Shifting gears as one by one the seasons of Maine carousel spin, turn.
And what we do outdoors for recreation does a change up, along with the clothing we wear to enjoy Maine to the maximum. Today’s air is crisp and tart. Mixed with the smells of older garden produce. Vegetables and fruits that one by one shut down the plant stalks, vines. As cooler nights and nippy mornings take their toll on the flower window boxes, backyard gardens. On the Maine farm crops.
The angle of the Maine sun’s rays become a little longer, lower on the horizon.
The Sun becomes miserly with the daylight ration. The leaf colors explode for more than just several shades of lush green. Before one by one falling to the ground. The fillings of the days are sweet, warm, comfortable. But the beginnings, ends signal the get ready for winter exercise. Harvest those crops. Buy some more wood pellets. Take the last trip down the Kennebec, Penobscot, Dead Rivers white water rafting wearing a neoprene layer. Make the final visit to one more Maine island pedal bike excursion by coastal ferry to explore another off shore hidden jewel. Or biking the Acadia Park trails, straight up Cadillac Mountain.
The hike up Mt Katahdin or other smaller hills because you always do yearly sometimes causes a double up. Twice is nice. What the heck. The climb, view from the top clears your head and heart. Sharpens your awareness, clarity in the life going on around you.
Maine fall means some camps get closed, or winterized if four season lake or river living is how you are lucky enough to roll.
Thinking about extra insulation in the attic. Sealing around the trap or hatch leading to it. Maybe replacing a window or two. Adding a storm door to cut down and avoid the “beep beep” sound of the oil truck backing into your yard. That reels out, screws on and attaches the snake long hose carrying black liquid gold venom. That has a price per gallon that stings, hurts, bruises the budget.
If you’re not burning wood, or firing up electric space heaters, the fireplace gas log to keep your toes from freezing may get called into duty. Fall means trips to the hunting, sporting camp. Big feeds. The privy out back. The log shanty that’s off grid, with gas lights. One room large, simple with an open porch.
Adding flannel sheets to the Maine home beds. Another blanket layer applied to the place where lights out and sweet dreams takes place. As you wait for the sandman to do his thing. To make the nightly rounds.
Thinking about down hill and cross country Maine snow skiing, snow sledding.
New equipment. New peaks. Looking over the catalog for winter sports resorts that just happen to have arrived, bunged up the mail box. Picking up out of the corner of your eye as your surf and check emails more propaganda signals. Revolving around the winter sport recreation, clothing that you search for to keep the kids warm as toast.
Thinking about pantries and root cellars stocked with home grown food. Cracking open another gallon jug of squeezed, pressed yourself apple cider. Taking a long, strong haul off the ice cold glass you pour of the brown pulp rich nectar. That won’t last long in your Maine household if there are kids on the inside of the four walls to tap, siphon the juice.
Changing the oil in the snow blower, banking the Maine house.
Fixing the unregistered plow truck that carries the bright yellow Fischer angle plow out front. To be ready when the weather man warns here it comes. New fresh powder snow in Maine to lubricate the outdoor winter sports. The lower temperatures making ice fishing possible. Skating outdoors and chasing the black circle with pond hockey and around Maine, Canadian arenas with newly polished sheets of ice. And blue, red lines and circles. Twined bars on each end to defend.
Buying seasons tickets to Maine high school, college hockey and basketball games.
Attending harvest suppers. Finishing up that scraping of exterior house walls. Trim painting before it’s too late. And has to wait until spring because the job jar gets a little over stuffed. Due in part to just too much recreation distraction in Maine that is an easy trap. Interfering with the “maintain your property” side of the brain. That wrestles with the “take a break, have some fun, enjoy your life in Maine” other half.
The best time to visit Maine is on the beginnings, ends of the season you enjoy. Because with lighter people streams on the streets, in the shops, inns and out on the waterfront, the parks make the visit even more fun, memorable. There is no bad time to visit Maine, to meet the people and enjoy life with totally new surroundings. Fill your lungs with the fresher clean crisp air of fall in Maine. Witness our star fill night skies, sample the waterfront recreation. See what you have been missing in drop dead gorgeous Maine.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com