Our seaside cottage is located near Lubec, Maine. If you see a US map, go all the way to the eastern most point of the shore lines of the Atlantic Ocean. You’d find Lubec right on the border of Canada and the US. It’s a beautiful remote village with no frills. It’s the Real Maine, Real McCoy. My favorite spot is a long stretch of natural dune, called Sand Bar. (See maps below.) A few days ago, on a sunny day, I hiked the Sand Bar with my dogs.
わたしたちのセカンドハウスは、メイン州のLubecという海沿いの村の近くにあります。合衆国の地図を大西洋沿いにずっと北東に辿ってゆくと、いちばん東端のカナダとの国境沿いにその小さな村はあります。ここまで遠くに来ると、夏の盛りでも観光客の数は知れていて、まったく観光ズレしていない「本物のメイン州」が見つかります。わたしのお気に入りスポットは、Sand Bar と呼ばれる場所。細く長い砂丘が海に突き出している。すぐそこにカナダが見えている。下の地図では Bar Road とあたかもそこに「道路」が作られているような表示ですが、実際には、ここには「道」はありません。おそらく何千年も何万年も昔から、そこにそうしてあったように、ただ長い砂丘と浜が続いているだけです。数日前、お天気の良い日にワンコ達をつれて、ここを散歩してきました。
I left my home in NY State on Monday and arrived at the eastern most county of the United States in Maine on late Tuesday night. It was a long drive, nearly 550 miles. I took a long hike in this remote sea-side community with my dogs yesterday.
高い丘からベイ（入り江）を見下ろす。青い空と水の色が綺麗。Looking down the Straight Bay from a hill top.鹿狩りの季節で森の中どこにでもハンターがうろついているため、ワンコたちには全員オレンジ色の安全ベストを着せています。私もオレンジの帽子やベストを身に着けます。It’s the hunting season here, and this area is an active hunting ground. My dogs and I all wear bright orange safety vests when going out.フランキーは泳ぎが大好き、水とみればどんなに冷たくてもすぐに飛び込みます。海岸には海藻がたくさん流れ着いていました。Frankie loves swimming and he jumped right into the chilly sea water. The shore of Whiting Bay was covered with floating seaweeds.プリシラちゃんとズー君は泳ぎが苦手のヘタレのため、岩の端っこに身を寄せて、水に入ろうかどうか一緒に悩んでいます。（笑）Priscilla and Zoolander, together cautiously testing out the water condition. Both of them are not good swimmers. LOLさらに森の奥へ奥へと進みました。We further hiked to Kelly Point.
We hiked good four, five miles. We were all tired; we were ready to go home. “Let’s go back, guys!” I called out my dogs. Then, it happened. I saw Zoolander dashing to a tall birch tree and jump at “something” – something like a ball – clinging to a branch. I realized what it was. My blood froze. “Stoooooop!!!!” I screamed, running toward him to pull him away. But it was too late. When he ran back to me, Zoo’s face was covered with sharp porcupine quills.
電話をかけ夫に来てもらった。ツールで抜こうにも、ズー君が痛がって暴れ、チカラの強いピットブルのズー君を抑えておくことができないうえ、刺さってる針の数が多過ぎて、獣医のもとに行くしかないと判断。My husband tried to pull the quills out. But so many quills were stuck deep in his flesh, and Zoo, a strong young pit bull, refused to stay still because of the sharp pain. We had to take him to a vet.獣医クリニックに連れてきました。ヤマアラシの針は先端がちょうどカギ針のようになっていて、いったん刺さると簡単には抜けません。ズー君は口元だけではなく、舌にも、また口の中の上あごにも沢山ささっていて、麻酔をかけて抜くしかありませんでした。At the vet clinic, we were told by the doctor there were so many quills stuck even inside his mouth. He had to be anesthetized.ズー君がチョッカイ出したヤマアラシは、まだ幼いヤマアラシだったため、細くて小さな棘のような針が前足の肉球に無数に刺さっていました。小さく柔らかい針だけに抜くのがむしろ困難。Zoo attacked (or was attacked by) a baby porcupine. His front paws were covered with small soft baby quills, which made the removal rather difficult.自分の置かれてる状況がぜんぜんわかっていない問題児ズー君。実はヤマアラシにやられたのは、これで二回目。He had no clue what had happened to him, though this was his second time of being attacked by a porcupine.
After an hour or so, Zoolander came out of the operation room with no quills in his face. We drove him home while he was still drowsy due to the anesthesia. His ruthless act cost us $350 that night.
Fast Lane Slow Life 