In Pursuit Of Maine: December 9, 2014 - Wall of Ice

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

December 9, 2014 - Wall of Ice

These icicles form a frozen waterfall along a roadside and are a good 20 to 30 feet in height. The rusty stains show the rich iron ore content of the granite. It is literally a wall of ice, and it is just beginning. How far it will go will depend on the weather this winter.

The ice is everywhere now and it’s starting to grow. Obvious patches such as this one do not pose too much of a threat unless they begin to creep onto the road. It’s the hidden patches of ice that are much more dangerous. They are flat, can be anywhere--on a road or in the woods--and they are usually disguised by something, either a very thin coating of snow or some dead vegetation, etc. Getting yourself into a patch like this can make it difficult to navigate, and getting out of the patch can be even harder because you can’t see where all the ice is. Once you’re trapped, you just have to walk very slowly until you can find firmer ground, which is hard to do.

The wall of ice begins to grow.

So far, it has been a very icy winter as opposed to snowy, although we have had that as well, and winter does not even officially start for another 12 days. My walks into the woods have been cut back some, and I’m hoping for a good layer of snow to bury this ice and remove the danger of falling. As it stands now, every pine needle, every twig, every piece of dead vegetation--no matter how small--is covered in its own unique coating of ice. It makes it beautiful for photos but treacherous for everyday life.

The water runs with rust from the iron ore deposits.

"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.