Magic Pond Wildlife Sanctuary & Artist's Retreat in Blaine

This is not your typical Maine rental-- Magic Pond is beautifully north of typical and is
known to artists, writers, and spiritual seekers for it's restorative inspiration year-round.
Located at the foot of Mars Hill Mountain, you'll be dreaming into a morning where the sun
first touches America at dawn.
We offer a supported opportunity to live in 75 acres of pristine wilderness (100% smoke-
free property) where every land creature indigenous to Maine finds sanctuary. This is
where even the most timid solo traveler can comfortably commune with primitive forests
and primordial bogs, having the security of a full time caretaking couple on site. Or where
the most ambitious naturalist can seek out rugged cohabitation with moose,
coyotes, lynx, bears, fisher cats, a rumored wolf and even an eagle now and then.
You'll have your choice of the Main Cottage or Studio Cottage guest quarters, one
adjoining the Main house with a porch overlooking the pond, the other in the new artist's
Studio building with an open, elevated deck on which to languish deep into the starry
nights. Both are centrally heated (with emergency wood back-up) and offer fully
equipped private kitchens.
The Main Cottage has an under-counter refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker and 24"
stove with conventional oven, a skylit living area and queen futon sofa, window-banked
dining area adjoining the kitchen, a writer's desk and one comfy bedroom with full bed
and 3/4 bath.
The Studio Cottage is preferred by long term residents, having a full sized
refrigerator, full bathroom, queen bed and full futon sofa in the living/dining area which
adjoins the fully equipped kitchen with more cabinet storage space and a full sized
conventional stove, microwave and coffee maker.
Both cottages have televisions and dvd players and use of the screen house in summer.

The northern lights (should they happen to appear during your stay) are quite an amenity,
as are the coyote serenades just after midnight, the millions of stars most guests never
knew existed, and miles of gently sloping trails traversing the fields and woods of the
Sanctuary. There is a major beaver colony under construction in the bog, usually a family
of ducks bearing young on the pond, and foxes, deer, fisher cats, ground hogs and herons
making regular appearances. In the spring, black bear sightings are possible with
stunning, unannounced entrances of huge moose waltzing into the open occurring
randomly throughout the warmer months.
Despite the joy of uncivilized surroundings, the town of Mars Hill is only a three minute
drive away and offers a grocery store, pharmacy, numerous churches, movie rental store,
gas station, Subway sandwich shop and the classic: Al's Diner. For the truly shopping-
deprived (and our long-term residents in need of clothing, recreational equipment, etc.), a
twenty minute drive up to Presque Isle will yield a Super Wal-Mart, Aroostook Mall, Lowes
and sufficient stores to find most anything comfort demands.
Free laundry facilities are on site for guests staying longer than two weeks (with an in-
town laundromat otherwise available) Fresh linens are provided. If pets are approved, they
must remain on leash at all times and are restricted to specific, non-wild areas of the
sanctuary. A fenced yard is available to dogs needing supervised off-lead time. (Pet
approval is on a case-by-case basis. Pets, like children, can face serious dangers if
unsupervised.)

Within Magic Pond, walking and watching are wonderful pastimes, with the frequent
pleasure of guests being the creation of a very personal and deeply moving bonds with a
primitively charged environment few have ever experienced before. The solitary work of
artists, writers and spiritual seekers unfolds here to the tune of piping frogs and an ideal
feng shui placement between a mountain and a spring-fed pond. Owned and managed by
an artist and retired clinical/ecopsychological social worker, everything about Magic Pond
is designed to facilite peaceful enrichment of the soul.
Other pastimes include hiking up Mars Hill Mountain to take a closer look at the
mammoth, controversial windmills towering over the town; climbing Quoggy Jo mountain
in Aroostook State Park; kayaking (rental available) on countless regional lakes and down
the Aroostook River; biking; day-tripping to French Acadia to the north; expeditions into
the lumberlands to the west; Canada's New Brunswick five minutes to the east; a day trip
or overnight to Maine's famous coastline to the south; berry farm picking; leaf peeping
(early October is prime time); Triathlon World Cup events (throughout the county in
winter); the bustling potato harvest (third week in September) and the joyous appearance
of wildlife young right before your eyes in the spring.
For the cold-hearty guest, Magic Pond is five minutes from Big Rock Ski Area on Mars Hill
Mountain, featuring a 920' downhill slope, cross-country and snow tubing with never a
crowd. Snowmobile rentals are available out of Presque Isle for exploration of the state's
famous Interstate Trail System. ( All terrain vehicles can be rented in summer and also
taken onto the I.T.S.).
In short: Magic Pond a ready and awaiting your arrival into the most unforgettable
experience of Maine imaginable: one in the world apart!

Short Term Stay:

1 week $600

2 weeks $1200

3 weeks $1600

4 weeks $2000

5 weeks $2400

6 weeks $2700

7 weeks $3000.

8 weeks $3200

Long Term Residency:

3 months $4000

6 months $5000 plus utilities

9 months $6300 plus utilities

1 year $7200 plus utilities

Other:

Pet stay cleaning fee $50

Professional photography coaching $85.

Presque Isle Airport pick up (RT) $20.

Please note that the rates do not include 7% Maine Sales Tax, nor do they include a 3% surcharge if paying by credit card (via Paypal) beyond an initial booking deposit of $100. A security deposit of $300. is payable by separate check upon arrival. The rental rates for Magic Pond are designed to be among the most inviting in the state to make short term stays an annual delight and long-term residency a life-altering opportunity. Please email for availability.