I’m almost at the end of the US leg of this tour. Life is so strange now, and I’m sure I’m not the first person to say this. I can tell you that I’m genuinely happy to see people when I hike now. That was rarely the case in California, I didn’t always say hello to people I met on the trails. Sometimes I was in such a shit mood, I hoped to not see anyone else. Now I make a point to smile and say something. To connect to other human beings. This hasn’t always been my strong point.
This is a pony who was eating apples behind the Olsen House in Cushing. This is the house that Andrew Wyeth painted - the house and the Olsens were favorite subjects. The pony and I had this funny moment - he gave me a look when I picked up one of the apples and ate it standing next to him. He wasn’t in a fence and didn’t have a halter on. I think it’s interesting - I wondered if he escaped or if people just let him wander - good way to clean up the apples on the ground, I guess.
This is as close as I could get to the composition of Christina’s World. Andrew Wyeth was truly a genius. I went to the Farnsworth Museum - a lot of his paintings there as well as Jamie Wyeth’s and NC Wyeth’s. Amazing stuff to see. NC Wyeth was very much underrated in my opinion, in person his paintings are astounding. I spent a few hours in Portland - went to the Portland Museum of Art, which was great. They have a David Driskell exhibit - incredible.
Reid State Park is pretty unforgettable. Loved the gray slate of the water with the moody sky.
Monhegan Island was great. I wish I’d stayed the night. I was preoccupied with missing the boat on my hike, we arrived at 11:30a, the boat would depart for the mainland at 2:45p. I kept getting lost, which I’m not a fan of. It was so cool to be on the island, though. I went to the Fish House afterwards for fish tacos. Had some great cider there at the little place next to the dock.
A shot of Monhegan Island trails. Lovely stuff.
I went to a great park a couple of times called Wolfe’s Neck Woods. It’s 5 miles from where I’m staying.
The photo below is from Chase Reserve. I love it because I can walk to it from my Airbnb. I take this trail called Jack’s Trail. Lots of diversity, the marsh below was created by a 🦫 beaver. I go here almost every day, it’s an easy 2.5 mile walk, serene and easy, sometimes routine is comforting.
I think when I was working as a teacher and a make-up artist, I developed this character that I thought was me. Kind of like an actor does for a role. It wasn’t because I’m a faker, I’m just shy, and have always been. The fact that I was able to teach at all is amazing, and without developing this character I doubt I’d have been able to. I always genuinely cared for the students and my co-workers, but I remember going home completely exhausted, which lead to not socializing outside of work at all. I didn’t have the energy.
Because of Covid, I see more than ever that so many people are really trying as best they can to continue their lives. I see a lot of parents trying to provide their kids with a life that’s as normal and happy as possible. I think it’s got to be so hard for them, both the parents and the kids. Today, sitting outside on Maine Street in Brunswick, eating gelato (New Englanders love their ice cream, and I see why), I overheard a kid telling her parents that she didn’t have to wear a mask in the ice cream store, that they were wrong about it. The parents paused before they said “well, that’s great honey”. I mean, what else can you say? It’s already so hard on kids.
More than ever, I just want to be kind, do no harm. I was always nice - never been rude - but now it feels so much more essential. I try to be present in the moment as much as possible. It isn’t easy - with all the time I spend alone it’s hard not to get lost in the endless what ifs. I’m always grateful and remind myself that happiness doesn’t have to depend on certain conditions being met.
Maine is gorgeous and bizarre. Not like any other place I’ve seen, really. The water is everywhere, I can’t get my bearings. The woods smell great - like mushrooms, pine needles, and something sharp and green. I love the feel of the ground beneath my feet. When I’m near the water, the smell of the ocean is raw and wild - sometimes it smells really bad but it’s so real that I like it. Sea life, seaweed, birds. I know why so many painters live here and paint these glorious scenes.
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