Tag Archives: maine

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Have you ever….

August 20, 2019 Rivergirl 33 Comments

Tried to photograph 4 fawns frolicking around your back yard… at dusk…. through a window?

It’s not easy.

And most of your shots come out looking like this:

Or this:

They look rather like ghost deer…

But I assure you they were corporeal beings.

They just rarely stand still.

Or face the camera.

The video is poor quality, and a bit shaky…. although it gets slightly better halfway through.

But you’ll see what I mean about frolicking.

Multiple Bambis!

There.

You have now fulfilled your cuteness quota for the day.

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Fun at the fair…. and balls.

August 18, 2019 Rivergirl 30 Comments

We hadn’t been to the Topsham Fair in years, and after going the other day I remembered why.

Maine has some fabulous county fairs….. but this isn’t one of them.

With a $12 charge per person to get in? There should have been more… everything.

We started with the livestock, because I do love me some critters.

I got up close and personal with sheep….

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While the husband chatted up a cow.

This cow was lying down.

As was her owner…

And it took all my willpower not to yell at him to drop his phone and learn how to spell her name properly.

Sorry El….

This cow had a little speck of something on her nose…

Which proved to be no problem.

Yes, that’s her tongue. And she knew how to use it.

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Did you know…

Cows can’t vomit?

I live to enlighten.

We saw ox, and horses.

Some huge.

Some small.

We saw pigs…

With lots of baby pigs…

And goats..

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With some pretty big…

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Sorry…. but holy crap!

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How do you walk with balls that big?

We strolled around looking for the chicken barn….

Only to discover there wasn’t one.

Very disappointing.

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And then we walked past the “Decorate a Bale of Hay” contest.

Which… yeah.

Was a bit odd.

I temporarily lost the husband to some old rusty crap.

And found him checking out some sweet old vehicles for sale.

We meandered through the collection of carriages and sleighs which we always love…

And found a cannon…

With a strategically placed ball.

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In a sack.

Tell me someone doesn’t have a sense of humor….

We made the obligatory walk through the exhibition hall.

But the Blue Ribbon rhubarb failed to thrill.

And aside from the carnival rides we didn’t ride and the roach coach junk food that we didn’t eat, that was it….

Until I spotted George.

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And fell in love.

I mean… look at him!

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George is an Emu.

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Homely…

Humble..

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And despite the prehistoric raptor like gaze, quite friendly.

Here’s some riveting video of him drinking water.

And a little something closer up.

He’s over 6 foot tall, with coarse dense feathers.

Yes, we bonded…. and I petted him.

Totally worth the $12 admission price.

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Gettin’ my beer on…..

August 14, 2019 Rivergirl 39 Comments

Beer.

We love it, and seek it out on a regular basis.

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So when we find a new craft brewery?

Apparently Brickyard Hollow has been open for almost a year and how we never noticed it is a mystery.

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Perhaps because the building used to be a 7-11?

Whatever the reason, I’m glad we know now.

There’s a rustic modern decor… which includes those horribly uncomfortable metal chairs that are popping up everywhere.

For the rounded hipped among us? This is not good.

Uncomfortable outdoor seating as well.

But the appropriate vintage photographs provide a relaxing atmosphere…

And then there’s the beer.

Bring on the flights!

We tried the Belgian, the Trestle, the Blueberry and the Amber and they were all lovely. After ordering some full size glasses, I discovered the cocktail menu.

Which had a boozy Lime Rickey.

Of course Yarmouth is a town famous for it’s annual Clam Festival. And when you’re at the Clam Festival? You have to meet the Clam…

And have a freshly squeezed non alcoholic Lime Rickey… they’re delicious.

But a boozy version?

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It’s simple, crisp, refreshing…. and filled with gin.

What more could you want?

Happy as the proverbial clam, I moved on to the food.

Rich creamy clam chowder with just the right amount of everything.

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Husband went for Blueberry Moonshine wings while I chose a Black and Blue burger and country fries.

While the burger was too thin for my taste, and slightly overcooked…. it did have a fabulous charbroiled flavor and potent Gorgonzola. The fries were dusted with some kind of slightly spicy rub which I could easily have munched on all day.

So…

Brickyard Hollow rates a solid B.

I look forward to going back and trying Key Lime Scallops, a Cuban and a Crab Cake burger.

And of course… more beer.

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It finally happened!

August 10, 2019 Rivergirl 26 Comments

No….

My husband didn’t clean out the basement.

Or the barn.

I’m not talking miracles here.

But finally…

After watching, feeding and photographing the deer in our backyard for the past 17 years?

A doe brought her fawn!

Bambi made an appearance.

And isn’t that just the sweetest?

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The post in which River goes to a Lobster Festival but can’t eat lobster.

August 8, 2019 Rivergirl 37 Comments

The following is proof that my husband can inflict cruel and unusual punishment.

It happened at The 72nd Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland, Maine.

We lucked out and found a parking spot close to the festival, and it was across the street from the Trade Winds resort where I spotted the first lobster.

Although it looked more like a demented crawfish…

The stupid thing had teeth!

This did not bode well for the day….

But the weather was perfect…

And we were near the ocean.

It doesn’t get much better than that…

Or does it?

Aaarrgghh!

There be Pirates.

Pirates on the boats…

Pirates on the piers…

Basically, there were pirates everywhere.

And as much as I tried to avoid it?

There was lobster.

Mocking me and my damned allergy.

World’s Largest Lobster cooker?

Yup… that too.

We passed lobster rolls, lobster stew, lobster quesadillas, lobster mac and cheese, lobster chowder, lobster Caesar salad, lobster wontons, even lobster risotto balls….

And then there was this:

Me…. sitting in a tent, surrounded by people eating lobster.

I had to sit and watch my husband as he oohed and ahhed over every last sweet, fresh from the water, dripping in melted butter, bite.

Cruel and unusual to be sure.

It wasn’t easy.

I tried to find solace in a crabmeat roll…

And the required ~~I’m at a street festival and have to eat the junkiest, highest calorie thing I can find~~ fried dough.

It was good… but it wasn’t lobster.

Cursing my treacherous body, I pulled up my big girl panties and soldiered on.

We strolled through the art show…

And into the lobster trap lined entrance to the craft show.

Where the husband bought organic natural honey…

And we saw a buoy that believed size does matter….

There was another tent filled with lobster eaters…

And King Neptune….

Who looked a little lost.

The King is quite popular at the festival….

And people line up for photos whenever he walks by.

My lobster-less belly aside, it was a fun day.

And Rockland is a fun town.

Although I have to admit, the children do look a little….

Off.

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Anyone lose a Chukar?

August 6, 2019 Rivergirl 17 Comments

As we were pulling out of our driveway the other day I spotted something odd in front of our deer ravaged Yew bushes….

Naturally I made the husband stop while I ran back inside for my camera.

It was an odd looking bird I hadn’t seen before…

And when I looked it up online, I understood why.

It was a Chukar.

Introduced from Eurasia, the sandy-brown Chukar is a game bird that lives in high desert plains of western North America, as well as in Hawaii and New Zealand. Its namesake call echoes across dry rocky slopes. It runs and scampers up steep terrain with the agility and speed of a mountain goat, prompting hunters to nickname it the “devil bird” for the brutal chase it gives. Dark bars on the sides and a band across the head and neck adorn this red-billed game bird.

A devil bird?

Well that’s disturbing…

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If you look at the map of it’s range in the U.S…..

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You’ll see it’s a long way from Maine.

Which got me curious enough to do a little research.

Oh, stop being so dramatic….. you might learn something.

It’s nothing you need or want to know, but still.

Depending on where you live, you may have the fortune of encountering a medium-sized game bird called Chukar. You’ll recognize this bird from their inclusion in many North American field guides, though they are not a native species. Chukars, pronounced “chuh-kahr“, are an introduced species, originating from mountains of middle Eurasia, now common around the western United States’ Great Basin north into western Canada. With this history, and a lack of showing any establishing populations in Maine, Chukars should be treated like other escaped domestic fowl.

Of course. Happy to…

The American Birding Association put forth Criteria for Determining Establishment of Exotics which Maine’s Chukars don’t meet. These birds are raised and released by commercial hunting operations with no success establishing wild populations. Northern Bobwhites are another game species widely released in Maine. While these small quails have successfully bred in the wild multiple times, none of the populations appear to be growing or even stable enough to warrant becoming established.

So basically they’ve taken these poor birds, who have no hope of surviving here, and released them into the wild so they can hunt and kill them. Of course the ones they don’t shoot will probably die of cold or starvation.

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Makes me wish I had scooped the sweet little guy up and brought him in the house as a pet.

Humans are cruel.

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You’re never too old to learn…. Knotweed Flutes.

August 5, 2019 Rivergirl 25 Comments

It’s time for class!

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No worries, there won’t be a test.

Maine Adult Education offers endless opportunities to ~~shake your head~~ ~~and say WTF?~~ enrich your mind. Last year there were some fascinating topics:

You’re never too old to learn…. Spoons.

You’re never to old to learn…. Potatoes.

You’re never too old to learn…. Ukulele

You’re never too old to learn…. Chakra Toning.

You’re never too old to learn…. Mindfulness.

And this year started off with a bang as well…

You’re never to old to learn…. Tin Cans.

Today’s selection from the ~~brochure of the bizarre~~ curriculum is:

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Yes, you too can have your very own flute made from a pesky weed in your backyard.

To hell with cutting it down…

Blow into it and start a band.

You’ll be the envy of your friends, I promise.

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And in case you’re unfamiliar…

Japanese Knotweed is a large, extremely invasive plant.

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actual photo of Japanese Knotweed swallowing small child

It’s almost impossible to get rid of once it takes hold, and ironically… cutting only spreads it.

There really is only one reliable course of action available.

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So why not take the class…

And make a flute before it swallows you whole?

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Do you like lobster?

July 19, 2019 Rivergirl 38 Comments

I love it.

(But I live in Maine… I think it’s mandatory for citizenship.)

When we lived down south I missed lobster. So when we came home on vacation? I had lobster omelettes for breakfast, lobster rolls for lunch, lobster quesadillas for bar appetizers and lobster chowders with baked stuffed lobster for dinner.

Picnic? Lobster salad.

Day at the beach? Lobster bake.

We’re pretty lobster-centric in these parts.

Which made it hard for me when I came up allergic to the glorious crustacean about 7 years ago and could no longer eat it without becoming violently ill.

Yeah.

No more of this –

Or this –

Which makes me want to do this –

I’m teased by lobster at every turn living here.

There are festivals devoted to lobster.

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Lobster parades.

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And lobster boat races.

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My husband orders lobster for dinner and eats it in front of me.

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We go to motorcycle rallies where they serve endless streams of lobster.

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Every friend who visits from out of state wants to don silly bibs and eat lobster.

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It kills me. Each and every time….

But now?

There’s a restaurant we pass on our way up the coast that’s really rubbing my nose in it.

And that’s just….

Wrong.

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Coastal trip, part deux.

July 10, 2019 Rivergirl 21 Comments

Belfast, Maine.

Population – 6,668.

Once Abenaki Indian territory, it was used by Native Americans to fish and hunt for water fowl in the summer months.

Afraid so.

Sorry…

Burned by the British in 1779, rebuilt and incorporated as a city in 1850.

A thriving ship building center at the turn of the century, it grew and was prosperous. Until wooden ships became obsolete.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Shoe manufacturing and poultry production took over until the recession of the 1970’s, when it fell on hard times.

Local people left in droves to find employment….

As out of staters were beginning to discover the beauty of the Maine coast and started buying up prime property.

Today Belfast is part working waterfront…

Part tourist destination.

A quaint town, a scenic harbor…

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With various parks to enjoy the views.

In lobster trap chairs…

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Or lobster topped benches.

We had a tasty seafood lunch …..

Complete with cocktails.

(Was there ever any doubt?)

And strolled the day away.

Life is good…

When you live in a such a beautiful place.

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Head for the coast…

July 9, 2019 Rivergirl 21 Comments

When it’s hot in Maine? You head for the coast where the sea breeze cools the temperatures considerably.

So that’s what we did on the July 4th weekend.

We battled the tourist traffic on Route 1 and headed north with a cool and calm demeanor.

Seriously….. there’s a reason we call you people Massholes. You’re not going to find a barista on every corner in this state, please go back to Boston.

Boothbay Harbor was packed, so we kept going.

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