maine

MAINE.....

Maine is my birthplace.... This makes me a "Mainer."

Fall is one of my favorite times to be in Maine.
There are fewer tourists, and the foliage is just incredible.

This photo captures Mossehead Lake during the fall-time.

Here is a view over a lake near my home.

I was conceived in "The County" ( for you "non-Mainers......"The County" is Aroostook County, the largest and most-northern county in Maine.... lots of potatoes and broccoli up there.....good Maine accents.... no, I don't have one, but I can do a good immitation.... after all, I have lived there my entire life!), but actually born in Waterville, Maine. When I wasn't one yet, I moved with my parents to our current old farmhouse on 40 acres in the tiny town of Washington. Washington is found about half-way between the Camden-Rockland area and the capital, Augusta. Renovation of our old, farmhouse continued throughout my childhood. We kept variety of farm animals : cows, chickens, turkeys, pigs..... I know that this prompted me to become a vegetarian . When my pets consistently showed up as the main course on my dinner plate, something had to change.

I grew-up in Midcoast Maine with the harsh winters, scenic falls, non-existent springs, and gorgeous summers with tourists galore. My background has defintiely shaped my approach to life and to daily existence. I feel closely connected with nature and rustic life. In the mountains, on the ocean, in the lakes, on the trails, this is where I feel most at home. Outdoors I can release tension, search within, and feel completely free.

Maybe it would be fun to recall childhood memeries tied to Maine..... I remember ice skating on my pond, canoeing on the lake in town, going to the lake to swim on the steamy summer days (all right, steamy by Maine standards...). I can recall my parents teaching me to cross-country ski across the trails on our 40 acres, camping in Maine and Canada with my family, helping Dad chop wood from our land, helping Mom with the flower beds, bringing in the crops from my "kiddie" garden. I lived in such a pure environment- eating our crops, warming our home with wood from our land, homemade soups and tea to warm the body and soul. These are my childhood memories in rural Maine. I had no neighbors, no malls, little influence from mainstream American cutlure which permeates my generation. Gabe, my brother, and I were playmates and our playground was nature. In many ways, I find myself unable to relate to friends at Swarthmore in terms of having shared common upbringings..... I could not have asked for a more free, beautiful childhood. Granted many of my Maine experiences were shaped with my parents ideals, but I still feel that the slow-paced environment itself contributed much to my personality and outlook on life.....

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