I've lived in Maine for 26 years...so far. I arrived as a 23 year old bride. We never expected to stay and raise a family here. We are from away, where it's warmer. So my husband and I decided to explore Maine and all it had to offer. We camped on lake shores. We visited Bed and Breakfasts in coastal towns. We hiked mountains, climbed lighthouses, and sailed on the ocean. We enjoyed lobster, bean suppers, and wild blueberries.  Within a year's time, we realized that we loved it here. We bought a  house and never looked back. Two and a half decades later, two children grown, I can't imagine being anywhere else. I also couldn't possibly pick one favorite place that defines Maine summers. But I can pick a feeling. It's the feeling I get when I finally take my shoes and socks off. Let's face it.....my feet have been covered up for a good eight or nine months. Now, I can walk outside barefoot, feel the dewy grass tickle my feet, and the sensation is invigorating! I have been waiting what feels like a lifetime to toughen the soles of my feet by walking on the rocky coastline, or down a town sidewalk on my way to an ice cream stand. I treasure the time when I can bring my feet out of hibernation and celebrate summer's arrival in Maine. People that live in warmer climates don't appreciate this emotion. They take summer for granted. They have many months of heat. There will always be tomorrow for them. Not in Maine. We know summer days are bittersweet, so when the grass has been mowed for the first time, and as long as I can possibly bear it in the fall, you won't see shoes on my feet!