Sometimes You Can Judge A Book By It's Cover

A few years ago on this day, my dear friend Pat and I made our way to a beautiful Maine island called North Haven. We try to go every summer because it is truly a gem on earth. I call it
North "Heaven". The salt air, mingled with the scent of wild roses and heliotrope, is intoxicating and the views are stunning.

                                            The approach to North Haven from the ferry

  The main street of North Haven in the early morning       

 In order to get to North Haven you have to take a ferry from Rockland, Maine, which travels about an hour over the bay. We stay at a lovely little Inn called Nebo Lodge, which is just a short walk from the ferry landing, so there is no need for a car.

Nebo Lodge has a restaurant in which they serve fresh greens and vegetables from their nearby farm and provide local meats as well.

 A pitcher of cold lemonade and a plate of warm cookies are always laid out for the Lodge guests. The atmosphere is low key and very comfortable. Pat and I usually grab bikes and head out to the State Park or just cruise around the Island. Sometimes we just enjoy sitting on the front porch and playing games of Boggle or reading.

Here is their website:     http://www.nebolodge.com/

One of my favorite poems follows. It was written by a dear woman by the name of Rachel Field many years ago but the sentiment still applies.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If Once You Have Slept On An Island

If once you have slept on an island


You'll never be quite the same;


You may look as you looked the day before


And go by the same old name,

You may bustle about in street and shop


You may sit at home and sew,


But you'll see blue water and wheeling gulls


Wherever your feet may go.

You may chat with the neighbors of this and that


And close to your fire keep,


But you'll hear ship whistle and lighthouse bell


And tides beat through your sleep.

Oh! you won't know why and you can't say how


Such a change upon you came,


But once you have slept on an island,


You'll never be quite the same.

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anyway, I digress, back to my story. On this particular trip to North Haven a few years back, I was in the mood to read a light book but discovered I did not bring anything with me. I walked over to the town library and found that they had used books for sale for $1.00.          

 I perused the books and came upon one which caught my attention because of the stunningly illustrated cover. I read the jacket, decided it was exactly what I was looking for and dropped my dollar in the jar. Little did I know that I would spend most of the trip sitting on the porch reading! I was captivated and couldn't put the book down. I found out that this book was just one in a series of 13 books.

Since then, I have become a big fan and have read every book in the series. The author is Laura Childs and she has written two other series as well (Scrapbook Mysteries and Cackleberry Club Mysteries) but the one I like best is The Tea Shop Mysteries. I received my last book in the mail yesterday! Not only are they well written, offering the reader suspense and a non-violent thrill, they also provide a peek at the deliciously crafted lifestyles of the characters and recipes for scrumptious treats like scones and cakes as well as lessons on teas of the world. The covers are the most beautifully illustrated I have ever seen, thus smashing the theory that "you can't judge a book by it's cover." I love to curl up with a cup of tea and a scone and lose myself in these books.

Here is the Laura Childs website: http://www.laurachilds.com/

Back at the cottage, I was able to clean out yet another garden yesterday. It feels like the house is starting to breathe again. It will be nice when it gets painted but I have to clear everything away from the sides of the house first.