Two days after the remnants of Hurricane Lee blew across Washington County, Dylan Nevala of Bucks Harbor captured this stunning sunrise above beautifully textured swells. Photo by Dylan Nevala

Despite the fact that Washington County exceeded its annual allotment of grey and rainy days by the end of May, somehow, today’s mottled grey skies are just right for the first official weekend of autumn, which came late this year, on September 23rd.

I would have written a week ago but found myself thwarted by a power outage courtesy of the Storm Formerly Known as Hurricane Lee, which blew into town as a tropical storm and knocked out our power almost immediately, but mercifully just after the coffee was brewed.

Power outages do have their charms, but for me, their shelf life is about as long as that of fresh fish. Left unrefrigerated. Because the power is out. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Craving a hot meal and mindful that the Bluebird Ranch Family Restaurant will soon shut its doors, three Dedmons entered town and waited in the restaurant’s crowded but congenial foyer for a table after our power went out.

And we did the same again today for their next-to-last Sunday breakfast. Word to the wise — pre-orders are the only way to go if you want to enjoy their famous donuts or cinnamon rolls one last time on Sunday, Oct.1. Give them a call.

I’m not giving you the number because I can’t risk the competition.

We can all name the people who make up our inner circle and without whom our worlds would tilt on their axis. Every now and then, I’m also reminded of how much other people, other entities, factor into the foundations of our day-to-day lives, and in classic human fashion, I realize it only when they shift.

Here I am, recalling how many breakfasts my father, who died last December, enjoyed at the Bluebird, how many meals we shared there when we were building this house.

How much he enjoyed prime rib.

Suddenly, it isn’t only the Bluebird that’s ending. It’s the end of another personal era, too.

Here we are in 2011, with the yellow Jeep you still might see around town now and then. There’s Dad behind me, adorably combing his hair to look his best before walking into the restaurant, as one does. Fun fact— in Dad’s later years, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could not cross a TV screen without Dad loudly reprimanding him for his apparent lack of a comb. Photo by Elizabeth Craighead Parker

I know a lot of people feel that way about the closure of The Bluebird.

We wish Bethany Foss and her crew all the best in their next endeavor and look forward to welcoming Mason’s Brewing Company to town early next year.

In the category of hoped-for change around town, this week, Porter Memorial Library’s accessibility committee made some encouraging strides toward finalizing a design for the library’s accessibility addition.

Though this design is only preliminary, it correctly depicts the addition’s placement on the library’s rear southwest edifice, and its rough size. The addition’s actual construction depends on Congress. Encouraged? Photo courtesy Port City Architecture

When built, the addition will contain two accessible bathrooms, an elevator, and a generous staircase. Earlier this year, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Angus King supported our request to fund 75% of the addition’s construction through a Congressionally Directed Spending grant, also known as an earmark, which has been approved by the U.S. Senate and is now an item in the appropriations bill.

Next, it faces the House. This means that suddenly, the machinations of Congress are as interesting to me as football is to my husband.

If less comprehensible.

So, cross your fingers for Porter Memorial Library.

The night before Hurricane Lee, fishing vessels tied up in Bucks Creek to ride out the storm. Inspite of high winds and 5 to 7 inches of rain, they all came through just fine. Click here to see videos of the stormwaters raging down the Machias River and here to see Bad Little Falls after the storm. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

THE COMMISSIONING OF THE USS AUGUSTA will take place in Eastport at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, and ship tours are available on Thursday and Friday afternoon. You can find all the details and how to attend this extraordinary event at this link.

THE STORY WALK GRAND OPENING AT PORTER MEMORIAL LIBRARY will occur from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, at Porter Memorial Library in Machias. Free pumpkin decorating, recipe sampling, light refreshments, and fun family activities! All the details here.

JONESBORO GRANGE #357 SWEETS BINGO will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. Play bingo and win a sweet! All the details here.

Lighthouses capture our imaginations with stories of long-ago perils along Maine’s rocky coast and, even today, protect our mariners at sea. This week, we’ll speak to Way Downeast storyteller and granddaughter of lighthouse keeper Willie Corbett, Delia Farris, and talk Maine lighthouses with Bob Trapani, Director of the American Lighthouse Foundation. Tune in for our first Way Downeast Writer’s Corner, too. Available where fine podcasts are sold and here on Tuesday, Sept. 26.