Rose Whitney Smith

Loved this book! Written by a desperate young mother of three, needing a place of refuge for herself and family, this is the true story of how Rose Smith moved to Georgetown, Maine and fell in love with island life. Smith completely and beautifully captures the soul of this community. I know, because this is my town.

Rose, a female companion, and her small children moved to a small (8x10) lobster shack in the early 1900s while waiting for a house to be built in Lexington, MA by her husband and father-in-law. When she arrived, she was startled by the beauty of the island, the warm welcome she received, and the variety of coastal characters. A common reaction even today.

"I had seen many a beautiful color sketches of the Maine coast. But here before my eyes lay such a painting come to life, the vivid beauty of it made a catch in my throat. Nothing was static. Everything vibrated and scintillated with color. The heaps of rocks lining the shores, black-veined with tourmaline and streaked with transparent quartz, glittered with mica and leanng over them or peeking through narrow crevasses, firs and balsams flaunted their green freshness. The shimmering waters of the bay reflected the blue of the sky and as the tide crept in, each tiniest wave wore a cap of white lace."

Studded with humorous anecdotes and unique characters, this is a heart-warming account of how the newcomers were accepted and indoctrinated into a new and challenging lifestyle. They were quick to learn that weather shifted quickly, conveniences were few, the tide was all-important, and days were absorbed in the "business of living".

Recipes included are a hoot! For example, to make a pot of coffee, you would fill the pot with cold water and dump in a cup of coffee grounds. Then, boil it till done. Sprinkle a bit of cold water in to "settle" it and you're good to go. Next time you wanted coffee, you would add more water and coffee to the same pot - repeat. When the coffee grounds took up significantly more room than the water, you were allowed to dump the mess and start over - BUT - never, NEVER wash the pot!

Ultimately Rose and her family spent 30+ summers in Georgetown, every year drawn to the beauty and serenity of the island as well as well-loved friends. The younger generations grew and learned values in this unique environment that served them well in later life.

In Smith's words " The days were either golden or silver, golden when the sun shone; silver when the fog rolled in and every tip of green dripped crystal beads."
Not much has changed in 100 years.… (plus d'informations)