From Apples to Antiques | One Late-Summer Week in Maine

Fresh fall planters, apple season, antiques, an easy fashion hack, and small joys—here’s one late-summer week in Maine.

One Week In Maine

It has been a week. In our country. In the world.

And while I’ve purposefully chosen not to discuss politics or social issues here on the blog, I think I speak for many of you when I say I’m feeling overwhelmed, and my heart hurts.

I watch the news—and then I turn it off. I do my part to support the issues I believe in. And then I try to focus on the good in life.

That, really, is what this blog is all about. I won’t solve any national or global problems here, but I do hope to bring a bit of joy, beauty, and peace into your life.

So, while the world roiled and roared, I had an ordinary week here in Maine—full of the everyday, the mundane and the meaningful, the unpleasant and the joyful. I did laundry and dishes. Attended a couple of meetings. Took Izzie to the vet for a blood draw, and had one myself for my annual wellness visit. I renegotiated my cable plan. Had a long chat on the phone with my daughter and took M & C for a walk in the woods. There was a rather disgusting dog mess to clean up, and an art auction for a local camp.

Join me for one late-summer week in Maine—fresh flowers and foliage in my deck planters, happy thoughts about apple season, a recent visit to an antiques mall, and an easy hack to bring some style to your sweatpants. Plus, a few small joys that brightened my week.

An Antiques Outing

Last Saturday I set out with a friend for a little antiquing adventure in central Maine. We made a full day of it—visiting Fairfield, Waterville, and even a quick stop in Hallowell.

Fairfield Antiques Mall

First stop was the Fairfield Antiques Mall. About an hour and a half’s drive from here, in central Maine, it’s definitely a destination outing.

Billed as the “largest antiques group shop” in Maine, with over 100 dealers and 30,000 square feet of antiques, I was hopeful I’d come home with some treasures—especially after my disappointing visit to Cornish in August.

But alas, the antiquing gods have not been on my side lately. (Maybe a sign that I really don’t need anything more for my home?) While I always enjoy poking through a pile of old things, this place wasn’t really my cup of tea.

For one thing, there was a LOT of taxidermy. Probably more than I’ve ever seen in one place. This vegetarian kept having to avert her eyes! There were also rows of kitschy salt and pepper shakers, plastic knickknacks, vintage tins and packaging, and plenty of ceramic figurines. Let’s just say not every booth felt “curated”—a good number looked more like the leftovers from a yard sale. And many of the true vintage or antique pieces struck me as overpriced.

That’s not to say there weren’t some gems, and I’ll be the first to acknowledge that everyone looks for different things when it comes to antiques. You might have a fabulous collection of vintage salt and pepper shakers! (Or taxidermy!)

All that said, I’m glad we went, and of course I didn’t leave empty-handed. I picked up four vintage Reader’s Digest books with colorful patterned covers that I’ll use for fall coffee table styling.

Waterville and Hallowell

Next my friend and I headed to nearby Waterville for a late lunch at Opa, a Greek restaurant. Then we made a quick stop at The Rusticators Emporium in Hallowell. It was nearly closing time, but both the shop and the town deserve a return trip when there’s more time to explore. Stay tuned!

A Fall Deck Planter Refresh

By the time September rolls around, the plants in my deck planters are always well past their prime—either leggy or shriveled and covered in faded blooms.

But I’m not ready to let go of the growing season just yet. There are still bright, crisp fall days to enjoy, so I like to give my planters a little refresh this time of year. Even though I won’t get a full season out of them, it makes me happy to see fresh blooms and foliage against the limelight hedge, with the ocean as a backdrop.

I don’t do a full replant, just fill in with fall grasses, ornamental kale and cabbage, and a few flowers in warmer shades of yellow and rosy rust. They look especially lovely once the limelights fade to a deep maroon. A couple of years ago I wrote a whole post about my fall planter refresh, and I usually use that as a guide.

This year the selection was a bit limited at the garden center, but, as usually happens, once everything was planted I was happy with the result.

One thing I usually steer clear of? The ubiquitous mum. They put on a brief, stunning show, but before and after they aren’t much to look at. So I prefer a mix of plants that offer variety in color, size, and texture. (I shared more about that approach in my earlier post.)

I also picked up some fresh plants for the front steps, and I’ll be sharing my fall entrance decor—including pumpkins—very soon!

Apple Season

You all know I love my seasonal produce. Well, it is apple season and I am all in!

New England is such a great place for apples. There are so many varieties, and they are crisp and fresh—exactly as I like them. I enjoy both sweet and tart apples, just as long as they aren’t even a teeny bit soft. For that reason, I really only eat apples in the fall, when they are at their peak.

So this time of year, I happily follow the doctor’s orders and eat at least an apple a day. Honeycrisps are my favorite.

Of course, I also like to cook with apples. A good old-fashioned apple crisp is the perfect fall dessert. Several years ago I even shared my own breakfast version of this classic, with homemade granola, plain yogurt, and sautéed spiced apples.

I’ll also toss apples into a veggie and wild rice soup or layer them with arugula into a gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

And as I was sitting down to write this blog post today, I had just pulled a French apple cake out of the oven—made with the small, tart apples from the scraggly old tree along my driveway. The kitchen smelled of butter and apples, with just a hint of rum—that’s the secret ingredient in this recipe. Unlike the classic American cake spiced with cinnamon, this French version is simple, rustic, and so very good. Oh, mon dieu!

UPDATE: I made this cake a second time and learned a couple of things worth passing along. The sugar and egg mixture takes a while—about 10 minutes—to whip into the right consistency. If you have a stand mixer, I suggest letting it run while you pull together the rest of the ingredients. This time I also waited to cut up the apples until the batter was ready. The first time I followed the directions and did them at the start, and they began to brown before I could fold them in.

Want to try it yourself? Here’s the recipe for the Classic French Apple Cake.

What about you—what’s your favorite apple variety or apple recipe?

A Simple Fashion Hack

When it comes to fashion, I’m all about a relaxed but polished style. And this time of year, as the temperatures drop, I’m definitely leaning into comfy and cozy.

Case in point: when I was at Walmart the other day, a pair of plain gray sweatpants caught my eye and ended up in my cart. I figured there had to be a way to style them beyond gym wear.

Back home in front of the mirror, though, it was clear they needed a little something. On impulse, I grabbed my scissors and cut off the elastic bottoms so they hit just above my ankle. Instantly they had a cool, laid-back look—similar to much pricier versions from Frank and Eileen.

A few details if you want to try this: no need to hem, since the fleece fabric won’t unravel. I did add a few stitches at the seam bottoms to keep them from coming unsewn. I used basic sweatpants—the kind with an elasticized bottom and a wider straight leg—not joggers. And I’d suggest sizing down for a slimmer fit through the hips.

Of course, these sweats are a natural with a sweatshirt (I’ve linked my current favorite below). But I also like them with a button-up shirt, half tucked in—a little casual, a little polished.

Shop this style:

Perfect White Tee Ziggy Sweatshirt

Small Joys

As I said earlier, with all that is going on in the world, I’m trying to focus on the small joys in life.

This week I picked up a bunch of farm-stand sunflowers—just 75 cents a stem! For a little over $5, I now have a cheerful bouquet of sunshine on my dining table.

The sheets for my fall bedding refresh also arrived. I thought I’d wait until October to put them on the bed, but chilly nights in the 40’s had me craving those warmer, deeper tones. I will never understand why color and pattern bring me such joy, but they do!

Last Sunday was cool and wet, which prompted me to make a pot of Summer Vegetable Soup with Pistou. It’s the perfect combination of fresh flavors and cozy comfort. I’ve been enjoying it for dinner all week, snuggled up in my cropped sweatpants and Ziggy sweatshirt, while watching The Lincoln Lawyer.

And the other evening, coming home from an event, I passed by my house and headed straight to the lighthouse. I had a feeling it would be one of those beautiful evenings, and it did not disappoint. This spot always brings me a sense of peace—so needed these days.

What small joys did you find this week?

SHOP MY BEDDING:

This Week Into Next

This week was a full one, and it looks like next week will be, too.

On Saturday I’m meeting friends at a large outdoor vintage sale. I’ve never been to this event before, so I don’t know what to expect—but I’ll happily soak up a beautiful day outside with good company.

That evening I’ll head to the closing reception for the AIO Food Pantry’s Art Feeds fundraiser. Now in its fourth year, this silent auction is a collaboration between AIO, Page Gallery, local artists, and the Maine State Correctional Facility. You can view—and bid on—all the artist-decorated bowls and platters online. Bidding ends tomorrow at 5 p.m., with proceeds supporting AIO’s food, diaper, and energy assistance programs.

And speaking of AIO, our Weekend Meals Program kicks off again next week. I’ll be back at the pantry two days a week, helping prep and pack more than 500 meal kits for school kids to bring home on Fridays. It was nice to have the summer off, but I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get back to work.

And on that note, I’ll sign off for this week with a gentle reminder: be kind—to others and to yourself.