Dec. 16th: The Lighthouse

We awoke this morning to find that the ice has melted from the ground, trees and roofs leaving no trace of the icicles that only yesterday clung to the eaves of the house, and revealing piles of fallen Autumn leaves, patches of soggy, green and brown grass and turning our driveway into a river of oozing mud. Wait till Bayan sees that!

For now we're off to see Portland Head Light, a beautiful place where I remember flying kites as a child. Maine is famous for it's lighthouses and its far stretching, rocky, coast means there are many. But this is one of my favourites and it is perhaps the most photographed lighthouse in the country. It is perched on a rocky outcrop jutting into Casco Bay and was the 13th Lighthouse to be constructed in America, commissioned by President Washington himself. It has undergone many structural changes in the last 300 years, including a series of height increases to the light tower to increase visibility after a series of shipwrecks, but remains true to it's original form. Aren't you thrilled that I am here to tell you all these fascinating things?

The main house was for the lighthouse keeper and his family and is open for tours in the warmer months, (we missed it by only a couple of days) the little barn area off to the side (see the photo below) is now a well stocked gift shop where enthusiastic tourists can purchase souvenirs of this historical monument.
There is an inscription on the rocks beneath the base of the lighthouse tower. It was on this very spot that a ship ran aground on Christmas Eve 1886, though luckily, no lives were lost and all passengers we safely able to scramble up wooden planks and general debris from the sinking ship to the lighthouse grounds above.

There are more plaques around the place, some bearing witness to the keepers of the light and their families, some bearing names, some even inscribed with verses from the famous poet Henry Woodsworth Longfellow, who used to come and sit in the shadow of the lighthouse, gazing at the sea for inspiration. Much like Bayan is doing now, though - I dare say - minus the attractive, chicken-wire style, fencing.Anisa was far more interested in racing down the sloping lawn while Ruhi preferred climbing the rocks and Mehran wanted nothing more than to get out of the whipping wind and head straight to the car. I just wanted to take in as much as I possibly could, which included a stop at the ruins of Goddard mansion - Mehran is so accommodating. He and the children huddled in the car listing to country style Christmas carols while I set off to explore what remains of Fort Douglas and the nearby mansion. I didn't get far, as most of it was sectioned off or completely impassible even for crazy, ice-hiking, thrill-seeking, mothers such as myself. I will leave you with one last look at Portland Head Lighthouse. Just because.