Kaleidoscope

Life is richer and more beautiful the more varied and diverse it gets. We are discovering that life here Downeast is much more than lobster boats and beautiful views. This tiny region, for example, is home to the third largest Mexican population in Maine. They came for the blueberry harvest, and many found a permanent home here.

I have attended a library knitting group, where some very intelligent and wonderful people meet to do handwork and discuss whatever topics are of interest. We were interviewed for the Bangor Daily News! I will be back- friend-potential definitely exists there.

Last night we attended an annual meeting of Mano en Mano, a vibrant community that is comprised both of folks who work with the farm workers and immigrants to help them settle and thrive, and also  of the settlers themselves who come from Latino regions as well as the Penobscot and Mi'kMaq populations who have been here all along. At the meeting we met residents from across the economic spectrum; there were babies, parents, fishermen, young folks, retired people who have settled here, and many more whom we didn't get to meet. We are still getting to know the area and haven't committed to working with Mano en Mano, but we left feeling encouraged that such diversity exists here, and that the community works together.

We were also invited afterwards to the home of a local couple who settled in Milbridge after lifetime careers in Washington, DC. We toured their beautiful house, we were there before sunset so could soak up the incredible views of Narraguagus Bay, and formed the building blocks of friendship as they told us of the vibrant community in this region.

Tomorrow we will attend and hopefully perform at an Open Mic at the Steuben Library. We have no idea what to expect but as Woody Allen said, "90% of life is showing up."

Away Downeast

A week ago today we awoke in our motel room in Concord, NH, where we had spent a restless night following a farewell dinner with my mother and her spouse. As usual in motel rooms, we were wide awake by 4:00, looked at each other and said, "Let's roll!"
Which meant loading 4 violins, 3 guitars,  a banjo, a mandolin, an accordion, concertina, dog and effects into two cars. So we actually drove the Jeep and the Prius onto the ramp to Route 93 at about 5:15.
And so it was that we crossed the Piscataqua Bridge into Maine just after sunrise. And arrived at our new home in Steuben by late morning.

I was the vanguard. I was so early, in fact, that I couldn't help but stop on the way to bend the knee at my new "LYS" (local yarn shop), Shirley's Yarn and Crafts.

After meeting Shirley and her daughter Kiana, and admiring the stock, I headed onward.
Did I mention that my Prius was packed so tightly that the "open door" warning bell dinged and dinged and dinged all the way from Concord, NH to Steuben, ME? I checked every door at every stop, made sure the car was locked, but ding ding ding ding it went. I played music. Loudly.

Suddenly, I was home.

Oh yes, snow. But someone (it turned out to be the plumber) had shoveled the walkway and deck- bless him. I opened up the house, made some tea, walked around with Nellie, and sat in the sunshine to wait for Hunt, who arrived soon thereafter. We walked through the house together and looked out towards the deck, where we were greeted by the principal motivating reason for the move:

Dyer Harbor is a tiny inlet in Dyer Bay, which opens to the Atlantic. We were in search of salt water, and we found it.

Our friends with UHauls arrived somewhat later, stretched, took a deep breath, and immediately began unloading. They took a break for pizza and some singing,  and a bit of sleep. They continued the next morning and were off back to NH before noon.

Since then, we've been unpacking boxes, arranging and re-arranging furniture, exloring Steuben, Milbridge and the surrounding area. Hunt's nephew Race has been here doing the heavy lifting- bless him. Yesterday a neighbor invited me to tea to meet a third neighbor, and we are becoming friends already.

We are still waking up a bit disoriented in the night sometimes, and we haven't yet found shops with some "essentials", like local honey, or Bon Ami. Silly things that I miss! And yes, we miss our friends back in New Hampshire. But we are grateful for the opportunity to live in yet another place of beauty and tranquility.