Maine Day 2: Fire and Apples

The first night in the camp was a bit rough. We didn't close a window in the loft (and didn't start a fire), so around midnight it was getting a bit chilly. Celeste woke up half-way, crying but we put her back in her sleeping bag and she got back to sleep for a few hours. Around 4:00 a.m., went downstairs and sat with Celeste for a while and she ended up spending the rest of the night in the big bed.

Around 6:00 a.m., I got up to see Quinn, who'd been making little coos and goos for a while; lit a fire in the wood stove; and played with Quinn as things got brighter. We saw a few ducks on the rocks in front of the camp and heard a loon calling. There also were some white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) and somesort of finch on the bird feeder. (Checking a birding book later, I think it might have been a Wilson's warbler (Wilsonia pusilla).)

Because of her pretty rough night, Celeste was still asleep at 8:00 a.m. when Evelin and I decided to wake her up if for no other reason in hopes that she'd have a somewhat normal nap/day. (After that little rough patch of not napping for a week or so, she's back to napping semi-well ... at least until we decided to take a holiday.) After breakfast and some playtime, we headed out to pick apples. I'd noticed a pick-your-own place, Five Fields Farms, on my way to the grocery store last night and thought the girls would like to give harvesting a try.

Celeste was interested in it, so long as she was being held. She picked one apple, a courtland by herself with only a little help and promptly started to eat it. Quinn was drowsy in the BabyBjörn and didn't make a grab for any of the apples. We only picked a half bag (which seems a shame at 60¢ per pound, but it's not like there's that much room in the T.R.U.C.K.) with the plan of making an apple pie to go with dinner (sautéed spinach and onions with a side of garlicky mushrooms in a white wine reduction).

After the no naps — at least for Celeste; Quinn got a half-hour or so of sleep, Evelin had a little rest but with the cries of "Celeste wake up now!" it wasn't exactly restful — I took Celeste into the lake for a wade. Originally it was going to be for a swim, but while the air temperature had warmed significantly from earlier in the day, the water was pretty bracing. Celeste wasn't really into it, and I was slowly easing myself in further just to be sure that I had swum in the lake while we were here, but that goal seemed diminish in importance as I grew numb.

The rest of the afternoon was a tea party, pie making, dinner, baths, and a rapid descent into bedtime. The sun has disappeared below the trees, leaving just a few painted bands in the western sky; stars will soon appear in the east.
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On to Day Three