Sweater Weather

There are few places in the United States where the second day of August carries with it a high temperature of 61 degrees in the middle of the afternoon. Here in Mid-Coast Maine, where the winds blow hard off Penobscot Bay, the weather can always change with the drop of a hat. Two weeks ago, 90 degrees was the norm. Now, as that ever so beautiful month of August holds court, the mornings are cooler, the afternoons breezier, and the nights call for a sweater and a soft blanket. Port Clyde village was downright chilly yesterday afternoon. Summer tourists strolled the docks, wearing pullovers and fleece vests. Doors to galleries and shops were closed, and the American flags that fly so proudly above them whipped in the salt water scented wind. I pulled a fleece over my shoulders as I made my way down to the town dock, my faithful Nikon at the ready. The breeze was steady and a low blanket of fog was beginning to roll in. Lobster boats rolled back and forth in the late afternoon chop, as a few sailboats sailed in to the inner harbor, apparently trying to beat the fog. It is afternoons like this that remind me and all Maine residents, how short and precious summer can be. With fall only six weeks away, every remaining day of summer must be enjoyed to the fullest, no matter what the weather calls for. Sometimes you have to put on a sweater in the middle of August, it happens to everyone at some point in mid- coast Maine.