It’s a Maine Thing - Hezzy’s Sidewalk Talk

Summer Daze in Maine

The dog daze of summer are upon us. With little or no rain over the past six weeks the gardens are challenged at best.

Mother nature took care of us last winter by bestowing copious amounts of precipitation in the form of snow, which is great for the water table, but we could use some drops from the sky as a summer reprieve. The gardens are too dry and local ponds are looking a bit too low.

With the wild Maine blueberry harvest just around the corner rain is needed to plump up the berries and to help the harvest along. Farmer’s markets are in full swing, but talk of little rain is a common topic among the growers, but nonetheless the fresh greens sure are tasty.

And the lovely fragrance from our garden’s fresh cut lilies fills our rooms and provides one of summer’s great pleasures.

It’s a Maine thing! Festival season is soon upon us with lobster festivals, blueberry festivals, craft fairs, music festivals, church fairs and library book sales. Some of our favorites are the Frenchboro and Winter Harbor Lobster Festivals, Machias Blueberry Festival, Bay Chamber Concerts in Rockport and the American Folk Festival in Bangor.

The local, home-grown events tug at our heartstrings, however, the organized, well-publicized affairs always offer an abundance of well-known celebrities showing off their talents. It’s always worth taking a day for these adventures as the summer festivals are a great place to connect with what Maine is all about. For a well-rounded listing of state-wide events over the next month the current Downeast Magazine includes a directory of many of these events. Check local listings for smaller venue events.

What a summer for sailing! Always a breeze, little threat of rain and almost no fog. The youth sailing programs are in full swing all along the coast with racing regattas being held regularly. Racing season for big boats is also just beginning with all its regalia. Always fun to be a part of. Let’s not forget those lucky ones cruising who are dropping anchor in lovely, secluded coastal spots like Merchant’s Row off of Stonington, tricky harbors like Bass Harbor and distant places Roque Island, near Machias. We all find our summer groove here in Maine. Whether it’s going to camp on a fresh- water, inland lake, hiking Katahdin or mackerel fishing on the coast, there’s a always a great outdoor adventure awaiting all of us Mainers. It’s a Maine Thing!