I spent most of October guiding grouse hunters at Libby Camps in northern Maine. The month was unbelievably wet with a series of major rain storms that brought all of the streams and rivers to bank full and more. One Sunday I was supposed to guide fisherman but it was simply raining too hard and blowing a gale. In the afternoon I suggested that we take a ride to see if we could spot a moose. We did find a small bull but the most notable thing was that the water was not only over the road in several places but running right down the road and over a foot deep in places. When all you have is dirt roads one of the big concerns is that the water will wash the road out and leave a gully. We had a few spots out but for the most part the roads survived the rain. I left Libby's and drove home in another rainstorm that was followed by another on two days later, wow should our son Noah get started on the boat? Of course in the far north most of that rain fell as snow. I am told 22 inches at the gate I use to enter into the North Maine Woods.
In the middle of the October I was invited to attend the Maine Association of Middle Level Teachers meeting where Argy was presented the Janet Nesin Reynolds Outstanding Middle Level Educator award for 2005. She had been nominated by her principal and the award was a complete surprise. I drove to the event after she was there and hid in the back of the room to surprise her with flowers when they gave her the award. We drove home together and had a chance to go out to dinner and celebrate.
I have added handmade greeting cards to our online store. They are custom made for us by Susan Zilli and her cat, Ruby, who reside on forty acres on the outskirts of the town of Wiscasset, Maine. Her basement studio is the point of origin for each of her "purposely imperfect" greeting cards. Silk screening provides the opportunity to create each piece of art with an individual and unique look. While the design itself is repeated, the colorful background of each card is different. The cards are blank on the inside offering further opportunity to individualize them before sending them off to your family and friends. Please stop by and take a look; I think that they are a beautiful addition to the store.
Winter must be right around the corner, our wood is in and I have begun to put away my fishing equipment until next year. This morning is a perfect October day. Near the coast we still have a good number of leaves on the trees in spite of all of the rain and wind. My transition to indoor work and meetings has begun and it is no easier this year than it has ever been. I miss guiding and being out on the water or in the woods every day (except when it is pouring rain).
Best regards,
Don Kleiner
Master Maine Guide
