Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Feels like Summer


Twilight transitioned to a cool, starlit night as a group of microbrew-lubricated men gathered around a ten foot high pile of miscellaneous wood like a group of soccer moms waiting to run through the doors of a Saks semi-annual sale. Adhering to an unspoken rule, they waited, smoking cigarettes and taking swigs from solo cups, until the architect of the soon to be engulfed tepee slowly and deliberately made his way towards the pile. Clutching a solo cup and lighter in one hand and an old New York Times in the the other, he marched over to the pile with a grin known to many trick-or-treaters.

Thirty foot flames quickly illuminated the apple orchard and thirty or so people headed towards its heat like like Midwest bugs towards a light. Laughing and chatting, small groups of friends subconsciously experimented with their appetite for heat, eventually creating a twenty foot radius around the fire.

Intrigued by the promise of friends, Weber Grills, kegs of local beers and the beauty of the Maine countryside, people from around the Northeast descended on a small orchard in Limerick, Maine to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday, or as the title of the invite called it, turning 14 for the 27th time. Bringing camping gear and their meat of choice, the partakers eagerly set up shop in the rows of trees early in the afternoon and embraced the late April day with the same gusto as rednecks at a NASCAR race.

Red toes and leather sandals.

The sun lingered in the sky overlooking the farm like a parent picking their kids up from a party, nursing the proposed five minutes into an actual fifteen just to see the laughs and smiles.



The orchard and barn serves a sculpture workspace for Sandy Macleod during the day.

Comforted by the sun and the smell of budding fruit trees, people hooted and explored the rows of apple trees, marked by the occasional kinetic sculpture. Cheeks and noses turned pink as the season's first sun caught overzealous minglers off guard.

The kabob assembly line, accelerated by beverages and a sinking sun.

The last glimmers of sunlight.

A well loved apple grinder.
A one log fireplace in a bedroom above Sandy's studio.

Joe the birthday boy and Sandy, the host of the party.

I love the color red.

As the fire's heat subsided and the solo cups emptied, people meandered back towards the house and the comfort of leftover potato salad, more beer and cold shrimp kabobs. I yawned and stretched, shivering in my shorts and LL Bean mocs. It felt like summer.

Here are some more links,
Feels Like Summer to Me (Picasa).

12 comments:

james at 10engines said...

better than Gourmet mag... awesome foster.

Foster Huntington said...

James,
flattered by your words. It was an amazing afternoon and got me all excites to grill.
Foster

Unknown said...

YOU WOULD DO MARTHA STEWARD PROUD...LOVE THE OLD PYREX BOWL AND THE VINTAGE STRIPED GLASSES....
WHEN YOU GET BURNED OUT OF THE FASHION BIZ, TRY FOOD STYLING !

Foster Huntington said...

D,
I hate to say that but those bowls and classes belong to a senior design director at RL. She has incredible taste. Thanks for the kind words and carreer advice ahahaha i think i will let martha be.
foster

Nicholas said...

You're an international celeb Foster: http://blog.naver.com/gustosignore/40105576023. My favourite post is still "Steven Seagal runs like a girl."

Unknown said...

great pictures!!!

Foster Huntington said...

MarcoBerlin,
thanks for the kind words. it was an amazing day and got me excited for having cook outs during the summer with close friends. plus bonfires are amazing,
foster

Foster Huntington said...

Nicholas,
if only i spoke korean? i could figure out what that means haha. i hope its good things. thank for the link,
foster

Anonymous said...

funny the remarks about Martha Stewart...
one of the featured items on yahoo news is old pics of Martha as a fashion model, ca. 1960s...
she was quite a lovely lady...
still is IMO...

great to see the red stripe-- it is such an ideal summer beer-- inexpensive-- has a little spicy extra something going on there-- great w/ fried clams, etc.

great photos all in all

-- Leif

Foster Huntington said...

I cant wait to have some fried clams. sounds amazing. red stripe is a great beer. on the west coast its bottled in hood river oregon at the same brewer as full same amber. it all ways makes me think of summer in the gorge.
thanks for stopping by,
foster

seamus said...

Great Great Great photographs. Love the wood stove. So bitchin.

Foster Huntington said...

Seamus,
thanks for the kind words. the woodstove is awesome. i love the idea of having a small made for warming a room,
foster