I could hardly wait to have the key turn in the ignition switch. "Come on, come on, let's go," I say impatiently to my husband. Heading off for 6 glorious days away from home with all its responsibilities from email, voicemail, and snail mail. AWAY...to peace, quiet, and rest. Deer Island, New Brunswick, Canada lay a mere 6 and a half hour drive plus 20 minute ferry ride away. The cozy little cottage overlooking Chocolate Cove (named for a plant that when scraped, smells like chocolate)beckoned to me. It is not fancy by any means. Most of the furnishings have been in the house for decades. The chaise with most of its stuffing falling out is positioned just right for napping in the late afternoon sunshine. The bathroom (complete with bare rafters) has a tub, sink and toilet crowded together in one area while the rest of the room feels like you're in grandma's attic. The funky bedrooms with the creaky springs on the beds and mothball smelling linens make you feel like you've stepped back into the 1930's. And all this is the most wonderful place to retreat from the 21st century.
As the car aimed northward (or should I say DownEast), the lupins along the roadside were prolific and magnificent in their purples, blues, pinks and whites. Usually we came to Deer Island in Augusts, way past lupin season. I drank in their beauty. We meandered our way along, enjoying the journey as well as anticipating the destination. Stops included a delicious bakery with unique pastries, a very "Mainey" gift shop (purchased Blueberry Honey for my eldest), and of course a stop at The Big Chicken Barn of Ellsworth and its enormous supply of used books. After a very late lunch, we put the car in high gear for the ferry landing. No more stops. Arriving at the landing, it was so hard to wait the 15 minutes until the John E. Rigby lowered its ramp for us to drive on.
Charging through the crisp early summer air, the wind trying to blow our hats off, we caught sight of the island. Only minutes now until our time of rest and refreshing begins. We land, drive off the ferry and wind our way toward the Cove on the islands one main road, passing all the spots that have become more familiar with each visit. Stuarttown (David's ancestors), Lord's Cove, the salmon cages, Big Meadow, the cemetary where lie past Fountains, and finally, Chocolate Cove. We pull in the steep drive up to the cottage. Bella Vista. So aptly named with it's views over the bay to Eastport and toward the Atlantic and Campobello Island. I know the week ahead will be amazing because of the simplicity of every part of the island experience. Let the pictures speak for themselves.
