The Ides of August

Yes, I do know it's August and not March but Peaks Island is at its annual tipping point between the lazy, hectic final days of Summer and the beginning days of pointing toward returning to winter homes, school, Fall activities et al. It's a strange schizoidal week caught between two worlds.

I'm starting to see fellow islanders I haven't seen since Memorial Day. I do believe some islanders are starting to re-emerge from their home shelters. I'm also seeing on afternoon boats returning to the island, extended families with multiple children returning from their outing of the day tired, cranky yet having that bored look like "what's next Mom".

Even the adults are tottering between wanting to finish that last book with some quiet time on a deck or porch yet wanting to complete that checklist of things to do while on Peaks. It is a time of conflict not wanting to go but ready to leave and start the next chapter of life.

Yet, in the midst of all this, there is still a wonderfully quiet time on the island and it's called the 7:15am boat. It's has mostly workers on it but with many on vacation along with the school kids, it's not nearly as full as it will be in a couple of weeks. Just waiting for the boat on a foggy morning before the sun burns it off, is a good time to enjoy and reflect on where a few of us are lucky enough to spend all our time and not just a few short days of vacation. Enjoy the views from a recent 7:15 boat.