Tag: living in maine

When You Live Day In, Out With People Way Way Too Close.

Maine is space, wide open gorgeous land, clean water, fresh air. And go easy on the helping of people please.

Not because we are anti-social or recluse hermits. No no, families are tight, close and that kind of people surrounding you is not the situation, type we are hunt and pecking about today.
Way Too Close, In Your Face. That’s Not “Purr-fect”, Not Maine.

This post is not about the fellow I talked with today and his family of fifteen brothers and sisters.

That were about two years apart in age, and his mom lost a set of twins. Died herself at 53 and the older kids helped raise the younger ones. That’s another post to ramble on about and see what rabbit trail it heads down.

This blog post is about what happens to someone living too close to those around them.

When space is at a premium and back yards are measured in inches, feet. Not acres like Maine is like. How to explain rural Maine, small town living to someone that has a hard time fathoming the concept of not many people here. I tell them think of Disney Land’s Space Mountain. But no lines for the ride. No problem remembering where you parked your car. No tram ride or wearing yourself out walking and walking. Trying to avoid bumping into someone. No reaching into your pocket everywhere you turn coming and going.

In Maine, I think people are friendlier because our crime rate is the 4th lowest in the country. People help each other out and there is plenty of space to enjoy if you decide to head out. To spend time at the woods camp. Where big feeds, intense cribbage or poke games happen. Or just enjoying reading the latest Uncle Henry’s looking for bargains. In front of a wood stove crackling, blazing. Throwing off the positive ions, lots of BTU’s from the hardwood sticks.
No Neighbors, The Wind In The Trees. Crunching Fresh Snow Bringing In Some Stove Wood.

Being in a tight prison camp like line, worried about your safety, always fearful of too many people in your face is not healthy.

It is why people pay a premium to commute hours to and fro from the suburbs. Making the city pay scale check. But enjoying a semblance of space a little further from the urban centers where space does not exist. Or comes at a premium. An arm, leg, one of your duplicate organs.

Maine has personal freedom and space. Not everywhere in the world offers space. Overcrowding stress, strain and and worry about safety, where your next meal is going to come from if the big box grocery store shelves go bare. It takes it toll and is the opposite of Maine. Where we grow our own food, have farming backgrounds somewhere in the family. We heat with wood, could easily pull the plug and find alternative ways to avoid the utility power bill.

I think not having crowds, rush hour traffic road rage, eating on the run, gang violence and not worried about your personal safety has to make you a happier camper. Knowing how to conserve and get by with less is what Maine is all about. Survival, enjoying what you have and making it work no matter what. What do you think?

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

October 21, 2014
Strangers, You Won’t Bump Into, Find Many In Maine.

Strangers, folks that are elevator contained quiet, not making eye contact.

Keeping pretty much to themselves in the small area surrounding them. When you live in Maine, the wide open space changes all that. You don’t worry about anyone approaching from the side at a fast pace. Your survival defense systems don’t kick into high gear.
Fresh, Maine Morning Flowers After Overnight Shower Starts A New Day In Vacationland.

Unless you are traveling in Maine, and four long, spindly legs are spotted in the high beams. Maine moose at 1 o’clock. A very large Maine moose.

Those majestic beasts of the Maine woods make very large vehicle hood ornaments.

Hitting a black bear at a healthy clip is like meeting a bag of cement. Spinning Boo Boo around and gyro twisting him into your car back door. Causing a call to your local body shop. To employ the dent puller, frame machine for realignment to factory vehicle specs.

But back to not a lot of strangers in Maine. I stopped into a country corner convenience store Sunday night. And noticed New York plates on the car closest to the glass door next to the check out as I trotted in. After an Uncle Henry’s, little snack and standing in the check out line. Said hello, smiled at the father and son ahead of me. It startled the pair.

The silent communication trumpeted in the look harpooned back saying “who are you, we don’t know you” part of the defense system.

Second nature to someone living in a very crowded, not so safe, can’t ever be too sure city setting. It made me think how friendly folks in Maine are. Unless you start on a chant of “back in Jersey” blah blah blah. Then the locals retreat a tad because of the ding to the area we are so glad to live, work, play in day and night.
Maine. We Stick Together, Like Momma Duck, The Kids In Tow.
Where we feel very fortunate to raise our families, run our small businesses, explore and tramp the great outdoors all four seasons.

When less people live in an area, those folks are more aware of each other.

Not so afraid to communicate and we don’t shut down. Get all reserved and self protective. Because Mainers are used to helping each other out. Whether it’s the guy down the street with the plow that blows open the end of your plugged with snow driveway.
Looking Like Bank Robbers, But Layered For Maine Down Hill Skiing.

Or when your vehicle hood is up and you need a battery jump start. No shortage of folks that rally, are up for the challenge. To do what they can to get you back on the road. To where you need to be, were headed before a flat as a pancake battery charge happened.

Maybe the advice don’t talk to strangers as Kevin points out to the cashier in the movie while holding down the fort alone.

Picking up a few essential grocery items. Giving TV dinners a whirl. Grabbing a small jug of laundry detergent.

We need, help, work together in Maine. Have to because less people means more aware of the local population. Working events, traveling in the same smaller circles. And all holding inside a fierce love, pride of where we are lucky to live. The place with the space called Maine. Dagnabbit. Don’t stay away so long. Come sample ME.

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

August 5, 2014
Adjustments, Dialing In New Mindset, Attitude, Approach To Situations.

Nothing stays the same and we journey through seasons in life.

Experiences collected, most involving other people. Mixed in with plenty of four season outdoor settings. Drop dead gorgeous scenery, vistas when lucky enough to live in Maine. Tap into her natural, unfiltered beauty.
Sit, Watch, Listen, Learn. Gotta Relax, Log Out To Do That. To Get Off The Time Clock. Below Radar.

But lots going on right inside a person who watches, listens, grows. Changing slowly from within. Not because those around you want you to be just the way they wish.

But something about being true to yourself, knowing who you are. What you want and are able to contribute as your covered dish to sample.

At the same Maine lake picnic table where we all sit down around. To exchange, catch up, learn, share. Losing pride, being humble, grateful helps speed up that process to come around, settle down and know peace.

Living your own life with values, beliefs protected, applied to the decision making thought process right?

It is all about making wise life decisions. Taking ownership of your mistakes. Building, hanging onto your successes. Striving to be clear headed, bright eyed and bushy tailed to live your life fully. Not waste it in indecision, frustration, being scared.

Plenty of the wisdom of living is gleaned from just logging the hours. Until you are thirty, forty, whatever age, you can not quite look at things with the proper perspective though. Like the puzzle of your life early on is missing several key strange, interesting shaped pieces. To one by one snap into place. Once you figure out where it goes by trial and error. A little patience, sometimes lots of luck. And input from others you can trust. To help in the steering.

There is never an age where playing games is worthwhile.

But as life rolls on, relationships, the most fragile, delicate part of our life on Earth quickly become the all important goal to seek. Vital to preserve at all costs if you can. We do need each other. But not to the point of suffocation. Not being able to breath. That kills relationships. Kinks the hose that waters, refreshes. Things wither, dry up, blow away. Pull up a chair beside a Maine lake for the cure.

Loyalty, consistency, stability, love not just logic needed in large supply for all of us not Vulcan. Given, received, tossed, served back and forth.
Peaceful, Calm, Maine. Grab A Chair. Drink Her In.
So the connection goes both ways. Building something unique, special, lasting.

But ah the kicker. Is everyone on the same page? Did we lose some of the group? All “all aboard”, still seeing the same horizon pathway?

Under the same place in the stars. Out on the water.

Or just going through the motions to be in agreement. Not be the odd man out. To not be alone for legs of the journey.

Knowing what they want? Or just tagging along, until a fork in the road says, we are both know we’re not together.
Relaxing, Enjoying Your Company, Setting On A Maine Lake. Priceless.
Each having to gain their balance, figure out where they actually are in life.

Where they want to go and how to get there. Maine, great place to have a seat with the wildlife surrounding you. Where no people interfere or object to your letting go, generating all those thousand yard stares.

You can be who you are, want to be in Maine. With less input from jammed too close, in your face hecklers. All around you who wish you would stop doing that, saying that, being who you are or want to be. Get to Maine, see the difference.

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

June 1, 2014
Spin The Pointer (Tick, Tick, Click Sound)… So You Want To Live In Maine Eh?

Dorothy clicked the ruby reds to slipper back to Kansas.

Where do you want to live Toto? Seems the upper right hand corner is one attractive destination. To keep it where you got it for wall to wall natural surroundings if already a local, transplant. Don’t want to leave. Want to stay put.
Best View For A Maine Lunch. I Know Several Places. That Make You High, Giddy, Happy.

Maine people happy where they live as a rule. When polled, quizzed, asked for a show of hands on where would you move to if the getting was good? Or in dire straits, it was deemed necessary to take a swan dive. Like the order on the bridge of the Titanic to abandon ship.

If the bright lights came on, music stopped and in the silence told we don’t care where you go.

But you can’t stay here. If it was last call. Mainers would for the most part sit still, dig in. Park it where they got it for GPS coordinates. That according to a recent Gallup poll this week.

Maine. If you’re happy and your know it clap your hands, stomp your feet. That’s what it’s all about. Hey.

What’s the attraction of Maine?

If you could coil up the bed roll. Finish your coffee, douse the camp fire.
Home Grown, Small Town Pride. That’s Maine.
Tighten the girth a couple saddle notches. Put your lid on. Hit the trail for new parts to roam daily. If you are like so many out of state readers, folks I deal with looking to own Maine real estate, a piece to call home sweet home. Or as an insurance policy, a safety net to bungee cord catch themselves.

To run away to if between the rock and the hard place. Up that creek without the paddle. If ever found free falling unexpectedly off something tall. In the cities where eight out of ten like it or not have to live.

With all those big blue easy to spot dots for the big evacuation. If cities ever did empty during, after something terrible being flashed, splashed on the tube. Over the wire, squeezed through the grape vine, via smoke signal communications. Showing up on radar to force the move, relocation to say oh I don’t know, maybe Maine.

The list of what we don’t have in Maine scores big. Zip for time bleeding out traffic. 4th lowest crime, no gangs, no drive by shootings, no need for dead bolts. Or living in fear.

46th lowest for foreclosure, short sale, repossession due to all those low priced properties. That are easier to pay off, to shift to living mortgage free. Mainers don’t do debt unless they can absolutely help it.

If you rounded up your tribe, were on Family Feud and Richard Dawson, some host shouted survey says (ding ding ding).

Wait for it. The tumbling rectangle slots for the number one, top ten reasons folks say they like Maine. The popularity cake walk for Vacationland would list the down to Earth, family first hard working people.

Spiraling down the list to the wide open spaces colored blue, green, in between. The elbow room. Unspoiled natural surrounding vistas.
Kayak Yak Yak Yak In Packs. Group Paddling, Bobbing, Floating Your Boat.
The moose, lighthouses, blueberry pie, baked potatoes, lobster boats double parked in harbors off coastal villages.

The crystal clean waterways like the Allagash, Penobscot, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Dead. The Mt Katahdin, Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Cadillac for bumps to get you high. To name a few of the peaks, spirals pointing skyward in our Pine Tree State.

But the real attraction of Maine is not something one word descriptions nail down properly. To adequately cover all the bases sufficiently. Score a ten.

There is a small town connection in Maine because of the 108 little, more self contained local communities.

Just a handful of cities. Embracing home grown, local grass roots creativity, self reliance, living in gentile poverty. Elevating it to an art form.

The way life should truly be. Maine, she’s not high school skinny, but big, beautiful with lots more to wrap your arms, head around to love. Go all the way north. Why don’t you come up and visit ME sometime?

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

May 2, 2014
Believing Is Seeing Is Part Of The Warp, Reversed Thinking.

When it was easy to get the truth, when reporting was the who, what, when, where, why and how.

Just the cold hard, black and white facts. And if you read it in newsprint, heard it from Walter, then that’s the way it is. At the movies, good guys were easy to spot. Wearing white lids. The not so honorably, the guys with the beading eyes, shifty forehead reached for black hats after brushing their teeth. Heading out into the day mornings.

Life was pretty much on an 8-5 Monday thru Friday, slower moving roller coaster.

A Classic, 1937 Hudson Terraplane Rolling Iron.
Shorter stint at work wearing the apron Saturday. And no no, Sunday is taboo to labor, chase the dollar. Everything closed. Picnics, big dinners, visiting your Uncles and Aunts on a weekly rotations schedule of where. Because family came first.

That Sunday afternoon nap to catch up for the busy week that starts tomorrow. Getting to church was a given. Maybe waxing the old Buick Roadmaster with the port holes in the hood or Hudson Terraplane. Whatever was saved up for slowly. Bought carefully that sits in the yard or undercover in the carriage house.

Sitting on Maine home open front porches nights. You watched the world go by, it was simple living.

Your neighbors too out for a little air.

To stretch their legs. Walk the dog. That happened by and stopped to talk. Shoot the breeze. Share the “did you hear about Effie? Well poor thing, it’s the strangest thing really. You know how she lined up with that good for nothing blah blah blah …”

The choices in life were chocolate and vanilla. Homemade grape nut before that because it was what was available, in the household pantry cabinet. You made the most with what you had. You were content with less. You took what you needed and left the rest for someone else.

Happy endings in all the movies don’t happen now. Shock value and chainsaws pushed wholesome and good right off the stage you cornball. Heck you can pick the alternate finish you feel in the mood for by dialing it in on movies. Have it your way. Lots of options, a slew of entertainment avenues to use the freed up time with automation for recreation. A distraction from reality as we used to know it. All about having fun now no matter what the cost or neglect.
Chores, Feeding Yourself, Heating With Wood, Simple Living.
It replaced the keeping it real of work, worship, raise a family. Save for a rainy day and the best things in life were free. Because that is all you, your neighbor could afford. Write letters to GI Joe halfway around the world. Pick your favorite mission field to support.

Back to that believing is seeing and turnabout from the other way around.

You could bank on what was reported, politicians had not taken the illustrious job of public servant to power corrupts. Self servant and mastering spin became an art form. Apathy set in and self medication marched in all the doors. Over eating, over drinking. Searching for over the counter solutions to inside missing natural life ingredients. The depletion of what’s good for you home made replaced with store bought, temporary, expensive. Hoarding to amass the most material items seeking the status, fame, fortune. To be remembered.

The shift from “it’s all about others” in your family, community, state and nation replaced, eroded with “what about me?” Shock and awe when Elvis introduced that twitch, hip gyrating dance with the guitar and mic stand. Johnny Cash wearing black and flirting with the crowbar hotel fans that loved his sound, look, timing in life.

The midway extravaganza excitement, razzle dazzle that used to happen only when the vaudeville carny show rolled into town. Set up the rides, exhibits, games. The canvas tents where the snake oil salesman, bearded lady, other circus oddities performed. Hoochie coochie pushed the limits on what was socially, morally typically served up in a small God fearing community. Pass the flask of that dragon breathing high octane firewater would ya please Sport? What a show.

Searching for answers, the truth that sets you free became harder when eight out of ten of us lives in a city, urban population center.

Harder to determine, to see which shell the pea is under in the hocus pocus shuffle. Too busy to notice or really care part of it. Being bone weary, dog tired contributes too. What is important in life and what you can take as real honest to goodness. Is it a case of believing is seeing in the opinions you form on others, how you observe life in general?

Whoever does the best job of spinning, manipulating reality? And do you still do your own thinking, reasoning or is it a throw money at it. Angie’s list, ask a consultant, therapist, total stranger riding the rail to work or waiting for an appointment what should you do? Maine, if you are lost, we’ll cure that. It starts with clean living stripping away all those layers of what you don’t need, hide under. Common sense, self reliance, work ethic still work, apply just fine here in Maine.

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

April 30, 2014
Rabbit Ears For The Cartoons Saturday Mornings In Maine.

Adjusting those rabbit ear antennae to have less snow, static in the Maine television picture.

You must be living in a part of Maine far from the television station, no cable hook up. Before Dish or Direct TV was invented to bolt on to the side of your Maine house at the right angle to pick up a signal on the horizon.
Picking Up The Signal Loud And Clear In Maine.

Maybe a rotor was hooked to that antennae array on the top of the Maine home roof that is guy wired to take on a Northeaster.

Or strapped tightly to a brick chimney to rock and roll, shimmy and shake. The antennae straining for a strong signal directional gain can be turned to dial in the station’s broadcast frequency. Today the expression “300 channels on the television but nothing to watch” is the norm in the abundance of crystal clear, noise free digital offerings.

When growing up in Northern Maine was one American station, two Canadian signals and public broadcasting added in to round it out.

Sometimes that rotor stopped rotating. Rusted motor quit taking the turns, sweeps back and forth. Channel surfing with four channels. If the weather conditions allowed the broadcast to drift in. Like smoke signals that work best if no wind. Less garble, missing communication happening.

It was appreciate what you have. More than enough. That is all there is and accepted gratefully.
Outside, Moving, Catching A Ride To Maine Adventure.
Plus not tons of time spent on the couch watching television. We were outside playing, working. Had chores and fresh air was a big part of the daily diet. Still is. Need that oxygen combined with outdoor living, all that scenery, wildlife.

And Saturday morning, cartoons tomorrow morning thought about all day Friday.

And don’t miss them… only in the mornings is your one shot Partner for a week’s dose to tide you over. It was a big deal to head into town from the country. To watch NBC’s full living color peacock fan the plume too at my Aunt Hettie’s home cable feed. On Franklin Avenue for a holiday celebration. Because not regular, standard viewing fair like when watching a cherry picker television station in Presque Isle Maine. When your Maine home was out in the country, not in town where cable wired the village because of more houses per mile to make it feasible.

When you live in Maine it is not fun watching television, movies for hours on end. You want to be outside instead. To step into, be part of that outdoor picture. That four seasons scenery Maine photo folks from out of state drool over. Fantasize about the 51 weeks they are not lucky enough to be in Vacationland a year.

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

March 28, 2014