Beyond the South End

…and the snow keeps coming

The bungalow on the Hilton Homestead, winter 2009. Photo by Diane Hilton O'Connor

 “One of these days winter is going

To run out of breath, but it is the

Sun itself that marks the time

Unmistakably. It is approaching

The rim of the winter quadrant,

Rising more nearly due east day

By day, and its shadows now point

toward spring.”

--From the American naturalist, Hal Borland, 1900-1978

 

I thank Rob McCall of the Awanadjo Almanack, which he writes in my favorite magazine, Maine Boats, Homes & Harbor, for this quote.

When I run out of ideas and inspiration for this blog I always welcome the arrival of my next issue of the MBHH magazine. The spring edition I just received is no exception. I borrowed a few ideas from this issue and added some of my own thoughts about winter, especially Maine winters, and Maine in general. I hope you will enjoy my musings here.

This Winter in Maine

Maine is experiencing an especially snowy winter. My brother, Ted, told me yesterday per a phone conversation, that he hasn’t been out of the house in three days. Pipes are freezing all over the place.

Snowplowers have plowed out the same driveways about three times already. There is no more room to put the snow in. They are getting to the point where bringing in back loaders to relocate some of the snow banks is a definite option.

In case you don’t already know it up there, Farmers Almanac reports today’s temperature in the Portland area as 7 degrees Fahrenheit, which feels like -7 degrees. Humidity is 56%. Does that mean the snow is letting up? The wind is WNW at 9 mph. Their prediction for Feb 3-8 is rain, then snowy periods, very cold. Brrrrr.

February 2, Groundhog Day

Yesterday was Groundhog Dog and the famous Pennsylvania groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil came out into the light very begrudgingly I’m told. He did not see his shadow so therefore, there will be six more weeks of winter, at least in those parts.

I doubt if any Maine groundhog, even if they wanted to venture out of their nice warm winter holes, cast any shadow in the snowstorm of yesterday. Sorry, Maine, you get six more weeks too.

The Ocean in Winter

If you want to see what a winter storm looks like on the ocean off one of Maine’s islands, look at this video which I posted earlier on Facebook. It comes from Bass Harbor, on Mount Desert Island.

 

 

 

Years ago a friend and I visited Cape Cod in Massachusetts during a winter weekend. There is a whole new vibe to an ocean in winter in New England than there is in the winter. You don’t see any yachts in the water; no vivid blue sky; no sparkling water on most days. Instead you will see sea smoke; dark, rough water; and most of all the stillness.

The ocean in winter has a calming effect just the same. I enjoyed watching the active waves and foam out over the water and the peace it seemed to bring me after the hustle and bustle of the city.

In this issue of MBHH I enjoyed reading an article Teresa L. Carey, “A Letter From Home” called “Yea Water, Yea Happy.” Carey lives aboard her Nor’sea 27, named Daphne, for her grandmother. She is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain. She and her husband conduct sail-training expeditions on the coast of Maine. To learn more about Carey go to www.teresacarey.com.

Carey believes we are losing our closeness to nature and to her beloved ocean because of all the technology which is focusing our attention away from what is around is. She is most happy, as I am, when I can be near a piece of water somewhere, especially the ocean. Given the choice of living next to a fresh water pond or lake or the ocean, I will always chose the ocean.

We have forgotten how to listen to nature. When was the last time you stopped what you were doing to listen to a particular bird’s song which has insinuated its way into your day? Whenever I get the chance to listen to a bird you can bet I do stop.

Are We Killing our Ocean?

I have been distressed lately to learn of all the whales who are beaching themselves on our coastlines. Why? Is the ocean no longer able to sustain them or is it too poisoned for them to tolerate? Think about the loss of many of our fish by the practice of trawling the ocean floors. What about the invasion of off-shore drilling or the loss of our coral reefs? There are many questions we need the answers to before we look out someday and see our ocean all be- mudded and dead.

Nate Levesque

Just a note. Photographer Nate Levesque’s pictures of the Maine coast at night can be seen in this edition of MBHH. I can’t show them here, but trust me, they are beautiful. He calls his night photos, “astronomical dusk.” See them in the magazine or online at the magazine site at www.maineboats.com. You will find a link here also to Levesque’s own site.

View from the Porch of Peter Bass

I would like to “borrow” one more thing from the “View from the Porch,” by Peter Bass, in the latest MBHH. A little more Maine we can all relate to in winter.

 “There is nothing that seems colder

Than a shuttered cottage

No childrens’ voices in the air

That grab and hold you hostage.

“It seems there is no life around

But spring will show you wrong

You’ll discover all’s not dead

In winter all along.

“Deep in the walls those little mice

With all the food found handy

Are having little parties and

Drinking rodent brandy.

“They’ll make their nests at will

In crevices and walls

And when you’re gone, run up

   And down

Your family’s hallowed halls.

“Those buggers will be shown

   The door

And for the summer banned

You’ll be there, feet on the rail

And binoculars in hand.”

Here’s hoping the snow won’t keep falling at such a fast rate. Stay safe and warm.

Thanks for listening.