Blue

Portland, Maine: worlds away from the tall pine trees and fine blond sand of East Texas, but is still felt like "the real world."

Where men wear blue collars and work boots and drive pick-up trucks. Where people live within communities- places their families have been for generations, hundreds of years perhaps.

People play in parks, mow their yards, pick their children up from school in minivans and hang clothes out to dry on clothes lines.

The sun kept us warm in the 50 and 60 degree weather, and when we were out of the breeze it was quite nice. We walked along the shore, climbed some boulders, basked in the sun, pick up sea shells and rocks worn smooth with the oceans constant rolling tide.

In South Portland we visited Head Light an iconic lighthouse just off the rugged shore. The day was gorgeous and I actually went without my coat in the afternoon. In Portland we ate some amazing seafood, of course. Chris had a large bucket of steamers (clams) and I had a nontraditional dish: lobster & shrimp stir-fry.

The clams were phenomenal; although a new

experience for both of us. We've had mussels many times and even prepared them once at home ourselves, but clams are an entirely different experience. The stir-fry was really good and full of broccoli and peppers and carrots and snowpeas (and tons of lobster and shrimp too!!), but given the opportunity again I would not have chosen stir-fry. The entire dish just tasted of teriyaki sauce and I really wanted to taste my seafood.

We walked the brick streets of Portland, stopping in little shops here and there and ending the day sitting in the park watching what appeared to be a sailing school.

I love that the ocean water is a clear blue, and that the coastline is rugged and rocky and not beach covered. New England is full of people who shop at Land's End and Eddie Bauer and still wear flip-flops when it's 40 degrees outside.

It's not my homeland and it's not familiar but it still leaves me feeling better than I've felt in awhile. It makes me feel like it's okay to long for open skies and a place to put my toes in the grass every once in awhile.