a valuable and appreciated member of the Somesville Library Board of Trustees. (Fond Memories)

Realtor GramEpat, president of the Somesville Library Association

March Madness on Mt.Desert Island

2010-03-20T16:03:00.001-07:00

I must be dreaming! I'm on my pedal boat, in the middle of Long Pond, reading a great novel!...The ice is gone....and, it's only March in Maine!....The colors are spectacular, the fresh air is fabulous, the birds are tweeting and the ducks are flying in for a landing. Please don't wake me!...I'm luvin' it !

Looks like reservations will be coming in very early this year for Spring hiking, biking and boating in Acadia.

Cottage rental rates and dates for broker owned Acadia Pines Rental Cabins are posted on my web sites. Email or call ASAP to reserve your spot.

(PS: It won't take me long to open up GramE's Camp next to our home on the Pond if you want to come early this year...assuming this wonderful weather continues.)

Click this link if you're looking for 'Your Piece of Maine'

I'll be happy to help.

Realtor GramEpat

SkyBluePink Winter Sunsets in Acadia National Park

2010-02-19T16:33:00.000-08:00

I came home from work early this evening and saw this spectacular view from our dining room window. I knew that if I didn't take the photo immediately, the kaleidoscope of colors would disappear before GrampE Bob arrived.

The last few times that I posted the early evening views from Long Pond on my blog, Bob captured those incredible sunsets for me..This time it was my turn to 'share the moments to remember'

"Sunrise, Sunset,Swiftly Flow the Days"

What an incredible winter this has been in Acadia National Park.

Could it get any better than this?

Looking for Your Piece of Maine?

2010-02-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

34 Degrees...and the sun is shining! Feels like summer in Maine!

My NJ relatives are digging out from under several feet of snow....and my husband is on a ferry boat ride to Vinalhaven today. ...gazing around...''looking for a piece of Maine' ...(Of course, Mainers think that when the temperature is 34 degrees , they should be in shirt sleeves and shorts...riding around in their cars with the windows down and their sun roofs open :)

....or wearing a baseball cap, relaxing on the deck...and taking in the view :)

Wild Times in the Village

2010-01-31T20:31:00.000-08:00

I wonder if the winter storm on Thursday had anything to do with the successful Big Read Event that was held at the Somesville Library this week.

Thanks to everyone who braved the snow storm and participated in the lively book discussion:

"The Call of the Wild"

The Call of the Wild in Somesville Maine

2010-01-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

Mount Desert Island is 'Going to the Dogs'.

On Saturday Karen Balducci, Maine's First Lady and Founder of Maine Reads was our keynote speaker at The Big Read kickoff event. She officially launched this reading adventure in which an estimated 1200 readers across 7 local islands will read the same book at the same time.

For the next month, participants will devour Jack London's The Call of the Wild.

The busy schedule will include 39 events...including a Book Discussion this Thursday at our Somesville Village Library. (7PM)
We hope you can attend .

If you have not read the book, come anyway to listen to the discussion. Phyllis, Tom and Jean have a nice program prepared...and I'm sure Jean will bring some of her yummy cookies.

PS: Did you know that Jack London has a connection to Mount Desert Island through his marriage to Charmian Kittredge (related to Jean !)....I bet she has some family secrets she's going to share with us!....It will be lots of fun (and delicious. I love Jean's old family recipe cookies...simply the BEST EVER!)

(Click the underlined links to see additional photos and news articles)

Snow Shoeing in Acadia National Park

2010-01-24T19:02:00.000-08:00

Great Maine Day to be Snow Shoeing in Acadia National Park.

Realtor GramEpat

Happy Times at the Somesville Library

2010-01-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

Lots of fun at the village Library this AM.
Great children's program.
Many thanks to our volunteers. There were Happy Kids and Happy Parents!
Click this link to see the slide show!

Fun at the Somesville Library this Saturday

2010-01-21T10:40:00.000-08:00

Hope you and your wee ones can attend the Somesville Library Children's Program this Saturday. (January 23).

GramEpat will be there to help with the crafts and storytime!

Oh DEER, What's for lunch?

2010-01-20T11:45:00.000-08:00

We just returned from a weekend in a warmer climate...to a Maine snow storm.

As we're 'holin' up'...in our cabin on the lake...wondering what to have for lunch...we noticed 4 deer on our lawn and on the pond out front...plus a coyote in our back yard...all wondering the same thing..."Wonder what's for lunch"?...

"Some Different" from a weekend at the Venetian in Vegas :)

Eating brunch at Bouchons and dinner at the Delmonico Steakhouse!

"Maine, the way life should be" ....

"Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home!"

Realtor GramEpat

Do you like the Chatter or Chirp?

2010-01-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

I've been wondering if Twitter and Facebook are beginning to make blog postings a thing of the past?
It seems that blogs are now fewer and shorter and facebook status updates and tweets are more prevelant.

Just a personal observation. I can't help but wonder how that will change the face of social networking..
And will FourSquare eventually make Twitter a thing of the past......blogs less meaningful...email outdated...etc....

I got a kick out of one of my young teen age friends on Facebook who recently confided in me and told me that "Her mother was so old fashioned because she was still back in the email days and would not join Tweeple in the real world ""
Guess the nice thing about emails and blog postings is that you can type random thoughts like this...ramble on a bit...and not be limited to 140 characters...A perfect platform for a 'Chatty Patty' who occasionally likes to chatter...not just chirp.

I have to confess that @gramEpat is addicted to 'twexercising' at least twice a day!...Luv to be on my exercise bike while I enjoy my #twitterqueens #tweetsandcoffee chirpers . (Realtor GramEpat @gramEpat)

My Piece of Maine ."WOW" !!

2009-11-29T18:14:00.000-08:00

Bob grabbed the camera just in time tonight to capture this incredible Sunset in 'our piece of Maine'. ...

All I can say is 'WOW'...(and "THANK YOU GrampE Bob! "xoxo)

Realtor GramEp at

Maine Vacation Memoirs

2009-11-21T16:55:00.000-08:00

One of our 'Acadia Pines Chalets' happy campers sent these vacation photos for me to share. Great pictures of Acadia National Park and the Bar Harbor area ! Thank you, Michael for sharing your talent and your memories of your Maine Vacation on Mount Desert Island. We look forward to your return visit next season. (We're thinking of you tonight, as the fire is raging on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City).

Realtor GramEpat

Somesville Maine

Babysitting Bar Harbor Bambi Twins

2009-11-14T12:55:00.001-08:00

Herbie's Twins...Having a late afternoon snack. (They love Fred's apples! )

(Scroll down for older blogs to see Herbie's photos. He's a handsome fella')

(GrampE Bob and I are babysitting the 'wee ones' in Acadia this week!..)

link:Acadia National Park programs for managing wildlife

Realtor:gramEpat

We Will Have These Moments to Remember

2009-11-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

I was working late at the office yesterday....and would have missed this magical moment...at our home on Long Pond...

but, thanks to my BFF ...He grabbed his camera and clicked this shot of this spectacular November Sunset!.(to share with me when I got home)....What an amazing kaleidoscope of color!.

As our granddaughter Anna likes to say "GramE...Could it get any better than this"?

"We will have these moments to remember"...Thanks, Bob...You're the best!... (my BFF!)

Trick or Tweets @ GramEpat's

2009-10-31T14:58:00.000-07:00

Lots of Halloween fun in Somesville village...We've been 'goin' strong' since noon time!...

Somesville Village Library afternoon events for the young goblins (Free books, games, crafts)...and sweet treats at my office ..to get them 'sugared up in good shape' before the Hay Rides in Hall Quarry this evening...Lots of photo ops...and fun and games..

I'm waiting for the next group to show up..wind blown and 'wound up'...from all the activities!...Ledgelawn Avenue in Bar Harbor is also on their 'frightful agenda' :) ...the wee ones tell me that it's 'Kinda scary' :) over there!

These Maine ghosts and goblins (and parents) are going to be 'some tired' tonight!

Happy Halloween!

Realtor GramEpat

Bar Harbor Views from Bar Island.."OH WOW"...

2009-10-27T14:53:00.001-07:00

I just opened up an attachment from one of our 'paying house guests'....and all I could think of was 'OH...WOW!'

I love it when our Acadia Pines

guests share their Maine vacation memories and their talent! Thanks, Michael, for sending this incredible photo of Bar Harbor, taken from Bar Island.

'OH...WOW!...

Realtor GramEpat

(Looking for 'Your Piece of Maine'? Let me know how I can help.)

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Lunch Date with my DEER friend, Herbie

2009-10-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

Almost every day I see my Deer friend, Herbie Hoover...looking for apples at Fred's farmhouse (near Somes Pond, on Mt.Desert Island).

Couldn't resist this photo op!

PS:Luv this view of my neighbor's yard, across the street from my office!

Realtor GramEpat

Some Kinda Wonderful

2009-10-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

I was walking in the village today (near Acadia National Park)...thinking 'this is 'Some Kinda Wonderful' !

So I grabbed my camera and joined the other leaf peepers. Hikin', Clickin' and Humin' the tune "Some Kind of Wonderful"...

An October afternoon in Somesville..Could it get any better than this?

Realtor GramEpat technorati tag

Snowing in Acadia National Park

2009-10-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe it!....Huge snowflakes coming down this evening on our deck at Long Pond. (October 18!) Good thing the leaf peepers took lots of great photos last week!

Wonder what our paying house guests at the Acadia Pines Chalet in Somesville think of this!...Bet they are 'Wicked Excited" and never thought about bringing their skis and snow shoes along with their hikin' boots! :)

(Just kidding...it's not THAT much...but is a big surprise!)....

Realtor GramEpat

Somesville, "My Piece of Maine"

2009-10-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you , Michael...for sharing your recent photo of the Somesville Bridge...

Somesville is "My Piece of Maine"...

The little bridge connects the old Selectmen's building with the village museum...across the street from our quaint library.

Tour buses are still arriving daily...with leaf peepers clicking cameras!...

"There are so many things around us, if we just take the time to see"

Realtor GramEpat

Memoirs of a 'Walk in the Park'

2009-10-13T04:45:00.000-07:00

One of our guests at Acadia Pines Cottages sent these photos.

Thank you, Michael...for sharing the beauty of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse

Realtor GramEpat

E.Pat Foster Real Estate

Acadia Pines Vacation Cottage Rentals

Maine's Coastline, Fall Foliage in Acadia

2009-10-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful coastline,...

Fall Foliage Season in Acadia National Park

One of the MAINE reasons we choose to live here!

There's no place like home.

(Thank you, Michael for letting me post your spectacular photo!)

Realtor GramEpat

Fall:A time for REFLECTION in Acadia

2009-10-05T19:06:00.001-07:00

Fall in Acadia National Park. A perfect spot for leafpeeping and 'reflection'.

Realtor gramEpat

Acadia Pines Rentals

Mount Desert Island

Near Bar Harbor and

Acadia National Park.

September Sunsets

2009-08-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

September in Acadia....It's such a beautiful and peaceful time of year in the National Park. (September Sunsets are spectacular!...Thank you artist, Gail Ribas for sharing your talent)

I just discovered some statistics about the FREE bus service on Mt.Desert Island...

Since 1999, propane-powered Island Explorer buses have carried more than two million passengers in Acadia National Park, eliminating more than 685,000 automobile trips and preventing 6,444 tons of greenhouse gases. The fare-free buses are supported by Park entrance fees.

These vehicles offer Mount Desert Island visitors and residents free transportation to hiking trails, carriage roads, island beaches, and in-town shops and restaurants.

What a nice bonus for locals traveling to and from work...and for tourists visiting the Bar Harbor area.

Here's a link to help 'plan your visit'....

Let me know if you need a place to stay. We enjoy sharing our Island and pampering our paying house guests at our Acadia Pines Chalets. ...Realtor GramEpat

Bar Harbor Sunsets from Cadillac Mountain

2009-08-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

Wow!.... Spectacular sunset views from Cadillac Mountain this evening!

(Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine)

So glad we had our polar fleece jackets!...The wind was whipping as the sun was setting....and "When the Moon comes over the mountain"...

"How Great Thou Art"

Realtor GramEpat

Life's Lessons from a Bar Harbor Seagull

2009-08-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

After observing GrampE Bob's recent photos of a friendly Seagull on the Ocean Drive Road in Acadia National Park, I was reminded of a few quotes from Richard Bach's book about Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

“Who is more responsible than a gull who finds and follows meaning, a higher purpose for life? For a thousand years we have scrabbled after fish heads, but now we have a reason to live – to learn, to discover, to be free!"

"How much more there is now to living! Instead of our drab slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there’s reason to life! We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!"

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful August day!...It's a great day for flying! Realtor GramEpat

(Thank you, GrampE Bob for observing and capturing the beauty of this bird.)

August has arrived in Acadia

2009-08-01T20:02:00.001-07:00

August has arrived , along with
summer weather on Mt.Desert Island! ...Finally!!
July was Moist and Mystical......
August is Magestic and Magnificent!...
Thank you, artist Diana Cobb Ansley for
letting me share your wonderful paintings of Majestic Somes Harbor
(Oil on Canvas: Somes Harbor, Mount Desert Island)

and Mystical Long Pond. (Oil on Linen : Early Morning Fog, Long Pond )

Maine Realtor gramEpat
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Another M & M Morning in Maine

2009-07-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

"Majestic and Magnificent !

“O Solitude! If I must with thee dwell, Let it not be among the jumbled heap of murky buildings.” John Keats

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

Could it get any better than this?

(Acadia National Park)

Realtor gramEpat

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M & M Morning in Maine

2009-07-17T04:32:00.000-07:00

Another Magical, Mystical Morning in Maine!

"The fog comes on little cat feet.
It sits looking over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on. "
Carl Sandburg

Thank you artist Gail Ribas, for capturing the beauty of 'Bass Harbor Fog' in Acadia National Park
"Magical & Mystical"? "Miserable & Moist"? ....uummhh.....
Sometimes hard to 'always look on the bright side of life' !...

(Thanks, Cindy for the Spamalot experience....Great fun!!)

"If you can't change the things you see, then change the way you see things"
(Maybe it's time for a "peptalk"??)
(Thanks, John Jenkins, for the words of wisdom!)
Realtor GramEpat

Bar Harbor Maine, "My Home Sweet Home"

2009-07-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

I'm Proud to be an American. (Love the song by Lee Greenwood:"God Bless the USA")

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea, Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free, Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

I was doing a google search and discovered that the unofficial national anthem of the United States was composed by an immigrant who left his home in Siberia for the USA when he was only five years old. The original version of "God Bless America" was written by Irving Berlin (1888-1989) during the summer of 1918 (Thank you, Irving Berlin for these inspiring words and for sharing your incredible talent).

And..Thank you, Artist Gail Ribas, for sharing your incredible talent! I LOVE your paintings and value your friendship!

Happy 4th of July....Hope our paths cross during the day at the Bar Harbor Festivities! (My Home Sweet Home)
"God Bless America, Land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her Thru the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, To the oceans, white with foam God bless America,
My home sweet home. "

Realtor GramEpat

Spirits and the Scent of Healing Herbs

2009-07-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

Summers in Maine...

Mist
Low-anchored cloud, Newfoundland air, (Maine air?) Fountain head and source of rivers, Dew-cloth, dream drapery, And napkin spread by fays; Drifting meadow of the air, Where bloom the dasied banks and violets, And in whose fenny labyrinth The bittern booms and heron wades; Spirit of the lake and seas and rivers, Bear only purfumes and the scent Of healing herbs to just men's fields! Henry David Thoreau

Thank you, Gail Ribas, for sharing your Painting.

Realtor gramEpat technorati tag

Baby Loons and Lupine

2009-06-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

I heard that we had a successful hatching of a baby Loon in my cove on Long Pond.
(successful hatchings are rare on Mt.Desert Island.)

When I'm out on the boat, I'll try to get a picture of the wee one cruising in the cove on it's mother's back.

Loons and Lupine!...Love this time of year in Acadia National Park!

How can a plant that is considered invasive be so beautiful ?...I hope my neighbor's plants (see photo) INVADE my office lot next door!

Realtor Gramepat

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A walk in the Park with GrampE Bob

2009-06-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day ! "Pete" and "RePete"

GrampE's are just antique little boys!

"Birds of a Feather 'Tweet' Together"

2009-06-20T18:17:00.001-07:00

I was posting a Tweet on Twitter and thought of the corny phrase...Do 'birds of a feather 'tweet' together?'... guess the hashtag #twitterqueens got my wheels turning.

Did a little research...and ...well..you know how it goes when you are Googling......One thing lead to another and I discovered a 'twictionary'..What a hoot!...Good for a few chuckles on a rainy 'ol day ....

I need to learn some 'twits' and 'twetiquette'...Time to 'fly bye' and start studying. "So much to learn, so little time"!....

PS: For you 'tourist tweeters' who want FREE internet access, the Somesville Library just received a generous gift of 5 computers. (Thank you , Trustee Paige Collins for obtaining the latops for us. "We get by with a little help from our friends" )

Realtor GramEpat
President, Somesville Library Association

(Photo: Downtown Somesville on a Rainy Day)

Life is full of Surprises! Some better than others!

2009-06-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

Look what my neighbor found in her Garden!....

Here is her story:

"Went to the Ann's Point Road in Bass Harbor as usual on Thursday morning and stopped the car at my Harborside cottage and got out. I looked at the lupine plants growing in my garden there, plucked a few dandylions, and WOAH! What was that in my garden?? A dead fawn?? Only, as I approached---he winked an eye!! So, I knew immediately that he was not dead. I named him Bambi and he just lay there in my garden. I got on my cell phone and called Scott Grierson (Grierson Nature Foundation) and asked him what to do. He told me not to touch him, to ignore him and his mother was out forraging for food but Bambi slowed her down. 'Don't be concerned, she will be back and will nurse him'!! So, I left him there--only he moved over himself behind more bushes in the garden. He must have been 'SOME frightened ' but never moved as long as I was looking at him. Scott was right, he was gone the next morning. And so were more of my hosta plants!! "

Thanks, Jeanne, for sharing the incredible photo and your wonderful story!

Realtor GramEpat

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"We Get By with a Little Help from our Friends"

2009-06-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

In this photo is my neighbor, Caspar Weinberger, Jr., presenting a donation to the Somesville Library. Accepting the gift is Tom Lange, Somesville Librarian.

The Weinberger Foundation recently gave a generous donation to our Library’s Children’s Room Renovation project. The Somesville Library Association elected to honor Jane Dalton Weinberger, by dedicating the Children’s room in her name. Jane Weinberger has devoted a great deal of her life to furthering children’s literature both through her publishing company, Windswept House Publishers, and by volunteering her time to read to children around the world and especially in her home village of Somesville. For over 20 years she published children’s books, many of which can be found in the children’s room at the village Library.

A celebration is planned to honor Jane Weinberger and the other members of the community whose donation of supplies, time and energy made the renovated Children’s room a reality. The public is invited to attend the dedication ceremony to be held at the Library on June 27th from 4-5PM.

"We get by with a little help from our friends"...
Thanks to all of our volunteers and contributors.

Realtor GramEpat President, Somesville Library Association.

Faith can move Mountains,but not Balance Rock!

2009-06-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can " ...

Don't give up looking for 'Your piece of Maine'. Let me know how I can help.

PS: Just FYI:
I have no intentions of climbing the mountain and attempting to help move Balance Rock!
Many tourists in Acadia National Park have tried unsuccessfully to do that without my help! :)

Bubble Rock on South Bubble Mountain, Balance Rock on the Bar Harbor Shore Path, and white Lucerne granite are classic examples of glacial erratics found on Mt.Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park.

OUR MAINE GOVERNOR REMOVES TRANSFER TAX INCREASE: Thank you to Governor John Baldacci who REMOVED the proposed Transfer Tax increase on homes priced $500K or higher that was passed in the initial Tax Reform Legislation. The Maine Association of Realtors would have preferred a veto of the entire bill, however, the removal of this increase before passage of Tax Reform is HUGE for real estate in our State.

Realtor GramEpat technorati tag

2009-05-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

I got a kick out of a recent Warren Buffett quote that a friend told me:
"Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked".
Warren Buffett

FYI:The water temperature at Sand Beach, Acadia National Park's popular swimming area, rarely exceeds 55 degrees, so don't even think about skinny-dipping in those Maine waters. According to a posting at boston.com/travel, "It's far better to stroll at night -- and bundled up -- when the shimmering bioluminescence from microscopic creatures in the bay can sometimes illuminate the adjacent rocky bluffs".

"No worries on this end...I'll be covered from head to toe with Polar Fleece! (GramEpat)

"If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians".
Warren Buffett *
"It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price". *

"In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield". *

" If you're in the luckiest 1 per cent of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99 per cent"*
Realtor GramEpat
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Contemplating Your Piece of Maine in Acadia National Park?

2009-05-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Contemplating 'Your Piece of Maine"?

My friend, Ben Kimball offered to let me use his self portrait in my recent ads.

He took the photo this past December. It’s on Champlain Mtn. overlooking The Bowl. The knob just above his head is the backside of The Beehive.

Thank you, Ben!

Realtor GramEpat

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Heading for the Club House today?

2009-04-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

I found an interesting piece of history when I was doing some research online (when I should have been working or Spring cleaning)

American Women's Realty New York 1927

American Woman's Realty Corporation, was formed by the American Woman's Association, Inc., for the purpose of financing the construction of a club/house for working women.

Spring Clean?....or head for the Club House today?... Tough choices.

Realtor GramEpat

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"The Lovers, the Dreamers, and Me", in Acadia

2009-04-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

"That beautiful season...Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The True Story of Evangeline, in 1907.

Photo: Somesville Mill Pond by the village Library
FYI: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine, in 1807. He was a commanding figure in the cultural life of early Americans and became a national literary figure by the 1850s, and a world- famous personality by the time of his death in 1882.

Realtor GramEpat

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The lake is still frozen, the woods covered with snow

2009-04-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

Only a few more days before the Maine lakes will no longer be frozen,
and the woods no longer covered with snow....

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"
Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost
Realtor GramEpat technorati tag

'The Living Past'

2009-02-20T18:54:00.000-08:00

When I trek around the Somes Harbor, it's hard to imagine that the first permanent settlement on Mt. Desert Island (founded by Abraham Somes in 1761) turned into a thriving industrial center with seven mills and five shipyards! ...The mills are gone...and so are the shipyards...but the Harbor and the fjord remain as incredible as they must have been when he first arrived on the Island from Gloucester, Mass.

I did a little research and found out that Abraham obtained the land for development on grants from Francis Bernard, who was the governor of Massachusetts .Securing the property for Great Britain, he chose to establish a village (along with James Richardson) at the North end of the fjord which cuts through the center of the island. (located across the street from my office)... The harbor would later be named after him as Somes Sound . His settlement , named Somesville, would develop into an important trading location that largely allowed for the rest of the island to be permanently colonized in the years following the American Revolutionary War.

Abraham served in the military, then returned to Somesville where he raised his family of 13 children.

I am so delighted that my friend Dr.Virginia Somes Sanderson honored his memory with the memorial stone at the harbor and captured his memory in her book, "The Living Past". Thank you ,Virginia. I think of you often when I rest near Abraham's stone, and gaze out over Somes Sound......and ponder the amazing beauty of Abraham's settlement .

Realtor gramEpat technorati tag

"One Step at a time"

2009-01-31T20:24:00.000-08:00

"I hope that battery is still working on that electronic lock box"!

I know I can do this...just "One step at a time"

(Thanks to my LLBean Tubbs!) ....Gotta love Maine Winters!

Especially On Long Pond, in Acadia National Park! Life is good :)

Realtor:gramEpat

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I Love to Show Kitchens

2009-01-30T18:41:00.000-08:00

I get such a kick out of it when new agents say "I want to be a real estate agent because I LOVE to show kitchens" :)
I was thinking about that yesterday when I went in almost blizzard conditions (15+ inches of snow predicted)...to meet a buyer's agent and building inspector at one of my favorite listings (Higgin's Store in Somesville, Maine).

The first thing I had to do at my office was shovel my way to the car. (Couldn't snow shoe because the LLBean Tubbs were in the trunk of my car)...Then I had to 'de-ice' the car before I could take it down the highway. Good thing I have front wheel drive because the snow plow driver had not yet made his afternoon swipe through my door yard.

When I got to the listing, I parked out front because....again....LOTS of snow in the normal parking areas behind the building. (Probably the guy who plows my driveway also plows Julie's...He's also a fireman...so I wouldn't be surprised if he was in still in Northeast Harbor, helping clean up after the most recent fire!.

Good thing the seller left a shovel, broom, and sand and salt for the ice...(Thank you , Julie).

Once the walkway was shoveled, the back steps and apartment steps shoveled and swept...and sand and salt put down over the ice,...I was ready to try to retrieve the hidden key and unlock the door.......While all of this is happening...my car is again covered with snow and ice. (Which means that ,after we finish with the inspection,....I start all over again...shoveling the door yard, 'de-icing' the car, etc...)

The other hearty souls arrived....high spirited...with chats about ice fishing, skiing, and the other fun winter sports that were on the agenda for the 'snow day'....We all decided that when the inspection was completed, we would just call it a day and either settle in by our wood stoves and/or fireplaces, or opt to don the winter gear and play in the snow.

Gotta love selling real estate in Acadia National Park in January.

I LOVE Maine Winters and buyers, sellers, agents and affiliates who embrace change and challenges!
I find myself reminiscing about why so many Realtors got into this business in the first place. "They love to show kitchens" :)
Realtor GramEpat
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Misery Loves Company in Paradise

2009-01-23T05:15:00.000-08:00

Hard to be too miserable with a nasty head cold when you live in Acadia National Park and are surrounded by so much beauty.

...Hope the typical time frame is applicable for this nasty virus..."3 days coming, 3 days here, 3 days going"..."During the three to five days it takes your body to vanquish a cold, the irritating little invaders can make your life utterly miserable. Unfortunately, experts say, once you’re sick, there’s no better prescription than the one your mom gave you when you were growing up: Eat right, rest and drink plenty of fluids". ("Feed a cold, starve a fever")
Realtor GramEpat
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Where there's a will, there's a way

2009-01-15T15:36:00.000-08:00

Maine Winters in Acadia National Park!....Gotta love it!

Acadia Council of Realtors are a hearty group!...Especially if you are a seller's agent...have an appointment to show your listing... and have to get INTO your office to get the listing information, keys and/or card reader before you meet at the property...before you attempt to get INTO your listing to show it. Better allow an extra few hours between appointments!

Seasoned Maine brokers on Mt.Desert Island know that 'where there's a will there's a way'. Not only do they have to shovel their way into their office, they travel with shovels in their cars...and quite often have to shovel their way into the property they plan to show. LL Bean Snow shoes and ice grippers are standard equipment...salt for the ice.....shovels, ice scrapers...and flash lights...(it gets dark mid afternoon!). Other standard equipment includes extra scarves, mittens, hats....granola bars, water...and jumper cables..(never know if that diesel will start after it's been sitting still in sub zero weather!)...Thank goodness for AAA...and polar fleece!..and friends with plow trucks and sanders...but...'where there's a will, there's a way'!....Serious buyers rarely cancel an appointment just because there's a little blizzard or 'Nor'easter'...Hiking boots and fluorescent gear help when you're trekking down the highway in a blizzard (because the diesel should not be 'out and about' in sub zero weather).....hoping to arrive in time to shovel, sweep, and de-ice ...to get the door open and the lights on before the buyers and their agent arrive.

...It's no wonder that on Mount Desert Island it is common for the listing broker to meet the buyers and their agent at the property. Buyers' agents in Acadia National Park are 'wicked smart'....They don't mind giving the listing agent advance notice to show a property...that allows plenty of time for shoveling decks, sidewalks, and entryways.

(Thanks, Betty, for serving us hot cocoa this AM at your Bar Harbor Hostel listing.....very much appreciated after coming back from seeing Gail's unheated shorefront home near the Maine Seacoast Mission at the Colket Center. (7 degrees this AM....... Burrrrr) ...(Gail...loved your full length racoon fur coat and red hat!)

Gotta love this winter wonderland!...."Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow"

Realtor GramEpat

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Put another Log on the Fire

2008-12-21T13:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa:

GrampE Bob and I hope that you have a fun time delivering gifts in Acadia National Park this year.

It should be easy since we have SO MUCH SNOW.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We hope that you bring us a new snow shovel

so we can keep the snow off the roof at GramEpat's Cabin on Long Pond! We gave up trying to shovel the decks!!

I bet our summer guests cannot begin to imagine what the little cottages on Long Pond look like this time of year.

We hope you also bring some new snow shoes and some new batteries for the electronic lock boxes. I would hate to have to snow shoe to a listing with my 'key card' only to find out that the battery quit on the computerized lock box systems.. (PS:Santa...Please don't forget to bring the little tool gadget that's needed to change the battery!)

Thanks for the ladder last year...GrampE Bob really appreciated it. He practically wore it out, getting on the roof during each snow storm to clean out the snow in the satellite dish.

This year, he wants a wireless router for his new DLS service. (He gave up on the dish service!) Says he's too old to be climbing on the roof whenever he wants to go Internet surfing (one of his favorite winter sports).

However, he still loves the ladder that you gave him....without it, how would he be able to use his roof rake..?(Raking snow off a roof ?...Gotta' love Maine winters... Ho! Ho! Ho!)

He said to remind you that GramEpat wants a new tea pot , an ax, a log carrier and a wood splitter. He knows she really want those things because she has been recently going around the cabin singing the song 'Put another log on the fire'..

(Thank you, GrampE Bob, for putting up with my foolishness, for being such a good sport , and for being my best friend for the past 42 years)

We left some snow on the roof for you and some of GramEpat's homemade yeast bread warming by the fire. Hope you have a safe trip to Mt.Desert Island.

"Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow"

(Thank you, Gail, for sharing your talent)

Realtor GramEpat technorati tag

Fishin' for ideas

2008-12-15T04:42:00.000-08:00

I was wondering how to repurpose the empty milk carton this AM (other than some of the obvious art projects)...When it dawned on me how my mother used to freeze seafood in repurposed milk cartons.

When I was a little girl, I used to love to go fishing with my father. When we came home with our 'catch'...and the fresh fish was prepared for consumption, my mother would put the fish in empty milk cartons, fill them with water (making sure that all parts of the fish were completely submerged in water) then place the containers in the freezer. The fish would stay fresh tasting for months that way. (Of course, with our large family, I should have said 'weeks' that way :)

I also remember that she would freeze large blocks of juice to put in the bunch bowl, make frozen decorative ice candles, and freeze blocks of soup stock.
(As they say in Maine: My Mom was 'wicked smart'. I miss you Mom!)

Realtor GramEpat
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Jackie "O" How Extraordinary

2008-11-30T07:13:00.000-08:00

This morning as I was replacing the paper towel roll, and about to toss the cardboard tube, I knew there had to be a zillion uses for what I was about to throw away. So I googled ‘cardboard tubes’ and came across an interesting ‘advice and how to’ web site: “Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things”
I knew there were many craft projects just waiting to happen…but wondered what other practical purposes there might be for the tubes.
Here are a few re-purposes that sparked my interest:

Trying to stay warm this winter? Don’t toss out your Cardboard tubes!
Use as kindling and logs!
Turn toilet paper and paper towel tubes into kindling and logs for your fireplace. For fire starter, use scissors to cut the cardboard into 1/8-inch (3-millimeter) strips. Keep the strips in a bin near the fireplace so they'll be handy to use next time you make a fire. To make logs, tape over one end of the tube and pack shredded newspaper inside. (or dryer lint w/wax) Then tape the other end. The tighter you pack the newspaper, the longer your log will burn.

Another re-purpose that I found helpful….(and if you ever saw GramE’s closet, you would know why the light bulb went off in my head when I read this one .)
Keep pants crease-free!
Ever go to your closet for that good pair of pants you haven't worn in a while, only to find an ugly crease at the fold site from the hanger rack. It can be frustrating and time (and energy) consuming to have to iron the pants each time. It won't happen again if you cut a paper towel tube lengthwise, fold it in half horizontally, and place it over the rack before you hang up your pants. Before hanging pants, tape the sides of the cardboard together at the bottom to keep it from slipping.

And I must confess that I also remember the ‘good ol’ days when we used to use cardboard tubes to roll our hair…So that we could give it that ‘Jackie O’ look back in the 60’s !! An extraordinary outcome using ordinary things!

The website article mentioned above also included detailed ways to:
Extend vacuum cleaner reach
Keep Christmas lights tidy
Preserve kids' artwork and important documents
Keep electrical cords tangle-free
Make boot trees
Make a plant guard
Start seedlings
Store knitting needles
Store fabric scraps
Store string
Keep linens crease-free
Protect fluorescent lights

Realtor GramEpat.com technorati tag

Isn't FREE Just DUCKY!

2008-11-22T06:18:00.000-08:00

Check this out! It's great and saves a good deal of time.
Just leave it up to Google to come up with something like this!!!
Here's a number worth putting in your cell phone, or your home phone speed dial: 1-800-goog411. This convenient service from Google is FREE-- Great when you are on the road.
No need to waste your money on information calls or waste your time manually dialing the number.

For instance, if we are driving along in our automobile and we need to call a hotel to confirm our reservations, and don't know the number, I can just hit the number on my contact list that I have programmed.

When the call is made, the voice at the other end says, 'City & State.' I say, ' Orlando, Florida' He says, 'Business, Name or Type of Service.' I say, 'Peabody Hotel.' He says, 'Connecting' and Peabody answers the phone. Isn't that JUST DUCKY? (<- click the link to see the March of the ducks) How cool is that?

This google service is nationwide and FREE!

Realtor GramEpat
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EGGcellent Ideas

2008-11-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

What Else Can I Do with an Egg Carton?

I've been storing my egg containers...thinking that my grandchildren might enjoy using them for building blocks when they come to visit. It seems shameful to just throw them in the recycle bin.

I decided to google 'recycle egg containers' and came across many other useful purposes.

(Kermie...Why Wonder? It's Easy to be Green!)

Here are a few that sparked my interest.

Ball Storage - An egg carton makes a great place to store extra golf balls. It makes it easy to sort by brand and condition and they are stackable so they can be stored neatly.

Craft Helping Hand - When working with small round items, use an egg carton to old the item while you paint one side, or just as a holder while they dry.

Fire Starters - fill the paper egg cartons with dryer lint, then pore melted wax over the lint. You can tear apart the sections and use for fire starters when you are camping, or in your fire place. FYI: Use left over candle pieces for the melted wax. (I especially like this idea. If I MUST use the dryer, at least there is a green purpose for the lint!)

Charcoal Fire Starter - Similar to the idea above for fire starters... Using a cardboard egg carton, fill each section with melted wax so that it's about 1/3 full. Place a piece of charcoal (one brickette) in the wax. Close the carton and place on a shelf until you're ready to use. To use, remove the top of the carton, and place the bottom half in the grill. Light the carton. Wait a few minutes and then add more charcoal. This will eliminate the need for lighter fluid.

Plant containers or seed starters Poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage. Fill about 3/4 with potting soil and vermiculite. Plant seeds and set in a sunny window.

Money Container - Use old egg cartons to store your change for garage and yard sales. Egg cartons are good for this because you can separate all the change and it is easy to access.

Craft storage - Is your craft work area a nightmare? Use an egg carton to store all those little pieces you don't want to lose track of while you're working.

Have any suggestions that you want to contribute? (It's Easy To Be Green)

Realtor GramEpat

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Halloween in Acadia

2008-10-30T16:35:00.001-07:00

Hope you have a Happy Halloween.

If you happen to be in the village tomorrow, please stop by. Every Halloween is Open House all day..and into the evening at GramEpat's Place in Somesville!

Traditionally , in our village, the neighbors leave their lights on for the welcomed ghosts and goblins.

Don't forget to stop by my office for your 'photo session'.

Kids...Have fun at the school parties and parades. Hope you enjoy the hay ride in Hall Quarry....and don't OD on all the candy you accumulate on "Ledgelawn Ave" in Bar Harbor.

Realtor GramEpat.com
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Good Things Come in Small Packages

2008-10-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

This tiny deer , Little Rupert ,was delivered by Caesarean section at a wildlife hospital after
his mother was killed by a car.

Please be careful when you are driving
on the Maine Roads.
As the weather gets cooler,
the deer are 'out and about'
looking for food.
They feed between dawn and dusk
(and especially love apples).

Photo Les Stocker / Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
"I Love How You Love Me" Bobbie Vinton
Realtor GramEpat technorati tag

Wind Surfing with the Eagles

2008-10-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

A stormy morning on the coast of Maine.

I wonder if the local ducks and loons are hovering by the Somesville Bridge

or congregating by the Mill Pond Dam.

“Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits,

for when the storm clouds come in,

the Eagles soar while the small birds take cover”

Author unknown

"Some Times I Fly Like an Eagle" (John Denver)

Realtor GramEpat

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Dance Like No One is Watching

2008-10-22T06:11:00.000-07:00

"You've got to sing like you don't need the money,

Love like you'll never get hurt.

You've got to dance like no one is watching.

It's gotta come from the heart, if you want it to work." Susannah Clark
Realtor GramEpat
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