December Days

It was quite bitter this morning. The sun was shining, but it didn't matter. The temperature was hovering around 12 and the heavy snow that was falling 40 miles across the bay in Blue Hill, was scheduled to arrive in Camden somewhere around dinner time. With a day off ahead of me, I walked down to Rockport to see what was going on in the harbor these days. Being the middle of December, the action at Rockport Marine was not on the water, but off the water, where men in flannel shirts and rubber boots slaved away at their respective boats, preparing them for the long winter ahead. One particular lobsterman sat on the gravel and messed around with his propeller. His traps hauled out for the season, he now was turning his focus to his boat and the many repairs that she needs after a long year battling the chilly waters of Penobscot Bay. A few yards away, a group of workers chipped away at the hull of an old sailboat, attempting to remove the old coat of paint before a new one could be applied. It is a strange sight to see 6 sailboats lined up with tarps and shrink wrap covering them. So used to seeing them frolic on the bay, you know realize that even they have to rest and be attended to. A boat requires a lot of work, and most of it goes on when the tourists aren't here to watch it happen. These summer vessels had now become winter storage. Up on Rockports tidy little Main Street, the shops and restaurants were all decked out in their Christmas attire. Wreaths and bows hung from the windows and doors, and candles sat at every window, ready to light up the winter night. The Opera House was closed shut for the week and the Library was planning on closing for the holiday as well. Back down Russel avenue on the way to Camden, I stopped at the Aldermere Farm to see if I could find the cows. These days, they seem to be scattered throughout the property, where they are hard to locate. In the warm months, they are put on display for all to see, but in December, just like the summer tourists and leaf peepers, they have abruptly retreated into their own private spaces. That afternoon, while a light snow was falling, I walked down my street to Laite Beach, where I met a very special dog. Chaucer, a bouncy Golden Retriever puppy, had just turned 4 months and his appetite for playing in the snow was clearly large. A frisbee would be thrown down towards the water and Chaucer would run full bore after it, his hind legs slipping and sliding all over the place. Upon reaching the frisbee, he would attempt to stop but instead would fall over himself, tumbling 10 feet past the Frisbee. He repeated this floppy form of retrieval for the next 30 minutes, much to my and his owners delight. What fun he was having! At one point he simply rolled over onto his back and slid down the hill, snow flying in every direction, his tail waving back and forth. This Golden had it right. In order to enjoy the winter, you must play in the winter, and get outside and enjoy the snow, even if it is 20 degrees and windy out. I said goodbye to this special puppy and walked back to my house. My landlord Mark was in the garage, putting the finishing touches on his new storm doors. Some old blues music was playing in the background and the smell of paint and wood filled the air. The snow continued to fall outside as the afternoon light began to fade. We both decided that a little down time was needed so we headed down Bay View Street to the Waterfront, where he sat by a roaring fire, drinking hot chocolate and shooting the breeze until dinner rolled around. Walking back to my house, I gazed down the street towards the harbor. Almost every store front was lit up with Christmas lights, and candles filled the windows of the old houses that sat perched over the harbor. The twin peaks of Battie and Megunticook loomed large over the town. A cold wind blew snow across the street and clouds raced past a crescent moon above. December is such a beautiful time to be in Maine.