A day after Thanksgiving

Road trip!

Tom and I headed for an overnight stay in Portland the day after Lobster Day.

Save a turkey...eat lobster?

Not a problem!

We gave thanks home alone, with a pot of boiling water and some butter :)



LL Bean outlet shopping and a little Letterboxing.

Next time we eat lunch first.
We spent way too long circling the first park.
Determined to find missing boxes in Baxter Woods.

While I searched in vain, Tom fished the missing stamp out of a pond next to the tree it should have been hiding near.
Floating in a baggie.
Green with pond scum.
Like the bum who threw it there!

By the time we searched for 5 across the street in Evergreen Cemetery I was starving.
(Plus only found one.)

Almost 1:30 by the time we gave it up.

Next time we eat first!
So Life is NOT crap.

And what's with the Crooked Little One-room Schoolhouse posing as Santa's Workshop?

Applauding Sunsets. Required.

An Adventure in Hiding Things

The girls arrived home from their respective campus job-related activities the day before Thanksgiving with 2 hours of daylight left!

This miracle does not happen often. Especially less frequently as the number of available daylight hours tick ever downward.

Jazz & I greeted them at the door in time to pick up on a half baked plan to drive up to Hirundo Wildlife Refuge and walk the trails before dark.
The 4 p.m. hour of falling blackness was pointed out.
It was agreed we must make haste.
Even as someone piddled away valuable minutes of lightness upon learning dogs were not welcome in an animal refuge.
And there were no Letterboxes to be discovered.
(I want to hide 2!)

"Fine. I'm Not Going."
Familiar somehow.

But this time successfully coaxed out of a funk and into the car.
And we were away.
For a 15 minute drive to one of those places right in our own backyard.
Too often forgotten about.
Overlooked as a possibility.
...when there's Nothing To Do.

I haven't been there since Tom and I hiked some of the trails when we first began looking for outdoor things to do together. In 1980.

I stuffed my coat pockets with camera, trail map and pen.
Plus the 2 Letterboxes all set to be hidden in the perfect place.
I hadn't decided where yet.
Several locations have been considered and discarded in recent weeks.
But I was certain I would know it when I saw it!

Our hiking adventure included wet feet and much puddle jumping thanks to the recent heavy rains.
A few girlie poses for the camera along the way.
And the perfect hiding spots were found for our newest Letterboxes released into the wild!

Along with a standing ovation of the setting sun.

This is a Stephani sanctioned procedure.
Participation mandatory. But why wouldn't you want to?
Everyone must applaud the setting sun.
With feeling. Like you mean it.
You will get The Look (while she applauds) if you have not responded in kind and in a timely fashion.
Why wouldn't you want to, indeed.

It was a great adventure!
I give thanks for the awesome memory of our afternoon together that lingers still.

Why aren't you out there Letterboxing?
I know where a couple of really cool ones are hiding!

(more) Recycled Denim

Watch Pocket Journal

Sara has been after me to make a new Letterboxing logbook for one of her boxing buddies, about to go back to it's owner. The logbook it came with is a page away from being full and she wanted me to make them a "cute" dog fabric covered logbook.

Nothing even remotely close seemed to be hiding in my stash. I did come across the 3rd Picnic Quilt while stash diving that I started earlier this summer and was fast on its way to becoming another guilt riddled UnFinished Object.

It's almost done and I pledge to work on it this week.
(putting it in bold font means I'm more likely to keep this promise?)

I had saved all of the leftover denim scraps - especially the pockets - hoping for an idea to use them later. Sunday morning inspiration struck and I've now made 2 logbooks using watch pockets as the covers.

The idea was to be able to stick the hand carved rubber stamp right inside the pocket - logbook & stamp all in one place. (Genius!)

The first one had a natural seam that made the stamp a tight fit and I was afraid it would get damaged if users were not extra careful. I thought I was all out of quality paper for making logbooks that could be used with ink, but came up with half a ream that had been put "some place safe where I'll find it" long ago.

I finally found it again!

Also pictured is the checkbook cover I made for myself months ago.
And my Fall Collection of Fabric Postcards & Artist Trading Cards.
Since the camera was out :)

Stand on the steps of the state capitol.

Head east to the Lincoln Memorial.

Lincoln Memorial? In Augusta.

Who knew? Not me! I still haven't found it.

My sweep around the State House and down into a nice little park across the street failed to turn up a Lincoln Memorial.

I played tourist with a camera around the surprisingly empty State House grounds and turned up a good number or other memorials & monuments I had never taken the time to see.

It could be a play on words I suppose.
Anyone know where Lincoln is? Anyone?

I had to drive to Augusta to attend a Board meeting on Saturday.

190+ miles round trip. YIKES!

It's not a solo journey I enjoy all that much. As editor of a quilting newsletter I had a couple of issues to face down. I suspect my ears would have been burning had I not been there to defend myself. Suffice it say I've ticked off one of the contributors to the newsletter enough that I suspect my name has been used in vain. Often!

Enough to convince me I needed to speak up. And see if I couldn't wrestle that editor voodoo doll away from her before she shoves another pin...some place uncomfortable. Judging by the X she made in her report because I got to go alphabetically ahead her with mine and diffused a half page of her talking points, it was a good thing I made the trip.

Except I totally wanted to show off a solo letterbox find and came up empty!
There's 4 new boxes in our area, hidden this week. We still haven't gotten out to look for them. How hard is it supposed to rain this afternoon?

Mother Nature looks to be messing with plans for the 2nd weekend in a row.
Or maybe someone's still jabbing pins in my likeness.

Did I mention it was a very blustery day?
Well it was!

At bottom is a statue of Samantha Smith.
I thought it was longer ago, but I must have been pregnant with Sara at the time her child's view of diplomatic HOPE took place.
By the time Stephani was born her mom was dealing with tragedy beyond belief.

In December 1982 Samantha Smith, a 10-year-old girl from Manchester, Me., wrote to Soviet President Yuri Andropov to ask if he was going to wage a nuclear war against the U.S. She toured the USSR at his invitation the following July and as a result, became first a media celebrity and then a television actress. Samantha died on a rainy August night in 1985 when the commercial plane she as in crashed killing all aboard.

Samantha Reed Smith

(June 29, 1972-August 25, 1985)

Maiden Cliff trail

Letterboxing in Camden Hills State Park

I've never driven to the top of Mt. Battie in Camden.
I had never hiked any of it's trails.
Whenever we drive past the Mt. Battie autoroad we are either on another mission or the fee at the entrance gate overrules my wish to drive up.

I still want to drive up the autoroad (just once!) but Sara and I decided to spend Saturday hiking the Maiden Cliff trail on the back side of the park.

To look for Letterboxes, of course.

What a beautiful day! Fall colors have only just started changing here. We got kind of a late start and ended up in Camden after 12:30. Due to my navigational skills (or lack there of) we went past Rt 52 and down into the traffic congested center of Camden. I had it in my head the turn off for the trail was on the other side of town and Rt 52 must join Rt 1 for a bit. NOT!

We decided to eat at Subway before starting our trek so it worked out well in the end. We can declare "we meant to do that!" with sincerity. We were hungry and it was probably the safest/easiest bet for food in Camden at rush hour anyway. Still took forever to be waited on, but at least there was a real bathroom for one last stop before hiking.

Once we back-tracked through traffic and found Rt 52 again, it turns out there are 2 hiking trail parking lots very close together. As navigator, I had just suggested if we come to a fork in the road we should stay right as we kept an eye open for a brown trail hiker sign. Needless to say we parked at the first hiker sign, without ever coming to a fork in the road.

We set off up the trail to the first marker before realizing something wasn't adding up. This trail would not lead us to the Maiden Cliff cross or the 3 Letterboxes hidden somewhere along the way. Recent logged "finders" promised reasonable success.

For those actually hiking on the correct trail.

Back to the car for a drive further down the highway until we found the 2nd parking lot. It looked full and cars were parked along the road as well, but Sara drove in with innocent confidence there would be a space. A car started backing out to leave at that exact moment and she could not believe her luck.

Neither could the SUV who had driven past the space, who looked as it he felt the space was his. As he backed past us to leave, for the roadside parking no doubt, if looks could deflate - Sara would have had 4 flat tires!

We got out as if we owned the space - possession being 9/10ths law - is that the saying? - and never made eye contact again, for my part.

Our compass skills not being much better than my navigational skills, the first clue began: "Just before stepping onto the first of two wooden bridges to cross the stream bed, take a reading of 160 degrees. Follow your gaze to a twin-trunked hemlock seemingly growing out of rock." We probably could have worked it out just from the description but it was like grand central station. The place was crazy with hikers coming from every direction. We decided to catch this one on the way down.

Box 2 was among a pile of rocks following the clue - easily spotted because the plastic was showing. The trail was very wet due to all the recent rain and the hiding place may actually be getting stepped on as people try to avoid the mud. I put more rocks around the box to try keeping it hidden better but there's a pretty good chance hikers will come close enough to knock it out again.

Box 3 was down over the ledge holding a giant cross commemorating a young girl who fell to her death many years ago. I had seen the cross from the road years before, but how cool to stand from behind and read the dedication.

As for the box: Sara the Brave went down into the ravine and onto the ledge to look for it. I would probably have walked away although it turned out to be much wider than it looked at first glance. This box clue also had a compass reading so once she found the box Sara cross checked the reading.

LIGHT BULB GOES OFF!

We now understand how to hold & read the compass and once we were back at box 1 - with much less traffic - the direction was easily found without wandering around in a full circle looking for a tree growing out of a rock. YAY! I've been wandering around the house taking compass readings of everything in sight.

Following a beginners compass tutorial - which makes much more sense now - from the spot I'm sitting at using their example...there should be a letterbox in our old BBQ pit.

hmmm...

Everywhere I look

Letterboxing on the Brain

Signs on buildings

Is that rock garden hiding anything? Maybe if I just move a couple of rocks I'll find a hidden treasure stamp ...an overlooked mystery clue.
Eh...probably not. Leave it alone.

Belfast Tourist Day

We found one box by giving up. And then reading the clue an hour later and realizing we we looking on the wrong road before.

I am a NUMBER!

*Who left the lights on?

Today I went to the library to plant my first letterbox.

(I released 2 hitch hikers this weekend as well!)

I intended to spend a leisurely morning scouting out clues to coincide with numbers that would designate its location on a shelf. So I parked on the slanted hill in front of City Hall. At least an hour of free parking.

I had it in my head I would use a C for "enter the library through the Children's Entrance" or numbers like 3 (top floor the elevator will take you); 4 for the number of arched windows when you step off the elevator and turn left. In the end, I'm just using the number as the clue.
Maybe I'll make the next one harder!

Once I chose the book I wanted to place it next to, I went to the circulation desk and asked, "Please may I have a number... :) and could I possibly have one of those stickers so it will fit right next to this book (Cocoon Silk) on the shelf without looking out of place?"

She was SO helpful! And totally most likely to become the area's newest Letterboxer. Quote: "Oh, I'm so excited about this!"

She disappeared to a back room and came back (quite a while later) with a number all printed out. Asked me if I would like it on the outside binding or top front cover. (bottom binding!) Her co-worker standing next to her said she actually has The Letterboxers Companion book checked out right now. They were both very interested.

The book is currently resting in its assigned spot in a back corner of the library, snuggled between Cocoon Silk and I am Japan Raw Silk. Book binding how-to shelf just opposite. Plenty of empty shelf space nearby or a computer table on the back wall for stamping in out of sight.

Please don't make a mess stamping ink.
Don't forget to write!

* As I walked back to the Wrangler nearly ...eh hem...2 hours later I see headlights on the jeep. It was broad daylight. No way did I use lights! Perhaps I bumped it with my knee? Please let that be sun shining off the glass?

NO. Dead battery, indeed.

Story gets worse: Wrangler's from 1995 have locking front hoods.
The key to which is home on Tom's set - I have just the spare ignition key.
No hood key.
On a slanted hill. I've got booster cables and 3 men offering to help Distressed Woman. No hood key.
And a night-shift working husband sound asleep, through ringing phones and answering machine messages.

10th try was the charm.
And then his rescue trip took forever because Broadway was blocked off by police road blocks from hell.

I am so grounded the rest of the week.
But I have a NUMBER!

Totally shaking this off and remembering only the good part after I hit publish. Please be distracted by my Mama & Baby Moose pictures. We went camping last week and I didn't even take a picture of the tent to prove actual sleeping on ground occurred.
It did. Oh, my aching back!

Altered Book Letterbox

Under Construction

Still practicing Coptic Binding, this time using 2 playing cards sewn together as the covers. The idea came to me after my trip to Goodwill and Salvation Army stores in search of Nancy Drew books to alter. I came across a couple of other books I thought had potential.

One is an Agatha Christie book with a padded hardcover. Very classy looking with a gold leaf image on front. Title is "Cards On The Table" - thus the playing card theme took hold.

My 1st Letterbox to plant in a library is being attempted.
Still have no earthly idea what to carve as the stamp. Leaning towards an image of the library it would be planted in.
Could you start sketching Steph?

Our order of the "Pink Stuff" from Stampeaz will be here next week.
Sorry, local scrapbook store.
Even with $5 shipping, buying 4 is like getting one free.
(or maybe it's more like buy 3, get one half price...math not my strong suit and Sara is asleep.)

Screw Auger Falls

The REAL one, that is

There are at least 2 Screw Auger Falls in Maine.

When Sara was an infant we tried hiking in to the Kathadin Iron Works version, off the Appalachian Trail to Gulf Hagas.

We took turns carrying her but after half a mile she seemed to weigh a ton and it was just too much walking without the baby backpack - which had been left home on this spur of the moment adventure.

Not well thought out adventures are still a part of our family history, it seems.

25 years later and I've finally made it in, using the official trail. There's a short cut to the falls at Gulf Hagas by driving much closer, along the back roads further in. Years ago the paper company clear cut a huge section of the land that the shortcut went through and so they "closed" it.

For our safety.

Well, they put rocks across the opening and took down the signs. Anyone with a memory still knew where it was.

The trail had been worn deep by a hundred thousand feet and would take an age to disappear completely back to the wild.
It's a much easier walk, with no river crossings and so was a much safer trek for children or the elderly. We took mom that route a few years ago for an autumn leaf peeping expedition and she was quite thrilled to make it in, at her age and with limited vision.

UPDATE:
The Appalachian Mountain Club purchased much of surrounding land and has put up restrictions for vehicle use, but Tom tells me you can get as far as the bridge to park near the shortcut, which is being maintained again. Big locked gates shut out all but the wealthy who can afford to pay membership dues & fees to much of the fishing in the area, but the trail is open once again.

They own it, that's their right.

But don't tout conservation as noble cause, if what you really mean is "let's keep the land pristine so rich people from out of state can continue to enjoy exclusive Maine Vactionland playgrounds." (i.e. Moosehead lake/Plum Creek controversy)

But I digress!

I made it to the falls. Tom even convinced me to climb down into the gorge and wade cross the freaking falls so we could eat our lunch in the most beautiful spot on earth.

I admit I never really relaxed completely until we were both safely back on top. But it was worth the effort, if only for the photo shoot. And the reminder not to be such a chicken, as it was not really as difficult as my fear imagined it would be.

Multitasking

Hiking, Fishing and lost Letterboxes

Tom has Fridays off as vacation days for most of the summer, so of course I checked on possible hidden Letterbox sites that might be along the way, once he stated his intentions of going to Blanchard for the day.
Most of Maine's Letterboxes seem to be in the southern part of the state and not much was listed past Bangor, north to Monson.
I did find one jpeg clue in Brownville Junction listed on a Yahoo group site that we thought we recognized. Pretty sure it's on the Appalachian Trail to Gulf Hagas.
(picture contains the clue.)

Our "Almost There" picture found us almost at Screw Auger Falls in the Katahdin Iron Works region.

Tom decided to go to Brownville fishing instead.

On the off chance we could multitask.

But first we went fishing. I caught the first fish!
We had our limit by lunch time and decided there was time to look for the treasure. And more hiking.

No Luck finding the box.
There's no updates on the letterbox.org site so it could be a very old clue and perhaps the letterbox has been long gone.

Too bad we have no clear idea what "11 paces at 40" means.
Wonder if it's a compass reading?
Wonder if I'm doing the compass thing right?

Letterboxing Adventure

Our first Letterbox find!

Last month Stephani wanted an idea for fun things to do close to home, what with the price of gas and a rainy forecast for later in the day. In the course of researching directions to Chick Hill she stumbled upon an interesting new hobby, thanks in part to one of the first sites that popped up in response.

Letterboxing:

Letterboxing combines artistic ability with "treasure-hunts" in parks, forests and cities around the world. Look for hidden letterboxes by cracking codes and following clues found on the internet or by word-of-mouth. Items inside the box will vary, but must include a logbook and a rubber stamp - usually a unique, hand-carved creation.

(Purchased rubber stamps are allowed, but the creativity of carving your own is strongly encouraged :)

Letterboxers stamp their discoveries in a personal journal, then use their own rubber stamp, called a signature stamp, by stamping it into the logbook found with the letterbox, perhaps writing a note about the weather or their adventures in finding the letterbox.

The trek up Chick Hill found nothing. Except an exceptional view and a reminder that short little hikes up a hill when we were young can still be fun years later.

Searches at UMO's ornamental garden came up empty for her as well.
As did the two locations Tom and I checked out on the way to Bingham on the 4th. (The owner of the UMO box has promised to check on that one - just a muddy baggie was found on a nearby bench. An email from the last recorded finder of this one assures me it was there 2 weeks ago. We looked all around but perhaps the location was moved to higher ground. She said her very determined daughter found it farther up the hill.)

Today, Steph and I went to Bangor City Forest, walking the trails for miles and miles. (More like a heel-toe death march under the noon sun.)
88 degrees. Humidity at 90%.

Found: nothing.
(See 1st photo of where we think one might have been ;)

The clues were printed out in June when I first helped* Steph research more about this curious adventure of buried treasure, so perhaps they were outdated. This site seems more active and up-to-date.

*Okay: I became obsessed with Steph's new adventure and even made our log books, similar to my fabric postcard method for the covers. (And some help from this really cool kid bookmaking site I found!)

I tried weaving a tear drop/ tree of life "dream catcher" for the first time on Steph's log, per her suggestion and I like how it came out!
It'll be used in an upcoming fabric postcard swap as a tear.

Then we went to the Thomas Hill Standpipe: SUCCESS!

What fun to look through the logbook and see the stamps of those before us. A lot of "Our first find!" comments were noted in the log, ours included now. I left a fabric artist trading card as a gift with a dream catcher woven for the owner, to celebrate our first find.

Can't wait to go out looking for the next one.