GLORY(?) DAYS OF SUMMER

It is August 3 or 4 or 5 and the heater kicked on. AARGH!  But, as always in Maine, wait fifteen minutes or, in this case two hours, and folks walking by have shed their hoodies.

If you are a webcammer, you may have noticed the Tonka Toy-like equipment with the big claw hovering by the side of the road and trucks unloading handsome granite from (local) Long Cove quarry. Roseledge Books is getting a terrific new stone wall.  The wall builders are putting together a jigsaw puzzle of stone amid Sea Street passers-by, all of whom have an opinion.  “It perks your place right up,”  a Barter’s Point neighbor stopped by to say.  This sounds like my late neighbor Harry’s comment, “It’s about time” when I finally painted Roseledge.

The undone stone wall turns the corner and continues this long time gem.

The high bush blueberries right outside the front window are bluing, but the Produce Lady has had the native blueberries (low bush, small and perfect) for several weeks.  Yum.  The rose hips are turning red-orange faster than seems normal.  T he little orange tomatoes are still just flowers on the tall, but skinny, tomato plants.  And the herbs are losing the too-wet fight.

I wish the harbor were busier with moorings, but my judgement is clouded by the lobster boats that routinely tie up at Cod End moorings (in front of the webcam) where sailboats used to dwell.  The sailboats may be tied up at the Tenants Harbor Boat Yard moorings (behind the trees to the left of the webcam view); if so I expect these sailors to walk by soon.

Two new books of note:

Maine’s Beautiful Birds with knowing notes by Jeffrey Welles and Alison Childs and art-worthy painting by Evan Barbour. This is a slim volume, long awaited by local or visiting birders who are tired of hauling heavy, all-inclusive bird guides, e.g. Sibley, Peterson, and at $15.00, it is also a great thank-you gift for a great Maine experience.

Coaster Days by Roy Meservey. As you row, paddle, sail, motor or otherwise enter the harbor, look around at the lobster wharves, the East Wind Inn, and a whole lot of cottages/homes and see instead  the boat-building era of Tenants Harbor, e.g. sail lofts, railway, launch site, and graveyard, as recalled by Roy Meservey (who also built and lived in Roseledge) and which still exists in the Tenants Harbor Boat Yard.   Great photos, too.  Full disclosure: (Mostly) Charlie, Pam, Scott and (somewhat) I had a good time digitally transcribing the 1976 original.  We left the typos and added one of our own.  Can you find it?

Roy doesn't mention tides, but the resulting mudflats are noteworthy.

It is raining,… again.  This would make it a great day to curl up with a RB book, if readers knew two days ago that two inside days were coming.  (I am reading my third Ruth Galloway mystery.) Wimpy sales suggest that experienced summer people knew to be outdoors from dawn to dusk enjoying the two, rare, sunny, dry days.  I am counting on severe cabin-fever to set in about 4 p.m. this afternoon and am ready for the dripping wet-weather gear that will be part of any visit.

The weather gods assure me, I am sure, that Saturday travelers — especially from points south — can expect the real glory days of summer from Sunday on.  See you all soon.