Fort Foster State Park

Located in Kittery, Maine, Fort Foster is a local gem. And I must confess, in all my years of living just 20-25 minutes away this was my first visit. 

At only $10 per car you really can't beat the price. And if you go at low tide, which I highly recommend, you can walk forever.

Fort Foster Pier

Shooting in the middle of the day in full sun is always a challenge as colors tend to be blown out. Adding a little texture here and there, along with some help from Photoshop, provided the rescue these images needed. 

The photos from top to bottom are basically what you would see if you were standing on the beach looking from left to right, starting with the Pier.

The gulls had no problems finding plenty of crabs to feast on. As we walked along the beach their little bodies were strewn about in pretty good numbers. Poor guys. It's not easy being a crab.

Wood Island Life Saving Station

Unless you kayak over to the island this is about as close as you'll get to the Wood Island Life Saving Station. Through the years it's slowly deteriorated to a pretty poor state although there is a group who would like to save it. If you'd like to read more about their plans click here

Directly across the harbor sits the wonderful Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse and Fort William and Mary. Want to take a tour? This weekend is the first ever Family Weekend at PHL. Check it out! 

And finally, looking up into the mouth of Piscatiqua river we see the old and quite decrepit Portsmouth Naval Prison as well as the tower of the North Church in downtown Portsmouth. 

See, I told you this is a great place to go! The views are so beautiful! Our visit was a much needed injection of bliss and peacefulness and it felt good to get back to shooting with my camera.

Hide little fella, hide!

Finally summer has arrived here in New England! 

Lobster tank and 'The way life should be'

First of all let me say I am totally blown away by the response to the previous post! After being gone for so long I never expected so many of you to comment. Thank you very much! 

Several of you guessed correctly as to where the landmark Lobster Tank is located. I loved what Rachel from Boston had to say when she commented:

Maine, Maine, wonderful Maine...How do you know you are on the way home? First you see the big green bridge in the distance, then you cross the Piscataqua & give a cheer at the border, and you say hello to Kittery Maine!

Then you go the long way through Portland just to wave to the home of B&M baked beans (and more importantly, B&M brown bread, with raisins, thank you)...and that's the point at which you call Grandma and tell her you'll be home for dinner in an hour! 

Surely Grandma loves it when her girl comes for dinner! Rachel, I hope one day I can get up to the B&M factory. I've always loved their brown bread in a can, though I'm not a big fan of the raisins ; ) 

Yes indeedee the 'Lobster tank' is located in Kittery, Maine, just after you go over the I-95 Piscataqua bridge (or as we tend to call it 'the Big Bridge'). And no, the tanks aren't filled with lobster. It's a propane business.  That would be some holding tank for lobster!!!!

I don't think I have many pictures of Kittery, Maine but here is one I took today from Prescott Park in Portsmouth, where my husband and I enjoyed lunch on this 85 degree day in March. I have a few other pictures I took recently posted on my other blog, The Sweetest Days. If you'd like to view them you may do so here.

Pretty cool shot of my husband and I on the dock looking down into the water. The sun was so bright it cast an awesome shadow.

Yup, that's me. 

Again, thank you all for your comments. I can't tell you how much I truly enjoyed reading them!

* Btw, The Way Life Should Be is Maine's slogan

Snow day in Kittery, Maine

I know, I never post twice in one day but I really wanted to show you a few shots I took on my way home from Kittery, Maine yesterday afternoon. The snow had just begun to fall so I wrapped a small towel around my camera and tried to capture a few pretty images. Shooting in the elements is definitely not ideal though.

Although it looks like fog what you are seeing in the distance is actually snow

Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse

Just look at this view and you know it's New England. Off to the left you can just make out the Wood Island Lifesaving station.

History is everywhere you look along the coast of Kittery

Isn't this little post office the best? Ahh, the good old days.

As much as I'd hoped to get out in the big snow we had today, it just didn't happen. The roads were bad and I was feeling lazy. Besides, feeling the Bluebirds, Cardinals, etc. was a full time job!

Whaleback Lighthouse

Built in 1872, like most other lighthouses Whaleback is automated and has been since 1963. It's definitely a photographers favorite. Conditions are constantly changing on the ocean and in the sky but it's a wide open view so you're almost always guaranteed a good shot no matter the weather, except fog of course.

Though Whaleback can be seen from several vantage points in the seacoast area, on this particular day I happened to be at Great Island Commons (aka: New Castle Commons), the easiest and most accessible place to view Whaleback Lighthouse as well as Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse.

Both of these photos were taken during a sunset (behind me) on December 30, 2009, just a day before the full Blue Moon on New Years Eve. It was rather cold, and though you can't see it the moon sits in the sky just off to the left. Also located on the left hand side of the horizon is the historic and defunct Wood Island Lifesaving Station.

Great Island Commons, and in and around New Castle remains one of my favorite places for photography. The views of the ocean, historic homes, and quaint yards are picturesque no matter what time of year. And that tiny one-horse-town post office of theirs is adorable!

* The Sweetest of Days

I hope you'll stop by!