Saturday, July 8, 2023

Bailey

On a hot summer's night, Bailey hopped up on my bed to test out the cooling factor. It wasn't, so he didn't last long. These warm summer days he wanders the second floor, from my bed room to the exchange students' room to the bathroom, and back again, seeking out cool floor space. He has to be near me, so the air conditioned dining room down stairs just doesn't do the trick. When you get to be his age, you know what you want... Fair enough.

Hopeful in Rumford

If I have the story correct, a former Rumford resident purchased this artist's sign for Congress Street. "Hopeful" is hung in different cities across Maine--now we have our own.

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Cooper Flagg

The #1 high school sophomore basketball player in America, Cooper Flagg, is from Maine, and he's coached by a Rumford guy named Andy Bedard. Andy played at Boston College and at UMaine. He went pro in Europe and then returned to serve as an assistant coach at UMaine. Andy's brother, Joe, is a former student of mine. It'll be fun to see where Cooper ends up--he's been recruited by Duke. Cooper's mom played at UMaine on a team that beat Stanford in the NCAA playoffs... the only such victory in the NCAA's.

Mystery Mountain Misery

Eighty-two sticky degrees with muddy trails, mosquitos, a light rain, and ticks. But! We got out there for a short hike. And as I most always say, "Any hike is a good hike."

Mud trail.
Click photos to enlarge.

Bailey picking his way up the trail.

A breather.

I started picking ticks and then found a variety of ways to kill them.

My favorite? Squeezing them in my fingers.

Dog tick

Lighting them on fire... sadistic, I know.
But.......

Spraying them with Permethrin. :-)

Sunday, July 2, 2023

Johannes in The House

After hiking Whitecap Mountain
Click on photos to enlarge.

In 2017-2018, we hosted Moritz and Espen for the year (Moritz & Espen's Blog) here in Rumford, Maine. We've been fortunate to meet Moritz's younger brother, Johannes (19y), these past few days.

A science lover, Johannes spent the previous year in Ecuador teaching music in tutorials and small groups and fine-tuning his surfing talents. Now, he's touring parts of the United States (e.g., Washington DC, New York, Boston, Maine, and Ohio) looking at schools and enjoying museums such as the Smithsonian. He's off to Cleveland, Ohio, tomorrow, and he just discovered that Cleveland is the home of the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame! Someone should have the best time there.

Next year, this young scholar who's a prolific reader and loves to snowboard will study physics in Edinburgh, Scotland. Warmest wishes, Johannes! Safe travels ... wild and wonderful travels!

Androscoggin River
Click to enlarge

Coos Canyon a popular swimming hole

A monument to Edmund Muskie, US Secretary of State
and former presidential candidate. Most important of all,
the Secretary led the Clean Water Act in America.

Back at Coos Canyon

Bailey begging for food
from his new best pal, Johannes.

Discovering the beauty of toaster waffles
with maple syrup and whipped cream.
Ah, American decadence.

Whitecap hike

Whitecap hike and granite spire.

Hiking the ledge on Whitecap

Following cairns on Whitecap

Too bad we had clouds this day.

The great explorer

Checking out on Whitecap Mountain.
Keeping statistics of hikers helps win
grants for the land trust.

The German chef making Mexican food,

AllTrails App of our Hike

AllTrails map

Black Mountain Ski Area in the fall.
We visited Black Mountain on Johannes first day.

Looking up the Androscoggin River

Rich's home at the holidays

Johannes' hosts, Rich & Bailey.

The Rumford Island in the evening

Last Evening in Rumford

On his last night in Rumford, Johannes visited our fabulous neighbors, The Sullivans. He learned about various electronic music from Garrett, a presidential scholar in the University of Maine system and then enjoyed dinner with the Sullivan family, including mom and dad, Gina and Gregory. Johannes even received a book of short stories, The Devil's in the Cows, by Gregory.