Home sweet home in Portland, ME

Our Maine-r kids live in such a lovely neighborhood! 

As I've toured it in slow motion (the way you do when accompanied by a toddler) I've been continually impressed with the handsome style of the old homes in the area. Beautiful structures, and so different from what I'm used to in the almost-desert southwest.

Many of them have such wonderful features—like the inviting front porches on the one above, and these other examples:

And of course it doesn't hurt that it's an old neighborhood (the kids' house was built in 1911!) with lots of gorgeous old trees...

...don't worry, there will be a tree post or two coming up soon!

But the most striking thing to me is just the different structure—tall and narrow, with lots of handsome windows. When there's no need for air conditioning, during the short, warm summers, cool breezes from outside are a must. And, I imagine, letting in some winter sun for passive solar heating is also a plus.

Plus those handsome porches are set 'way off the ground, to accommodate the basements that we just don't have in our part of the world.

Regardless of the practical reasons that these homes were built the way they are, they are just flat out gorgeous, aren't they?!

Now, we've also taken some jaunts a little further afield, and seen some even more spectacular, and even older residences. During a walk along Portland's Western Promenade the other day we saw these old showcases...pretty spectacular, with no doubt equally spectacular views of the Fore River joining the bay (and the airport, today, but that probably wasn't in the plan when these homes were built!)...

As regal as these houses are, though, we're still partial to our home stomping grounds. I'll be showing you more of this wonderful area in posts to come. 

East or West, we think home is best!