Certain bird species come and go in our neighborhood. This includes mockingbirds—northern mockingbirds to be exact, since there are another 13 species of mockingbird found south of the U.S. We…
Columns
Joe's Journal
In the 1880s, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote a comic opera set in a fictional Japanese town where the Mikado was the boss.
“My object all sublime, I shall achieve in time, to make the…
Two Spoons: On Eating in Midcoast Maine
Back in the eighties I was in a book club for a hot minute. It didn’t stick. There were too many rules. First, we were expected to read a book — a major obstacle. And, really, weren’t we just…
Hello Islanders, lots to report as town election and town meeting time heats up along with the weather (finally)!
Municipal Election & RSU #12 Budget Referendum is Tuesday, June 10…
Garden Club of Wiscasset will hold its next meeting on May 1 in Fellowship Hall of First Congregational Church, 28 High St., Wiscasset. There is…
The next public supper will be May 7. The menu will consist of split pea soup, salad, cornbread, shepherd’s pie, and upside-down pineapple cake. The cost is $10 for members and $12 for non-members…
A Bird's Tale
Certain birds are kind of magical. They exhibit qualities that command extra attention. Cranes are in that category. Across the world, each of the fifteen crane species occupies a special…
Joe's Journal
Last week, we had two days of snow and occasional periods of rain. This gave the daffs and tulips lots of muddy garden gunk to push through. Despite the chilly temperatures that kept my duff…
The next public supper will be May 7. The menu will consist of split pea soup, salad, cornbread, shepherd’s pie, and upside-down pineapple cake.
The…
Two Spoons: On Eating in Midcoast Maine
Long ago. In her father’s library at the house in Bremen, Anina pulls a book from the shelf. Of all of the books in a room stacked floor to ceiling with them, she finds “Back to Eden,” a…
A Bird's Tale
Late in the day on Saturday, we took a ride down to look for birds at some favorite spots along the coast in Freeport. Parking by the narrow bridge at Wolfe’s Neck Farm, we scanned the bay,…
Joe's Journal
Dear Readers,
As you may know, I have been out of the loop since mid-March.
For some strange reason, much of that time was spent at Maine Medical Center in Portland where the skilled…
The next public supper will be Wednesday, April 16. The menu will include tomato soup, salad, cheese bread, baked ham, scalloped potatoes, roasted root vegetables and chocolate velvet pie.
…
A Bird's Tale
The early bird may get the worms, but they may also get an unexpected dump of snow that makes the worms hard to find. Although the snow has been relatively light (at least closer to the coast…
Joe's Journal
The cell phone on the table buzzed and, stupidly, I picked it up. Of course, it was herself, Ms.Pigette, and her ever-changing and sometimes interesting collection of insults.
Where have…
Cribbage results for Tuesday, March 18 with 23 players were: First, Ron Bodge, 842. Second: Roger Downs, 832. Third: Bob Gilman, 827. High hand: Roger Downs, 22. Low score: Mary Ellen Anderson,…
Fraud reached unprecedented levels in 2024, with a staggering $12.5 billion lost, a shocking increase of 25% over 2023. The number of reports remained stable from 2023 to 2024, but the percentage…
Community of Hope
Domestic abuse is a complex public health issue requiring a coordinated community response. A microcosm of the larger community, the work environment can also be a place where survivors who might…
A Bird's Tale
Some of you may remember that we have written fondly in the past about what we call a "pop-up pond" that appears after rain in a…
Rebuilding from last winter’s storms and ensuring communities are prepared for future severe weather are priorities for both me and my colleagues this year.…
All too often, victims of fraud are repeatedly deceived by the same criminals regarding the same scheme. Or, once victimized, some are that much more vulnerable to new scams.
If your loved…
Column
Is there a chance you’ve forgotten about an old bank account? Maybe you moved and never got your security deposit back? Or maybe there's an old COVID-19 relief check that you never received. If so…
A Bird's Tale
A birding friend of ours who travels the world to see and photograph birds sent us a photo of an African bird—a little bee-eater, a handsome bird with a yellow-belly and an emerald green back—…
Understanding the ways criminals seek to steal money can help you stay a step ahead of scams…
The next public supper will be April 2. The meal consists of French onion soup, salad, rolls, baked stuffed chicken breast, mashed potato/gravy, green…
WHERE IT'S AT
From time immemorial love has been expressed through the spoken word, poems, ballads, songs, films, art, signage and greeting cards. Love can be the “Elusive Butterfly” Bob Lind sang about in 1965…
A Bird's Tale
Most of us who live in the northern part of the globe, even those of us who love winter sports and activities, can’t help but look forward to the return of spring. It’s just part of being…
Joe's Journal
We have been bombarded on all sides with analysis, opinion, and outright propaganda stemming from the recent strange televised encounter between POTUS, VPOTUS and Ukrainian President Volodymyr…
'Round Town
Back in the early ’70s, I was teaching in a fairly large public high school in New Jersey, just outside New York City. The school had a growing new population from diverse backgrounds, notably…
The next public supper will be March 19. The meal will consist of vegetable soup, salad, Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage, potato, carrots, and key lime cake. The cost is $10 for members…
Winter is still here and many of us would do just about anything to find some warm weather. Enter the cruise scam. Many of these trips to nowhere literally pop up online as a “free” incentive…
Joe's Journal
Well, pilgrims, not much happened last week, except for the lovely community supper at the East Boothbay Methodist Church.
Not much, unless you count the “great TV” performance where it…
The sighting of a golden eagle has always been a prize for a Maine birder. There are some of these birds in the state every winter but only occasionally is an individual found that is enjoyed…
The next public supper will be Wednesday, March 19. The meal will consist of vegetable soup, salad, Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage, potato, carrots, and key…
I have photographed with folks at Bigelow Lab from the very early days with the Yentsch founders.
Over the years, from time to time, I would be called upon to record new developments…
A Bird's Tale
The bird and its band proved a perplexing mystery.
In October 2024, a bird that is exceptionally rare in Maine—a common gull—was spotted at the golf course at the Samoset Resort in…
Joe's Journal
On Saturday, as I rested my back after chipping the ice from under the garage door, my cell phone rang a familiar tune. I didn’t answer, as I recognized the caller as Ms. Pigette, the lovely icon…
