Get Some Sarse: The Islesford Congregational Church

From Hugh L. Dwelley's "A History of Little Cranberry Island, Maine."

On September 1, 1898, the Islesford Congregational Society was formed ... Ground was broken for the church on November 7, and the cornerstone was laid on December 30th. ... Construction of the Islesford Church was under the supervision of the island's master builder Alonzo J. Bryant and it proceeded rapidly. The handsome new building was prominently situated on Colonel William Hadlock's "ledge lot" near the center of the community. On August 4th, 1899, Vincent Bowditch wrote: "The new church is nearly finished and a stained glass window was put up yesterday. A 'memorial' window to the soldiers in the Civil War, but some of the names inscribed represent living men. Colonel Hadlock's idea, apparently not wishing to be 'left out in the cold'. Speaking of the window, Charlie Jarvis evidently thinks it a piece of extravagance. When 'Geo. Hen' (George Henry Fernald) said to me: 'it cost $81.00'. Charlie remarked: '$81.00 -- thunder!, the next time they ask me for church contributions, they'll get some sarse.'"

Back From Oklahoma

The bride and groom and co. got back from Oklahoma yesterday from a visit that was alternatively vigorous, hilarious, contemplative, refreshing, and all around worthwhile. Immediately upon return they enjoyed lunch with three of their wedding guests, Tim, Andrew, and Jennifer. Thanks to all of you who came out to celebrate with us!

They have RSVP'ed

Lisa and Kelly are coming. As are Amy's aunt Mary, her cousins Adriana (with Wally, Thomas, and Julianna), Lisa (with Caroline), and Elaine. Visit them here. More as we know it!

Anti-Jinxing the Weather for This August

One memorable passage in "The Secret Life of Lobsters" records a party at the Islesford Dock Restaurant towards the end of August. Let's hope August 2007 doesn't have the same storms August 1996 had! (but check this out)

The hurricane warning crackled over Bruce Fernald's radio aboard the Double Trouble two days before the end of August 1996. The storm was a monster and approaching Little Cranberry Island quickly. ...

The day the hurricane was to arrive a stiff breeze raced across the harbor. The men spent the afternoon hauling small boats out of the water and battening down equipment on the co-op wharf. ... When the rain came crashing down in leaden sheets across the harbor and the ocean frothed white out of the west, the fishermen knew they were inside the leading edge of the the hurricane, and there was nothing more they could do.

Still in their rain slickers and dripping wet, they congregated in the bar at the end of the restaurant wharf to watch the storm come. It was the final day of the restaurant's summer season, when the owners held their customary closing night for the islanders--no tourists allowed. Leftover beer would flow for free until the kegs ran dry. Clutching pints of Harpoon ale and Budweiser, the fishermen sat with their backs to the bar, gazing out through the windows while the rising tempest buffeted the wharf on its pilings and pulled their pitching boats tight on their mooring lines.

Ferries to Little Cranberry Island

Obviously no one can get on and off Little Cranberry without a boat. That's why everyone on the island always knows exactly when the ferry comes and goes. We've scheduled a charter boat to get people to the wedding (4 pm from the upper town dock in Southwest Harbor!), but if you decide to come out to the island early, you'll be on one of the ferries. Virginia Thorndike's "Islanders" describes the ferry business to the Cranberries:

A lot of freight has to be carried out to the Cranberry Isles, in addition to all the people who want to come out or go ashore. Less than half an hour is scheduled for the boat trips between the Cranberries and [Mount Desert Island]; the islands are well connected through relatively protected water. ...

One or two barge trips a week usually take care of the needs of the islands during the winter--fuel, construction lumber, bait for the co-op in Islesford, and trash on the return. In summer, "it's just as fast as we can do things," says David Bunker. There are three trips a week just carrying trucks of lobster bait.

More More More

It's not actually too hard updating our little website, but today was a little special. I put in a whole slew of new guests, namely Joan and Chris Basile, the Jins, Molly & Larry, Mary, and Randall. Phew! They're all on page three. Plus, last night we got to spend some time with Byron and his girlfriend Carol, and got a very cute picture of them I've added to page two (not to mention Teddy and Anna came over, so we were flush with cute couples. And Philip was there too). I tell you what, we're going to run out of guests to add before too long! It's very gratifying to have such a healthy turnout.

I'm In, Maine!

Ned reminds me of a funny story where last summer, John sent around an email inviting people over for a Bastille Day celebration/excuse for drinking. John was perplexed when I didn't show up, because I had earlier sent him a reply email back saying, "I'm in, man."

Except that's not what the email said. John had misread it because I was actually just telling him "I'm in Maine." Which I was. You see, that was the same weekend Amy and I got engaged up in Acadia.

Anyway, it was a funny misreading and kinda fun to say. It briefly became de rigueur (at least between the two of us, if not anyone else) to respond to any invitation with the affirmation that "I'm in, Maine," splitting the difference between the two readings. As in: I'm in, Maine, and John's in, Maine!

Ned is coming too

We've known a long time Ned Eustace was coming to the wedding--he's got connections up in Maine already, but we got word today that he's finalized his hotel room, so he's in the book!

*edited for accuracy

The latest in custom invitations

Today we got back our wedding invitations from Kayrock, and we think they look great. Thanks again Nick! We're excited to hear what all of you think about them. We started sending them out already tonight!

In other news, Emily and Milos confirmed their hotel plans with us today, as did John Southard (sadly for us, without his wife Meredith (who'll be doing a show in San Diego)), so I just added them to our guestbook. Amy is still working on figuring out where all of her cousins are staying, so stay tuned for their guestbook entries...

Jailed!

Hi all, I'm using this blog to boast about one of my favorite pictures from this past February, with Bill's grandma and mom in a fake jail at the Cowboy Hall of Fame. Booya!

We love you Grandma!

Maybe I'll have more to say about this later, but we're sad this weekend because my Grandma died this weekend after a devastatingly (or maybe mercifully) quick bout with cancer. We saw Jerri in February and she gave no indication at all that she was sick. We spent much of the lunch hour at the County Line barbecue (after going to the Cowboy Hall of Fame, pictured) discussing her many and various travel plans for the upcoming months. Memphis, Alaska, Maine, Panama. Drive back to Texas, take some line dancing classes. She had lots of plans. So the cancer changed that, but didn't change at all her character--her buoyancy and her good humor. She kept that to the end.

Maybe the only thing the timing of her death took was she really wanted to go to our wedding in August. Two weeks ago she was showing Amy and Windy outfits she might want to wear. Tonight we're sad about that. We're sad all of you won't be able to meet her. I guess that's the reason why I'm posting this here, because it changes how our wedding will be without her there. Try to tell a silly joke or wear something colorful because that's what she would've done!

So she joins all of our loved ones who will be there in memory. While I'm here, let me say thanks to Amy for driving down my sisters and brother-in-law to see Grandma before she died, and especially to my Mom, who was a rock for Grandma during all of this, and Mark who was a rock for Mom. And thanks to all of you for listening!

Blueberry Picking on Mount Desert Island

From Lisa Gollin Evans's "An Outdoor Family Guide to Acadia National Park," p. 45:

In August, scrumptious blueberries grace nearly every trail in Acadia. Nevertheless, if you want to pick berries in large quantities 9and help your kids bake their first blueberry pie), you will want to go to a commercial picking location. On Mount Desert Island, you can reach such a field by driving south from Somesville on Route 102 about 4.5 miles to Seal Cove Road on the right. Turn right and drive west 0.6 miles until you reach Long Pond Road. Turn right and drive north about 1 mile, watching for signs advertising berry picking. Rates are reasonable and by mid-August the berries are delicious!

100 days until the wedding!

Quick update on stuff: If all goes well, we'll be mailing off your invitations in the next week to ten days. We just passed the 1,000 mark on our website counter. I don't know what it's counting, to be honest, but it's still kinda neat! I just got initial measurements for an outfit to wear at the wedding. We just booked flights for our honeymoon. Amy thinks several of her family members actually booked hotels a while ago. We're following up on that and will have them in the guestbook just as soon as we track it down! We're excited about going to see The Rivals tomorrow night--it won't be the last you hear from them! Plenty other balls in the air, let's hope we don't get plonked by any of them!

The Oceanarium in Southwest Harbor

From Lisa Gollin Evans's "An Outdoor Family Guide to Acadia National Park," p. 44: "The Oceanarium / Southwest Harbor offers wonderful hands-on exploring the sea life of coastal Maine. Touch, smell, listen, and learn amid a wealth of interactive exhibits, including twenty tanks filled with sea creatures. Located on Clark Point Road in Southwest Harbor, between the Coast Guard Base and Beal's Lobster Wharf. Admission fee (207-244-7555)."

Special Additions

We're able to confirm a pair of guests that we always knew would be there: Jennifer, and Nick&Kim&Sabina! Go say Hi to them in our guestbook!

McCrackens in the News

I don't know how related we are, but PC World EIC Harry McCracken is in the news... for resigning (on principle) from PC World:

Colleagues at my former outlet, PC World magazine, have told me that Editor-in-Chief Harry McCracken quit abruptly today because the company's new CEO, Colin Crawford, tried to kill a story about Apple and Steve Jobs.

The piece, a whimsical article titled "Ten Things We Hate About Apple," was still in draft form when Crawford killed it. McCracken said no way and walked after Crawford refused to compromise. Apparently Crawford also told editors that product reviews in the magazine were too critical of vendors, especially ones who advertise in the magazine, and that they had to start being nicer to advertisers.

Good for him. Oh, and while we're here, "Wordsmithing, by the way, runs in McCracken's family. His sister is novelist Elizabeth McCracken."

Wired Blogs via Gawker.

Walking up the Main Road on a sunny summer afternoon: Tourism on Islesford over the years

Hugh L. Dwelley's "A History of Little Cranberry Island, Maine," pp. 147-148, describes day trippers out to Islesford:

In the 1940s and 1950s and earlier, a tourist family or a couple walking up the Main Road on a sunny summer afternoon, was a curiosity to be peered at or remarked upon. While the Islesford Ferry made trips to and from Mount Desert two or three times a day, nearly all its passengers were natives or summer residents well known to everyone. ... In 1998, the National Park reported 11,905 visitors to the Islesford Museum between June and September. While most came no further than the museum and the nearby restaurant dock with its gift and pottery shops, a good number walked or rode bikes across the island to Gilley Beach, with stops at the store for pizza [sadly, not open in 2007! -ed.] and a post card, or at Dan and Katie Fernald's art gallery or to snap a picture of the church.

These are the Day Trippers -- the latest layer of tourists to visit Islesford. No longer are they unexpected as they walk up the Main Road or down the Back Road, but they still may be subject to a remark or two. By 5 p.m. they are gone and the island belongs to its residents.

Bike Rentals in Southwest Harbor

From Lisa Gollin Evans's "An Outdoor Family Guide to Acadia National Park," p. 45: "Southwest Cycle rents children's bikes, child seats, and child trailers." On 370 Main Street, Southwest Harbor (207-244-5856). From the Southwest Cycle website:

For a change of pace, ride right out of Southwest Cycle to the town dock and take your bike on the ferry to Cranberry Island. Flat roads with little traffic make this ideal for families. Take a picnic, visit the beach and make a day of it.