Maybe the title of this post should really be ‘reasons why I want to visit Maine’. It is a state which I have never visited, but it has caught my imagination and I have a dream of living in Maine…. Oh yes, The Pine Tree State is where my mind wanders when I should be doing other things, like paperwork and chores.
The natural beauty and scenery of Maine is spectacular. The landscape varies, from mountains to rocky cliffs to wilderness to beaches. And Maine hosts 281 miles of the Appalachian trail. The northern terminus of the trail is Katahdin: the highest mountain in the state of Maine. The mountain was named by the Penobscot Indians and its name means ‘The Greatest Mountain’.
There are thirty-two state parks in Maine and one of these is Acadia National Park:
Acadia Park, Maine (public domain image)
Public domain image: A Look Through The Trees by Shari Weinsheimer.
Maine is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and water is a prominent feature in the landscape of the state — shipbuilding was an important part of the state’s economy in centuries past. There are many pretty harbours scattered around the coast as well as the iconic lighthouses which a lot of people associate with Maine.
Camden Harbor, Maine (image copyright Back Road Journal)
Photo © Karen at Back Road Journal.
I love the traditional white clapboard houses with windows looking out on the ocean.
Old clapboard house (public domain image)
Public domain image: Old House by David Wagner
And the beautiful lakes:
Long Lake, Maine – image copyright Back Road Journal
Photo © Karen at Back Road Journal.
Maine is also home to lots of wildlife and native species. Moose is the state animal:
A female moose (public domain image)
Public domain image: Female Moose by Charles Rondeau.
As well as moose, Maine is the residence of much cuter animals:
Chipmunk (image copyright Back Road Journal)
Photo © Karen at Back Road Journal.
And the state bird is the pretty songbird, the Black-capped Chickadee.
Maine’s state bird: Black-capped Chickadee (public domain image)
Public domain image from: Black-Capped Chickadee by John Witherspoon.
Chipmunks and chickadees, black bear, beaver, coyotes, lynx, seals, puffins, whitetail deer, moose… Maine is filled with nature and beauty.
The state is diverse and that appeals to me. There are quaint little towns which have a quintessentially New England flavor and then there are state parks which are rugged, wild and perfect for hiking.
“In Maine
we are glad to be part of a land
that remains so beautiful under its green skin
of woods and open fields, that is glitteringly
bordered by thousands of miles
of breaking waves, and that is lovely,
too, with an unbroken tradition
of concerns, with the kind, enduring grace
of its neighborliness.”
(Excerpt from Neighborliness by Kate Barnes. Source: Poets of Maine).
It is a very special place and I long to visit. In the mean time, I will dream.
With thanks to Karen from the wonderful blog, Back Road Journal, for giving me permission to use her photographs of Maine in this post.
Cultural Life 