This is my “F bomb!”

Many years ago, while photographing in the bowels of steel ships, I purchased a used and rather unique Canon lens – the 50mm F1.0. It is a lens that Canon manufactured for a relatively short time. They didn’t make tons of this lens because not many folks figured there was a need for it. But, in my case, working in dark places, it could be very helpful giving me the opportunity to go “flashless,” which could be very distracting to workers and in some cases dangerous around abundant fumes.

For many, Labor Day marks the end of summer and the start of the school year. When we first moved here, the streets rolled up after Labor Day. Restaurants and motel/inns closed and things got real quiet. The “season” such as it was, pretty much ended and summer visitors, for the most part, went home. Local folk resumed conversations with themselves, both literally and figuratively, as the run up to fall and winter began. Community activities became more internally directed. We re-calibrated our lives and slowed down.

Is it time to rejoice, or time to buck up some firewood? Clearly, we just got a touch of fall in the recent weather shift. And I love the fall!

After some very warm and humid (un-Maine like) weather in recent weeks, the 55F breeze in through the bedroom window was, for me, a breath of fresh air. I do not do heat well, so the recent weather shipping up from the south, loaded with humidity, was a trial by fire. It was all I could do to get out of my own way. The air was unpleasant, possibly somewhat aided by the smoke from fires out west and in Canada. At least that is what the weather people were suggesting.

The plans for our next annual family gathering on Monhegan Island begin on the boat ride back to the mainland after our stay. We so look forward to this event that little time is wasted planning to return.

To me, one of the more fascinating things about folks who perform at the Opera House is their observations about visiting Maine and Boothbay Harbor in particular. People come from far and wide to our wonderful stage and, in many cases, for a first time visit to Maine. The experience of visiting here is interesting, in that these visitors offer us a view of ourselves from a unique vantage. In many cases, performers will arrive a day or so before they share their talents, which often results in some revealing experiences. Garrison Keillor did not disappoint in that regard. Maine is not your grandmother’s “Lake Wobegon!”

For some reason, Leica the wonder dog (it’s a wonder she’s a dog!), made several executive decisions recently.

About six months ago Leica abandoned her crate. She gave us no notice, no explanation. Just suddenly she decided to take up residence on our living room couch, across from the fireplace and TV and within earshot of the radio which she often has tuned to a classical music station or old James Taylor songs. We have no idea why she made this decision. Maybe she was annoyed by my snoring or frequent (and annoying) awakenings during the night. Good sleeps are not part of my repertoire.

The storms of this past winter did a lot of damage throughout the region but the east-facing shore of Southport took a serious hit. I am most familiar with the waterfront from Gray Homestead to the All Saints by-the -Sea chapel. That section of the shore was extremely vulnerable to the strong seas and surge from the southeast. Piers were destroyed, cottages lifted, and much of the shore wiped clean. All Saints lost its entire pier with serious damage to the porch area that surrounds the chapel. What the high tides didn’t damage, the surge did. I have heard that the water at high tide got to 14.5 feet, which included a two-foot surge. Bad enough for one storm’s damage, but we had three consecutive events. It was a mess and, in some cases, still is.

Mamie Louise Anderzohn grew up on a small farm in the Midwest. How she ever landed at the small state school in western Pennsylvania which I attended is beyond me. She taught a “methods” course in the geography department. This was, at that time, a program designed to help students prepare for entering the teaching profession, lesson plans, use of visual presentations, classroom organization, etc. Part of the certification process.

According to some local history, the Bridge House, located at the center of Boothbay Harbor’s famous Footbridge, was built in 1902 by bridge tender William F. Foster. At that time, my guess is, there was a central section off the footbridge that pivoted open and closed to allow boats to enter the inner harbor. I know that for most of our 50 odd years’ existence here in the area, there was still a central section of the footbridge that was capable of movement. Such is not the case at present.

During our luxury cruise with Captain Mark Stover as we watched boats arriving in the harbor for the Windjammer Days Festival, I noticed a lot of barrels. There were barrels stacked in dories, barrels on lobster boats and barrels being unloaded at Harbor Bait. We went out around the giant yacht called Dreamboat but didn’t see many barrels there! Except maybe I imagined how many barrels of fuel it might carry in case I needed a little extra home heating oil! Brief internet sleuthing found that the ship has a fuel capacity of 256,000 liters, or about 67,628 gallons, enough to travel over 5,000 miles. I suppose the crew could look for barrels from the handy helicopter which is kept at the ready.

Did you ever go to the grocery store without a list? Not intentionally, but by accident leaving the list on the kitchen table after laboring over what to buy? Items listed so the resulting purchases are in the neighborhood of what is needed?

It’s just about time for some special boats to arrive in Boothbay Harbor and surrounding coastal communities. The sailing cruise ships are back on the high seas and with fingers crossed we hope many will visit us for the famous Windjammer Days.

How often, on our walk to pick up the mail, do we think about the means of delivery? The person who delivers? The people who sort? The people who load? For the most part, I think, we just take for granted that, if there is mail, it will come. In the dead of winter, the heat of summer, when it's pouring down rain or blowing a gale. If there is mail, it will come.

This time of year always makes me think of my visits with Barbara Cooney of “Miss Rumphius” fame, at her home in Damariscotta. The lupine plants are hitting high clover now in what seems to be a bumper crop year, albeit a slightly different one, at least for me. The plants seem to be popping up in different areas from past years, that is, less likely in places where they seemed more plentiful and more frequently in new spots. I’m wondering if that seems to be the case for other lupine observers?

One of the very most wonderful gifts of this photography business is the many friends I have made over the years. I have photographed with thousands of people both here in Maine, around the country and abroad. The experiences of meeting, working with and being in touch have created an exceptionally heartwarming and meaningful part of my life. To hear from old friends is richly rewarding.

Before I get ramped up for this week in my adventure series, I wanted to share a subject unrelated to the photo. How unlike me!

So, as I have mentioned in the past, for those of you who follow along this meandering path, we have a very energetic 3-year-old Labradoodle who needs to be ambitiously exercised regularly (chasing tennis balls would be of paramount importance) or she becomes a Monster from the Black Lagoon! Getting her YaYas out, is what we call it! We are very fortunate to have some large open space to exercise Leica, much of which is covered with meadow grasses and low bushes, prime, unfortunately, tick-haunting grounds.

A long time ago (I seem to be saying that a lot lately) I met Edith Hazard at Bookland in Brunswick during a book signing. Edie, as I have come to know her, was meeting and greeting with her newest book, “Singing for your Supper,” and I was signing my first book “WINTER.” We weren’t overrun with interested customers – well, at least I wasn’t, so we had some time to visit. Bookland was approaching hard times as bookstores everywhere were beginning to feel the pressure of online shopping. However, the wonderful managers of our “local” stores were committed to promoting Maine authors and artists. Karla and JoAnn were huge supporters who, despite waning markets, really emphasized, in their respective locations, Maine products. I guess that’s what Edie and I were, however, I hardly put myself in the same class with Ms. Hazard. I did photographs, she does words, and has continued to pursue and develop her craft over the many years since our chance meeting.

I was standing at the kitchen sink last week, helping to clean up some dishes from the evening meal, when I looked up from my basin full of pans to see all sorts of flashing lights at the end of the driveway. I thought it a bit peculiar. I had not ever seen that particular array of lights before and hoped there hadn’t been an accident. I grabbed a jacket to take a walk down to see what was going on and, by the time I got back to the window, the lights were gone! False alarm I hoped. Sort of put it out of my mind.

So fun to see Lara Tupper on home turf again! She and hubby Bobby Sweet, who now live in western Massachusetts  (no apology necessary), provided a lovely evening of entertainment at the Boothbay Harbor Opera House this past Saturday.