By The Jesus

‘by the Jesus’—a good down east syllogism, from the hinterlands of maine—here I am stationed at the Mid Day pond on the Audubons’, Borestone Mt. 1600 acre preserve near Elliotsville. What a spot! We drove to the bottom of the mountain in the dark, two evenings back, where we parked our trusty ‘Roosevelt’ (our name for the Econoline) and without fore knowledge on our part, quickly transferred a few items into backpacks, drove a mile up a step rutted path in a 4x4 and then transferred all into a skiff and out onto Sunrise Pond for the 10 minute ride under a zillion stars to our lodge in the North Woods. Jack was a trooper although slightly nervous at all these new experiences one after the other (“boat , on the water, in the dark, with two strangers ?!”). The Milky Way was like a swath of milt, across the evening sky, with my perennial friends the Big and Little Bear, and my life saving touch stone Polaris plunked out there, with Orion ‘to boot’.

What an exceptional reunion with Alexandra, a certified Maine guide, that went to College of the Atlantic with Shann back in the day! We were last here 25 years ago, as we swung through, showing off our infant first born, Mariya.

Its evening time and the rain is pouring down on the metal roof, as husband Kermit and ‘Z’, serenades us with song and guitar/accordian/dulcimar. Solar powered lights illuminate the upstairs of the boat house, where we are sleeping and eating.

So danged many positive and interesting experiences, since I last wrote anything. Here’s a few snippets:

An evening with ‘son’ Jb and his family in Minneapolis, including a coffee stop at the worlds largest shopping center, The Mall Of America.

Saving 67 cents by paying with cash at a mom and pop fuel stop in Nova Scotia (New Scotland) and thus unknowingly holding up a half a dozen customers while I ran back to ‘Roosevelt’ to get another couple bills. I got way laid, as a couple old timers noting my Washington plates, stopped me in my tracks to gab. By the time I got back to ‘mom’ (circa 80 years young), there was a room full of locals all awaiting my return and their turn at the cash register, and good naturedly chiding the ‘damned tourist’ for holding up the flow, while popping questions and information and commentary and warm wish’s for safe travels. A real feel good situation, filled with humor and humanity.

Going from a fine dinner with Portland friend Ayla (replete with 20 year old single malt), to our camp spot’ on a city street near a Halifax park, to the morning stroll to the ritzy Westin Hotel for our morning coffee, our wash up, toileting and internet connection. A perfect combo for us ageing, middle class hobo’s!

Skinny dipping in Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the Missouri River, a wilderness Maine Lake, the Bay of Fundi, and a handful of other bodies of water big and small; most if not all of them with Jack splashing along in paw deep water watching and excitedly awaiting my return to the shallows

I am getting tired, as the rain is really coming down now---Jack cuddled at my feet, shann jawing with ‘zandra’, and our world feeling like a closed circle surrounding us in its warmth and love.

steve