Every spring when the snow on our lawn finally melts, we find a series of tunnels in the dormant grass, along with some woven nests. If we are unlucky, we also find damage to our ornamental and fruit trees, with the bark chewed at the base of the trunk and on exposed roots. The likely… Read more
There is a discernible lift in Deirdre Strachan’s already cheerful voice when the topic of conversation turns to Harpswell, her adopted home and the town she loves. “It’s such a beautiful community, with so much to offer,” she says. Strachan, who moved to Harpswell from Massachusetts in 1998 after a distinguished international career in public… Read more
In an old song titled Lazy Day, there is a phrase, “…Baby, you and me, and the honey bee.” There is a fair amount of truth in that, not only if you love honey, but also if you enjoy flowers and foods that depend upon the exchange of pollen for successful production. By collecting an… Read more
by Jamie Pacheco Spring has arrived here in Southern Maine and most of the snow has melted. In honor of this, Essex and I have started revisiting the slippery and steep, formerly snow-covered trails in Harpswell. On Tuesday afternoon we headed out to give Devil’s Back Trail the once over. This began as a nerve-wracking… Read more
John Berry photo As I write this article in early March, I sit in my office wearing three layers of clothing, including long underwear. For a few minutes this morning, the sun popped through the clouds and my hopes soared, but the winds soon picked up and the temperature plummeted once again. Yet I know… Read more
A mature whitetail buck is a fascinating creature, the subject of a great deal of research, many hours of television programs and millions of printed words in scientific and sporting publications. Much of the focus is upon the headgear a buck develops each year, his antlers or “rack.” The antlers are made of mineral-rich bone,… Read more
by Jamie Pacheco It is cloudy, there is a chill in the air, and rain is impending; welcome to early spring in Maine. Would anyone like to join me for a walk? Or course not! Any sane person would be avoiding a walk in the woods (or anywhere) in this sort of weather. But let… Read more
by Kara Douglas From the March 2015 edition of the Harpswell Anchor Nina Beattie turns around in her seat and smiles. “We have 200 class pets,” she proclaims, pointing toward the corner of the classroom. In the front of Megan Philips’s third grade room at Harpswell Community School (HCS) sits what looks like a large… Read more
Curt Chipman photo If there is a common mammal more loved and sometimes detested than the white-tailed deer (also referred to as a “whitetail”), I would be surprised. Many of us fell in love with this graceful animal after seeing the classic Walt Disney movie “Bambi,” and have long enjoyed seeing them in parks and… Read more
Mary Robinson photo Maine is blessed with large populations of three iconic creatures that loom large in the imaginations of tourists and locals–lobsters, loons and moose. Around the state, on most summer evenings you will find cars parked near known moose hangouts with folks hoping to spot a moose enjoying a tasty meal of wetland… Read more