A "little" activity

2012 Orono/Bangor Bog Walk - click

We started out for Breakfast, hungry don't you know,
then headed to the Carmel Library to buy plants to grow,
we bought several, it's a charity event,
and they had lots of stuff under the ole tent.

Then we took a drive down to see the streams,
because we've had a lot of rain, they're busting at the seams.
Then down through Hermon, time for a short break,
feeling good today, our bones don't ache.

Then we're off to take a walk and it's made out of boards,
just to take a look to see how much water that moss hoards;
and the new plants, well new for this year, are nice,
and we see the old boards showing damage from the ice.

Then it's time for lunch, Old Town is our choice,
and a waitress comes and gives the menu voice,
now off to take "one last look" at the Great Works Dam,
it will be torn down, green power gone, damn!

New growth Pitcher Plants - now we need some flies for them to eat.

The Great Works Dam and Power House
(or, Waste of Green Power)

Calico Lobster and Language

I could teach you to talk like a Mainer

but it's the words I'd choose,
that aren't allowed on here, so it's a no brainer,
but I will tell you some, there ain't too much to lose.

 Say "by the living (omit), I'll tell you somethin' Bub,

you know that (omit) Norman, well he's just a (omit) (omit)
and that (omit) useless son of his, well I'll tell you what,
every time he opens up his mouth, it's nothin' but smut.

 Now I could keep on going, but you get the idea,

that old time guys like me ain't got much to say;
no we can't talk like that no more around here,
and when they let us do it, well that'll be the day!

Bangor Daily News May 10, 2012
this lobster was caught in Winter Harbor not Winterport.

And I was off...

...and running just before the early hour of four,
fully expecting nothing, but I'm the fool that's poor.
Got a coffee, my first of the day,
went for gas, and got under way.

I arrived to pick her up at quarter to six,
being glad she's moving, won't be out in the sticks
backtracked to Newburgh for I95,
fully aware that she was really alive.

We first stopped in Waterville, 40 miles away,
she had some breakfast, my number two coffee today.
She bought a CD and one magazine,
I knew that was coming, I have foreseen.

Cool as a cucumber, that's her demeanor,
she'll make people glad that they have seen her,
one pit stop later we're at Biddefords gate,
it's our last stop in Maine, our home state.

Staples is first, we all knew that,
then off to Target, no time for a hat.
The weather is foggy, damp nearly wet,
but we're off today, her heart had been set.

Now off to Dover, the New Hampshire place,
in to my brothers house, she's not in a race.
Because there are stairs - just three steps in those,
but when she saw the rail - - well, she just froze.

Scoot up as she does, while I guard the rail,
before she doing steps, she would rather do jail.
They're just steps to us, what difference it makes,
when we understand that to her they're snakes.

It's a visual thing that I don't understand,
but autistic people refuse steps, all over the land,
not everyone does that but there are many,
who do not like stairs, and do not use any.

A photo at my brothers, it didn't come out too well,
so we'll just ditch it and say "oh, what the hell",
but it's one that I wanted - two brothers with beards,
one looked quite normal and the other is weird.

We hopped down to Newington, near the big mall,
had nice lunches at Longhorn, with iced tea and all.
Then we went to the bookstore just one purchase there,
a DVD set, Newhart and the gang, pull up a chair.

Now over to Staples to laminate more,
I was sure she would use all the plastic in the store,
but she only did nine projects, for her a slow day,
I mean it's "special occasion" - hey, what the hay!

Now we wanted Wal-Mart, but made the wrong turn,
but we'll stop back in Dover, smell that rubber burn,
into the Wal-Mart and back to the car,
she seems to know where the magazines are.

Soon we're making the "big Dover loop"
all 'round the circle - it's the local scoop,
one-way traffic on the most busy street,
makes doing that circle less of a treat.

Now back in Maine the old dad stops the car,
we're in the same state now, call Mom tell how you are.
Back up to Biddeford - no time for a stop,
we wait for Topsham and stop to shop.

Some granola bars, and a new magazine,
each one's like the first that's she's ever seen.
Now off to Augusta, a fine Staple's there,
do four more projects - well that's just fair!

One stop at Sam's, and Italians (sandwiches) for us,
it doesn't take long, like we're in a rush.
Off on route 3, we're China bound,
we don't have much time to fool around.

We leave China on route 202,
the miles between us and home are getting few.
Right up to Dixmont it's a beautiful place,
on the Kennebec Road - now it's a race.

We're back in Winterport - she's safely home,
oh what a day! Yes we did roam,
her Spring Vacation - one day only you know,
450 miles, lots of smiles. It was fun to go.

Now back to Levant, it's a round-about route,
bathroom break in Hampden, give the horn a small toot.
Next to Levant, out here in the sticks,
I got home with the news, on the dot, about six.

So, that's the story, one day in my life,
off with the girl, not home with my wife,
but the wifes happy to see me, safely at home,
waiting for opportunities to further roam.

........and........we're off....

....to see the lizard.  Or some such other thing.  Actually this is one of Hollies vacation days, we will be going to the Newington Mall in New Hampshire following a short visit with my brother and his wife in Dover (the New Hampshire Dover for you Mainers).
  I'll pick her up at six and go backwards a bit and take the interstate from Newburgh, then it will be a stop in Waterville or Augusta and on to Biddeford for the first "Staples Stop".  Staples Stops rank in importance just above bathroom breaks.  Staples Stops are the whole reason for this trip, one of the Staples in New Hampshire hasn't been stopped at before.  I am not making this up.  I can make up some funny or weird stuff but this is for real.
  I am in hopes of being home before six this evening, maybe seven, it'll be a long day, but with plenty of entertainment I'll be okay.  Entertainment consists of me learning about new singers, or singer wannabes.  Or, maybe I'll listen to some Presidential history, there was one President born in New Hampshire - Franklin Pierce, and of course his wife, children(?), household pets and events that took place while he was in office.
  I'm off to see the lizard.  It'll be fun!

It was a nice day...

........yesterday, after a cool start.  I wasn't going to walk too far and ended up walking six miles again.  I got home early so Linda could have the car.  When she arrived back home she had a present for me.  I received, for Fathers Day, a beautiful Foxglove plant already in flower.  She also brought three bags of mulch and some dark pink creeping phlox.  Hey! I said I'm supposed to be the creep around here!
   We went for a ride to Dixmont and Newburgh for a quick, maybe not so quick look-see.  The power company is expanding a line from Orrington to Kittery (about 190 miles) to double the number of 345Kv lines, it brings power from Hydro-Quebec to southern New England.  It does that at the expense of one of my favorite places, the construction goes right through the place, they've killed the trees by cutting off the tops, brutal stuff.
  In Newburgh we stopped by North Star Farm, where harness racing horses are raised, a young colt was running around the pen, a photographer was there working - she was getting a lens full.  Beautiful animals on that farm, even the adults.

Here's a photo that we took at Northstar Farms a couple of years ago, nice place.
  I'm off for a short walk and some coffee, busy day tomorrow.  Take care.
Question: How many people owe the IRS over $10,000.00 anyway?  The number of ads on TV is horrendous, and tiresome.

No snow in the forecast.

New lambs are here - click

  Those sheep and cows live out by Hollies place, Linda took some photos for us yesterday while running errands.  As for me, well I did manage to walk six hours between 4 and 8 in the morning.
I didn't accomplish much after that, I did a little work in the flower beds, started a fire in the grill,
and ate.  The fire start was something else!  Smokey like I've never seen.  I use "match light" type charcoal, but bought a "store brand", it's a brand I won't use again.
  I watched the Red Sox game, except for the fifth inning - I was asleep, terrible is a word I'd use to describe that game. Terrible.
  The Red Sox starting pitchers are all bad, gone to hell in a handbasket, you can actually say things like that about that bunch.  The Bull Pen is exceptionally bad, I can't imagine where they dig these guys up, there must be a "Bad Pitcher Farm" where you can pick a couple, Boston got the part of that crop that was rotten.
  I guess I should ask myself "Why do you watch those games?".  I don't have a good answer, it's kind of like watching a house burn instead of calling the Fire Department.  Or, you could say, it's a complete waste of time and mental energy.

Watching the baby sleep, or the road.

More sheep, or the same ones in a different photo, or a little bit of both.

Typical!

  I don't even know where to start, hmmm let's see.  Saturday was a decent day weather wise, drizzle in the early morning, you know 2-5AM - my walking time, but I still got in about 4 miles plus, combining indoors with the rest.
  For some reason I must have had a wish for punishment and I watched the Baltimore Orioles clobber the Boston Red Sox.  Most teams have been able to banish the Red Sox from a win, and they remain in the Eastern Division cellar - after watching the game the cellar is the appropriate place.
  After that I watched the Kentucky Derby.  The horses were beautiful, super animals.  The winner caught me by surprise, but thinking back I've only ever picked one winner, Seattle Slew in 1977.
  Then I read some of the local news updates, Husson University and the University of Maine had graduation ceremonies yesterday, the top of the class bios are always interesting.  At UMaine an honors grad is a young woman from Lewiston who was homeless for much of her high school years, she graduated from Lewiston High as valedictorian, and got out of UMaine with a 3.894 GPA, that means she will be successful at the Maine School of Law.  I think that's what you call a super kid.
  I also read that at the Maine Republican Convention that Ron Paul supporters took the whole shebang over, elected the Secretary and President of the event from among their midst and took over the proceedings.  Interesting stuff to ask my pal Harry about on Monday for sure.
  Have a great day, I'm off (in more ways than one)>