Why I Live Here

Wesserunsett Lake

My wife and I bought our cozy little camp on Wesserunsett Lake in Madison in 1993.

We worked in education, and each summer we would drive 15 hours from our home in Ohio to renew our spirits and marvel at the fact that we own a tiny piece of Maine. I found leaving camp each August increasingly difficult and longed to move here full-time. I missed the balsam-scented air, views of Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance, and falling asleep to the wail of the loons on the lake. In 2002, our eldest daughter and her husband decided to leave the hassles of living and working in Washington, D.C., and settled in Bath; several years later, our granddaughter arrived. In 2009, we built our retirement home in the woods in West Bath — just 80 miles from camp! Hanging on the wall at camp is an oval piece of pottery that reads, ‘If you’re lucky enough to have a place on the water, you’re lucky enough.’ We are not just lucky; we are blessed. We have two wonderful places to enjoy in Maine. Most important, I can assure you, we never take it for granted.”

JAY PAPPAS

Does your Maine home have a sweet view and a good story to go with it? Send a photo of the view from your porch, window, or yard, and a brief explanation of why you’ve chosen to live in this spot, to sarah@mainehomes and we may feature you.