Tuesday, 8:50 am: Our sweltering days are behind us for awhile. Our temperatures have moderated and we’re no longer covered in a fine layer of our sweat. Hot, nonair-conditioned, days can only be tolerated so long, even in Maine. God bless Freon.

Part of our vegetable garden

Yesterday we had a pleasant evening out at a local restaurant with an old Army friend and his wife. He and I were combat medics together in the same infantry company in Vietnam in 1970. Fortunately we survived reasonably intact, but we’ve grown a little long in the tooth. We were a couple of old codgers first reminiscing about our war, then complaining about age-related aches and pains. I thought only my parents did that!

My wife's dedicated handiwork

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 65.9° [F.]

Barometer: 29.871 & steady

Humidity: 100%

Wind: Calm

Visibility: ca. 3 miles

Skies: Dissipating ground fog

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 52° [F.] at 4:47 am

High wind: 3 mph at 8:38 am

Friday, 9:10 am: It’s July and it’s hot, at least for northern Maine. Yesterday our high temperature was 84.3° [F.]. The inside temperature in my upstairs office was about 91 [F.], which was too warm for comfort. All our outside work was started at 6:00 am and finished around 8:00 am; just enough to work up a sticky sweat before knocking off for the day. A cool shower felt good afterwards.

On Monday our town’s planning board met and approved the construction of a cell phone tower. Except for the remote chance that the Maine Historic Preservation Commission disapproves the plan we should, sometime before the snow blows, have cell phone coverage in our town with no blacked out areas. Currently I have to stand on the roof of our two-story home to get a marginal connection. Fortunately we have had no medical emergencies that required cell coverage down our road. In theory, we could always signal with mirrors, and hope for the best. Outdated technology in the 21st Century so we can be quaint and picturesque – let’s hope not.

Aside from technological and connectivity issues in the Saint John Valley, life goes on. The next big issue on the burner is when will I-95 be extended up here, and possibly more importantly where will it terminate along the border. Some towns along the various proposed routes north in Aroostook County don’t want to be bypassed for economic reasons. Personally, I could live without it. We’ve done just fine using US Route 1 since we moved here nine years ago. Whatever route the highway engineers chose, some communities will be left out, while others will reap some benefits. Life is sometimes complicated in rural Maine.

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station

Temperature: 77° [F.]

Barometer: 29.844 & steady

Humidity: 64%

Wind: NNW at 3mph light & variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: Light haze

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 59.6° [F.] at 4:27 am

High wind: 10 mph at 9:08 am

Saturday, 9:15 am: Too much rain again! Over the past four or five days it has been either rain or drizzle almost continuously. I haven’t been able to cut our lawn which, if this continues, it will shortly resemble a hayfield. We’re hoping for it to clear today, although at present it doesn’t look too promising. Our barometer is rising rapidly, which is a good sign; let’s hope it pans out. The rain has been great for our garden, which been growing in leap and bounds. The weeds like it too.

My wife, Ruth, is busy downstairs baking banana-nut bread – always tasty. She can’t work outside either, and is also housebound with indoor work. All the field mice have moved indoors too, and I’ve set out my mouse traps. Once again I’ve taken the Elmer Fudd approach to their removal. Luckily I don’t have a bulbous head. I guess my commonsense isn’t so common, at least in this endeavor.

My ham radio is turned on and I’m listening for those elusive low power CW [Morse Code] signals. Sometimes it’s difficult to pull them out of the background noise and static. Hey, I’m not your garden-variety dullard [attributed to Frank]. Dullness aside, our work is on hold, the ground is saturated and I need a way to occupy my time before mold starts growing on me, if it hasn’t already begun. So much for rural intrigue . . .

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 63.6° [F.]

Barometer: 29.922 & rising rapidly

Humidity: 91%

Wind: NW at 2 mph – light & variable

Visibility: ca. 3 miles under cloud base

Skies: 100% low overcast

Precipitation: .002 inch – rain

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 59° [F.] at 5:44 am

High wind: 10 mph at 8:23 am

Wednesday, 9:40 am: Lucky me, no rain the past few days. We can actually go outside without wet weather gear. On the radio, the presenter who gives the weather forecast frequently mentions our location [the St. John Valley] as an afterthought or addendum. And whatever weather is projected for us locally will, more than likely, be different than other parts of Aroostook County and the rest of the state. It’s good to be different. Now if they could only fit us on the map that’s behind the meteorologist on the Weather Channel, as he or she points and clicks their way across the United States. We’re located in the nose-bleed section of the lower-48.

My Home Depot cactus in bloom

Our firewood, which comes from New Brunswick, arrived last week completely unannounced. I heard my wife say to them on the telephone; “ . . . give us a call the day before, so we’ll be home.” Evidently they haven’t grasped the fine distinction of calling vs. just showing up and dumping a few tons of firewood [six cords] on our front lawn. Fortunately these guys aren’t working in some nearby Canadian nuclear reactor – we’d probably move out of the area.

Today is our shopping day in Presque Isle. It’s a long way to drive for groceries and other supplies. I have to switch gears and pay attention to traffic and lights again. Seemingly, it helps me ward off dementia. I think there are four stop-lights in each direction; the closest is in Caribou, about 35 miles away. We’ll be ahead of rush hour. Of course rush hour in Caribou lasts five minutes, and in Presque Isle about five minutes longer. But that’s about traffic engineering and my purported stellar driving skills, this is supposed to be weather related:

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 71° [F.]

Barometer: 29.882 & steady

Humidity: 59%

Wind: Calm

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: Scattered high cloudiness

Precipitation: .01 inch rain

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 47° [F.] at 4:37 am

High wind: 6 mph at 8:11 am

Sunday 9:30 am: More rain and heavy cloud cover have socked us in. If I were flying in an airplane today I would make a large detour around the Saint John Valley, and hope all my navigational instruments worked. With both feet planted firmly on the ground the most I have to think about is; where I put our umbrellas.

Saturday and Sunday mornings are our days to listen to CBC Radio One, which of course is just a stone’s throw away for us. Already today with a third of an inch of rain since we woke up, radio listening is a good choice. We’re debating whether to drive to Caribou, ca. 35 miles away, to buy the Sunday edition of the New York Times. I think we have a tie vote between my wife and me. Life is too complicated with issues like; getting wet and drive or don’t drive.

Switching from analog to digital thinking, our power went off very briefly and my computer had to reboot: Which isn’t too much of a problem, except I lost my whole train of thought. All those beeps beeping and LEDs flashing can be confusing. My brain [version 2.0] says to me, “System error – please reboot.” So as it continues to rain heavily, I need to reboot that computer that occupies the space between my ears. And I need to upload this blog before our power goes out again.

Current values from our wireless Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 59.1° [F.]

Barometer: 29.685 & steady

Wind: SSE at 3 mph light & variable

Humidity: 100%

Visibility: < ½ mile

Skies: 100% low overcast

Precipitation: .37 inch – rain

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 57.3° [F.] at 2:15 am

High wind: 10 mph at 9:04 am

Wednesday, 3:15 pm: More rain and drizzle. What a summer! Can this really be northern Maine? Weather and taxes; what can you do? Questions that can never be adequately answered, at least not in my lifetime. So much for mental sweating, so on to easier things. Luckily my computer is doing the tough work. I am happily clacking away on my keyboard.

Last night we were in Fort Kent for our radio club meeting. As per usual I left something behind; my wife’s laptop computer. After some frantic telephoning to various people in Fort Kent and the university, when we returned home, I managed to get it safely stored away until WE drove back to Fort Kent this morning to retrieve it. I think I was on some very shaky ground for awhile. Undaunted, I keep moving forward, hopefully with both oars in the water [this time].

American Bittern [Botaurus lentiginosus]

While driving this morning to Fort Kent [again] I spotted a bird in the front lawn of a home on US Route 1. At first I thought it was a lawn ornament. However, on the return drive it was still there. This time we stopped and I took a photo. When my flash accidentally went off, the bird moved its head and took flight. In case you are interested what it is, I’ve included its photo above with this alleged weather blog. Well the blog is real. The weather content is highly suspect. So much for the flipside of life.

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station

Temperature: 72° [F.]

Barometer: 29.594 & falling rapidly

Humidity: 87%

Wind: SSW at 2 mph light & variable

Visibility: < 2mile below cloud base

Skies: 100% overcast

Precipitation: .15 inch rain

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 57° [F.] at midnight

High wind: 20 mph at 2:30 pm

Monday, 9:35 am: Another partially cloudy day in the Saint John Valley, but it’s a nice day. Hopefully it will be nice enough, and last long enough, to grill on our barbeque this afternoon. The weather, this summer, seems to act as a spoiler for some of our outdoor activities. Notwithstanding the frequent rain, most of our chores seem to be on track. I have to say though; I really hate working in the rain. I can live without that experience again.

During the summer months many of the towns in this part of Maine host various cookouts to raise money for their volunteer fire departments, emergency services, churches and other activities. Community service and volunteerism are alive and well in northern Maine. And Canadian money is cheerfully accepted at most events, which these days, is about on par with US currency. Have a feast and help out – somewhere up here.

The main road, just over the border, between Fort Fairfield ME and Perth-Andover, NB

In three years I will turn 60. Can you believe it? I told my wife I would like to spend my 60th birthday in either Ireland or the German Alps, so we better get saving for it now. Luckily, my Grecian Formula, lots of aspirin, and assorted other things to camouflage and smooth the aging process are keeping graying and arthritis induced creaking at bay. My brain cells need recharging; I better brew up some caffeine laden drink [espresso] soon. Like the Rolling Stones sing, “Start Me Up”.

Current values from our wireless Vantage-Pro weather station:

Fahrenheit to Celsius conversions click here.

Temperature: 63° [F.]

Barometer: 29.894 & steady

Humidity: 64%

Wind: S at 2 mph light & variable

Visibility: > 3 miles

Skies: light cloud cover ca. 70 – 80%

Precipitation: None

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 39.6° [F.] at 5:04 am

High wind: 11 mph at 9:19 am

Thursday, 8:45 am: It’s a very damp and drizzly morning. Any work to be done outside will be put off until the next dry day, hopefully tomorrow. So we have switched to Plan B [unlike Plan 9]; which means, we go to town and stock up with supplies. Sometime this month we are expecting our firewood to be delivered, and a labor-intensive several days of stacking it.

Yesterday we were driving on US Route 1, not far from our home, and a young bull moose happily posed for my camera. Even with my camera’s flash going off, he just ignored us, not more than 50 feet from him. Here in this part of Maine local folks see moose frequently, yet they still stop to look, just like it’s their first time to see one. Some things in nature, like moose, still inspire a since of awe.

I was out tinkering with my amateur radio antenna yesterday. I think it is in ham radio operators’ genes to tinker; to get things “just so”. Luckily it’s just a hobby; otherwise I’d probably pull my hair out doing almost the same things repetitively. My wife is very patient with all this seemingly endless effort. But hey it’s fun – I think?

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

For Fahrenheit to Celsius conversions click here.

Temperature: 55.9° [F.]

Barometer: 29.862 & steady

Humidity: 100%

Wind: S at 3 mph very light & variable

Visibility: < 2 miles under cloud base – drizzle & mist

Skies 100% low overcast

Precipitation: .01 inch – rain

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 55.9° [F.] at 8:20 am

High wind: 14 mph at 6:54 am

Tuesday, 8:25 am: Our ground fog has finally burned off. Earlier this morning visibility was down to just a few hundred yards. Yesterday we drove to Madawaska. During the 13 mile drive we drove through two driving rainstorms, lost a wiper blade and I got drenched retrieving it from the road. When we returned home we fired up our charcoal grill and barbecued some chicken, and it rained again.

On US Route 1 in Lille - the storm appoaching!

As for today, who knows what Mother Nature will bring us? I suspect though it will be clear; at least that’s what I’m hoping for, because I need to do more outside work around our house. My caffeine level is up and I’m ready to roll. I need more motivation than just a semi-vague idea about work [to be done], and espresso puts me over that motivational tipping point.

Presidents Bush and Putin are, or were, on a working-vacation in southern Maine. Their casual appearance and spontaneous demeanor is apparently well-rehearsed and suitable for photo-ops. Just a couple of guys out fishing on his dad’s boat – yeah right! Imagine all the planning and security that went into getting this thing off the ground. I’d give them a big political raspberry. Oops, did I say insensitive things again? That can’t be, can it? But on to weather:

Current values from our wireless Davis Vantage-Pro weather station:

Temperature: 54° [F.], 12° [C.]

Barometer: 30.026 & steady

Humidity: 100% mist & fog

Visibility: < 1 mile, ca. 1.6 km

Skies: Dissipating ground fog

Wind: Calm

Precipitation: None

Precipitation yesterday: .21 inch – rain

Since midnight:

Low temperature: 39.1 °[F.], 4° [C.]

High wind: 3 mph at 4:45 am