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Thanksgiving Is Upon Us, Like Most Holidays, It Should Be One Of Many Enjoyed Daily.

Life is a short journey reflection.

To learn much quickly. Add it to your repertoire. To shop for, develop, be sure to pick up more awareness. To be able to wade right out without the insecurity of heavy, light or any fear factor. Go way way out deeper than swimming just in the shallow end. Or worse killing time. Staying pretty much parked. High, dry, on shore and boring. Playing it safe.
Capture Your Thoughts. Slay Those That Betray You, Keep You From Being Grateful.

Like in Hearts, go for it.

Shooting the moon is a staring you in the face option. Don’t miss opportunities. Avoid a silent alarm siren heard loudly. Felt, tasted, seen to just you in the cards you hold.

The circumstances, situation, personalities of the people that surround you. Pulled from the deck. In “this is all we have” daily shuffle. Dealt to work with so get creative. No whining. Throwing in the cards or folding. Stay in the game.

You have more than you need inside, around you to achieve, sustain happiness. Take what you need, discard. Or leave the rest for others. To weave into whatever they assemble. Carefully soul search to arrange. Hold on loosely to in humbly, close, clasped together hands. To just give thanks. And the congregation stood, sang, hung onto the last sustaining trailing note of “Amen”.

Come on in, the water is fine.

Don’t just hang out, only skim the surface. But end up enjoying a greater sense of appreciation and deep down, wall to wall, top to bottom gratitude completely. Swim harder, longer strokes. Out here in the deep end. Way over your head. Where you can not touch. But it is a-ok. You trust yourself, others, the man upstairs.

For the day at the beach. To witness just the how good life just can be. When not joined at the hip with three little contingencies.
Get Lost, Be Found. Find Your Island, Special Space In Maine.
And you just let go. No, you give up, stop fighting it. Resist the no holds barred inner nagging when it shows up. Asks what about …

If. When. But.

I will be, can be only happy when those trio of little conditions show up. Are part of the festivities. The sooner the better. Works best in the round and round. Ah, but living in the moment.

Not mortgaged but lien light. Squeaky clean, free and clear. Looking less at others. What they do or don’t say, what they do or don’t have. Other people if you get busy living outside yourself can distract. Disappoint, discourage. Or simply disappear. Keep your eyes on your own paper. Mind your P’s and Q’s.

All of us on the green and blue spinning marble are terminal. And thank God just not so fired up the same old same old. Come in many flavors, variations. Have quirks, perks, lumps, bumps. The same, some different than you and I. To add color, spice, humor. Lending a hand to make life grand.

Our perceptions of others, the fine kettle of fish we find ourselves in. Can give us freedom or fifty lashes. Maybe somewhere in between. But less self absorbed, poor me, not understood. Or enjoying, striving for the white hot spotlight of center of attention. But it’s not about me is it?

True lasting joy is built, laid, piled a stone, brick at a time. An inside job by you and me humming the tune. Writing the words, placing the notes. To make the ride more enjoyable for all within the very circles we scribe. Include others, stay in loop with all the players. To go along to get along.

Some people get through life easier than others.

They make their own luck. Some label it. Mine, dig deep to find inner talent. To hone those survival skills. And tune in the right thinking, not the stinking kind. It helps to center. Negotiate the course that enriches the weary, dusty traveler.
Maine Is A Big State, Small Towns, Folks Close And All Interconnected.
But does not stop there. It just intensifies. Like a single candle flame that no wind, rain, covering can snuff out or extinguish. Radiating brighter, lasting longer.

Causing a spark to one by one enlighten others we have to get along with for the greater good. To need, learn from each other. To contribute for the end all best that can be collectively.

No man is an island. I was lucky to grow up on a Maine farm. Self sufficient, pretty much contained and seeing my family through the day most of them. Learning much as a little grasshopper from the older members, their teachings.

But sometimes you meet people off the acreage where you work so long and hard. That you can wish you were back on such an island. The folks in your face anywhere but close by, invading your space. Beamed, just on a different one too would suit you just fine.

You don’t feel good about harboring that agonizing notion.

But the joy you build in your own little way.
Small Town Maine People Are Hard Working, Connected, Grateful.
That kindles, snaps, crackles inside. Is shared with family is to be preserved. Not robbed, sucked dry by others. Because charity starts at home and that sacred institution is the basis of everything radiating out from there. To be protected at all costs. Thankful, grateful, just happy to be here works best.

Guard, protect yourself, loved ones from stinking thinking.

This Thanksgiving I hope for all to be truly grateful, appreciative, humble. To think of those not part of family, a long ways from home. Or without one all together. That are hungry, dirty, cold, depressed, sickly, all alone.

Make it brighter for those less fortunate without calling attention to yourself or grandstanding. Because it is just the right thing to do. Live everyday as if it is Thanksgiving, Christmas, Veterans Day, the fourth of July, Easter, your birthday. Because it is. Now, who wants more pumpkin pie?

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

November 26, 2014
Mainers Are Frugal, Love To Horse Trade, Barter, Get An Honest Deal.

When you live in a state not flush with money, life improves.

Because everything required to live in the state of Maine is not cats in the cradle string loop connected. Not wired to the wallet you sit on or the purse you carry. The amount of green dead Presidents you have stashed in the bank, a bed mattress or buried out back in the apple orchard. That is not what fuels the day to day in Maine. Do it yourself, being a Jack of all trades develops. Attah boy and exchanging skills, trading, no money swap of talent for talent. Not showing up on an IRS end of the year tax return.
Over $70,000 Items To Bid On, Many Home Made Special On The Houlton ME Rotary Auction.

Important distinction pause in the Maine blog post.

Frugal is not cheap. But the how low will she go. The rock bottom price here and now. How much wiggle room? Will you budge on that final offer number? Dickering is an art form. Passed down through the Maine generations as an important life skill.

Uncle Henry’s has been dubbed a “literary giant” by Maine Downeast humorist Tim Sample.

The short four line column black and white ad stating “Size 12 empire waist white wedding dress, never worn. Still sealed in bridal shop plastic. Will trade for 12 gauge shot gun or higher caliber assault rifle.” That is an ad that requires the faithful Uncle Henry’s Swap Or Sell It, Trade It Guide book holder to read between the lines. It speaks volumes. Says so much that you can miss if not paying attention. To what’s being telegraphed in that simple but powerful ad statement.

Subtle, hard hitting, cut to the chase. No pussy footing around the issue when you are needing something. On a mission. Hovering, circling like spiraling cats. With cash on the barrel head ready to buy. But. If. At a certain price. Because Mainer’s have highly tuned impulse spending control when it comes to letting go of the very hard earned dollars.

At an early age, all the young Maine grasshoppers learn just what exactly it takes to earn that green back. And if what is being “I spied with my little eye” is tipping the scales in the trade, exchange the wrong way. No dice happens.
That’s A Low Bid, Come Back With Higher If You Really Want The Auction Item. It’s Wicked Nice. Wicked Good.

Dickerers call Uncle Henry’s the “Bible”.

Every Thursday, hands up, who reaches for the different cover color print publication covering Northern New England? I do. Study farm tractors for sale , what’s up for grabs for real estate that needs my help in promotion. Checking out antique cars, who has a pre-owned Jeep or snow sled in Maine for sale.

Making ends meet, survival and buy it, flip it has been going in Maine long before the reality shows popped up on a channel surf.

About steal, fix, flip the sticks and bricks episodes where you can relate to the week after week character development. Of man and woman on the street folks just like you and me.

That dicker to buy low, apply the Texas sunshine. Spiff it up. Sell as high as the market will bear. But turn over that item Chummy, Mister Man. And experience a wicked good feeling, fun time doing it. Deep down satisfaction radiates inside with dickering joy. Nice.

Have a local 59th Houlton Rotary Radio, TV, Internet Auction coming up the week of Thanksgiving.

For three nights, close to $70,000 worth of locally solicited items are promoted, bid on, sold. Since 1920, the Rotary bid proceeds funding a slew of worthwhile projects. Without the local yearly Houlton Rotary Auction, my little jewel of a Northern Maine town would not sparkle so brightly. Without Rotary, the town would suffer.

Home made items go way way higher.

Off the charts for book value. Especially when neighbors, family members, office worker compete. To as they call it “win” the item. When actually they out bid and bought it showing no mercy in the called in bidding to up the ante. Hear their name read as the successful bidder on the home made chunky style apple sauce.
Rock Bottom Cheapest, Finding Out The Wiggle Room In An Auction Bidding That Can Go Both Ways.

The twelve hundred pound round bale of hay from Winship Farms. 100 gallons of oil, gift certificates from local merchants. Pairs of tickets to the Nutcracker Performance November 30th.

Or the three night big item, big kahuna Ward Cedar Log Homes Baskehegan camp package. Scope out the items up for bids this year.

Support your local Rotary auctions, anything that pipelines the needed dollars. From charity to the nooks and crannies needing financial lubrication to keep from freezing up.

Disappearing all together.

Let’s Go To The Houlton Rotary Auction, Watch Video.

Get a deal, you don’t need as much money when everything is cheaper. Has to be that way in a rural out of the way state like Maine. With few people, parked up here so far in the Northeast we out to be, almost are in Canada.

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

November 22, 2014
Wind Generators On Maine Mountain Ranges, Foot Hills, They Happen.

When the average bear thinks Maine, unspoiled, all natural is what the inside setting reads.

On how the outside surroundings hit a person not used to all this space, jaw dropping beauty. But wind generators in Maine happen. When a place like Big Rock Ski area in Mars Hill gets the row of blinking red lights. Used to warn silver birds, planes descending into PQI that wind beaters are up ahead, it may not cause as much of a stir. Because broadcast towers, commercial activity from the slopes lit up for night time snow skiing is already on the connecting the dots of the landscape.
Maine Wind Generators, Lupine Combine In Mars Hill.

But to suddenly see the same very tall white slowly turning props churning the wind on a Mt Katahdin would stop you dead in your tracks.

To think that is just not right. NIMBY’s don’t want it where they call home. Easy to not really have a strong opinion either way. When the shadow, flicker or low rattle and hum of the turning wind generators in Maine are far far away.

When the unorganized areas get considered, less locals to object. But too far out in the willy wags, boonies and the cost to build all those transmission lines to carry the juice to market. Factor in with all the permits because of extra sensitive development templates lowered over the wind projects in Maine that are off the beaten path locations.
We Consume Less Power Here, Maine Is Ripe For Wind Electrical Generation For Other Hungry Consuming Markets.

In Oakfield Maine, the “Switzerland of Aroostook County” there is lots of First Wind activity.

The road building, woods clearing, loads of gravel, concrete and construction work hitting high gear. A fevered pitch to get those wind towers up, running. Generating power courtesy of Mother Nature’s blustery gusts.

Lit in blinking flashing eye popping red for all to see. That was never there before piercing the velvet black, dark sky of Southern Aroostook County. It all takes getting used to something new, man made. The moving forward of work projects, newsprint, broadcasts and social media PR all creating a local grapevine whirl wind buzz.

Power harnessing the wind that gets shipped down the big fat hanging wires. To large consuming markets elsewhere outside Maine. The locals, voters in Oakfield Maine were supportive of the wind project. The not so happy campers along the Pleasant Lake front. Waterfront property owners in nearby Island Falls, not showing their teeth so much in the smile department. After the sting of losing a court battle to stop the wind projects in Southern Aroostook County.

Oakfield Maine residents get an annual check to accept the partnership between town and wind generation with the big GE turbines.
Lifted By The Wind, Powered By Hot Air In Oakfield Maine.
In the news, more mention of other projects to spin the wind for profit. Drifting in and out to high light drawing board new hillside patterned arrays for harnessing the wind generation.

Have to admit the spill over of the Oakfield Maine wind towers into visibility of the pulsating red light spilling across Drews Lake in Linneus, New Limerick was a shocker. Eye wide opener when known it was coming. The west end of Drews Lake AKA Meduxnekeag Lake is technically in Oakfield Maine.

Sometimes you don’t know how something will hit you until up to the edge, brink of it arrives. Everything actually gets thrown into gear.

When the popping the clutch gets dumped. Here we go. All is in place to throw the switch.
Tall, White, Spinning, Lighted Nightly In Blinking Red, Maine Wind Farm Generators.

Progress happens, and the change is inevitable like it or not. But Maine’s simple way of living, being tucked way up here in the upper right hand corner has always caused less stir. Fewer ripples over the years. We are left alone, way way off the main arteries of the heavy, in the thick of things traffic.

Protected, easy to forget, under populated Maine means peace and serenity.

Less change, fewer people, more acres of woods, water, wildlife. Away from the major consuming markets of everything. Off radar sweeps. All helps insulate, preserve what many that don’t travel the longer hike north forget is up here in Maine.

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

November 18, 2014
Mainers Shift Wardrobe, Outdoor Equipment When Winter White Happens.

Winter to some in the audience is just brrrrrr, sitting on the edge of a couch and inside hibernation.

Maine is not that setting because outdoors is where we spend all four seasons. The weather shifts, there is the slowly flipping pages of the calendar that causes a change in the wardrobe.
Thank You Cindy For The Neat Early Morning Walk Photo Of Panther Pond, Raymond Maine.

The shake up of what we use for outdoor recreational equipment to keep filling our lungs with fresh Maine air. To get a workout, exercise from a burn of relaxation amidst all this drop dead gorgeous scenery.

Have the youngest cub and his girlfriend living in the Raymond Maine area.

And exploring the area around Panther Pond means new images to collect and share. With approaching winter, the love of downhill alpine skiing, mountain slopes in his area of Maine is on the radar. He has let me know to tell Santa the cost of season’s passes at nearby Black Mountain in Rumford Maine.

Or get your tickets to a Maine black bears hockey team game.
The Little Black Dog Walks The Owner Along The Sandy Shore In Misty Maine.

Where you get a seat assignment, but anyone that spends any time around the sheet of polished Zamboni ice knows, you stand up to watch. The back and forth across red and blue lines. The chasing the black circle that looks for the best angle, the second, third and more shots between the iron, into the twine. There are no ugly goals in hockey.

But it is a tad early for full blown planning ski weekends so while we wait for more white stuff to be made, pileup, the shifting gears happens.

Getting ready. Mentally, physically turning the weather channel corner. Putting on the ski rack, digging out the Spyder warm winter clothing. Lubricating the snow sled too.

Heck I still have some fall leaves to mulch or rake. Peek a booing out from under the first installment of Maine snow that landed a couple weekends ago. But that with rain, warm temperatures, the wind and now some sunshine the snow accumulations are waning, tittering, almost history.

We are ready for lasting snow, what’s hanging in the coat closet has been changed up to play comfortably out in it. Flower boxes, lawn chairs and lake wharfs all wolf whistled loudly. Called, given the summons to head back into storage. Old man winter, any time now. Really. With the price of home heating oil, Maine gas so much more affordable, it’s going to be a fun, warm winter inside out in Vacationland.
Angry Looking Maine Trees, Stripped Of Leaves. Splashed, Lathered With Early Morning Low Angle, Long Ray Lighting.

Maybe the crazy mad dash wear and tear to hang a heat pump or two off the sides of homes, businesses for the energy tax credit rebate creates a silver lining for those who did not.

Along with all those new wood pellet stove installations, the stampede away from oil makes it more affordable. Timber on the price to happen. To lure you back. Because less dependent and more winter heating options for what to dial in than Texas tea crude. For when we come inside from enjoying playing, working outdoors in Maine. Sitting down in front of a hot bowl of chowder.

This morning on the way into town could not help but notice the long slant of the early sunshine.

The way it colors, bathes everything around me. Bright in intensity, the splash at low seasonal angles. But lacking the warmth on exposed bare tanned shoulders, hatless heads.

Horsing Around In Maine. Want To, Need To?

Like bopping around in a kayak on a Maine lake ripple of waves feels. Or hiking up a hill, mountain while birds sing in perfect harmony, in the key of “Gee”. Fun.

Maybe biking down a trail along the coastal island byways, network interior roads. Logged, plyed after delivery by a Maine ferry taxi.

All that get in your system. More Maine is the only antidote that works to ease you back from the edge. Beckons you to return. For a re-run highly personal experience.

When you coming back to Maine? Don’t stay away so long.

We’re not closed winters. Try a different season in the rotation if you are not firing, operating already on all four cylinders of the Maine calendar.

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

November 15, 2014
The Toxin That Can Stunt, Cripple A Small Maine Town.

Don’t let the blog post title throw you off track.

Not about some shuttered, boarded up industrial factory in Maine that goes belly up. Not about contaminated soil and heavy metals, PCB’s. And in the wake of the defunct, rusting status and emptiness, the sea of pink slips, a major hole that is made from the closure vacuum.
Keeping Small Maine Town’s Running Smoothly. Calm Is Nice, But Ripples Happen.

No, this toxin, poison can be the public facing appearance of working together.

But out back nothing could be further from the truth. As small groups struggle to adapt to new economies, technologies that take jobs off shore. And the consumer’s spending habits swerve to make serious adjustment in the small Maine town necessary. Or else.

What makes a small Maine town great?

The answers don’t come easy for what do we do to keep up?

To create jobs for young people to relocate here, stay here when raised in the small Maine village or burg. When distance away from markets, higher production costs due to heavier regulations than other states, countries force us further back in the pack.

But what adds to the list of the ship, the tilt toward starboard when a small Maine town economy takes a series of blows, is the attitude of people. The small Maine town is the folks in it. Not just empty houses in rows, the schools, library, town office, hospital and down town shops.
Peace At The Beginning, End Of The Day In Maine.

The antidote to decline to rise from the ashes is the people searching for solutions together.

And whether you agree wholeheartedly or not in group discussions, shape something together to put into action. And think on your feet. Adapt along the way to adjust the thrusters. Using the resources, creative spirit Mainers born to survive are all hard wired with internally.

But. When to your face the reading is all is well and good in those discussions. But behind the scenes, if you don’t agree, endorse and notarize stamp another’s suggestion, they go behind you.

Fighting tooth and nail to discredit. To alienate. To bash. What’s with that? And at the least let the toxins flow, but get them out in the air, into the light one on one. For the what the heck and why the counter productive character assassination of another in the small Maine town?
Refreshing, Water Over The Dam Means Regrouping To Work Together In Small Maine Towns.

There are only so many workers, and one by one you put those folks on a list of undesirables.

To avoid at all costs as if infected with an incurable disease. When their only crime is not agreeing with you wholeheartedly. On the direction the small Maine town is headed. Should be steered over the next year, five years, decade.

What fuels the need to go behind backs and tear another to shreds? To take something personal when it was not your own idea, or credit for it is not spotlighted on the one that has to be in charge. Or heads will roll. Hail to Dorothy.

Best friends has eleven letters but so does backstabber. People who backstab tend to be insecure.

The cure for counterproductive, downright mean spirited backstabbing hatred is an intervention.

Not tip toeing, dodging the elephant’s advance in a crowded room. But confrontation, weeding it out and pouring the antidote for all to drink. Or tapping into the public water system to infuse the elixir. Because valuable time is being wasted in building the future in a small Maine town.

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

November 12, 2014
The Maine Grapevine, Word Of Mouth, One On One News You Trust.

The days of you can believe everything you read are all shot to heck.

The spin, agendas, politics of what you are told in black and white newsprint, peacock living color often is only half a sound bite. To add to the sizzle. Cause a stir for attention, ratings, increased sales. But that creates the out of context that takes the story by the neck. Down a whole other slanted rabbit trail.
Shooting The Breeze With Locals. Learning From The Man On The Street Works Best.

Sometimes not sinister or dark and dangerous at all.

But just not complete or even accurate. Often because the cub reporter who has no prior experience in the topic, the field being spotlighted just does not put in enough time. Or live, do time in the news location.

To make it neat, complete. Not skimmed, strained low fat blah. Just plain old dumbed down.

Many times there is just not the space to cover an important topic completely. Or the complex issue is made into a comic book in the over simplification hitting the bare bone highlights.

So back to where you get your news, opinion, fodder for what is going on in the World around you?

Asking Questions, One On One, From The Locals Works Best. Tapping Into The Grapevine.

Lucky to find through the man on the street, the bloggers that post on a regular basis that the good stuff is home grown from gold old locals. Passionate about where they live, work, play.

Everyone is a journalist today that can hunt and peck. And when you live in an area, you know it best because of the day to day spent there eye ball to eardrum with the locals. When you are a card carrying true blue local.

Unlike the far away journalist that swoops in on a telephone or email signal. That might travel. Spend an hour or two at a venue at the most. Then flits. Or is sitting at a news bureau desk the whole time. Somewhere, anywhere else. And misses the local approach and rich flavor, honesty all together.

By hit and run reaching in, pulling back like gypsies.

Same take away from very short vacations at a brand new place on the planet. There is more learned in working longer ones in any location that is new and different. To chew the fat with the locals. Experience their favorite haunts and jaunts.

Not just the ones mentioned in the four color glossy tourist information tri fold brochure. You need to experience what the propaganda left out to arrive at, to form your own conclusions. Not the ones spoon fed to you in fast food drive through fashion as we race through life’s time passages.

Tom, Dick and Harry, Mary Jane, Agnes, Beaulah too with a camera, of any type is a photo journalist.

Not just telling you about an area, the news and people that make it.
Maine Is Home Made, Entire Small Communities Pitch In, Make It Happen.

But showing you the Maine images that tell a thousand words. Posting the videos that make it “you are there”. Taking you by the hand and doing the informal introductions as if you were here through Maine blog posts.

The more real the raw, unpolished and home grown put out there for anyone interested to see, the better. Help yourself to the real, honest, fresh, accurate information you need. All you have to do is seek, ask, reach out, connect.

Mainer’s are friendly, helpful, family first, hard working too.

Very involved in their small town communities. We watch out for each other. There is a greater awareness to others we need and learn from in the sharing.

Putting the members of the audience up close and personal to the news, exposure to the local community events and surroundings is huge. So easy now with technology and the desire to share what you observe around you. And to graze, surf and glean the same from others with the same willingness to post and share. That make it go both ways, 3D not flat and one way.

The perspective of the people around us in the grapevine that is not just home town small. That is what most of us needs, wants, seeks out for the truth. Thank you faithful Me In Maine readers for tagging along. Checking our Maine blog posts, the images we shoot, videos we edit to help create a worthwhile media stream to follow.

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

November 8, 2014