(Maureen Milliken photo)

I’ve recently started, when I have time, taking long road trips on a weekend day to parts of the state I haven’t been to in a while, or ever.

My trip a couple weekends ago was to semi-familiar territory: the peninsula that’s home to Cushing. I hadn’t intended to go there. I went to Unity for a specific reason, then, because it was a nice Saturday, just kept driving.

My initial target was Friendship. Very cute, no parking if you want to get out of the car and take a photo of the harbor, even in mid-May. Chalk one up to the working waterfront.

I’ve been wanting for a long time to see the Langlais Sculpture Preserve in Cushing, so I hied out of Friendship to the other side of the peninsula. I figured I’d just drive and see if I stumbled onto the Langlais site.

And I did.

But first, I saw a sign for the Olson House, and since I’d never been there before, I did a sandy road hairpin skid turn, and headed down there first. [If Mom’s reading — no I didn’t. That’s just for dramatic effect.] [Readers, I really did, though, since it was: see sign, process info, decide to go that way all at 60 mph on a little country road.] [Mom, 35, tops] [Readers, ;)]

For those of you not familiar with the Olson House, it’s the scene “Christina’s World,” the painting that made Andrew Wyeth famous. It’s now owned by the Farnsworth Museum, in Rockland.

It was a beautiful mid-May Saturday late afternoon evening and no one — I mean no one — was there. I took a walk down to the cemetery and to the island that’s walkable at low tide, which it was.

It was an afternoon and evening of beautiful light, emerging spring, the smell of hay and low tide. I’m glad I kept driving after my Unity visit.

Does any of this have anything to do with writing? I think you know the answer. If you’re going to imagine that fictional place, the more you have the sights and smells of the real place in you, the better. Bigger picture — there are few things more relaxing, engaging and satisfying than cruising around Maine’s two-lanes, smelling hay, cows, low tide, apple blossoms and the breeze.

Here are some photos. But seriously, don’t rely on my camera, go yourself!

I always liked this sign. How can you not want to follow? (Maureen Milliken photo)

No, I did not crawl up the hill like Christina in the painting. That’s just wrong. I did look in the windows, because my uncle told me when I was a kid that Christina only washed the walls halfway up, since she couldn’t stand (and I was like, people wash walls?) so you could the clean bottom half and dirty top half. But if that was true, it isn’t any longer. Another childhood dream crushed. (Maureen Milliken photo)

I walked out to the Island in the bay since it was low tide. Beautiful evening, really beautiful spot. Maine! (Maureen Milliken photo)

I was thrilled to stumble on the Langlais Sculpture Preserve just as dusk was falling. (Maureen Milliken photo)

Some of his sculptures have been restored and others haven’t. They’re all really cool. (Maureen Milliken photo)

I found some outtakes out behind the studio. (Maureen Milliken Photo)

I love art with a sense of humor. (Maureen Milliken photo)

I love all his animals. (Maureen Milliken photo)

Langlais house with the horse sculpture out front. (Maureen Milliken photo)

This explains, so I don’t have to.

And wait, there’s more…