Tag: maine simple living

Living In Fear, Worried About What’s Around The Next Corner.

Fear cripples, robs, distracts your life.

But when you live in an area that is not knee deep in it. The shift to tend to other details that are more important, having greater reward happens. Like getting the winter wood in to stay warm. Canning and preserving for the root cellar stash into the winter foodstuff cache.

Protecting The Harbor, Not From Criminals But Navigational Perils.

Fixing the roof leak around vent pipe on the Maine home.

That would be a pretty hard DIY procedure once fresh, fluffy snow piles up around it. When old man winter neck reins the weather channel. Settles in for a few months around the end, beginning neighborhood of the calendar.

So in Maine life skills are not self defense to protect against bad actors, shady characters. Survival is banking your home to make it easier to heat.

Taking care of the ceiling over head, the drafts around the windows and doors. The basics of survival not fight or flight fear engagement with concern about do or die. Your personal safety is not the first consideration. Or thought of at all in Maine.

Making sure harvest of the bounty of the garden produce is stocked away to draw from around meal time.

For the sit down, count your blessings, pass the peas please. Around the supper table of the Maine house you are proud to call home. That is a work in progress. Will never be really done or complete in your lifetime. In the pay as you go, take your time with the hammer, nails, paint brush.

Sharing what you have and helping others in the strong local connection. That is part of small town living in Maine. Take what you need, leave the rest for others. It’s always about others. Not number one moi.

Pinching pennies and Maine simple living in gentile poverty.

Blue, Green Blend. Maine Has A Lot Of Variations Of Those Two Colors.

Getting more from less. And not everything tied to the almighty dollar. Lots of bartering attached to the transactions of goods and services. No dead presidents exchanges from the bank roll.

But living in personal fear.

Sheer terror and always thinking the worst is about to happen. That is lives in the shadows. Lurking around that next corner. That is not Maine. Rural, simpler living in the 4th lowest crime state is not living in fear or feeling scared. It is all about being prepared in battling the elements not people.

Had a continuing education course at this year’s state of Maine REALTOR’S convention at the Samoset Resort. The headline about safety in real estate. I thought it was going to be more about practical applications of the day to day watch yourself around property listings.

Like, when you visit a bank foreclosure which are not the norm in the 46th lowest state for them, but that has knee deep water in the wet basement.

Maine Is Outdoors, Doing Lots Of Fresh Air, Blue Sky Events.

Maybe when the power is on, you should as the real estate agent or broker think twice, thrice.

About stepping off whatever cellar step the water from the spring thaw has climbed to during the inspection with buyer or appraiser.

Electrical safety around the rising ground water.

Things like the laundry basket, picnic coolers, luggage, pieces of firewood floating.

Bobbing in an eerie way and everything looking very out of place as you think about plugging in that sub pump but not being fatally shocked in the process. As you fish for the cord end to slide into the electrical socket if the juice is on.

Or thinking about the sleeping pit bull in the last bedroom down the long, dark, narrow hallway of an older mobile home. The one with the nameplate “Vagabond” above the trailer hitch.

Where one bedroom you suspect the tenant has a meth lab percolating. That is the kind of personal safety issues I think about as a rural Maine real estate broker. Tour guiding with a buyer for the looksie, the once over kick the tires. And figure out the whatta you think?

Maine Explained With Social Media Examples.

Stepping through a rotten neglected deck board. Or keeping customers away from the railing around the structure that is loose as a goose. Gonna cause a buyer, one of their kids to take a Peter Pan off into the lupines, burdocks surrounding it.

Falling into a septic cesspool depression out in the front yard. Or driving up a steep grade around a Maine lake for a showing or listing when there is a skim of black ice.

Not much sand handy for traction in and out. And you gun it to keep from sliding sideways. Keep moving with enough speed for momentum. To avoid the upsy daisy at the Maine lake. The oh oh. Up and over, down a very steep bank heading to the drink. Coming to rest down into an evergreen, all natural vegetation parking spot. A completely camo color protected gully.

In a Maine farm barn watching for exposed nails and being careful where you plant the loafers. It’s on your mind out in the farmstead yard.

More Lupines, No Drive By Shootings. No Gangs In Maine Small Town Rural Living.

To avoid scraping your leg on farm equipment angle iron sharp edges. Hitting your shin walking by a parked pickup with the trailer ball and hitch lining up just so. As you squeeze around the implements parked in the Maine farm machine shed.

Those are the property dangers to be eagle eye as you wander. Out and about in rural Maine property as it’s peddler. As the dealer in the matchmaking that brings buyer and seller together at the property listing.

But never where I live worrying being hit in the noggin. Robbed, your car hi-jacked. All in a split second as you bend over fiddling with a lock box code.

The door is open. We don’t mess with house door locks. Keys left in the ignition of all the vehicles too. Help yourself. Walk right in, sit right down. Baby let your hair hang down is how the song goes right?

Entertaining thoughts that you will be taken out with a baseball bat don’t surface in the gray lobes.

Not thinking during an open house property tour that while you are in the kitchen talking about granite and quartz counter tops.

The other half of the Bonnie and Clyde “buyers” tag team is wrestling with the Monet on the wall. To pry it off. Looting, shoveling jewelry into a black nylon sack to lower out the window. For the drop, hit and run. You watch too many movies or have lived in crime riddled areas too long.

Triple locked doors, cars secured with alarms, clubs to disable them.

You don’t see that in Maine. A car thief looking for a Porsche, something exotic, heads to Martha’s at Cape Cod. More high end, lower mileage late model beauties await the drive it like you stole it routine. For the NASCAR slick five finger discount. Before chopping it up and the evaporation of parts.

Maine Is Space. On Land, The Water! Personal Safety Is Big Here. Crime Is Not.

Got the three credits for the Maine real estate license renewal.

But the having a text on your phone to hit send when you meet up with bad characters. The calling the office and asking for the “red file” to be sent to your email account or phone.

As a secret signal that you are being held hostage or directly in harm’s way. Send help SOS, May Day.

Like someone pushed the silent alarm under the teller station like you and I have seen in movies. Letting the network of people on your personal safety list all know where you are every minute of the real estate day. As you move with special phone apps to catch the loss of signal. When the blip goes off radar sweeps. Save your money, stop worrying. Move to Maine.

In most Maine homes, the treasure is not store bought and sought by a thief to fence it.

Pawn shops don’t have a big market for the personal valuables of a true Mainer. The plaster of paris snow white hand prints of a tiny child or a dead animal from a memorable hunt. That hang on the wall.

The old black and whites images in crooked frames. A little out of focus photos from yesteryear. With old cars, big smiles, family dogs, cats or horses included. Round the capture under glass in the 5×7, 8×10 snap shot. Kodak moments collected, because time goes by.

Maine Is Outdoor Living, Hold The Crime. Second Helpings Of Fresh Air, Clean Water Please.

The SUV with enough miles on it to get to the moon and start the trip back in the tin can.

Who would travel this far north to help yourself to that? The sentimental value wasted on anyone else that has no connection to the events, the people attending them. What is valuable is not store bought but home made.

Whew, you made it to Maine. Life in Little Rock, Arkansas, any high crime population center is a whole lot different than in rural Maine.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |

MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton ME 04730

October 8, 2015
Finding The Source Of Unhappiness, Turning The Corner In Maine.

You read, hear, see lots of signs of depression, unhappiness.

And wonder where did all the angry people come from? Why folks are angry, are frustrated is fueled from lots of sources deep inside. My Mom used to call it “stinking thinking”. Not being grateful, counting your blessings.
Simpler Small Town Living In Maine.

The approach that you are better off than you deserve, others have it a lot worse than you.

Sure chemical imbalance, something missing in the inside chemistry can trigger the highs and lows. But your outlook, what you were taught has a hand in the “how’s it going?”.

Anger turned inward causes depression. Having the wrong, skewed set of expectations that are not realistic or forgetting the struggle, hard work to pull off change spells disaster too.

In my Maine real estate job, I find a person, couple upside down with a mortgage loan that is unhappy. Worried about losing the place. And beyond the housing stress to get payments caught up or the place sold, you quickly find other areas of the owner’s life is out of whack.

Not happy about their job, all the mountain of debt, the relationship too is a struggle and hanging on by a thread.

It’s all making everyone bone tired. Discouraged, depressed, not such a happy camper. Sometimes the anger that fuels, is the mortar of the short temper, unhappiness comes from knowing the individual or couple had a role. Made mistakes, but not always cranked up about taking ownership of their contribution. In the fine kettle of fish they find themselves swimming around in.
Maine Is Having Land, Using It For Farming, Hobbies. Or Just Enjoying Wide Open Space.

Grass is always green kicks in and just looking for relief. But self medication, retail therapy, affairs don’t fix the problem.

Adjustment in life to correct the off the road should be done carefully, in small measures. Kinda of like apply power to a skid on a slick Maine winter road of ice. The ribbon thread of up, down, twisting sideways dips and no thank you ma’ms.

When you live in Maine, the approach to living is less expensive, lower key and time always spent outdoors.

Being on a Maine lake or something waterfront is the setting to figure out, hear yourself think. To consider where you are now, where you have been, where you want to end up. Hard work, determination, patience but right thinking… not the stinking kind needed in large supply.

Having lots of space around you and acres not inches is the setting that helps the general mood. On everything that happens in life that spills from that location. Too tight, too small, up close and way way too personal does not make you easy going. Able to let things roll off without a fuss, a frown, a string series of four letter words anger.
Growing Up In Maine, The Fun Home Made, Outdoors.

Lack of fear, missing crime is what Maine provides a healthy dose of for day to day simple living.

Being productive, worthwhile and having a purpose. Skills developed because it is up to you, no one else empowers a person too. Shows the grit, what the person is made of to persevere, dig in, hang on and move beyond the rock and a hard place.

Coming to Maine debt free works best. Knowing what you got paid there and just skinned by with is not the same pay in the envelope here. Scaling back on the spending if still needing to work here in Maine. But you gain so so much more than you give up. Maine, outdoors, fresh air, clean water, wildlife. Ready for some for quality of simple Maine living?

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

September 12, 2014
Maine, A Place To Run Away To, To Breathe, Think, Relax.

The attitude, the tone, appreciation and respect for the surroundings you call home are the trampoline key to how high you get in life.

The quality of your existence on Earth is often hinged on how busy, commercial, populated it is in your circle, corner of the World right? When you don’t live in a rural state like Maine, it is easy to forget a place like it exists. You don’t have time to day dream. Get out of the habit of letting go, you stop the life altering visits.

Other things on your to do list crowd, take over. Robbing the real joy that being in Maine creates deep inside where real joy, peace, happiness and content hang out, live.

When you have huffed, puffed, stuck with the journey of blue broken dashes up the side of Mt Katahdin, the feeling when you climb up and over onto the table land at Baxter Park’s senior pinnacle is
Maine, Less Colors Than Late Fall’s Explosion Can Be Dramatic Too!
hard to explain.

No words form at first. No matter how many visits. But like the Tim McGraw country song about “I like it, love it, want some more of it” Sugar Pie. Don’t fight the feeling.

Maine, she will have her way with you. And all you know is sign me up for more. Get in line, stay in a row. Mountains cure amnesia.

You may have to head back to work out of state for Monday morning. Get on the green line “T” to be at the job by nine into dragon heart of the city. But you will be back. No doubt about it. Over and for over for a life long love affair that only shines brighter, grows hotter deep down inside.

Distance away from the urban centers is part of Maine’s mystique.

No billboards, there’s a bottle return law. 4th lowest crime state safe. And the rural, remove the large wads of cash stuffed in the pants to live day to day missing. Replaced with more barter than currency exchanging hands.

Means less commercial activity, enterprise happens. More outdoor no cost, low cost fun.

More self sufficiency, depending on your own skill set than paying someone else to tap into their collection for survival, existence.

When you live in a small Maine community of under 200 folks, do you think you can afford a million dollar town office, 8 story ladder fire truck?

Not needed. Over kill. Just like layers and stacks of cumbersome, expensive, time delay regulations for permits, code compliance. To herd all that population. Nope. The simple, kitchen table, common sense approach to living like that mountain top hiking, biking, skiing experience. Works just fine. Is real, honest, simple Maine living. Along with all this wide open, all to yourself waterfront, scenery, wildlife just adds arrow to the heart and keester. To love the freedom, boy we sure are lucky amazement to catch fire.

Real freedom in how you live starts with where you decide to camp out. Without Home Owners Associations, snarky upper crust elite telling you what are not doing right now. And what the fine, penalty is if you don’t cease and desist this instance buster. Or else threats of legal procedures being started up as the poison pen letters, sabre rattling bullying begins. You are not a hillbilly, you may be a fish out of water. A mouse in the wrong landscape. Adjust the GPS selector coordinates.

Ever think if being grateful for the bare necessities is more than enough for real joy was ever replaced with lots of people, plenty of money suddenly invading a small Maine town?

How everything would go to someplace where it seldom freezes over?

Oh sure, Maine could use more jobs, to tighten up on duplication of services and any waste in its government programs. But we pretty much live like we are always ready for a recession in our small Maine towns. Home made, not store bought.

Step up, pitch in, do your part. Don’t waste money, save for a rainy day. Our hand not out, shoved in both of our own pockets.

We make it work, we are happy with what we have. Plenty, we know lots of folks bankrupt in other ways mentally, spiritually. And not just talking about whether its red or black ink you live your day to day using. The lifestyle you show your kids as what is really important to seek out, achieve in life is so important.

Happy Thanksgiving and if you have an empty nest, are not traveling for turkey this year, help make one for others in your home town.

Homeless, shut ins, Veterans or other elderly groups that have no family.

Those that recently lost someone very near and dear that just wish the holidays were over. Because they are struggling with one big ugly, depressing reminder someone is missing. There is a big hole at their place at the table, their role in the home traditions holiday. Kids are the cure at Christmas, Thanksgiving. Make their time special, bright and catch the wonderment spark of the season through their eyes, hearts.

Work the tables at the local church, Elks or other civic clubs to bow your head with others. And be truly thankful, grateful, feeling so so fortunate for how we are really blessed. Pass that butternut squash bowl, cinnamon bun platter and green bean casserole dish to those that look hungry. We need some more light meat of Tom Turkey or Harry Ham carved up too. Let’s eat, give thanks to the table of bounty, abundance of home grown food to feast on in Maine.

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

November 24, 2013
Simple Living Taught, Shown To Young Maine Grasshoppers.

Finding Simple Living Serves Best, Mainers Are Happy, Content, Industrious And Work Harder To Preserve The Things, The Basics That Matter Most.

Being content, at peace starts with knowing you have more than enough. Everything you need for survival and happiness is within us all.

But somehow along the way the simple living, easy does it moderation can go to heck in a hand basket. Getting caught up in marketing, and overspending happens when we are convinced we can not be so happy without this or that toy, merchandise, service. Told, lectured living happily ever after without something means order before midnight today. With three easy, one last not so much fun payments.

The simple approach to life is the template for Maine living for a couple reasons. First, not a state flush with extra cash to splash. We don’t show off, need to be the center of attention or keep up with the Jones’s. The Jones’s with all the glitz move away. Because all the trinkets and monetary rewards from success don’t play well in simple, down to Earth help your neighbor Maine.

Second, simple living in Maine means less exasperation or chomping at the bit anxious feelings to crank it up several hundred RPM. You miss the small joys, the splendor, the fun of being lucky enough to live in Maine. If possessed with that NASCAR pit stop life approach wind up day in and out. Like a marathon where you bust a gut in the beginning leg. Then peter out from sheer exhaustion because you did not pace yourself.

True Mainers born and bred into simple living are happy with what they have.

Grateful for what they possess and not lamenting what they don’t. What they earn and respect, take care of because the money comes hard. The weather is a little more of a challenge. And a nest egg for a severe dip, twist in the road of life means live a tad below your means. It is not square, not hokey, not suffering, just sensible. Disciplined to not be a burden on anyone else.To row your own boat, pitch in for the greater good and to be productive. With a positive purpose providing value filling our many small, scattered Maine family rich communities.

Early medicine growing up the same simple approach. Not racing to the hospital with the sign of a sniffle. And Mom relying on old tried and tested favorites in a much smaller family medicine cabinet. Cod liver fish oil, a teaspoon of that will cure what ails you. Heated up and rubbed on your chest when you are achy, have a cold. Gargling with just warm water and salt when the pipes of the gullet get sore. Flat coke syrup and ginger ale, a few crackers when nothing wants to stay down at the other end of the stomach.

But along with the simple medicine approach, wisdom of the older generation with sage advice about get your sleep.

My three older brothers and I reminded to get your rest. That things don’t look so good the next day when you don’t. That a body not cared for gets worn down, sick. Bundle up when you go out. Count your blessings to reassure, remind you how lucky we all truly are in so many ways. Your mental, physical, spiritual outlook all up to you to maintain, preserve, protect. Taught to hang loose, don’t get shook up. Be patient. Tomorrow is a new day.

Our work, labor, profession defines us too.

Do your best, work hard to become better and to provide a warm, loving house for your children. Keep it looking respectable with maintenance that is cheaper if not neglected in the long run. Contribute to your local community. Explore Maine’s nooks and crannies with your family. Get them educated and prepared for when the parents are gone. And they move up a generational notch in the simple game, process of life.

If is harder for some out of state Maine real estate buyers I see to warm up to the notion of simple living. Who find it hard to give up the crutches being a little more affluent can create. But those crutches, the neediness for stuff you can live without clutter your life. Interfere with the basics of living in a simple but drop dead gorgeous natural Maine setting. Starting fresh, without a mountain of debt and this, that stripped away. That you thought you can not live without that all come with a price.

Replaced as you settle down from the hurry scurry.

With new found appreciation for a Maine sunrise. The promise of a day to not waste. Filled with wholesome, basic events you make yourself. And reflection at sunset that you accomplished much. Not just on the outside but your inside. Contentment, peace, inner joy makes the world around you, the people in it more enjoyable. Get to Maine, settle down and find what’s been missing.

Other Maine blog articles….

Maine Birds, Give Them A Winter Snack.

Maine Neat Older Homes Admired, Respected, Cared For.

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

January 25, 2013
Maine, She Is Drop Dead Gorgeous Without Make Up.

Reaching Out, Learning You Are Part Of A Family, The Bigger Picture Is One Key To Happiness.

We live in a world of enhancements, quick fix solutions to whatever we think is missing in our life.

Or what we think will improve it. Presentation is everything. Looking good has overtaken doing good for many. Somewhere along the way the media, society, our self centered egos have planted the notion in our noggins that non stop personal happiness, gaining attention of others is to be sought at all cost.

That it is all about you, me. Number one basking in the heat of a for all to see, appreciate spotlight. And like gluttons with a “beat the buffet” attitude, we plunder, collect material shiny bling bling stuff, awards, merit badges, things thinking that the world needs to know our success. That all by our lonesome we earned it on our own.

But the reality of it all is you can not buy happiness. And it is not about being happy as much as being holy. Relationships are the most important goal, desire, what to seek. With God, with others. We should not ever get comfortable, we should not think relationships are going to be easy. They don’t just fall in to place. They are not for sissies, not for the lazy. Don’t expect the other person in it to do all the work. What is the reward in that for you or them?

Folks that work daily, get on their knees and open their hearts for God’s direction are not so popular with others who don’t.

A tightening up when the creator’s name comes up works against the belief that it is you who do good work. That some how you are in charge, get all the credit. And many don’t want to, think they need to be held to a higher standard. They practice, waffle between situational ethics that C.S. Lewis expounds on.

Happiness, success is not about wealth, vanity, pride, personal accomplishments.

Not the latest model this or that. It does not last, fades, is artificial. And beauty is not an external painted face, jewels, designer clothes, obscene bloated bank accounts, imported spots car, race horses or yachts. Not gained from fine things or experiences that cause feelings of hapiness. But radiates instead from the inner most places in a person that few get to see, are allowed to share and visit.

The heart, soul, thoughts of a person can be dull on the surface only or drop dead simply gorgeous.

The attractiveness of a person should not revolve, center around the enhancements, trappings worn in public or showcased to make you look better than others around you. Or who you are paired with. It is rock solid based on trust, confidence in God, not in ourselves.

Kindness, a smile, not being in a hurry, taking a person’s hand, a tender kiss, tucked away handwritten note left to find with a message only the recipient would understand. Genuine, down to earth tenderness, sensitivity, helpful gestures where the reward is greater for the giver than recipient helps establish a private happiness, contentment, joy, inner peace. And only the two of your know the chain of events. Not grandstanded, promoted, bragged up for any public relations move to convince others you are one outstanding person.

Our relationships, the depth, strength and committment to them is the real wealth in our life.

Love demonstrated and shared between two hearts, souls with both partners with their eyes on God to maintain, guide that relationship is the most important gift you can show, demonstrate to others. Especially your kids.

Thinking our success in life somehow is due solely to just our own sweat, tears, perseverance. Or that it just happens, is expected and somehow we are the privledged few is pride, vanity that will cause a stumble. And the sooner you know this adversity, set back in life, become broken, heart ripped wide open, the earlier you can begin corrections. And those around you will benefit from a new and improved you. That is more fun, healthier to be around.

Having a high self image, opinion of yourself is a dangerous plank to walk.

Maine is a good place to come down off that high horse. To get your head out of the clouds, to fall to Earth where you can hear God’s whisper that becomes a crystal clear when parked next to the stilled waters of a Maine lake. The oceanfront by a lighthouse, flowing river flowage.

If you are looking, searching for greater inner peace, answers to the direction of your life that may have been “back burnered” due to busyness. Or just have not allocated enough time to dedicate to your relationships in life, Maine is your destination. Come for a day, stay a life time. I find I do my best thinking alone on a Maine lake, a healing place.

Get the answers you need in a simple, stunning unspoiled four season Maine surroundings. Surrender is not a bad word or may be the healthiest option, your only choice and Maine is the state to decide to do it. Maine is more than a quick, easy good fleeting feeling of happiness. She grabs your heart, never lets go in a good way and is better than the real thing. And you come out the other side a better person.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

April 5, 2012
Your 200 Mile Per Hour Life, Take The Next Exit, It’s Maine.

Making Our Own Fun In Maine Is a Local Volunteer Operation..Like ME Soap Box Derby Car Racing.

Living in Maine, when you move here full time or have a second home for part time enjoyment of “Vacationland”, your whole outlook changes to a simpler platform.

For starters, moving to Maine is not to make giant salaries, to wine and dine and to impress anyone. Maine is for folks that don’t want to bother anyone, or to be bothered by a sea of people. Northern Maine, Aroostook County is 11 people per square mile. That is elbow room. Means we don’t lock doors, don’t have to take the keys out of the vehicle, the car or truck in the door yard.

When you are in Maine, your fun is not tied to how much you spend on it. It does not propotionately translate in to how memorable the event, the entertainment is. Pick any of the four seasons in Maine. And the fun is being outdoors, seeing wildlife up close and personal, being on a Maine lake, river, something water related. The experience is a fire, cooking on it, with the back drop unspoiled Maine. Or your free time is spent hiking a hill, trail, mountain and just being humbled by the vastness of Maine.

Hate to say it but man here has not messed the place up. Maine is less people and the ones we have respect the place, give the real estate, property to their kids in as good or better shape then they got it.

Good stewardship and not a scorch earth policy of eat, drink and be merry. Easy, down to earth, lower key.

This pace could drive someone from an urban area nuts. Not stuck in traffic, not overwhelmed with noise. The smells of a city replaced with pine trees, the roar of horns, engines racing, people hollering sounds with lake loons singing. Sometimes all you hear is quiet. Maybe a cricket, the breeze in the leaves..a slight rustle but nothing highway related, man created.

Maine, it’s an adjustment but you start living again in a way you had forgotten existed. Simple. Getting back to basics of what is important. What you need in your day to day, what has been missing you had gotten away from. Healthy, not heavily mortgaged or loaned on at all. Free and clear. Owned outright. No worries. Maine, get the smile you had back on your face and relax. Get back to the land, become more self sufficient, happier within yourself here in Maine.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers

207.532.6573

info@mooersrealty.com

April 23, 2010