The Only Thing Left Standing

Dear Diary,

I passed this on my way back from Bethel after visiting the mineral and gem museum and decided to drive back to photograph it.  I don't know when the old house which surrounded this amazing chimney burned down but it was an opportunity for me to study the construction of a 18th century center chimney.  This one had 5 five fireplaces and one was a large kitchen fireplace with a beehive oven.  The large opening in front had a stone fault that displaced the downward pressure of the bricks.  It is massive and is very typical of the type built in the late 1700's.  You can see the beautiful rolling mountains in the distance, what a view it had from the upstairs windows.  There were signs that a local post and beam builder was constructing another building on the site so I will check back in the summer.

I then did a bit of "shunpiking", an old Yankee term for leaving the main roads, and was immediately rewarded. I found a very large standing stone near the side of the road. (Extra)  I wasn't able to get very close to it because of the snow banks and I couldn't see if there were any words carved on it.  Seemed awfully large, over 7 feet, to be a road marker.  That will have to wait until the snow melts for further examination.  This is a good example of why we should follow poet Robert Frost's urging to "take the road less traveled".  A bit further down the road less traveled I came across a beautiful old farm with the rolling mountains behind.  A great example of the "connected" form of building, very popular in this part of western Maine.  The farmer didn't have to go outside to tend to his animals in the barn, a great convenience in the cold winter months.  I also photographed a 1830's church I passed along the way but I thought I'd better save some of my "extras".  I think I will be seeing a lot of interesting things this year of exploring Maine!