This week’s supermoon, the Hunter’s Moon, was stunning and bright, as seen here over the Machias Bay. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

I spend the spring and summer months looking down — at the frost, at the soil, at the buds, at the seedlings, at the weeds, at the berries, and the flowers.

But autumn is a season for looking up. 

Up at the incredible foliage which seems to have started months ago and, despite power-cutting windstorms, miraculously remains on our trees. According to the state’s foliage report, Washington County is currently at peak foliage, and I agree with them. 

There are some wistful bare patches, to be sure, but plenty of colors remain.

And then of course it’s been an autumn for looking up at the night skies.

So many people have seen incredible aurora borealis across Washington County and though there was a forecasted possibility of seeing them this weekend, to my knowledge no one has spied them. 

But no matter because we had the incredible supermoon, rising in the east. October’s full moon is called the Hunter’s Moon, and this month’s was the brightest of the year. And behind it in the west, the comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which only comes around once every 80,000 years or so.

Sadly, for the third time this week, last night my family (those of us not in college, anyway) made our way to the backyard to search for it, and for the third time, came up empty-eyed. Still, there’s nothing wrong with a breezy October evening spent standing in the darkness, looking up at the night sky.

And we did see a shooting star for our troubles.

The squawking formations of Canada geese are passing less frequently now. But yesterday I watched a flock of what must have been more than 100 smaller birds flying south in a W formation and so much higher than I’m accustomed to seeing birds. I was on a phone call at the time, and not wanting to interrupt to take a photo, just stood astonished and watched them pass.

Does anyone know what they might have been? 

This week’s Postcard will be brief, as I’m preparing to attend the Iota Conference, a writer’s retreat at the Cobscook Institute in Trescott TWP, and to start a new, temporary professional gig in Machias.

I’m excited about it, but details on that will have to wait for a future edition. 

Until then, I’ll be looking up.

Some lucky Downeasters had the perfect view for the once-in-1000-lifetimes comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have seen it! Samantha Ebbeson captured this stunning shot over Dennys Bay. Photo by Samantha Ebbeson

A turkey hen strutting through fall foliage. The colors are as pretty on the ground as they are in our trees. Photo by Tanya Decatur

A blue jay wears its regal crown in a bower of orange maple leaves. Photo by Tanya Decatur

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Good heavens, the event lists are getting longer. I’ve organized mine this week by category, mostly, but don’t forget to check out the wonderful local guide Artsipelago here, and this wonderful micro-local calendar focused on central and western Washington County, maintained by Robert from S. Addison.

No one does seasonal fun like the Jonesboro Grange #357! Click the photo above for more details on their Halloween Spooktacular.

HALLOWEEN EVENTS

West Branch Farms Fall Family Festival will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at beautiful West Branch Farms in Machias. It’s a free event but tickets are required! Find them at the FIND TICKETS button here on the right. Enjoy fall snacks, Trunk or Treat for the kids, games and much more! West Branch Farms is located at 180 W. Kennebec Road, Machias.

Right after that you can head to the Machias Valley Baptist Church Trunk or Treat, set for 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26. Grab some goodies and enjoy the competitive men's chili cookoff and women's pie baking contest. Unbiased judging and stellar first place prizes. Chili and pie submissions due at the judges' table by 5pm sharp. They’ll be serving hot dogs, chili, pies and CANDY! Rain date is Oct. 27. The church is located at 8 Broadway, Machias.

The Witches of Eastport are back in town for a full day of Halloween fun on Saturday, Oct. 26. Make a pumpkin for the pumpkin derby, see the witches parade, gather for the Witches Dance led by the Eastport Elementary cheerleaders. All-ages Halloween contradance at the Eastport Arts Center at 6 p.m. Complete schedule and rain info at: www.eastportartfests.org

A Free Halloween Movie & Costume Contest will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, at the Milbridge Theater and Community Arts Center. The movie is Monster House, an animated film about three teens who believe that an old ramshackle dwelling in their neighborhood houses a man-eating entity that is feasting on the locals. Details here.

The Jonesport Elementary School PTO, U.S. Coast Guard, and Moosabec Fallfest Committee will host a Trunk or Treat from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the school. All the details here.

Fueled by all the candy you had on Saturday, on Sunday, Oct. 27, you can run in the Moosehorn Ghost Run, a half marathon and relay! I set my own personal land-speed record being chased by white-faced hornets, but I think I could break that one if chased by ghosts. The event is sponsored by the amazing Bold Coast Runners, they do so much good work in the area. Registration is at the link here.

If you’re out and about in Jonesport on the big day, stop by Peabody Memorial Library for the Trick-or-Treat Break Station from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.

Danforth Trunk or Treat will begin at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, in the Danforth Town Office parking lot. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place Trunks and Best Costumes! Contact Katie Whiting for information on setting up a trunk: 448-2813 or 794-4706.0

Trick-or-Treat Main Street in Machias is so much fun and this year, it falls on Halloween, so rest up. You’ll want to bring the kids to Main Street on Halloween, Thursday, Oct. 31, from 3-5 p.m., then stop in at the Pellon Center for the FREE Harvest Family Supper at the Lee Pellon Center, Route 1, Machias, between 4 and 6 p.m., and finally hit your neighborhood for the final burst of trick-or-treat fun. Thank you to the Community Caring Collaborative for organizing the Harvest Meal, and to the Machias Bay Chamber of Commerce for organizing Trick-or-Treat Main Street, which is generously brought to us by our local businesses. Show them some love this week!

The Narraguagus High School Annual Holiday Craft Fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Narraguagus Jr/Sr High School, 1611 Main Street, Harrington.

A Harvest Craft Fair hosted by the Jonesboro Union Church Auxiliary will happen from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. The church is located at 24 Looks Point Road, Jonesboro.

Not strictly speaking a craft fair but Christmasy so I’m putting it here. The Jonesboro Grange #357 is hosting a Christmas Wreath Fundraiser. Order your wreath anytime before Nov. 13. Wreaths are $20. All the details are here.

The Lubec Christmas Craft Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16 at the Lubec Elementary School

A Christmas Craft Fair will be hosted at West Branch Farms, Machias, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16.

The Perry P.T.C. Craft Fair will be held at Perry Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23. The school is located at 1587 Route 1, Perry.

A Craft Fair and Festival of Trees will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Beals Elementary School, located at 24 Mill Pond Road, Beals.

The Down East Community Hospital Auxiliary Craft Fair is the fair without which my holidays are not complete. This year, they will bring it back for the 51st time from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Rose M. Gaffney Elementary School in Machias. So. Much. Fun. This is also the weekend when the Wesley Foundation will host its popular annual Tree Festival, and Machias hosts its Community Christmas weekend, including a parade. Details on the parade not yet available.

Next weekend! The Celtic God of Death, a Banshee, the Angel of Death, the Grim Reaper, and the Irish Goddess of Death show up at an Irish wake for a bit of craic in this dark comedy about death, Ireland, and the other side of suicide. Looks to be a fantastic production coming to Machias and Eastport in October. Click the image above to purchase seats.

The Machias Area Community Supper is now a bi-weekly affair and is back this week on Thursday, Oct. 24. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and dinner runs from 5 to 6 p.m. FREE! Good food and convivial company. Held at Centre Street Congregational Church, Machias. Look for the giant steeple on Centre Street.

Chowders, Soups, and Stews are on the menu for the next Whitneyville Library Public Supper, set for 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2. Cost is $12 per adult, and $4 per child. Held at the Hillgrove Community Center, Whitneyville.

The Princeton Rod and Gun Club will host its annual Hunter’s Supper at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. Turkey with all the fixings and pie are on the menu. Adults $20, Children 10 and under eat for free. All the details here.

Sign up now for Cobscook Institute Pottery Classes running in November and December. There’s a whole raft of options across the week. Find them all here.

Sip and Paint at the French Cellar at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24. Tickets are now on sale for this event where participants will paint their own fall scene while sipping amazing wine and dining on one of Emily Fitzimmon’s legendary charcuterie boards. Looks like the class is almost full! Sign up here.

Conscious Movement Dance with Regina Grabrovac is open to all ages and will take place Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 5:30 p.m. Conscious movement is the practice of moving with deliberate awareness, connecting mind and body to cultivate mindfulness and a deeper sense of embodiment. This is a live DROP-IN class on Cobscook Institute's Campus, 10 Commissary Point Road, Township of Trescott. Call 733-2233 with questions.

Michael Hoyt of Northfield this week captured this serene image of the road back to his house. I was lucky to bump into Michael at Hannaford’s this week where we chatted together and with about a dozen people who passed by. One of them remarked that Michael doesn’t come into town much, instead staying in Northfield with his red labrador, Tiger.

“I don’t need to come to town much. I stay in the woods and talk to Tiger and then when Tiger starts talking back, I come to town,” he replied.

Oh, that Maine wit.

We enjoy sharing our love of Washington County, Maine, so much that we’d honestly do it for free. In fact, we do! But if you wanted to buy us an oat milk cortado for our troubles, we wouldn’t say no. You can send support by check to our PO Box below, by PayPal, or by credit card.

Thanks!