We haven't ventured to Bangor over the past year or so...we've mostly been trekking south to Portland and along the coast to Camden and Bath. So it's been fun over the last couple of weeks to spend some time in the quintessential city of Maine... otherwise known as Bangor. This is where my dad has been getting his ankle doctored up. So while he's occupied with fiberglass casts and his lively medical buddies, mom and I took the kids to one of my favorite Bangor hot spots.
Bangor isn't exactly one of those trendy, avante guard, seen-and-be-seen kinda places. There is some wonderful history and architecture...and of course the giant statue of Paul Bunyan....but, yeah, that pretty well sums it up for Bangor and city high-life. However, I happen to appreciate its more laid-back, non-polished quaintness. I also totally appreciate one of the cutest, delightful shops around...
You got it! The Grasshopper Shop...don't ask me where they got their name, but the sign above covers it....especially the "etc." They have anything and everything Maine-ish, going green-ish, funky-ish, cool-ish, locally-made, retro-ish. It's just a great place to find something fun or hip for anyone...including those whom you no longer even try to buy for 'cause it's a totally lost cause! And I always walk out with a plethora of ideas and inspiration...
And just outside The Grasshopper Shop is this nifty little courtyard...nice place to sip coffee and enjoy an afternoon...
After Granddad got his new blue cast in place, we left the coffee-cafe part of town and found the Cascade Park for a quick picnic and some run-around time.
This park is directly across from the river and has this large fountain, sweet gazebo and then goes up a hill to a large meadow with paths to explore and then circles back down around the trees...flowers and foliage aplenty...
And then up this hill lies...
this large lovely meadow...with mowed paths...our absolute favorite!
Come on! You know you can't refuse a path like that! I know I can't, that's for sure! Let's go on a bit of a nature walk...shall we? Of course we shall!
Oh! Here we go! Didn't I mention the other day that we're already seeing fall color now..?? Unbelievable! It is pretty, though, isn't it? I guess we'll just let it keep turning...
But summer must not be completely over...we do still have all these wonderful wildflowers proliferating...and refusing to go away! You just keep hangin' in there you winsome little wildflowers!
These orange berry bestowed branches just beg to have something creatively decorator-y done with them...and look especially Fall-ish!
Are these wild cherries do you suppose...??? They're hard as a rock, but look like something straight from a Mary Englebreit illustration! Since we didn't know for sure whether they were actually a harmless berry or not, we refrained from a nibble...but they look good enough to eat!
More interesting architecture...not sure what the story is on this huge old place.
And then there's the river across the street...next to the railroad tracks...complete with a train that went by, engineer waving to the children and tooting the whistle! Not too bad for a non-polished, still-kinda-sleepy, quaint sort of town...whose claim to fame is Paul Bunyan! Not too shab at all, wouldn't you agree?