One of the great benefits of owning a real estate company (Kezar Realty) is that I get to meet a large number of interesting people and to see parts of town that I would otherwise not have the opportunity to visit. And from time to time I go on journeys with serious buyers that are interested in areas other than western Maine. I've been to Bethel, the Belgrade lakes region, Lewiston, Auburn, Paris Hill and Andover. The types of homes purchased have ranged from a mobile home to an old farm house. All very nice areas and all offer something different than Lovell.
The most recent buying journey took me to the coast of Maine--a part of the state that I have not often visited. I was never aware of the large number of Casco Bay islands or Harpswell. Or the distinctive beauty of the ocean meeting the land. In some places one feels like they are in an early Hopper drawing! Well, one island, Chebeague, kept getting return visits. And for good reason. Since my first trip the phrase "a slice of heaven" keeps coming to mind. Like Lovell, there is very little pretension in the air. In fact, a reverse pretension seems to exist--much better to have an older car that appears to be headed to the junk yard!
The island is served by two ferries, CTC and Casco Bay, and is best to visit in the summer. Bring your bicycles as you could ride the entire island in over an hour. There are a handful of places to purchase lunch or dinner or you can enjoy a cocktail from the porch of the Chebeague Island Inn. One rule of island living that everyone follows is that you wave as you pass!