Charlie and Penny Crockett

The Future of France and the EU

The EU was established to promote unity and peace, but times have changed and priorities have shifted. So, what does the future of the European Union look like and how does France fit into the mix?

The EU’s expansion throughout the years has involved integrating some diverse countries, at first for stability and later for economic and political strength. Recent challenges like Brexit, a financial crisis, and the Ukraine War have demanded a shift from an economic focus, to a political and military focus.

Union Fair 2024 Part 1

Watch these highlights of the 2024 Union Fair. Part I includes youth steer pulling, youth livestock showing, judging of Whoopie Pies and Maine Wild Blueberry Pies, the Axe Women of Maine demonstration, a tour of the Exhibition Hall featuring exquisite quilts, grange exhibits and a veterans exhibit, interviews with fair exhibiters, fair personnel, and the new Queen B’s Bakery providing all kinds of blueberry treats .

As ecotourism grows, so does the desire to maintain Downeast’s wild character

The roar of summer traffic on Route 1 as it zooms over the Pleasant River bridge in Columbia drowns out the burbling water below. The slip of river meandering under the road is easy to miss.

Even less visible is the Pleasant River Fish and Game Conservation Association, tucked among the dense woods a short drive, or paddle, away. But the volunteer club has been around since the 1950s, working to preserve and promote the region’s vast natural resources.

Later this month, the association will hold its annual Puckerbrush Primitive Gathering, where about 200 visitors from near and far will come to camp and learn traditional outdoor skills.

Italy Is Running out of Young People!

While the Italians may have mastered the arts of pasta, wine and gelato, they should have been spending less time in the kitchen and more in…another room. That’s right, we’re looking at the demographic problems facing Italy, and Genoa will be our example.

A Peter Ralston 4th of July

As sort of a follow-up to last week’s “hug from Maine,” here are my images from the Fourth. In a departure from my usual inclination to get as close as possible to fireworks, this year Terri and I took a picnic basket up nearby Mt. Battie to settle in for a restful couple of hours overlooking all of Penobscot Bay before the main event at 9PM.

Thomaston 4th of July Parade 2024

Watch this video of the 2024 Fourth of July Parade from Thomaston, Maine. The Grand Marshall was Sigrid Keyes , who has been a crossing guard and traffic cop in Thomaston for 50 years! Also honored in the parade were Mr. & Ms Thomaston – Joey Bell and Jillian Barnard – local high school graduates. The theme of the parade was “American Idols : A Tribute to Hometown Heroes and Celebrities”. As usual, the parade was full of floats, bands , and beautiful cars.

Maine households are worst offenders on food waste, according to DEP study

Every year, we waste the equivalent of more than 9,000 fully loaded semi-trailer trucks. Close to half of the solid waste stream in Maine is made up of organics, according to a study released by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in late May.

Where There’s Fireworks, There’s Usually Peter Ralston

As we approach Independence Day, let us all honor the true spirit of independence for all Americans and those who would become Americans. I freely admit to a life-long passion for everything about fireworks….in my old journalism days I photographed them across the country and abroad. There’s nothing about them that I don’t love…especially on the Fourth.

Al Gardner Show 24_03

Al Gardner Show 24_05