Everybody wants to visit this year! A friend says things will be different next year. NO visitors

"Where does it say when you have a house for the summer here, you're automatically like an AirBandB for your friends, except you don't get paid?”  Your friends call and say”Love to visit you in Maine.” 

But who can blame them?  It was 55 degrees at 7 o'clock this morning, headed to a high of 75.  Plans for the day ... maybe a lobster at Robinson's Wharf in Southport and a new exhibition and reception at the Maine Art Gallery this afternoon.  Tomorrow, church at 10am and a neighbor's open house in the afternoon.

Don't get me wrong. We love to share Maine with friends. But 'the three day rule' about houseguests and fish should be observed. 

The Birds should have known that. They moved in just as we arrived in early June.  It took’em a week to get the place furnished like they wanted. Then Mrs. Bird was spending lot of time at home.  Just sitting.  She began going food shopping frequently.  The final clue was to see she was sitting on something. They must have had a big party one night because the kids arrived and began peeking over the nest - and pooping on the garage floor and Donna's car.

It took forever for us to get the Birds to move out.  Even after most everybody called it a day and the parents flew the coop, two kids preferred hanging onto the garage door opener rails.  Mrs. Bird stuck around for a few days, to goad the kids to take off, and for a while it looked to me that the little ones were being abandoned.  Survival of the fittest. But, no. After three days, the “kids” left.  Now, we are empty nesters.

Last month was the wettest July ever for Maine.  "Monthly precip totals across Maine are wicked high," said the weather people at Portland's WCHS. And this June was the hottest Maine June ever. But the rain did not dampen the energy at the Wiscasset Art Walk last week. 

It took a while to for The Downeast Brass to get started.  At the last minute, the Brass had to relocate to the other side of the road. So, in the midst of a dark and gray rush hour on Route 1, you had men carrying a small tent, to the other side of the road. Once there, the five musicians played a variety of tunes including movie themes and Broadway show tunes. They played almost two hours, outside the gourmet food store, Treats.  

Alice, at the Sylvan Gallery, was serving champagne and chocolates. One of the walk's featured artists was hand-delivering  a new work. He had finished it an hour ago. "The paint's still wet.”  Neil Lamb, at Sylvan Gallery, played light jazz. Classical guitar was featured at the Wiscasset Art Gallery by Jonathan Waldo. Suki Flanagan played the harp at Ingram Antiques. At another storefront, two more artists displayed work while a "do it ourselves" community mural project entertained adults and children.

Oh, Hey! Remember that tractor from two weeks ago?  It went to work.  The driver laid down a thick layer of crushed stone, then rolled it - and now we don't have to swerve around rocks on our '

"Driveway".  It's been 15 years anything's been done to that road.  It's a cushy ride, now.

Oh, Hey #2:  Luc, the dog, got a haircut.

 Elizabeth Clinton started her animal grooming business earlier this year.  "I love animals and grooming, and with last year the way it was, I figured I'd take a chance." 

I found her by chance.  I was driving near the Yacht Club a few weeks ago and two women with several dogs were walking.  I figured they might be a source for a recommendation, especially after the groomer who worked on Luc last summer did not do a good job.  The women immediately recommended Clinton. https://www.birchpointdogspa.com. The web site is bright and helpful, so is Clinton. Word's gotten around fast - she's pretty pretty busy.  But worth the wait.