Doesn't It Just Tick You Off?

You know for such a little creature..it sure does cause a lot of havoc. Growing up in Maine I never knew such things existed. I spent a lot of time hunting and fishing as a child with my father and brother and we never came home with one of these bad boys, I mean bad girls, on any of our persons. 

With such a mild winter, at least here on the mid-coast, I'm thinking this spring may just be a record tick season. I guess we'll have to be prepared to tuck our pant legs into our Bean boots early on and when that gets too warm, to slather ourselves down with repellent. And of course lay in a good supply of Frontline for the dogs. 

Take a look at this map...

One of those red dots is hovering and smothering our property in Waldo County. I guess it could be worse.  We could be living in southern NH, all of Massachusetts, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Or, heaven forbid,

anywhere in Tick Central..New Jersey or Wisconsin.

 I don't think they've evolved enough to sprout flippers so I guess I'm still safe in my boat?

It could be very scary out there in the pucka' brush, chasing down some wild brookies this coming season! 

Hiking About West Grand

On those occasions that I get Downeast and enjoy the fishing on West Grand Lake and fly fishing Grand Lake Stream, there are other very enjoyable pursuits to partake, such as hiking one of the many trails located nearby. 

One of my favorite Maine blogs is

Hiking In Maine With Kelley

http://hikinginmainewithkelley.blogspot.com/

Kelley and John are an adventurous pair who are on the road everyday to some awesome hiking spots and they regularly visit maine-matters for which I am very grateful.

So here's a little thank you from maine-matters

Who knows maybe Big Ray and I will meet you and Kelley on one of these trails someday..I'll keep my eye out for a friendly chocolate lab!

Sunset at West Grand Lake

Sunset at West Grand Lake..

'nugh said.....

Maine Lobster..Just For The Cull Of It

So two evenings ago I am scrolling thru our satellite TV menu of hardly ever anything to watch channels, and I settle on one of the cooking shows whose main (e) ingredient was Maine lobster. Well it sort of lit my fuse..Here I am living on the coast of  Maine, immersed (so to speak) in lobster culture. My Dad having fished for them 

and two nephews presently fishing for them, although not in February. And I can't drive 5 miles without coming across some reminder of lobster..lobster..lobster....

So since it was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent and part of that means abstaining from meat, and with the lobster thing still lingering in my mind, off I go to the local lobster pound to peruse.

Once there I find a wicked good deal on culls at $5.99 per lb. Total bill $11.98,  you do the math. And for those of you who may not know, a cull is a lobster with only one paw.

 At the pound they have a huge oil fired brick boiler which they keep boiling away every day and which is exactly where my bad boy found himself  for 20 minutes.  Next stop, my fridge for a chilling and then assembly.

Now I like my lobster meat bedded down in a regular old toasted hot dog bun..no fancy flax seeded wheat or  saffron buns or Pain de Provence for me. The simpler the better.

(Image stolen from Google but ours was very close to this)

 You get the picture but I got the lobster and am ready for more...

Speaking of bad boys..check out this behemoth caught recently just down the coast from me. That's something you could really sink your teeth into...

Maine State Aquarium Director Aimee Hayden-Rodriques holds a 27-pound, nearly 40-inch long, lobster caught by Robert Malone off the coast of Maine near Rockland on Feb. 17, 2012. The aquarium named the crustacean Rocky but now Rocky , having been released, is once more free to do his part in advancing his species.

The First Real Growing Green Thing Of 2012

Such a strange winter..here it is Feb 21 and I have NO snow outside my window..just a few patches of ice and now....

 our chives have come up..

They make a second sign of spring that I've noticed. As mentioned in my previous blog entry, some of the maple trees are running sap and now the first real growing green thing of 2012. Are you buying the early spring theory or are we going to get blasted come March and April?

Snow for Easter? 

I've seen it before...

Caveat emptor!

Sap..That Would Be Me

I was into Home Supply Hardware picking up some new shop light flo-tubes today and there ahead of me at the register was a woman buying some plastic tubing and other supplies for tapping her maple trees.  

Astonished and in a great rush to show my ignorance, I boldly stated.." The sap isn't running yet!"  Instantly I caught myself thinking, why else would she be buying these things dummy, and followed up with a pathetic..

"Is it?" 

And in front of the proprietor and several knowledgeable customers about such matters, I was appropriately admonished.  

Can the chives and pussy willows be far behind?

Meet Zed

This is Zed , a 9 week old Yellow Lab, Guiding Eyes For The Blind project,  that will be the next in line for puppy socialization. I'm not sure where Zed will end up for the training but if it worked out that he settled here with us for the next 14 to 16 months , that would be just fine with me.

As with any puppy, chewing is a big deal. And after becoming re-acquainted with just how sharp puppy piranha teeth are on fingers, especially mine, I offered him a well chewed Nylabone, that I smeared with a bit of peanut butter. Clearly Zed thought it much more tasty than any old human finger, ESPECIALLY mine . 

Of course one of the best times to enjoy a puppy is when they are sleeping

 And as my wife often says..

"A tired puppy is a good puppy."

We'll soon know what destiny has in store for Zed and I'll be sure to keep updated postings on his adventures. But I have a strong suspicion that whatever path he chooses he'll make his mark, teeth or otherwise.