SPRING HASN'T SHOWN IT'S FACE ON THE ISLAND

It's amazing to me that here in Pennsylvania we are enjoying the first of Spring's many dazzling aray of colors while on the Island, in Maine, where I now spend about 3 weeks out of every month, sleet, rain and starkness rule our days. The first day of Spring was no exception; we had 7 inches of snow with blizzard like conditions. I took a few pictures but from inside the house:

To be fair to Mother Nature it disappeared 3 days later after a heat wave of 50 and 60 degree weather-plus lots of sunshine poured out and soaked warmth into our souls... Much needed warmth. We were all in a funk. Too much time spent in the house.  

But I must back up by a  few days; before the storm struck. I was out running errands for my aged mother with whom I am staying since my dad went into the Island Nursing Home. I took along my camera and snapped here and there. I love the character of the old houses, many of them passed down through the ages to the descendants of sea captain's or sold to "Summer People", those who summer only on the Island or across the bridge on the mainland. 

I have always liked this little house.  It is owned by SP (summer people)now. But I can remember when it wasn't. 

What a lovely solitary spot to come to from a busy life elsewhere!  It's situated on a lot of land overlooking the Eggamoggin Reach. In the summer schooners and other water craft breeze down through on their way to Castine and other points of interest. Castine is the home of the Maine Maritime Academy but it is also the origin of many sailboat races. 

Just down the road I took a side road so I could get a better view of the Deer Isle-Sedgwick bridge that separates the mainland from Little Deer Isle. It's a very small island but is connected to a causeway that connects to Deer Isle and then a little further down, to Stonington, Maine. The Lobster Capital of Maine.

But I digress. Here are a few photos of the old houses once owned by captains of the vessels of long ago.

Aren't they wonderfully preserved with their original charm and character!

In direct contrast I have to admit I do like modernity in my house. It's one thing to look at the old houses and admire them but I want to know that I am not living with rodents, bugs, and creaks and groans, poor piping, antique fixtures, etc. I like modern hardwood floors and ceramic tile and the list goes on. So, while I love to look at the older houses I don't wish to live in one. Let me show you a property that I found for sale just a few houses away from these. It is situated off the main road with a long winding driveway. It has a duck pond halfway down, a long pier that goes on forever into the Reach, and lots of amenities. 

This house is situated right next to the for sale property.

So, what do you think-old and charming or modern and efficiently upscale?