Advice On Moving to Maine (fit in, apartments, rental)

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by elston

This saturday (22nd) at my church we are observing the solstice with drumming down the sun around 4:30 a bon fire and observance to honor, "all that is" and then hot soups and bread as a communal meal. It won't be freezing like when i wnt to similar obsrvances in NH, but for us out here it will be nippy!

sounds like a great observance! I am more likely to be "drumming UP the sun on Saturday, for the astronomical moment of Solstice comes after midnight and before sunrise... but it's all good.

I know in the Olden Days they could not -- and did not -- keep time to the mili-microsecond... and have never had any indication that "close enough" is not good enough for The Powers That Be.

[msina]

I'm soooo longing for a bonfire in the snow. My "BFF" (haha) has flown off to Florida for an undetermined amount of time. My Grandkids are in Ma. and we are not this year. We're getting OLD!! Yes,.. a bonfire... with hot cocoa and marshmallows and some music and talk! Hmm,.. maybe I should get one of those DVD's that have the "Crackling Fire" that plays on the tv.

[elston]

Oh I wish you could come to our bon fire for it will be All That!

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by elston

...
Similarly when I first came to California I couldn't discern any change in the seasons--there were flowers in the garden year round--but now I am very aware of the different flowers in gardens and the stark difference in the wild landscape. Seasons are as much about amount and quality of light and about moisture, as they are about temperature.....and it is all a process. In New England the clearest point of change is when the earth finally "locks up" and the frozen ground has reached its depth...then after holding the earth captive for awhile, it slowly relaxes from the top down...hence MUD season.

Well said.

I grew up in California in the central valley. Spring is very short and has green grass, rain and mud, the grasses die quickly. In early summer the hills turn to brown dry dead grass. Every summer is a drought, the grass is dead. High up in the Sierras the creosote bushes drip their highly flammable creosote sap everywhere. So brush fires are common. In winter the valley gets packed in with cloud cover, so they get months of solid over-cast. As the barometric pressure changes the cloud layer goes up and down. When it comes down low it is a ground fog with a ceiling of 2,000 feet and they see a lot of traffic deaths. Most of the time the cover hangs there a bit higher. Until next spring.

If you have a source of year around water, then crops grow very good in the central valley of California. But water gets harder to access each year as the cities demand the water, and the courts slowly take more water-rights away from the farmers.

[Abbymoulton]

NOW...We have "Ghosts"
Ghosts, Moose, Yaks, Mice.... OH MY!!!!!

[Elcarim]

Yes, I got a visit from "the Ghost of Christmas Future"....love that one!!

What wonderfully creative friends we have!

[dmyankee]

The Yule Log is is often accredited to the Norse pagan celebration of the Yule, beginning on the Winter Solstice. They would haul in the largest log they could find, and light it afire. The log burned for approximately 12 days. Hence the 12 day thing!

[CapeCodder]

Originally Posted by msina

I'm soooo longing for a bonfire in the snow. My "BFF" (haha) has flown off to Florida for an undetermined amount of time. My Grandkids are in Ma. and we are not this year. We're getting OLD!! Yes,.. a bonfire... with hot cocoa and marshmallows and some music and talk! Hmm,.. maybe I should get one of those DVD's that have the "Crackling Fire" that plays on the tv.

they showed that fire on the jumbotrons (sp?) at the Patriots games to "warm" the crowd...hehehe.

We just took apart our firepit because we had a shed put up in that spot...now I want it back...you made it sound so nice.

[Petertherock]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

my question to you is simple: where did you *think* you were moving?


Because if you know geography at all, you had to have known Maine's location. You behave as if all this weather has completely blindsided you....that it's a complete shock and you had no idea. Doesn't sound like YOU did YOUR research.


oh, BTW....we're not 6 months away from all that....seriously now.

This is December, we don't get leaves and flowers until May. That's 6 months. We haven't had leaves since October...that's 8 months with no leaves and no flowers.

[Petertherock]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

my question to you is simple: where did you *think* you were moving?


Because if you know geography at all, you had to have known Maine's location. You behave as if all this weather has completely blindsided you....that it's a complete shock and you had no idea. Doesn't sound like YOU did YOUR research.


oh, BTW....we're not 6 months away from all that....seriously now.

Oh yeah, and it's not like I had any choice where I was raised and where my parents moved. Unfortunately, unless something unexpected happens and I come into a bunch of money I am stuck here for 4-5 more years.