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My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Maine
I am in Maine for a few days with my sister and niece. I am always entranced by the ocean and would be happy to sit with my book and look at the water all day. But occasionally it is nice to explore the area! We were staying in Rockport, Maine (which was about a four hour drive from Boston) and one of the things we did was go to nearby Mount Battie.
Mount Battie and its hundred-year-old tower is the highest point of Camden Hills State Park. The plan was to reach the summit by hiking a 1.2-mile winding trail through the forest but we wound up driving to the top (not seeing where to start hiking) where we were treated to commanding views of Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay, especially from the top of its picturesque stone tower (it was surrounded by forbidding yellow tape which we ignored to climb to the top).
Built in 1921, the tower was erected to commemorate the soldiers of World War II. It was built in approximately the same space where a hotel once stood. Near the base of the tower was a plaque unexpectedly commemorating Renascence, a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950), born in nearby Rockland, Maine. .jpg)
It is said Millay wrote the poem while enjoying the view from the summit of Mt. Battie. However, she is best known for this one:
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!
Back at the hotel this morning, we did the mile-long walk along the Rockland Breakwater, and I took a picture looking back at Mount Battie (see helpful arrow). We have now traveled north to Bar Harbor.
My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—
It gives a lovely light!
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6 comments:
I love Millay! What a nice added bonus to a lovely walk! Glad you're able to have such a fantastic change of scenery.
What a lovely place to visit. I always wish I could go there when I read a book set in Maine. And your photos are lovely.
Very pretty views. Looks like many boats in the harbor area. I have a friend in Camden ... I will ask if she has climbed Mt. Battie. Thx for sharing your tour with the tower & the plaque. Interesting to see it there. Enjoy your time in Maine.
Maine really looks beautiful in the photos. That's one of the three continental U.S. states I've not visited despite my good intentions to get there one day. Coincidentally I just reviewed a short story collection called Night of the Living Rez which is set on a Penobscot Indian reservation in Maine. The stories set during the winter made me shiver. lol
How beautiful! Thanks for sharing this with us, loved it!
I loved reading your post! This is the first year in the past four that we haven't vacationed in Maine, and I miss it! I remember doing the hike out along the Rockland Breakwater--the wind was fierce, and I struggled to stay up right! I have yet to hike Mt Battie, but now I feel that I must. I have been a fan of Edna St Vincent Millay since I discovered her poetry in college.
Your photo of Camden Harbor is gorgeous. We've sailed around there a few times, and it is so lovely. Thanks for sharing.
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