In Pursuit Of Maine: Bewitched Tree

Monday, March 31, 2014

Bewitched Tree

I almost missed this. There are many fallen trees in a deciduous-forest-in-the-making. The soil just along the coast of Maine is quite shallow and it all sits on craggy rock ledge. Over many years, vegetation has decomposed and built this newborn soil. The problem is that it is not very deep, so when trees begin to grow, they often topple over in icy weather or severe rains because they do not have enough stability. Therefore, when I see a fallen tree, I do not not think much of it. Can you spot the difference here? This is no ordinary fallen tree. If you look closely, you can see that it has fallen UP the hill and not down. Trees do not normally fall upward, and so I knew I was looking at an enchantment. Was it one of the distractions placed deliberately in the way when I was looking for the fairy barracks, or does it serve some other purpose? I will check again in the Fall. If mushrooms grow there, I will have to consider whether or not this is a fairy portal. I am getting better at spotting their tricks.

"The Plain Maine Cookbook" is my own collection of vintage Maine recipes that will immediately bring you back to a simpler time, a less confused time. These recipes are more than just comfort food. They're family food, traditional food, simple food, plain food. One bite and you'll say, "Ah, yes! I remember my grandmother used to make this. I had forgotten all about it!" Recipes for whoopie pies, funnel cakes, fried fiddleheads, haymaker's switchel, coffee can bread, glogg, and much more are in these pages. There is even a recipe on how to render lard. So open the door and go back to some simple, time-tested foods you can prepare easily. You'll find that you save money and waste less by "making do" with commodity cooking. What's in the pantry or in the garden is what's for dinner.

"So You Want to Move to Maine" is an invaluable little book in helping people to make a permanent move to Maine. It will save you a ton of time because all the initial footwork is done for you, including 100 links on how to find work and living quarters, getting your driver's license, pet requirements, programs for people with disabilities, programs for senior citizens, getting married in Maine, hidden taxes and expenses, hospitals, health insurance, handling a real winter like a pro, etc. Stop being "just a number" or another face in the crowd. Walk away from the rat race. Become boldly individualistic and make your mark in life. You can still do that in Maine, one of the last holdouts of ordinary, old-fashioned, kind, and decent American living.

I’ve chosen 37 unique fairy tales that will be loved by both adults and children as they can be read and interpreted on many levels. But if you are looking for only sweet tales that end in joy and fairness, you may want to pass this book by. Some fairy tales are simply “dark,” and that is because sometimes life is simply dark. Not always, of course, but often enough. Sometimes the hero lives; sometimes he dies. Check out my book, “Fairy Tales of Maine,” in the photo link below. If you are brave, you might just meet yourself in one of these tales.