touristas

It's a little known fact, even among my island neighbors, that I ride a motorcycle.

As my husband and I get older, the bikes wind up in the barn more often than not. But every summer, we blast off. The first trick is making it onto the ferry. 

Our pair of Hondas make a tidy fit next to the freight.

Our first stop was Hallowell, where we visited the heavenly Hubbard Free Library.

You gotta love a library that feels like a sacred space, and one in which the children's section is at the very front. A divine place for reading if ever there was one!

I entered a raffle for this bear carved with a chainsaw by Dan Burns.

 

We hit the back roads again, passing a herd of belted Galloways.

And, another friendly crowd up close.

We made it to the Wings Hill Inn a little drenched by a sudden shower.

 

Any getaway is not complete without some art viewing. We found a unique exhibit, "Humanity in Nature" at the L.C. Bates Museum in nearby Hinckley. The art was hung amongst the most curious of displays, between taxidermy, busts, and historical artifacts. The black and white piece on the left below is by Michel Droge, graphite on paper.

These turtles, cast in concrete, by Elliott Katz, were almost camouflaged among the various specimens. Not a great photo, but can you see the turtles shell backs are corporate logos? Titled "Ornaments of Paradise" they made an indelible impression of the human imprint our world makes on nature.

The museum has room after room of ducks, birds, owls. I had never seen a lyre bird before.

Back on the bikes, we passed fragrant fields of corn and hay.

We even found a perfect spot to renew our vows, 24 years later.

 

Lakes and lakes and lakes mirroring billowing skies....

All the way back, as satiated tourists, to our own destination island.

Just in time to draw a bit of scenery in my back yard.

 

This will be for sale in the upcoming Art on the Porch, the annual event held at the Fifth Maine on Peaks Island.

Motorcycles back in the barn, and time to draw.

And GUESS WHAT? I won the bear!