FUN WITH GRANDKIDS
This past week our son and family made their annual visit to Maine, always a high point of the summer. We all visited the botanical gardens where the girls, 9 and 5, love the children’s garden. The small playhouse is their first stop, followed by getting in the rowboat and trying to work the oars. This time they also flexed their muscles to hoist a lobster trap from a small pond. Next is a walk along the shoreline path to spend a few moments at the fairy village and, on the way back, a last chance for the playhouse. On the way into the gardens, we paused to view Roskva, one of the giant trolls, but they weren’t particularly drawn to it; thus, we skipped seeing the other four.
Another favorite attraction is the Railway Village Museum on the outskirts of Boothbay. It was closed last year due to Covid so this was a return after two years. The biggest hit here is riding an old train on a loop around the village property. Dotted with historic Maine buildings from the mid-1800s to early 1900s, the village includes a schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and a furnished house. The electric washer with a hand wringer proved to be especially fascinating. And old black locomotive and a caboose add to the overall experience as you can clamber aboard. Also appealing to our girls was the extensive model railroad exhibit with numerous trains on multiple tracks midst town and industry scenes. And just to add live interest, the village boasts two goats. Railway Village is a fun place for all ages from toddlers to adults!
None of us, children, parents, and grandparents, ever tire of gazing at the waves crashing on the rocky shore, watching for lobster boats checking their traps, or stooping on the pebbly beach to collect shells and sea glass.
The hardy souls in our family, our son and his older daughter, braved the cold water on the cove side. Everyone told them the ocean water was much warmer this year than last; nonetheless, it’s very cold water. Tim and E went swimming on the last day of their visit even though the air temperature was only 65!
The girls and I also colored the world map tablecloth (a companion to the U.S. one we had last year), played a game of riddles, watched F create a show starring two of her stuffed animals, read books together and separately, and did jigsaw puzzles. F wrote slips with a different riddle on it for each of us to put at our places for dinner one night. I provided the spelling, and she did the writing! They also went miniature golfing one afternoon, walked a nature trail near the local beach, swam in a local pool, and made their annual pilgrimage to Uncle Willy’s Candy Shoppe in Camden, two floors of sugar-laden treats. We all went out to dinner one evening and out to lunch another day to ensure that their mother had ample opportunity for steamed lobster and at least one lobster roll!
CULINARY CORNER
An honored tradition is for me and the girls to make blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Each year E and F get more adept at measuring, mixing, and pouring the batter. The result is tasty pancakes made with a big dose of love and served with real Maine maple syrup.
Our older granddaughter is a foodie and over the course of this past year has become quite the baker and cook. She has made cupcakes and cakes on her own and is developing a repertoire of chicken dishes and other mealtime fare. She’s also the proud owner of several cookbooks. One of her favorites, exceptionally well put together with helpful details and illustrations, is The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs.
With very little assistance, she tackled breakfast tacos. They were a delicious combination of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon squares, salsa, and grated cheese.
In July, the girls and their parents were on Long Island and learned to love steamed clams. I was happy to turn over the kitchen to our son one evening. He produced a wonderful plate of steamed clams over linguine. The clams were Maine local and very fresh, and the dish was perfect! Certainly, one of the best renditions I’ve ever had. Including my memorable first taste in Trastevere, Rome, on a late summer’s evening thirty years ago!
Time marches on, sometimes fleetingly, and the time we grandparents have with our granddaughters is so very precious. It’s fascinating each visit to observe how they’ve grown and matured, what their latest interests are, and how their views on the world and themselves have shifted. One of the best gifts is sharing just a bit in their lives, thanks to their marvelous parents!
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved)
