Mother Nature's little teases...

   We wait and we wait and we wait. The winter snow is falling at the rate of an inch an hour and already there is six inches on the ground. We continue to ask ourselves if summer will ever come. We know it will. It's just a rhetorical question.

   But in the middle of all the winter snow and ice...every once and a while Mother Nature managers to sneak in one of those surprisingly “un-winter- like” days, bright sun, milder temperatures and a smell unique to that of Springtime.

  Soon the remains of winter are gone, the Spring chores are done, the garden is planted and summertime has arrived. Warm days and sometimes cool nights are the reminders of why we live here in Maine and the Northeast. It's trips to the beach, walks in the woods, and barbecues with friends and family.

  Its often vacation time from work, projects around the house that can't be done during the winter months (or you just don't want to do them at that time), and you just have that “kick back and relax” attitude. I really love this place!

   It seemed like it took summer a bit longer to get here this year. We had a very rainy Spring and those rains have continued into the early weeks of July.

   For those of you who know my back yard, it is lush with green and still has not dried out from all the rain. Just a day or two away from being able to walk through the yard without getting your shoes wet and we have several days of hard rain and the process starts all over again.

   I have great looking tomato plants, some almost as tall as I am, except for one thing. While the plants look great, there are very few tomato blossoms. And what happened to the blueberries this year? The plants look good too, just no berries.

When it hasn't been raining, it has been very warm, I mean, very warm for us. Most unusual. There have been days well into the ninety degree range and while it is not unusual for that to occur for a day or two, we have had some pretty warm weeks. Warmth is good, but the humidity...well that's a different story. No wonder the plants are tall with a jungle look.

   I had been on the road for much of the day on Wednesday, visiting clients and setting appointments. Within a few short minutes, the blue sky clouded over and the rain..well... the rain came down as one might expect in a tropical downpour and within minutes the roads were covered with inches of water and the windshield wipers could not work fast enough.

   Then, something very unusual happened. With the exception of one huge logging truck, everyone pull off to the side of the road to wait for the storm to pass. It was raining that hard! Who said Maine people aren't safety minded?

   As quickly as the skies had clouded in, the sun returned and the traffic began to move. There were a few more showers before I got home, but nothing like he ones that had occurred earlier.

   As mid-afternoon transitioned into early evening, the sky remained crystal clear blue and a bit of a breeze began to pick up from the northwest. All of a sudden, as I sat in the chair in the back yard enjoying a cool drink, there was that feeling of Fall in the air. I think you know what I mean; the temperature, the breeze and the 'smell'. I know it's still July and there is a great deal of summer still remaining, but I think it was one of Mother Nature's little 'teases' reminding us of what is to come.
    My goodness it's chilly. Now what did I do with that fleece jacket?

Crossroad to the world...

   It's just about 4:30 pm on a very warm Friday afternoon in New York City. I am sitting in a restaurant at the corner of 34^th St and 5th Avenue, my chair turned so I can look out the window. I am waiting to meet with my field supervisor to review the successes and failures of my trip to the city this week. It had been a quick and unexpected trip to New York and my major responsibilities were to do some follow-up and some fence mending.

   The supervisor was running a bit late so I had some extra time and took full advantage of one of America's favorite pastimes...'people watching', and with the huge crowds on the sidewalk and heavy auto traffic, there was plenty to 'watch'.

   It had been a number of years since I spent this much time in the heart of the city. Aside from a few quick car trips across the George Washington Bridge on my way to someplace else, I had not really visited Manhattan for many years and had forgotten what New York was all about. But a few minutes of looking out the window brought it all back. The city is about people.

   This particular Friday is right in the middle of July. Mixed among the business attired men and women moving about the city were hoards of vacationers. It was somewhat reassuring to know that some people still dress a bit more formally in shirts, ties and dresses to go to work, even in the heat of summer.

   But the tourists were easy ones to spot too: shorts, sneakers, tee shirts, cameras and cell phones. Almost everyone was carrying a cell phone and most were actively talking on them. One other easy way to identify the tourist? Most were gazing upward at the tall buildings and skyscrapers. Right within this block,,, the Empire State building... and everyone seemed to be trying to get a picture of it

   OMG! “Watch out!” Someone just stepped off the curb, against the crosswalk sign and into the path of a speeding taxi. You have to be careful and watch where you walk.

   The number of people amazed me. I remember New York as a busy place, but not like this. My guess? In about a five minute period of time, I think more people passed the window than live in the entire town of Pittsfield.

   It is fun to watch them move along, stopping and starting as the traffic lights change and, as they waited for the light to change, they were either pointing to some distant building or taking a picture of themselves to post somewhere, proof to their friends that they really were in New York City.

   At the corner, buses and cabs stopped, discharged passengers and took on new ones. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry. That was one thing that had not changed over the years. In fact, I would guess that people were in more of a rush today, after all, it was a Friday.

   I like the double-decker buses What a great way to get a view of the city and even the brief shower didn't detract from the fun people seemed to be having.

   The restaurant, with tables filling up fast now, sounded much like what you might expect to hear at the United Nations building. English was not the most predominant language being spoken. Conversation could be heard in French, German, Italian, Chinese and just about everything in between and while it was a bit early for dinner, I suspected that many came in to get out of the heat. First item to be ordered? Something cold to drink.

   My supervisor still had not arrived, so I moved from a table to the bar to give a family with young children “from away” a place to sit. At the bar I met a couple from Scotland and we struck up a brief conversation about places to see and things to do while in New York, (Like I am an expert!!) But it was the first time they had been in NYC and I was able to make a few suggestions. Their goal was to get to the 'Today Show' at Rockefeller Plaza. I told them I would watch the show in the morning to see if they made it.

   Greg arrived and we spent the first half hour talking business. Soon we were both engaged in looking out the windows at the passing crowds which appeared to have grown larger as the cooler evening air began to settle in. Remember, 'cool' is a relative term.

   “It's like the crossroad to the world out there” he said. “People from all over the world, mingling together as if everyone world-wide was able to get along, regardless of what country they were from”

   The 5^th Avenue and 34^th Street that I remember have had a storied history, whether it be hosting parades or being featured in the movies...as if 'miracles 'really happen! Maybe the streets had been known for the tall skyscrapers or being home to some pretty famous people. The city, regardless of where you are standing at any given moment though, is still all about people, even on warm July days.

   It was a good week, even with the high temperatures and the hustling crowds.... but I'll admit it. It was good to get home to the peace and quiet of the country!

That was then and this is now...

    
   Saturday dawned bright and sunny and it was a great day to do some sight-seeing. We got into the car and headed for the airport in Newark. Finding a place to park was easy and it was just a short walk to the terminal. We went up to the counter, purchased some tickets and in a few minutes we were taxiing down the runway and off to Boston for the day.

   Back in those days, Eastern Airlines ran a number of shuttle planes between Newark to Boston and it was easy to get a flight to Logan and the schedule made it possible to leave in the morning and be home by 7:00pm. The flight, if my memory serves me, was about an hour. The pilot would fire up the engines, the speed of the propellers shaking the plane wildly, but within minutes, the Newark and New York skyline was replaces with a view of Cape Cod on the right and Boston Harbor on the left.

   It was a quick bus ride from the airport to the down town. The city had a different look, a different feel and the history of early America seemed to come alive just by walking the streets. After about an hour or so, it was a stop for lunch at what is still one of my favorite restaurant in Boston, Durgin Park, located in the middle of what was once the slaughter house district of the city.

   After lunch, the walking and history lesson would continue, including a stop at the North Church, Feneuil Hall and anything in between. Then it was an ice cream cone and  a return to the airport to catch the 5pm shuttle back to Jersey.

   Within an hour you could see, on the right side of the plane the New York skyscrapers, their silhouettes cutting into the early evening dusk and by 7 we were back home and almost ready for bed. It had been a great day.

   Today I was returning home from New York and knew it would be crowded at the airport so I decided to get to there at least three hours before the scheduled departure. I was glad I did.

   I stood in line for over an hour, just waiting to get my ticket and 'clear security'. Hidden behind walls of luggage carts, piled high with every type of suitcase imaginable, the line to the ticket counter moved slowly. Children became restless and adults even more annoyed.

   At the ticket counter I was asked for some form of identification, either a passport or driver's license. Why, I thought. I knew who I was, but I checked my luggage, received my ticket and proceeded to the security screening area.

   The lines at the security screening were almost as long as they were at the ticket counter. It's... your computer out of its case and into a separate plastic bin, off with the sport coat and shoes, everything out of your pockets and something I always forget. “Please remove your belt, sir.” What I wanted to ask was....”What would happen if my pants fell down?” But most TSA agents have a very limited sense of humor and the line behind me was getting longer and longer, so I decided to pass on the remark.

   Into the glass tube, feet on the yellow footprints on the floor, hands above your head and...”step over here , sir!” This happens to me almost every time. It must be the handkerchief I forget to take out of my pocket.

   It takes about 4 minutes or so to get dressed, pack up the computer and get to the waiting area and find the nearest snack bar to get a cup of coffee.

   From getting in line to purchase the ticket and check my baggage to taking the first sip of coffee... one hour and twenty minutes. I was glad I got the airport a bit early, for now I only had to wait less than an hour to board the plane.

   A brief and very quiet announcement caught my attention, though. I walked up to the counter at the gate and, yes, for a mere ten dollars I could upgrade my seat to one in the first row, by the window and board as a priority customer. What was really special was the extra leg room along with a slightly larger seat, and only for ten dollar? You bet I'll take that one.

   Before long, we were taxiing down the runway and touchdown in Maine was less than 50 minutes later. As we lifted off, to the left was the skyline of the New York- metropolitan area and to the right, New York Harbor.

   Plane travel has changed a great deal in the last 45 years. What was a simple and carefree way to spend a Saturday in July, learning about our nation's history...'that was then.' The often tedious and frustrating challenges of air travel this July....'this is now.'

Fenway Faithful

   I like baseball. Of the major professional sports, baseball is the game  I will watch  if I have nothing  to do or.just want to relax for a few minutes. I do not like to watch professional basketball. To me it is over rated and the players are paid too much money for a game that should be played in some one's backyard  with a peach basket tack up over the garage door.
   Professional football can be exciting to watch as long as no one gets hurt. A sport where  over-sized,  grown men, put on padding and protective equipment so they can run into each other doesn't speak a great deal to smartness and intelligence, but then, it's for the 'entertainment' of it. (What's this about this Hernandez fellow? Do they carry guns too?)
   Over the years I have grown to 'appreciate' and  'love' the Red Sox. Many  have written about the team's storied history, the  famous and not so famous players, the famous and not so famous plays, the ... “it's all the manager's fault"   comments...
   Even the ballpark, Fenway, has a legend of its own, just passing its 100th anniversary year. In most other major 'sports fanatic' cities, that stadium would   have  been torn down and replaced at least three times within that  hundred year period. But then, we are talking about Boston, a city that respects and honors history and tradition.
   In an interview with players from the  opposing team during the 100 year celebration some were quoted to have said they didn't like coming to Fenway. It was too old,  to outdated and the lockers were too small. To small for what...  a place to stuff the rookie bat boy?
   But each year with a few minor changes, like additional seating  and some fresh coats of paint on the Green Monster, the stadium  continues to be a model that represents  'tradition',  just like the game  itself.
   So the question begging to be asked is...”What makes a sports' team great?” Is it  the players or  the coaches. It has  to be the size  and endless seating in the stadium or ballpark. It must be the result of the the wise and thoughtful planning by the team owners. Perhaps it is the quality of the hot dogs and beverages that are sold at the concession stands.  (I was  told there was  nothing like a Fenway frank. It was... OK. I hope the mustard doesn't stain my shirt.)
   If given the choice of being outside on a bright sunny day or sitting in front of a television, I generally will choose to be outside. But there are times I will turn on the game,  especially the night games. Come on! How many times can one watch the  reruns of CSI or SVU.
   Over the years it has been as entertaining to watch the people in the stands as much as the action on the field. Who can not smile when the young girl or boy catches a foul ball or even better, catches a home run hit by 'Big Papi'.And those 'walk off'  home runs this year. It's been exciting.
   I know it has been at least the last three years or  it may be  longer, but has anyone else noticed, as the television camera focuses on each batter at the plate, night after night, game after game,  the same gentleman sitting right behind home plate. Most of the time he wears a blue  sport coat with a  shirt and tie and in the last year or two he also dons a yellow headset. (At first I thought they were earmuffs.)
   To have a seat behind home plate each game,  he must be either part of the 'Red Sox organization' or perhaps  he is just a very lucky fan who loves seeing the Red Sox play ball, win or lose.
    The team is traveling  to the west coast for a rather lengthy road trip this week. Those 10 pm starts are a bit late for me, but thanks to the DVR, I can watch game in the morning before  the news. OK! I'll just fast forward to the good spots. But there will be many who stay awake until well after I do and go bleary-eyed into work the next day.
   And there is the answer to the question...”What makes a great sports team?” Its not the  size of the stadium or the new uniforms. Its not the so-so hot dogs and beer. Its the fans, because without the fans, there would be no game.
  For my friends and family  in NYC.....Go Sox! (This just may be the year, again!)

For just one day...

   I was speaking with someone the other day and was somewhat surprised to learn that...he did not own a cell phone! The astonished look on my face prompted him to add that he did not have a Facebook page either. The Facebook account I can somewhat understand. I only “joined” Facebook several months ago myself and admittedly lived quite comfortable without it. But I thought everyone, or nearly everyone had a cell phone. I mean, come on, some parents even deprive their children of healthy meals or positive family time in order to pay for a cell phone.

   And if someone doesn't have a cell phone, what do they do while driving in the car to occupy their time? Does it mean both hands on the wheel?

   My question to him.”What would you do if he needed to get in touch with someone in a hurry or worse, someone needed to get in touch with him to check up on the time for dinner or ask the age old question...'whatcha doin' ?”

   As I walked to the car, checking my cell phone for messages, I thought about the discussion I had just had. Was his life simpler, less complicated than most other people? What was he 'missing out' on? But then I thought, maybe I was the one 'missing out'.

   For just one day, what would happen if we all turned off our cell phones? What would we miss? What did we miss before cell phones became so much a part of our lives or did we just plan our lives more efficiently back in the pre-cell days?

   Talk about going 'cold turkey'! No cell phones! The nation's teenagers would suffer a mild meltdown of some sort. And so would many of adults also.

   For just one day, what would happen if you didn't check our Facebook page or better yet, didn't post anything for that day. Your Facebook friends might think you had been abducted by aliens and taken to a far away planet. If that were the case, think about what you could write about the next day!

   To go one step further, for just one day what would you miss if you didn't check you email. For me? I would miss the Kohl's and LL Bean sales notices or the notice from my the doctor reminding me of my upcoming colonoscopy. (It's not actually the doctor sending me the email but it's nice to know she cares.)

   What would happen if for just one day we didn't drive our cars. What about a 'country-wide shut down' when no one drove...all taking place on the same day. Think about how much fresher the air might be or the gas though would be saved. Ah yes, then the price would go up the next day. But, need to get somewhere? Either walk or plan ahead. I see a number of people riding bikes these days. That might work. Remember, there was a time when each household only had one car and most families survived. These day, many have two cars and..oh yes, maybe an additional truck to pull the four wheeler or snow sleds.

   For just one day, what would happen if you turned off the television or 'talk radio' shows and picked up a book. No, Kindles don't count. It has to be a book, something you hold in you hand and gently turn the pages. Nothing electronic on this day.

   Without the television or radio you might miss hearing about events happening in a far off place or miss out on one of our Governor's profoundly political insights (I call them LePage's Rages). So what! If it is going to happen, it is going to happen and we will learn about it soon enough. But by the end of the day, think about how much more peaceful you might feel?

   Just for one day what would happen if we hung up the cell phone, turned off the computer, parked the car in the driveway and took a nice, quiet walk with a friend or family member, played catch with the dog or spent time looking through an old family photograph album or looked at items tucked away in the 'junk drawer'. (That's a reference to a previous column I wrote.)

   With respect, I admire those who can put aside the cell phones and the texting, are not signing into Facebook to see what others are doing (do I really want to know?) or checking email every few minutes. What was suppose to make our lives a bit easier and less complicated has turned into something controlling and often obsessive.

   Not ready to take the leap just yet? Maybe just for one day we at least think about not answering that cell phone call. Let it go to voice mail. Who ever is calling, you can get back to them later!

The demise of a civilized society...

   I recently visited the local drug store to pick up a Mother's Day card, but equally important, to check out the newly completed renovations. Very nice! All the shelves in the store are now lower so that someone standing near the back of the store can see what is happening at the front of the store. I assume they are trying to cut down on drug store robberies. The lower shelves do offer a much more open feeling and great visibility.

   As I left the store an elderly lady, with several packages in hand was trying to open the door (the store does not have the automatic doors) and she almost dropped one of the bags she was carrying. I opened the door for her and she successfully negotiated her way to the parking lot.

   As we each approached our vehicles, she shouted to me.”Thank you for holding the door for me,,,sonny! I was not that much younger than she was, but if someone wants to call me 'sonny', who am I to complain?

   The expression of 'thank you' has long been a tradition and a reflection on what some have referred to in the past as a 'civilized society'. But like many other things, times change and expressing a 'thank you' to someone as a sign of gratitude may soon become a distant memory.

   The use of “thank you” as an expression of gratitude dates back  as early as 900 AD. Some credit the Germans and the word “thankojan” as the early beginning of the expression “thank you”. Hmm...let's think about this for a minute. .'thank-o-jan' Those   Germans have always had a flare for words (Must be my imagination at work here.)

   Over the years expressing gratitude became a hallmark of being appreciative and saying “thank you” to someone was something learned at an early age. Parents taught children gratitude and respect. As often happens, though, 'thank you' was shortened to “thanks”, but the intent and meaning was still the same. But soon 'thank you' or just plan 'thanks' may be gone forever.

   Greeting card companies were quick to get into the act too and “thank you” notes and cards became a way to express appreciation and you can still find them in the card aisles today, often just a simple white cards with gold lettering.

   The “thank you” I am referring to is not the one that you get at the store or maybe on the phone after you have just purchased something. Although forced, that “thank you is part of doing business and customer services. I am sure there are people who may have been relocated to the shipping department for not adhering to company policy with the obligatory 'thank you'. Have you ever shopped at a Wal Mart? 

   The “thank you” to which I am referring is the one that comes naturally after opening a door or picking up something for someone that has fallen to the floor. It is maybe exchanging places with someone in the checkout line because a mom or dad has three small children in tow or the number of items to be checked out by the person standing in line behind you is far less than your overloaded grocery cart filled with soda and chips.

   But today saying “thank you” or expressing thanks or gratitude to someone seems to have lost it's importance. It is something that is definitely not being taught and why should it when we have become a society of 'entitlement', a society of people who have come to believe... 'I deserve '. Why should I hold the door open for someone or help an elder person put their groceries in the trunk of their car? Would they do that for me?

   Four containers of vanilla ice cream fell off the freezer shelf and on to the floor. It's not a big deal to stop, pick them up and place it back on the shelf. “Oh, thank you young man”.

   Boy, I am doing well this week. One 'sonny' and one 'young man'. Better quit while I'm ahead.

   By the way, 'thanks' for reading my column this week.

Four different views of the world ...

    On Tuesday I had the opportunity to meet four  people I had never met before and while my interaction with them was job related, in each case what I took away from the meetings was a better understanding about people and what shapes their  view of the world. In part it is the result of their life experiences. That comes as no surprise, but the fact that their views differed so dramatically caught me a bit off guard, not that I believe  everyone sees the world exactly the same.

   (The names used in my blog are not their real names, but they  are very real people.)

   The day began with a meeting at a local college. The school is very environmentally 'in tune' and the survey that I am doing was of major interest to them. James was very cooperative and excited to participate.

   His message was clear. Unless we take the necessary steps to seek and implement new and in some cases not yet tested energy alternatives for the future, costs will continue to skyrocket and we will deplete much of what we currently use for energy sources.

   James believes it it not an issue of politics and if the government can help, that's great. It is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It involves all aspects of society and it is an issue that needs to be addressed now and in the future.

   He is extremely optimistic about the future and the work being done at the school and if the government can help, so be it.

   My next stop was what had once been a potato farm. The farm had seen better days and when I met Mahlon, I was not really sure what to expect. I had my preconceived expectations, just looking around. But as we walked and talked I was very surprised.

   As we walked through the building that had been one of his potato houses, now a work shop for his aged farm equipment, he was not an angry, old farmer but spoke about today’s young people and the hope for the future. He was someone, at least in my mind, who could have been very bitter, but I discovered that was not the case at all.

   About a quarter mile from the barn, Mahlon had taken several acres of his farm land and turned it into a softball field for the local high school. The school had not been able to complete the field near the school so he donated his time and his land and built a ball field for them.

   “I was never a good student in school,” he said, “and gave the teachers a pretty hard time. I finally did graduate and this is one way for me to thank them for their patience and perseverance to make sure I got out.”

   Mahlon's farm also served another purpose. Over the years, as some kids struggled with the academic side of schooling, they would often come down and work a bit on the farm, learning the importance of math and science and other related subjects in a much different type of school.

   Mahlon's commitment is not done yet. The school district recently received a land trust donation of a small farm next to the high school and Mahlon and several of his friends are helping to get the farm ready for the kids to use. One of the  projects will be to relocate an empty one room school house, on the other side of town, to the new site to become a classroom at the farm.

   “It's all about 'hands on' learning. It got me through school and maybe it will help some other kids too.”

   The third stop of the day set me back a bit. 
   I was looking for some information about a small church on a back country road and several in town suggested I speak with the person living in the house next to the church. While she may not have the information I needed, she might be able to direct me to those who did.

   Quickly I learned that I would receive no help from her. She believes that the government in Washington is nothing more than a bunch of liars and... "it was best that I leave now." I would get no information from her!

   What I discovered, as she continued to talk, however, was that her husband had been a soldier killed in Afghanistan several years before and that she still believes the people in Washington are lying to the American people about things that go on there and that she would  do nothing to help the country. My survey? “Just a way to collect more information to be used against us.”

   My final meeting of the day was with an 83 year old. Sarah is the president of a local historical society and director of the town's museum. Five minutes with her and it was impossible to not feel her joy for life. It was much different than what I had experienced just an hour before. Her passion...to provide a place where people can see and remember the past, through the pictures and displays on display at the museum.

   “I am 83 years old. Each day I am alive is a gift for me and if there is anything I can do to give back to my community, I will.” Her work at the historical society is one way she feels she can give back.

   Four very unique people with very differing views about life. Without a doubt, days like Tuesday helps keep life in perspective for me too.