I find myself heading toward the end of July, and I want to slow down, put on the brakes, and savor summer. I am blessed to have a job that has allowed me to take my summers slow – to travel, write, and make art. I am ever grateful for teaching, which has afforded me many small joys. The summer is just one of its many gifts.
July is our Maine escape. At the beginning of the month we went to southern Maine – to York, Ogunquit, and Kennebunkport. Being a Jersey girl, I am drawn to the sea, but New Jersey has become more and more crowded. It’s much harder to find bucolic beaches. But just a few hundred miles north, Maine offers extensive coastal beauty.
As soon as I look upon the rocky beaches, the working harbors, and the tranquil inlets, I drop my shoulders and all my cares. I don’t need to think of anything else or rush to get anything done. I can just be here in this incredibly beautiful place and take in all I see.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 
I have not been able to do a trip this summer, so I am soaking in the travels of others. Maine is on my list of places to go.
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YAY! So happy for you.
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I remember Maine to be exactly as you described it with its beauty that does let your worries roll off your shoulders in big fat drops that go splat on the ground.
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One of the best parts of taking classes at UNH’s Summer Institute was traveling to Maine to spend the day at Ogunquit Beach. When we did college visits, my son and I sat on that very shore before he caught a plane from Manchester to head back to the crowded Jersey Shore, (but surfing made it all worthwhile, the lack of “bucolic beaches” be damned,) and I headed to Durham for my class.
Enjoy this sweet time. I know exactly how you feel about fleeting July; I feel like I’m pulling on its shirttails begging it to slow down.
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I love how you have crafted this slice. Maine is on my bucket list, and your sights have me itching to go. I did a similar thing when I visited Rockport, Massachussetts a couple of Octobers ago. I walked around captivated by the scenery and the setting – the sea, the beaches, the window boxes, the architecture. This is splendid that you provided some pictures of your favorite things.
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So beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
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