Dear Friends, Today, four quiet images from our harbor. Taken together, they remind me that it’s cold and beautiful out there, but it’s the second one that whispers most powerfully to me; it speaks of the warmth and light we need…that which we find within. Alone,...

Dear Friends, Well, it’s safe to say that winter is upon us. Although we’ve had very little snow to speak of so far, we had winds gusting over 60mph and lots of rain overnight on Wednesday. My beloved 37’ live-aboard tripod, RAVEN, is out of the water now so, like...

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.

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.

A week ago today we headed up the bay to Islesboro Island where I am honored to be showing this summer at the lovely little Double Door Gallery. My wife, Terri, our gallery manager, Sandee, her partner, Sean, and I all needed a perfect day on the water and, boy!, did we ever pick a good one!! Oh, and we took our beloved Lab, Jenny, with us…in all, an absolutely sublime day!

This is a quick but heartfelt morning salutation from Maine with two purposes…..next Sunday I’ll explain today’s relative brevity.   First, here’s recognizing Memorial Day and all that for which it stands. Here’s recognizing our lasting debt to the countless Americans who have given their lives in the service of our country. I think of the grandfather my brothers and I never met, killed in France just before the end of WWI.

She’s running just fine and I had a wonderful new friend aboard with Penobscot Bay beneath us for a sumptuous long day. At times we didn’t have very much of Penobscot Bay under us as you can see in this picture of my makeshift docking technique at Isle au Haut, but when circumstances dictate, one does what one must.

I am going to simply allow a handful of images from the day speak for me….nothing particularly great, but still, a terrific start to getting out there where I so love to be.

As I did at this time last year, I am treating myself to a bit of downtime…both in honor of Mother’s Day and giving myself some time aboard RAVEN to get her spiffed up for the season ahead. So, to that end I am recycling this “hug”…

Imagine the amazingly talented Maine photographer Peter Ralston being challenged by an AI program. Check out this interesting story.

On Monday we enjoyed the eclipse from an overlook above the harbor. Here we only experienced about 90% occlusion, but it was a gloriously warm and cloudless day. More than anything, the few peak umbral moments yet again reminded me how infinitesimal we truly are. Nature, as ever, is the greatest teacher of all…when we slow down and open ourselves to her. On a far less reflective note, we are girding ourselves for the coming season and are already feeling a bit overwhelmed even as we count our blessings given the myriad projects and opportunities right off our bow. I want to hit pause, though, for a moment to offer you – our extended family – heartfelt thanks…gratitude and appreciation that could not derive from any deeper in my me.