Hey Boomers! Remember flashcards? Those over-sized playing cards used to help memorize multiplication tables, addition and subtraction were used in our house growing up – in my case particularly…
Columns
What better way to teach fractions than to buy a pie at the Southport General Store and then have your class decide which fraction of the pie they want to eat. Of course, such a “hands on” and “…
Out of Our Past
I've been a snow lover all my life, so I regret the lack of it this winter of 2023-2024. I wrote this article back in 2014, in case readers question plow trucks’ horsepower. Back in January 1944,…
This is the time of year when our National Service Organizations go to Washington, D.C. to brief our congressional delegation on the priorities of each service organization. The American Legion…
Last Thursday was a St. Paddy's Day themed social night, no speaker or program, just a chance to visit with Rotary friends. There was some “wearing o’ the green,” green decorations, especially…
The numbers are in and last year was yet another historic year for fraud. The Federal Trade Commission released its annual compendium of fraud reports from 2023, and the news is shocking. For the…
A Bird’s Tale
Last week we saw the sleek, black form of our first common grackle of the year sitting by itself in the top of the tall, leafless maple tree across the street from our home. Its harsh “check”…
62nd annual Windjammer Days
The 62nd annual Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days will take place on Sunday, June 23 through Saturday, June 29. This year we will celebrate our local boatbuilders and shipwrights. Please visit…
’Round Town
Just when we thought we had seen the worst of it, whacked again!
These occasional “so-called” 100-year storms seem to be becoming a little more frequent. Somehow we have lost track of the…
Joe’s Journal
Let the political food fight begin.
Last week, the Supreme Court said the 14th Amendment didn’t bar the former president from running for another term. That is good news.
The…
Where It’s At
Rochester, New York native Joel Rissinger is totally jazzed for his first season (in his favorite state of Maine) as the new head chef at Robinson’s Wharf. The famous Southport restaurant and…
I hope you all have a grand St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday. Remember to wear a patch of green to celebrate the Irish!
And, I’m sure you’re excited for the first day of spring on March 19! I…
A number of people braved the damp and cold last Saturday to join the alpacas for the Southport Island Association Winter Walk. Thanks to Anne Globes, Mike Ciccarelli, and their family for sharing…
It’s that time of year again – the holidays are long past, and summer is still a long way off. It’s time for a spring getaway. But beware, for everyone looking for a great spring break deal there…
A Bird’s Tale
We were driving on a rural road a few days ago when a flock of 30 or so wild turkeys came ambling slowly across in front of us, stopping traffic in both directions. Suddenly, a male turkey, his…
’Round Town
Over 300 people attended the University of Southern Maine Hannaford auditorium on Sunday, March 3 to honor Kirsten Neuschäfer, winner of the Golden Globe Race, solo sail around the world. The…
Joe’s Journal
Maine and 17 other states held their 2024 presidential primary election on Tuesday.
Did anybody win?
Did anybody bother to vote?
Did the results surprise you?
Do…
I was looking at the March calendar to see if there are any federal holidays i.e. days off. Alas, no. But instead, there are some very special days to celebrate this month. March 10: Spring…
Robinson’s Wharf is opening March 13 with a new chef, Joel Rissinger, who, even though he is from Rochester, New York, has had much practice in cooking fish, having worked in Hawaii and other…
Last week I listened to a VA webinar on Veteran Homelessness. They started out with some national statistics: from 2010 to 2023 there was a 52% decrease in veteran homelessness, 54% decrease in…
Last week’s speaker was author and scientific writer Ret Talbot, from Rockport, who has just co-authored the book “Chasing Shadows,” a source for everything you might ever want to know about white…
One of the most popular ways for criminals to steal money and sensitive information is by impersonating a trusted source – often a government agency. According to the Federal Trade Commission,…
Out of Our Past
There was a lot more informal joking around in the Boothbay Register in the late 1800s. Jokes and puzzles took up at least half a column. A fairly funny, short August 1877 tall tale dealt with…
A Bird’s Tale
The economy is in the news every day as the countdown to the presidential election is underway for real. Inflation, interest rates, GDP, stock indices, bond returns – the numbers of ways…
62nd annual Windjammer Days
The 62nd annual Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days will take place on Sunday, June 23 through Saturday, June 29. This year we will celebrate our local boatbuilders and shipwrights. Please visit…
’Round Town
A very long time ago a friend gave me a book with photos and text by Ansel Adams, one of the most recognized and accomplished photographers of the 20th century. It was a random gesture offered…
Joe’s Journal
The other day, I ran into Dick Kellogg at the post office. "You are a smart guy. You should be able to answer this question," he said.
I looked at him and wondered – me?
Dick is a…
Wow! It’s the beginning of March; 2024 is flying by way too quickly. Tax preparation, St. Patrick’s Day, my birthday … Happy Birthday to all March babies!
On Tuesday,…
I found it a bit too cold Saturday night to go to the beach to watch this amazing event, but Susan Endicott kindly sent me the following account. “Saturday, February 24, at 8:00 p.m,, thecold…
Where it’s at
Maine Art Gallery’s current show, “Generations: The Legacy of Mentors,” celebrates the relationship between aspiring artists and their mentors. It also exemplifies each mentor’s impact on the…
It’s the people we meet.
The Rotary meeting started out with the always magical moment of welcoming new people to the club. Linda Clapp and Judy DeGraw oversaw a finely honed…
I’m not sure how many veterans in our community know that there is a veteran organization located at the old Brunswick Naval Air Station that is open five days a week whose purpose it is to help…
How often do we ponder and wonder where our life has gone? Nothing stops moving, be it time, the seasons, evolution or as we look into the mirror, aging!
I spent 30…
If there is one thing everyone should understand, it is that “scammers” are career criminals skilled at the art of manipulation, and no one is immune. These crooks target people of any age; in…
First, a great big thank you for all the volunteers, bakers, and consumers of our wonderful Cookie Walk on Valentine’s Day. We could not have done it without the help of so many cookies and…
As we write this, the 2024 Great Backyard Bird Count is on its final day. Incredibly, the number of bird sighting checklists that have been submitted is closing in on a quarter of a million coming…
62nd annual Windjammer Days
The 62nd annual Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days will take place on Sunday, June 23 through Saturday, June 29. This year we will celebrate our local boatbuilders and shipwrights. Please visit…
New Hope Midcoast
Economic abuse can be just as devastating as physical abuse. To deny someone rightful access to money or basic resources is an attack on their fundamental existence. Managing and controlling one’s…
Salt ’n Spar
In January, I received an email from Ryan Gahagan, president of Mason Station Redevelopment Company LLC, based in Portland. His comments were in response to publication of a column I’d written…
’Round Town
Life was normal and calm in the Hannaford vegetable display zone. Celery, carrots, avocado, apples with a small dash of organic romaine. Done! In the basket. On to the dairy area and then to check…
Joe’s Journal
Last week, I saw a pair of stories from Moscow that made me want to hit my knees and offer thanks that I was blessed to live in the good old USA.
Example number one was the death of Alexei…
Even in the winter lots happens at Hendricks Head Beach. Last week I wrote about the dippers, organized by Morgan Mitchell to take a dip in the icy water all year round, accompanied by music. From…
Who ever heard of playing softball in the snow, much less, have a softball tournament in February? Well, I attended two this past Saturday!
A few years ago, American Legion Post 202 in…
One of the oldest scams around involves a criminal getting hold of one of your checks and forging the payee and the amount. Usually this is done by “washing” the check with chemicals to remove the…
A Bird’s Tale
The Birders’ Mardi Gras
The tradition of a February celebration has long been part of human history. A Carnival period, often in July, is a major tradition in many parts of the world, and…
’Round Town
In my senior high school yearbook, all students were asked to list clubs, sports, awards, etc., and to state what might be accomplished after graduation. We got all sorts of ambitious comments…
Joe’s Journal
Well, the 58th Super Bowl is over.
Was it a good game?
Did your team win? Do you remember who played or the score?
Did you count the number of times the cameras focused on…
For all of you who read the Morning Catch, Happy Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14! Come visit us from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and take home a box of cookies (or other baked goods) all for the suggested…
Another Southport summer resident, Mimi (Maria) Goslinga Havinga, passed away peacefully on Feb. 6. Mimi has been living recently at St. Andrews Village where she reached her 100th birthday. Mimi…
The Maine Veteran Coordinating Committee (MVCC) had our monthly meeting on Feb. 5 with Senator Angus King the guest speaker. The MVCC, as I have talked about in the past, holds a meeting the first…
