In March, our friend Paul Johnson died. In the 1990s, I met Paul through his wife Barbara. She was a dear friend, and we spent many happy hours discussing books. In 2005, Barbara died—far too soon—and I still miss her.

After Barbara died, Paul remarried, and I became friends with his new wife, Judy. They had many wonderful years of traveling together. Then Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and gradually the traveling came to an end. Throughout Paul’s long illness, Clif and I visited often, bringing treats such as apple crisp, oatmeal squares, and cake. Now with Paul’s death, it feels like the end of an era.

Yesterday, at Absolem Cider Company in Winthrop-–about five miles from where we live—friends and family gathered together for a celebration of Paul’s life. Paul, a forester, loved the rural life, and Absolem Cider Company was the perfect place for such a gathering.

This description from Absolem’s website captures the rustic charm of the Cider Company: “Our farmhouse cidery and nascent orchard is located along the western side of the Cobbosseecontee Lake nestled between dense woods, and rolling farmland. A short distance from the neighboring towns of Augusta and Gardiner along the Kennebec River that cuts through the heart of Maine.”

Here are some pictures of this beautiful place. Unfortuantely, the day was grey and rainy, and they don’t do justice to  the simple elegance of Absolem Cider Company.

The restored timber-frame barn from the outside

and from the inside, where old and new meet.

There’s also a picnic area for sunnier days when food trucks come.

And best of all, chickens.

After a tasty buffet, various people spoke about Paul. Among them were his son, Alan, who told about Paul’s passion for pigeons, and Paul’s friend Gary, who marveled over Paul’s skill with a chainsaw.

I, spoke, too. I related how one day, Paul stopped by with his chainsaw.

“Laurie,” he said, “some of those trees around your house need to come down.”

Indeed they did. As I have mentioned many times, we live on the edge of the woods, and not to put too fine a point on it, neither Clif nor I are skilled at taking down trees.

Without hesitation I said, “Go for it, Paul.”

And down those trees came.

I also spoke about Paul’s grace and courage and acceptance in dealing with a terrible disease that slowly, slowly takes away so much. Paul never complained, and he did what he could for as long as he could. An example for us all as we age and deal with an inevitable diminishment of some sort.

Finally, Clif and I fell in love with Absolem Cider Company. We had always wanted to stop by but somehow never had. We sampled their wine and thought it was delicious. We admired the lovingly restored barn, which is worthy of being featured on the television show This Old House. We plan on returning sometime soon, perhaps on Father’s Day weekend.

This was a wonderful celebration of life for an old friend. We miss him very much.

For me, one of the great pleasures of blogging has been getting to know so many wonderful folks, near and far. Over the years, the bloggers have become friends as they’ve shared details of their everyday lives—their gardens, their cooking, their families, what they’re reading, and other enthusiasms.

Last week I actually got to meet one of my blogging friends from afar—Jason Kay, of Garden in the City, a very accomplished gardener. He and his wife Judy Hertz came all the way from Illinois to visit Maine. Jason emailed me, wondering if we could get together for lunch.

Yes, yes, I replied. Come to our home for a picnic, and Clif will make his legendary grilled bread.

This Jason and Judy did, seeing a part of Maine that is definitely off the beaten path and would never qualify as quaint.  While central Maine has some lovely countryside with lakes, forests, and hills, it is also the home of many factories, now abandoned, and there is a certain grittiness—earthiness if you want to be polite—to the area.

We all hit it off immediately. Because Jason and I have been reading each other’s blogs for a while, we already knew quite a bit about each other. And, as it turned out, the four of us have similar interests and tastes, which meant the conversation flowed.

Here are Judy and Jason in our backyard on the edge of the woods.

Clif’s grilled bread, as to be expected, was the hit of the picnic.

Naturally, we talked about plants and all things green and growing. (Alas, my gardens were way past their best.) Jason has been interested in gardening since he was young, and the gardens around his home are a beautiful sight to behold. Visiting his blog, of course, really gives a sense of what he has accomplished over the years.

However, for a delightful overview of Jason’s gardens, here is a piece from Fine Gardening. Read, look, and marvel.

All too soon the afternoon was over, and Jason and Judy left.  What a fine afternoon we had, with the weather in the 70s and barely a cloud in the sky. Even the yellow jackets more less behaved, with only one or two buzzing around us.

Here’s an invitation to blogging friends who are thinking about visiting Maine when the weather is warm: You are welcome to join us for lunch on our patio at the edge of the woods. Clif will make his legendary grilled bread. I will provide other goodies.

See you next summer?