Monday June 1, 2015
46 degrees w/24 mph winds…cloudy and raining

Had my heart set on doing a few outdoor projects…but those days will be here soon enough. The rain is coming down a little harder today than yesterday.

Cereal with granola, banana, nuts and crasins….first cold breakfast since we’ve been here, but it was good.
View coming up the hill from the Whistle house

Listening to the weather channel…we’ve already gotten good at knowing if we will be able to get off the island by Wednesday.  Seas have to be below four feet so that Ethan can come get us safely. 
 
Foggy, raining, and windy
It only got colder and the winds got stronger.  Watched a couple of geese fly around in circles in front of the island.  Usually its just sea gulls flying everywhere.  The ocean waves are coming high and strong to the island from the east.  This is the first time we have seen this, normally they come in from the south.  I’ve tried to take photos of these massive waves, but pictures just don’t do it justice.
Larry working on the museum sign

We went to the Whistle House/Fog Horn building/man cave….anyway, this is where the tools, wood, nails, and more is kept.  We went there to work on some signs since the weather wasn’t going to allow us to do much outside.  I worked on the “population” sign.  This is just to get our name on the island for the visitors, etc…  We also worked on the “Museum” sign.  Needed to replace the rope and redo the lettering.  Larry is also working on another shelf for the kitchen and I also asked for a spice rack to add to his list of things to do. 
View from the Whistle house 

This was a good day to read or take a nap or both. 

Historical Fact
1813- Sept 5 The Battle of the Boxer and the Enterprise took place in the waters surrounding Seguin.
The dominant Royal Navy engaged the developing US Navy in many battles during the war, but this battle embodied a level of honor and respect not seen in modern warfare.  Capt William Burrows of the USS Enterprise and Capt Samuel Blyth of the HMS Boxer were both struck down early in the fighting and neither survived this legendary battle.  After a grueling exchange, the Boxer capitulated and the Enterprise towed her prize into the Port of Portland.
The City of Portland paid its respects not only to the both of the fallen Captains, with a joint funeral procession through the city, culminating with a side-by-side burial in Portland’s Eastern Cemetery.  The event was immortalization in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem My Lost Youth. (http://www.mainehistory.org/programs_1812)


My History
There were three families living her on Seguin in 1960-61.  Only one family was allowed to be off the island at a time, or the ladies could all be off the island at a time. 
There was always one of these men “on duty” at all time.  During the evenings, the different families would take turns staying up with the one on duty.  They usually would play card till late.  Mom and dad were pretty good at cards.  Momma said that they both would usually know how to continue to play from the first set of cards played.  One of the other teams would yell at each other…things like, “how come they can do it” and “why didn’t you see that coming”.
 
My little kitchen


I went to check out the sunset, but we were so fogged in   there wasn’t even a ray of light.  Not sure what tomorrow holds.
Sunday May 31, 2015
55 degrees w/12 mph winds….cloudy and raining
Day 17

Listening to the weather channel on the radio: possible cold front tomorrow and it sounds like it’s going to rain most of today and tomorrow.  We usually talk every night about what projects need to be done, and which ones to do depending on the weather.  Guess I’m working on the museum sign down in the Whistle house today…my brick projects must wait.  They also mentioned the water temp which I haven’t shared with you….40 to 45 degree’s….haven’t gone swimming yet, at least not on purpose.

Can you see the two little yellow chickadees...this was as close as I could get even with the zoom lens

To all my Texas friends….do I need to build an Ark and come get ya?  My friend Joan texted me and told me about all the snakes, guess their homes are underwater so their seeking high ground. Be Safe!  

Happy Birthday to my Aunt Jo Nell!

Breakfast started with pancakes w/ walnuts and Chef Ray’s Hickory smoked syrup…yum!
A few gray clouds with the rain



“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.  Be my guiding light. (Psalm 27:1)








Historical Fact
1795 George Washington commissioned this Light Station during his 2nd presidential term.
1812 The War of 1812 – Seguin was a strategic naval site, because of the proximity to the Kennebec River and Portland Harbor, both being very active seaports.





My History
Belgian Hares….Rabbits of different colors, the babies were
My Momma and me on Seguin in 1960 with a baby bunny
large, so the parents were naturally very large.  They were all over the island.  Momma said when the light would shine at night, it almost looked like it had snowed because there were hundreds of them.  They were plentiful, so sometimes they were even dinner!  Some history of the island states that Wilson, one of the other keepers, had brought a few for pets for his daughter, but that is not true.  There are no more rabbits on the island now.

It rained all day, but the evening was crystal clear like the rain had cleaned everything.  The other lighthouses along the coast are shining.  I tried to get a photo, but it just doesn’t do it justice.  Our lighthouse is beautiful!
My beautiful night light....goodnight!


We ended the evening with a temp of 49 degrees w/ chill factor of 44…good sleeping weather.
Saturday May 30, 2015
56 degrees w/6 mph winds….foggy and wet outside!
Day 16

It was too wet to mow or be outside, so we did inside work of cleaning.  Love seeing a man with a broom!  I worked on doing a little stitch repair to our flag.  When the sun came out Larry raised the flag.  I scrubbed the kitchen floor and after letting the rugs hang on the clothes line, then chasing them around the island, I made a few repairs to a handmade one and back on the floor they went.  Larry put some felt around the screen doors to both front doors…wow, didn’t realize the screens were slamming so bad.
We received some CD’s from our daughter-in -law, Sherri in the mail yesterday, so we are listening to one of our favorites….Wade Hawthorne!  Yes we are singing with him!  {It’s my island I can sing if I want too}
The sun has finally come out and it is beautiful, the wind has picked up some, 22 mph, but beautiful!
 
Larry raising the flag
A group of five, Rebecca and her soon to be husband, David came ashore to take a look over the island to “plan” for their wedding day on June 20th.  Not sure how long it has been, but David had come by kayak and brought a giant wooden heart and hung it from the tower and then brought Rebecca out later…and purposed…guess she said yes! So they wanted to make Seguin the place they said their vows, rain or shine….I’m praying for sunshine!

Larry mowed a little around the top of the island.
Larry mowing....look at that view!
I’ve found that at the end of the day, I go to download my photo’s to my computer and think…oh no, I didn’t take hardly any photo’s…then the computer says I have over a hundred….wow, I didn’t even realize I took that many.  Now I have to figure out which ones to share…talk about tough decisions.
 
bottom of steps that I'm leveling...just a few more to go
 










Historical Facts
Trip to the top of the island…Originally oxen and mules were used to bring supplies to the top.  In 1895 a tramway system was installed for the quarter mile climb. 1006’ with 2 iron rails, similar to a railroad track, it carried a flat 4’ x 6’ cart.  Its primary use was to haul coal to feed the fog signals steam engine.  1926 – 1930 condemned as unsafe and new one built.  A new one is needed now, but it’s about $600,000.00.  Did I mention this is a wonderful group of volunteers who depend on donations to keep this beautiful historic place going!! With that said, check out www.seguinisland.org for Friends of Seguin Island Lighthouse also known as F.O.S.I.L.


My History
While coming ashore yesterday, the top of the island was covered in fog.  Wish I had my camera.  Momma said that there was a time when the girls, (wives of the keepers), looked out and saw fog everywhere.  They ran to the fog horn and turned it on.  After a few minutes the men, who had been working down below came running up….out of breath, asking what was wrong?  Come to find out it was only foggy on top of the island and nowhere else.  I got to witness that, and have to get you a photo!
 
I brought this from Texas,
I was hoping to use it in the gift shop,
but its in our hallway now...
it's got kind of a seaweed look to it,
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder


Yes there was a Friday May 29, 2015….Day 15
It was our “go ashore” day!  So much todo…in what feels like so little time.  I’ve got the day routed out on paper, so we won’t forget anything we need.  It almost feels like we are a treasure hunt, we are constantly looking at the “map” aka my list. 
Captain Ethan came for us on the guppy and we got to meet his lovely bride Lindsay.  Our puppy, Bandit, got to go with us since we would be in town all day and no one would be on the island. 

On the road to Bath, we stopped at Winnegance café/general store to have breakfast.  We met some of the nicest people, Sean is the owner.  While waiting for our breakfast I saw behind the glass a tub of little green coils, “fiddle heads”.  I asked what they were and how they are cooked.  Within a few seconds here comes the cook out and gets us some to try.  She sautéed them with some garlic, they were pretty good.  They are only available for about two weeks a year.  They are the beginning buds of a type of fern before they spring open to the big long leaf.  So with breakfast checked off the list….yes it was really on the list…now to the Friends of Seguin office…Catherine came in special for us since we couldn’t come off the island till today, Friday, instead of the normal Wednesday.  Picked up more merchandise for the gift shop, a new flag, fix-a-flat stuff, and some other items needed to keep the island running.  Bandit and I stayed at the laundrymat while Larry ran to the hardware store, Rodgers.  I’m wanting to restain the front porch’s.  We have only a couple of colors that can be used on any of the buildings, they have to be Coast Guard approved.  Check and check…now to the Walgreens and Dollar store, then to Staples to get a computer cord.  Ck, ck and ck!!  Groceries then back to Fort Popham to try to eat a bite at Spinneys, then load everything and back to the island.  It’s making me tired just typing this…sure do wish the tram was working!  We went to bed early!