Exploring Rangeley Maine

The evidence of summer is disappearing and the chill of Fall is taking over. As the skies turn grey, the trees morph into something beautiful to keep people from turning inward with the notion of winter on their minds.

This past week we celebrated the atumnal equinox, which typically occurs September 22-23 marking the arrival of Fall. For those non-science people, this is when the sun is basically level with the equator making the length of nights and days equal.

This weekend Tylan and I joined our friends Erin and Conor to celebrate their wedding in Rangeley, Maine. The drive was spectacular with the brilliant falls colors coming into full bloom. It seemed like we couldn’t keep commenting on the vivid oranges, yellows and reds that painted the mountainsides.

Even though I grew up on the beach and will forever consider myself a beach girl, I do love the mountains when the seasons start to change. Living in the flat lands (a Maine term I learned), you miss the transformation of green leaves into these brilliant dazzling colors of fall. The beauty of it can never quite be captured though a camera lenses, though we never stop trying.

Our weekend was full of crochet, bike riding, boat riding, swimming, photographing, dancing (lots of dancing), corn hole and good company.

A very nice couple, Nate and Rose, joined our journey from Portland to the wedding and back. Never once did they complain about being stuffed in the jump seats of Tylan’s Toyota pickup.

Thanks for being troopers, especially Nate.

The first day we got there we headed straight to the boat dock to do a little booze cruising before the evening BBQ. At one point, one of our friends Dave, was relieving himself over the back of the boat. Tylan thought it would be funny to knock him off with some unexpected boat maneuvering. Well, Dave stayed still, Nate on the other hand had a little difficulty. Nate and Rose were standing on the front of this pontoon boat and just happen to take be the innocent bystanders who took the blunt of this joke. I watched as Nate slowly lost and regained but eventually lost all balance falling backwards over the front of the boat. Those of us watching all gasped causing Tylan to swerve just in time to miss running directly over Nate. Close call, though I give Nate even more credit for falling in and still attempting to save his PBR!


The rest of the weekend was full of more fantastic stories like the above, some to be retold and others just to be left as memories. One of my favorite moments of the wedding was watching Erin walk up to the ceremony.

Saturday turned out to be the perfect weather for a Fall wedding. The morning rain cleared to a crisp blue sky with a gently fall breeze.

Everyone was looking around wondering if she was going to pop out of the trees, be delivered by a car or ride up on chair lift. No one knew. Suddenly you hear, “There she is!”

This beautiful woman dressed in all white walks out of the Saddle Back Lodge followed by her sister, sister-in-law, mother, and canine companion Olive. It was a magical scene watching these five meander up the hillside in the LL Bean boots and elegant dresses. They looked perfectly happy.

You could see the excitement and smiles on their faces from even far away. Erin looked at ease. Not worried at all, no anxiety about getting married, but content to be surrounded by family and friends.

As she walked down the aisle her eyes were locked with Conor's. No hesitation, but pure joy and excitement showed on her face. This was the moment where Erin was to officially joining her life with the one she loved the most in the world. It made me jealous. Though it gave me hope, that one day that I could have those same emotions rush through my mind and soul about loving someone that much.

Best of luck Conor and Erin!