Gleaning, a way to share

Helping load the goods - click to enlarge
Photo: Robert F Bukaty Bangor Daily News

  Sometimes a farmer grows too many vegetables to market.  It's not uncommon in Maine for a farm to have "too many" in a row crop.  It is especially true with green goods; lettuce, kale or broccoli as examples.
  That's where Gleaners come in; they will pick the remains and take them to a food bank.  In that way the "left-overs" are shared.  It means that something is in a food cupboard that is fresh and not in a can.
  Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/slideshow/gleaning-program-puts-garden-surplus-on-tables-helps-fight-food-insecurity-in-hancock-county/?ref=maineframe

Unloading at the Food Cupboard
Photo: Robert F Bukaty Bangor Daily News

One hundred dollars

Illustration: Tax Foundation

  What's a hundred dollars worth?  It depends on where you spend it.  Check out the brighter yellow states for the best value.  Stay away from the brighter blue states the money just won't go as far.
  It's an interesting study but the blues have one thing in common: high taxes, check a chart on gasoline taxes (just google it) and you'll see it all with ease.
Read more:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/how-much--100-is-worth-in-your-state-152310027.html

 

This thing is kind of hard to use this morning.

Old things left unused

1951 International Bulldozer in Brunswick - click to enlarge
Photo: Robert F Bukaty Bangor Daily News

Useful tools now left overs,
trucks, planes and bulldozers.
Dreams of life and work;
left alone by some quirk.

Nothing left but wait to die,
left to rust, I wonder why.
Did they deserve this place of rest,
after all they did their best.

In Gilead a truck waits for work - click to enlarge
Photo: Robert F Bukaty Bangor Daily News

A summer in Maine

I was out on the town on half torn up roads,
showing the wear of high traffic loads,
some have been dug down to the dirt;
the longer you drive, with danger you flirt.

Yep!  It's summer in Maine, a construction zone,
where ever you go you don't go alone.
There's a man with a stop sign on this end up here,
he'll let you know when the traffic is clear.

The dust is a-flying, and the compactor rolls,
and on some of them roads, they collect tolls.
Oh!  It's summer in Maine, you can tell that on sight,
they're tearing up roads and digging ditches at night.

Right down by city hall there's such a mess,
but by now you couldn't expect anything less;
but the weather is changing it's starting to cool,
and, you know, digging in winter makes you look like a fool.

Yessa!  right from the old geezers head.

One lucky guy

1959 Ford F100
Photo: Mike Berry The Wichita Eagle

  Larry Fagan who lives in the Wichita, Kansas area is one lucky guy.  He is also very talented, it's easy to tell by the work he has done on this truck.
  Mike Berry of The Wichita Eagle keeps on finding the great examples of older cars and trucks that have been bought back to life in a new way.
  See more: http://www.kansas.com/cars/article1231150.html

A peek at the interior
Photo: Mike Berry The Wichita Eagle

Bugs

A bee on a mission
Photo: Troy R Bennett Bangor Daily News

  Yards and houses, gardens and parks all have one thing in common; they're buggy.  I would imagine the insect population in Maine is in the billions.
  There are a lot of "bad" bugs like houseflys and mosquitoes; but there are a lot of beneficial bugs too.  The Honey Bee is the State insect, but we also have dragonflies, spiders and ladybugs among others that help take care of the bad bugs.
  So take care of the good bugs.  I don't care what happens to the bad ones; but they must have a purpose.

A Dragonfly on a blade of grass
Photo: Troy R Bennett Bangor Daily News

100 years and going strong Steamer Katahdin

A recent cruise - click to enlarge
Photo: Brian Swartz Bangor Daily News

  The Steamer Katahdin celebrates 100 years in service this summer.  She has carried people, mail, lumber and other goods to all sorts of places on Moosehead Lake in Maine.  Other steamers were there as well in days past by "Kate" remains in service; mostly for tours.
  There were steamers on some other Maine lakes too, most often to tow rafts of logs for processing each one towing thousands of logs at one time.  Those steamers were scrapped and at least one was just taken out a sunk - on purpose.  It's great to have one left to celebrate the history.
  Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/slideshow/historic-katahdin-steamship-celebrates-its-centennial-in-moosehead-lake/  you'll also find more photos, and a link to her own home page.

Cruising with Mt. Kineo in the background - click to enlarge
Photo: Linda Coan O'Kresik Bangor Daily News