I'm a wife, stay-at-home mom, crafter, and blogger living in rural New England. As seen in Martha Stewart Living, Food Network Magazine, and more! | Tutorials, DIY, crafts, parenting tips, recipes, money saving tips, product reviews, local product features, New England living, intentional living, and more! |
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Just a quick reminder to shop small and shop local this season - and always! In particular I would be so grateful if you could show some love to the storefronts that help support Birch Landing Home! Our Stockists with items currently in stock include:
I am so excited to have my Birch New Hampshire Stickers at the new Hazel Moon Botanicals retail shop in Meredith, NH! I got a sneak peek at the shop today and it is so cute - I’m looking forward to the grand opening soon and will share on my social media channels when it’s open. Hazel Moon Botanicals will carry a lot of their own popular small-batch aromatherapy products as well as gifts and other items from other small businesses.
Our Premium Vinyl Stickers are now available for Wholesale - please send me a message for more information if you’re interested in carrying our products in your shop. I also have a bunch of other designs in the works that I’m excited to bring to life soon and add to our offering - stay tuned!
This September my husband and I celebrate 10 years of marriage. Originally we were hoping to plan a big getaway… maybe out west somewhere to one of the National Parks, or overseas - but when we were planning this past spring Covid was still a big concern so we decided to plan a short getaway closer to home. In the end it all worked out, because as another surge is coming upon us we feel like we just snuck in our little trip in time before Lockdown 2.0 (though hopefully it doesn’t come to that again). Overall we had an amazing three days on Georgetown Island, Maine and I wanted to share about where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate.
Seguin Tree Dwellings
When we were searching for a New England-based getaway we lucked out that Seguin Tree Dwellings had a cancellation for August (they are usually quite booked), so we jumped at the opportunity to stay here. We’ve seen photos of this magical-looking place for years and always wanted to check it out. We stayed at the Souhegan Treehouse which is arguably the most Instagrammed of the three treehouses at Seguin.
Our treehouse had three “sections”: the main house which was two stories tall and had a small kitchenette/dining area, full bathroom, and screened porch on the first floor; on the second floor up a twisty ladder was the bedroom loft and balcony with views of the tidal Black River.
Then attached to the main house by swinging rope bridges was a second smaller treehouse with a balcony that we had set up as a sitting room (though it can be converted to a second bedroom if you had more people in your group, or if you didn’t want to use the loft bedroom). We enjoyed the sitting room a lot - we brought magazines and books and it was so relaxing to just sit back and read and not be distracted by our phones (which we never even signed into the WiFi).
Finally, the coolest (in my opinion) part of the tree house - the cedar wood-fired hot tub! And yes - that is a hot tub, in a tree, with a swinging bridge to get it to it. Does it get any cooler? We spent every evening watching the sun go down over the Black River and relaxing in the hot tub. It was just picture perfect.
Seguin also had canoes and kayaks available for guests and we spent one morning paddling along the Black River, watching herons fish and taking in the landscape. The whole time out we only saw one other boat - it was so beautiful and so peaceful.
Red’s Eats
One of the absolute highlights of our trip was getting lunch one day at Red’s Eats which is just down the road a-ways in Wiscasset, so not technically on Georgetown Island but well worth the trip for sure! It was a rainy weekday - we got there about 30 mins before opening and the line had already started, though it wasn’t long yet. We patiently waited our turn and I just have to say the food was amazing and the service was even better (is that possible?!). Deborah and her crew handed out fried shrimp samples to eat and sanitized umbrellas to borrow while we waited in line in the rain. They also got on the intercom and gave some shout-outs to other local area shops and restaurants, which I thought was so kind of them. I ordered Fried Haddock and my husband got one of their world-famous Lobster Rolls as well as a Crab Cake. I wish I got a photo of the food but we gobbled it up too fast, it was so good. Red’s Eats definitely lived up to its stellar reputation and we will be back for sure next time we’re in the area.
Harborside General Store
One day we popped in to Harborside General Store at the very end of 5 Islands Road. It was super cute (check out that amazing view out the window too!). We chit chatted with the shopkeeper and found out she was originally from our area, what a small world. We picked up a picture book about boats to give to our kids when we got home and they loved it.
The Coastline
What is a trip to Maine without checking out the coastline? Most of our trip was a kind of rainy/overcast, but we didn’t mind - give me a rainy beach day anytime! We had the whole place to ourselves and it was so enjoyable to take in the sights and sounds of the ocean without tons of people around.
Five Islands Farm
During our stay, we popped over to Five Islands Farm a few times to grab some snacks or drinks. They had a great selection of gourmet foods, local produce, and gifts. One night we just bought a pint of ice cream there and split it for dinner at the beach - no rules on vacation! Right? Right. ;)
Doubling Point Lighthouse
Unfortunately I don’t have a picture of this lighthouse, but I recommend checking it out if you get the chance! We went early one morning to check it out, only to be met with a sign saying the grounds opened at 9AM… we were tempted to go check out this picturesque lighthouse with a long dock leading to it, but the home there looked like it was a private residence and we wanted to be respectful of those that lived there, so we left without seeing it up close. It’s important to note that to get there you take a narrow dirt residential road and there is only room for 2-3 cars to park.
Five Islands Lobster Co.
One day for lunch we went to Five Islands Lobster Company, which is located on a working wharf on the Sheepscot River. The place was hopping! So much so that we couldn’t find parking anywhere so my husband dropped me off to get food while he waited a mile or two down the road to come pick me up later. I enjoyed the wait though, it was a beautiful day and it was so interesting watching the hard-working fishermen come and go. We got scallops and haddock and brought them back to enjoy at our treehouse at Seguin Tree Dwellings.
Georgetown Pottery
We also stopped into Georgetown Pottery to browse - so many beautiful pieces in a wide variety of styles. I particularly loved the ones with birch trees on them (no surprise). They also had some amazing sculpture pieces for the garden outside.
Winnegance Restaurant & Bakery
One thing we did struggle with finding on Georgetown Island was breakfast options… so for breakfasts we hopped over to the Bath, Maine area which was just a short drive away and got breakfast to-go from Winnegance Restaurant & Bakery every morning. We loved Winnegance for it’s small-town diner feel, with local regulars eating breakfast there each morning. We brought our breakfasts to the South End Boat Launch to enjoy breakfast with a view of the Kennebec River and Doubling Point Lighthouse across the way.
On the drive to and from Winnegance you get to pass Bath Iron Works which is always so impressive to behold, and The Maine Maritime Museum which we want to visit next time we’re in the area.
Overall we had an amazing and relaxing three days in the Georgetown Island area and we’re looking forward to another trip back there again in the future.
This past weekend we took a much needed day trip up to Boothbay, Maine to finally see the amazing Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and its new art installation of giant trolls by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. The whole visit was beautiful and so fun. I’ve included a few photos here but they don’t do this magical place justice - the Gardens and the trolls must be seen in person if you ever have the chance! Here are a few tips and items of note from our trip. | This post contains affiliate links |
Tickets
Currently at this time Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are requiring advanced purchased tickets only and your entry is timed (I believe this is for COVID precautions to help spread out visitors and limit the amount of visitors coming in at any one time to help reduce crowding). We purchased ours for one of the first time slots of the day and it was perfect. We found that the park was getting rather crowded by lunch so earlier was definitely better.
Masks
There were signs asking non-vaccinated guests to wear masks inside buildings, however we did not see that enforced. Nevertheless, we have been very COVID-cautious ourselves and made sure our kids put on their masks when we passed through the entrance building and when we left, also we had them put them on whenever we went into any other enclosed spaces.
The Trolls
There are five giant Trolls tucked away in the woods throughout the park. The map in the brochure was a bit confusing and it was difficult to tell exactly which paths some of them were on, but after a quick conversation with a very helpful gardener we had a good plan to see them all. At most of the trolls there were groups gathered to take photos but everyone was very respectful, waited their turn, and gave space so each group could take good photos with the trolls which was very nice.
So Much to Explore
Besides the incredible trolls, there are miles of hiking trails and so many gardens to explore. We spent several hours there and didn’t even see most of them. Our favorite areas were the Children’s Gardens with its whimsical flowers, buildings, and animals, and the various ponds and fountains. Our kids especially loved watching the tadpoles (SO many tadpoles!) and turtles in the ponds.
We got lots of compliments on our kids' matching sunhats too! They are our absolute favorite ones by Sunday Afternoons.
Lunch
We headed out early afternoon when it started to get very hot and crowded but we easily could have stayed and explored longer! There was an on-site cafe that had grab-n-go food that looked great but we decided to forgo that and opt for seafood on the way home (when in Maine). We would have loved to stop at Red’s Eats in Wiscasset but the line was down the block when we went by, so we got takeout from Sea Basket instead and ate our weight in fried seafood and lobster rolls - it hit the spot.
Overall it was a beautiful day to get out and explore this beautiful place with our family - we’re already planning on coming back later in the summer to see everything with different plants in bloom.
Getting away these days isn’t easy… especially with two small kids and being a self-employed family. And even more so when the car decides to bite the dust the day before you’re planning to leave (ugh). But thanks to our wonderful family and a borrowed car, we were still able to make our whirlwind getaway to Acadia National Park to celebrate our seventh(!) wedding anniversary. | This post contains affiliate links |
Acadia has become one of our favorite places to visit for so many reasons - including the ocean, the views, the hiking trails, and the dark skies. Acadia is one of the best places to find dark sky these days, as the night sky everywhere is becoming more and more “light polluted” by city and town lights. On a clear night in Acadia you’ll see far more stars than you ever could back home. My husband Adrian is an accomplished astrophotographer, and loves capturing the landscape at night, along with the milky way and galaxies. This year our anniversary also coincided with the Acadia Night Sky Festival so it was a perfect excuse to make the trip up there. My favorite part of the whole trip was sitting on Sand Beach Saturday Night, listening to the waves and watching the stars.
Adrian captured this amazing photo for us to celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary!
The rest of the trip was spent doing some small hikes, taking photos for other projects, and driving around exploring. This time we had a chance to visit the other side of Mt. Desert Island too, and got to see Somes Sound and Bass Harbor Lighthouse. We also spent the night at Blackwoods Campground which is conveniently located in the midst of of the park - we got very lucky getting the second to last campsite available in the entire campground! On the way home we made sure to stop into Dysart’s Truck Stop for a late breakfast - no trip up the coast of Maine would be complete without a Dysart’s stop! All-in-all we only spent about 36 hours away but we were able to fit in a lot - scroll down to see more photos from the trip.
Blackwoods Campground, Acadia National Park
Sand Beach, Acadia National Park
Near Thunder Hole, Acadia National Park
Otter Cove, Acadia National Park
The other side of Otter Cove, Acadia National Park
Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park
The view from the top of Cadillac Mountain - look how big that cruise ship is compared to downtown Bar Harbor!
Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park
Along Somes Sound, Acadia
The worn stairs at Bass Harbor Lighthouse were so cool!
I'm a born and raised New Hampshire-ite. I love this state and everything it has to offer - from the mountains, to the ocean, to the historical cities and villages - I feel like NH is just the perfect mix of everything and I'm honored to wear my NH pride. | This post contains affiliate links and features product provided by The Home T |
Sugar Hill Lupines - by Adrian Pelletier
This weekend I was excited to wear my new New Hampshire Home T t-shirt to our annual pilgrimage to the Lupine Festival in sleepy little Sugar Hill, NH. The whole town is sprawling with the colorful blooms and getting up early to drive around and see the flowers (and of course grab some breakfast at the famous Polly's Pancake Parlor) before heading home was a must. I was excited to sport my new shirt to one of our state's fun annual events.
My Home T t-shirt is probably the softest shirt I have by far. It's super comfortable and perfect for everyday adventures in-state and afar. The Home T offers shirts, other apparel, and home goods for every US state and some international locations, as well as fun novelty shirts for Disney, regions of the US, sports, and more - and they're made in the USA.
My favorite part about The Home T? They donate 10% of profits to Multiple Sclerosis research. I love any company that makes it a priority to give back and the Home T does just that.
I got plenty of compliments on my NH Home T shirt on our Lupine Festival adventure and I know this super-comfy shirt will be on regular rotation for my day-to-day wardrobe from now on.
