Wednesday, March 31, 2010

My Trip to OOB

It’s gloomy today and I don’t have any news to share with you, so I thought I’d take you to the Maine Coast with Mom and me. We went last fall to Biddeford to see our friend Sandra who grew up with my brothers and me. We got a room in a motel in Saco, just up the road.

Sandra had left me an email just before we left, stating that she would be in OOB that day, and we could call her there. That was a mystery, but whatever! We called her and went out to dinner with Sandra and her handsome son. Seafood, of course! I finally asked her about OOB. Silly me, that’s what she calls Old Orchard Beach!


Saturday we got up early and Sandra took us riding in her car. I had seen a very intriguing picture that a friend had taken at OOB and wanted to get some pictures myself. I loved it there off season! The amusement park was closed up, as was the boardwalk. I found them both to be especially intriguing in this state. No crowds and cotton candy. No noise, no shoving. Just us, seagulls and a stiff wind.


The weather started much like today--cloudy and drizzly in the morning and clearing up when we finally got to Portland Head Lighthouse. I say finally, because we got lost and went back to the same intersection and started again at least 3 times! Sandra was mortified that she kept losing us, but we spent the afternoon laughing at ourselves and had a great time.


The lighthouse is beautiful and historic. It is on the site of an old fort from the Revolutionary War era. There is notice of a wrecked ship just off the shore there. It probably hit the rocks the Maine coast is notorious for. The rocks make up the rugged shoreline that you see on calendars and postcards. I could stand for hours watching the waves crash up on the rocks and the seagulls reeling in the wind. As you can see from the slide show I did!


Mom and I split a “lazy lobster” dinner that night. Lazy lobster is chunks of lobster meat already shelled and prepared. Dipped in melted butter with simple side dishes of coleslaw and French fries. A treat seldom afforded with my meager paycheck!

I wanted to see OOB again in the evening light, so we drove around a bit, and took even more pictures at OOB and the lighthouse,  Back at our motel we slept very well.  On Sunday, we got an early start and stopped to shop the outlet stores in Kittery. They call them outlets, but very few are. Most are higher-end retail stores. No great deals there, I’m afraid, but I found some wonderful fuzzy pajamas and a pretty ¾ sleeve shirt.

We had a great time, made some discoveries, found some treasures and got good pictures--A good weekend haul! It was also fun to reconnect with our old friends and tell and retell the stories of our pasts! Check out the slideshow on the right for more pictures of OOB and the Portland Head Lighthouse.

15 comments:

  1. What a fun trip that must have been. The countryside there is so gorgeous. I would love to visit Maine some day. Thank you for taking us along.

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  2. Hi Sherry - OOB looks like a very cool place! I love the first picture you posted of the boardwalk. I have never been to Maine - I would love to go someday.

    Sorry to hear that you are having a gloomy day in Mass. We actually are having a sunny day and it's 75 degrees out! I forgot how 75 felt around here.

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  3. Those pictures are, (as always) so gorgeous! I wish I was right there with you guys! (Especially when you mentioned Lazy Lobster!! Mouth literally started watering!!)

    Sounds like you had a lovely visit! Happy Easter!

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  4. Wow, Sherry, you do get around to some wonderful places! I don't travel much anymore, so I'm having a lot of fun tagging along! Please pass me a plate of the lazy lobster. Yum! :)
    Hugs,
    Zuzu

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  5. Sherry: Thank you so much for taking me to the Maine coast. Your photographs are amazing. My new daughter-in-law is from Massachusetts and went to college in Maine. As you may have seen on my blog, their wedding was in Providence. I look forward to exploring that area more.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  6. Gosh these pictures look like so much fun, glad you had a good time!

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  7. Hi Sherry,
    What a beautiful background and header picture. I can't get over how gorgeous Maine is. Pristine and rugged. I love your little widget kitty - reminds me of my Ursula:D Happy Easter~

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  8. Oh my goodness. You were right up in my backyard. I'm right outside of Portland. As soon as I saw your title, My trip to OOB, I knew exactly where you were, that you had to be up in Maine. Next time forget the outlets, yes they are overpriced, I don't go there, but ask your friend about the Marden's store down there. You would have found some great deals. Also this is the time of year I go down to the pier, after Memorial Day it is just too crowded.

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  9. I love the sculptural effect of all your photos. The orchard photos in your slideshow are amazing, too!

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  10. Hi Sherry,
    I've never been to this part of our wonderful country, so I was fascinated looking at your pics! Bet the amusement park felt kind of eerie all empty and abandoned. One of these days I'm gonna make it up north and see all those places I've missed. :-)

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  11. Hi Sherry,
    I can just imagine how beautiful and peaceful it was near that lighthouse. Your photos are so lovely. I'm glad that you, your Mom and your friends had such a great weekend.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  12. Happy Easter, Sherry! You brought back so many memories for me of a trip I made to OOB long ago... we drove there from South Carolina, arrived late couldn't find a place to stay and spent the night sleeping in our car - uncomforable is an understatement. I had a lobster roll in Portland, drove past the Bush's estate is Kennebunkport, saw the Portland Headlight, and saw Old Orchard Beach...deserted like you....thanks for taking me down memory lane....xo and hugs - Julie

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  13. What a beautiful recollection of your trip. The pictures are absolutely amazing, particularly the crushing waves.;)
    I hope you had a lovely Easter,
    xo
    Zuzana

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  14. Sherry,
    What a marvelous trip! I love it, OOB. LOL I can taste that lobster with the drizzled butter, yummy my favorite! The roller coaster looks so eerie & a bit spooky, like a ghost town, very cool. Lisa

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  15. You have a lovely blog! I love the posts about your grandma and the building you live in. I love to live in funky places too, but they are few and far between... I hope you don't mind if I add you to my blog list on my blog. Thanks. http://bitsandpiecesofd.blogspot.com

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