A FRIDAY JAUNT WITH TWO PALS

Many shops in our seacoast villages here in Maine are already decked out with twinkling Christmas lights. SiriusXM Channels 71, 79 and 107 on my car radio today offer jolly holiday music. And on Thursday this week, Mainers woke up to the first snowfall, with big fat flakes coating the last of the withering hydrangea leaves. Tis ALMOST the season!

Perfect timing for Sandy, Jan and I to take the Snowflake Trail through the inland villages of Limerick and Newfield. For more than 30 years on Veterans Day Weekend, farms, shops and craftspeople in this rural area of the Pine Tree State have greeted early Christmas shoppers and laid out their best stuff — hand-stitched gnome ornaments for the Scotch pine, sweaters and shawls in lush colorful alpaca wool, jars of pickled garlic or wild blueberry jam, weathered barn-siding signs decorated with holly berries …. plus some other interesting stuff, but we’ll get to that.

First stop for the traveling trio on the Snowflake Trail was Harris Turkey Farm, renowned for its turkey pot pies in several versions, including Parisian and Southwest flavors. I bought two, plus several large containers of white bean chili and tomato bisque — all frozen — then packed them in the insulated bags Sandy had suggested we bring. One lesson I learned early on during my first winter in Maine was that an amply-stocked freezer is a godsend and a necessity.

We also checked out a large group of beautiful white turkeys strutting around their spacious enclosure, oblivious to their rapidly-approaching fate.

Several miles farther along the windy country road we came to Elf Paca Meadows where we could pet and feed any of their 100 alpacas. (I opted out. I’m a cat person.) As a knitter, I was far more interested in their rainbow-colored alpaca yarn. But also as a knitter, I remembered that I have enough skeins of unused yarn at home to keep Madame Defarge clicking her needles for the next 10 years. 

Then, off to Humphrey’s, renowned in Maine for its flavorful BBQ sauces and grilling tools. A white-haired lady behind the counter offered a small portion of pulled pork to try with their multitude of sauces. While devouring the tastiest pulled pork ever, slathered in Awesome Sauce, and listening to “Silver Bells” wafting over the speakers, I turned and noticed a wall of guns — hardly my idea of a Christmas present for anyone. But then, this is Maine and it’s still hunting season. Other than Sundays.

Outside Humphrey’s, an attractive woman sitting at a large table was selling “compact drag ropes.” I had no clue what they were. She said, “This is how it works. You take this rope and put it over the head of the deer, then you can easily drag the carcass out of the woods. We even have hot pink game drags that are quite popular with the ladies.” Once again, this is Maine!

The back of Sandy’s Subaru was loaded with bags when we drove back to the Kennebunks. Plus three happy ladies who got an early start on Christmas shopping. Fun day.