Awesome awesome awesome

In the story, Apollo, god of prophecy, sees the youngCupid, god of love, playing with his bow and arrows and remarks, "What have you to do with warlike weapons, saucy boy? Leave them for hands worthy of them."[1]In retribution for this reproach, Cupid wounds Apollo with a golden arrow, causing him to fall in love with the nymph daughter of the river God Peneus. Cupid additionally wounds the beautiful nymph Daphne, with a lead arrow, thus insuring she would not be wooed by Apollo's advances. (In fact, the arrows power was so strong that Daphne forthwith refused all of her lovers.) Regardless of her father Peneus's requests for a son-in-law and grandchildren, Daphne begs to remain unmarried and he grudgingly consents.Apollo, struck with the golden arrow of love, pleads with Daphne to fulfill his desire. Daphne, repulsed by the idea, begins to flee. Even as she runs, he is more captivated by her beauty. Apollo grows impatient and soon, sped by Cupid, gains on her. With slower speed and failing strength, Daphne cries out to her father just as Apollo captures her. Not a moment later, Daphne's skin turns to bark, her hair leaves, her arms branches, her feet roots, and her face a treetop. In only a moment, Peneus protects his daughter by turning her into a laurel tree. After the transformation Apollo still embraces the tree. He cuts off some of her branches and leaves to make a wreath and proclaims the laurel as a sacred tree.

Bernini's sculpture captures Daphne's transformation with intense emotion and drama by portraying the different stages of her changes. This calls for interaction with the sculpture by walking around it, as there is not just one optimal viewpoint. For instance, seen from behind Apollo, Daphne's human figure is obscured, leaving only the tree elements in view, so walking around the sculpture gives an impression of the metamorphosis taking place. The interlocking components and chiaroscuro create more narrative, reflecting foundations of Hellenistic Greek art.
Also during the Hellenistic period was the androgynous depiction of Apollo. He was slender, young, and had a feminine hair style, all of which are portrayed in this sculpture. Part of Apollo's iconography is the laurel tree and the wreath, originating from Ovid's story and illustrated in Bernini's work.
Although Apollo preached "All things in moderation" and was known to control his emotions, this sculpture clearly reveals him desperately pursuing love in vain. The failure of getting Daphne hints at Apollo's many failures with love in general, including being unable to win a maiden and his lovers' fidelity.      From Wikipedia-
Before you lambaste me about including this from Wikipedia, which I generally do not credit with being a reliable source, let me say this. I did some research on this particular piece as it haunts me. The fingers and delicacy of Daphne turning into a tree is one of the most incredible pieces of work in the world-to my mind. The delicate parts are generally attributed to a sculptor named Giulano Finelli who apprenticed to Bernini. Following this piece Finelli left the Bernini studios to pursue his own career. The busts her produced later are indeed quite fabulous but does not compare with the passion of the Apollo/ Daphne. This piece is generally in the Borghese Gallery (http://www.galleriaborghese.it/borghese/en/edafne.htm )in Rome but I think at the moment it is in Ottawa on tour. Worth the trip I think, although Rome is nice too...If you enjoy myths you may want to check out this site which has a global perspective on gods and legends. www.pantheon.org

Happiness Can Spread Among People Like a Contagion, Study Indicates (The Washington Post, 05 Dec 2008, Page A8)

SO, DON'T WORRY

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Happiness Can Spread Among People Like a Contagion, Study Indicates
By Rob Stein
The Washington Post
05 Dec 2008

Happiness is contagious, spreading among friends, neighbors, siblings and spouses like the flu, according to a large study that for the first time shows how emotion can ripple through clusters of people who may not even know each other. The study of...read more...

Tech Tags: The Washington Post newspaper Washington & The Nation

Effects of light I

Depth, or the lack thereof

As someone who is absorbed about concepts of seeing and paying attention to what we see I have begun to take a great interest in light. Daylight, dusk, foggy light and all the rest that we get up here. To that end I have chosen to create a little blurb about my light; thoughts which may or may not be light hearted. Today a fog had rolled in. The whole area was washed in grays which might’ve been gloomy if it were not so lovely. One distinguishing factor was the absence of depth. I noticed that another morning as well where there was so little depth because of the light and the fog the scene

outside the window appeared to be two dimensional, like an abstract painting. It was an ahah moment. When you look at an image that an artist created and your mind goes, oh, I see it! I understand what this is saying. 

Today I took some pictures, but it was interesting that my camera, a digital Nikon 40 refused to focus on what I wanted. It would focus on closer objects but when I took the island with the tree it would fade out of focus. I can only surmise there was too much atmosphere in the way. I took a few pictures and here is what I got

.

I thought of some of the fall pictures that I took and how it appears as though you can see for miles. Look at the difference here with some pictures from the same area of the river, a little higher up. Late afternoon.

An artist, wanting to make a strong/dramatic piece of communication,would include a stronger light source. building in more contrast -obviously. In creating a lesser amount of values (lights and darks) you create less dimension, more flatness. This is what is happening on a foggy day. The light dissipates all around before it falls on your object. The stronger and more focused the light the more your object is viewed in three dimension. Thus, to my students, push your darks farther, or not, depending on what you want to do. Here is a link to Leonardo da Vinci's thoughts on the matter

http://www.geog.scsb.edu/-jeff/115a/history/davinci.html

I wax capriciously about how hard it must be to see if you are in the Arctic and bad weather blows in. How would you see an otherwise plain three dimensional landscape? What creates depth when the light on the terrain is flat? The same could be surmised with an ocean far from shore. What about the science fiction books I have read where the space travelers are so disoriented as there is nothing in their experience to match what they are observing or give clues as to what it is. So much is up to our minds to analyze what we are looking at in fractions of seconds, assimilate it and recognize it. Perhaps we miss so much by taking the gift of sight and light for granted. Which way is the “right” way to see the world and is one day more correct than another? It pays to be open minded and alert for changes in the world. Slow down and see. It’s quite an enjoyable thing to do. The other day with the fog in the view to the bay was a two dimensional painting,  a day later it was a scene from an 18th century romance landscape. How can you not be affected by light?

I want to continue to post photos of how the light changes our perception. Perhaps I will also do some paintings of foggy landscapes. They probably won’t sell....

In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.  ~Aaron Rose

I am concerned that modern man is lazy in his, or her, development of communicative vocabulary. Therefore I am providing a list of collective nouns that will add flavor and excitement to your conversations. Consider these-

colony of ants clutch of chicks

congress of baboons muster of peacocks

colony of beavers covey of quail

flight of bees pod of porpoises

congregation of birds flight of dragons

troop of kangaroos swarm of rats

charm of hummingbirds gang of elk

rabble of butterflies exhaltation of larks

clutter of cats host of sparrows

tribe of monkeys scurry of squirrels

prickle of hedgehogs hover of trout

crash of hippopotomi descent of woodpeckers

Now, this is all predicated on the fact that you my be talking about animals. For a modern conversation of if you are not in a forestry mood you may want to consider;

1. a hassle of errands, 
2. a magnum of hit-men, 
3. a shortage of dwarfs,
4. a quarrel of lawyers, 
5. a minuscule of sub-atomic particles.
6. a treachery of spies. 
7. a mixture of pharmacists.
8. a clutch of mechanics. 
9. a sulk of teenagers.
10. a 404 of lost web pages.
11. an enterprise of trekkies.
12. A pinch of shoplifters.
13. a plunder of goons. 
14. an encroachment of fence-builders. 
15. a thrombosis of heart specialists. 
16. an incantation of witches/wizards/warlocks. 
17. A flight of runaway brides.
18. an assassination of gangsters.
19. a brace of orthodontists.
20. A contingent of understudies.

These are from a blog on the English language, a site which may be able to entice your conversational and writing  skills  http://idiocrasiesoflanguages.blogspot.com/2007/11/collective-nouns-humorous-outlook.htm

Enough prattle for now....

will this come out?

Blogs, the bane of mass communication

You set down to do something and it doesn't do anything you want..

SSSSSSSS

Here comes winter

We have awoke the past couple mornings to a cold wind blowing off the lake, The leaves are all gone and the forest has changed for our walks yet again. We relearn the paths and choose new landmarks. We came across our neighbor, Colleen, today, chopping a tree that had fallen across one of the paths. We helped her dispose of the offending pine and discussed the cross country ski paths to come. Sounds like an interesting experience. We have our skis that we found at a recycle sale, but perhaps I repeat myself.

Ice has formed on the lake but where there are shadows it begins to build. In the sunshine, especially along the Androscoggin River the sun warms the surface enough to keep the waterway pretty clear-so far.

We have winterized the home and Will is working on building up a supply of logs from the downed trees in the woods on our property. We know we are in for something but aren't quite sure what will happen. It is interesting how the weather and the elements are such a topic of conversation. It is logically considering how affected everyone is by the weather.

I finished up my first carving class-look what I did.

I am fairly pleased with it. It has a really nice finish, so smooth. I am working on another piece now for a Christmas present so I can't post it until it is received but as the gull made me a bit more humble to try harder I will be more patient with the next attempt.

I am trying to get rid of the bad pictures and put in something you can see. It is very frustrating.

Here, hopefully is a better shot of The Gull.

More soon.

Rainbow to the Eagles Nest-November 10

This week's ten best

Ten best things this week about living in Maine

It is very beautiful.

The people are friendly and welcoming.

Hearing the ducks talking at night on the bay is delightful.

Lobster is 3.99 a pound!

There are a raffle (flock) of wild turkeys that visit our yard.

A whole set of cross country skis with shoes was $40 at the recycle sale.

There is a lot of live entertainment nearby and things to do.

The dogs get to go swimming daily and I get exercise.

The air smells good, even when it’s foggy.

There is artwork everywhere. 

Barack Obama as President

I will say this about that.

In Croatia, in a little mountain town close to the Italian border but not much else, my mom and I stopped for coffee. When I mistakenly began to pay for our coffees with Euros instead of Kuna, the Croatian exchange, the man behind the bar had a chat with me about the economy. He ended it with the hope that he had for Barack Obama to be our next President. My mom and I said we hoped so. From behind us some German tourists piped up that they hoped so too. I was struck, and still contemplate, how that little vignette is such a clear indication that the world was watching to see what America would do next.

The United States that I knew from being overseas was always a place of hope and possibility. Following 9/11 the world mourned with us as a family. Following our actions on 9/11 the world began to grow more distant, pulling away from us in sadness and despair on our many actions that were not conducive to anyone’s best interests. But out in the mountains, and probably in cities and towns all across the world we were being watched with the hope that America is still the America that is special to the world. Last night I think was a comet of hope for things to come.

I am so proud of my country. For the first time in a long time I think we have done something good and true. Making Barack Obama our next president was a smart move on many fronts, not the least of which is I believe that here is a man who has a real strength of conviction, the energy to pursue his convictions and the social skills to ensure that those convictions will come true.

For so long we have lived and been nurtured in a climate of fear, motivating our actions in the name of hording and the potential to lose our possessions. Our decisions have been driven by the interests of a few without the consideration of impact on the many. Now I really believe things will be different, but only if we ourselves can put our money where our mouth is, stepping up to the plate to do what needs to be done. This would involve difficult but realistic decisions about the war in Iraq, healthcare, the economy, education and the environment. There are many approaches to all these problems but very few of those solutions will actually be successful.

The ones that are successful will require a bit of effort and sacrifice from the American people- something we do not necessarily do well. I don’t think it will kill us and I don’t think I am alone in wanting a little discipline and a little effort from the people who are so fortunate as to be American citizens. We are still, and again, a great country. 

Give Obama a chance to lead us well, no matter who you voted for. We have a great country but it's made of all of us.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/11/05/barack-obamas-victory-speech/

The Cusp of Winter

The rind of winter has a thin veneer. We wait on the edge for the winter to come. The stories are alternately fascinating and horrifying. We'll see what the winter of '08 brings. Now many leaves are almost gone although many of the oaks are a rich brown and there are yellow leaves from the maples that still light up the forest floor in the sun.

The ducks have come to eat closer to shore now that hunting season is done and I still sit mesmerized at the kitchen window with my coffee in the morning watching the herons, birds and chipmunks fattening up for the season to come.

When we walked thought the woods the other day Cassie startled a flock of turkeys that filled the air with big flappy whooshes as they tried to escape the happy dog. Quite a sight. There were probably a dozen or more. Big fat ones that really had a struggle getting off the ground. There are a couple of large raffles in the area

The nights and mornings are chilly, in the thirties and yesterday the wind was blowing a cold air from the northwest but the sky was an electric blue. Funny how beautiful things can allow one to overlook discomfort. I took these pictures on my woods walk. Actually it ended up being a surf and turf, part woods and then it was so enjoyable we walked out towards the point.

The farmers markets are moving to their indoor locations. Last week was pretty much the last of the full-scale outdoor markets.  No matter, we will see them in the spring and through the winter. I heard Bath has a particularly good indoor one I must check out.

We went down to Portland the other day to explore and found a really great gourmet shop down at the harbor, Browne Trading Company (http://www.brownetrading.com/). Apparently very well known to those who love really fresh fish and caviar. Elegant and yet very approachable, we bought wine for our Saturday dinner and then meandered down to the great bakery, Standard Baking for breads and a little breakfast croissant for me. Yum. Not only were they full of their regular goodies but we also got involved in a discussion with the girl behind the counter about heritage grain and other natural bakeries. Gotta love Portland. A foodies delight.

I am taking a carving class. I have begun a seagull but have many ideas of things to come. It is over in Bath which is about 20 minutes away. The class is given by a guy named Wayne Robbins who does nice work. Check this out http://www.waynerobbins.com/. I came across him in my wandering and it seems a perfect sort of indoor thing to do during the winter, transportable and fun. We’ll see how it goes. I will post my work as it is completed.

Better get my exercise regime going or I will lose interest. I am making progress in regaining my health.

Ciao.

Croatian Vacation

I’m baaack.

What a couple of weeks I have had on the Dalmatian coast. Croatia was a really interesting trip and one that I would highly recommend for all ages. Except- for July and August. I cannot imagine the amount of tourists that they talk about in the streets I have wandered. So go, spring would be great I think but this time of year is also quite perfect.

We began with a few days in Zagreb, a city rich in history, but not particularly outstanding with the rest of the trip that we had.  We saw the regular sights and indeed it was interesting as you can see from the slides I am attempting to include on my site.

Flying to Dubrovnik we took a bus to Montenegro that was quite different from what we expected. The old walled city of Kotor was especially fun but Budva; a big tourist attraction appeared to be a summer nightmare. Lots of building going on without the infrastructure. There are so many other possibilities t choose from don’t put your eggs in a Montenegro basket.

Traveling up the coast we saw many wonderful sights but there were a few things that frequently stand out. The main thing would be the clarity and purity of the water. There are thousands of islands in the Croatian Adriatic and with every town we past the waters were crystal clear and turquoise. It was a beautiful thing to see mountainous islands and coastline tumbling down to a clear sea. Even in Dubrovnik and further north in Opatija there were steps on the city docks so you could go right in the water. (Which was a bit nippy this time of year but there were people swimming.) 

The second thing that struck me was the wealth of natural resources. Although there are very dry mountains there are also fertile plains of agriculture. Couple that with the clean water

 and heavenly air, it is a rather nice place to be. I am hopeful that as the country develops they will take heed of mistakes others have made and fiercely protect their natural assets. We had lots of good fresh vegetables and the seafood is plentiful and varied. There are grilled meats and a heavy Italian influence on the herbs and techniques that are used. That being said it is not easy to consistently find a great meal in Croatia although my perception may be clearly tainted by being on a tour rather than traveling on my own. When we did get out on our own Mom and I had wonderful oysters and an incredibly indulgent truffle lunch in the Istrian peninsula near Italy.

Restaurants abound everywhere in Croatia and there are people in them 24/7. It is common to stop for a coffee and nothing else and take up a table for an hour or more watching the world go by and talking to your friends. The beer is not too bad either and homemade wine that is

 similar to a Beaujolais nouveau style, young and fruity is easily had.

Dubrovnik was one of my very favorite places and would probably rank right on up in my top ten cities. It is old and yet cosmopolitan as well, with arts going on, people living up in the walls in neighborhoods and amazingly clean. It is like a silver city at night with the reflection of the lights on the polished marble streets. There is a sense of history but also of the contemporary which makes it great fun for wandering.

Seeing Diocletian’s Palace in Split was interesting but not much left gives the suggestion of its glory days-2000 years ago. Many people had moved in since and left their mark for their time. It was interesting how the whole country shows marks of history. Something to consider- In the thousands of years of Croatia’s existence, they have only been independent for 27 years. It is a wonder then how much they have achieved especially since the latest and horrific war 15 years ago that so much of the country functions well and is rebuilt and open for business.

The town of Sibenik’s crown jewel is certainly their cathedral. Some of the most unique and masterful carvings I have ever seen. I took many pictures, a fraction which I included here.

Opatija was our final destination and is a genteel city by the water that reflects its spa and gentry heritage. In many ways it reminded me of Nice without the magnitude. The houses were stately and elegant and once again the water was as clear as could be. It was from there that Mom and I rented a car and looped around the interior of the Istrian peninsula (http://encarta.msn.com/map_701513417/istria.html) We ended up in Livade for lunch, home of the restaurant Zigante, celebrating the elusive white truffle. (A fungi which lives 

underground and can be found by trained dogs or pigs). We had a spectacular lunch that took far longer than we planned and rushed through the artists’ colony of Groznjan, the Glagolithic Highway (an ancient alphabet of runes) and round about all sorts of teeny hill towns.

It was a trip to remember as you can surmise from some of the almost 600 pictures (not shown in their entirety) that I took. 

Recommended?- Highly.

Settling in

We are finding places for our stuff and settling in. We have unpacked almost all the boxes and the house looks like our home. We have registered the cars and begun our job searches and life is taking a resemblance to normalcy except-

We can't believe we are so lucky as to have found this lovely spot. At night when I take the dogs out you can hear the ducks carrying on out in the rice (Look out ducks, hunting season starts next week!) The air is clear and clean and the water imparts a steady calming effect on our beings.

We got up to Camden yesterday, took a little jaunt around the country side, saw beautiful homes in Rockport and had a glass of wine harborside in Camden before we went to visit an artist studio of a guy that we really like, John Whalley.

 He was wonderful and is terrifically talented. His graphite work (pencil drawings) are incredible. Check out his website www.johnwhalley.com. It is really thoughtful stuff. His studio was very stimulating for me. He has all sorts of knicknacks and old bits of things that he uses for his work. He is showing in New York, Boston, Portland and Florida. An artist making a real living. Understandably so.  He and his wife couldn't have been nice or more welcoming. I am hopeful that we can see them again. It is such a nice thing to be able to call an artist and say hey, we like your stuff, can we see more?  

Anyway, it was a lovely day all around. Look at this view of Camden harbor. The boats in the harbor were to die for of course, a little beyond our budget but I do keep playing the lottery so who knows, you have to be optimistic about these things.

I am getting ready to go to Croatia and am hopeful that I can get on a computer. I am not taking my laptop and have been practicing deep breathing so I don't go through withdrawal. I will try to keep up posts but don't know what sort of opportunities I will have. I am glad you have been enjoying the blog so far. I have had some problems with the slide show for the fair but I keep trying.

Ciao for now.

Eco-Central

I have been observing a dedicated and interesting phenomenon in Maine. I thought it was just in the Brunswick Portland area but after what I saw today I am changing my mind.

We went to a fair today in Unity, Maine, about an hour and a

 half from Brunswick. I thought it sounded like a big nice fair based around organic farming but I was not prepared for the size and the scope of the Fair we attended. It is called the Common Ground Fair and it is quite a bit larger than any of the fairs of Loudoun County all combined. There were thousands of people there by the time we left and this was the third day. The exhibits ranged from organic farming, even horse driven farming to recycling tips, political causes, dog sled adventures to sign up for, lovely crafts, a terrific section for kids, mini parades, music, and demonstration exhibits, all oriented to be earth friendly and sustainable.

The whole place felt really different. The people that were in attendance were diverse and happy. It was a place of peace if you don’t mind my saying so, which was a really nice feeling. There were demonstration tents of any topic that you can imagine, from tending your lavender beds to saving the polar bear to lowering your cholesterol. The food isles were plentiful and interesting. The split pea soup was good and the samosas from a restaurant in Portland were excellent. Everywhere was recycling possibilities, earth friendly products and interesting people to watch, all ages and sizes. It was a very cool experience.

I thought Californians might have the corner on saving the world but I am not sure at all anymore. These people in Maine just seem to put thoughtful consumption into practice more in an everyday sort of way without the fanfare. At the farmer’s markets, at the Bowdoinham fair that I went to a week ago, grocery stores and small shops, even in these small things, expect you to recycle, be proactive about supporting your local farmers, and conduct yourself in a way that is responsible to the society you live in. People are outdoors all the time, walking, biking, and doing things. It is a very different feeling from Loudoun County where it is so easy to get caught up in going to a destination and dealing with your business until you go home again. Maine is much more interactive so far and the fair was the epitome of interaction. The town Unity is pretty far from most places but there were many, many, many people attending this third day of the fair. I am enclosing a slide show to accompany this so you can get an idea of what I am talking about.

Toto, I get the feeling we are not in Kansas anymore.

First Impressions

First impressions

The morning wisps of fog skim lightly over the wild rice as the sun rises. There is a definite chill in the air in the mornings now although the light is crystal clear you can see the trees preparing to meet Fall and the Great Beyond. Everyone is warning of winter. I try not to think about it. Maybe this winter won’t be bad….

People are exceptionally friendly up here. I am repeatedly welcomed to the community by shopkeepers, the people at the DMV, the library, even Tim at the dump. I believe it is genuine. We have had lots of good advice, interest in where we’ve come from and why we are up here. “It’s an adventure”, we reply. I think they agree although it is not clear what kind of adventure they envision for us. Vamos a ver- we shall see. It is my intent to log my thoughts periodically as the year goes by so that you can also see what will happen.

We were invited over to our neighbor’s house and it was a delightful evening. He is a retired classics teacher from Bowdoin, she a retired principal. Funny and literate, and very hospitable. The road to the point is an eclectic mix of people, a pastry chef/midwife from New York, forestry managers and everything in between. Some are here year round some small cabins-camps- are not insulated and hanging over the river as they do would make for an unpleasant winter

This week I went walking with the dogs searching for a long bike trail that ended up not being there. We came across a large and beautiful red fox that easily got away. Further on that walk we saw signs of beaver, or do porcupines do the same gnawing-something to check out. I live in slight anxiety of the dogs encountering a porcupine. It almost seems inevitable but luckily we have a very nice animal hospital nearby so we are (relatively) prepared.

I went adventuring yesterday to the Cathance River Preserve with my doggie daughters. They weren’t supposed to be there so we kept it short and quiet. There is a beautiful rapids drop there that was worth the adventure. Flowing over rocks it fell to a pool that flowed to some more rocks and another pool, three drops in all, not a soul around and the woods laying a soft ground of a century of pine needles. The place is set up in some other areas for cross country track and skiing. I am hopeful that I will learn how to cross country ski this winter.

Life at the house continues to be one of placement, discard and the “I don’t know what to do with this” box. I have ordered a rug and a sleeper sofa for the library, which, next to the window seat overlooking the bay, is my favorite room. When the house is together I will take pictures again and you can see how we can fill a house!

In truth I could sit all day looking out at the bay. As I was working in one of the upstairs rooms I looked out the window and saw one of the bald eagles fishing (our family of eagles lives on the point). She caught a foot long something- possibly catfish and then had the grace to settle right where I could watch her eat. It was pretty cool. We have binoculars upstairs and down so that we can satisfy our curiosity at any given moment. There was a lovely multi sail boat out sailing yesterday afternoon. Made quite the complete picture. Next time I see it I will be sure to take a picture.

We strive to downscale, a difficult thing when so many objects have so much history attached. I have friends’ advice ringing in my ears. Be ruthless- I am being better but I haven’t reached the ruthless point yet. Although I don’t even remember what I threw out when we left our old house. Maybe the key is in that mentality if I can tap it. We are who we are at the moment. We don’t have space to hang all our artwork but I can think of worse predicaments.

We are off to the farmers market this morning with our canvas bags. Recycling and food are definitely part of our experience here and deserve a column of their own.

 

 

The beginning

The Prequel

I thought I was pretty on track. I thought sorting and packing the classroom, going through the house and getting rid of truckloads

 of stuff would ensure that all would be well. I thought that dog tags, change of address, health insurance, proactive checkups, finding a fabulous rental and a positive attitude would carry us through the challenging move ahead. Boy, was I naïve.

The Beginning-

Moving is an interesting experience. I felt not unlike a fat lady being squeezed through a keyhole. The three days of exhausting hell have been draining but successful.

 We realized Tuesday how unprepared we were for everything. So very clueless. The movers came Wed. morning and promptly assessed that we would not be out by 2:00 as anticipated. They were still there at 8:00 pm! By that time we realized we would not be going hours down the road, heading north as planned. We finished throwing out quantities of stuff, I don’t even remember what and decided to sleep one more night in Virginia.

 We managed four hours of deathlike coma. The dogs thought it was a great lark to have us sleep on the floor. All in all they have been sterling for the Move in all ways.

The middle

We woke at four in the morning and finished our little chores, hitting the road by 5:30. 

For the drive up we stopped almost every two hours to let the dogs have a stretch. We were in zombie mode but chugged through all the way to Maine, with all the stops and a bit of traffic we had a fourteen-hour drive. -Too long, to be sure—I stopped by the grocery store for a chicken dinner and we blew up the mattress bed collapsed, and that was Thursday.

The endless end

Friday- Dogs woke us up at 6:00. Movers came at 6:30 but we did not get going until 8:00.

 Worked all day all day. The movers were machines and kept plugging along. There were three of them, nice enough but it’s a stressful time and when they finished at 3 I was ready for them to go. The crew chief had brought his fishing pole. 

 I encouraged them to chill for a while and go swimming. They swam and caught a whole mess of fish right off our property rocks. I mean a mess of fish.

  They were planning to cook them and I put out a pan but was not about to cook for them.

 We sent them on their way at 7:00. Another incredibly long day. We were beat and slept like the dead.

The New Beginning

Saturday we unpack and putz.  Life begins to indicate its rhythm of unpacking, placement and routine. It has been really interesting to realize how our systems must change with the changes of the house.

 Where do things go? How will I operate in this room, etc. Will takes the dogs to the point, a pleasant walk,and a beautiful day.

  We get the house functional if not fabulous and go running errands to make ourselves fish chowder for supper, tasty. Meet the neighbor, great guy who invites us over for drinks. We watch the tide come and go.

The house is wonderful comfortable and bright. It is marvelous to watch the tide go out and in over the course of the day. There are at least two bald eagles down at the point that seem to do their fishing as the tide is coming in. We had a big blustery storm last night and were quite cozy. It is really hard to believe we live here now and aren’t just vacationing. The light is lovely and the view an unending interesting panorama. The shore birds scuttle in the wild rice as the tide comes in. There are a variety of little islands that we see from our vantage point to the bay. On one side of the property is the Androscoggin River and our house points north, northwest viewing the Bay. I have no doubt it will be bitterly cold outside in January but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

 In the morning we watch the kayakers go by off the point where the eagles live. Turns out that the family of paddlers includes a champion kayaker who lives several doors down. We get this from our neighbors who invited us over for drinks last night. Very pleasant.

The neighbors say there are many point parties and to get involved in local activities to keep from getting cabin fever. Sounds like a plan to me. I also found that we can audit classes at Bowdoin College for free with instructors’ permission so I may become a student again. How lovely would that be.  I am sure I will be a wiser person about life in Maine next summer. I am welcoming the adventure. Will and I had lobster last night, which, although not cheap, was delicious.

We have a month of coming and going while we put the house together, he to Florida, I to Croatia. He has been lining up his school prospects and seems very happy with the way things are heading. We have been trying to find all the local shortcuts and places of interest but know it will all take time. We are both still struggling to find our previous energy level but are plugging along. Moving is tough but promising. I think our mantra of change is good will be true in the long run. There is enough wonder here now to give us spurts of optimism and encouragement.

It’s all good.