View From a Peaks Island Deck

A New Year on Peaks

2010-12-30T16:42:00.004-05:00

Welcome to a new year on Peaks Island. Each December 31st, I pause to consider what's gone by and what lies ahead. This will be my last posting for now. This little blog has somehow survived for about four years. It is time to take a break or at least until the next time I see something interesting and happen to have my camera with me.

I just want to be quiet for now and spend my time thinking and reading about many different things that have come and gone from my life. The self imposed mental deadline of having to find some photos to publish just gets in the way of what I'm now into. I definitely will not take down this little blog so anytime you need a Peaks fix, just enjoy perusing the various seasons I've tried to portray over the past few years.

Today's pics are for the most part "borrowed". The first pic is just a classic picture of the Big Mac pulling into Peaks at sunset; something like "home are the islanders, home to the sea". The next two pics knocked my socks off. They're at dawn earlier this week on the Backshore of Peaks and absolutely represent to me the new day/year that awaits us. They are simply stunning. I "borrowed" them from the Facebook account of Mark Shain, a fellow islander. Please, do yourself a favor and pay him a visit at his Facebook account and enjoy his wonderful pictures. The next picture I "borrowed" from I think the Portland Press Herald and utterly represents to me the island at its Summer best. Though we've just come through a nasty Nor'easter, these summer roads will be here before we know it. The last picture is from this year's Christmas Day dinner. Though we were missing Sean and Monika who wisely stayed in Boulder, my imagination firmly plants them in this picture.

So, for now, I'm off to vigorously enjoy a mid Winter hibernation. -Rob-

Late Fall Afternoon on Peaks

2010-10-19T19:12:00.003-04:00

I managed to take a trip around the Island after coming home on the 4:30 boat. The last few days have been absolutely stunning; clear blue skies, little wind, lots of sun and bright foliage to capture that light. I wanted to see what the evening light might bring my way and I did manage to capture a few pics that feebly attempt to capture those few days each year we tend to live in the golden hues of Fall. Enjoy.

Peaks Island Exhale

2010-09-10T16:51:00.003-04:00

That first week following Labor Day Weekend is definitely a high holy week to me. All I want to do is lay down on my deck, soak up some sun, soak up the quiet of the day and reclaim the energy of a relaxed universe. As much as I enjoy seeing our summer residents return in the Spring, I'm equally happy to see a return to a more quiet Island right now.

I took a slow, meandering walk around the neighborhood the other night and tried to capture the very special light that falls on Peaks right before and after the sun sets. The Pacific may have that special "green explosion" moment when the sun goes down but we've got our own special light. On this night, the cloud cover right after sunset made for a very special evening; unique texture and colors for sure. Sure glad I had my little camera with me. Enjoy the pics of my favorite time of the year. I do love the cooler temps, the lower humidity and the roar of the quiet that settles upon this very special place we're lucky enough to call home.

Exodus!!

2010-08-23T11:03:00.004-04:00

Peaks Island has survived the annual Great Bugout Day. Every year about the third Saturday of August, the great exodus of summer visitors departs Peaks for their winter homes to get ready for school and all their Fall activities. Strange things occur when everyone wants to leave at once yet the car ferry only holds a maximum of twelve cars. The string of cars lined up to get on the ferry runs right up Welch Street around the corner down Island Avenue and usually winds up near the Plantes. Three to four hour waits are not uncommon so the downfront merchants have one of their best days of the Summer; lots and lots of hot dogs and ice cream cones are definitely consumed during the lengthy wait.

Yet, the mood is usually pretty festive, tempers are pretty well curbed and the last few hours spent on Peaks are peacefully passed awaiting one's "turn" to drive down the ramp and onto the ferry for the 20 minute run into Portland. Of course, by the end of the day, the ferry's crew is exhausted and have definite thousand yard stares. Some islanders sit on the wall on Welch Street waving fond goodbys eagerly looking forward to an evening of quiet, a lowering of electricity in the air and a return of the sound of crickets in the evening. Tides come in, tides go out; Peaks has survived another great Exodus!! I spent just enough time downfront to catch a few pics of this annual event; enjoy. I certainly did.

The Ides of August

2010-08-18T11:16:00.003-04:00

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.

Summer is a Verb on Peaks Island

2010-07-26T11:56:00.009-04:00

The short period of time between Memorial Day and Labor Day sees Peaks Island absolutely, positively go into hyper overdrive. Day trippers, renters, visitors all seem to carry a mental checklist of stuff to accomplish while they're here. It seems only a few unpack their mental baggage and take to a rock on the backshore or a rocking chair on their porch and just sit and be quiet for a spell. The energy flowing through the Peaks universe seems to increase in intensity until it crashes in mid August with lists uncompleted, books unread, walks not taken and parties not attended. Until that time many islanders, me definitely included, hold our breaths and do our best to stand aside and stay as quiet as possible. Of course, many of islanders totally disappear for this period of time only to finally emerge in September like long lost friends. Occasionally though islanders do find an occasion to come together and celebrate the very special place we live in.

One such occasion was an afternoon spent on the Casco Bay Lines Bay Mist to celebrate the coming 60th birthdays of old friends Joyce Leslie and John Kiely. A nice two hour passage around the waters of Casco Bay with fellow islanders made for a wonderful gathering on a beautiful summer's day. Here's a few pics from this little voyage. I couldn't resist adding the pics of my wife Jill and fellow island councilor, Leonard Cohen affecianado and friend Tom Bohan. Had a few others of fellow islanders but I really liked these so author's discretion won out . There's nothing like a trek around Casco Bay on a summer's day to mark Peaks Island as the way life should be. Enjoy.

A Soft Day on Peaks

2010-06-14T16:49:00.003-04:00

Nothing like a soft, June day on Peaks to slow one down. It's the last weekend before all the kids show up after the schools are done for the year. Now, that's when the energy level of the island moves up quite a few notches, the traffic increases and the bike riders and walkers are out in force.

But, for one day, the sky was overcast, the fog kept dropping in and out and there was even an occasional heavy mist. Indeed, it was a soft day on Peaks. A great time to just enjoy the lupin, the ever greening gardens and just time to exhale from a long week. Enjoy it while you can was my motto for the day. Enjoy the pics from around the yard and I do love those lupin; sure wish they would hang around a bit longer but maybe that's why they're so precious.

It's Almost Memorial Day

2010-05-21T16:37:00.004-04:00

Sorry for being absent so long but way too much time got spent in the past two months in City Hall budget meetings; for what, I'm not exactly sure right now. But, they are done and free at last, free at last.

It seems with each passing day, the island traffic of people, bikes, walkers, golf carts and cars is increasing by the hour. Way too many huge black SUV's filling up our byways. Just the other night I happened to be on the backshore with the sun slowly setting, no one else around and just the sound of the small surf and gulls filling the air----perfect!! I'm certainly glad I took the time to just stop and watch the sun go down. I do not know when the next opportunity for that type of quiet time will come again.

With next week being Memorial Day weekend, we will definitely see a further uptick in people and day trippers and the first of the renters. It is always enjoyable to see the smiles of the people coming off the boat for the first time after a long winter though. Just huge smiles at being "home" again. This pile of rocks does have a huge hold on people no matter if they're here year round or just for a few weeks. I absolutely feel privileged to call it my home.

The Greening of Peaks

2010-04-12T19:04:00.004-04:00

At long last, the big risk has been taken and the snow shovels are now in the basement. Hopefully, the snow gods will not take advantage of us and dump a nice foot of spring snow on our heads. The daffy down dillies are coming into bloom and the forsythia are coming around more and more by the day right along with the greening and lengthening of our grass. Even the buds are expanding on the tree so I think it's safe to say that Spring has arrived on Peaks Island.

The pics for today are not mine. I stole them from a recent posting on Jim Lausier's Facepage. I really liked the capturing they did of some of our unique island cottages and the sights of early Spring. Thanks Jim and I'll apologize in advance for "stealing" them. Oh well, at least I didn't try and take credit for them. Enjoy.

Rain, Rain Gone Away

2010-04-03T11:42:00.004-04:00

At long last, the rains have stopped falling on our heads and the sun has finally reappeared along with numerous daytrippers for the Easter weekend. We did manage to set a new record for most rainfall in the month of March but compared to poor Little Rhody, we got off pretty easy. For once, living on an island meant no overflowing rivers and streams just a good dose of wet, dreary days.

I had to go uptown on about the last day of the rain so I did manage a few pictures of damp islanders making the trek along with me. It's always amazed me how much "stuff" we manage to lug along on our treks; grocery carts, musical instruments, strollers, kids, et al. No wonder our arms are a couple of inches longer than the normal mainlander. Enjoy the views and more importantly, enjoy the warming sun. It's raking time BUT our shovels still stand ready on our deck just in case!!

Trap Game Time on Peaks Island

2010-03-11T17:42:00.004-05:00

For anyone who's ever played any kind of sports at all, the "trap game" concept is well known. Your team looks forward beyond the easy next game to a more important one and voila, you get your doors blown off by a lesser team. Well folks, it's trap game time on Peaks Island. For the last week the days have been clear, the sun has been shining, the wind has finally died down, the doves have appeared in our yard, some color is working its way through the covering of leaves and seaweed on our flower beds and the temps have been in the balmy mid 40's. Spring must be a few weeks early is the island wide hope. Even this past weekend the roads contained a lot of daytrippers walking their way around the island.

The universal agreement in last Friday evening's discussions at the bar in the Inn was Nahhhh, don't believe it. Keep those shovels at the ready on your deck and don't fall into the trap. The longer we can hold on to the belief it's still March, the less the next descent of snow on our heads will wound our psychological mood. Believe it's Spring at your own risk. Yet, enjoy every walk in the sun, the high overhead deep blue skies and the gentle breeze blowing across the Bay. These are good days for walks to check the flotsam and jetsam thrown up by the recent storms and begin to see the early signs of the transition out of the depths of Winter. Enjoy the moment but don't let your guard down just yet.

Wild and Wooly Night on Peaks Island

2010-02-26T15:42:00.004-05:00

We expected a fairly strong storm but we got more than that. With winds gusting to over 60mph right out of the northeast and about five inches of rain, the island definitely headed for cover. The strongest winds occurred right around midnight. We live on the western side of Peaks facing Portland so even though we were in the lee of the storm, I could still feel the house moving with every gust as I was trying to get to sleep. The covers did get pulled a tad higher last night.

After checking the house outside this morning and chasing down whatever had blown from its natural spot, I managed to make it to the backshore to see what the water was telling us. Even though it was about two hours past high tide, it was still churning and giving a clear message that there would be no sailing or fishing today. It was definitely a night that once again lets an islander know they're not in charge. Power's still out on quite a bit of the island, Portland and South Portland with many, many trees down everywhere. We've got offers out to quite a few poeple for hot showers and freezer space if needed. At least for today, the wind is down and there's been quite a bit of sun with fairly mild temps. On to tomorrow and we'll see what kind of weather is in store for us--again. Snow perhaps??

The Ides of February on Peaks Island

2010-02-24T10:57:00.003-05:00

Yes, I know, the true Ides doesn't occur until March but islanders have always been out of sync with the rest of modern civilization and damn proud of it. February truly marks the depth of winter. The wood pile's down, the hours increasingly spent looking out the window thinking about the Red Sox or gardening, the tending of bulbs in the kitchen to generate some color other than brown or white and in general, just trying to get through the darkest part of the year.

Yet, islanders tend to generate their own ways of coping. One way is to spend a couple of hours on Friday evening at the Inn on Peaks. It's just one way of marking the end of another work week and being one week closer to warmer, longer and more colorful days. This year's activities have been increased with the addition of a ping pong table and a couple of major Ping Pong Tournaments on the schedule. Nothing like some semi-serious trash talk to pass the time of darkness. Kind of reminds me of almost any episode from "Mash" or "Northern Exposure". The Friday evenings have also been enhanced with some local Improv theatre, Naked Shakespeare theatre, spaghetti dinners and other assorted fund raisers for local organizations working on island issues. The number of activities certainly isn't as large as in July but they certainly offer opportunities to share time with your neighbors. The winter community may be smaller, but it's certainly not dormant!! Here's a few pics from a typical Friday evening.

It's Not Snowing on Peaks Island!

2010-01-21T11:23:00.004-05:00

At long last, the snow has ceased falling on our heads, the wind has died down, the streets have been plowed and the shoveling is just about done. Today, Thursday, is a wonderful Maine Day complete with sun and no wind; perfect!! The sky is cloudless and that certain deep blue that only comes right after a winter storm in Maine. The pictures are from a walk I took around the Centennial Street neighborhood yesterday so the clouds were still present but maybe later today after some more shoveling I can get out and try to capture some of the sun's effects. Today is a good peaceful day for the islanders.

Downfront in January

2010-01-20T11:38:00.003-05:00

Between storms, Bob Hannigan, owner of Hannigan's Market, managed to get a truck load of groceries out to the island. Of course, it was Tuesday, the normal day for fresh produce to show up so everyone went grocery shopping before the next storm. Nothing makes a storm more bearable than a refrigerator full of eggs, milk, ice cream, Allen's coffee brandy and Bob's fresh baked bread.

Of course the area around Hannigan's Market looks a little different than an August summer day but at least you can find a parking spot. With some plowing still uncompleted, Hannigan's truck took up a couple of spaces but who cares. His famous (or infamous) wording of "If We Don't Have It, You Don't Need It" absolutely still works for me. Says it all for the spirit required to live on an island. Enjoy the downfront scenes.

The Ying and Yang of Winter on Peaks Island

2010-01-18T17:33:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful set of days we just had as respite from a Maine winter. Days in the 30's, no wind and quite a bit of sun. Just an excellent time to sit on the deck in the lee of a slight northwesterly breeze and soak up the sun while listening to the last storm's snow melt. A nice change of pace while working on my tan----so to speak.

I went to bed last night with the weather forecast being some light snow with no more than a two inch accumulation. As usual, the professionals were more than a tich off in their projections since more than a few locations wound up with about a foot of snow, many towns are holding parking bans and Peaks Island earned about 6-8 inches of the white stuff. It was tough to be more precise since the winds were pretty strong so some parts of our yard were pretty barren and other parts had 2-3 foot drifts. The storm finally wound down around 3pm so the shoveling has commenced. Here's a few pics from both sides of the equation. Take your pick of which kind of day you'd rather have.

A Calm Day on Peaks Island

2010-01-08T16:40:00.003-05:00

I had to go uptown yesterday on the 2:45 boat to run some errands before meeting old friends for dinner. The temp was in the high 20's, the wind was down and the sun was shining. For Peaks in January, it was a "balmy" day.

The Bay was calm, the ducks were out scrounging for an afternoon snack and the island was peaceful. Not many people hanging around waiting for the boat but quite a few were returning to the island. All in all, it was a pretty good respite before the next storm. Enjoy the calm of January.

New Year's Eve-Peaks Island Style

2010-01-01T12:43:00.007-05:00

For many years now, New Year's Eve has simply been a quiet evening with a good movie and spending five minutes watching Times Square and being very thankful I'm not there. This year was a little different.

Some island friends planned a small gathering focused around a progressive evening of appetizers, entree and desert at three different homes. About fifteen islanders gathered at each location and spent a hearty four hours enjoying each other's company. Some people dropped out and some were added along the way but most made all three stops. At 11:40 we made off for Whaleback on the backshore and proceeded to celebrate the New Year Peaks Island style.

Steve Richard constructed his very own ball made out of island dingleberry, added some lights complete with its own battery, constructed a lengthy 2x4 complete with a hangman's attachment and pulley, raised it up and awaited the magic hour of midnight. Of course, being true islanders, everyone seemed to have a different time showing on their watches so at approximately midnight, the countdown began, the ball was lowered and a hearty cheer erupted to greet the New Year. A bottle of champagne was cracked and passed among the participants for a quick swig, an out of tune with made up different words for Auld Ang Syne was sung, many hugs and handshakes were exchanged and within five minutes everyone made a run for the warmth of their respective homes. It did represent the very best of the different life we lead on Peaks Island during the winter months. It certainly reminded me of the old television show "Northern Exposure". All we were missing was a catapult. There was a potatoe cannon in Steve's trunk but the potatoes seemed to have gone into the potatoe salad eaten during the evening so it remained unfired. Here's a few pics from a very special New Year's Eve. Best to all for the new decade. May it be a good one for you and yours.

A Day Off

2009-12-22T16:40:00.006-05:00

Sounds strange, but here it is the Tuesday before Christmas and I'm taking the day off! Every once in a while I just need some quiet time so off to the 10am boat I went with my only planned destination a stop for breakfast and some reading time.

Of course, the first stop on a cold winter's day trip into Portland is Lisa's Peaks Cafe for some damn good coffee and morning type conversation. Seems like quite a few islanders were headed into town to try and finish up their Christmas preparations and many empty grocery carts were being towed along as well. I'll admit it often takes awhile to know who you're talking with on a chilly morning what with all the headgear and wrap around scarfs hiding peoples faces. I'm always amazed at how many places on our boats one can store their grocery cart. Just another island tradition.

Portland was more than a little insane with too many people just stressed out. A little sad to see but I really enjoyed catching up on my reading and sitting with three other individuals in the noon showing of a movie I wanted to see before it departed. Yes, I plead guilty to doing whatever I can to avoid crowds. Can't say I didn't have a choice of seats.

Amazing how many of those empty carts going uptown were absolutely groaning under the weight of many many things coming back to the island. For me, I'm done with civilization until next week. A hearty Merry Christmas to all; may it be sane, enjoyable and spent with those special to you.

Boat Time!

2009-12-03T11:54:00.003-05:00

We are fortunate on Peaks Island to have the number of options we do for boat trips into Portland. With this number of possibilities, it seems each boat takes on a characteristic all its own. The early 6:15 boat has high school kids going in for early morning meetings or sports practices, early risers wanting to get a head start on the day, owners of businesses and always a few that just didn't want to, or couldn't, make the last boat from the previous evening. The 7:15 boat is the classic commuter/school boat loaded with workers and kids heading uptown for jobs and schools. The 8:15 boat is for those few individuals that have a 9 to 5 job so this boat has always been labeled the "sloth boat".

Now, the 10:00 boat is really a laid back boat filled with seniors and mom's and kids and dogs heading uptown for some shopping, meeting someone for lunch, medical appointments or just a walk around town to see what might pop up. It seems to be the perfect boat to catch so the Things to Do list can be depleted, spend some time with friends and then get the 2:15 boat back to Peaks and still have time for the island items that need doing. These boats just become a natural part of our lives and allow us to visit with our neighbors, catch up on some reading, work on a crossword puzzle or just watch the bay go by. Of course, watches are a requirement! Here's a few pics from my own trip uptown yesterday on the 10:00 boat; enjoy.

Peaks' Fields of Gold

2009-11-01T12:07:00.004-05:00

I think the island survived last night's Halloween activities but some parts of the island have yet to report in. Peaks goes all out for Halloween; kids at Greenwood Gardens, the adults at the Inn, the Landing or house parties. We came back to the island on the 7:15 boat and it was packed with all degrees of costumes heading for numerous parties; a roman centurion, a huge wheaties box, scrubs, elves, princesses, etc. Brought back many memories of the island parties at John Whitman's house; legends which will remain untold.

Yesterday was cloudy in the 50's but with strong winds. The last of the maple leaves are now on the ground. The swamp maples and birches are also long gone. Yet the scrubs and the oaks are still hanging in there and when the sun is out, we are absolutely in an environment of gold. We know that the world of brown is soon to follow and then the world of white but for these too few short days, it's a very special world we live in on Peaks Island. Enjoy some pics of a very special but too short time.

So Long Summer!

2009-10-19T15:25:00.003-04:00

With the passage of Columbus Day Weekend, calm has returned to Peaks Island. Brad's Bike Shop is still open but he's not there; just put some money into the coffee can and pick a bike. The Inn on Peaks is now closed on Monday's and Tuesday's and Family Night fare is now available on Wednesdays. The roads are clear and the sidewalks are pretty empty except around boat times.

The long winter's rest is about to begin. Over the weekend we had a nice nor'easter with pretty good winds and astronomical high tides but mostly only rain with only a few wet flakes coming down. Yet, with many of our trees still not in full color we didn't have a lot of leaves come down. Today is absolutely a gorgeous day. Boats are still being pulled with a lot of chain sawing, wood chipping, painting and dog walking going on. There is nothing like a Maine day after a storm. The blues are bluer and the air is so fresh it feels like you could cut it. Hopefully we'll be back in the 50's with sun for a few days. Enough of rain, wind and low 40's; way too early for that kind of day. Time for a last chance viewing of the Fall colors New England is famous for; there is no better place than our own backyard.

Here's a few pics of the newly found peacefulness on Peaks.

An Islander Goes Inland--Chaptor 3

2009-09-17T22:29:00.004-04:00

My regrets on being absent for the past few days but internet access is definitely not universal in the wilds of Wyoming and Utah. I left you off in Rawlins, WY, about halfway across Wyoming. On Sunday, we covered the western half of the state on I-80 and I managed to not take a single picture. To say the least the high plains territory turned into utter desolation and very high winds. At long last, we entered Utah and returned to red rocked canyons, green and flowing rivers. It felt more like we had survived than completed a mere journey.

We spent three wonderful days in Eden, Utah with old friends from my college days. In about five minutes, 40 years had managed to slide away and many happy hours were spent just catching up and laughing. Fun times indeed. Eden is a valley in the Wasatch Range separated from Ogden, Utah by about a 10 mile canyon which follows a flowing stream--beautiful.

On Wednesday, we drove from Eden up to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and achieved one of my goals in life which was to see firsthand the Tetons. Stunning is an understatement. They are nigh on impossible to capture on film or canvas. Rising right out of the floor of the valley they appear taller than they really are. I took way too many pictures but maybe I can do something with them later to feebly attempt to capture their grandeur. Jackson Hole is in a word overwhelmed with touristas so it was fun playing one of them; simply way too much money floating around that town. A shoppers delight but I'm afraid we didn't buy a thing. On Thursday we drove down to Casper, Wyoming through more desolation but not quite as bad as the western I-80 experience. On Friday, it's back to Boulder to finish up and catch a plane Monday morning. I do miss Casco Bay and my whacky tribe on Peaks. It'll be good to get back but tough to say goodby for now to Sean and Monika. Here's a few pics from the recent treks. The first two are from Eden, Utah where we stumbled across a nice double rainbow and the last is my newest, bestest friend I unexpectedly met in Jackson Hole. Enjoy.

More Islander Tales from Inland

2009-09-12T22:41:00.003-04:00

Today was a travel day. We left Boulder, headed north for Cheyenne, Wyoming, took a left hand turn and wended our way down I-80, which is really an updated Lincoln's Freedom Highway, crossed the continental divide and wound up in Rawlins, Wyoming.

Now, never having been in Wyoming, I really didn't know what to expect. I was hoping to see some of the Great Plains and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Nothing but prairie and huge sky in front of me. It was breathtakingly beautiful but I certainly wouldn't want to be here when the winds of winter come roaring down from the north. Steering our car down I-80 at a steady 75-80mph was also a new experience. Mini caravans of 4-6 cars constantly would pass me by like the wagon trains of old huddling together for some sense of security.

Rawlins, WY is a small town just about in the middle of the state. It may be small but it's the only town for many, many miles around. We stumbled into a diner for dinner and sat midst some 25 or so female high school volleyball players in town for a Saturday competition. They were having supper since they had a 175 mile bus ride to their home in Mountain View, WY. No wonder their sporting events are held on Saturday. It is indeed a different world out here. I loved the picture of the mini mall in one building which included a laundromat, ironing services, nails, massage and anything else that could be jammed into such a small space; sustainability takes many forms!!

Here's a few pics which feebly attempt to capture the expanse of the area. On to Utah tomorrow so don't know when I'll post again but hopefully soon. My "bucket list" is taking some serious hits right now.

This Peaks Islander Goes Inland!

2009-09-11T20:03:00.003-04:00

Right now, we're a long ways from the rocks and waves of Peaks Island. On Wednesday, we departed Portland for Boulder, Colorado. As our son Sean seems to be saying, "Welcome to my world". It's been good to revisit Boulder which we haven't seen in a few years.

Today, we managed to spend some time in Estes Park which is the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was very good to once again see the true Rockies. As well as the ocean of Casco Bay puts you in your place, so do the Rockies. You absolutely know you're not in charge. Enjoy today's pics; more to follow time allowing.

Ode to Summer

2009-09-06T20:17:00.003-04:00

Yes, it's Sunday evening of Labor Day Weekend. Seems like Memorial Day Weekend was two weeks ago with many days of rain in between. Well, tonight a group of islanders found some rocks to drop a barbecue grill on, set up some chairs and proceed to celebrate a quiet evening of eating, some singing and watching the moon rise out of the ocean at 7:36pm; stunningly beautiful.

I am always amazed at how bonded we islanders are. Maybe it's trying to survive the uber high costs of living here, the inconvenience of making boats, repairing stuff, finding a plumber, bringing a new refrigerator onto the island or surviving the long winters of wind and cold but they are indeed my family; whacky, but they're my whacky tribe. I can picture living in no other place. Enjoy some pics of where this gathering took place. Happy Labor Day to all; enjoy the sun while we have it!!

Family Reunion on Peaks Island

2009-09-02T09:34:00.003-04:00

It's been too long since our eldest son Sean has been on Peaks Island. As a graduate of the Peaks Island Elementary, King Middle and Portland High School class of 1989, he followed a path similar to many island kids. He grew up on Peaks. He's been living in Boulder, CO since the mid '90's and now considers it home. Yet, the call of Peaks still runs strong since as the old saying goes, once you've slept on an island .........., well, you know the rest.

Sean's been with us the past couple of weeks for a wonderful visit both for us and for him. He definitely needed the rest and recouping time Peaks can offer in its own unique way. He's managed to see some old friends, catch us up on what he's been doing professionally with his art work and socially with his significant other, Monika. Life is good for Sean right now but extremely hectic; welcome to the world of adulthood Sean.

We Tiffanys, be it the east coast or the Hawaiian branch, seem to follow similar patterns. Whenever something good or not good happens, someone special arrives or departs or for just time together, we go out to eat!! With Sean in town, we've managed to spend quite a bit of time "eating out" and spending good times just being with each other. Today, Sean departs for Boulder and he will be missed much by us but greeted so very warmly by Monika. Here's just a few pics of his presence; enjoy a peek at our family world.

Surf's Up on Peaks Island

2009-08-23T16:33:00.003-04:00

Hurricane Bill passed about 200 miles east of us today. It's done nothing but push hot, humid air at us for the last 48 hours. We all kept a pretty close eye on it since Hurricanes due tend to have a mind of their own. Having had two "eyes" pass over my head in my youth, I don't care to ever have that happen again. All we fortunately got was high humidity and high surf this Sunday.

Of course, Islanders turned out in droves to watch the surf action. Swirling, powerful swells descended on us in sets about three minutes apart. The lesson for today was, when the ocean speaks, you had better listen. Our little Whaleback on the backshore seemed to be the best viewing of wave action spilling high into the sun lit sky. Here's a few pics of today's show; enjoy.

Hawaii's 50th Anniversary as a State

2009-08-21T20:16:00.003-04:00

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the State of Hawaii.

In visiting the western Tiffany clan in Hawaii often since 1984, Hawaii has become my second home. It's with mixed feelings based on history that today is celebrated. Fortunately in the last two decades, the resurgance of the Hawaiian Nation has emerged stronger than ever. The native ways are definitely on the rise and many Hawaiians in fact are actively working to re-establish the Kingdom of Hawaii and remove themselves from the United States. Some things never change be it the Peaks Island secession efforts or reclaiming the Hawaiian Kingdom.

As my small tribute to Hawaii, here are some pics I took last October. With Sean visiting from Boulder, I turned him loose with my pics and some music from IZ; absolutely enjoy the results.

July 25th, the Apex of Summer on Peaks

2009-07-25T13:49:00.003-04:00

The last Saturday of each July is the height of the Peaks Island Summer season. An utter explosion of events all over the Island all day long and into the night.

The Peaks to Portland Swim kicks off the day at 8:30am. Over 125 brave, hearty souls dive into the water at Peaks and hopefully emerge in Portland some 3 miles away anywhere from 55 minutes to three hours. Of course, each swimmer has a friend in a kayak paddling near by for the sake of safety. Of course that makes for one crowded boat coming into Peaks loaded to the gills with swimmers, friends and kayaks; a fine example of the Hong Kong Express. Then at 10:30am over 300 runners take off for a 5k race around the Island. Another boat load of humanity descending on Peaks. The Peaks Island petting zoo is definitely open for business today.

Filling in around all of this is Brad's bike shop doing its usual brisk business on a Saturday morning, one of many bake sales at the Library, the usual hordes descending on the Library for their DVD Saturday evening selection, an Art Walk, a walking tour of certain upscale Island houses and tonight a full blown Summer dance at the TEIA Club and the normal full boatload of cars depositing this week's new renters.

In the midst of all this, I found out my gas can was empty and the lawn looking like an alpine meadow awaiting a flock of hungry goats. Throwing the gas can into our grocery cart I wandered down to the Library and dropped off an article for the monthly newsletter and proceeded to stand in line for gas at Plante's between two SUV's; sure wish I had a picture of that but I don't. Wandering home between the runners, bake sales and Brad's bikes I simply kept humming the old Joanie Mitchell tune "you don't know what you got until it's gone, they paved paradise and put up a parking lot" Is it September yet????

The 7:15am Boat from Peaks Island

2009-07-24T16:40:00.004-04:00

Now, that the 4th of July energy has departed and the August rush to complete everything before leaving Peaks Island hasn't arrived yet, we have a few short weeks of pure Summer on the island. We have many visitors but everything seems to fall into a slightly more saner rhythm. The 7:15 morning boat is the main commuting and school boat each day of the week. Yet, for these few weeks, this is one of the calmest boats of the day. Many of the regular commuters are on vacation, our visitors haven't yet started their day and the students are still in bed.

Not many people show up early for the boat and most of the people departing the incoming boat are the carpenters, plumbers, et al coming on to the island for the day. Of course, there's always Hannigan's truck bringing out another load of groceries for the day clearly marked with it's motto "If we don't have it, you don't need it"; perfect!! It's just a rather calm way to ease into the day even if a little early.

A Calm July Evening on Peaks Island

2009-07-13T19:48:00.003-04:00

Tonight after supper, I took some time to wander the beach in front of our house. It had been way too long and I wanted to check out our banking to see if it was holding as to erosion and how much growth had occurred in a couple of stray trees that had taken root some years back.

I didn't do too much checking but did spend a lot of time just sitting on a rock watching the sun go down and the 7:15 boat bringing home another load of islanders. With nearly three straight weeks of rain hopefully behind us, it was a pleasurable diversion from the daily chores to just sit and watch life go by on the bay. Enjoy the pics of a very pleasant after dinner stroll.

The Peaks Island Deluge is Over--We Hope!!

2009-07-06T16:13:00.003-04:00

For the last three weeks, Peaks Island has been in nothing but fog and rain. It continually felt like early Spring with chilly temps, wet walks to the boat and squishy, mudgolf being endured whenever possible. Islanders were definitely moving into the grumpy stage. Our seasonal visitors I'm sure felt trapped in their summer cottages with bored kids having nothing to do.

At long last, this past weekend saw the sun break through complete with some dry northwesterly breezes. Maybe, just maybe, Summer has arrived on Peaks Island. The island was overwhelmed as usual with tons of visitors this past weekend. Long car lines were the norm as the 4th of July approached. Both Friday and Saturday, the sounds of lawnmowers trying to catch up echoed all over the island. Yet, we all survived, ate too many hotdogs, watched the fireworks and listened to house parties all through the neighborhood.

The 8th annual Peaksfest went off without a hitch, weather somewhat permitting. I do enjoy watching the kids tackle the pie eating contest and seeing some old friends who needed to move off the island last September. They are missed! Enjoy the hodgepodge of pictures. Maybe next time I can pull together some sort of theme, that is if the weather can hold itself together. Enjoy the Summer breezes.

The Return of the Lupin to Peaks Island

2009-06-09T11:39:00.003-04:00

Welcome to the world of purple on Peaks Island. Late Spring always brings forth a favorite color of this season. While the lupin's have various shades of colors, my favorite has always been the deep purples. Caught in the right light of a fading sunset, they are stunning. A few years ago, I dug some up from our front bank and plunked them down in various beds around the house. Amazingly, they are continually spreading and each year offer more and more of their wonderful colors to the environment.

We're in the midst of a few days of rain right now so their colors are brighter and deeper than normal. In about a week they'll fade away but like the Fall leaves, they're a welcome sight each and every Spring even if only for a few days. Soon other colors will take their place midst the greens of Summer but for too brief a time their purple hues rule. Enjoy some pics I captured last night of this particular season of color.

Boat Home to Peaks

2009-06-01T10:13:00.003-04:00

I was in Portland on Saturday evening for dinner. I was able to catch my favorite boat back to Peaks Island, the 7:15. At this time of year, it's the perfect boat home. The sun is setting, the Bay is calm and the passengers after a long day intown, are just happy to be coming back to Peaks. It is the boat that if you take the time, makes you realize what a special place we live in. Enjoy my ride home.

Thoughts on a Soft Day

2009-05-29T16:10:00.004-04:00

We've been in rain most of this week which frankly, the island needs. I remember a few years back in the midst of summer, we went for weeks on end without a drop of rain. The cosmic energy of the island spiraled onward and upward as people just got more frantic by the day trying to do everything all at once. A dose of rain tends to bring everything back into its proper perspective. A nice day of rain is a welcomed interlude and a chance to get caught up on reading, napping and just plain thinking quietly. Of course, some go shopping!

I was dredging through some recent photos and found a few of a recent trip into town on one of the last sunny days before the rains came. I liked them since they showed life on the 7:15 boat. Most people are either snoozing or reading but a hearty band of women use this time to catch up on everything that's considered newsworthy AND they're out there Monday through Friday and January through December. They're all good friends so I hope they don't mind being put up on the internet and their secret conversations unveiled! The other pic is simply about the last day before all the boats show up for the summer so it's kind of an ode to peacefullness; see ya again in September!

Memorial Weekend Eve

2009-05-21T19:43:00.003-04:00

What a lovely evening it's been. Nigh near mid 80's today so of course, yours truly wandered around his golf course zig zagging on pretty much every hole but who cares at my age. To complete the round is defined as victory; score be damned.

We took a ride around the Island as the sun was setting so I took a few pictures of the backshore before the rocks are filled with visitors. It may get crowded but I do enjoy seeing people just staring out at the ocean lost in their own thoughts. It's something we all need to do more of; just take time, sit and be quiet. Enjoy the long first weekend of Summer!!

The Calm Before the Storm

2009-05-20T09:16:00.004-04:00

Tuesday morning I was awoken really early by the annual sweeping of the streets. Between 10pm and about 8am, two or three rather large street sweepers are barged out from Portland and they make the rounds of Peaks Island cleaning up the winter's deposit of sand from our roads. A definite necessary evil so the bicyclists quit taking headers in the piles of sand, runoff into Casco Bay is cut down and the overall look of the island is greatly improved. Yet, we all scramble for a couple of days looking for a safe parking space, not knowing when we can park again in our usual spots and we all lose a partial night's sleep. Grist for many boat discussions this week indeed.

Since I was up pretty early I walked down to catch the 7:15 boat and it was a stunningly beautiful morning. The sun had pretty much just come up and the sky was still a very deep and clear blue. I couldn't help taking a few pictures of early morning Peaks before we get invaded this weekend by our holiday visitors. I did enjoy the peace and quiet of the moment; take em wherever they occur is my motto! Enjoy the weekend and I hope it's with good friends.

Spring on Peaks Island

2009-05-17T15:47:00.003-04:00

Spring and the world of green has definitely returned to Peaks. The green of the lawns and budding leaves has changed our world of "brown" and mud to sheer lush. While the yellows have faded, we still are blessed with purple rhodys everywhere. Tulips and other assorted colors have also returned. Now, we just need the rain to stop, the sun to reappear for a few days and the sound of mowers and returning summer visitors will be upon us for the coming holiday weekend. Already the boats are disgorging numerous out of state plated cars filled to the rafters with plants, chairs, animals and anything else that will be needed this summer.

I was in town a couple of days last week plus walking the dog on a daily basis so the current batch of pictures are a little bit of everything. Enjoy the spring season of rebirth.

A Soft Saturday

2009-05-09T11:29:00.004-04:00

I always find it interesting that when walking the same loop with the dog every day, how many different things pop up from the day before you failed to see. There's something to be said for always keeping one's eyes open for new things to see at every turn.

Today is a soft day with just a small threat of potential rain, some sun shining through the low hanging clouds and the sound of lawn mowers flowing over the landscape. The grass has definitely chosen to grow rapidly this past week and the daisies have definitely taken over many lawns. We don't do a lot of fertilization here on Peaks since we're so close to Casco Bay and runoff is a definite issue so different colors than brown are everywhere.

It was fun seeing different sheds and backyards from different angles while making the rounds of my neighborhood. Nothing spectacular for pics today, just another view of my little neighborhood on Peaks Island.

Rainy Days

2009-05-07T16:39:00.003-04:00

It seems year in and year out between May and June, one of those months has a lot of rain in it. Now that we're into May, it might just be our rainy month this year. It's been a pretty rainy week which means walking the dog has to occur on the rain's time schedule and not the dog's. It does make life a little more interesting.

Yet, the walks take on a little extra since everything looks a tad more shiny under the dampness. It's fun seeing new things each day while walking the same route; the house with its new load of wood for next winter, the cleared field starting to regain its spring greening and a car that might have come out of Havana it's so old.

Unfortunately, I had to be in town yesterday. Since it was Wednesday, it was no car ferry day so I rode home on the aging Island Romance which I've been riding since 1975. It's got great seating so there's always a lot of chattering going on between neighbors and the usual riders lost in their thoughts and books. Always a good way to come back to Peaks. I couldn't help taking a couple of pics. Enjoy.

May Is In The Air!

2009-05-03T11:55:00.003-04:00

At long last, it appears Spring has finally made its appearance on Peaks Island. I was walking our dog Otis right around sundown last night, the island was quiet, the April winds were gone and peace had descended on Peaks. It was a beautiful moment and I managed to catch a few pics at the lower end of my street.

Today dawned slightly cloudy but not a bad day. I love the sound of lawn mowing in the morning. It started early and hasn't stopped yet. I keep looking at my mower and the grass trying to make the ultimate decision to mow or not to mow; that is the definite question of the day. The relm of green is slowly returning. The grass is growing, the trees are lightly greening as the buds slowly explode into full blown leaves and it's a good Sunday on Peaks. Between the Red Sox in Tampa and Sunday afternoon golf with Tiger Woods, I feel definitely under the full blown threat of a nap attack. Enjoy these moments of quiet for the hordes will soon descend on us with their full blown checklists of things to accomplish.

Boat's In!

2009-04-05T10:54:00.003-04:00

Almost nothing disturbs the natural rhythm of the island like an arriving boat from town. In the morning as I'm walking down Island Avenue heading for an early boat I've always enjoyed watching the people coming out of their houses and slowly generating a stream of individuals headed for the mainland for another day of work, shopping, school or any other activity. It always reminds me of a scene from the old 1940's movie "How Green Was My Valley" as the workers head out of their houses toward the coal mine's entrance. Just a steady stream of islanders headed down Island Avenue toward Welch Street and down the hill flowing onto the boat.

Of course, in the afternoon all is reversed and the flow moves back onto the Island just like the 13 hour tides we have twice each day; tides go out, tides come in; people go out, people come back. On a Saturday afternoon, when people return, you can almost see everything getting off the boat; groceries, plants, aging relatives, carts, carry-ons like guitars for an evening gathering. Just a touch of everything that's island life. No stunning pictures today, just a touch of our precious island life.

So Long March!

2009-03-31T12:08:00.003-04:00

After days of rain, clouds, fog and overall dreariness, we're crawling over the finish line of March. The last snow departed during the past rainy weekend. At long last we today had a bit of sun and managed to scrape a few wet leaves around and uncovered a few early spring flowers. Let the time of color begin and welcome to the annual Peaks Island Flower Show.

Of course, just walking around the yard is a bit depressing seeing everything that needs to be done but at long last we can at least see it. We've made it from the world of white to the world of brown on our way to the world of green. Hang in there folks, better days are on the way.

It is funny looking up the back road and seeing how much of that road was deposited in our yard during the plowing season. Oh well, this time of year gives us all much to do and at long last we're able to be outside. Of course, we still haven't put away the snow shovels. I've always believed that by putting them away, you guarantee one more snowstorm. I'll risk the laughter of my neighbors for no more snow. Bring on April and Opening Day at Fenway!!

Beautiful Peaks Island Mud Season

2009-03-15T17:22:00.003-04:00

It's definitely the wonderful time of mud. The snow has been melting, exposing lost tools, bikes, tricycles, bones and the rest of whatever we all forgot to put away last November. Early, early Spring has been visiting us off and on for the past week. Of course, there was one day of snow but what the hell, it's Peaks Island in March; what can we possibly expect? The winds have died down for the weekend, the sun has been shining and the temps have been above freezing. It's been a very good weekend.

It is the time that a strange feeling of "hope" begins to crawl into our collective consciousness. Of course, the first day of rain, snow, sleet et al comes crashing down on us and everyone then really gets the grumpies. We do love to chew on one another each and every March. One would think we would learn some lessons from the many March's gone by but each and every March it's always something that stirs us all up. I've often wondered why so many towns in Maine have their town meetings in mid March. I can't think of a better time to bring individuals together to talk about spending and taxes and create the perfect storm for an explosive situation.

It was fun taking some walks around the Island seeing the snow recede and the land begin to emerge. We all have a lot of yard work ahead of us but the thoughts of those times is very good---for today. Enjoy the neighborhood.

It's Still February on Peaks Island

2009-02-23T11:45:00.003-05:00

Just another winter's day on Peaks Island. Another storm blew through last night and left us with one more mess to clean up. Living by the ocean in Maine brings very interesting storms on Peaks. Unlike the interior flatland, Peaks Island often has vast mixtures of moisture all within a single storm.

We started last night with rain followed by huge flakes of snow followed by sleet followed by more heavy wet snow followed by no electricity for a few hours followed by overall icing. What a fun event to scrape your shovel through all the layers trying to get a pathway cleared out before the temps drop below freezing and everything gets locked in. Oh well, at least for the current moment we're above freezing so the chipping can continue and some progress will be made.

It's almost March so we're just about into what I call the "grumpy" season. Cabin fever takes many forms on Peaks Island but one of the most common and repetitious is we love to argue with each other on almost any topic of interest to anyone at any given time. Sometimes, the discussions can be interesting but too often they just get tiring. I often think everyone should just go to their rooms, take a deep breath and enjoy the wondrous place we all live in. With the wet sticky snow, the trees, fences, buildings and anything in the way of the wind just catches the snow and makes for some attractive pictures today; enjoy, take a deep breath and await some warm rays of the sun. At least we can watch the Red Sox run around in circles under the palm trees! Hope is on the way.

Welcome to February on Peaks Island

2009-02-05T17:03:00.003-05:00

Well, January has rolled on by and we're now into February. Of course, that means more snow, ice and windy cold but it also means we're that much closer to March, the start of my very own Spring!! One always needs mental games to survive a cold, snowy winter like this one. A couple of storms the past week but no electricity loss so all was well with a few more quiet days in the land of white and ice.

The pics for today are an utter mishmosh of collective mid Winter blahs removal; in short, I haven't quite lost it yet but I can see insanity from here. Too many meetings and not enough quiet time; more storms are needed to just put everyone in their respective "rooms" for a couple of days.

Put some gas in the vehicle today at Plante's, bought some food at Hannigan's and took a ride around the Island to charge the battery up. Of course, when doing the routine on Peaks, that's just when the magic of Peaks comes flying forth. Heading down to the backshore to look for a picture or two, my car is absolutely halted by a single line of 7 ducks waddling down the street in single file; frankly, they looked a lot like Islanders heading down Welch Street towards the 7:15 boat trying their very best to remain upright!

We also had a visitor over the weekend for a few days. Our son Josh and his lovely wife Heather had a chance to go down to Providence for a birthday party so we took on the care, feeding and laughter inducing dog of theirs, a young pug named Sophie. By the time we returned Sophie, our dog Otis (or Oddie on his bad days) was getting noticably tired of this intrusion of a wonderful bundle of energy into his space. The last pic of note was something I pulled off a food review site called RoadFood of a small breakfast joint in Portland. I loved the pic since to me it represents the very best of breakfast dining in a Maine joint. Hell, just enjoy whatever I sucessfully get uploaded. Survive the cooler temps we're all having right now and stay well.

Good News-Bad News

2009-01-19T14:56:00.004-05:00

It's definitely been a time of good news, bad news. The good news is that our temps have moderated. We're no longer in the deep freeze of double digit negative numbers. In fact, over the weekend we climbed all the way up to the mid 20's-felt almost balmy. The bad news is that the much more moderate temperatures were accompanied by a foot of new snow coming down on Sunday. The good news was it was pretty fluffy so when it finally stopped snowing Sunday evening, the shoveling wasn't too bad even with the flotsam/jetsam deposited by the snow plows. The bad news was that it snowed another 2-4" early Monday morning so the shoveling had to be done all over again. The good news was what it left us with.

Enough of the good/bad scenarios. Peaks Island is absolutely beautiful after a snowstorm. The quietness of the island just makes the beauty of the trees and summer cottages all the more vivid. I dropped Jill off for the 10am boat and made a quick tour of the island with my little camera. I took over thirty pictures in the 4.5 mile circular route. Enough of the words; enjoy the winter scenes of our little island.

-14 Degrees and Counting!

2009-01-16T16:05:00.003-05:00

It sure got cold quickly around the Island this morning. Allegedly, Casco Bay waters keep us warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Frankly, the current weather pattern has me questioning that assumption. Woke up this morning to -14 yet the sun was shining so by mid morning we had crossed over into positive territory. Unfortunately, the wind picked up this afternoon right out of the west, straight down from Mount Washington, across Portland, across Casco Bay and slamming right into Peaks Island. I have not a clue what the wind chill reading is but I'm sure it's in the neighborhood of -25 or so.

Yet ten miles inland, the temps were running -20 and over in the western hills along the New Hampshire border I saw readings of -30 this morning. Now, I've been in -20 and that was plenty uncomfortable enough for me. Nothing like walking out the front door across your deck with the boards groaning and popping every step of the way and your lungs searching for oxygen as the cold wind just shuts everything down. Oh well, enough sniveling for today. Supposed to snow over the weekend so that means warmer temps at least. Here's a few shots from this morning taking a peek at some seasmoke. Some change from a beautiful sunset a couple of days ago. I'll admit I stole one picture from our local rag I thought captured the moment.

To my western family in Hawaii----quit laughing!! You are mightily missed on days like this.

A Truly Cold New Year's Day

2009-01-01T23:13:00.004-05:00

It was certainly no January thaw day today. The temps never made it beyond 10 degrees and the winds were blowing right down from Canada to the tune of 40mph gusts. It was just a cold January day. I heard wind chills of minus twenty degrees most of the day so definitely no golf today.

Even our dog Otis was extremely content to sit on top of my couch and watch life go by during most of the day. His treks outside certainly were not very lengthy. This morning I opened the back door and voila, a truly beautiful storm door work of ice art was presented me in the morning sun. Even on a cold, windy day, nature provides us gifts to behold. It is time to be quiet.

Stay warm.

A Beautiful Respite

2008-12-29T21:46:00.004-05:00

What a wonderful day we had on Peaks today. The sky didn't have a cloud in it, the wind was absolutely nonexistent and the sun was crystal clear and warm!! Temps made it into the 40's, just a gorgeous day.

It took me about half a cup of coffee to reach the decision to take a boat ride, do some errands and just enjoy this mid winter's break. Nothing this good lasts for long in late December so utter care must be taken to enjoy the break and inhale as many deep breaths of life as one can. Of course, I took my little camera with me so here's a few shots of a beautiful winter's day on Peaks.

Of course, there's always a bit of humor on Peaks so it was interesting seeing a stranded golf cart emerging from its captive snowbank; can Spring be far behind??

Quiet Time on Peaks Island

2008-12-27T12:26:00.003-05:00

At long last, Peaks Island is able to emit a huge exhale of pent up energy after attempting futilely to have everything in its proper place for Christmas. Most of the guests have now left the island and maybe, just maybe there's still a minute amount of space appearing in the refrigerator for some more leftovers! It's now quiet time on Peaks Island.

After putting some very expensive gas in my vehicle at Plante's, I took a slow trek around the island and didn't encounter a single vehicle, just a few hearty individuals out walking their dogs. It was very relaxing to say the least. Anyone still having a few coins to rub together may well depart for some warmer clime in the coming days. For me, this is the absolute best part of the year on Peaks Island. We'll soon be down to the hearty hardcore gathered on Friday nights at the Inn on Peaks for a community gathering during Happy Hour with a pretty empty dining area since everyone is crammed into the bar making way too much noise with their bad jokes, erroneous rumors and way too much laughter.

Here's a few pics from my trek around the island. Enjoy the recovery period from Christmas and enjoy the quietude of winter. It is time to hibernate!

Merry Christmas from Peaks Island

2008-12-24T15:24:00.003-05:00

Just a couple of pics today showing some of the snow around the neighborhood. It's been busy here on the Island getting ready for Christmas. I finished pulling together a nice pot of lobster stew for tonight's meal. Of course, the ladies of the house are now poised over the pot working their skills at "fixing" it trying to put the extra taste and texture required of a Christmas Eve dining experience. It's very difficult for Jill, an ex west coaster, to live with me, a lifelong New Englander meat and potatoes guy. Oh well, sure hope they don't lose the lobster taste by covering it with too much paprika and sherry!

Our weather has finally taken a turn toward "Warm". Of course it being late December, that means 40 degrees. This morning we started with snow of a couple inches followed by sleet and hail followed by rain followed by gray. Oh well, it's Maine so just wait awhile and whatever's going on will definitely change.

It's time for quiet now. Hannigan's Market closed at 1pm so let the baking begin with whatever's on hand. It's too late to make it to town for last minute shopping so sit down, be quiet and enjoy this most wonderful evening with family and close friends. Seasons Greetings to all from Peaks Island and if I could ever spell meli kalikimaka I'd send that out to my Hawaii clan.

Peaks Island Nor'easter

2008-12-22T16:57:00.003-05:00

Well, that was a very strong storm we had over the weekend. Gale force winds, 16" of snow and temps in the teens ruled Sunday until early Monday morning. Allegedly, there's more on the way so lots of shoveling was going on in the neighborhood today.

At least our electricity held so it was nice relaxing on my computer complete with heat and lights. No sniveling allowed today since way too many of our neighbors to the south outside of Worcester, MA (near my old home town) are still without heat and lights after last week's ice storm. They have definitely earned the right to snivel to their heart's content.

I didn't have a chance to take pictures during Monday but maybe tomorrow. Here's a few from during the storm and a quick one during the latter part of a beautiful sunset on Monday evening. Being self titled as "Windy Point" where we live, we have a hard time gauging the depth of any snowfall; somehow it always ranges between bare, brown ground and 4' drifts. Hopefully, the winds will die down tonight, the sun will shine tomorrow and the temps will make it into the mid 20's; now, that's a beautiful Maine winter's day. My Hawaii kin were definitely in my thoughts today as I was shoveling away; Aloha all!!

Winter has Arrived--Again!!

2008-12-17T11:43:00.004-05:00

Well, there's no doubt that our winter has now arrived. Between the ice storm of last Thursday and finally getting the island back into the modern world of electricity on Sunday, we're now in the midst of a nice little Nor'Easter. It's not too bad as far as storms go but my head is still back on the golf course and not yet adjusted into winter storm mode.

I'm afraid I have to catch the 12:45 boat uptown for a meeting and I'm not looking forward to being on the road during this storm. It usually takes a couple of early season snows to get everyone's driving habits readjusted. Way too many people just keep driving at the same speed as a month ago so fender benders abound with many vehicles finding their way into the ditches of I-295 around Portland. Include Christmas shopping stresses into the mix and a little chaos abounds.

Oh well, we could all be down in York County and central Mass around Worcester where they still don't have their power back. As we say on Peaks Island in December, it's always something!! Here's a couple of pics taken from the decks. For those in warmer climes, have a chuckle on me!!

The Iceman Cometh to Peaks

2008-12-12T09:47:00.004-05:00

Nothing like 24 hours of falling ice to catch your attention. We've lost power at least four times but so far at least, not for very long. The coffee pot is full, the morning mush (oatmeal) has been served and so far this morning the power has held. It certainly brings back memories of the Great Ice Storm of 1998 when virtually all of Maine was iced back to the stoneage for two weeks. We even received help from some Hawaii Electric Company linesmen back then who flew into Bangor to assist us. Of course, their first stop after deplaning was LL Bean for survival gear! Now, that was a storm with trees crashing all around us. So far, not even close to that but each and every ice storm refreshes those memories.

At least the ice has stopped raining down and right now it's almost turned back into rain so with a little luck we'll just have an icky quiet day to do our Christmas chores, get letters written, Facebook entries updated and naps and reading accomplished. I just leaned out the door and took a couple of quick pics to try and capture the moment. May the rains stop in Hawaii and the sun resume its normal duties!!

A Peaks Mini-Vacation

2008-12-04T14:41:00.006-05:00

Decided on the spur of the moment to run away to town for a few hours of mini-vacation this week. Every once in awhile I just need to get on the boat, drag out a book for some reading time, fall into Becky's Diner for a late breakfast, run a few errands and fall back onto the boat for the return ride. Just enough time to get away from the puzzles of the day, get in some serious reading time and just have some free time for myself.

Becky's Diner is a wonderful little hole in the wall restaurant at the head of Hobson's Wharf right on Commercial Street. From 4am til 9pm 362 1/2 days a year it serves up wonderful food but specializes in many, many forms of breakfast. If you've never heard of or seen it, here's a link to it's website; yummmm!! http://www.beckysdiner.com/

Even if it's just a couple of hours, it's like an adult recess we all need to take once in awhile. Here's some pics from my very mini adventure into the wilds of the big city of Portland. Certainly not as many people hanging around waiting for the boat back to Peaks.

Heavy Water Time

2008-11-25T15:23:00.005-05:00

There's nothing like a strong blow out of the east to push a running sea into our little island. Today's been such a day with pretty strong winds blowing about 50mph flat out of the east. Our house resides on the western side of the island facing Portland harbour so we're pretty much in the lee of the storm.

It's been raining heavily since the middle of last night with the winds picking up their intensity by the hour. The call's gone out to fellow islanders working on the mainland that it might be a good idea to leave work a little early to be sure of getting home. With the sustained winds we have, they could well berth the boats in Portland since it would be too difficult and unsafe to attempt landings on the islands.

Here are some pictures taken on a quick ride around the island. Wish they were better composed but they'll give you an idea of a Peaks Island stormy day; enjoy. These pictures were taken at near slack tide so you'll have to imagine what it was about six hours earlier. For all flatlanders, slack tide is low tide!

Winter's Almost Here!

2008-11-20T20:14:00.003-05:00

Well, golf was cancelled this past Tuesday. Something to do with 32 degrees and 20mph northerly breezes. This may well be the end of another season since there's a forecast of possible snow over the weekend. In years gone by, our major goal was to golf in December but with each passing year the tolerance of my back to lower temps has definitely decreased. This is the first week some of our nighttime temps made it into the high teens so I'm afraid we're getting close to the end of Fall and the beginning of the dreaded W word.

One of the main identifiers of Winter bearing down on us are the animals. The snoozes tend to get more frequent and the location of the snoozes is a definite disclosure. No more sprawling in the middle of the floor but rather different enclosed locations in the sun or near heat have been scoped out and now being used. Some of them are downright interesting. No Peaks pics today, just a couple of snoozing animals slowly heading toward various states of hibernation. Enjoy the different forms of snuggling now going on for the next few months.

Late Fall on Peaks Island

2008-11-09T16:34:00.003-05:00

The past few days have seen some wind and rain so alas, the leaves are just about all down. Managed to capture a few pictures in late afternoon when the light is particularly sharp. We're just about departing the world of "green" and entering the world of "brown". The days are much shorter with the sun setting around 4:15 now. It's hard to believe but I have heard discussions on how our annual potluck Thanksgiving dinner is being assembled. At least, the temps have remained pretty moderate but I do hear rumors about skiing in the mountains on man made snow. Somehow, I just can't quite feel the need for skiing.

Even though it's almost mid November, I'm still seeing strangers walking around the Island and on the boat. Like the flies, we're all waiting for the first true deep frost and that'll drive them away. Enjoy the pics.

Hawaii Time

2008-11-02T12:13:00.003-05:00

Though I've been back in Maine for over a week now, my brain is still all fogged up from the long trek back from Hawaii. It does seem with each passing year, it takes me an additional day, or more, to restore my limited brain power. Today's writing will be strictly on Hawaii and not on Peaks Island.

I managed to spend two wonderful weeks in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. I stayed with my brother and his wife on a wonderful 17 acre estate called Lanikuhonua. Translated, it means "Where Heaven meets the Earth". It's a cultural institute today grown out of the former summer estate of one James Campbell, a Scotsman who as an engineer managed to bring the water supply from the windward side (the rainy side) of the island to the leeward side (the desert side). Today, long after his passing, his estate has done much to retain the cultural heritage of the Hawaiian people. My brother's wife Nettie is native Hawaiian and is the manager/caretaker of this estate and lives right on it. Since I find it nearly impossible to describe its beauty I'll just place down a link to a website which has a one minute video of it and show some pictures I took while there.

http://www.lanikuhonua.org/

I've been so fortunate to have been going there since 1984 and seeing all the changes that have occurred in the state of Hawaii since then especially the rise in native pride and protection of its culture. Enjoy the pictures of this very special and spiritual place. Oh, fear not, Peaks Island is my home, it will stay my home and it will always be my home but Hawaii is definitely my second home.

Home at Last!!

2008-10-25T15:28:00.003-04:00

My sincere regrets for not posting anything for way too long. As an old friend once said, I got run over by reality. Just too many things going on all at once. For the past two weeks I've been in Hawaii visiting with my brother and his family. It was absolutely wonderful spending time with him rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots and even a UConn football game. I've been making trips to Hawaii (well, Oahu actually) since 1984 so Hawaii is almost my second home. My brother has two wonderful daughters with families of their own so the Sunday gatherings get wonderfully raucous. I always thought the game Scrabble was a blood sport only on Peaks Island; not so!!

I made the trek by flying direct from Newark to Honolulu and vice versa. Yes, it's about a 10 hour flight but if you can stand it, you're done and it's over. Coming back though is like coming through a time warp. You leave at 8pm Honolulu time and get off in Newark at noon the next day. For the next week all I do is roam around the house from 3-5am and take naps whenever I fall over and do my best to smile and keep my mouth shut so I won't appear too stupid.

Above all else, the absolute best part of going to Hawaii is taking the boat back to Peaks. It is so good to be back. The trees still have some color, the air is absolutely clear and dry and the island is pretty well shut down for the winter. The best part of the year at least until the snow starts to fly. Many sounds of chainsaws and lawnmowers permeating the morning air make you know it's Fall. Here's some quick pics I took this morning as I was sitting on the backshore enjoying the sea. It is great to be back on Peaks. Mahalo!!!

A Quiet Sunday Evening

2008-08-24T19:37:00.004-04:00

Slowly but surely the tide of humanity is flowing outward from Peaks. Every boat leaving this weekend has been filled with cars, kids, kayaks, canoes and tons of bikes. Hopefully, gramma's tucked away in the rear of the vehicle somewhere!!

As the sun went down tonight, the atmosphere just felt lighter. Of course during the afternoon, the Reggae Sunday crowd was in fine form with their drunken off key singing but it didn't sound too bad as long as I wasn't in the middle of it. Memories of my own youthful barfly endeavors did manage to creep into my mind for awhile. As always though, the peacefulness of the setting sun over the Bay just calms me down and ever so quietly puts me in my place. We are absolutely not in charge.

Enjoy the evening pics.

Red Sky at Night, One Sailor's Delight!

2008-08-23T11:52:00.004-04:00

This past Wednesday, I lost a friend and a neighbor I've enjoyed since coming to Peaks Island in the mid 1970's. Doug McVane passed away suddenly Wednesday night.

Doug was the first neighbor to greet us when we moved into our house and in those first few winters on the island, his and our lights were the only ones on our street. Doug was a "lifer"in the navy spending many years on submarines. When he retired, he returned to Peaks Island dropping his duffle bag on the porch of his island home where it still sits today.

Doug never married so we islanders were his family. He was a liberal's liberal devoting many of his hours on improving the life of islanders to whatever extent he could. He was a true environmentalist in the most basic way possible. I can't remember how many times I caught him walking the beach at the end of our street picking up trash and just enjoying the sea be it a clear sunny day or one of fog and drizzle.

Doug passed away suddenly while being transported to the mainland on the fireboat. Only fitting for a true sailor to end his time with us at sea.

Most every night, I'd see Doug walking through my neighbor's yard toting his walking stick to have a seat on their front stoop to watch the sunset. Sometime I'd join him for a chat about whether it was going to be a good one or just the normal above average one. On the Thursday evening after his passing, Jill took the camera and had a seat to watch the sun set in Doug's honor. It was a good one. Calm seas Doug!!

A Mid August Saturday

2008-08-10T10:50:00.004-04:00

At long last, the rains, lightning and thunder ceased even if only for a day. The sun's rays descended on Peaks Island and the smiles almost grew as fast as the grass and weeds. It turned out to be a beautiful Saturday and shock of all shocks, the calendar of community events was pretty blank. It seems since the 4th of July weekend, Peaks Island has been on overdrive trying its best to cram way too many exciting activities into too short a summer. Art walks, art shows at the Gem, church days, road races, Peaksfest, reading groups, eclectic music of all shapes, sizes and sounds; I'm sorry I've reached overload. It was time to take a few hours off and head into town for a wonderful dinner with our son Josh and his wonderful wife Heather.

Of course, the boat landing was an utter zoo complete with day trippers, wedding attendees, renters, party goers and even a few islanders heading into town. Once the boat disgorged its latest visitors and a fresh load of departing vehicles were loaded, the hordes descended onto the boat. Of course, among the last to load were a few islanders just strolling on behind the crowd marching to their own sweet drumming time. The trip into town was filled with sights of the sun and some wonderful clouds.

Coming into Portland, we were greeted with sights of the schooners carrying their own visitors and the latest cruise ship towering over the sky line. Our tax dollars at work bringing more crowds into Portland for their valued trip to LL Bean in Freeport for shopping. At least it wasn't raining for the moment and it was a precious time well spent on Casco Bay. A much needed breather before the next raindrops descend on us all.

A Peaks Islander's 1st Lobster

2008-08-04T08:18:00.003-04:00

Last week, Jill and I attended a very large, fun filled island party extravaganza. A simple gathering of 200 close friends----and, trust me, they really were. Nothing like fully celebrating the completion of large renovation projects on two houses complete with extensive landscaping as a prime reason to throw a party. It was indeed a party complete with catered lobster dining, a full band, numerous adult beverages and large tents everywhere. A wonderful way to say an island thank you to the many many individuals connected with a year long effort. All I could think of was clicking my sandals twice and no longer being on Peaks Island but rather Nantucket or Marthas Vinyard.

The highlight for me though was watching a rite of passage occur. Daisy is a wonderful young lady who will be leaving the island this Fall to continue her education in Portland at a Middle School. It was the perfect time for her to learn the secrets of eating a Maine lobster. It was a delight watching her face change as she considered the task ahead, pondered the eternal question of "do I really want to do this", accept the inevitable that yes, today was the day for this large leap of faith and finally, the face of enjoyment. Wonderful facial changes; enjoy every shot of a delightful individual. Good luck Daisy and thanks for the pictures.

Summer Roads on Peaks Island

2008-07-24T17:30:00.003-04:00

The lazy days of summer have definitely arrived on Peaks Island. The zaniness, crowds and high energy level of the 4th of July have departed. Now, we're into the weekly renters arriving on the island in their nice black, humongous SUV's loaded down with bikes, kayaks, kids, pets and anything else that will fit in. It's a different form of zaniness but fun to watch.

Just watching the crowds get on and off the boats is a real hoot. Yet, more often than not, you see individuals sitting on rocks looking out to sea utterly lost in their own quiet thoughts or camped out on a porch in a hammock either reading a book or sawing the old zzzzz's. It is heartening to see people take some time to just slow down and be quiet. It is easy to get your body in rhythm with the tides if you give it a chance.

Last weekend, we visited the TEIA clubhouse with some old friends visiting from New Hampshire for the 25th annual Schooner Fare concert. It was just a nice time sitting on the deck overlooking the Bay, watching the sun go down over the Diamond Islands and listening to some good old fashioned folk music with a maritime bent. A great way to spend a late July evening. I hadn't been there in awhile so the camera came with me so enjoy some different views of Peaks Island.

Calm Before the Storm

2008-07-03T09:41:00.004-04:00

It's early morning on July 3rd and there's not a lot stirring on Peaks Island----yet! By the afternoon, downfront will be packed with people shopping at Hannigans for those extra set of hot dogs and rolls, the ice cream line will be out the door and each arriving boat will offload another set of flatlanders arriving for the holiday weekend.

Yet, at 9am, all is still quiet on the island. Jill and a good friend are setting up the table to sell raffle tickets to benefit the Health Center and t-shirts for tomorrow's around the island Clam Shell family road race. A few hearty souls are taking in the sun while sipping their mugs of coffee outside of Lisa's; not too many lattes sold here and the beginning of the backshore is pretty quiet. By late morning, all this will change but for this moment, all is well on a quiet, peaceful Peaks Island.

Tide Pooling on Peaks Island

2008-06-29T17:00:00.003-04:00

Last weekend at 7am sharp, the tide was right, the weather ok if a tad foggy and hearty folks and children assembled for some tide pool educating. A good friend of mine, Lynne Richard, led a number of kids and adults on a wonderful educational experience of exploring tide pools on the southern shore of Peaks Island.

Several pictures were taken reflecting the kids peering into an experience they had never seen before. After some thirty years of living on this island, I am still amazed at the environment surrounding us. Thanks to Jill for taking the pictures and making the early morning trek; I was still slumbering away at the early morning hour and missed out on this adventure. Enjoy.

Peaks Island Boat Time

2008-06-14T18:14:00.003-04:00

You can definitely tell when the summer season has arrived. Simply go down front and wait for a boat to come in. Of course, one has to stop and read the local bulletin board to see what's for sale, any houses for rent and what's going on around the island.

Other people are slowly meandering down to the waiting area and thinking about how to get in what type of line to get back on the boat and head back to the mainland. Once the boat is docked, off come the many out of state vehicles loaded down for bear both in, on top of and behind their vehicles; it's moving in time for the week or the summer. Then the hordes of people come off the boat, onto the ramp and up Welch Street lugging bags, grocery carts, dogs, kids, walkers and anything else that's got a pulse and can make it up the street.

Finally, the year round islanders come strolling off the boat once the hordes have departed. Somehow, we just do not like crowds of people. Let the flatlanders charge off and we'll eventually depart the boat usually talking with a fellow neighbor we haven't seen in a few days. Just another late Spring day on Peaks Island.

First Summer Day

2008-06-08T17:54:00.003-04:00

The first Summer day arrived this morning as very warm, humid air flowed in from the south. Mid day temperatures were around the mid 80's. Fortunately, on Peaks Island, we are surrounded by natural air conditioning called Casco Bay. With the Bay's temperature still barely over 50 degrees, the slightest breeze keeps us on the cool side. It's a rare Summer day that a breeze doesn't pick up like clockwork right around noon and today was no exception.

The boats were out in force today, the sun was shining and the clouds were just rolling along. A fine first Summer's day on the Island. The Casco Bay Line boats were full on every run. I know for I was sitting in my swing watching the Bay go by. What else is a swing overlooking the Bay good for on a nice, warm Sunday afternoon but keeping an eye on everything. Here's some more lupin pictures for you Ronnie. A huge shout out to Kayte who graduated from high school yesterday in Honolulu; way to go Kayte!!!! On to the University of Hawaii--Go Rainbow Warriors!

Peaks Island Boys and Their Toys!

2008-06-07T12:02:00.004-04:00

As sure a sign that the cold of winter has departed and that summer is upon us is the annual visit to Peaks Island of the rather large trailer truck lugging boats down my street to the ramp to deposit its cargo of fun into Casco Bay. Over the weekend, about 30 boats from yards all over the island will once again make it to the Bay.

I enjoy seeing the smiles and shiny eyes on the boat owners riding in their vessels down my street to the sea for another season of memory making on the waters of the Bay. As the sign on the truck states, "Hauling Boys and Their Toys"---that is one huge amen brother!! With the price of fuel this season, there may well be much more time spent on the mooring but just to spend time on the water, even if it's at the mooring, is time well spent. Another boating season has begun on the island and another fresh chaptor in island living is about to be written.

Welcome to June!

2008-06-02T22:44:00.004-04:00

Saturday finally brought some much needed rain to Peaks Island. At long last, everyone could take a down day and recover from the Memorial Day Weekend hordes of walkers, bicyclists, strollers and golf carts clogging the island's roads. Nothing like a good book on a rainy day to settle one down and restore some order to the universe.

At long last my favorite wildflower, the lupin, has returned. For two short weeks the island is covered with these beautiful, free flowing purple, pink and white long stemmed flowering wildflowers. They are simply beautiful. Every year I wait until the early ones are getting nearer to blooming, dig a few up and move them around the property and let them run wild and do their thing. After so many years here, they are everywhere. Alas, it's only for a couple of weeks but while they're out, it's a sight to behold. Tonight was a crystal clear evening so I took my camera out for a few pics of the lupins. For my niece Ronnie in Hawaii, this blog's for you; enjoy your favorite Maine wildflower.

So Long to the Month of May

2008-05-30T16:30:00.003-04:00

Hard to believe but June comes bursting in this weekend. Last weekend, the first wave of flatlanders descended on Peaks Island and somehow, we all survived. Frankly, I didn't even leave my yard so I spent a very quiet weekend doing yardwork and deck time doing some reading. I did hear we had a full four police officers on duty meeting the hordes coming off the boats muttering "remain calm, all is well" or something like that.

I did get some pictures of the vehicles moving on to the boat. Still, once you're away from the boat landing, the island is still beautiful and pretty peaceful. Enjoy the entrance of June onto the landscape.

Beautiful Calm Before the Storm

2008-05-21T11:44:00.003-04:00

It only happens for a couple of days each year but I just can't help myself. I have to take pictures of the "greening" of Peaks. No matter the length or harshness of the winter, every year the week before Memorial Day, the leaves of green reappear and our world changes from brown to green. By next week, we'll be used to it again and resume our hectic daily lives but for one or two short days, we just sit down and appreciate this yearly transition.

The shrubs are flowering, the tulips are awash in their brightness, the yard work is constant, the required painting is still undone, the peas and early lettuce are in and the rhubarb is flowering and best of all, it's still quiet time on Peaks. Of course, all this will end beginning Thursday when the first tide of annual visitors flood ashore on our little island for the Memorial Day Weekend. Since we live on the ocean and watch the tides come in and tides go out, tides of people are just one more facet of living in this beautiful location. We just have to remember to get our groceries packed away by Thursday so we can avoid traveling down front midst the weekend crowds. Party on people!! Enjoy the weekend and have a dog for me.

Green has Returned!!

2008-05-12T16:34:00.003-04:00

Yes, the color of green has revisited Peaks Island at long last. This past weekend, the sounds of many lawnmowers and strange, black SUV's with foreign plates pierced the airwaves. Spring has definitely arrived and not a moment too soon. It has been a very long winter and the islanders were definitely moving into the grumpy stage.

The flowering shrubs and rhodys are in full bloom and the trees are slowly moving toward leafing out. It's still cool but at least the snow shovels have been put away, the deck chairs restored and yardwork has begun. With some more days of sun the full blown painting schedule can begin. On Patriots Day, 2007, all the Casco Bay Islands were hit hard a very strong n'oreaster which took down many, many trees on the islands. We had a large fir tree pretty close to the house and all I did was watch the ground heaving around it as the winds blew fiercely. We finally took it down and counted over 40 rings in it but it was definitely time.

Of course, that opened up an entire side of our house to much additional light and gardening space so the race is on to fill it in with new plantings. Here's some shots of early Spring on the island; enjoy and survive the week.

A Spring morning's Mist

2008-05-06T16:01:00.003-04:00

Today being a golfing day, I wandered my way down a deserted Island Avenue toward the 7:15 am boat. Apparently, warmer air came in last night so this morning we were greeted by the first fog of the year. Climate change? Please, do not get me started.

It was a beautiful, quiet walk to the boat. Fortunately, I had thrown my camera into the bag. Whatever looked interesting cloaked in the morning fog got it's picture taken. Enjoy and welcome to Spring!!!

Spring--At Last!!!!!

2008-05-05T16:12:00.003-04:00

Besides being flat out too busy to think about putting some words on paper, the late hold of winter just wasn't motivating me very much to do anything except read and watch the old telly. This was a verrrrrrry long winter but at last it's gone. The flowers are blooming, the grass is growing, the basements on Peaks are finally drying out and for today, the Red Sox are in 1st place and the Celtics are moving on in the playoffs. It's a very good day.

We had a weekend of rain but today the shining sun greeted the new week as the workerbees sullenly shuffled toward the 7:15 boat into town this morning and the purr of lawnmowers wafted through the afternoon air; Spring has definitely arrived. The lobster pots are piling up nearer to the docks, the first sails of the year are taking place and early Spring painting and chores are taking place like the moving of a shed. Well, maybe not a shed but maybe Peaks Island's newest rental, three holer or our version of affordable housing!! May the sun continue for awhile, the rivers gently recede and the islanders emerge from their winter dens. Let the silly season begin!!

The Ides of March

2008-03-15T11:27:00.003-04:00

In like a lion, out like a lamb as the old saying goes. Well, here we are on the Ides and it's just another snowy day on Peaks Island. The natives are getting grumpier and grumpier. It is definitely time for a change of pace. I just returned walking to the island library following some car tracks to keep out of the ever increasing snow depth. I do enjoy walking down the middle of Island Avenue late on a Saturday morning never having to move out of the way; try that in August!!

At least on those days it's not snowing, the sounds of ever increasing amounts of birds can be heard from the early morning on. As of yesterday our yard had more bare ground than snow. At 4o plus degrees and some sun it definitely felt like an early spring day. Going into town last night for dinner with an old friend, I even saw three large SUV's roll off the car ferry packed to the gills; good grief, they're returning like the swallows to Capistrano. As the old saying goes, to know us is to love us! Hopefully, the next set of pictures will show nothing but early flowers and lots of mud and tons of sun. For today, stay dry and at least try and enjoy the beauty of a wet, spring snow as it just sticks on the branches.

Late February on Peaks Island

2008-02-23T18:06:00.004-05:00

Today was a time of quiet. Another couple of snow falls during the week but nothing to complain about. It is our quietest time of the year. The kids were out of school this past week so trips to the south and its warmth were had by as many families as could afford it. Many others also spend some time right now in Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and all points south. It is the time of the year that Peaks Island has its lowest population--plenty of parking spaces available downfront right now!

Today, the sun was out, the wind was down and the temps were in the mid 20's; an absolutely beautiful day. Yesterday's snow was already melting away. Supposed to be another storm coming in mid week. Who cares; we're headed for March which is my very own first month of Spring. Who says I can't tell my own mind when Spring begins. Why depend on a calendar and others to tell us when the winter is winding down? Take charge of your own Spring is my motto.

Here's some pictures of our animals watching their own tv out the window as the snow was falling yesterday plus a few as the sun began to set this afternoon. Hang in there; it's almost Spring--at least we can watch the Red Sox run around the outfield every Saturday morning for a couple of hours. We are getting closer folks. Survive the snow or sun if you're in the South.

Snow Fatigue Rampant on Peaks Island!!

2008-02-11T16:36:00.000-05:00

Five out of the last six days, we had snow. Enough already; it's time for a change; Yes, we can; Spring is coming---someday. OK, I'm babbling and don't even care. Today, at least for today, no snow has fallen. Of course the temps dropped to single digits overnight and the winds increased to about 30-35 mph so it's pretty cold out there. Enough sniveling!!!! Yesterday's scenes from Pebble Beach golf course and the Pro Bowl from Honolulu were certainly appreciated!

Last Friday night, we decided to enjoy ourselves with a dinner out at the local, downfront Inn on Peaks. We settled into the pub and exchanged pleasantries with fellow islanders for nearly three hours. We were seated at a table for four and two by two, different friends just came and went so it was a fun February evening. In another part of the Inn was a PTO buffet served to raise funds so many, many anklebiters were out and about. Many people coming into the Inn were making the rounds of the Gem Art Gallery and the Cockeyed Gull restaurant which were also hosting fund raisers. A busy Friday night on Peaks Island indeed.

It's been cold enough and I've been trying to keep up with all the island council activities plus our taxes so I haven't done very well in getting around the island to grab a few pictures--I will do better---soon! Today turned out to be our dog Otis' shower day for the week. What the hell, enough of snow, ice, wind and cold. Here are some fun pictures of a drowning dog surviving his weekly bath; smile and enjoy; I sure did. Survive the winter and remember the Red Sox equipment truck pulled out last Friday and pitchers and catchers report in two days; a great Valentines Day present for Red Sox Nation after the Super Bowl letdown.

The Quiet of a Winter's Day on Peaks

2008-02-03T20:20:00.000-05:00

We went into Portland last night on the 3:45pm boat for a dinner date with each other and the streets were empty, the sidewalks were empty and only a few people showed up for the boat. It is definitely February and the island is as empty as it gets. Many people have taken a few weeks vacation to visit friends or family in warmer parts of the nation.

Me, I just love the peace and quiet of this time of the year, especially when the sun is out, the sky is a deep, clear blue and the winds are down. So it was only 25 degrees; no big deal. Without the wind but with the sun, it was a good day. Here's a few shots taken while we were awaiting the boat. The weather's supposed to take a turn for the worse early this week but who cares, March and April are on the way. Above all else, it's Super Bowl Weekend and the Patriots are playing so we're all pretty happy. Survive the winter blahs.

Winter has Returned!

2008-01-14T11:21:00.000-05:00

Yup, it's January again. Our week long weather vacation has ended. At 6am today, it was gray and overcast with a touch of a NE breeze. By 8am, we were full into the gale of a good old fashioned snowy Nor'Easter. We are definitely good to go for nigh on a foot of new fallen snow by tonight.

Our little island has pretty much shut down with the kids not in school, us oldies sitting by the fire and the workerbees doing their thing from home if at all possible. It's a good day to sit and watch the snow fly parallel to the ground. Here's a few 10am shots of what's going on. Stay warm and may the electricity stay on since the Celtics are playing tonight--we must maintain our priorities!

Calm Before the Next Storm

2008-01-13T11:18:00.001-05:00

Peaks Island's week long vacation is about to end. It's been a real nice stretch weather wise with the temps above freezing all week long melting off most of the snow cover. We had a couple of days above 50 and one even above 60 degrees; break out the shorts was the battle cry of our teens! I love the sight of shorts on the 7:15am boat on a January morning!! Reality will set in tomorrow morning with the approach of another Nor'easter which should dump about a foot of fresh new snow with strong winds on our little island community. Oh well, it is January after all.

We went uptown yesterday to walk the aisles of the local food mart packing in our supplies to make it through another Maine winter's storm. The weather was absolutely calm with more than a few flatlanders visiting the island for the day and the bay even had a couple of boats out enjoying a very early season's short sail. More pictures of snow will surely occupy the next edition. Enjoy the calm of today at least.

Who Stole Covey's Lobster Shack??

2008-01-07T16:43:00.000-05:00

It is definitely January. For three days in a row we've been over the freezing mark and today we even snuck above the 40 degree line---woo hooooo!!! A nice, gentle meltdown has been going on; there is nothing like a classic January thaw to break the stranglehold of freezing temps. Spent some of this morning up on a ladder doing my pathetic best to clear out some of the ice dams on the roof so I don't get a nice water present down through the ceilings. I do love shoveling corn snow over my head. When do pitchers and catchers report?

Saturday evening we joined Josh and Heather uptown for a nice dinner. We've been trying for a couple of weeks to do this but trying to capture some free time without anyone being down with an illness has been difficult. Heading for the boat I noticed that Covey's Lobster Shack had disappeared from the boat landing. Seems like Covey's completely pulled all his traps and stored them on top of, around and next to his little building down on his dock. I just hope we don't get a fresh foot of snow; I'm not sure his old building could stand the weight. For sure, we are now in the midst of the quiet season on Peaks Island. Enjoy the peacefulness of these winter months.

Ready--Set--Melt!!

2008-01-05T11:01:00.000-05:00

We have definitely made it out of the freezer today. The sun is shining, the temperature is in the mid 20's and the wind is gone. It is a beautiful winter's day on Peaks Island. I've just returned from a nice stroll around the neighborhood. Of course I made sure I faced the sun so I could work on my tan; what a difference a day makes!

We're allegedly due for a few days of temps above freezing so let the meltdown begin. All that means to me is tomorrow I need to crawl up the ladder, once I recover it out of a snow drift, to work on a couple of sections of ice dams that have built up over the last week. Nothing like an ice buildup on your roof followed by some warm days to bring more than a little moisture flowing into your house. Oh well, it's always something but it does keep living in Maine during the winter a constant adventure.

The quiet of today was only broken by the sea gulls feeding on the beach. Lots of squalking going on as they wandered through the rocks looking for mussels. Once they find a loose one, they grab it in their beaks, fly upwards about a 100 feet, drop it, follow it down and when the mussel hits the rock, it opens and voila--lunch--that is if they can keep it away from their fellow feathered friends trying to steal it. Enjoy some pics from around the neighborhood.

Ready--Set--Freeze!

2008-01-03T09:24:00.000-05:00

Just like I said yesterday, it looks like we have a few clear days ahead of us and today indeed dawned sunny and clear. What I forgot to say was "Who left the Freezer door open?" It got really cold last night with strong winds right out of Canada pouring over us. This morning dawned with a hearty temperature reading of 2 degrees and with the strong northerly winds, our wind chill was about 20 below.

I can hear the Hawaiian clan guffawing all the way from the lagoon; know that for today you are all very badly missed. Let the New England sniveling begin!! Yet, I know I could never live without the beauty of a Maine winter. The peacefulness that comes over our little island in the snows of winter cannot be replaced. There's nothing like the falling of snow over Casco Bay to calm one's being. It definitely allows the contemplation of many inner things to progress. Living in a place with distinctly four seasons makes each one individually precious, especially as one looks forward to the next season.

Opening the back door this morning reminded me of scenes from Dr. Zhivago!! Nothing but beautiful crystals of ice magnifying the sun's rays. Took a couple of pictures trying to capture the cascading seasmoke but nothing captures it like Josh's shot from last winter. No better day than today to give it another showing; great picture Josh.

Lastly, a huge shoutout of the day to our grandniece Kayte who's been accepted to the University of Hawaii where she'll join our other grandniece Blaine who's finishing up her Junior year. Huge kudos and a great way to begin the new year. Well done Kayte!!!

Ready--Set--Snow!!!!!

2008-01-02T16:55:00.000-05:00

Well, another storm passed through us last night. It is definitely winter in Maine right now. Allegedly, we're supposed to have nigh on a week of fair weather coming at us. Can't come soon enough for me. Three storms in a week is enough for my tired shoveling arms and back right now. With the ever increasing length of my arms I've been having trouble moving around since my new long arms get caught in the snow banks!!

Last night's storm just couldn't seem to make up its mind; snow, sleet, freezing rain and switching between one or the other every hour on the hour until it ended. Of course, once the storm completed its course, the temperatures dropped, the winds rose and once again, we're frozen solid. Hopefully at some point, the sun shall shine, the temperatures shall rise above freezing and we can get ready for the next storm coming through us.

I'm afraid I was tied to the computer today doing Peaks Island Council stuff trying to write a communications policy, fathom out a parking position to present to the developer of a nice shiny new $100 million harbor side project and figure out how to influence the budgeting process of Portland (ya, right!) so we can keep the mil rates down and all of us can stay in our houses for another year. Oh well, something to do in the winter months; might as well finally use that UConn political science degree somehow.

To those of the Hawaii Tiffany clan, my deepest regrets on last night's game against Georgia. Bigger, faster, stronger; pure and simple. They definitely now have motivation to get better next year, they got a nice check for making it into a BCS bowl, 5,000 Hawaiians got to have a great time in New Orleans and an entire state got the chance to support their culture through athletics----a helluva successful year is my take on it.

Since I didn't make it out to the street today, I only have one picture taken at sunset from our frozen, icy deck. Enjoy. I promise I'll do better soon.

One Down, One to Go!!

2007-12-31T15:40:00.000-05:00

What the hell, just another 8-10 inches of the white stuff falling on our head last night and this morning. Right now it's late afternoon and the sun's managed to stick its nose out for a couple of hours. Just the right weather to get the shoveling done---for now. A second storm is due in late tonight and tomorrow so keep those shovels handy folks as there is more coming.

You, yes you of the Hawaii clan--quit laughing!! Enough already, who or whom did we manage to really tick off this year. Just in December here on Peaks Island, we've received nearly 50 inches of snow versus 5 last year--somebody somewhere is not happy with us. It must be all those individuals hating the Red Sox, Patriots and yes, even the Celtics this year; these are indeed end times for New England sporting fans and I, proudly, am one of them!!

Took a stroll around the neighborhood this afternoon and the new snowfall is absolutely beautiful. Even with the shoveling, it's extremely peaceful right now. Just watching the sun setting with its last rays flowing off the new fallen snow does indeed settle one down.

A happy new year's greeting to all. May this coming year be a good one for all and oh ya, an early Spring would definitely be appreciated---big time!

Exhale Everyone!!

2007-12-26T16:15:00.000-05:00

Another season of Christmas hecticity (is that a word?) has been survived. The island has settled down considerably in the last twenty four hours and not a moment too soon. I hope everyone had a wonderful time spent with old friends and as many family members as possible.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve turkey pot luck dinner with a large number of friends crowded around a single table. Of course, the island lost its electricity that afternoon so panic set in on getting the turkey done but all was restored, the universe survived and the turkey was done just right. Many tales of island days and people gone by were told over wine and egg nog laced with Screech rum freshly imported from Newfoundland--admittedly, the tales got better as the Screech bottle got lower.

With Sean and Monika in Boulder and Josh and Heather in Providence, our Christmas day was a quiet one highlighted by a wonderful roast beef dinner prepared by our wonderfully talented cooking friend Caralen. Today's been spent recovering from the delivery of a tank of oil--good grief, it is getting noticably expensive to stay warm this winter. When is Spring coming????

I did manage to run some errands this afternoon dropping off an audio book and musical CD's at the Library and filling up the car with gas (might as well go totally broke!) before heading around the island. I did manage to get a few shots in as the light was fading. Lots and lots of covered boats in yards all over the island right now. It's definitely the quiet time of the island between now and late March and we badly need it though too many of us seem not to know it. Oh well, deep breaths and good books is my motto for this time of the year. Enjoy the post Christmas quiet and give your significant other a big hug to prepare for the new year.

A Maine Day!!

2007-12-20T17:12:00.000-05:00

One of the things we discovered after moving to Maine back in 1972 was how beautiful it is in Maine the day after a bad storm. Well, the Nor'Easter we just went through was a bad storm. Only 8 inches of snow but then that was followed by another 2 inches of sleet which was then followed by some rain which was then followed by temperatures around 5 degrees. Welcome to the island of Hoth!! We were definitely ice bound and shoveling was virtually impossible. Since the supply of grenades was sold out at Hannigan's Market, we were forced to the age old method of picks and shovels and making big hunks of ice into little hunks of ice.

My back and shoulders still aren't recovered but the day after the storm when the sun reappeared was stunningly beautiful. Ice covered everything but it sure reflected well off of the sun's rays. We've always referred to these type of days as "Maine Days". They don't happen that often but when they do, the sky is crystal clear with a much deeper blue tint and the air has a definite snap to it. Special days indeed. Here's a couple of pictures from early in the morning of a definite Maine Day. Of course, Otis just sits and watches life go by; everyone has their own version of watching TV.

Of course we had two decently clear days but last night we went back into the pits of more snow which lasted about 24 hours. Oh well, just another 8-10 inches; what the hell. A white Christmas is a lock right now. There is no way all this snow will be gone over the weekend. Maybe I'll get out tomorrow and take the camera with me for some shots different than out the window or off the back deck. Even I'm getting bored with the same pictures under different conditions.

Yup, It's Snowing!!!

2007-12-16T11:41:00.000-05:00

Slowly pulled myself out of a warm bed this morning a little before 9am. Very late for me but I'm certainly not going anywhere today so why not just roll over one more time. Snow started in the early morning and the wind and snowfall just seem to keep increasing by the hour. This is a good old fashioned Nor'Easter.

Temp seems to be sitting at just about 10 degrees and the wind right out of the northeast seems to be a solid 30-40 knot "breeze". This is supposed to be with us until Monday morning so the shoveling should be more than a little interesting. It's pretty cold on the surface for this amount of snow so the upper levels must be warmer. Allegedly, we may have a turn into some freezing rain, sleet and hail so as the day unfolds, we'll see what happens.

At least so far, the electricity has held since with the temps so low, the snow is really fluffy which means nothing comes down, like tree limbs, taking power lines with it. Hopefully, the storm will stay in this fluffy snow. Chaos will reign in southern Maine if the power goes out before the Patriots/Jets game is completed. We've all been really looking forward to this game since the great Spygate hoopla back in September. Rumor has it that a basketball scoreboard has been mounted at the Stadium so more than 100 points can be registered. In this weather I'll take a 7 point win and move on to the next game.

Here's some pictures from a little before noon so to the Hawaii clan, enjoy the pictures of what you're missing and remember fondly those snorkel jackets from your Bangor days. Survive the windchill temps of 82!!!

Saturday's Trip Into Portland

2007-12-16T11:06:00.000-05:00

We had a chance last night to have dinner with Josh and Heather before they depart for Christmas in Nashville. It was cold and windy but the company and food were wonderful. A fun time was had by all. Here's a few shots while we were waiting for the boat into town.

It's good to see that the Peaks message board is still very active late in December. The traps are about pulled for the winter and most everyone's boat is now on land. It is time for a winter's respite in spite of the looming storm.

There's a Storm a Comin'

2007-12-15T14:54:00.000-05:00

The sun is still shining this Saturday afternoon but clouds are on the southern horizen. Tomorrow is supposed to be a good old fashioned Nor'Easter with strong winds and lots and lots of snow, sleet, ice, hail and anything else that can be thrown at us from the skies.

Winter has definitely arrived early this year. We've been in the world of white for a solid two weeks now. This past week has seen three snow days and three sun days with temps only making it to 30 degrees once. Oh well, it is December but golf has definitely ceased for a winter respite. Time to snooze, read and definitely enjoy watching Celtics and Patriots games; hell of a season for both teams. It's definitely fun to be hated again!! Here's few pictures from the last couple of days; at least our cat Gabby has the right idea on how to pass the winter days by soundly snoozing on top of my chair all the while keeping her outstretched paw on top of my head.

I'll try and capture a few pics of the snow coming down tomorrow so the Hawaiian part of the clan can shiver in their wind chills of 82 degrees!! Enjoy it to the fullest fair clan.

December Greetings

2007-12-01T11:04:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe but December is upon us. The winds are really having at us today. It feels like they started right on the peak of Mt. Washington, flowed across the Bay and slammed into our house; it is indeed a cold, windy day. Temp's just about 20 degrees right now and the white caps are dancing under the sun's rays. The Bayline boats are still running but they're having a real hard time docking at Peaks.

Tonight's the annual Christmas carol sing plus the lighting of our own Peaks Island Christmas Tree; sure hope the wind dies down so the tree and carolers can remain upright.

In spite of the wind today, our weather's not been too bad. Just a week ago I came across the last couple of trees that still had some leaves intact and with the sun hitting them just right, it was definitely a golden aura. Well, as of today, those leaves are long gone and flying somewhere over Casco Bay. The shopping treks have begun and the Islanders catching the 10am boat uptown are pretty well wrapped up waiting for the boat. I do believe winter has arrived. The last golf outing took place this past Wednesday and my clubs are now safely tucked away after a thorough cleaning, resting and restoring their strength awaiting the first round next April---late March if we're really lucky.

Enjoy the change of seasons and let the reading and snoozing begin. Winter greetings to all!!

Dog is my Copilot

2007-11-13T09:47:00.000-05:00

Jill's dog Otis has been with us for about two months now and has slowly become more comfortable with the house. He's about 14 pounds and half shiatsu and half terrier so he has a very interesting personality and has obviously taken our hearts over. He's also gained a new friend from next door who's name is just plain Ed. Ed, a refugee from the streets of Puerto Rico, lives in Cambridge, MA in the winter so Otis, at times, just looks to the house next door to see if Ed's still around.

Every time I see him I say the obvious line from Animal House of "Otis---My Man". He's a wonderful addition to our household so thought I'd finally put some pictures of him here to share with the rest of the clan. Today was bath day so that's always a hoot, especially when he's been toweled off and runs around the house shaking any remaining dampness off and trying to crawl through the rug with his nose leading the way. Oh well, life is always interesting with animals around. Our cat, Gabby, just sits and seems to say "whatever". Enjoy.

Election Day, 2007

2007-11-06T15:53:00.000-05:00

Well, it's definitely a November day today. The rain's been constant since early morning, the wind has dropped the last of the fading leaves and the house definitely has needed some assistance in providing us its warmth. Yup, it's November.

Today is also election day and for the first time in my life I saw my name on an official Portland Ballot. Now, that was a strange experience. I've been in a number of elections over the years beginning in high school and college but nothing as formal as this one. It was a low key election with not too much back alley fog being created which fits Peaks Island. It was to see who would serve on the very first Peaks Island Council to provide formal input to the Portland City Council. In short and in Portland's words (my version of them at least), we'll give you this so please don't make any more trouble for us by trying to secede again. The island breathlessly awaits the outcome and individuals will definitely gather at the voting site to see the outcome; will the progressives or conservatives prevail or will it be a blend of both sides? Frankly, I always saw it as winning the opportunity to be a human pin cushion. Oh well, something to do in the winter to keep things lively!!

As the leaves fall and the boats are pulled from the water it's time to begin plugging the cracks and lowering the shades at night to keep the heat in. November has definitely arrived. Stay warm and dry everyone.

The Prodigal Son Returns!!

2007-10-21T19:11:00.000-04:00

I am back on Peaks Island from Hawaii. All I'm looking for is the name of the truck that ran over me Friday night!!

I departed Honolulu on Thursday evening at 9:30pm and flew directly to Newark arriving around 1pm Friday afternoon. There's nothing like a four hour night to throw your internal timing mechanisms off kilter. Of course Newark was having all kinds of puzzles due to storm conditions around the country so we had to circle for about an hour. After a ten hour flight, that news was not well received but we all somehow survived. With the storm conditions plus rain in Newark, every time I checked the Departures board, the gate for the flight back to Maine had changed and with each change the time of departure became later and later. I already had a three hour layover which turned into six hours. At least I got my exercise wandering the different concourses as our departure gate kept changing. Being an islander, the only time that mattered was what would be my estimated arrival time on the Casco Bay Line's dock and would I make the last boat or spend my evening intown. My extreme thank you to all my family members for purchasing me an IPod which was my saving grace. As soon as I arrived at a gate and after finding a quiet corner, out would pop the IPod and I'd disappear into my music for some quiet time.

I did make the 9:15 boat and made it back to the island around 10pm. Since then I've been napping, roaming the house at 4am and slowly letting my body recover. It feels like my body's in Maine but my brain is still somewhere over Kansas. At some point, everything will be reconnected but for right now, no important decisions will be made.

My heartfelt thanks go out to the Hawaiian branch of the Tiffany clan. It was wonderful seeing everyone again especially Blaine and Katie as they chug along so well into adulthood. Family is always family even when there's a 6,000 mile gap.

Spending some time on the backshore late yesterday was simply perfect. The sun was high, the breeze was warm and the colors of the trees were still visible. It's hard to imagine that in a single 24 hour period one can cover the distance between a Hawaiian lagoon and a Peaks Island cove and be mesmerized by both of them. Here's some pictures Jill took today while walking her dog Otis; dog is definitely her co-pilot. It's always good to return home no matter where that may be. On to the Red Sox tonight; it was fun listening to the Patriot fans in Miami giving a Red Sox cheer this afternoon. Those bloody New England roots sure do run deep. Go Sox!!

It's Get Out of Town Time!!

2007-10-01T19:35:00.000-04:00

Well, the bags are packed, the alarm's set for the 7:15 am boat and I'm as ready as I'll ever be to make another trek to the wonderful, beautiful, warm Aloha days of Hawaii. Portland to Newark to Honolulu; how long can my IPod last is a major question??? I'll be back in Maine in a couple of weeks ready to root the Sox home in the World Series; one absolutely has to be an optimist in these end times.

Here's a couple of pictures showing where I'll be. You can't see it but there's a house in the background midst the palm trees with a huge Red Sox banner hanging from the deck; you may take a New Englander to Hawaii but you can never take the Red Sox out of him!! Aloha all.

A Very Late Summer Day

2007-09-27T21:26:00.000-04:00

Amazing but the last couple of days have been in the 80's; good grief. It's way too late for these kind of days complete with lots of humidity followed by lots of fog. Early today, the line of thunder boomers kept on rolling through with lots and lots of rain---golf was definitely cancelled today. Maybe tomorrow.

I went into Portland in the late afternoon to join some old friends for dinner. Tested the camera a bit coming home in the dark so have fun trying to figure out what I was shooting. It is nice to see a pretty calm Casco Bay Lines dock for the 8:15 boat; at least something tells me it's late September.