May on the Maine Coast | Blue Stripes, Bright Blooms, and Buoys

May arrives in my Maine coast cottage with blue stripes, bright blooms, and buoys — spring cleaning and garden prep, as the village stirs to life.

Welcoming May in My Maine Coast Cottage

Spring arrives slowly here on the coast.

A few days in the 60s.

Daffodils finally in bloom.

Forsythia, golden and wild, stretching toward blue skies.

There are no leaves yet, though. Not until the end of the month.

But the light is different.

The seagulls are louder — their cries sharp and high as they soar over the harbor.

And the village is beginning to stir.

This week, I’ve been making small shifts — inside the house, out in the garden. And around the front door.

Today here on the blog, I am welcoming May to my Maine coast cottage with blue stripes, bright blooms, and buoys. Spring cleaning and garden prep, as the village stirs to life.

Blue and White and Ready for Spring!

The blue and white striped slipcover is back on the loveseat!

It’s everyone’s favorite — so bright and breezy.
A sure sign that warmer days lie ahead!

And with it, a pillow cover swap.

I packed away the pale winter blues.
Now it’s navy, bright blue, and tan, as we head toward the warmer months.

There’s a small all-over floral.
Two with geometric block-print-style embroidered flowers — one tan and white, and one a mix of blues and white.
A seaweed-like pattern that nods to the coast.
A navy and white stripe that matches the loveseat.
And — of course — one covered in seagull silhouettes, to keep things light.

Design is not serious business, and mixing patterns is part of the fun. (Heavy on the mix, always!)

On the coffee table, daffodils —the first of the season from a neighbor just up the road. She sets them out on a small table by her driveway. Bouquets from the garden, sold on the honor system. A simple jar for the money.

Sometimes I stop to grab a bunch. But, even if I don’t, they always make me smile when I drive by.

Forsythia branches now grace the mantel— a bright pop of color to cheer Captain Ward. The bushes I planted along the driveway a few years ago are in bloom, and their sunshiny yellow always lifts my heart when I pull in.

I made just a few changes around the home, but enough to shift the mood!

Getting the Garden Ready

Garden helpers came this week. I’ve struggled in the past to find someone reliable, but I think I hit the jackpot this year.

A team showed up early in the morning and worked straight through lunch, clearing the beds of winter’s remains. Broken stems, matted leaves all finally swept away.

Out front, they made room for something new! The perennials and small shrubs along the stone wall — the ones between the front yard and the driveway — just never really worked.

So out they went!

In their place, I’ll be planting more of my favorite limelight hydrangeas. I think they’ll make a beautiful welcome and help tie the front of the house to the back. (Or for those who consider the waterside the front — the backside to the front!)

As many of you know, I have 26 limelights along the waterside deck. They’re true showstoppers — the gift that keeps on giving.

It always feels good to start fresh outside, even though nothing’s growing yet.

I wandered around after the garden crew left, imagining happy blooms and green things to come.

A quiet promise… of what the season might bring.

Front Door Decor To Buoy The Spirits

After a long, snowy winter that stretched well into March, my front door was looking… a little sad.

The holiday greenery had dried up by January, and since then, the entry had remained unadorned — waiting, like me, for the season to shift.

So it definitely buoyed my spirits to hang something again.

Something cheerful. Something very Molly-in-Maine.

As you might know, I live smack dab in the heart of Maine lobstering country.

Summer mornings start with the hum of lobster boats idling in the harbor, traps being hauled, colorful buoys bobbing on the tide.

Around here, old buoys aren’t just tools of the trade, They’re also decor!

You see them hanging from mailboxes, porch railings, covering the sides of sheds.

Last year, I hung a bunch from the guest cottage porch.

And recently, I added groupings on either side of the front door.

I chose a mix of bright spring colors — ocean blue, forsythia yellow, and grass green.

I get my buoys from a guy down the next peninsula over. He sources them from local lobstermen, and each one comes with its own dents, cracks, and sun-faded stripes — full of character and coastal soul.

I hang them with old lobster rope in those same softened, sea-washed colors.

And at the top of each arrangement, I tie a casual loose bow from the rope — a little bit salty, a little bit sweet!

They make for a true Maine welcome.

Want more buoy inspiration? Check out my posts:

• Fading Flowers, Pumpkins & Lobster Buoys: A Coastal Maine Fall
• Getting Ready for a Homeworthy Home Tour Video Shoot

Fresh Air and a Light Clean

Last weekend was a total washout — temps in the low 40s and four inches of rain.

But then came Monday. Sunny, bright, and warm.

Our first “doors-and-windows-open” day of the year.

After a long winter, it felt good to let the sea breezes blow through the house —freshening the air and stirring me into action.

It inspired me to freshen a few other things too.

So, a confession: I don’t love to clean.

Don’t get me wrong — I love a clean house. But I’m not what you’d call a clean freak. Cleaning doesn’t bring me peace or spark joy (I know it does for some of you — and I totally respect that!).

Still, this week, I pulled out the spray cleaner, the duster, and the vacuum, and gave some long-neglected corners a bit of attention.

It was a start.

No deep-cleaning checklist for me — just the intention to tackle a few spaces each week.

Bluebelle, my big blue range, could use a good scrubbing after a winter of bubbling soups and cozy baked goods.

The slipcovers and throw pillow covers will be tossed in the wash.

The floors need a little extra love after mud season.

The kitchen cabinets are getting wiped down, one drawer front at a time.

And then there’s the pet hair.

With two dogs and two cats, I swear I could fill a throw pillow each week with what I vacuum up. And don’t get me started on all the fluff tumbleweeds…

The windows? Well… maybe that’s being overly ambitious. Ha!

How about you? Are you Team Super-Clean… or Team Good-Enough?

The Village Stirs to Life

I’ve written before about how quiet it is here in the off-season.

I live at the very end of a peninsula, in a village that can feel tucked away from the world.

It’s a popular vacation destination, though. In fact, the population more than doubles from July through October. But from November through April, it’s sleepy, still, and deeply peaceful.

And I love this season of quiet.

By May, though, I’m ready for things to come to life again.

May and June are what I think of as the pre-season. A soft opening.

A local store

Across the road from me is a charming little store in a barn beside the owners’ house. It opened for the season this week, and what a treat that always is.

They sell produce and flowers grown on their property, local eggs, specialty foods, and prepared items from a local caterer. There’s also a curated selection of home goods, cards, and a few well-chosen books.

It’s a 25-minute drive to the grocery store, so having this little barn shop within walking distance feels like a luxury.

It’s also a community hub. I rarely stop by without running into someone I know. That’s the beauty of small-town life!

And after a long winter, it was lovely to catch up with the owners —like emerging from hibernation.

The local lighthouse

The small museum and gift shop at our local lighthouse also open this weekend.

This winter, I joined the committee that helps oversee the lighthouse and its operations, so it’s extra exciting for me this year.

You may recognize Marshall Point —it’s the lighthouse Forrest Gump reached when he ran across the country.
(Yes, that scene where Tom Hanks runs down the long wooden walkway? That’s our lighthouse!)

The walkway was damaged in the historic January 2024 storms, and while there have been challenges with FEMA funding,
we’re hoping to have it repaired by mid-June.

It’s well worth a visit if you’re in the area! And if you stop by this summer, you just might find me volunteering in the shop.

It always feels good to see our little village at the end of the peninsula begin to stir again.

A new season. Familiar faces. And everything slowly returning to life.

This Week Into Next

Sewing Projects

I made the best of last weekend’s rainy weather indoors with a sewing project: a custom liner for my new L.L. Bean Boat and Tote bag.

If you missed last week’s post, I took a trip to the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport and shared all about this Maine icon. Read it here!

I picked up two Maine-themed fabrics from Clementine, a favorite local shop. One print features local lighthouses, the other mussel shells — both in my signature blue and white, of course. No pattern, just a bit of trial and error.

I’m really happy with how it turned out, though!

This weekend I’m planning more sewing — a new skirt for the kitchen sink. I’ll share that project soon!

Tick Season

On Monday, Maddie, Cisco, and I took a walk in our usual spot to enjoy the bright spring sun.

It was lovely — until I started pulling ticks off all three of us.

I’ve been feeling the creepy crawlies ever since.

It’s unsettling, and definitely one of the downsides of living here. This time of year is particularly bad — and a good reminder to stay vigilant.

Honestly, I’m still not convinced ticks serve any useful purpose…. It seems all they do is spread disease.

Mim’s Joy

Thank you so much for all your kind wishes on the birth of my new granddaughter, Mira!

Mom, baby, and family continue to do well.

I’ll be heading out to Minnesota next week to meet her — and to spend time with big brother Jamie, too.
You know I can hardly wait!

So you may or may not hear from me next Saturday…. I have a post idea in the works, but if it doesn’t happen, I’ll see you in two weeks!

Welcome, May!

Take good care, and be well!