Unbelievably, we are starting of our 17th summer in Maine’s “Prettiest Village,” Wiscasset.We arrived Monday afternoon after the four-day drive from Hilton Head, SC.  In fact, there was a bit of a formal welcome back - from Larry Heseltine, the police chief.  We were slow in disarming the security system in our house, so the Chief rolled up.  He thought our view of the river is great.  

By the way, the Chief - AND his son - graduated  from Central Maine Community College last month. Larry’s degree is in criminal justice (appropriate!), son Gage’s is in building technology.

Later, as we got ready to walk the dog, what to our wondering eyes shud appear but a Welcome Basket ... from our neighbors Mark and Ann Light.  Fresh flowers and fresh eggs. It’s gonna be a wonderful summer.

While it’s been brutally hot in much of the country, we’ve been sleeping under blankets here.  Matter of fact, for the first time in three years, we had a fire in the fireplace as the mercury here dipped to 42 degrees.  It’s been that long that it’s been cold enough in June to light up. Something-Warming!

If history is repeated, things will get very warm here for the July 4th weekend. Which is also when my sister and her family will be here.  There are seven adults and six kids, the oldest of whom is 18.  We’re looking forward to a lobster feast, kayaking, walking in the fields, sailing on a schooner, and riding on a two-foot narrow gauge railroad, hayrides and dinner at a lavender farm.

Speaking of lobster, a new season of Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil” is on the streaming service featuring our own Red’s Eats. Phil Rosenthal and his crew produced the episode last summer. His favorite things about Maine ... lobster and family.  That’s true.  So many of our friends and nabors here have been here for decades.  You look at the real estate transactions in the Wiscasset Newspaper and you see lots of families handing down the house to a next generation.  But the pandemic certainly boosted real estate activity by new folks who figured out how they can live more simply and still be “wired” to their tech jobs or businesses.

The summer is going to be busy.  The season kicks off next weekend with the first monthly Wiscasset Art Walk.  It will be followed by weekly farmers’ markets, lobster boat races (they get up to 45 mph!), the first Wiscasset House Tour, in July, a Strawberry festival, Summerfest, and it goes on.

There is one less great restaurant this year.  The Little Village Bistro has closed, becoming Midcoast Provisions and offering “Gourmet meals, delivered”

Tarbox is doing Monday Night Pizza. The folks from Water Street Kitchen who did it last year at Tarbox have bowed out, returning to their restaurant space.  Odds are that both these items are related to the pandemic and how tough it’s been (and still is!) to find staff.  Mammy’s Bakery’s owner, Jessica, faces the same challenge and occasionally spells out her frustrations in a Web post. She also posts daily specials and new menu additions. mammysbakerymaine.com