Jim Stahr has a Different Year

Just before we went to Peak's Island, a friend mentioned that she knew where no less than 5 Blue Heron nests were.   I asked that she take me there.  She brought her youngest daughter.   Here's the pictures I hoped to take.  But as happens so often   these Herons were overshadowed    by the unexpected.    The herons posed well enough.  Looking this way and that. But where there is nature  I find the unexpected.  Three beavers came   to warn me away by slapping their tails.    Every mushroom,         cocoon  and frog was accentuated by this young lady's    squeals of delight. Though I hate waking early,  my company in the woods   human, amphibian, and avian,  made early rising a joy. 

Staying at the Eighth Maine Regiment Memorial Hall is not for everyone.   For those with privacy issues, there are common bathrooms at the end of the halls. For those with security issues, there are no locks. For those with authority issues, there are many rules. For those entitled, there are chores. That said, I find myself willing to fight my psychoses and return over the years.  Perhaps it is the sense of history. Maybe it is the scenery. The distance from reality. Or the enjoyment of a meal that everyone helped prepare. Whatever the reason, I must admit that this place refreshes my soul unlike any other. Much of that is the people that operate the inn and the travelers that stay. The normal among you should avoid this place. It requires one to let down their guards and trust your neighbors, wherever they hail from.  If you can do that, you will enjoy this place. You will have a different perspective when

Took a little drive to Peaks Island  this week. The Ferry was exceptionally busy, so I had a chance to look around the piers before the ferry ride.  That this 60s BSA is in service after so many years is a testament to Mainers' work ethic and frugality.  Wood and brass need constant polishing.   Boats have to earn their keep, be it fishing or touring .  This seaman appears to be looking at the whale murals opposite. Bud Light Park (?) The history of ship building is memorialized.   The ferry ride is short, unless one has to wait for the next. Fort Gorges It really is easier and faster to park the car and walk onto the island.  When I return I'll do that.