Rock Gardens Inn Blog

Fall Farewells

September is a beautiful month in Maine.  While the days are usually quite warm and sunny, the nights begin to cool, and a crackling fire can make a great evening gathering spot.  The leaves begin to turn and the sunsets are the most vivid of the year.  The month does, however, bring with it a tinge of melancholy as the last weeks of the season come upon us.

As we head into the final week of Rock Gardens' season we would like to thank all of our guests and staff for making it a great ninety-eighth season.  Greeting returning guests and meeting new ones is what keeps the summer diverse and engaging.  We hope that as you return to your home, your work, and routine, that you keep with you a bit of whatever it is that drew you to the Inn, be it peace, relaxation, camaraderie, or the like.

We will continue to post blogs about the off-season months here at the Inn, so check back in to see what happens when the guests leave.  All of us here at Rock Gardens Inn wish you a happy and healthy rest of the year, and look forward to seeing you all again next summer.

The Last Great Hurricane

The last decade or so of hurricane seasons have been fairly uneventful here at the Inn; however, that was not always the case.  In August of 1991 Maine saw one of the most severe summer storms to make landfall here in the last half a century. Hurricane Bob was the first major storm to hit since Gloria in 1985. By the time it reached Maine it was technically at Tropical Storm, with gusts of up to sixty one miles per hour recorded in Portland, and a storm surge of almost three feet. It had swept a path of destruction through coastal New England, and police were warning anyone on the water to head inland.

It being the middle of August we had a full house, and the question quickly became whether or not we should evacuate to the Bath emergency shelter.  Sebasco began vacating immediately. We decided to wait out the storm. We knew the storm was going to hit the east side of the Phippsburg peninsula, opposite our shoreline, making our cove and shore fairly safe. Of course we offered to help any guests who wanted to go, but we had no takers. So that evening we served dinner by candlelight, passed out flashlights and lanterns, and battened down the hatches.

As the storm drew closer winds howled across the property, rain poured down, and waves crashed over the rocks and onto the lawns. Safely ensconced in their cottages, guests built up fires and gathered round to play cards, talk, or simply to watch the sea and storm. We woke the following morning to branches scattered across the grass, buoys and traps sitting atop the ledges, and one or two fallen trees. Everyone came into breakfast un-showered but elated with the feeling of shared danger passed. Power, and Sebasco's guests, returned a day or so later.

Art Before the Fall

Our early summer Art Workshops have come and gone.  Students and teachers alike expressed their enjoyment, and their anticipation and excitement for next year's workshops.  However, this summer's offerings aren't finished yet.  We are very excited about our upcoming end-of-the-season workshops.

For our first we welcome new teacher David Kapp, who's workshop is entitled "Painting and Drawing the Contemporary Landscape".  It will involve outdoor and indoor work, with a potential evening field-trip.  The conceptual focus will be the exploration of the unconventional aspects of the contemporary landscape.  Our final workshop is with returning artist Lois Dodd, who will be teaching her "Outdoor Painting Workshop".  The workshop will be conducted primarily out of doors, weather permitting, and Ms. Dodd will mingle with the students set up about the grounds of the Inn, aiding and encouraging as needed.  Group critiques will follow each day's work.

For those interested in either of these Art Workshops, there is still space available.  Mr. Kapp's workshop has both overnight and day spaces left available, and Ms. Dodd's workshop has a few overnight spaces left.  If you are interested in joining either of these brilliant artists and would like more information please follow this link to the Art Workshops Page of our website.

The Lure of Lobster

Maine is known for few things more readily than it is for its freshly caught, and simply cooked, lobster.  Here at the Inn we do a lobster cookout every Friday for our guests.  For some, however, that only scratches the surface of their interest.

Since lobstering is one of the cornerstones of Maine coastal life, it's hardly surprising that many guests express interest in learning more.  Fortunately Rock Gardens Inn is located near several traditional Maine lobstering and fishing villages.  All guests need do to learn more is drive a little way down the road.

And for those whose curiosity matches, or exceeds, their appetite, there are lobstering tours available.  Recently a couple of Rock Gardens guests took one of those tours on the 'Miss Betsy' with Mark and Bill Wells.  Over the course of a few hours they toured the coastline, hauled up lobster traps and checked the catch, learned about what lobsters you can keep and which you have to throw back, and many of the other secrets of the trade.

Family Reunions at Rock Gardens Inn

Rock Gardens Inn has long been a place where families gather, often year after year.  We have had groups of up to twenty family members, spanning up to four generations in one group, gathered here to reunite, reacquaint, and relax.  We look forward to returning families with the excitement we hold for all our returning guests, and we are glad Rock Gardens can provide a sanctuary for their reunions.

The setting here at the Inn provides the perfect retreat for families.  Immediate families can break up into their private cottages, then congregate at meals, often all gathering afterward in one of the larger cottages.  There are a number of great group activities, including: swimming and sunbathing by the pool, or at one of the nearby beaches, kayaking together in the cove, and around the coast, contra-dancing in the Studio Building, and the weekly lobster bakes and cocktail parties.

This past week we hosted the Lawrence/Desjardin family reunion, a gathering of three generations.  In addition to their other activities, they took advantage of the rainy day to make tie-dyed t-shirts, pictured below.  If you have any stories of your own reunions here at the Inn, please feel free to share in the comments section, or email us for a login to the blog.  We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Women's Health and Healing at Rock Gardens Inn

We are excited to announce that Rock Gardens Inn will be offering a new workshop this summer.  On Saturday, June 20th Dr. Zhao Mei, of Portland Maine, will be offering a day long workshop focused entirely on women's health and healing.  The day will begin with a talk about women's health issues and simple practices to ensure good health.  Dr. Mei will then answer individual health questions.  Lunch will be provided according to Dr. Mei's personal recipes.  During the afternoon Dr. Mei will teach participants principles of the ancient art of Qigong.  The workshop will end at 4:00pm.  For those staying overnight there will be dinner and breakfast included, and an after breakfast workshop on Sunday with Dr. Mei focusing on self-healing Qigong massage.

Dr. Zhao Mei is a widely recognized expert in Qigong (using traditional practices of movement and breathing, working with qi or life energy within the body).  She was also a distinguished professor of OB/GYN at Beijing Medical University in China, and a visiting cancer gene researcher at Austria's Vienna University.  She has more than forty years of experience in both Western and traditional Chinese medicine.  In 1991 she established the Chinese Healing Arts center in Portland.  In addition to patient work she has conducted numerous seminars and training sessions for 18 years.

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Mei to Rock Gardens Inn!

Many Happy Returns

Growing up at Rock Gardens, the part of the summer I most looked forward to was the return of familiar faces, friends from previous summers returning to the Inn either to work or to play.  While new faces are a consistent, and vital, part of every summer, the Inn is privileged to retain both employees and guests who return each subsequent year to their favorite hidden corner of the Atlantic coast.  Whether they do it for a love of the sun dappled water, the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, or the camaraderie of fellow returnees, they comprise one of the core elements of a summer season at Rock Gardens.

This year we have quite a few staff members returning.  Happily our kitchen remains in the talented hands of brothers Bill and Paul Hanley who will be serving up a combination of old favorites, and a few new, tasty dishes.  Our cottages will continue to shine thanks to the efforts of our housekeepers, Ruth, Ellen, Jessey, and Billie Jo, who, between them, have over one hundred years of experience taking care of the Inn.  In the dining room our wait staff will be comprised of veteran servers Donna, Molly, and Paige, as well as newcomers Tori and Craig.  While most of the time guests will be able to enjoy the delicious breads and desserts of bakers Ellie and Randy, once a week they will be treated to the culinary creations of former baker Aurora Joseph, who will serve as guest baker this summer.  And of course, as for the last twenty five years Ona Barnet will be welcoming guests to the Inn.

Of course, many of those guests will be new to Rock Gardens, and are in for an unforgettable experience.  However, quite a few will be immediately recognizable to Ona, and many of the staff members here.  Returning guests run the gamut from couples that have been coming to the Inn for over fifty years, to families whose children's growth is almost as familiar to us as it is to them.  It is this mix of experience and novelty that make Rock Gardens such a unique place to stay.  Those new to the Inn will find new friends with years of experience to show them the ropes, and returning guests have the opportunity to see the familiar locale they love through new eyes.