Catching Up

M-S and I have both been very busy with work, so I haven't had a lot of fun posts as of late. And I think I may have fished for the last time this winter, although the next two Sundays On Clary Lake are a possibility if the ice stays safe. The big news today is that M-S's parents are back from the long annual drive from Arizona. They have wintered there for 24 years, and have decided that next winter will be the last. They are a hoot and I always like visiting with them. I'm not a fan of their "dog" Mitzi:

She's a wingless bat...and she hates me. Our walks around Whitefield have been interesting this weekend as we survey the high waters and damage done by the latest wind and rain. Usually the water does not run over the dam until mid-April:

There were lots of downed limbs:

Some big trees:

And Burt LOVES searching for critters in the piles of puckerbrush:

There is also lots of "lawn-flooding"

It seems weird that it is the last day of February and this is all the snow we have on our front lawn:

We're supposed to get some snow tonight, but its going to be in the 40's everyday, so it won't last long. I think it will be an earlier hiking and camping season this year - look for those posts coming soon.

~MET

Nine Days Until 1st Spring Training Game!!

Check out the players the Nats have added - nationals.com - seriously, this team is going to be competitive.
~MET

A Busy Last Day of Break

Today was a busy last day of a busy winter break. It is also my Mom's birthday. She looks wonderful and I hope she had a fantastic day. I started this morning by heading out early to Clary Lake - the water closest to our house. I had 25-30 flags, and caught a ton of yellow perch, a couple of pickerel, a few small bass, and these two 3.5 pound lunkers:

I also kept track of four eagles that were on the ice and in the trees around the lake. In the afternoon M-S and I went to the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell to see a show of local high school artwork. Here are some samples:

There were some very interesting pieces by some very talented local young people. I especially liked the self-portrait in the bottom left of this picture:

Then we had a late lunch at the Liberal Cup, thanks to a gift certificate that Chris and Sarah gave us for Christmas. I had cheese soup and mussels. I also had the paddle of beer samples.

We brought my Mom some raspberry cream cake. I had so many flags this morning that I am sore and very tired. Early to bed tonight and back to work in the morning.

~MET

Saturday Post Two - Monthly Meal - G'Day Mate!

I love our monthly meals. Tonight was Australian.

We started with oyster soup - which I liked...and I don't think anyone else did. It was not easy to make, but I would have it again in a second:
The main course included "Dinkum Chili" and "Aussie rice salad." Two outstanding dishes.

Although tonight's meal was only three dishes, they were all very good and very authentic. MANY, MANY different ingredients and a little complex at times. I love these times with Ma and Dad.

~MET

Saturday Post One - Fishing With Dad

What a fantastic morning! I finally dragged my father onto the ice, and we went to his boyhood stomping grounds: Wilson Pond in North Monmouth. My father and his father are the very definition of ice-fishing for me, so to fish with him again on such a gorgeous morning was more than a thrill. Tut hasn't been out in about ten years but I recognized every move he made as very familiar:

Once an ice-fishing zen master, always a master. We saw a huge eagle, took turns tending traps, and talked and talked. He told me fishing stories that took place all over this pond and around Maine in general. And he mentioned many names from the fishing days of my youth, like Ernie Pelton, Greg Barbour, and others. It was such a blast to be out there with him. At one point he spotted two people skating across the pond - and I knew it had to be Linda and Mark, the two people that M-S and I visited with a couple of weeks ago. I took a walk across and sure enough:

The two of them skate every morning, which does not surprise me in the least. Here is the best fish of the day:

Ok...it was the only fish. But it did give me a great battle and we didn't get skunked. I've been out on the ice A LOT this year, but to be out there with Tut makes this day by far my favorite. AND today is monthly meal day, so both Ma and Dad will be out here later today.

~MET

Some Shopping, Paintings, & Fine Food

How good does that meal look? M-S and I decided not to go to Portland, but instead to one of our favorite Maine cities: Brunswick. We actually went to Freeport first to look around, and then to the Bowdoin College Art Museum:

Its not as big as Colby's but it has some very impressive pieces. Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer, Picasso, and dozens of others. From there we went to get the delicious meal pictured above at:

It was very good and they have a small section of Indian groceries for sale:

The whole experience seemed really authentic, right down to the imported beer:

We had a very good time and I'm already looking forward to tomorrow. My dad and I are fishing in the morning and then its monthly meal time for my parents - the theme: Australian.

~MET

Is There a Better Way to Spend a Morning?

Just asking.
~MET

Winter Break - Day Four

This morning was the most enjoyable of the year on the ice...at least as far as the weather and the company are concerned. We only had 2 flags, and I lost what was most likely a big trout - but what an outstanding time! The two gentlemen with me - Zach & Shaun - graduated from Maranacook in 1998 and both aced my AP US History class and played basketball for me. We went to Lower Narrows in Winthrop, which is where my parents had a camp and then a house for many years. It brought back many memories to stand in the middle of the lake and look at the house my dad built. I had a great time catching up with the lives of these two former students, and I guess I should thank Facebook for being the springboard for this little adventure.

If we had just a little more action it would have been a perfect day. I hope the two of them will consider hitting the ice again or perhaps doing a hike in the future. These boys were also part of the class that pushed me into hiking way back when. That group hiked Katahdin with me and Tut as part of an AP course. Good times. Great group of students. These are the things that make teaching awesome.

~MET

Winter Break - Day Three

Another glorious morning on the ice. I went to Damariscotta Lake - it was windy and cold, but it felt great. Above I'm enjoying a cigar that James and Jean brought back from Guatemala. It was outstanding.

This afternoon I've been in my office doing some upkeep on some traps:

I think for the rest of the day some reading and perhaps a nap may be in order. I love being me.

~MET

Winter Break - Day Two

What a fantastic day! M-S and I got things going with a long walk with Burt this morning:

Then we had our coffee and got ready for the drive to UMaine with the family. We picked Chris up at his apartment and went to Orono's most famous restaurant:

Here's a look at both sides of the table:

After lunch we went to Hauck Auditorium to see UMaine's rendition of Hair, starring my daughter. I've seen Sarah in LOTS of musicals - but I must say that this was her best performance ever. She nailed every song, her dancing was excellent, and as Jeanie her acting was hilarious! Here she is in her 60's hippie wig:

The whole production was outstanding - though because Sarah's character is pregnant, it was a little strange to see her in that costume with the belly and all.

I know she will continue acting next year at Maine, and in grad school, and beyond - and I look forward to seeing all of them.

~MET

Winter Break - Day One

What a beautiful morning on Clary Lake. It got up to 37 degrees and the sun was shining. The action was slow, but I didn't get skunked:

I got this pickerel and a couple of perch.

When I got home M-S was deep into our tax returns...yuk. We'll have to pay again this year. And - as usual - I am angry at the state for taxing my retirement contributions. Turkey chili tonight and the Winter Games on TV.

~MET

Looking Forward to Break

I really can't wait for school to end today so I can get on with some much needed time off. And - I've got lots planned. Some of it is not so much fun, but for the most part its going to be a fantastic week! Its winter, so my vacation begins and ends with:
...fishing. I'll go out just about every morning this week to different bodies of water in search of trout. Nothing brings me back to a calm state after weeks of hard work like being outdoors. M-S and I will start the week this way:

I'm bringing home Saigon Spicy from the Asian Cafe. I haven't stopped here in a while - their food is awesome. I think the absolute highlight of the week will be Sunday when nine of us trek to Orono to see Hair:

The picture is from the Bangor Daily News, and Sarah is all the way to the left stealing yet another scene onstage. We'll all go out to eat first and then see the 2pm show. The show actually opens tonight. My week is not all fun and games. I have a meeting with our superintendent one afternoon, and M-S and I have to...

...do our taxes. Yuk. I also...

...have quite a few papers to grade. But, those things won't seem bad with all the fun stuff. Maybe I'll do some grading on the ice. To end the week M-S and I will be going...

...to the Portland Museum of Art. Its one of our favorite things to do together, and right now the feature exhibition is Objects of Wonder: Four Centuries of Still Life from the Norton Museum of Art. I'm sure that will be a blast. I'll take lots of pictures this week and try to post more often.

~MET

OH.MY.GOD.

A Super Sunday...So Far

M-S and I have had a busy day thus far. She took Burt for a walk this morning while I went to the dump. Then we spent a big chunk of the day at the house pictured above. It is on Wilson Pond in North Monmouth, just a few hundred yards from where my father grew up. The fishing wasn't good - but to put our traps in the water that has welcomed them more than any other lake or pond is still exciting. M-S's good friend Linda lives there:

She is an art teacher at Maranacook, and it was great to have lunch with she and Mark.

After a delicious lunch we hit the ice to fish and skate. M-S used Alex's skates...which looked kind of funny:

It was REALLY windy - but still awesome to be outside.

We also played some killer doubles ping-pong. Mark and Linda are a fun couple who really seem to get a kick out of life. I actually went to junior high with Linda at Hodgkins a lifetime ago or so. Now I'll make some shrimp jambalaya for the big game. Go Saints!

~MET