Stonehenge. I feel as though I’ve always known about Stonehenge; there isn’t one singular moment in my time I can recall; of course there a great many years to sift through! But seriously, I…
Columns
The monthly meeting of the Pemaquid Chapter, NSDAR, took place Thursday, Dec. 11, at the American Legion Hall #36 in Boothbay. Attendees, in person and by Zoom, were…
A Bird's Tale
“Is this a turkey vulture?”
That was the question a friend from Gardiner posed to us over Facebook with a link to a video. The clip was captured mid-morning in…
Joe's Journal
Is it time to ramp up the annual Christmas chores, you know, cookies and goodies and presents and cards? Or are you going to send out a bunch of emails and texts to a group and call it good?
…'Round Town
What a wonderfully inspiring community event! The Southport Town Hall was packed with every variety of islander in support of the first ever Southport Central School’s homegrown feast. The…
With holiday shopping—and shipping—comes the risk of package theft. Thieves — often called “Porch Pirates” — steal millions of packages from American doorsteps each year, totaling billions of…
A Bird's Tale
Like many people, we traveled to spend time with family for the Thanksgiving holiday. In our case, the travel was a car ride to New York City to be with our son and…
'Round Town
It seems to me that our local cormorant population has packed up and headed elsewhere. Elsewhere, I suspect, is someplace warmer than Maine. Even southern Maine may not be far enough.
These…
Joe's Journal
Thanksgiving.
It is a national holiday. A day we take off work to do what? To sit around a table with family and friends to eat too much turkey and stuffing and cranberry jelly and green…
Here in the U.S., many people will gather this week around the ritual of a meal intended to celebrate community and the ideals of sharing and supporting. We call this…
Where It's At
“Exploding Lobster” by Judy Nixon. At first glance I thought the subject must be a red phoenix rising from the ashes. The white floating objects floating away above the body, feathers. I was quite…
A Bird's Tale
We have recently been checking the amazing MOTUS wildlife tracking database run by Birds Canada (https://motus.org/) and have found…
The holiday deals are already rolling in, but not every offer you see online is the real deal.
Fraud criminals often create websites that look professional and offer big discounts on…
Joe's Journal
If you are a semi-news junkie, like me, last week was a Doozie, one for the record books.
"It began with a double whammy as the bipartisan government shutdown raced beyond Day 40. …
As all Mainers know, staying warm…
Community of Hope
Trauma from domestic abuse affects survivors in every aspect of their human existence—body, mind and spirit. While physical injuries and wounds can be diagnosed and…
A Bird's Tale
A few days ago, we were walking the dog when we heard what sounded exactly like the sweet call notes of pine grosbeaks. This surprised us. It seemed too early for…
Joe's Journal
Well, kiddies. Did you have fun on Election Day? Did you vote for the winner or the loser?
On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2025…
'Round Town
Sometimes the deadline for this column is challenging. I tend not to be good with deadlines, especially ones that are reoccurring. Too many games without a helmet I suspect! But then, it’s…
Veterans Day, celebrated each year Nov. 11, is a time to honor the service and sacrifice of those who have served in the U.S. armed forces. It’s also a reminder of the need to protect veterans…
A Bird's Tale
There have been some very interesting rare birds spotted here in Maine over the last week or so. A MacGillivray’s warbler, the western sibling species to the mourning…
Joe's Journal
“Is that you? Is it? Wait a minute. Let me put you on speaker,” said the voice squeezing out of my left wrist.
Actually, I think the voice was coming from the watch that my kids…
According to the Federal Trade Commission, more money is reported stolen through fraud originating on social media than by any other method of contact. Reports to the AARP Fraud Watch Network…
A Bird's Tale
Cool mornings, earthy smells of fallen leaves, and those first high, thin clouds that are more common in winter—it’s late fall here in Maine.
On Friday nights,…
Joe's Journal
I planned to begin this alleged column this week with some witty banter from Ms. Pigette, the vocal/local candidate for U.S.Senate who does not have a controversial tattoo. Then the fallout from…
In August, AARP testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging to spotlight a growing threat to Americans: fraud carried out by translational organized crime groups. Operating openly…
The next educational program of Garden Club of Wiscasset will be on Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. Ruth Indrick, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust project director, will…
A Bird's Tale
The distinctive buzz and tiny, high-note sputters of the juncos are now everywhere when we walk the neighborhood. That and the high “seet” notes of the white-throated…
Joe's Journal
There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear.
About 60 years ago, a strange…
From the Maine Senate
If you are unaware of Maine’s shortage of dental health care, then you must be one lucky person! Although our number of dental health professionals is finally beginning…
Nearly all of us use social media to stay connected with friends and family. Unfortunately, scammers use social media to connect with us, too. Before accepting a friend request on your social…
A Bird's Tale
Soft powder blue skies extend in all directions. The sea is shades of blue as well. Dark steel blue in the distance flecked with lines of white from barely curling wave…
Joe's Journal
The other day, we passed an annual milestone. The calendar calls it Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day, but here in Vacationland, it is the traditional end to the summer season. It is the time…
Two Spoons: On Eating in Midcoast Maine
There’s a ribbon of warm light at closing time that catches the long harvest table through the window of Treats Bakery in Wiscasset. It calls to mind a Rembrandt painting. I mention this to…
Fraud today is largely run by sophisticated, large-scale operations led by transnational crime groups, stealing an estimated $158 billion from Americans in a single year. This is not just a…
A Bird's Tale
Sometimes we birders can be lulled into thinking that once we’ve figured out that the yellow bird on the backyard feeder is an evening grosbeak, not an American…
Joe's Journal
Last weekend, Mother Nature blessed us with some of the greatest weather we have had in years, so I went for a drive. The air was cool and crisp, the sky clear and bright, leaves turning, giving…
