The prize

Keep your eyes on the prize and don't turn back.
Bill Clinton

We wake to the cacophony of crows, catbirds and song sparrows, roused from sleep without alarms. The catbirds have cleverly trained me to provide blueberries, cherries, juicy treats for breakfast. They chortle, harass and whine, and out I go with more. The show delights the cats, fresh from catnip and sunbeams.

Morning catnip


Yesterday was wonderful. It did take forever in a misty cool drizzle for our turn to ascend the stairs at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. I have a lifelong love affair with that candy cane tower, but have never been up those stairs to the actual light. We happened to hit a rare occasion when it was open to the public for Lubec's 200th Anniversary celebration. The sun came out and we had our turn to hear the story from the young Coast Guardsman and take in the view. This is the third tower, built in the late 1850's. My Great Great Great Grandfather was the keeper at the second tower just before this one was built. A Great Grandfather was an Assistant Keeper on this one, it's in the blood I guess. The lenses are original and priceless, with nicks where cans containing whale oil bumped the fragile glass lens by accident during fueling. Of course it's all electric today, but the priceless lens remains, impossible to duplicate.

West Quoddy Head info


I'll link some photos of the tour..

Old photo of West Quoddy

My Great Great Great Grandfather

Lower window view

French Fresnel Lens

A ding in the lens

The stairs


For the Record

This day came in as a grand summer Maine day, yay!