Through the lens

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I finally had a chance to look at some of the photos on my camera – not my iPhone, which was the only electronic device I had on the island.  It’s easy to post from but I keep my words brief.

We were up in the lantern room at Seguin on a foggy day and I had fun with the prisms.  It’s a first order fresnel lens, large enough to stand inside when you had to change the oil, or now the light bulb.  It was built in Paris and imported and has nearly 300 separate pieces of glass.  Someone polished them to a sheen this summer with the Lighthouse keeper formula: distilled water, rubbing alcohol, a drop of dish soap.  Works like a charm.  I forget the official proportions though.

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I’ll enjoy looking at these photos forever.  I think the person who shined it spent a brief time on the island while her father was a keeper.  So she had the chance to clean the lens I am sure her father shined in the past.

My new green machine

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My, new to me, Husqvarna Viking sewing machine shipped to my office while we were in Maine. I work with such great people that we all, excitedly, gathered round while I unwrapped my purchase.

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It’s so retro and green. Look at this plaid fabric lining the case.

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It was manufactured in Sweden in 1959 and was under warranty until 1984. Lucky for me, it sews like a champ right out of the box.

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It can even sew buttons onto fabric!

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I love it because it’s mechanical, not computerized and I can see its working parts. I justify this purchase because it has a powerhouse motor, which I will need to sew new cushions and a sail cover for the boat.

But I’m sure I’ll find lots of other projects for it. In Sweden, they even use it to sew a form of Rya rugs. The mind boggles.

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A mat, a hat and that’s that

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In between closing the keeper’s quarters, burning burnables on the beach, closing the gift shop and baking the cinnamon (ginger bread cookie) buns, I made a rope mat and baby hat.
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The rope mat is my third attempt and is almost a charm. I made my first, while we lived on our former sailboat. My second was at Five Finger Lighthouse and now, my third graces the outhouse. One design flaw, it’s too thick for the door to swing so it’s next to the door.
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We figured out the window grate system. They are numbered 1-16, except 7 doesn’t exist. Of course!

There were strong winds again today, no visitors or crickets, so we walked both long trails today to get out to rocky points where the waves crashed on the rocks. I rearranged a little cairn and Tim released a million seeds from a cat tail.

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Four reindeer hats are complete.

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The lighthouse door latch is secure with another Prusik knot.

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And the first Aldo Leopold bench we ever built watches over the glorious sunsets. Until next season…

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Back to work

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Seas calmed, the sun shone and the lobster boats were back at work and their owners chatted up the radio.
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The other day I heard someone called a peckerhead; a term I haven’t heard ( or used) in ages.

I suffered a grievous, ironic injury. I wanted to check out the first aid box down by the cove. It was an old metal box and I caught my knitting finger in the latch. Luckily I didn’t need to access its contents.
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The grates are going up on the windows today. Someone nicely and clearly numbered them this Spring. The only problem is there is no key or map so I had to walk them around the house to figure out where to start. I got it. The west kitchen window is number 1. Head east from there.
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Today looks like another winner. I have to finish my fourth climbing deer hat, Tim has snagged one for himself, make some bread, hang grates, and enjoy the day.

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Another gorgeous day in paradise

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Beautiful from sunrise to sunset. Well I imagine sunrise was beautiful because the sky was lavender a short time later.

My food forays continue. I harvested wild rose hips to make tea and jelly when I get home.
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The garden

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offers more than I thought at first glance. All the chive plants were moved into it and are thriving. There is dill, nasturtiums, a few green beans and a couple of tiny heads of lettuce. I chopped up some nasturtium flowers and leaves and mixed them into a kohlrabi, apple, carrot slaw. We only have a little mayo so I made the dressing with the raspberry honey, sweetened condensed milk and yogurt. It was delicious.

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I made a syrup from brown sugar this morning, which was tasty on our pancakes. I found a plumber’s torch in the workshop and we were able to crisp up the topping for creme brulee with it. I definitely have to get one for home, not for plumbing, for dessert.

We dragged a piece of timber into the boat house with an electric winch. I got to use one of my favorite knots, a Prusik knot, which held fast.

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For kicks today, we spent about fifteen minutes watching a huge log in the cove at high tide. We waited for the waves to roll it over the rocks which kept it on shore. We may be going off the deep edge. Then tonight, Tim thought he heard a high pitched whine outside. Hmmmm.

This photo shows some of my favorite things: beautiful sunset light on the lighthouse and keeper’s quarters; clothes hanging on the line; the plumber’s torch on the picnic table, waiting to finish off dessert and the sea! I love the mountains miss the ocean.

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We enjoyed another gorgeous sunset, lots of red and yellow, to end the day.

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Scoured sky

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Yesterday’s gale scrubbed the sky.

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Today was sunny, windy and a perfect temperature. We hauled the various commemorative benches to the whistle house, finished packing up the gift shop, after numerous purchases by me, and did my final weed whacking.
That left plenty of time for photo ops and knitting. I’m on my third climbing deer hat and am a little dizzy.

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Then I shared the same sunset you saw but mine had a cruise ship on the horizon.

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S’mores for dessert and now I’m ready for bed. Good night, sweet dreams.

Blowin’ Stink

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What’s a lighthouse without a gale and a little fog thrown in. The new fog horn has been on since 3:00 am. The wind has whipped things around outside and surf is crashing. We couldn’t leave if we wanted to. What could be better? We even have the latest Stephen King book, Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining.

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I walked around the cove and nearby trails this morning before it started pouring. Then the rest of the day was devoted to indoor projects.

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It’s been very peaceful with the sound of the fog horn, wind and surf. We went up the tower when the wind picked Up. Someone polished the First Order Fresnel lens this summer and it looks pristine. Those photos will follow later.
As I was getting dinner ready tonight, I saw the crescent moon and Venus. Did you?

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Two more food substitutions I forgot to mention. I received a gift of raspberry honey from a friend before we left and threw it in with the provisions. It has glazed carrots, sweetened and flavored apple pie, added a nice touch to beef stir fry and glazed currant scones.

I HAVE NO VANILLA! Bushmill’s Irish Honey Whiskey is a nice substitute.