MeInMaine Blog

Tag: maine blogs posts

  • Big News In A Maine Small Town Travels Fast.

    Outdoor Living In A Small Maine Town.
    What’s Happening In A Small Maine Town? Just Stop In To A Corner Store, Local Restaurant For A Coffee.

    You stop in for a cup of Joe at the local corner store and this just in.

    Wayne Quint, a local retired Maine educator, coach, driver’s ed instructor had a lawnmower fire. I know, this is serious. Mulching leaves from last fall and something goes horribly wrong. A spark, or dried debris from bone dry conditions and high fire warning levels makes it a hot story. Leaves too close to a sizzling high temperature exhaust pipe and here we go.

    Cries for help heard, Tana McNutt, Tony Hart running to the rescue at Drews Lake. Get the blazing, ailing grass mowing rider away from the wooded property line with a big here we go heave ho. And start bailing water with a pail out of the lake to douse, control the blaze. Three tires burn off quickly, creating a smoke screen and whoa.

    There’s your local headline for the day. Old Craftsman mower the group thinks was the brand is toast. Crispy, burnt and the source of the short term excitement. As Wayne goes off to shop for a new rider. Maybe a deal from the closing Maine Potato Grower’s line of Cub Cadets that will be marked way down. To move them out scout. Make them each and every one a blue light special shoppers.

    That’s it? No drive by shootings, robberies, gang retaliation for some form of retribution, revenge news to discuss this morning? Sorry.

    You are in Maine, the fourth lowest crime state and where I live, chainsaw that statistic that’s pretty impressive right in half again. Less people, more pride and respect and the news gets pretty tame compared to other areas. And how about those Red Sox that found out that better hitting trumps pitching in their loss last night. And thank goodness Emma had her baby, 9 pounds, 7 ounces is one big bouncing new born. And says like many new Moms that’s it. All she wrote. No more storks flying over at her house going to be allowed. Too bumpy a ride with this last one.

    Oh, there are other local by lines to report. Danny Emerson paddled his boat up into the fishing grounds on the same lake. While excitement on the North Shore’s burning lawnmower was missed Saturday as he treks to places along Higgins Brook. Where Pastor John Ruth took he, the kids from church many moons ago on the same Oakfield end of the Maine lake. Pole in hand, the hook all baited and ready to wet the line. Try his luck at the fish for supper notion. No fish, strikes. But did come back with a few pounds of fiddleheads. That are not up in all areas yet.

    Wait it gets better. Side stories of Twitchy’s GTO that got bought by Dave Haggerty but was promised to to Chris Watson in the group. Talk of local Farmer Buzzy Nightingale starting oat, grain planting next week. Let’s me know to get my power washer ready too. That he was just up by the in town house and office and one big tornado of dust from the Katahdin Trust parking lot clean up was swarming around all the buildings in the neighborhood. Like Pearl Harbor, the winter dirt and dust removal happens early Sunday morning for less attention, grief from others away, out for coffee, at church worship or still sleeping.

    That leads to side discussions on what could be privatized for state services and would it save money or not.

    To keep a handle on local property taxes that no one wants to see head skyward. Jimmy Ritchie says he likes his new white jeep and was not sure the black leather seats would work out but they have along with the double glass moon roof that is pretty peachy keen on a long trip.

    Lou Ann his wife is happy. And talk of when is Larry McCarthy, his bride, Jimmy’s sister in law moving out to Cochran Lake so he can add his two cents into the coffee clutch conversation stream? Knowing he would have some new word about Mark Bossie’s quick, unexpected hospital helicopter ride to Bangor last week. I add he called me to let me know he had not forgotten a new furnace quote on one our listing sales. And relay I was told I would be seeing him next week, back on his feet. New and improved. Raring to go.

    The weather in Maine being gorgeous but the need for a little water gets a nod of agreement from the group. And then talk of Jerusha Benn trying out a Toyota, Subaru, Honda and doing her home work with parents. Careful study before buying, then selling her jeep that is getting a few too many miles on it. But a couple comments about the trip to Greenville the same day for a wedding event added in.

    Then back through Charleston for some different scenery while out of “The County” on top of just the let’s help make a car deal for the daughter chit chat. If it is a “TY-ota” it will be bought locally. But the Subaru Forester is a strong contender for all wheel drive new rides. Just so’s you know. And one more thing, make sure to “like” Kali Emerson on the Panscofar list of local models for their spring show. As the local favorite who needs our support.

    Updates on the Hodgdon Maine fire rebuilding process of the Benn’s Auto Sales and Salvage business is noted. Discussion about the new building, size, who’s hammering away out there weaves into the main conversation. While small breakout groups happen over by the gun case. Around the coffee pot. As folks come in and out of the small country store for smokes, mail, milk, bread, gas and beer when the day of the week, or clock says it’s okay. And all add their contribution to the shooting the breeze before moving on to reach into the job jar or report to work. Mark Drew stocks the red deer jerky container as he rolls in, heads for the soda cooler for some early morning refreshment.

    Sometimes back in Vietnam era stories surface, get interjected by Doug Cameron, the store owner while the second cup of coffee is slurped.

    And he stays busy, on task doing the morning ritual to open up the corner store that has killer pizzas. Before everyone scatters to get some work, projects done for the day. To not waste daylight. To wander back outside but in a highly caffeinated state. For a spring in the step, a little liquid motivation. But not so much in the system to quite levitate. And say, who won the canoe race down the Meduxnekeag yesterday?

    Updates on who’s been sick, how are they doing. Who bought this house, who just retired. How work is going and along with a scan of the store copy of the Bangor Deadly newspaper, now everyone is up to speed. Ready for the day to hit the road. Settle up for the snack, to buy a lottery ticket on the way out.

    Small town Maine is more connected, folks more aware of others around them. Life is simpler, down to Earth, real up close and personal. Is it like that where you hang your hat now? Or do you know your neighbor? Do you want to? And is there much trust or more worry about others because letting your guard down is not so common place on your end of this blog post signal?

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

  • Living In Maine, Jumping Through Hoops Without All The Bells And Whistles.

    Getting Along, Play Nicely Together Takes Team Work.
    How People Interact On Your Life Team When Everything Is Not So Peachy Keen Is An Eye Opener.

    Life in Maine, anywhere is a short journey.

    Often you and I are plain too dang busy to realize the importance of the each and every milestone. Not serious enough about what really matters in our many relationships with those around us. The roads we select that seemed right at the time, the ones we should not have taken happens. But the long way home has its own set of rewards too. Living in Maine is kept simple. Less cluttered, for the most part spent outdoors.

    Because learning arrives right on schedule, in bits and pieces much quicker under bluer skies, breathing fresh Maine air.

    But we sleep through class. Passing notes, daydreaming and thinking about recess. The Bubble and Squeak in the cafeteria you can smell. Eventually, glimpses of crystal clear awareness usually hit us right on time but after the fact. Because during the school room exercise, we are distracted. Not only focused on what is happening in front, behind and in the rows on each side.

    But the unfinished inside business, housekeeping. “Homework” that needs addressing, deciphering that others around you don’t just automatically know how they are written into that script. What part they signed on for, that you would like them to play, and why it is so dog gone important.

    Bogged down, mired, held back by the insecurities crying out inside.

    The starts and stops throughout life unlock the puzzle pieces. The missing odd cut shapes gleaned, earned from each event, situation, relationship. How we use them or not defines us. Shows a pattern of unmet needs we weed and feed first inside. Way before anyone else’s unique set get dove tailed in, provided for and addressed adequately. Juggling one ball happens for balance, to get a feel, comfortable before any extras are introduced to the rotation right? So you don’t drop them all.

    Like playing only one note at a time on the Fischer Price tinny piano with the brightly colored keys.

    Before pulling out all the stops. Trying to move on to intricate chords, diminished sevenths, minor melodies. Or playing bass notes, bells, chimes in your stocking feet.

    What is wrong? The frustrating answer the person asking it does not always know. But somehow, whoever is closest is responsible for a standard default. To time after time leave the aggrieved party off the hook, without a reactionary role when affairs go afoul. Because true, secure happiness on your own first is missing. And expecting everyone around you to make you safe and round the clock happy never has a warm, fuzzy, friendly ending. Drill your own deep cold well to refresh, to satisfy the thirst. Before panhandling. Begging for a cup of water each from every Tom, Dick and Harry around you on a full time basis. You have to provide the basis table settings, the plate, cup, fork, knife and spoon for the picnic feast.

    Confusion, conflict, debate and add a little pride, stubborness can all cause a person to make matters worse.

    Ever heard someone yell “do something, anything?” Well, in Maine, it’s stop. Hold up. Whoa. Find your special place in nature to retreat to then reflect. Seek, find, gain answers to life’s many quandaries. Don’t mess it up more by just doing something, anything when new results are not going to happen with the same old approach to the problem.

    Can you see yourself in this video about a simple situation escalating at a public parking lot while shopping for a few items?

    VIDEO | Watch The Interaction, What Happens When Tit Leads To Tat, And Way Beyond.

    Funny, scary, exaggerated? Or something to be learned about what drives and provokes us. Life should not be a race, a competition with others. We are taught to play well, be considerate, think of the other person. Stay calm. But why does that go to heck in the hand basket when seemingly challenged and no way you are going to turn the other cheek. Not able to back down. And start to demand, expect justice in whatever way it has to be be doled out, administered.

    Putting out a fire dousing it with gasoline never works well with eye for an eye and hang on. Here we go with I’ll meet you, raise, up the ante, and it’s time to see the cards you are holding. What you are really made of, when others protecting their twos, threes and face cards pretty close to their chest scream “call”. Demand to know what do you have, are you bluffing or not?

    If you are at peace within yourself, that joy radiates.

    Is apparent to all without words exchanged. Maine is a state of less people so more time spent alone or in small groups. Getting to know you happens when you log more time with just you. How you tick. Because if you don’t know, no one else is going to figure it out easily. Without lots of hit or miss wasted emotion, heartache and hurt feelings. Which escalates like the parking lot round and round above when you and I come unglued.

    Growing out of a simple case of unmet needs, expectations that become a rock, paper, scissors fury of desperation. Attempting to get a handle on a situation spiraling out of control. Like the rock ’em sock ’em, crash and dent auto body work performed at the public parking lot. The destructive gale force storm, demolition derby of aggression. That raises its ugly head with ten and two driving skills applied with a “now it’s personal” purpose to prove a point.

    The anger inside, how extensive, how long has it been carried, why is it there?

    What hurts, wounds and sensitive purple spots on your heart do you or anyone lick, carry, coddle? Valuable little black box information that serves everyone better if known before a crash. Prior to a relationship going south, off radar. Rewinding instead for a do over and squawk box confirmation that “roger that, you are cleared for take off, please taxi out to runway one six niner”. To head out into the strong head winds when you lift off. Leave the safety, solid ground of the landing field.

    And then shortly because expectations too great, ownership for the last flight mishaps ignored. And May Day, CQ, SOS repeats itself. Search and rescue on all the scanner hailing frequencies erupts. Then begin again the process of trust, knowing none of us lives on a protected island forever. And mended hearts can fly again. But not without safe boundaries. To limit, allow trust, transparency, honesty about past pain, the suffering too long and being broken.

    Guard your heart.

    We are all vulnerable. And why we need each other. To share and care. But sad fact, you can not with everyone. Not everyone is a match, compatible. Accept it. Or don’t. And remember everything boils down to timing. Are you, the other person in tune, ready or not here we go? Your judgement, discernment improve for sure. Especially when we all realize we are not perfect, never will be. But are honest about it. Have to be. Overlook an offense.

    Don’t just band aid the hurt, repeating the same bottoming out mistakes. Shake loose, explore, grow in a place like Maine. Learning to set healthy limits. To just say no. When it is not okay, all peachy keen around you with people you care about and love that try to take away what you are proud of, that defines you.

    Handle with care.

    Make a list of your limits, expectations, dreams and share it. It is you, your character, values, beliefs. Your own guide, owner’s manual. With a publication run of just one. That your kids learn from as others grow to respect you for you. Seeing you are trying to walk the walk. Not just a blah blah pretty, clever buzz wordsmith.

    Maine big state, find what is missing in your life in the beauty of the down to Earth people, the drop dead gorgeous natural surroundings. Connect your set of dots in Maine, the way life should be. Roll up your sleeves. See the fruit from your hard work and labors where there is a real, genuine sense of unity, community surrounding you up here in the right hand corner of the country.

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

  • You Don’t Just Live In A Small Maine Community, You Are The Town.

    Maine Small Towns Are Simple, Warm, Friendly.
    Small Maine Town People Are Friendlier Because Less Crime, More Involvement In Communities.

    The luxury of just being a consumer with cash and carry, or swipe the plastic thinking is not how life in a small Maine town rolls.

    Take take take, pay pay pay reaching in your wallet or purse to buy your way through day to day life is not the procedure. Not a case of just bark out an order. Then get everything possible delivered up chop chop quick for a full, complete selection off the menu of goods and services. Not happening that way. Not our day to day Maine experience.

    We go without many things store bought in Maine.

    That we initially think we want, are told we better buy before midnight tonight through high powered advertising. Gotta have, can’t live without but then rationalize we don’t really need for happiness, joy, contentment. To live with out the debt that follows. After the thrill is gone, when the hankering to gotta have it spell wears off. Until something else sparkling, new, flashy comes into the area of the corner of your eye. Spending happens slower in Maine. Better impulse control. Lots of bartering, exchanging DIY skills, not stacks of green dead presidents back and forth in Maine.

    In rural Maine towns, which most are, you don’t get “fed” like a consumer that is served. It’s like you and I are the church worship experience. The pot luck covered dish delivered to the “here is the steeple, open up and see all the people”. Not just going, attending a Maine church to have trained professionals do all the leg work. We don’t just sit, act spiritual, listen, sing a few hymns, recite a couple prayers and leave. To be like bumps on a log. Repeat the process seven days later. We speak up, reach out, give praise and cause wide open, two way worship experiences everyday. Spending a lot of time on our knees in prayer in our spiritual gardens.

    In a city, it is a luxury to live out in the suburbs.

    In a small town where there are fewer secrets. Where people have time for people. In a place with a handful of stoplights if any exist there at all. Cleaner air, bluer skies, brighter stars happen in a small Maine town. Because all the types of pollution are less, missing, not out of control generated. Sounds crude, primitive but no people, no pollution, no problems. Simple living. No stranglehold of permitting, licensing, regulations either.

    With wall to wall people in a city, less folks dare to make eye contact. You quickly learn to avoid confrontations. Are not so trusting, develop a beware and don’t stare, gawk, engage act of survival. Appear disinterested, just blend in to the crowd, swell of noise and smells. Push, shove, herd shoulder to shoulder like slow moving cattle traffic. If you know what’s good for you fella.

    Just take what you need, get what you came to shop for in a product or service in the big apple.

    And high tail it back to the place called home. Where in a city the place you lay your head down, raise your kids is secured by bars on the windows. A dead bolt, standard lock and a chain for good measure on all the doors. Belt and suspenders thinking. And yes you carry a taser, a concealed weapon. Avoid certain areas of the city no matter what time of day or night. People are way friendlier in a small Maine town because they can be.

    There are smaller businesses, locally owned in Maine towns because there are just not enough consumers to keep large ones afloat. Out of the red and making a healthy enough bottom line profit for the out of state corporate headquarters bean counters.

    Small Maine family run businesses can weather economic storms.

    Way more resilient and creative to hold costs down. Able to survive because it’s just the family working more than forty hour weeks. Not a bunch of employees with worker’s compensation, special insurances, restrictive union demands to do this, this and oh yeah that too.

    Small Maine town business owners don’t whine, complain we always used to do it this way. They adjust, quickly adapt because they have to. Not flush with money. More skin in the game. The stakes more real. Odds stacked against them if they develop slack, waste. Or a “well, that’s good enough” attitude. Going above and beyond like a trim, toned athlete in training. Making work a survival sport is the norm. Cause it is in a small Maine town where your profit is all in your expenses. You can not just raise prices and keep the doors open, customer loyalty to continue.

    David is way more efficient, cross trained, humble and resourceful then Goliath.

    To quickly adapt to new situations, consider all the variables and what ifs. Then do what he has to do with what he has to work with and his only weapon, a sling shot to survive. To do the impossible, make a do or die difference for the greater good of his home town and family. You and I are the “they” in a small Maine town too. Not blaming past mistakes in town affairs on folks six feet under, buried a half mile out of town high on a hill. We all do the best we can with what we know, what we have, and live in the today. Not decades ago, not too far in the future. The here and now focus that matters most is where today’s life takes place.

    Small Maine businesses offer a higher degree of personal service. They are your neighbors. The folks you sit two pews away from in church. Coached a little league team, shared a dug out bench and water cooler. And pretty much attend all the same school and sport functions. Because each family has kids the same age.

    The stork made synchronized multiple flight drops.

    The children in a Maine family part of a classic case of connecting the dots. Progressing up through the ranks, in the same zig zag up the halls in elementary right up through to high school graduation. And knowing their classmates in a small sized, more personal, hands on education.

    Small Maine towns, you don’t just live there. You are the small Maine town and the community would miss you if you were gone. The small calm just a puddle pond ripples with anything you do good or bad. Your reputation is everything. You can make a difference and are needed to step up, pitch in, help out. And unlike a city, large sprawling urban concrete jungle of parking garages, cloverleaf exchanges and glass towers, over paid sports teams, your voice is not drowned out in a small Maine town.

    Other recent Maine blog posts ….

    How Big Is Too Small For Your Maine House, Home?

    Junk, Cheap, Low Cost Maine Land In Demand, Sells Too.

    Hungry For A Slab, Sliver Of Maine Land?

    Thank you very much for following our Me In Maine WordPress Blog posts.

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

  • Honest Mistakes, Does Any One Make Them Today?

    One Maine Potato, Two Maine Potato....
    Maine Kids Learn About An Honest Days Work, But Do Any Of Us Make Honest Mistakes Any More?

    Back in the early 1980’s I taught a University of Maine adult education class on real estate practices.

    At the time you needed the practices class which highlighted the day to day of being a Maine real estate agent. To get your salesman or broker’s ticket. With courses taught by an attorney for the law, and appraiser for the valuation end of listing, peddling property listings part of the three course process.

    One night before class started, while folks were filing in to pick their same seat as last session, one older lady had a major melt down. Each week she complained about not needing to be in the class. Looked for sympathy. But had let her real estate license lapse and the state thought differently. Said attend or else cease and desist the desire to be a Maine real estate agent. Find another line of work.

    Always putting on the Ritz, dressed to the nines.

    Extremely over dressed for class. More dolled up looking like ready to go out on the town and paint it red. This particular night, while wearing a sheer, frilly blouse with way way too many front buttons unemployed, not working. A gentleman from Mapleton accidently bumped, spills his coffee. A few drops land on her dry clean only expensive blouse that did not come from Kmart, Ames (pronounced in Maine AIM-zezzzzz) or Woolco.

    Not losing the entire cup or even a tiny fraction when she suddenly turned around and ran in to the gentleman. Who pulled off a remarkable Columbia bean elixir save, recovery. While negotiating up the rows of seats to plant his keester in the one behind her. No No. Just a few drops was the claim if any at all were shed on her clothing in the java bump that she initiated. Foul was whistled shrilly. Wrongful doing air raid sirens sounded. Call in the coffee police. File a report. Put up the yellow do not cross police crime scene tape. Heads are going to roll.

    Normally when a mistake is made, and this cup carrying class mate apologized, offered to pay for her blouse to be dry cleaned or replaced, then you expect things to settle down. Not in this case. Miss Snarky proceeded to ask him in the room full of large eyes and stalled midstream conversations how he could be so stupid. What was wrong with him was barked over and over.

    You could silently feel the sway of the room when no side was picked in the mishap at the onset.

    The boat listing to port. To suddenly the entire class was feeling badly for Mr Coffee. Wearing his hush puppy tie ups. Because it was an honest mistake, if any java, of the cup of Joe was actually spilled. And if it was he had sincerely, emphatically showed he was truly sorry. All apologetic beside himself. With sincerity written all over his face and his words to right a wrong being obvious to the rest in the real estate class room night session. Other classmate intervene to remind “he said he was sorry”, “let it go”. It was an honest mistake.

    The powder keg, blown way out of proportion episode made me realize why juries award ridiculously large damage settlements. Sometimes they hate big companies that come out as greedy. Chasing the almighty dollar. If no remorse was shown, if extreme negligence is apparent without a shadow of a doubt. But also why folks get off the hook and not just on technicalities. Because of the way the people in the trial present, handle themselves. What is expected in society and when it is obvious the norms, values and what’s fair is out of whack? We all judge fairness based on what should happen with an honest mistake but what if it was our ox getting gored? Feel the same way? How situations get exploited, heading down a different rabbit trail.

    The belle of the ball, over dressed with teetering tall sequined high heels was wet hen upset.

    Could not let it go. The pressure cooker was whistling, steaming she’s gonna blow. Her dander up, ears back, teeth bared, showing in a grimace, snarl. You know who was about to be kicked, bitten. The personal attack approach left abandoned “the seeking sympathy from the class” reaction to her plight. This misdeed, tragedy, quandary instead of soliciting the class to join her cause, did the opposite. You could not help but feel sorry for the student just trying to take his seat behind her. The sprinkle spillage could not take on the epic proportions, draw any similarities to the sideways oil tanker one off the coast in Valdez, Alaska. Sorry.

    Public opinion, is there an honest mistake made any more?

    An honest mistake is unintentional, one not made with malice or any forethought.

    You are being honest when you say I am sorry. It was a mistake admitted. And you don’t hide from any other intentional agenda or sheer reckless malice. Ah, and that leads us to the topic of forgiveness, situational ethics. Easier said than done it seems. Made any honest mistakes lately? How about everyone around you? Do they still happen in a world that has shifted, thinks more about me now than others?

    Maine, big state, lots of special spaces, places to figure things out. Hear yourself think.

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

  • The Advantages To Raising Kids, Growing Up In A Small Maine Town.

    Working Hard, The Community Behind You.
    Putting Their Small Maine Town On The State Level. Proud Of Our Youth In Maine.

    The pros and cons to being a country or city mouse creates a long list to ponder.

    Maine is a collection of spread out smaller towns. Over a vast area of land in a pretty big state. That by all rights should be in Canada. Due to its tucked away, up here all by herself. In the right hand corner of the country, end of the line, last outpost like location.

    The major lifestyle distinction that hits you with small Maine rural communities is you don’t just live there.

    Or simply attend events. You are knee deep in the activities that happen around you. Working behind the scenes and often out in the open so the activity can happen. Because without the home grown involvement from the grassroots up, it would not occur. Not the financial resources to stage, hire it all done. So the local community happenings are richer. Extra special because of the locals putting their back into it in tons of creative ways. To be better than last year’s due to every individual having an integral part. Stepping up, depended on as we all divide up what needs doing.

    Besides relying, needing each other to step up and participate in a small Maine town community event, you know all your neighbor on a first name basis. Fewer of them because no sprawling subdivision of Maine homes happens. No neck straining Jack and the Beanstalk high sky scrapper housing projects happen. Large doses of land surround the majority of Maine homes. Many towns with country happening in less than a half mile in any direction surrounding the burg, borough, plantation. We eat better locally grown Maine food too.

    No stop light waiting happens in a little traffic, smaller Maine town.

    Because of working events from your kids sports, church, school functions to serving on local municipal and civic club boards, you begin to know most people in your community. When you wander into a hardware store on a break from a household project, the clerk and you coached little league. You ask how his mom is doing from her surgery. You know from conversations and local news she took a bad spill a few weeks back. Awareness of others, even worry, a prayer happens in small Maine towns.

    You never feel alone, the doors are unlocked, there is just not the daily major crime happening in a small Maine town.

    Small Maine towns are filled with a friendly atmosphere. Each smiling member knows they have a distinct part, role in being there. And would be missed, it would be noticed if they were missing. As the void created when a member does pass on and an opening for all the many roles they filled are one by one filled. As other town residents step forward to help out. Continue the tradition in the memory of the beloved volunteer who contributed so much over the years. And set the example for all to follow.

    Walk in to a small Maine restaurant, stop for a coffee and pastry, donut at a local convenience store and plan for a conversation.

    To be updated on how this or that project is going. To learn who just got back from vacation and pretty much get up to date on how it went this year. Hear how glad they are to be back, how much they missed home. After being in the bright lights, big city entertainment vacation location. Where you attend events, not plan and work them.

    Or anything pertaining to our Maine youth, hear the beaming pride for the up and coming basketball, hockey, soccer or whatever team. Doing their part hustling to put the small Maine town on the map. Getting countywide, state level or bigger recognition for the small Maine community to buzz about.

    Try to walk a town street, a country road in Maine and not have plenty of motorists roll down the window. Slow to a stop as they ask if you need a lift. Look at your watch and smile as how fast more than one pair of jumper cables shows up as you raise the hood of the station wagon, pickup, jeep when the battery goes click click click dead. For a boost showing you are not alone, that someone cares. And knows you have returned the same favor many times during your stint in a short life in a small Maine town.

    Teachers know the kids, watch them grow up in a small Maine village. Had their brother or sister a few years back.

    Sat with the same set of parents at private school conferences on how Jane or Jimmy is doing in his or her class this year. In the partnership of what to help with at home discussed together. To provide the 3 “R’s” to gain as much as possible from the valued, respected educator, parents, and student team.

    Being more resourceful with what you have, not what you whine about wishing you had. Kids learn early on to make the most of it, be grateful for the silver lining in everything that happens to you. To turn any event good or bad into something useful for a take away. So red flags, missed cues are collected, remember the next time to obtain different results.

    Small town Maine living means outdoor fun hiking, biking, fishing, swimming and more.

    Being lucky to live in Vacationland with no or very low cost four season entertainment all around you. Year round, not just one vacation week a year and that’s all she wrote until the calendar traded in for a new one. Awareness of the natural beauty that is respected around you taught to kids. Where grandparents on open porches or picnic outings make sure the wisdom of what their longer years has taught them is shared with the rest of the family to benefit, learn from to make life richer. And simpler.

    Yeah, I am high about living in a small Maine town. Fun to hit a city for a sporting, entertainment, dining experience but always glad to be back in Aroostook County. The place I am so glad to call home.

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

  • “Maine Farm Fresh Cageless Hen’s Eggs…”

    Maine, Loaded With Natural Beauty To Emotional Tractor Beam Real Estate Customers.
    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.

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