Maine History Told by Mainers

Summertime on the Coast of Maine

Submitted January 1, 2008 by Cathy York

Summertime was always a special time for me, as I got to stay with my Grandmother at her cottage down to Back Cove. Her cottage was a large rambling house with a huge back kitchen, back porch for rainy day games, living area, and front porch overlooking the ocean. Upstairs the beds were tucked under the eaves and one of my most favorite times was when it rained and we'd hear the rain on the roof.

My Grandmother was a very special person - we always called her "Gram", as did all my friends. We would play for hours & hours Scrabble or Flinch staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning, drinking tea and eating Ritz crackers and cream cheese.

I remember one night we stayed up and waited for the tide to become high (which was at 3 am) so we could go down on the rocks and pull the float up onto higher ground. The next morning my Grandfather went down and couldn't believe his eyes!

My Grandmother was a wonderful cook - she could cook anything. I remember her Russian salad dressing that she made with Campbell's tomato soup. It was so wonderful. We have tried to duplicate it but haven't perfected it to her standard. Gram loved a big crowd and she loved to share her special place on the ocean with her family and friends. Her macaroni & cheese and soldier baked beans were out of this world and I still have the Mexican casserole dish she cooked these in. She was an avid gardender. She had beautiful rock gardens, some of her perenials I still have and enjoy to this day.

Summertime on the coast of Maine was and still is wonderful. I would go hauling lobsters with my Grandfather. He'd let me put the bait on the bait hook. Our largest catch was thirteen lobsters in one trap - that was very good! I'd also go clamming down in the cove with my Gramp. He'd dig and I'd pick the clams out of the flats. This was a system my Grandfather & I had as he was very arthritic and it pained him to bend. He'd dig and I retrieve the clams. It worked well for us.

I was blessed to have such wonderful Summers.