The first day of summer came to the islands with warm bright weather. As the Islesford Dock Restaurant opened for their 13th season, people arrived by boat, bicycle and on foot to try out the new menu. Steve Samson, the new head chef, shows an Italian influence with some of his dishes. The Ligurian Ciuppin, a spicy seafood stew with Parmigiano dumplings is especially delicious. There is also an antipasto selection for two and hand-rolled garganelli with Nonna Olympia’s Bolognese sauce. If you were departing the restaurant or just out for an evening walk, the first night of summer was a perfect opportunity to see the rise of the full, strawberry moon.
After the promise of the first few days of summer, we had a large share of cold, wet, gray days. I found myself turning on the heat to warm up more often than I opened the windows to cool off. However, with at least one nice day a week, July was not totally gloomy. The weekend of July 4 was mild and sunny, and the annual picnics on both Great Cranberry and Little Cranberry were well attended. On Islesford, the picnic is sponsored by the Islesford Neighborhood House as a fundraiser. Hard working board members and volunteers offer a menu of lobsters, chicken, hot dogs and veggie burgers, with cole slaw, potato chips, watermelon and home baked desserts. Over 200 people sit on blankets and chairs in the town field to feast on the food and find out how the winter went for friends they have not seen since last year. On Great Cranberry, Ruth Westphal has organized a potluck picnic in her yard for the past 15 years. Most of the island turns out to eat, socialize and reflect on the meaning of Independence Day. This year, Doug Frank served as Master of Ceremonies for the gathering. Rod Ward read portions of the Declaration of Independence and Geoff Wadsworth and Bill Goldberg played America the Beautiful. What a great tradition to add to any July 4 celebration! Many people ended the day by taking a boat to the fireworks in Bar Harbor or Somes Sound, but with such a clear night, the fireworks from the Sound could be seen from several locations on each of the Cranberry Isles.
The month of July is when the island populations swell. Our Maine license plates say Vacationland, but for many, a summer in Maine is anything but a vacation. Am I complaining? No. Somehow we manage to find a balance. The wealth of summer job opportunities in the Cranberry Isles has helped many a student and resident earn money for the coming months. There are plenty of jobs for competent baby-sitters, house painters, gardeners and lawn mowers. The Cranberry Isles Fishermen’s Co-op, Acadia National Park, Beal and Bunker mail boat, Cranberry Cove Boating Company, Islesford Market, Cranberry General, the Whale’s Rib, Islesford Pottery, Islesford Artists and Winter’s Work are among the island businesses that hire extra help in the summer. Not bad for such a tiny town! Dan and Cynthia Lief, owners of the Islesford Dock Restaurant, take special pride in being able to offer summer employment to island students. There are already 30 employees in various capacities at the restaurant this summer.
Finding summer work on the islands is just not a problem. Finding time to work and still play with your friends on vacation is the challenge. Twenty-five years ago, my sister-in-law, Karen Fernald, and I lamented having to work in the store as we watched our friends pop in and out for their mail or picnic supplies. Our plight inspired us to write our own words to the Glenn Miller song, “In the Mood,” to perform at the annual Islesford variety show, “Wits and Nitwits.” We think we just might sing it again this year (words for the trombone introduction):
Oh here’s a song to make you all feel sorry for us,
All of you who have time off, really off.
Summer comes along, summer comes along, yeah,
And we sing this song, and we sing this song, yeah….
When you’re working daytime, summer time is no fun.
Everyone’s vacationing and out in the sun.
Or if waiting tables is the thing you must do,
Everyone is partying and you are so blue.
When you live here year-round and the summertime comes,
You are working hard and you don’t have no fun.
In the mood, for a vacation,
In the mood, to do some sailing,
In the mood, to have a day off,
You know we’ll have a good time `cause we’re in the mood.
Mailboat’s full, with lots of tourists,
Push and pull, some manners poorest,
So much bull, that’s what it sure is,
Summer gets so hectic but we’re in the mood.
Stop to pick your mail up, try to get through the crowd.
Driving down the road you’d like to scream right out loud,
Try to do your errands all in one single day,
More than that much time off and you won’t get much pay,
Work, go out for dinner, have a drink with your friends
You have learned to burn the candle at both ends.
In the mood, we’d like a day to,
In the mood, we’ll find a way to,
Work and play, our nerves might fray too,
Summer gets so hectic but we’re in the mood
Time to rest, when snow is fallin’
Do your best, the summer’s callin’
Leave that nest, just don’t be crawlin’
We’ll work and then we’ll party `cause we’re in the mood.
Islesford, July 14, 2005