After painting all of his buoys, young Luke Maker of Machiasport is seen dropping his first lobster trap in the water. Happily, his first lobstering effort also produced Luke’s first lobster. Photo courtesy Vicki Maker

When we stepped into The French Cellar for a wine-tasting event, the skies were threatening rain. But they were making good on the threat when it was time for my friend Delia to leave and meet her ride back to Cutler. Could we drive her to her friend? 

“Of course!” I said. 

My husband and I chatted a bit more and tasted a few more wines, and so by the time we arrived to meet Delia’s ride, Delia’s ride was gone, the First Friday Art Walk having been rained out, too. No matter, we said, come home for dinner.

Delia Farris is a storyteller in the old tradition and a local legend. If you don’t know her personally, I promise, you know someone who does.

Her grandfather, Willie Corbett, was the last keeper of the Little River Lighthouse in Cutler tending it from 1921-1939. That’s a lengthy tenure for a lighthouse keeper, but as it happens, it’s Delia’s grandmother, Velma Johnson Corbett, who has the distinction of living at Little River Light the longest of anyone, having been the daughter of a lighthouse keeper there, and the wife of one, too.

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Delia Farris, often spotted in a jaunty hat or neckerchief, is seen with me at the 2022 Battle of the Rim reenactment. This year’s reenactment will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, one of a million good things happening at the 2024 Machias Wild Blueberry Festival. The reenactment event is always planned around the tides and tells the story of the 1777 Battle of the Rim in which Machias once again defeated the British Royal Navy. You can brush up on your history here. You can hear one of my interviews with Delia here, on the Way Downeast Podcast. The episode also includes fascinating local lighthouse history with Bob Trapani, the director of the American Lighthouse Foundation.

As often happens with Delia, I turned on my voice recorder midway through our conversation, wishing I hadn’t resisted the urge for so long. We talked about her mother’s family growing up at the lighthouse, how that kind of familial solitude lends itself to creative, social entertainment, like music-making, and a gift for storytelling that draws in listeners. 

When she tells her family’s stories, Delia holds her audience rapt with tales of the Flying Santa delivering Christmas gifts and her grandfather’s cigars, or the family cow who refused to live on an island, swimming itself back to the mainland, multiple times.

Listening to her family’s stories is how Delia learned about Cutler, lighthouse keeping, and the island way of life. Today, storytelling is her contribution to younger generations, so that they, too, can learn “the old ways.”

“But just knowing that it happened doesn’t create continuity,” says Delia. “So how do we bring forward the past in a meaningful way that also honors it?”

As Washington County changes and grows, I think that’s the right question.

Local photographer Tanya Decatur captured this beautiful image of the sun setting behind the Machias River, its intensity combined with hazy clouds making it look more like a forest fire. Mercifully, Maine is replete with rainfall this summer and only our southernmost tip is dabbling with dry conditions.

Pause with me and savor the wide range of events happening across the county this month, especially because this week’s listing includes a rare mix of craft fairs, chickens and chamber music.

First, thank you to Robert, a reader in South Addison, for sharing his online calendar of local events. Make a bookmark and visit often! It includes many events from western and central Washington County. Covering the center and also the eastern edge, bookmark Artsipelago for another fantastic, often-updated listing of local events.

Because of last Thursday’s rain, the 2024 Bad Little Falls Summer Concert Series will now kick off on Thursday, July 18. Admission is free. Bring a picnic or your dancing shoes or a camp chair, or all three! Runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at Bad Little Falls Park, Machias. For more information, call the Machias Town Office at 255-6621.

Sketching with Chickens with Sue Riddle: Practice your drawing or painting skills with live feathered models, (as willing!). All ages, to be held at Peavey Memorial Library from 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, July 19. Details at link.

The Puckerbrush Primitive Gathering will take place from June 19-21 this year. Sponsored by the Pleasant River Fish & Game Association, it’s a wonderful event for anyone interested in traditional skills like bushcraft and archery, and also includes a convivial potluck on Saturday night. Costs and guidelines at link.

Jonesboro Grange Luau & Craft Fair: Fun activities for kids, great food, and lots of wonderful local crafters. You can always count on the Jonesboro Grange for a day of high-energy community spirit. To be held starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 20. Details at link.

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You’ve driven by it, or you’ve sent your children to a school of the same name, but you probably don’t know all that you could know about it. Learn more about the history of the Fort O’Brien State Historic Site at the Machiasport Historical Society’s special event, Fort O’Brien: The Untold History from 1808-1815. This gripping & intriguing presentation will be presented by accomplished author Joshua M. Smith, Ph.D., Director, American Merchant Marine Museum & Professor of Humanities, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Admission is free. The event will be held from 7-8 p.m. on Monday, July 22.

The 54th season of the Machias Bay Chamber Concerts Summer Series kicks off at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, at Centre Street Congregational Church in Machias. The next two concerts will happen on Tuesday, July 30, and Tuesday, August 6. Details at link.

Not a specific event, but always an event to visit, don’t miss the farm stand of Bumblebee Farm in Machias which will reopen this week after a few days off, stocked with beautiful food, flowers, and gifts.

Milbridge Days — an extravaganza of summer Americana! — kicks off on Thursday, July 28. Find the full, gobsmacking schedule of events here.

A public supper to benefit Jen Feeney will be held Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Rose M. Gaffney School in Machias. The event will feature a spaghetti supper and auction, with proceeds to benefit Jen Feeney in support of her upcoming cancer treatments.

The next Whitneyville Library Public Supper will be held Saturday, Aug. 3, and will have pork roast on the menu. Suppers begin at 5 p.m. and are held at the Hillgrove Community Center, Whitneyville.

Get your tickets now for the Blueberry Festival Musical Comedy, this year titled, Jeoparody! If I have said it once, I’ve said it too many times — how many places in the world celebrate their annual harvest with a custom-written musical comedy? I’m going to go out on a limb and say NONE except Machias. This year is the second year the comedy has been written and directed by local music legend Gene Nichols. The show runs Wednesday through Saturday (Wednesday being a sort of dress rehearsal), Aug. 14-17. It does sell out — buy your tickets now.

Thank you to reader Jenny Wiley for this stunning photo of a puffin lunching on Machias Seal Island, where Wiley recently traveled on a photo expedition. Tours to the island are completely sold out for 2024, but you can stay in touch with 2025 opportunities here. Fun fact: both the U.S. and Canada claim ownership of Machias Seal Island, which is the reason that part of the ocean is called The Grey Zone. Here’s a story I’ve written about it, and you can click on the puffin to read National Geographic’s story, too. Photo by Jenny Wiley