lighthouse

We are not alone here

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Well of course not. We have the cats with us. But even during the storm last night, a boat was tucked in behind the lee of the island. They must have been waiting for the tide to change because the weather didn’t really get better until later today and they were gone by early morning. We had several hours of sun today, which was very nice and brightened our moods. Even the cats were a little stir crazy. We were all happy to be out for a while today. Lobsterman were back out and a tanker went by about 3 miles south of the island this afternoon. There’s a hawk, which circles the east and south sides of the island and a few seagulls about. There’s an assortment of migrating birds passing by and attracted to the light.

Enterprise

I accomplished a lot of knitting yesterday and now find I like to have several projects going at once. I used to be almost exclusively a serial, monogamous knitter but there are so many projects. Some I have to focus on and others are more mindless. I’m knitting a “one stitch lace scarf” for patients who receive chemotherapy at the hospital, in a teal, machine washable blend. It’s simple garter stitch, with a dropped stitch lace pattern, and great to knit while we catch up on old episodes of Dexter.

Knitting trio

The gray and pink lace scarf was a mistake but now I’m so far along, there’s no stopping me. The stripes, combined with the lace, are too busy but I’m six feet into it so there you are. The pattern is Traveling roses, a pretty pattern but 43 stitches by 43 stitches for one repeat and this old mind just hasn’t been able to memorize it. I have it on my Kindle and insert a note to remind of the last row knit.

Monkey socks

The third project is a pair of socks for me with knitpicks stroll in a heather. Very pretty yarn and I have made myself a pair of socks each time we have been here (I’m wearing my pair from 2008 now). So I want to keep up the tradition. It’s a nice reminder all year of the wonderful time we have on Seguin.

One stitch lace scarf

Traveling roses scarf

Seguin 2011

Outhouse bound

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Outhouse outfit We’re in the middle of a four day storm.  Hurricane Ophelia is passing offshore tonight stirring up the wind and water.  There’s no way on or off the island for a few days, which is always interesting. It makes me just a little more cautious.  No power tools, careful walking the quarter mile or so (in full foul weather gear) to the outhouse and spend way too much time indoors.

At least I have several knitting projects underway and lots of food to cook. Yesterday I made a couple of loaves of bread, chile and chicken soup. Tonight I’ll bake an apple pie. What could be more cozy.

Microwave mystery

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Microwave mystery
Getting to know an old home again has it’s benefits and disadvantages.  I can’t figure out one of the icons on the microwave. I’m not sure if I ever knew what it meant but now I am curious. Middle row, right.

I understand the cup with wavy lines over it will heat my coffee.  Defrost and clock are fairly self-explanatory although I would never trust top-brown. So what does it mean? I tried baking a potato with it to no avail.  It looks too smooth for popcorn but I will give it a shot.  The only thing it reminds me of is the Rolling Stones image but what would I cook with that?

Acorn soup fog

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Seguin oil house
It’s great to be back on Seguin. Today the fog rolled in and so the foghorn is blowing.  I made a curried apple and acorn squash soup and worked forever to replace a broken window pane.  All’s cozy now.  

The weather report said we had “uncharacteristically high astronomical tides” today.  Something must be up with the moon and the sun.

A long way to go

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Distance traveled
After a six hour drive to Popham Beach, ME, our stuff still had a long way to go.  Naturally we arrived at dead low tide and we had to lower everything by boat hook, including two cats, off the fixed pier to the Seguin Ferry below.  On the other hand, low tide exposed the beach so offloading was easy – with the help of friends.

Aldo Leopold bench
Our Aldo Leopold bench continues to stand watch over glorious sunsets.

To the Lighthouse

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Crown Point Bridge
We are bound for Maine to finish the season at Seguin Island Lighthouse and close up the island and buildings for the winter.  We will take 2 ferries and a dinghy and hope to keep our stuff (and cats) dry.  

The bridge above is the new Champlain Bridge built with a design voted on by it’s users. Isn’t it pretty?  It’s not done yet but will be soon.

The bridge is now unabridged

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The bridge
The road crew returned, put a few more boards and supports down and announced the bridge is unofficially open. With a running start we may make it over the hump.  

I took advantage and went shopping to buy some of the heavy items we’ll need on Seguin Island next week.  Time to plan for a couple of weeks’ provisions.  I just have to take the Deal Island, Tasmania list, convert it from kilos to pounds and divide by six.  Maybe I can just divide by 3 and call it even.

Is moving ever fun?

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Seguin
 Today started mellow enough. I had a visitor via Ravelry, who has friends in common with me. I posted for Maine knitters to visit and the only taker was from Long Island, NY. We had a whirlwind fast tour before she and her daughter had to leave with Capt. Ethan. We have an extended  family visiting with the cutest daughters, 8 and 11 years old, and are having fun with them. 

But moving isn’t fun even when it is in an idyllic setting. We were too busy today. We finished closing chores: cleaned the main outhouse, emptied one of the cisterns, tacked up the last couple of boards on the house, applied linseed to the gutters, jacked up the deck and shored it up with rocks, winterized the rider mower, cleaned the house, refrigerator, moved picnic tables and benches into safety and found a dead woodcock in the gutters. Then we packed and sent our stuff down on the tram.  Whew! Now I am on the couch with a Shipyard Ale.
Tower window
Yesterday was bittersweet. Rose a caretaker in 2006, brought a bench to memoralize her husband, Jack, who passed away earlier this year. He loved Seguin and has a bench here to honor him. 

Could be the last oil house photo

Clear skies

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The cove
It’s getting colder and windy weather is here to stay. I am glad our last few days here will be sunny and hope for calm seas when we leave.

Shirley waiting to hike
The cats enjoyed the chance to get outside and took several hikes with me. I am feeling a little bit of a traitor because as much as I love Seguin, I am getting excited about going home, seeing family and our next caretaking gig on Deal Island, Tasmania. My three month shopping list is in progress; can’t forget anything.

Hold onto your hat

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Yesterday’s weather was exciting. Top wind speed was 48 knots (55 mph), which classifies it as a Storm on the Beaufort Scale. I couldn’t walk against it. The weather station recorded it as the highest for the year and gave a wind warning and told us to hold onto our hats. It was so loud we couldn’t hear the foghorn.

The rider mower and the weather station are my two favorite gadgets here. The jury is still deciding if the mower is going to remain on island but I think I may have fixed the temperature sensor on the weather station by connecting a wire, which was loose.
48 knots
We had already boarded up the house and put outdoor furniture, grills and planters away. Our only casualty was a broken oar on the dinghy. We checked the boat during the strong winds and it was secure but there was a new moon and very high tide and it must have been tossed around.

The dinghy was fine, except for sand and seaweed washed into it
 but the working end of paddle broke off and rendered it useless. We had a few extra oars in the boat house and I drilled a hole in one for the oarlock and it looks fine. It’s too rough to test it today because it’still very windy but we should get a chance tomorrow.

Low ceiling