Leaving paradise

Today was our last day on the island.  We woke up this morning and saw this view in the harbor directly across from the cottage.  Wouldn't you want to wake up every day to this?  It was VERY hard to leave this paradise.  The kids didn't want to go either.  They had such a great time hiking, exploring, and spending time with their Oma and Opa.  My older son said that he wanted to go home, pack up all our stuff, and come back to live here permanently in the spring and summer.  :)  I wish we could.  Maybe someday.  But, I'll tell you....when I die, this will be my heaven.  

Cliffs of heaven

I took another hike by myself to HEAVEN this afternoon and found this amazing cove in between two cliffs.  I scrambled down the rocks where I discovered these purple irises growing in the bushes.  I practically fell off the cliff with happiness!  Would you LOOK at this beauty!!!?

Harbor Seals

We all took a boat tour around Monhegan today on the Balmy Days ferry.  The kids loved it!  We got to see Manana (small island across from Monhegan) up close, the whole village and the cliffs from the ocean, a Mola mola (ocean sunfish) at the surface, and then we spotted a whole bunch of harbor seals sunning themselves and swimming around Seal Ledges.  What a blast!  

Rainy day

You'd think that an entire of rain would have made us sad and gloomy, but we had a blast.  Erich kept a cozy fire going all day, and we played Monopoly, Rummikub (my older son is really scarily good), cards, built legos, played with matchbox cars, and spent some good quality family time all together.  We even hiked a bit in the rain.  The boys were so cute under their shared umbrella.   Then, I ended the day near sunset, when the rain stopped, photographing some soaked flowers and fungal polypores. :) 

Cold windy day

Today it was really cold and windy on the island.  We bundled up and hiked anyway - we went to Gull Cove and scaled the big rocks, got to take a tour up into the top of the lighthouse with Oma and Opa, and threw rocks at Swim Beach.  There was no sunset and it was very gray, but I did manage to get some blur shots of the crashing waves on the rocks by the house tonight. 

Beauty on the cliffs

I hiked to Squeaker Cove through Cathedral Woods today all by myself.  Erich took the kids for a couple hours.  I was in HEAVEN.  I was actually talking to myself out loud....crazy anyone?.... saying over and over again how incredible and amazing this place is and, once in awhile, I just stopped and smiled like a lunatic, breathing deeply and giggling.  Yes,  I had a very nice hike.  

Hike with the boys

We all took a hike through the Whitehead trail to the east side of the island today.  We took our time walking through the gorgeous forest.  It was so lush and green.  The boys were amazed by all the moss on the forest floor.  They kept stopping to pet it and see how soft it was...hilarious!  It was so peaceful.  All we could hear were cawing crows, seagulls and, as we neared the cliffs, the crashing surf.  The trail ended at the most amazing view of the cliffs and ocean.