Despite their competitive employers, Paul and Bobby are good friends, and I caught up with them during a lunch break recently at Capers, downtown Boothbay Harbor.

Breaking news! I learned that Bobby Cochran (the Fed Ex guy) moved off Kenneyfield Drive the very year that Stacey (Miss Capers) moved into the same neighborhood. And that Paul, Mr. UPS, liked the Boothbay area so much (after 30+ years of delivering) he arranged to have his wedding here on the south shore of Spruce Point.

For as long as we have lived here in Maine I have visited the small loop back road that circles beyond Hendricks Head beach along the Sheepscot River salt marsh connecting to Dogfish Head Road overlooking Ebenecook Harbor, on Southport. Its a meditative path that never failed to cool my jets, which have long since cooled on their own as I move along the other roads less traveled. We all have our spots, I'd guess. This one gives me pause.

I’m a little embarrassed to share this week’s adventure. It wasn’t a location I came upon in my usual haphazard way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not too self conscious, but there is more to this image than meets my eye.

Things are much quieter now on Monhegan Island. The summer tourists have all packed up and headed back from whence they came. The island dust is settling and the pace of life brings everyone back to earth as winter sets in and residents huddle up. It’s a long winter on the Island and the extended family community pulls together.

In October 1968, Dominic Garvey made his motion picture film debut in the movie “The Night of the Living Dead.” Fifty-one years later, this past rainy foggy Halloween morning, a stone bench honoring Dominic was installed in front of the Boothbay Harbor United Methodist Church, across Townsend Avenue from the Opera House.

If you were a seagull looking to pick off a tourist's burger at Robinson’s Wharf, this could be your circling-for-attack view. An observant gull would be waiting for Keith's famed blackened haddock Reuben with extra kraut. Once located, target in sight, chow time. Look out below! And without warning a couple from Oklahoma would be left with an empty plate and a few errant feathers. Hugh might curse a blue streak and Andrea would offer a new napkin and a stronger drink from Alva's bar. A reorder would be under way and inside seating arranged.

Bonnie Stover started work at the Tugboat Inn in 1978. I was working there then as night janitor, cleaning the kitchen and dining room after closing. On average, I would go in to work around 11 or midnight and finish whenever I got done. For me, a lot depended upon how busy things got in the dining room on any given night. Weekends in the summer could be gangbusters. Back then, the entire length of the property over the water, was dining, with rooms only upstairs. It was a big place to pick up and clean.

Back in my earlier years of photography I got to be a guest at many wedding events. The Lawnmeer Inn was a very popular setting and it was, for me, at that time, a regular and enjoyable venue. The Reed family, and I mean the entire family, managed, staffed and maintained the Inn, along with much local support. It was a good gig on weekends throughout the season. A devoted group of regular part timers helped make the ship stay on schedule.

It is always a better day when crossing paths with this pair of lovely young ladies. And there are many paths that cross. These are the Southport goodwill twins. When you see Evelyn you seldom don’t see Jean. They are a great and indefatigable team of pleasantness and their visits, accidental or intended, bring joy.

Let me say right up front that the acorn image is enlarged for illustration purposes. Imagine how big the squirrels would be to harvest these bad boys! They would need to be French bulldog size.

My acorn sizing in this week’s class is intended to help me explain the difficult and controversial subject of weather prediction, using what used to be referred to as “Old Wives’ Tales.” Suffice it to say, out of respect for current political correctness trends, that I will not use that term. In today’s application we will refer to this process as “weather roulette,” and I will reference time honored techniques.

Jim Fossett is a person I have admired for a long time and hoped to visit upon these pages eventually. This summer I got a quick chance to say hi during one of his visits home to Boothbay Harbor with family. It’s a little challenging to catch up with Jim as he covers a lot of ground.

Our son-in-law Andrei grew up in Romania. He, his family and many friends commonly did their own mechanical work. There were not a lot of resources during Communism which forced the population to develop alternative systems for keeping things going.

They are not saying good-bye, they are saying hello.

I didn’t know that Oliver sold bicycles. When Janet told me this I thought she said “Oliver stole bicycles.” Then I remembered that Oliver grew up in Newcastle, Pennsylvania. My freshman year college roommate was from Newcastle, and he did steal bicycles!

Before exploring the Cunningham farm, I’d like to share a brief experience regarding my flawless memory!

Several months ago I lost or misplaced my favorite Ray Ban sunglasses. I was very sad. They are great glasses. A few days ago I popped the hood on my 2003 VW Jetta to check the oil. Right there, on top of the air cleaner cover, sat my glasses, 3, 000 miles after oil changing. It was a long and winding road my friends. I’m thinking maybe I should just keep glasses there until my next oil change so I won’t know where to find them!

Line cook Roxroy Smith has been working in the food service business since his teenage years. He has spent over 10 years aboard cruise ships cooking his way around the world. During his time aboard ships he has visited 115 countries, often with as many as 2,700 staff from 88 nations, who all must speak English. This experience has not only afforded him a great opportunity to learn, but allowed him to build a flawless reputation for reliability and credibility. His credentials allow Roxy, as he is hailed by coworkers and friends, to travel without question and to work in highly desirable settings here in Maine, around the U.S. and internationally.

Last week we wished bon voyage to our family friends Kate, Sage, Jim and Jenifer Elderkin-Wickline as they prepared for their return to New Zealand. This week we continue our worldly adventures with another local traveler.

Nikki Brooks has spent a large portion of her adult life away from the Boothbay region. Her first trip abroad was to Paris with her father at age 16. It was all she needed. Since then Nikki has visited, traveled through and worked in China, Russia, Chile and Peru. Also, after she finished college she and a friend backpacked through Europe. I believe its fair to say that Nikki enjoys new adventures. She has visited many countries around the world.

When Googled, Maungatapere is described as a settlement in Northland, New Zealand. State Highway 14 runs through it. Whangarei is 11 km to the east, and Tangiteroria is 18 km to the southwest. A mountain called Maungatapere with a summit 359 m above sea lever is southwest of the settlement.

I don't claim to be a writer. I have known quite a few writers and they are well educated, smart and disciplined. I have been disciplined, but it’s usually for being a bad boy! I prefer to think of myself as a describer, sharing things that interest me, people I know and stuff that I've done over the 40+ years of our lives here. There have been plenty of opportunities to accumulate material. Wonderful people. Fascinating adventures.

“Where's the beef?” Silly bird!

I know I have mentioned many times the wonderful photographic coincidences encountered while doing non-photographic things. Carrying a camera with me when out and about is pretty much standard operating procedure. In fact, after all these years of work with cameras, I feel a bit unsettled without a lens. Has sort of become an acquired appendage.

Too Hot!

So consider this.

Your kitchen is a small wooden building at the side of a busy state road with perfectly lovely out in the open exposure to everything. The temperature outside is pushing 90 (maybe higher in the direct sun) and the humidity is creeping.