I'm back!

A series of events at home had conspired to keep me busy and needing focus on other things.

Today is the last program of the year for the Wilhelm Reich museum and hopefully after that I will be able to change focus and get on with some other projects. The market is doing well for me,(I'm an equity trader by day). My mom has Parkinson's and there are times that what she needs is more important than my own time. And one of my aunts was diagnosed with cancer. The outcome for her is looking good.

I have spent some time getting pictures and even had a couple of great days out with a friend. So, here goes!

Summer is ending and the goldenrod has been just incredible this year. Down towards Farmington the fields were a carpet of gold. This is one of my favorite flowers, I just love the color and the variety and abundance of insects that visit goldenrod (Solidago spp) is great. I haven't really had the chance to get some photos this year, but there's always next year.

It's also a bittersweet end to the summer when I see the first blooming of goldenrod. It means cool weather is coming, and I always hate to see summer end.

We had some cool nights last week, it did drop down to 40 and after having 70-80's that was too much of a shock.On the day the front was coming through, I went out to Little Kennebago Lake with a friend. It was overcast and threatened rain, which of course it did. There is something about being in a kayak in the rain that makes it more fun.

So I got to see some of the locals. A cow moose, a few common loons and a common snipe.

More rain.

This is no longer fun. For a lot of birds up here, the nesting season was a failure. Cool temps and way above average rainfall made the act of egg sitting and finding food a tough job. I just checked the last 2 nesting boxes on my property. All 4 had tree swallows, and only one of those boxes was a failure. Three eggs were still in the north box. They gave up several weeks ago.

Hummingbirds in the state pretty much gave up. Reports of northern nesting shorebirds are already returning . Our neighborhood bluebirds have been successful and I've been watching the family making the rounds.

Fair thee well you Low.

Finally after what seems to have been an eternity, Maine is beginning to clear out. That doesn't mean we still won't have daily storms, but we'll take what we can,as long as it comes our way.

Clouds

Back in the rain.

Blue-eyed Grass ( Sisyrinchium L.)

Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

Speckled Alder (Alnus rugosa)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

Tamarack (Larix laricina)

Robert Hunter once wrote a song called "Keys to the Rain." I wish I had those keys right now. The forecast is for rain clear until the end of the coming week. Maine is a maritime climate, no doubt about it. And so what does one do when it rains seemingly without end? Go outside and take some photographs.