Passed by and it's a shame

A rusting car in Waite, Maine
Photo: Robert F Bukaty Bangor Daily News

Silently waiting, in Waite, Maine
Photo: Robert F Bukaty Bangor Daily News

Closed in Waite, Maine, a rusty museum - click to enlarge
Photo: Robert F Bukaty Bangor Daily News

 

Underemployment. It's not a good thing.

Click to enlarge
Illustration: U S Bureau of Labor Statistics

  An even quick look at this map tells us something is very wrong.  Many, many people who are employed part time can't find full time work.
  A number of local companies aren't hiring full time workers anymore; it's because of the Affordable Care Act (Obama care) requirements for employers to provide health insurance to full time workers.  Retail companies and fast food workers seem to be the hardest hit.  These are my observations of people with whom I interact on a nearly daily basis.
  There may be or probably are other reasons for this hiring practice but I would be hard put to name one.  This is not the Country I grew up in, this practice of hurting people just to make profits for the owners.  It's greed pure and simple - that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Found "beef"

Charlie and some Maine State Police Troopers
Photo: Maine State Police

  Charlie is a life sized fiberglass steer.  He has spent the last 27 years in front of Town and Country Foods in Greene, Maine.
  Charlie had been "un-bolted" from his base and moved so he could be cleaned and painted.  And then the "rustlers" came in the middle of the night and hauled him off.  There was a $500.00 reward offered for his safe return.
  Paul Valliere, an LL Bean employee, was fishing the Androscoggin River in his Kayak when he was passing a small island in the river and saw a cow!  That was so odd he stopped fishing and went to investigate, he found Charlie.  After eating his lunch with his new-found friend Mr. Valliere found an article in the local news about Charlie and called the number provided.
  The Maine State Police, with the help of the Maine Game Wardens, found Charlie and eventually brought him to shore and he has been taken home - intact.  The investigation continues.

Getting ready to unload the boat.
Photo: Maine State Police

This is one of those days.....

.....when the homework has not been done,
without any good reason, no, not even one.
My time has not been wasted, but I don't know how it got used;
it was by visiting with friends, meetings, but not abused.

Now today is different, I have no good plans,
but to go to coffee, then have time upon my hands.
Watering the flowers, and those things like that;
wasting time and wondering about the striped cat.

So you'll just have to read things more interesting than mine,
while I go about my business wasting precious time.
But I'll go about it gleefully, as happy as a clam;
lazy August days - when I have no other plan!

I've been at it again

Three tugs in Belfast, Maine
Photo: by the geezer hisself

  I used this photo as a starting point for my newest painting.  The tugs were more distant when I took to picture but by cropping it I got this result.  I traced the tugs to my watercolor paper and nothing else.  Here is the result - I think the painting is better than the scan, but that's just me.

The scan

A Kolinsky Weasel

  A lot of watercolor brushes are Kolinsky Sable hair.  The little weasel lives in Europe and the ladies in England at Winsor and Newton are kind enough to assemble the brushes.  They cost too much for me.

Tell it to the postman

In Belgrade, Maine does the mailman wear skis?
Photo: Robert F Bukaty, Bangor Daily News

  There must be a way to make mail delivery fun; or at least more interesting.  Here are some samples of things people in Maine try to help.

In Boothbay, Maine there's Miss Piggy as a Lobsterlady
Photo: Robert F Bukaty, Bangor Daily News

In New Glouster a skinny man gets the mail
Photo: Robert F Bukaty, Bangor Daily News

 

Someone has our money. Or, is it my share?

click to enlarge
Source: Movoto

Here are the "wealthiest" people in each state, it's a very impressive list.  I don't know any of these people personally.  Do you?
It looks like Alaska, Delaware, Maine and North Dakota have some people who didn't do so well, but that's what it looks like to me.