Eagle update

I posted recently about the eagles I've seen this summer. I'm happy to report that a recent newsletter from the Natural Resources Council of Maine says that there are now nearly 500 nesting pairs of bald eagles in Maine, the highest number of any state in the continental US. Bald eagles have now been take off Maine's endangered species list. Looks like I will have plenty more chances to see magnificent eagles in the pine tree state!

Funky Friday ~ July 17

Last Friday after my cousin Jon and his family visited, I blogged about our excursion to Midcoast Maine, where we visited the Maine Maritime Museum and Reid State Park. While walking the museum grounds, I spotted this little building. I'm not sure what it was used for, but I love the shabby curtains! I don't know if you can tell, but they are very tattered. I said to my cousin's sister-in-law that I needed to stop and snap some pictures of it, because it is perfect for Funky Friday.

Later, at Reid State Park, Jon remarked on the lichen that grows on the rocks there. I looked back through my photos today and found this image that shows one such rock. I've always loved the rich mustard color against the granite-gray rocks.

In your travels this weekend, don't forget to keep an eye out for the unusual! A little weirness keeps life interesting.

Creative word collages on Wordle.net

My friend Rita just turned me on to a cool site, wordle.net, and I linked my blog to it to create a word collage. Pretty groovy! Check it out: title="Wordle: Mainely Words"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/999739/Mainely_Words"
alt="Wordle: Mainely Words"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">

A week for eagles

It's been quite a week for eagle sightings! In the last 6 days, I've seen 2 eagles' nests and 3 eagles.



The first nest is located along Route 1 in West Bath, and I've noticed it before as I've headed up the Coast to Reid State Park. Last Thursday, I decided it was time to stop and take some photos, and the results are posted here. The following day, I was traveling with my relatives to Reid once again, and this time we spotted a nest as we were driving down Route 127 in Georgetown. And then yesterday, as I was headed north on I-95 to Lewiston, I spotted an eagle in a tree along the highway.



From what I've read online, I believe that these were all bald eagles, which are considered a threatened species. I also read here that the breeding population of bald eagles in Maine has risen from a low of only 21 nesting pairs in 1967 to 412 nesting pairs in 2006. Therefore, since they are growing in number by about 8% each year, they are likely to be taken off the threatened species list.

Maine Maritime Museum

Yesterday my cousin Jon and his family took me to the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. I'd like to share with you some photos of the day. Don't forget to click on the pictures if you'd like to see a larger view.

Funky Friday ~ July 10

As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Although some would see it as an eyesore, I love this little ramshackle building. In fact, I think it's adorable! I don't know if you can tell, but there is a cute little bird feeder attached to the front and a horse shoe over the door.



But when I stopped to take these photos in June, a woman came out and told me that the shack was going to be burned down. I haven't been back to see if it's happened yet. I guess I'd really rather not know. I like to remember this funky shed just as it was, with all of its ramshackle charm!



Happy Funky Friday to all! Enjoy the weekend.

Recognition & holiday weekend wishes

My good friend Silke of Metamorphosis has given me an award. She says it's because I inspire her -- well, the truth is, we inspire and support each other. Thank you, Silke, for this recognition. Your friendship is the best gift of all!


I'd also like to take a moment to share a photo (above) that I took last night in downtown Portland (Maine) of geraniums on a doorstep, all dressed up for the Fourth, and to wish everyone a happy holiday weekend!

I went to Portland to view the Call of the Coast exhibit at the Portland Museum of Art. I always find it so inspiring and uplifting to see great works of art, such as those by Edward Hopper, Childe Hassam, and Rockwell Kent, among others. I was not able to take any photos of the exhibit, but I did snap one outside the museum. It is a view of the museum garden, which contains this unusual piece of art crafted of wire and filled with stones. (Sorry, I don't know the name of the piece or the artist.) Beyond, you can see some of the American Neoclassical Sculpture exhibit through the window.