Art Camp

Our youngest daughter Emily loves Art. Seeing it, thinking about it, and creating it. So, this February Vacation, we decided to sign her up for Winter Art Camp at the University of Maine Museum of Art, in Bangor. It was a 5-day program where students received daily guided tours of the museums exhibits and then created their own using painting, printmaking, sculpture, and drawing.

Emily had a fabulous time. Today, she and her classmates treated us parents to a reception and art show, exhibiting what they had worked on during the program. It was amazing! She was so proud of her work and we were seriously impressed with what she came up with. It was a wonderful experience all around and we're already looking forward to signing her up for UMMA's Summer Art Camp in June.

Here are some photos of her work...

Glory Road

It's State Championship season up here in Ellsworth, Maine and all the Ellsworth High School winter sports teams have been making the 45 minute trek up Route 1A, by the busload, to the big city of Bangor to compete.

There are plenty of roads in and out of Ellsworth, but 1A is, by far, the most traveled. It connects us to Bangor (and the Interstate) to the North and Bar Harbor (and Acadia) to the South. And, at this time of year, the community traditionally shows it's athletes a sign of support (many many signs, in fact) all along the 5 mile stretch of 1A through Ellsworth on the way to Bangor.

Signs of all shapes and sizes are painstakingly tacked up to the telephone poles along the side of the road. Signs in the shapes of basketballs, and cheer megaphones. Signs in support of the wrestling team, and the swim team. Each one with the names (and sometimes numbers) of the players on each of the "Screaming Eagles" teams, and their coaches.

And the support must be working because, so far this season, Ellsworth has finished third in the state in wrestling, second in cheerleading and (for the first time in the history of the school) won the state championship in swimming. The basketball team plays Orono for the hoops title on Saturday. And with the strong show of support they're getting from the community of Ellsworth, I have no doubt that they'll be driving back down 1A, with that championship trophy held high.

 

Adventuring

One of my favorite things to do with the kids is something I like to call "adventuring". Leaving the house with no real idea of where we're going to go, or what we're going to do. Just pile into the car and see what life brings. And, most times, what it brings is a whole lot of unconventional fun. 

At first the kids are usually rather skeptical of it all. "This is dumb", "What are we doing?", and "Are we there yet?" are a just few of their favorite phrases. But, once they get into the spirit of it, and see how much joy it brings me, they usually come around. Especially if we drive to someplace really cool.

Sometimes we end up at the beach, or by the lake, or on a trail, or at the airport, or on a mountain, or in a field, or at a lighthouse, or in a museum, or near a river. And, yes, we even sometimes end up lost. But, that's OK too. Because we have each other (and lots of snacks) so where we end up is almost irrelevant.

I think being spontaneous is the best way to be. And I'd love it if my children grew up feeling the exact same way. Opening their minds and hearts to new ideas and experiences. Without worrying about what the plan is. Because sometimes the funnest things you can do, happen when you least expect them to.

Gravity Falls

Last night, the kids and I watched the series finale of Gravity Falls - an animated show on Disney XD that the whole family has grown to love.

The series follows the adventures of Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel in the fictional town of Gravity Falls, Oregon. The twins spend an adventurous summer with their great-uncle (Grunkle) Stan, in this mysterious town full of paranormal and supernatural creatures. Dipper and Mabel help Stan run "The Mystery Shack", the local tourist trap he owns, while also investigating all the local mysteries.

It was a fun and quirky show with lots of interesting plot twists and life lessons. And, as recent transplants to a strange new town ourselves, we could certainly relate to what the twins were experiencing. We're definitely going to miss sitting down together to watch new GF episodes. Oh well, I guess like every other good show on TV, it will always live on in syndication.

Below is a goofy video clip that we made showing the kids repeating one of the side characters catch phrases...

February Vacation

This week is February Vacation for the kids. Which means that they will both be attending "Camp Daddy". A free non-profit program, run by me, and based out of my house.

Daily activities will include (but are not limited to): Art, Bowling, Movies, Arcade Games, Board Games, Lego Building, Snow man/fort Making, Sledding, Skating, Bouncy Housing, and Adventuring.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner  (plus a "light" snack) will be served to the kids during the day. And a big, honking, glass of wine will be served (to me) after they go to bed. 

Wish me luck!

 

My Valentine

Today is the 10th anniversary of the day I married my valentine. We were married in a secret (not anymore, I suppose) ceremony at our house in Nashua. It was just Johanne, myself, and a Justice of the Peace. It was wonderful. We liked it so much, in fact, that we did it all over again the following year. This time in a church, with family and friends in attendance.

I met Johanne the way most modern couples do these days – online. She was a Canadian transplant living and working at a prominent financial institution in Boston. She was single with no kids and no responsibilities beyond herself and her work. So, needless to say, it was a bit of a shock to her system having to adjust to the parental life I was leading. But she was more than game and soon our little trio became a quartet.

Our ten years as husband and wife have gone by so fast. We've done some many things together in such a short period of time. We raised two (now adult) older children and welcomed two additional (younger) children into the world. We traveled. We laughed. We cried. We went to Disney World. We changed jobs. We bought a house. We sold a house. And, we moved to Maine.

It hasn't always been easy. We argue as most couples do. Good communication has sometimes been hard to come by. She is Canadian (and a woman) after all. So there is that language barrier thing. But, I think our biggest challenges as a couple have revolved around how best to be a good parent. My biggest lesson learned in all that: A feisty teenage daughter and a new mom/step-mom (operating on just a few hours of sleep) is a very dangerous mixture to leave lying around the house.

Looking back now, Johanne had to give up nearly everything she had to become part of my almost fully-formed family. It was a tremendously self-less act on her part. And, the best thing is, I think that if you were to ask her now, she’d say that she’d do it all over again. At least I hope she would.

That’s the reason why I think this move to Maine has been so good for me. It’s given me a chance to help pay her back. To support her as she follows her dreams. And to let her know that, I too, would gladly do it all over again.

Provincial Preservation

Down East Maine is blessed with a great many natural resources - trees, lakes, rivers, and bays. And, is even more blessed to have a great many caretakers of these natural resources. Once such caretaker is the Frenchman Bay Conservancy.

The FBC is a private, not-for-profit, nationally accredited land trust in Hancock, Maine. It's mission is to build lasting relationships and commitments that conserve the distinctive landscapes and natural  resources of the Frenchman Bay and Union River watersheds. Since 1987 it has worked to protect over 6,600 acres through conservation easements or FBC-owned preserves.  The easements cover a variety of land uses, including an organic farm, a working woodlot, blueberry fields, wild forest and marsh.

There are 18 such preserves scattered about the Frenchman Bay area and we are fortunate enough to live right next to one of them, Indian Point. Despite it's decidedly non-PC name, our local FBC preserve is a marvelous little nature walk.

The trail winds through piney woods, over bog bridges down to a crest overlooking the Union River.  The path continues to the scenic point at the confluence of the Union River and Card Brook.  Once there, you can view downtown Ellsworth, or look across the river, to where eagles and ospreys can often be seen.  

The spectacular view of Ellsworth is well worth the short 1/2 mile hike from the trailhead...  

...which is less than 100 yards from our back door.