Television and cable has lots of reality shows pitting average Joes and Janes against each other for viewer pleasure.
The contestants that don’t make the cut cry, carry on and the ones that go on to round two are happy, estatic…for now. Why are the shows popular? For starters, from a production standpoint, they are cheap to produce. Talent off the street, pick an exotic setting and use the grand hotel, estate or water back ground and voila. And back to why they are popular? We have to watch what they feed us and reality is a strong genre right now. And putting ourselves in the place of the winner, the loser does what? A vicarious thrill of being something we are or are not and seeing ourselves in some of the contestant crowd that competes in sports, beauty, life skill. Where do you fit in and what show would you like to be on?
Is the life stage you are on where you want to be or would you like to be the next top amateur hobby farmer. Come to Maine. Would you like to run a small mom and pop grocery or buy some apartment rentals to fix up and putter on? Come to Maine. If you just want to relax on a lake, river or own you own pond or waterfront property, come to Maine. Maine, get here as fast as you can. Let me help you gain access to the state of Maine’s MLS listings and tell you about everything available in Southern Aroostook County, Northern Washington / Penobscot Counties for real estate in all price ranges, types, locations.
They are good questions. The issues they raise out of concern for public safety and investment protection would be standard in other areas.
For example, if someone asks where are the bad areas, or shady seedy crime riddled areas to avoid in Aroostook County, or Northern Maine, you have to smile. The poser is thinking city, crime, shanty town areas of gangs, no respect for personal property or even human life. You know, the kind of areas in cities where you don’t go through unless you absolutely have to. And you roll through those stop signs, keep your eyes front and center, don’t make visual contact and avoid anyone you meet becoming skilled at the survival tactic of not being noticed. Non confrontation, like a spec of dust masterful of blending in, passing through, fearing for your life. We don’t live like that in Aroostook County. We wave at each other, help each other, need each other, respect exists for our neighbors, friends, and in many cases family members.
You don’t carry a taser. You car and home are not even locked. The keys in the vehicles sitting in the yard may look inviting to someone who’s brother owns a chop shop if we were in an urban setting. But we are not. Never will be. Our location insulates us. Stolen cars are common place in population centers. But consider a map of Maine (pointing to Houlton Maine, on the Canadian border of New Brunswick)…and ask yourself, who is going to travel this far north, to not find many exotic cars to steal knowing there is a variable arsenal of local law enforcement that is ready but not faced with this problem? No need to
Maine Rivers To Canoe, Kayak Can Be Like Glass Smooth In The Early Morning Hours.
curb a situation that does not exist. In the case of Houlton Maine, the Troop F State Police are headquartered here, there is a sea of white and green striped US Border Patrol agents exploring the highways and back road border crossings, local Aroostook County Deputy Sheriffs, local Houlton ME Police and one other key element for crime that is missing here. We have respect for other people’s personal property, respect for how hard folks work and how you would not want something stolen or vandalized if the shoe was on the other foot.
So when I get asked a common question as a Maine real estate broker of where are the bad areas, the neighborhoods to avoid, I smile. There are no bad towns, no crime infested areas. With 11 people, not a 1000 good and bad folks per square mile, crime is the country’s 4th lowest for the Pine Tree State. The northern most county,Aroostook is half that state percentage again.
The only “bad town” is one located further away from work or health care or the school activities your youngsters’s are in because of the drive time distance and extra cost of gas getting to and fro.
It’s the hassle and gas, car wear and tear element, not crime that concerns folks here. For example, Haynesville Maine has 136 folks in an area six by six miles. It’s 22 miles from Houlton Maine. Last check Hersey Maine had around 45 folks full time in the same land area, the typical grid for all over this part of the state. People get along and there is space, not
Picnics, Enjoying And Respecting The Maine Countryside And People.
tension or squabbles over being jammed in or any need to defend every square inch of real estate. It’s like being at Disney Land, and no line at Space Mountain, not many people for that matter to get in the way, to watch out for or avoid. The situation does not exist which comes with the territory of elbow to elbow urban areas.
Another common questions that might need to be raised in other parts of the country. This one not involved cities. Do the mineral rights in Maine, the water, everything under the ground come with this property? Yes, in nearly 30 years of selling northern Maine real estate, I have had two instances where some older codger thought there was gold in those hills and mineral rights were excluded, not conveyed in a deed. Two out of thousands of transactions which shows the question is not posed very often. Aroostook County Maine, get here quick as you can. This Maine FAQ video may help you too!
Mentors…they say you should have more than just one.
The thinking or logic being if that mentor dies, there goes the guidance. You lose your only GPS of wisdom, fountain of experience, conduit of common sense. Also, no matter how gifted or learned someone is, there are limits to the sheer volume, scope, depth of this mentor’s contribution to helping you shape your life. All of this begs the question. Do I take direction, will I listen, do I need to improve my thinking on the building blocks of human relations and how to not just survive but flourish joyfully in a world less than perfect?
If I was taught responsibility for my actions by caring parents. And if I sincerely want self improvement or realize others have puzzle pieces I need and that I carry pieces that will unlock life mysteries for them too, this is a beginning. The premise that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom brings up another question. Is God in your life? And do you fear anything, anyone? And if you further am humble, not so self absorbed that you blame others when things go wrong as a given, a certainity, you have maturity to know your role in the good, the bad, the ugly in the landscape around you.
Today, with more of a “me me me mentality” and “want it now” poor impulse control that is a big part to blame for the current economy, the mental health of this nation in priorities and “wants” versus “needs”, we have to get back to the it being about others premise that puts your happiness or sense of peace coming from others.
If a mentor is able to show you thru living example how to practice counting your blessings, being grateful, what joy looks like, feels like, that is a huge boost to life long contentment.
Knowing others out there have a much harder row to hoe gives us a whole new perspective and outlook. If a mentor is able to show us we need to dig in, work harder, pull ourselves up by the book straps with personal responsibility in life, we no longer expect others to meet our every need. We gain a self satisfaction of a job well done, over coming adversity with an active role from within. Searching, questioning, learning. It is a life long habit or should be. Not who do I blame, life’s not fair, a poor me personal habit of retreat serves no constructive purpose.
The voices inside your head.
There’s the one from your mom gently but constantly reminding you of basics you apply day to day like, everything in moderation, plan your work and work your plan, gratitude for what you do have being way way more constructive and settling than I wished I had this, could do that, had not done that. Another voice of your dad telling you to hang loose, get your sleep, stay in touch with your brothers and sisters. Getting your chores done before playing. Your teachers, professors, employers all adding another voice to the guidance stream and then your own voice of reason, experience that grows. It is like a healthy garden planted with the right variety, the correct spacing, the degree of nurturing, cultivating, watering to lead to a successful harvest and then do it all over again.
How many voices do you have in your head? Do you follow and learn from them or is there a struggle between a void
Early Voices Inside My Head From Parents Growing Up On A Maine Farm.
of missing installments, lack of players, or a personal dose of “don’t tell me what to do” that hinders maturity, growth and the ultimate passing down of life lessons to the next generation? Practice makes perfect is the addage. To play better golf, better anything you need to interact with better talent. But it all starts by turning up the volume of those information mentors, listening and applying what you hear and being able to harness, shape and create what is a unique you in your life. The variables change to make your life more of a Rubic’s Cube and interesting or challenging. You also have the past, present, future dimensions to consider to be in your right place for fullfilment, contentment, peace. Maine is a good place to enjoy less traffic, no crime, an awareness of the beautiful space around you. Neighbors who pitch in to help with a true sense of belonging, of local community pride live in Maine. Those are the voices I listen to inside my head. That’s why you might consider retiring here, relocating to Maine too.
In small towns around Maine, neighbors look out for each other.
The village helps raise your kids, and you give back to local charities, local events, and pitch in coaching little league and other teams. In cities, you are more guarded, more cautious. You do lock your doors, several times. You protect yourself from loss of property and personal safety is on your mind daily. There are many places you avoid eye contact, you know there are risks and
Maine youth learn work ethic, earn their ipods, spending money.
your anxiety level increases. Mortgages are larger, expenses to more burdensome, you live with higher traffic, more smog ridden areas. The difference in living is dramatic between rural and urban. And you age prematurely from stress, the fast pace, worries in population centers. In rural less populated areas, the sky is bluer, you can see stars, you don’t carry a taser or wory about gangs or being robbed.
In rural Maine, we have recreational options in our back yard, we have space, we volunteer to make our areas a better place to live, work and play.
We live below our means, save money, and are grateful for what we do have. Our families are the most important concern in all we do day in, day out. We go to church. We seek to be better people, improve, read, learn. Kids have work ethic, work for what they need, what they have.
Are you ready to head to Maine? 4th lowest crime state, friendly helpful people, low cost real estate, clean four season outdoor living. Maine. Get here as quick as you can.
You are interesting and are talkative plus a good listener. Cooking comes easy to you and you had the best teacher growing up, have all the recipes. So why not own a Maine home, open it up and meet some nice folks and offer meals
Grand homes in Houlton Maine make great bed and breakfasts, inn to host.
to those guests and locals too? Victorians and other classic homes are plentiful and reasonably priced. Can you see yourself being an inn keeper? This home was the Twin Elm Boarding Home years ago in Houlton Maine. Up for the task? Lear more on behind the scenes of running an inn, and b& b. More info on how to set up an inn and what to consider. Joing the Maine Innkeepers Association will help in networking to collectively help a traveling guests stay at more than one inn or B&B.
As a kid, I did not watch television all day, or much at all.
I had a mini bike and explored with my friends. I bought the mini bike with money I earned working on the farm and especially during potato harvest. I used my imagination and played outdoors after the chores were done. I
Youth Show Up On Time To Work, To Earn Their Keep! Kids Contribute To The Family Experience In Maine. Self Sufficient, Self Reliant Happens In Small Maine Town Living.
learned the joy of reading at an early age. I learned everything about the care and showing of a horse thanks to my Aunt Ruth
Little Ponderosa horse riding summer camp. I learned alot about mechanics tinkering on an old snow sled. Driver’s ed was a piece of cake because a Maine farm boy had been driving since the feet were barely enough to reach the machinery pedals.
My mom and dad were big believers in education, bettering yourself, reading.
I did not feel depressed, I was not lonely, I knew my mom and dad loved each other and there was no divorce. There was not screaming or alcohol in the home and we liked to do lots of things as a family. Trips to Uncle Frank’s camp at Nickerson Lake and an ice cream afterward.
My three older brothers were with me on these family outings. I knew I was part of a big family, lots of relatives and we all laughed, played and cared about each other. We were made responsible and became very independent, self sufficient growing up on a farm where we all contributed and knew we were a vital part of the family.
My crib was probably not OSHA approved, I did not get sick much and had lots of fresh air growing up. My childhood was fun and I had respect for my parents. They taught me the word “no” at an early age and in fact, certain
Veterans, Relatives, Others..We Had Respect For Others Fighting For Freedom Growing Up in Rural Maine.
looks meant no without a word being said. I accepted and knew they had the best intentions in guiding me, raising me, teaching me. I had limits, rules and earn privileges, freedom I appreciated and did not abuse. I was treated like a person, not made to feel guilty, and was not raising my parents or other brothers. Authority and routines were not fought tooth and nail.
The clock on the wall was part of the structure that was accepted and not attacked as controlling growing up in a small Maine town family .
As kids, being resourceful to adapt and think on your feet meant a change of plans was not big deal. Roll with it and don’t be a prisoner of a bend in the road ahead by fighting it. We were taught to expect new developments and not told what to expect at every juncture by our parents. We used our imaginations. We conversed and were not stuck on a device and were present not detached in the moment. We had life skills beyond one or two areas where we excelled and the rest had to shrug their shoulders. Or say “go fish”. We were content, happy, productive. We felt empowered to pitch in and stretch, to grow and not to whine or blame. We had fire in our bellies, passion, were driven.
My parents had the controls, and I felt secure in their guidance and slow release of the strings of childhood. They prepared me for when I was on my own raising a family. The time when living a full life after both had left this Earth and gone to the great beyond. We talked about life. We talked about death. Death was a part of life, not morbid, and a reason to live each day fully. Make a difference while you are Earth and give it your all, do your best.
Summer Living In Maine. No Matter What Season We Are Pretty Much Outdoors Year Round.
Counting our blessings, being grateful, choosing to be happy, content, at peace I saw first hand from my parents.
It rubbed off, and my kids will share the traditions with their kids, my grandchildren. Life is good, it is what we make it. Our view point being positive is contagious to others around us. We all ebb and flow … we really do rise and fall together in a small Maine village.
There is an intimate connection being raised in a small Maine town. People care, share, they check in on each other. You are needed in the small Maine town to take on many roles and contribute. When we lose someone it is felt. You are missed. When a new birth is announced, it is special for all in the small Maine town. Others are rooting for you and vice versa. You don’t get that feeling in a high pressure, crime riddled city lifestyle.
Look around, see the unspoiled all natural beauty only a sparsely protected area like Maine can provide.
We are insulated from so much that a person does not need to experience that a concrete jungle provides for an expensive existence and we know it. Are you thinking you want to live in rural Maine and have a simple life, without drama and loaded with lots of four season, unspoiled beauty? That’s what this blog is all about.
