Sunsets this time of year are pretty nice.

As the sunsets make the move from up Bath way down the Sheepscot River toward Seguin, they land, for a brief period, directly across the river from us in the vicinity of Grey Havens in Georgetown. And, unlike our power bill (3X increase), our insurance bill (up 25%) and cost of groceries (just up!), the sunsets are consistently consistent as the Earth circumnavigates. It really is a nice way to end the day for west-looking views this time of year.

In Boothbay Harbor, a nice spot to watch the sun go down is at the Fishermen’s Memorial park across Atlantic Avenue from Our Lady Queen of Peace. The backlit silhouettes of boats as the sky’s palette evolves can be quite stunning. Lots of other spots offer good views also, like Cape Newagen and Spruce Point, not to mention the ever pleasant Ocean Point. The further south the sunsets go, the more one needs to adjust for viewing.

Not too long ago I was advised to consult with a relatively new app that actually tells you where the best sunset (and sunrise) can be seen. It gives the time, the brilliance and the location of our solar friend. I forget the name of the app but I’m sure those with good technology skills can find it online via Google. For me, it’s just more confusing and less likely to provide valuable information as I try endlessly to figure out all the bells and whistles offered by my ever-present cell phone companion, which seems determined to run my life and suggest unnecessary purchases.

Case in point. The other day, during a stop at Lowe’s in Brunswick, I bought a speed square for an “in over my head” sill replacement project on one of our outbuildings. Before I got home an ad popped up on my phone suggesting a new product for me – you guessed it! Speed square. I think my phone heard me ask one of the clerks at Lowe’s in which aisle I could find said item, and it took over from there. By the time I got home, several new “project helper” offers appeared. Fortunately most of these “pitches” landed in my spam file, which is where they belong. However, reviewing the spam folder becomes a never ending procedure because sometimes the cell phone misplaces meaningful information!

I give up! I will stick with beautiful sunsets and let the chips fall where they may regarding many of my unsolicited inquiries, some of which include rather disturbing information. At least with the sunset I know that it will not trigger an inquiry into how well my bowels are working or if I need new transmission fluid for the Jetta. Pure and simple, sunsets come and go daily with little or no collateral damage, safely observed.

In the words of Ernest Hemingway, “You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another.” “The Sun Also Rises.” I guess he didn’t have a cell phone!