SUMMER SEASON BEGINS - GUEST & FAMILY ARRIVE.
Although winter in Eastport can be busy, summer is much busier. My postings have been neglected because I have been entertaining family and friends. Summer is the time for company and it affords me the opportunity to do many of the things that have been postponed because "tomorrow is another day". With company in house these adventures must be undertaken or the time slips by.
My cousins JoAnne and Mary from Las Vegas arrived in late June and were fortunate enough to miss the heavy rains the week before. We had a great visit and many enjoyable day trips. They both loved the place. I was concerned that Mary, being a teenager from the bright lights of the big city, would be bored to tears. However, she also fell in love with the place and remarked that she wished she didn't have to leave.
We all took a lot of great pictures and indulged in the fantastic local seafood. Mary had her first Maine lobster and managed quite well.
JoAnne is the shopper in our family, but also managed nicely with the limited availability of local, big city commercial enterprises.
Of course, Duncan was thrilled to see his Aunt JoAnne because she spoils him rotten. Thus began the "season" for us and it will continue through September when we are tentatively expecting our last guest, our contractor and a great friend, Will, from the old days in Florida.
For more photos check "My Space". New pictures will soon be uploaded there.

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY
I know it doesn't look like much now, but it is a start. this is the birth of my rose garden which will border the end of the driveway and provide pleasant viewing for us and our neighbors.
When I went out to water the new roses this morning I realized it was Mother's Day and I had planted three bushes. I decided this should be a memorial garden for our mothers and I named the rose bushes - Lois, Dorothy and Mary after my mother and my two dear aunts.
When JoAnne comes to visit at the end of May, I will give her the opportunity to pick out a rose bush and we will plant it in memory of another mother, my loving cousin and JoAnne's mom, Shirley.
Check this blog later in the summer and see how the girls are blooming.

BACK TO PAINTING
As I have already explained, I have no illusions of grandeur concerning what I paint or any of my creative pursuits. It is just something I enjoy. It relaxes me; It makes me happy; it gives me a sense of accomplishment.
So - Here I am posting my latest three endeavors. I hope you enjoy them. I find myself beginning to be more thoughtful and focused while painting than I was when I first started. Is this good? Or - am I beginning to inhibit myself subconsciously?
Oh well, it's growth; it's change. Nothing can stay the same; so, I say go with the flow and see what happens.

GOTTA MISS FRIENDS.
Yes, I truly am happy the Florida phase of my life is over. I believe that state is in decline already and has lesser days to come. But - people are a whole different concept. It was very difficult seeing beloved friends once again and not really knowing the next time I would be able to have the pleasure of their company. I was so fortunate to learn early in life that acquaintances are not friends and that true friends are the only treasures worth having in this life. I have been blessed with loving, caring, reliable, and dependent friends. I also believe ""like brings like" and do try to be to others the type of friend I would like to have. Guess what? It works.
I was so happy to leave a piece of my old life with Bev. She liked my chair and a half pull out sleeper, so I had Will take it over to her office. As you can see, it looks lovely there and fits right in. Bev was happy because it helped dress up her new more spacious office and it created a place for her late flight personnel to have a little nap before a long drive home. Bev is just one of the many I will miss and long for - and - you all know just exactly who you are. Unfortunately not all of my Florida pictures came out well . I would have liked to post more. Oh well, it gave me an excuse to purchase a new camera which is now on it's way. I will also take the time to fish through my older photos and find some good "friends" pictures to post.

DING! DONG! THE HOUSE IS GONE.
Just got back from a necessary trip to Florida to sign papers for the closing of the house sale. Hooray! I am finally totally free of the sunshine state. It is such a shame that in just 30 years Florida could change from a paradise to the crime ridden, overpopulated, polluted, cost prohibitive pit it has become. I am desperately trying to be thankful for having had the pleasure of experiencing it as it once was, should be, and never can be again. Man can be so hateful and cruel to nature. The upside is "man pays" - Nature ALWAYS wins and will outlast all mankind.
Enough of that I am past my Florida phase and am snuggled into the beautiful hidden-away parts of Maine where I should be; where I want to be. Everyday is a celebration of life and nature.

A Good Day.
Yesterday was a good day. The weather was great and we spent a lot of time out of doors. Duncan loved it because for a while the doors remained wide open - just like in summer. Duncan has the impression that the deck, balcony, and the property are simply extensions of the house - his living space; his territory.
I received the good news that my house has definitely sold in Florida and the signing date is set. Now to find a reasonable air fare. It most certainly was a GOOD day and one I must hold for future reference when there comes a time when things might not seem so wonderful.
My new art supplies arrived From Blick Studio. I was thrilled as the order included my new Navajo easel. It had to be assembled - David did this for me as I am still allowed to play the "broken are" card for a while; I celebrated in the late afternoon by painting two more pictures. Painting - it makes me feel good and puts my mind in another place for a while - and - it's a nice place!

Giant Japanese Lantern.
This is the greenhouse at night with the light on. It really does look like a big Japanese lantern.
Since we have erected the portable greenhouse we have noticed many people on their walks coming down our driveway to see just what the heck it is. I am sure the walkers tonight and in the pre-dawn morning will have something to stop them in their tracks and baffle them just a bit.
I got many plants started today - lupine, poppies, gladioli, - tomorrow David is going to give his cactus, which survived the Maine winter outside, a jump-start in the greenhouse also.
Monday we have to drive to Machais to get Duncan's meds refilled and I am going to find some tomato plants or seeds - that will be the next hot house inductee.

Jump-Starting Spring.
The new portable greenhouse arrived a few days ago and although we both were feeling punk, David with his nasty cold and me with my two broken arms, we had to pop it up immediately. We love it and can't wait to get the light inside so it will look more "spacey" at night - kind of like a huge Japanese lantern.
We stopped by the storage shed today after lunch at The New Friendly Restaurant and brought in the shelving for the plants some of which have already been started in the house. Tomorrow I plan to get into gardening in my greenhouse. I am determined to have "real" fresh home grown tomatoes all summer this year and not have to consume those commercial varieties that always taste like wet cardboard. My mouth is waterinng already thinking of a nice ripe acid-y tomato just like from my cousins' farms.

Carpeted Stairs.
David recently finished carpeting the stairs. this is a boon for our Dalmatian, Duncan, who now has more security and traction managing the climb and descent. His new found confidence has him bounding up and down like a dog five years younger.
We were also lucky enough to find some carpeting in Bangor that was just a plain gray and goes well with our white and gray interior. We were kind of distressed when all we could find were Victorian-type floral patterns. This serves the need and pleases the eye. We are all pleased - David, Duncan and me.

New Direction For Energy Flow.
About a week ago I began having art lessons from Cheri, my beloved Eastport artist friend - well, actually more like extended family. Anyway I am lucky as I have no talent or preconceived incorrect notions. She says this is good because I don't have to begin by unlearning. Cheri says she can teach anybody to paint and now I believe her. Oh, I don't fancy myself as a "grandpa Moses" or anything like that - but I am having a really good time; enjoying myself; and I believe actually learning something. If nothing else it will be good exercise for my brain and perhaps help keep me young at heart.

SNOW'S DONE - NO SQUIRRELS YET.
Yesterday after the subtle sunrise experience, the day bloomed into a brilliant early,but perhaps falsely misleading, Spring. The temperature struggled toward 50 degrees and the sun came out in full radiance. It was a perfect day for a walk in the woods at Shackford Head. So the three of us trundled off and had a nice short hike among the pines. Duncan was, of course, on the alert. He was well aware of the creatures who had passed in the night leaving their personal scents and signals about and he was as busy as a blind man reading braille.
The ground was wet and soft, but not muddy. The breeze was gentle, but not chilling, and even out poor humanoid olfactory equipment could pick up the scent of green and new growth. It was a very well spent hour and set the stage for a quiet evening at home. We were all impressed; although I think Duncan was disappointed that the squirrels were not awake yet and he had no one to scold.

JUST AS WONDERFUL.
Sometimes the sunrises here are a little more on the subtle side, although no less beautiful. There is a serene calmness that washes over you as you are mesmerized by the slowly evolving light show present free of charge by Mother Nature to all who would open their eyes.
I awoke at 5:45 AM and realized I could not return to slumber land. Duncan was awake also and ready to greet the day. David was still snoring. Duncan and I went to the Waco for a hot cup of coffee and headed onto the Breakwater where I watched the subtle lightening of the Eastern skies and Duncan watched the gulls swooping about and gliding effortlessly on the cool morning currents. What a wonderful way to center yourself.

HOW TO START THE DAY.
This morning I could have closed my eyes and imagined I was in the South of France in a small family-owned eating establishment. The aroma of apples, raisins, rum and hot oil wafted through our kitchen; the sunrise was spectacular; it was a perfect day to try out a new receipt David found in an old cookbook he gleaned from a Calais book Shop the other day. I seem to be blessed with the ability to cook - is this an art form? I tackled the Beignets de Fruits with confidence. They came out perfectly and mentally transported me off to the Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter of New Orleans where I first tasted those heavenly light and powdery beignets. Ooh, la la! David and I were tempted to call Cheri and have her join us until we looked at the clock and decided that 7:00 AM might not be the best time to roust her from slumber. Besides, we now have a little masterpiece to present at one of our summer deck breakfasts.

RETURN TO TRADITION.
What could be better than Sunday morning breakfast at The Blue Iris and a long leisurely chat with Sid and Hilda, owners and operators who always have time for their patrons. Actually their patrons are treated more like family or good friends and are always greeted enthusiastically. They certainly do feel like "family" to me, in the Hawaiian sense of the word. This has been a summer tradition for me for quite a few years. The winter hiatus is over,The Blue Iris is open again, and tradition can continue.
The view from their dining room or deck of Friar Roads, Lubec, and Campobello Island, and the good conversation (Eastport chat-style) make the wonderful food all the more enjoyable.
So, what could top this? Perhaps an afternoon poetry reading at the EAC (Eastport Art Center). David, Cheri and I attended along with a good number of our neighbors and friends. The reading was The Ballade of Reading Goal by Oscar Wilde. The reading also included four of Wilde's other poems including one that was a tribute to his beloved sister who died at age twelve - this one was a tear-jerker and even the reader was visibly touched.
This was the first poetry reading I have attended in my 61 years and I realized what I have missed and how much more I could be enjoying poetry given the proper exposure. Yes, yes - Eastport is the place to be.

SQUARE DANCING? NO, IT'S CALLED CONTRA-DANCING.
It's easy. It's fun. Last Saturday I conned my good friend, Cheri, into accompanying me to the Contra-dance at the Eastport Art Center; since David graciously declined and I wasn't quite ready to debut solo. Cheri agreed and off we went after a short cocktail at home to temper the nerves. There was no need. We arrived to a group of 5 or 6 friends and neighbors wondering where everybody was. Linda Sisson was there - sort of mistress of the affair; Lauren Simpson was there - caller and impromptu dance instructor for us novices; the band was there, Keltic Schmeltic - local group and very good; and best of all, the food was there. There were lots and lots of home prepared goodies all of the dessert category. We would need the sugar for energy and the bottled water for re-hydration. Gradually, in Moose Island tradition, folks began to arrive in groups on one, three and many to hardy "Heys" and Welcomes" from those of us already present.
Watching once dance was all it took. I danced every one after that except the waltz which I need to polish up - waltzing is now a pleasant memory for me - bringing it back couldn't hurt. It's a gentle and kind dance and a perfect slow-down rest break from a Contra-dance.
I took a few pictures before I became one of the group. The one to the left is of a Canadian couple Sashaying down line. They were first-timers too; I was not alone and did not stick out like a sore thumb. Since this couple was from Canada, we were actually engaged in an international social event here at the end of the world in a paradise called Eastport.
At 9:30 PM the band took a break and promised to return for two more Contra-dances. I called it a night - I will have to work up to this new level of energetic exercise.
But - I did love it and I shall dance another day!

READY OR NOT - HERE WE COME!
The first day of Spring has come and gone - Winter must pull up her dusty skirts and exit the stage. My Crocuses tell me so. They actually popped their little heads out over a week ago and stood firm against another snowstorm. They remain hale and hardy and are calling to the daffodils which have begun to answer by sending tiny shoots out the check the weather.
I am boosting about having the first crocuses in Eastport this year and so far, nobody has disputed my claim.
I cannot wait to start planting for the Summer.

IS IT A MIRACLE?
Nope, it's just Good Friday in Eastport with the glorious sun battling the wondrous clouds and trying to make a grand entrance. In this very special place I have chosen to be my home beauty like this is quite commonplace. You must always be alert and walk about with your eyes open to receive and to see. My daily dog walks with Duncan are constant opportunities to "discover" new sights.
I think perhaps it is good that Eastport is hidden away here at the end of the world so the world cannot ravage and spoil it. I will be forever grateful to David for giving me this little bit of Heaven. It is so much like my beloved Hawaii without the commercialization and the tourists.

TIME PASSES - THINGS CHANGE.
So much time has passed since I last made an entry. I could not believe this blog has been idle since 2006 - no more!
So many wonderful things have happened in my life. Oh, there were hurdles too, but they were all low enough to clear successfully. I put the house up for sale and I escaped the horrors of South Florida. I moved permanently to Eastport, Maine. Florida had become an intolerable stress factor - too much crime, too many insincere and rude people, too many expenses, insurance fees and property taxes totally out of control. Yet - still they came in droves from the North to the wonderful "SUNSHINE STATE" which only added to the too many people problem. Why can't people understand resources in any area are fixed and limited. You cannot put a quart in a pint container - ever! Well, let them have Florida; I joyfully give up my space which I am sure by now is already occupied by 20 new immigrants.
I am settled in Maine and have almost completed my first winter here. What a pleasure. After so many years in a sub-tropical climate I totally forgot how I missed the changing of the seasons. There are so many wonderful, simple pleasures with which to indulge myself in my newly adopted hometown. Who would have ever imagined the fun of going outside in the early frigid, morning in my pj's to feed the seagulls? Winter is now two thirds past and my bird friends have bonded with me. They home in immediately when I blow my whistle and if I am a bit late on the feeding schedule, they fly about the upper balcony and scold me. I have even seen them watching me through the kitchen window preparing their daily bread crumbs. What a joy my life has become. I must take care to appreciate every minute of it.

Bach in the Basement.
I know, I know; this is not much of a picture. But, you realize, "---------a thousand words." I look at this photo and I long to be in Maine at the bottom of these stairs, doing laundry while listening to classical music on CNN from Canada. There is a convenient radio with good sound on the drainpipe. It is always on the same station and just a push of the buttom creates a sereen atmosphere. There are usually wonderful, warm sents of home-cooking drifting down the stair well and Duncan's little tonails are tapping on the plank floors above me. It is a marvelous place to be and I don't mean 'the basement'; although there is a nice wiew of the water from down there.
It makes me ponder the Buddist ideal of being able to find true joy in the everyday and the mundane - like laundry. It also makes me feel a bit satisfied, thinking that I may be attaining some level of this happiness, this joy.

It's not just a movie to me anymore.
As I look off to the East from the studio balcony early in the morning (3:50 A.M.), this is the sight that greets me. Who would not be amazed and awed. It is sight that instills a feeling in your bones to arise early every morning so you do not miss this splendor. It also makes me feel very fortunate for all beautiful sights I have seen in my lifetime. Life has been good to me.
Since the island seen in the photo is Campobello Island, this is truly "Sunrise at Campobello".
I cannot wait to make Eastport, Maine my home and not just an anual holiday spot.