MeInMaine Blog

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  • Mrs Guy A Short Lady, Always Smiling, French Accent That You Warmed Up To Quickly.

    Opening Up Your Nest For Boarders..Could You?
    Maine Homes Are Vibrant, Loud, Boisterous. And Some Folks Share The Homes With Boarders.

    Started the Maine real estate listing exercise back in 1979 when I got my broker’s ticket.

    One of the early property owners I was lucky to work with was Mrs Guy. Short, vertically challenged and close to the ground. A small lady that was a dynamo, full of energy, had a keen sense of humor.

    I surveyed the property, a five bedroom home that was modified a lot over the years. She had gone through a divorce, had a family and quickly needed to figure out how to make a living. To put food on the table, hold it all together. So the idea of renting out rooms, running an adult boarding home blossomed. It allowed her to be at home, with the kids and the job juggled nicely.

    As a child grew up and left the nest, that room or area was worked over and put into the Maine boarding home business for a man or woman to call their own living space.

    Many of the boarders had no family. So the way Mrs Guy decorated for Christmas, other holidays provided them with the feeling of home they lacked and that we all need. Ever really think about what it is like to be homeless..no place to hang your hat?

    Careful shopping for food and cleaning supplies needed when you live on a small Maine home income. Up to five boarders the maximum to avoid needing sprinkler systems and more complicated red tape to chainsaw through. And any money the owner made, got plowed back into the property. Slowly making it sided, re-roofed and lots of other updates that only careful money managing helped to create, pay the way to improvements.

    Mrs Guy said she preferred to have men for boarders though.

    She found there was less chance of Suzy is not so wild about Bertha and the drama as they spiraled like cats that don’t get along. She said men were simpler, sat out on the front porch, talked, were happy to be here at her home that she opened up, shared. Also, the scheduling for hair appointments, making sure the medications are correct, refilled and doctor visits running around all added to the busy day to keep the house running smooth. And inviting outsiders if the boarder had family into eat a meal or two with the boarder. Nice. Neat. Considerate.

    Each client, boarder or whatever the politically correct term today for the folks that lived under the same roof had their own private area of the Maine home.

    With a collection of personal items that were unique to them. All they had. And Mrs Guy, her family and friends all added to the life of the boarder who otherwise would have no one to look out for them. To care about them and provide love, attention, conversation. To make them feel important. Treat them with dignity.

    That real estate sale of the boarding home in Maine happeded back in the early 1980’s but still think about Mrs Guy whenever I resold the place or drive by it. Remembering how well she did her job. How gracious she was to share her home and take in these boarders. Tucking them under her wing to help them along. Very capable, tenacious and a warm loving, kind lady that did the best she could to make the most of what she had. Deeply religious, faithful and I think from up in the valley of Northern Maine where French is the common language. That’s the kind of people that make up the 108 small towns of Maine, the few, one handful of cities we have in Vacationland.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Cartoons Not Just Saturday Mornings And The Breakfast Menu Works All Day Long.

    Natural Maine Flowers Are Prettiest.
    Discovering Wild Maine Flowers On A Trail Walk Prettier Than Store Bought Cut Ones.

    We live in a time of more is available but have turned the corner to simpler is healthier, easier, less hassle.

    No longer are the choices for ice cream just chocolate and vanilla. Or grape nut was a crowd favorite years ago all because all there was for flavoring. Seasoning when the crank started.

    Something really special was not the norm, unpredictable. Did not happen all the time. The real diary cream that was sold not consumed by the farmer was carefully poured. Mixed and wrapped in an iced cylinder to rotate by hand. Take one or the other flavor and be glad there is any new ice cream at all to enjoy kids. Did not occur often. Limited selection caused less chaos or scrambling to provide a larger array of choices too. No stainless steel three door Frost Queen with a full armament of Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey or Cherry Garcia at your beckon and call. Do you think our problem is too much of a good thing and being spoiled? Expecting the whole nine yards as a given, a right, automatic privilege with money to burn to make it happen?

    And cartoons not just on television Saturday mornings.

    Their own channels, pick your pleasure. Any time. Not just one day a week. And like restaurants that only offer breakfast similar to how McDonald’s still does, with set, limited just over certain hours. Slowly all that is being blown open. Stripped away.

    Because people want, can pay for a longer run of what they want. And because the set time available for when it was offered does not always dove tail with their busy lives. They started to miss out on the short windows of opportunity they always made time to catch because it was hit or miss. Snooze and lose. But now it is we may doze, but we are always open. In business, recreation, anything. Available when you are. Like twelve minute speed dating.

    Round the clock, twenty four hour availability of a product, service is expensive to pull off. Especially when adding the extra stress of just in time inventory. Businesses have to be lean, mean, well run and without slack or wrinkles. Or they cease to exist. Their doors get nailed shut, interiors go dark. They get gobbled up, swallowed whole by other fish.

    How did it happen?

    The shift from what made you happy being home made, natural, easy does it moderation. To drive through quick, want it now and step on it. No matter the cost. Hurry. Learning how to relax out in natural surroundings was easier when most people made their living outdoors. Heck not that long ago, 96% of Americans were farmers. Owned a patch of dirt or worked for someone that did. Breaking even was considered a good year. Money was taken out of the equation as the end all fuel to drive the consumption. Grown your own, not peel off a couple twenties to buy what you make your own. With a squeak squeak of an overloaded wire shopping car headed for the express lane of nine items or less.

    It was not a case of ignorance is bliss. More a combination of not having a slew of other options or the extra money stuffed in the pocket to exercise them. So more reliance on your own wits. Perseverance to obtain something you wanted by a beefed up do it yourself skill set called into action. And the take away a feeling of self sufficiency.

    Not died to the dollar. And a greater awareness of the natural beauty around us. And gratitude that so much was good in your life. With the counting your blessings exercise performed several times a day as a constant reminder. A habit that all you had was more than enough. Especially if the people around you were healthy, alive. That was enough.

    When we started pulling away from family first, needing each other for support and a helping hand, replaced with the financials to buy whatever we want, something happened.

    There were missing elements. The joy of being in the moment, all caught up with our chores and space, time created for less leisure, it was more delicious. Intoxicating. Than having the world is your oyster at your finger tips, your beckon and call. Think money corrupts, creates less sensitivity for others? Christmas is available all year long in stores dedicated to the big Ho Ho Ho day.

    Daily I hear the same whine, complaint that life is flying by and the person out of state is feeling left behind.Trapped, and not happy. For a long time they did not know what was missing. Where they are has to change because too many pushy, honking, hollering people that don’t have smiles on their face. Too much non stop pushing and shoving. Delays, deadlines, rush rush rush. It’s not healthy.That’s not Maine. You’re not you unless you squeeze in more time in a place, with the space like Maine.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • When You Visit Or Live In Maine, Keep Your Camera Handy, Safety Off.

    Maine Outdoors Photos, Images, Collect Them.
    Collecting Magic Moments In Maine…. Shoot Them. Capture Them Because Time Goes By.

    Beautiful Maine photos, pictures, images, you can carry around in your head and heart the scenic backdrops in your travels here in Vacationland.

    But snapping, capturing, preserving the pixels with photos, images of Maine that are shared is an important exercise too. So you can enjoy the experiences, settings in Maine over and over. And so can others on the same journey with you online.

    I have a Flickr Maine Photostream that I feed on a regular basis. The images reflect the season we are heading into, or packing up and leaving behind in the four ride rotation. Each of Maine’s seasons is special. But the same places visited at a different point on the calendar can create an entirely different experience. Have found that especially true during my Maine lighthouse collecting process.

    The same lighthouse in Maine when you discover it by bike and when you meet neat people during the photo op is entirely different when you revist alone during the winter months.

    When instead of dressed in biking compression shorts, high tech breathable jersey top the wool mittens are on. A layer or two of winter outdoor ski gear insulates the body. The sea mist from the air temperature difference that early morning creates a fairy tale atmosphere. The sound of sea gulls, navigation bells and lapping salt water on the coastal rocks. And there is no chit chat exchange with other tourists and swapping of pleasantries. It is just you, the creator and today, the moment. And at the end of the day, none of us, you or me are quite the same as when we rise and shine.

    The images collected at the same Maine place come out completely different when the season changes during the revisit.

    Like the way an old favorite song can affect you depending on other events going on, being juggled in your busy life. The creative approach to how to shoot the Maine spot today can make the familiar place completely different. Like dancing, kissing, singing, no two times are the same when with a different person. And sharing, creating the moment. The images are not duplicate from the last visit. The approach creates a whole new image collection. And subsequently it becomes not the same output on the other end of the creative process with the camera.

    The raw winter winter and cobalt blue skies and not having to share the tourist attraction in the snowy months hits the photographer in an entirely different way. In places untouched inside the last visit. Sometimes video of Maine outings added to the media hoopla. The show and tell with natural sound and 30 to 50 “photos” or frames per second can take it to the next level of tractor beaming the voyeur online to Vacationland.

    Maine, bring your camera, start an album and share the experiences you collect in the Pine Tree State.

    Any season, for any reason, get to Maine often. Don’t be a stranger, don’t keep her waiting. You only cheat yourself when you stay away and neglect her.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Spring…The Roller Coaster Click Click Like A Cog Railroad Car Heading Up Hill Sound.

    Maine Is All Year Long, Not Just Summer Living.
    Maine Is Many Seasons, For Many Reasons. Don’t Forget Her. Spend Time With ME.

    Once Maine winter snow disappears and crocus, other early spring flowers do their thing, a made to wait feeling happens.

    Because the transition from winter to spring is not a one or two day affair. During mud season when the frost thaws, leaves the ground slowly, anticipation builds with a Maine home owner.

    The Maine house could use a good hosing off. High powered pressure cleaning to release the clinging, magnetic micro dust, calcium chloride used on the highways to melt road ice. Windows scrubbed sparkling clean lets the sunshine in clearly. Left over leaf particles from fall whirl, swhirl through the back yard. The outdoors surrounding the buildings cry out for a long overdue for a very thorough, rigorous dusting. The spring rains help to wash away the dirt particles from shrubs, bushes, the ground surface once and for all. So spring time clean and fresh new smells of new growth, hope can kick into gear.

    Asphalt corners of shingle tabs, trim pieces of vinyl and aluminum are found like sea wreckage on the ocean floor in back yards, side and front lawns.

    Along with tree limbs of all sizes. That like a layer cake or lasagna were built slowly. But hidden, deposited debris treasure lurks under each new windy snow storm blast new white blanket. Until spring when ta da. Whoa. The ravages of snowplowing and lawns peeled back like astro turf ready for shipment to a sports field happens. All at once it hits you which can be overwhelming at first. Until you start the spring routine. Roll up your sleeves and get to work outside to show pride of ownership.

    Gravel deposits from road and driveway sanding suddenly appear as snow banks shrink. That had been hiding, that would have been easier to remove with a shovel before the last bottom shelf of snow and ice melted away. But now added as one more item on the to do list involving a lawn rake. To pull, comb with long sweeps off the lawn to the edge of the driveway. Where it can be scooped up, wheel barrow toted to a lot back corner, patch of woods. Or spread in a low spot on the property for fill if mostly gravel, dirt composition.

    Mainers like to mow lawns, big patches of grass.

    Maybe it’s feeling like you are farming, weekly haying on that green, red or yellow lawn machine. Could be because when you are done, you can see the fruits of your labor. And you get creative in a pattern to enhance the house or buildings with mowing grass at an angle to mix it up. Like woman change hairdos searching for the one that is “it”, “them”. And friends exclaim, other women gush “it’s so you.”

    Servicing the lawn machines…weed wackers, grass mowers. Fixing a slow leak that is now a full blown flat on the landscaping trailer from winter inattention. License registrations of summer toys. Batteries bought, dead ones swapped, replaced at the local auto parts store. And for some, who did not spend outdoors in a Maine winter working or ice fishing, snow skiing, playing pond hockey, rubbing their eyes happens. Adjusting to the bright outdoor longer days of sunshine and daylight. As neighbors meet, talk, catch up at property lines.

    Like a groundhog or Maine black bear family crawling out of its pitch black winter den.

    To survey the situation. Access and assemble a long to do list of spring cleaning. Chores around the outside of the Maine house. While thinking about summer cookouts, patio entertaining, family reunions, weddings, wearing less clothing. And yes, swimming, watermelon, ice cream consumption as the temperature goes up. And summer is ushered in with plenty of days to get ready before she arrives all dolled up. Time to one by one tackle the job jar of maintenance items created by old man winter outside the Maine home, garage, outbuildings.

    Maine, big state, friendly people, and lazy is not a popular word.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Money Free Weekends In Maine, Where The Fun Involves No Spending.

    Maine Is Four Seasons, Always Outdoor Living, Chilling.
    Outdoors In Maine, Fresh Air, A Picnic Lunch. The Fireworks Of A Sunrise, Sunset. Priceless.

    Home made fun, not the kind that is spend spend spend open up your wallet and say ouch happens all the time in Maine.

    Because of two main reasons. We strive to keep it simple and just happen to live in a drop dead gorgeous stunning four season paradise of outdoor recreational options. That all come without a price tag when it is located in your backyard, all around you.

    The other reason is there is not lots of extra stacks of currency laying around in this state of Maine. The one sticking out like a sore thumb up here in the right hand corner of the nation. When the amusement, distraction does not involve spending it causes a shift from store bought to home made. And like the cookies your Mom, Grandmother and Aunt Helen cranked out from memory, without following a written down instructions recipe, nothing compares to the home made, created with love snackage. Especially when nibbling it. Parked, perched, stopped on a trail somewhere pretty in Maine. Maybe riding bikes, hiking, kayaking. Or just sitting on a large rock and letting go, getting unplugged in Maine.

    Reaching into the Maine picnic basket to sample a few tidbits.

    To mix with the view, the fresh Maine air, the wide open space without all the wall to wall people.The crowds, throngs, gangs that most areas test positive for all the time. Day and night, round the clock. Never letting up. So back to things to do in Maine that require no digging deep into your pocket. Unzipping the heavy purse you lug around or flipping open the folded wallet you sit on. Here are a 100 frugal things to do over the weekend no matter where you are located on the dark blue, deep green revolving, slightly tilted marble.

    Maine has more than 30 state parks for picnic lunches. To munch a bunch as you take in the scenery, wildlife, waterfront and 1000 yard stare causing views in all directions. Sight seeing, animal watching, picture taking of wild flowers around you all happen by preparing a back pack for the day trip or overnight adventure.

    Growing up my family took lots of Maine picnics.

    Without alcohol, fire water, barley pop involved. To hilltops, to woodlots, lakeside and at the many simple, by the road rest stops. With all you needed. That had the grill, the picnic table with awning in case of sprinkles, rain downpours when the heavens suddenly open up. There is something about eating home made potato salad, a grilled piece of chicken, burger, hot dog or steak outdoors that is intoxicating. Same reaction during fall harvest Maine potato picking as a kid.

    When it could get no better it does. Each time it is amazing, the best lunch you ever tasted.

    Until the next one outside four walls dining in nature. With bird’s chirping, peeping. Cobalt blue skies with white puffy clouds drifting by overhead. Warm, bright sunshine bathing your skin as you crank your head around. Trying to wrap your mind around what is happening. To take it all in in total amazement, gratitude and being so so relaxed, at peace inside and out.

    The fresh air, the landscape helps enhance the sense of taste and your sense of awareness. It clears your head, calms and opens up your heart with rest and relaxation. Down time for a good memorable diversion, distraction from the ho hum, day to day. And healthy habits, traditions that are spent with the entire family as one big group of happy campers.

    Bring your tent, cooler, a good book. Don’t forget the hammock to tie off and to sleep under the stars. To collect Maine sunrises and sunsets in Maine. Start really living, getting out more from what life can offer you in the right GPS coordinates in a place with the space called Vacationland.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Maine Is Not A One Trick Pony.

    Experience All Of Maine, Not Just Coastal Sections.
    Maine Is Outdoor Four Season Small Town Rural Living.

    Although Maine is oohed and aahed, notorious for its sixty eight lighthouses dotting the Atlantic ocean coastal region, there is so much more.

    Then the long sandy beaches, and craggy rock bound twisting shorelines. You missed the rest of the Maine experience if limited to just the salt air, sea gulls and quaint Maine harbor towns and island life.

    Like a balanced diet, a good meal with something from all the healthy, nutritious food groups, the central, western, northern parts of the state have a much different story to tell.

    Enjoy Maine’s lighthouses, I know the addiction to collect them all to well.

    Go deeper into Maine, to places like Gulf Hagas, meet the local natives at a farmers market. Make plans to be hiking the public lands and sharing the private property owner’s trail access to interior Maine. So your stay in Maine is not limited, missing out on the total real deal Vacationland experience.

    And don’t limit yourself to just summer outings in Maine.

    No no. Maine has no polar bears, dog sleds for everyday transportation and folks don’t live in igloos. Every season the same outing hits you in new special ways than the times collected before. Is magically transformed to something vastly different. See parts of Maine on snow sled, riding a machine to areas not possible to reach by car, suv or on a vigorous hike.

    Pack a grain bag for Trigger, Bullet or Flicker, bring your horse on the Maine vacation. And during conversations with friends, don’t limit the chit chat about Maine vacations to just bobbing along in a boat exploring just the sea coastal regions. If you know Vacationland, your Maine adventures, experiences cover a much larger area than oceanfront back drops. Plus you got the memo right? Remember that there is no best time to vacation, visit Maine.

    Living full time in Maine is not spent indoors, hibernating, sitting on a couch killing time waiting for spring.

    The simplest things shine brightest outdoors under a brilliant star filled night sky. There are lots of fun things to do in Maine that are low or no cost.

    Pick a small town in Maine, walk around it. Get to know the hardworking people that apply plenty of common sense, a healthy dose of humor and fun to their day to day living in Maine. That is the real Maine, that sadly 75% of the average tourists just never see. Because of too little time left over from the long trek to get here. Like the moon tourists in the tin can. That had to start thinking about the return flight. Heading back to Earth the 240,000 miles to the dark blue, deep green marble. Pretty much just about the time they started circling the lunar surface in the command module.

    Feel the small town Maine connection.

    With fewer people, the ones that live in the rural outposts in Maine are tighter, closer and their community spirit is strong. Pretty fierce when it is a long time rivalry and a play off game in a sporting event final.

    Maine, it is easy to forget it is not like this everywhere else. Come experience her, don’t keep her waiting. Get to Maine as often as you can and stop fooling yourself that one week a year is good enough until next year’s vacation.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com