J and B and Lady Blue: Our visit to Maine after the wedding. Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Ogunquit, Maine

These first 2 pictures are still from the wedding site at Meredith, New Hampshire. These are some of the ice fisherman setups on Lake Winnipesaukee.

No, we were not ice fishing. But happy to have our picture taken!

Emilie, Bruce, and Alison

Bruce and Sean
Any similarities here?
Hey, at least Sean isn't rolling up his jean cuffs yet.

Jan and I had a few appointments to catch in Scarborough and South Portland, Maine. So we took some time to also enjoy the area without the usual summer crowds. This is the Unitarian Universalist Church dating from 1773 in Kennebunk, Maine

An original bell made by Paul Revere is in the tower.

The weathervane is an ear of corn representing prosperity

Right on Main Street is an ice rink that sure seems to get a lot of use in the winter. Behind the rink is a wonderful , small French bakery and restaurant called Boulangerie. Another wonderful place. We had a chance to grab a lunch with Alison whose home office is close by.
Boulangerie website

We always take an opportunity to drive by Nubble Light in York, Maine whenever possible.

When we arrived at the lighthouse, there were a few people with telephoto set ups looking out towards the water. Curious, I asked one gentleman what they were looking for. He indicated a bird on the rocks out to the left of the lighthouse. That is a Snowy Owl.
Not only that, but he invited me to take a look and to take a picture with my phone through his setup. WOW!!

As it turns out, a week or so later, Scott found these great pictures from the Amherst , New Hampshire Facebook page. A local photographer, name of Andrew Caulton was at Nubble Light and was amazed to catch these pictures of a Snowy Owl that had just captured a Sea Duck.

This picture took Jan and I a while.
The Great Horned Owl was at Choke Canyon State Park in Three Rivers Texas. With a telephoto lens and some cropping we have the above. The owl was ignoring us until I made some noise and then he turned his head all the way around to check us rude individuals out.

This is from Fox Restaurant looking back at Nubble.

The main structure is made from lobster traps. All kinds of teddy bears and lobster buoys .

Also a good time to visit Kennebunkport.
We are told that the boat above serves as a restaurant in the summer.

Has to be one of the most creative town signs we have seen.

The main street has that New England charm on a winter afternoon.

Didn't take long to wake up one morning to a "few inches " of snow that measured about 9 inches.

Made for some pretty views across the bridge in Kennebunkport.

We found ,when looking for a motel for our last few days in Maine, that some of the nicest rooms on the ocean were as inexpensive or sometimes less expensive than those on Route 1. And way less than summer rates.

For instance, this is the view from our room at the Norseman on Ogunquit Beach that was $118.81 per night. This is close to low tide. High tide comes close to where the people are sitting below.

The newlyweds and Madison had a chance to visit .
While on the Marginal Way, they found this structure on the front lawn of one of the motels. Later the decorations were changed from hearts for Valentines to shamrocks for St. Patricks Day

Even in winter there were active lobster boats at Perkins Cove.

Granmothers always appreciate great hugs at any time!!

Jan and Madison
on the bench in front of Billy's Chowder House

Bruce and Jan had a hard time deciding what to have for lunch.
RIGHT!
Website for Billys Chowder House

Sean had a friend who suggested looking at a lunch at Cliff House.
Turned out to be a great stop with Madison and Sean.
On a warmer late afternoon, this would be quite tempting to sit around the fire and look out at the ocean.

Bailey and Sean take good selfies

Adding this picture today, because we just received it from Sean.
Madison and Auntie Ali outside the venue for Madisons Dance performance.

The last stay was at Anchorage By The Sea.
This was where Grammy Pope's Celebration of Life was held
in September of 2009

A nice long view of the beach from our room.
Good surf and yes, there were surfers towards high tide, on the third week of February.

A day later and a quick , light snowstorm gave us this view, and no surfers.

Not much on the surface---unlike the 1 to 2 feet of snow that some Mainers just had in early March.

Scott had a chance to come up with Lilly and Lucas for a walk on the Marginal Way. They were loving it. Both walked the 1and1/4 mile ocean side walk back and forth for 2 and a half miles!

A cold day, but Lilly is warm.

Lucas made a game of finding the numbers on each bench.
We remember the count at 39 benches. That's a lot.

Of course a walk like that in cold weather makes you hungry.
Not many restaurants open in the winter , but Jackie's Too in Perkins Cove is open for the vacation week.