PAUL'S PLACE A HIT!

    There was so much happening in Belfast,Maine, last weekend it seemed like the center of the universe. Paul Naron -the former owner of Shell Lumber-

Paul, Chef Salika, and the Grove guy 

 finally opened his farmers market to rave reviews.
 
   Dozens of happy vendors were hawking everything from pizza to pea tendrils. 
 
 Julie and Francesca met a local
who has his own cheese cave!

  A block away the Shriners were putting on a bizarre parade.  For almost hour fez-topped white coats
 



led a troupe of scary clowns, miniature tow trucks, and hot-roding go-carts.

   I guess it's their King Mango Strut.
I’ll be devoting an entire blog the Fez Boyz soon.

  
      There was more- 1700 bicyclists were participating in the state’s annual Trek Across Maine.  With 800 miles of winding coast line, this 180-mile journey could have ended anywhere but, for some reason, it ended in front of Paul's house. The fastest riders crossed the finish line while we at pancakes. Most riders passed by during our crab cake lunch and by late afternoon cocktails the bikers my age finally saw blue water in this mountains to the sea event.

    


  An hour later the Belfast Yacht Club kicked off its  BYOBB (“beer and beef’) barbecue.  Joining was as easy as paying the $2 membership fee. Francesca and I are now members of this exclusive enclave.

    The next morning, I wandered down to the town’s marina where members of the Belfast Boating Club invited me to join them. We climbed into these 32' Cornish gigs and rowed out to sea.

      It was mesmerizing to be gliding through the fog, pulling oars to the coxswain's cadence.

     After all the Belfast excitement we were ready for the quiet life. We fled to this beautiful cottage on Lake Damariscotta.
   (It is listed on Airbnb at  www.airbnb.com/rooms/16630159 .  For the price of a cheap motel room in Miami you can bunk you and your six kids here for a week or more)



 Coconut Grove's Villano family has the cabin next door. They invited us over for lobster and a  tour of their beautiful lake.
     Afterwards we gathered around a quiet shoreline fire. A mink paddled by as an eagle flew overhead. Poor Maineiacs. They have to put up with all that.
            ___________________


End of the day, Lake Demariscotta (The sharpie was built at the Barnacle by South Miami HS students and park volunteers)