Sunday July 12, 2015
Day 59
65 degrees w/ 6 mph winds

Boy is it quiet here this morning….I miss my babies though.  I went outside with my cup of coffee and just sat and looked over the water.  Boats were already out sailing. I closed my eyes at one point and just listened…it’s become one of my favorite things to do here on Seguin.  The flag flipping in the wind, the waves crashing onto the rocks below, the birds fluttering around and chirping and the winds blowing past my face.  Today is Gods day…and I am Thankful!

Breakfast….oatmeal with crasins and pecans with toast.
 
This is the first info that is seen as our visitors arrive
A few minutes to catch up on my Bible reading before the day starts to get away from me.  Reading in Numbers about Aaron budding rod, and Balaam and his talking ass.  I tend to rely on those moments that Balaam tried to dismiss.  The angel was standing in front of him and his ride with a sword drawn to kill them, the animal could see the angel and would turn to go another way.  I’ve tried to teach my kids that when something doesn’t seem to go right, to know God is in control.  We might not need to be in certain places, etc…so maybe we get a flat so that we detained.  I may not like the flat, but I always try to thank God for every situation I am in.
 
Visitors
Then we started the morning, cleaning the museum and gift shop.  Larry went down to the cove to help Ethan’s group come ashore.  We also had several independent boaters come up to visit.  One family that came with Ethan was from Switzerland…the Busser Family.

We continue to get the “Why are Texans up here in Maine being the Lighthouse Keepers”?  Then we get to tell our story.

A gentleman noticed that the extra light on the outside of the tower needs to have the CG look at it….wow…thanks for seeing that and it will be reported!






Today between groups I pulled one of our folders from the library area and began reading a letter from Maxine DeShon Chamberlain.  She was a child on the island around 1934-39.  She would spend the summers out here and then go on shore and live with her aunt during school months.  Her father was here with the Lighthouse service before it became part of the CG.  I wanted to share a poem she wrote:

Seguin Island
Seguin Island such a beautiful place,
Memories of you bring a smile to my face.
For me it was Paradise, all the
Joys my heart could hold.
To live out on this beautiful place,
Oh it stirred my soul.
With its unique and stately Light,
That kept the boats on course at night.
Your rippling cove so clear and deep,
Made a safe haven for starfish to sleep.
I couldn’t wait for summer to begin,
Because I knew that I’d be out on Seguin.
Never to be forgotten, the joy that was mine,
Forever in my heart Seguin will always shine.

She also told the story of a young man who’s parents were keepers here at the same time.  Royal Cheney was about 20 and had gone out to get lobster.  The seas got rough and his boat returned, but he never did.  She said things never were the same.  His mother would go to the edge of the water and look for him months later. 

The sea is powerful and those we have met that sail upon it, respect it. I’m not always happy with what the sea tells us about what we can and can’t do, but I’m very grateful to our captain Ethan who takes care of us coming and going from the island, I trust his judgment!

Lunch was later than normal, but that is ok…we will be able to eat later…now we take care of our guest.

Summerfest is a time for the F.O.S.I.L. group to get together with food and fun.  I will be getting to meet so many more members that I’ve only talked to or texted.  I will also be giving a Power point presentation of our time here on the island…..I’d better get started, I only have two weeks.

It was quiet on the island and I was able to spend some much needed time in the other side of the duplex.  I’m always afraid I will miss someone coming up to visit when I am vacuuming the floors and window seals….so I rush! It got very warm on the top floor and I was sweating when I finished about 8.  

Now for a shower, dinner and sit down for a moment.

Dinner….Blueberry pancakes!!

The sun is setting, the waters are still, no boats to be seen…it is and was a Blessed Day!

This is a photo taken by my friend Benjamin Williamson
Sunset Bench

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  John 1:5

Saturday July 11, 2015
Day 58
It got up to 75 today, good winds.

Got up early to take my family to the cove to meet Ethan and his load of WW and some fabulous NAVY people.

Got as many hugs and kisses from my babies as I could before they left to head to Boothbay Harbor to go on a Whale Watching tour.  They could see Seguin from their boat….hope they told everyone about the island!

The 0 degree turn lawnmower is here and a true blessing to have.  It was put together and lessons given as to how to operate it….can I just say wow!  God is good!

Wednesday Warriors and our new friends from the NAVY
Getting it ready to go!
Each group of workers went to work, some scraping the tower cat walk and then painting.  Some worked inside, scraping paint and then painting.  Ken scraped and painted the tower entrance.  I didn’t get to see all that we being done…I was with a sweet, wonderful young 4 yr old who came with his mother, who is one of the Navy personal.  She worked, so I tried to keep him busy.  Since the gb’s had just been here I had fun stuff….we painted rocks, then he played with rubber ball, then he watched Frozen, then we painted a paper w/prepaint already on the paper…by the way…he now LOVEs Texas Tea!
 
Ken working away on the tower enterance
Look out....here comes Cyndy!
Ken had brought water and sandwich makings and we laid that all out for everyone, and of course we had Texas Tea to serve with those sandwiches!  Everyone was so kind and worked so hard today.  I was able to give a few a tour of the museum and Larry gave the lighthouse tour.

A special “Thank You” goes out to Anne and Sue who treated us with desserts…cookies and cupcakes in ice-cream cones! 

We have had a steady group of visitors coming today, it’s 6pm and they are still coming.  We learn as much from them as they do from us.

Some of our afternoon visitors
A young Navy man and his wife were some of our volunteers today

Just found out my momma, and three other woman who have been my mommas throughout my life are coming up on Wed….YEAH!

I learned that Seguin has so much iron in the rock that sailors get a 3 to 8 degrees off from “true” north….that explains the iron in the water!
Navy gal and Navy wife working around the catwalk of our tower, scraping and painting...you go girl!

Wow it’s quiet tonight….kind of a love/hate things…loving my evenings to enjoy the island and missing those babies who cuddled with me last night…Landyn included Larry by grabbing his hand and holding it to his belly.  Now I’m finding remnants of them everywhere, a rock they found, the bag of marshmallows we aren’t going to eat, that they never got to either.


Hopefully I will be able to show you a few photo’s tonight…enjoy!

Friday July 10, 2015
59 degrees w/ 6 mph winds
Day 57

I woke a little before 7, I could hear the rest of my family sleeping…it’s quiet!  Today is their last day on the island.  It’s also my son, Matthew’s Birthday!

Sherri, my daughter in law is planning on making him his favorite cake…it’s a multicolored, swirled Pound Cake.

Going to try and get Lobster to celebrate today!!

My mother never had the chance to share this experience with the rest of her family.  I have so enjoyed looking at my gb’s eyes as they look at the light and the water, as they roll down the hill in front of the house, as they search for sea glass down in the cove.  I am blessed!

Ethan is going to take them back to shore when he drops off a group of volunteer workers.  They still want to visit a few spots around Maine before the long trip back to Texas.
It got up to 77 degrees today, but the wind has kept it pleasant.

Ethan brought a group of visitors and we had several other individual boat come ashore.  I love it when I ask if they would like to go up the tower and they are in awe.  Then when I get through telling them about the light and tower history I start to open the catwalk door and they get excited.  The first words are always in amazement….I love it!  One couple later on in the evening only spoke little English, I think they were from Germany, if I had to guess. They only wanted to see the tower and were amazed…no interpretation needed! 
Lots of donations today by some great people!!

Gb’s went and made sandcastles in the cove.

We had some lobster delivered and the kids enjoyed it for lunch.  Me….I just ate the mash potatoes.

My grandkids painted some rocks and a couple came up and we invited their two yr old daughter, Hazel to paint with us…then they took the tours and bought some t-shirts and donated!


Dinner….chicken strips and asparagus.


We spent as much time with the babies as we could tonight.  The sunset was spectacular.

I had several great photo's, but I've already waited almost an hour for the computer to let me have my photos to put on this blog...guess it's tired....sorry, will try to get them posted later.