By Nancy Dorrans
What adventures have you planned this Maine summer? If you’re visiting or new to the state, welcome to Maine’s shortest, sweetest season of the year! Graduations, gardens, live music, camping, hiking, kayaking, and cycling are all part of my summer plans and it’s only just begun!
An extraordinary graduating class…
Readers may recall, while travel was hibernating during the pandemic, I spent two and a half years as a dedicated substitute at Deering High School here in Portland. Luckily, I had the opportunity to usher at Deering’s graduation at the Merrill Auditorium.
The graduating students had all four years of their high school experience interrupted due to the pandemic. Their freshman year ended early. Their sophomore year was remote until the middle of April. Last year, they were all in school but wearing masks. This year was a slow return to normal… whatever that means when you’re in high school.
-All photos courtesy of Nancy Dorrans
And a little inspiration…
The co-principal Alyson Dame spoke at graduation and quoted from the children’s book, “Miss Rumphius,” the Lupine Lady. Miss Rumphius (Alice) grew up by the sea. She adored her grandfather, and he told her many stories of faraway places. She told him, “When I grow up, I too will go to faraway places and when I grow old, I too will live beside the sea.”
Her grandfather added a third thing, “You must do something to make the world more beautiful.”
Ms. Dame told the students that they are prepared for what’s next. Already, they have done two of the three things that Miss Rumphius set out to do. They live by the sea and have traveled to faraway places. Some have traveled away from Maine for vacations, and many have traveled from far away to be here in Maine.
Next, she told them, they should be like Miss Rumphius and strive to “do something to make the world more beautiful!” They were on their way, and it was a very joyful day.
Make the world more beautiful!
After graduation, I traveled to East Tennessee to help my father celebrate his 90th birthday. Most of our extended family is in Michigan and they wanted him to come for a party, but my dad is most comfortable at home now. So, we had a small get-together with my sister’s family. Our dear family friends Marilyn Trapp (also 90) and her daughter, Carol, joined us from Pittsburgh for a long weekend. We went to Pickin’ and Grinnin’ at the Bradbury, a local social center around the corner. They have bluegrass jams every week.
On my dad’s actual birthday, June 20th, we Zoomed with other friends and family in faraway places.
Lately my dad has been hanging out at the New Brewery in Kingston, TN. It is neither new nor a brewery, but they do serve beer and play poker on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Since I don’t play poker, he gave me a quick lesson on how to play Texas Hold’em before we joined the fun. I saw how much joy playing cards with these old boys brought my dad. Then, he got a straight flush on the third hand!
On Tuesday, the night before I flew home, we both played. He came in third in the first game, and I won the second. Beginners luck? Good clean fun? Maybe… I warned them I’d be back in September.
So now, I’m back in Maine for the rest of the summer…
I’m striving to make the world more beautiful by planting gardens in Portland- including spending time at Crescent Street Community Garden – and native seeds and seedlings up on my lot in Waltham, just north of Ellsworth.
My friends from the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club (MOAC.org) have organized several camping trips to state parks this summer. Lamoine State Park over the Fourth of July, Rangeley State Park in mid-July, and Lily Bay on Moosehead Lake in August.
This Maine summer, I’ll be enjoying live outdoor music…
The Western Prom Concert Series will host live music Wednesday evenings from July 12th to August 16th. Brother’s Osborne, the country music duo from Nashville, will be playing at Thompson’s Point on Friday, August 18th. My nephew Luke is their tour manager. They put on a great show, and I’m excited to see them again. I hope to get a chance to see my nephew, too!
Faraway Places…
In early September, I’m heading to Hokkaido, Japan to attend the Adventure Travel Trade World Summit. Back to Tennessee for a few weeks, and then taking two small groups on adventures to the Emilia Romagna Region of Italy.
More locally, registration is now open for the New York City Rockettes’ Spectacular weekend motorcoach tour the first weekend in December. And we’re heading back to Quebec City for Winter Carnival in February! This year, for three nights, February 2nd through February 5th, 2024. Won’t you join us? See my website for details, https://adventure-marketplace.com/adventures.
What adventures have you planned this summer?
Maine summer is the shortest season. But there is still time to enjoy everything you want and more.
When a friend of mine asked me, “Do you ever do nothing?” I just shook my head. Nothing is boring! When there are so many faraway places to go, so much natural beauty we can enjoy, and so many ways to make the world more beautiful, why do nothing? Especially during the sweetest season of the year!
1 Comments
Andrea K.
Those of us who reside on Crescent Street would really appreciate if the folks who work on the Crescent Street Community Garden would refrain from driving the wrong way down our small (but busy) one-way street. I’ve seen this happen several times now.