Fun In Old Port Maine, But More to Vacationland Land To Explore, Discover.
Ask someone about Maine from out of state and often when they raise their hand to say they have been there, it means the coastal regions.
Places like Bar Harbor, Portland, Ogunquit Maine. Or out to Peaks Island, Maine or one of the many others dotting the view off the rock bound, craggy coastline of Vacationland.
But to really experience, sample Maine you have to spend more time than one or two visits.
And depending on the season the same places you grow to love and journey to yearly become different in Maine.
Because of what you do there that season. Example, Sugarloaf Mountain is fun to swish swish down hill ski. But in the fall foliage, on the world class golf course, everything at that western Maine venue changes. A different application of the same great fun place no matter what the season, reason for making time to visit. Over and over.
Maine, she gets in your system and good luck shaking her. Getting over her. Not going to happen. Maine, consider investing some time and maybe a little money to spend more time in Maine. Start small with a vacation and watch it build up and become a healthy addiction this place called Maine.
Find What You Are Missing, Looking For In Down Home Simple Maine.
Descriptions, wordsmith pictures designed to hit, spark emotional nerve endings.
To cause a stir in all the media message overload good and bad and in between whirling around us today. Advertising creativity, opinions aired and the spin of remarks election time creates make you tossed and turned. Pushed and pulled.
So back to the Maine farm fresh egg headline.
If the menu stated “Fresh eggs anyway you want them” that would be okay. But to pull you in, taking you by the hand to the Maine farm barn yard the hen lives at. Without chicken wire holding her in, giving you the sense she is a happy egg layer. Clucking merrily as she produced your just off the Maine farm egg for the eye opening breakfast.
And she “balk balk balk” lives another day. To hunt and peck. She was not the BBQ chicken being served up, to star in another later meal. Not losing her life to create this breakfast tummy pleaser now before you so all is well. Not an over easy fried or fluffy scrambled egg sitting in front of you trucked in from a factory farm either by the way. But a good old Waltonesque, Old MacDonald small scale local, simple, wholesome farm operation part of your breakfast meal this morning. Good night Jim Bob, Elizabeth et al. Ee-eye-ee-eye Oh!
I grew up on a Maine farm and we produced vegetables for the local area. Farm fresh and priced right with an extra piece of produce thrown in was all we had to do to have the driveway lined with customers. Keep them coming back to stuff cash in the corn jar that helped out the household farm income that spiked up and down depending on the market, the weather, other set backs or storms of life that happened right on schedule. With often imperfect, challenging timing.
Now more than ever presentation is everything.
Trumping substance, reality and made surreal. Tasting good is fine and dandy but looking good an absolute must. Being entertained by giving a cart ride towed by a team of horses or an antique Maine farm tractor is part of the dog and pony. Today I would have to load the customers in the rickety but quaint wagon to create an experience to go along with the Maine farm produce.
Why? Boredom of the consumer, more free time or just bankrolled to be able to pay more money for the Disney adventure in everything that is done today? Maybe happy, content is not enough any more. No no. We want over the top euphoria to happen. Center of attention “home runs” in everything done through the day in this great land of abundance, richness Columbus discovered called America.
And back to election banter, reaction to debates.
Talking heads picking up the same tired expressions for the lead in to the sound bites that are crisp, catchy, jammed packed with staying power. Like accolades, medals for the candidate’s quick jab come back to an attack comment retort that really “moved the needle on public opinion”. With a witty, saved up and in his pocket pre-packaged, just waiting to be released debate statement.
Primed, shaped, carefully carved for tomorrow’s bold print headline or anchor sound bite. “He or she got some major traction with that bold move to win the (geriatric, Asian, Hispanic, blue color or blue blood, etc) portion of the voting audience.”
How you say it, spin it comes as a given in the marketing of a product, service, ideal today. And like an Olympic medal event, reaction to the marketing like it is a sport is underway to gain attention. Be heard in the noisy crowd, to stand out and be noticed. To rattle a few bones, be noticed in a big way.
Maine, a place without all the hooplah, razzle dazzle, smoke and glass antics needed. Just simple, natural, pure and drop dead gorgeous. Get here quick as you can. Then just try and stay away once you have a taste, feel her tug on your heart strings in a good way. Thanks for being a faithful follower of the Me In Maine blog posts.
Maine Old Churches Hit The Heart Deeply, Add To The Worship Experience.
Maine is a God fearing, respectful state and churches abound in the many towns, few cities around Vacationland.
And sometimes too many churches, facilities for worship means the facility use changes. Over the years have sold lots of Maine churches in my area. Some torn down for building other improvements or for land vehicle parking purposes.
Other churches bought by another Maine faith healer provider, used for the same worship experience services as a place to get on your knees.
As a place to surrender. To open up your heart. Search deeply for answers. Give thanks for blessings. A few becoming used for business. Like one Church of the Nazarene that became a small engine repair facility. Another Christian Science Church that kept the “Truth Will Set You Free” and “God Is Good” wall scripture reminder showing proudly. As the 1880’s vintage church transformed, became a unique Maine home.
The owner of this “home” made the transformation of the Maine church’s original use because he liked “different”, “unique”. And did not want standard fare in anything he did in life. A housing maverick of sorts in a class of his own. A bit of a loner. He set up shop in an old stone train station in Pennsylvania old home town he previously lived in. And proceeded to turn it into an office for his geology industrial pump business.
Currently there are a number of churches in the Lewiston Auburn Maine area for sale because of a decline in attendance. Or sheer glut of new places springing up to compete with the older, smaller, not so handicap friendly multi story structures. Like big box stores selling the Good Word, broadcasting to more than a few pews of worshippers to make the overhead. Churches are businesses too and have to keep the wolf away from their doors to avoid the padlocks, closure.
The old century young churches that were some of the earliest buildings in Maine’s many small communities were vital meeting places through the ups and downs of anyone’s life. To be the light to follow for guidance. Some becoming gutted to the wall studs, floor stringers, roof rafters and given a new life as assisted living centers. Complete with the clipboard check list of handicap ramps, elevators. All the bells and whistles added, bolted in to comply with current fire, air quality and other safety regulations.
The grand old history rich churches in Maine. Ones where the spires, Victorian gingerbreading impress and hit you deeply.
Extraordinary but costing an arm and a leg to maintain, heat, insure, keep full. Grand old church structures that compete with thousand seating and more worship centers catering to today’s audio visual rich worship experience needed to fill the pews. With elaborate sound systems, overhead projectors, big screens to enrich the audio visual worship experience. To compete effectively with the many other options in the same time slot on Sunday morning for worship.
The Portland Maine city church called Grace now is a memorable, gorgeous setting for dining. Transformed into a special spot put out to hire, reworked. Tinkered with to be a Maine home for catered events like weddings, private parties or meetings.
Maine, nothing is wasted and churches that become outdated or find themselves in areas of just too many take on new roles in the local communities. Come see what you are missing, how life can be fuller, more complete and satisfying when everything is kept simple, natural, home grown easy.
Patten Maine Deer Pose, Smile, Stop For The Camera.
When you live in a city, urban area life comes at you from all sides, with greater intensity, stress.
Maine is not like that. Rural means less people, more wildlife. Greater natural surroundings that have not been spoiled, over taxed. And when it comes time to build something, whoa. No big run around like large, expensive population areas. Where it’s layers and layers of government. Take a number, have a seat.
Don’t get me wrong. Cities are vibrant, fun to visit and Maine has a few. But the connection in smaller communities in Maine give you a sense of being needed. Home grown and special. And everyone pitches in. Needs each other. Cares deeply about other individuals besides just taking care of themselves.
Life is short and worry about Maine crime is not a past time in the 4th lowest state for it.
Lack of traffic makes things smoother, less of a bottle neck too. The four season outdoor recreational living, the scope of fun that is low or no cost is a bonus. One of many folks living in Maine full or part time quickly discover when retiring, relocating or just investing in property here. Making this a good place to retire, relocate, invest in Maine real estate.
Maine, you’ll love her for the long list of what is unique about the place. But get just as up and down excited, Antsy, anxious in a good way. About getting to the state in the upper right hand corner of the country with the even longer list of what we don’t have to put up with. That other places have to put up with, that interfere with healthy, happy living. And providing the sane, drama free surroundings needed for raising a family, working a career that satisfies fully. And having fun in the process being in a state of Maine. get here quick as you can. Find your place in the space called Maine.
Come To Maine, See A Moose, Pat The Bunny, Meet The People, See The Sights.
You are a property owner, asked for an easement across your Maine real estate.
Not something you were laying awake nights contemplating right? Just like no one comes in to our Maine real estate office asking “got any property listings with wall to wall swamp, underwater.” Does not happen. Or asked if we have any Maine woodlot listings so cut over that a woodpecker would have to pack a lunch to fly, cross over one.
Wanting an easement for well water, for a driveway, septic system leachfield, and power line right of way for access to a landlocked property are the four biggies that come up. And the person wanting one, giving one both are after a figure. To know what is a fair price to make it happen. To fix the problem once and for all. Or at least limited to their ownership to give the property more utility, extra enjoyment, added property value.
The value of an easement is huge for the person needing it to enhance their Maine real estate property.
Because often there is no other option and the fellow granting the easement knows it. Could exploit it with the thoughts of a demanding a take it or leave it King’s ransom figure. But the fact remains the easement can be something you the property owner regret granting, conveying. And it hurts the value and enjoyment of the property it comes from that the other person neighboring it needs.
So when I get called, stopped on the street and asked what this or that kind of easement is worth I have to ask lots of questions. To see the other options that exist and ask the the list of “what if’s” for down the road. Letting the owner of the Maine property think beyond just their ownership. What can of worms it opens up for their kids in helping or hurting a real estate sale after the parents are dead and long gone.
To consider what if the neighbor who is nice as punch, all warm and fuzzy friendly sells, moves. And a new not so much fun neighbor slides into the neighborhood hot seat next to you. What does this do to the daily dog and pony of life? Is it still “good for you”?
Mutual, win win situations work the best in easement, right of way exchanges.
Had a earth moving company needing special clay for a fire pond for a local factory. And the exchange meant I got a sweet, way way larger Maine farm pond out of the “swap”. But that was a one time operation. All in, all done. Gone, finished quickly. Right of ways linger, hang on, for better or worse like the most important knot tying partnership until released. Or cause so much friction, that involving lawyers has to happen when they become battlefields. Things go bitterly sour.
But reaching out, finding three recent right of way easement grantings and the associated costs is not something that easily done.
They don’t come up that much in a rural state like Maine with less money, more space and fewer people to need them. And each easement exercise requires a case by case consideration of the use requirement and any, all limitations of the same. Plus the person and timing for the property owner who was minding their business. Had not thought of granting one. Or just had, finished up a major hassle, gut wrenching episode with wall to wall drama over one. Maybe extended, pocket emptying, expensive legal battles ensued. And now healing, licking wounds and just trying to avoid the up and down of court house steps.
But suddenly pressure exists for the owner of Maine property who is on the hot seat to provide an easement.
Think long and hard about whether you do or don’t and if you grant one. What is the value exchanged in money or goods, services for an easement. But from a Maine real estate broker’s view of an easement, granting one is not going to help the value, enjoyability of the property if is taken from in most cases. Does not enhance that property but adds a new wrinkle. Burdens, encumbers it in some new way. Would make life better for the other person needing your help. But may be a situation of “I’m sorry, but no” has to come from your lips, or the end of a pen. The thought everything has a price someone is willing to accept to let go of it or share it is not true. Not everyone does. Especially in Maine where arms are not twisted that easily. We have common sense, can see beyond the next twenty minutes. Of just trying to be a good fellow and helping someone out.
Picking Potatoes In The Fields By Hand, On A Farm Harvester.
The fall potato harvest in Maine is a time to reflect, remember past digging seasons in Aroostook County.
Growing up on a Maine potato farm meant seeing not just the spud fields, picking a section to keep up and munching on a snack when the digger breaks down. Or past reflections in the memory mirror of you the dirty, industrious picker running out of barrels. Having to wait to catch up the row after row you find yourself getting behind as the new rows are harvest with a squeak squeak dusty put put drone of the Maine farm tractor.
I did not stop the fall harvest when trudging out of the Maine potato field at the end of each dusty day.
The rolling fields where no one leaves the Maine potato field until everyone is caught up. And collect their water jug, radio and lunch box to wander tired out of the field, straight to the bath tub to clean up before a waiting supper to fit the hole in the gut. Hungry from all the fresh air, hard physical work in the wide open potato field with all the views. Canvassed with a backdrop of Jack Frost’s handiwork on the leaves surrounding the humble workers in the colorful Maine outdoors.
After a harvest supper dishes were cleared, washed, put away from the Maine farm house kitchen table, it was time for another surface purpose.
Laying out old newspapers to collect the fine field dust that sifted, cascaded out of the cans stuffed full by the field workers on the back of the farm trucks. As those old tired trucks with open bodies and rows and rows of potato barrels hoisted to fill them made there way back and forth to the storage house bins all day long during harvest in Northern Maine. Each numbered ticket the identifier of who worked so hard to fill all those barrels each day with four large weaved baskets each before sliding the barrel marker in a secure top groove.
The ticket count that showed the effort each harvester worker in the Maine potato field was tallied up each night. My mom and I would sort through the numbered tickets, placing them in piles and writing down the final count. Some numbers that would week after week be disputed by the designated picker with a different tally. And others that gratefully accepted the barrel count as accurate and fair.
The Maine farm potato picker you are parked next to during the back and forth field harvesting sometimes moving the section marker. As the sunshine beams stronger, hotter and lazy happens. Or some neighboring workers getting a field reputation of switching tickets. Yours coming off when no one is looking and replaced with their “brand”, ticket number in the cedar top stave groove declaring for all to see that they filled your barrel.
The money earned by a youngster in Maine picking field potatoes would be used to buy a warm winter jacket.
Or school clothes needed to help the family budget. But part of the hard toiled for spoils would be ear marked for something the picker found near and dear. Like a generator for a light on the picker’s bike. Or a toy that was spotted in the Sear’s Christmas catalog that came out right about harvest each fall. That was gawked at, pages turned and studied slowly during rainy days when the harvest was halted. Or frost in the morning caused a two hour delay in potato field operation.
Here’s hoping for a safe, no accident harvest for the potato farmers, crews in Northern Maine. And a large yield, with bins and bins of abundant potatoes that keep fresh, quality loaded and with no breaking down. Or converting to waste in pockets of rot. Make the trip north to see the Maine potato harvest operation!
