Go condors! Did you hear the news? Two female California condors, a rare and endangered species, have just hatched chicks without any assistance from a male. I don’t mean they simply kept the nest warm. I mean they did the whole process, including conception, on their own, without a male. I find this mind-blowing. Parthenogenesis, […]
Forecaster Opinion
Life Unwound: Wondering about wonders, big and small
I wonder a lot, wonder about all of us. Wonder if we get honest about what my grandson calls “COVID time.” Do we do things we used to do? Fly? Travel? Attend concerts? Visit friends in nursing homes or hospitals? Hmm. I’ve also wondered about that sourdough I used to buy. I wonder these COVID […]
Through My Lens: New Mainers can celebrate Halloween in their own way
You know Halloween is coming when ghoulish skulls and scarecrows take their places on porches, in front or back yards, or hanging from a tree. When someone asked me a few years ago what my Halloween costume would be, I had no idea. Maybe a pirate, some suggested. A pirate? The first thing I thought […]
Mainewhile: Other cultures not suitable for costumes
Halloween is pretty much my favorite holiday. To start with, any celebration that involves chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate is automatically Grade A in my book. Then you add in costumes and parties and what’s not to love? Plus, although I realize there are some out there who choose not to celebrate (and that’s totally […]
Portland Superintendent’s Notebook: Student reconnection a top concern in Portland schools
Eighteen months of remote and hybrid learning due to the pandemic has disconnected many of our students from school, their teachers and each other. That is why reconnecting our students is a key focus at the Portland Public Schools now that we have returned to full-time, in-person learning. We’ve made creating safe and equitable school […]
Here’s Something: CMP corridor question poses a conundrum
Mainers have a tough choice Tuesday, Nov. 2, in the form of Question 1. Do voters allow Central Maine Power to erect a high-wattage electrical transmission line through 53 miles of Maine forest from The Forks to the Canadian border to tap into Hydro-Quebec’s network of hydropower electric dams? This referendum, more than any in […]
Mainewhile: Autumn beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Gracious, it is pretty out there! These past few days have been absolute perfection. The sort of weather that makes you grateful to be alive and live in a place such as this. Having a soft spot for gray and rainy days as well, I’ve been enjoying the slow starts and drizzly mornings, but the […]
Life Unwound: The longing for belonging is universal
It was that season. The crisp Maine air chilled faces when I traveled to Puerto Morelos that fall; leaves crunched underfoot at home. In October, I flew to the Yucatan Peninsula for a writing retreat with women I called my writing tribe. We stretched while practicing yoga at dawn with other sunrise-watchers. Then Maria, a […]
Forum: Infrastucture package would help oysters by mitigating climate change
As a shellfish farmer on Chebeague Island, I have the incredible joy of spending my days on the water, growing young oysters into beautiful, briny bivalves that are a celebrated part of coastal living. It makes me proud that I can serve my community by providing such a great product and good local jobs, and […]
Through My Lens: New Mainers should embrace American sports
Local and national politics have put most recent immigrants on a trajectory of fear, withdrawal and, at times, uncertainty of the future of this country. We should not let these fears take away the moments of joy. We are in NFL season and most people can’t help but notice all the sports tweets and photos […]