1) fort mcclary blockhouse; 2) mother, grandmother, aunt; 3) independence day kite; 4) couple flying kite on their back

i went with my family to fort mcclary in kittery, maine for a picnic. we were the first people at the picnic area so we had first pick for a table. later other families showed up, including one that brought along a pet bird in a cage. we cooked some hot dogs and chicken breasts, but used a portable coleman stove instead of the available wrought-iron barbecue stand.

i managed to get a little bit of naturing: some insects, some birds, some flowers, the usual. saw some common terns, which are different from arctic terns in that they have a black tip on their red beaks, and different from the endangered roseate terns in that common terns have shorter tail streamers. the last time i remember encountering terns was when i went to cape cod with bruce 2 years ago: he was attacked by some territorial least terns, perhaps guarding a nesting site.

later we visited the actual fort, with a view of the harbor dividing maine from new hampshire. boats of all shapes and sizes crowded the water, people sitting out on their decks enjoying the holiday. the weather was a bit chilly, so instead of visiting the nearby beach, we went to the factory outlet malls instead.

i got a t-shirt from the gap ($8) and a pair of clarks' casuals ($15, originally $110). it took us an hour to get back to cambridge, where the weather finally changed for the worse and we hit some drizzle. back at the cafe, i had some chicken noodle soup for dinner before riding back home.