Hello and welcome to all of our new subscribers! If this email was forwarded to you, you can sign up to receive them here. Want to write to me directly? Just respond to this email!

Beautiful Cutler Harbor, one of the county’s most productive fishing harbors and the site of yesterday’s memorial service for lifelong lighthouse servant, Timothy Harrison. Click on the photo to see a beautiful aerial view of Cutler, including the Little River Light which would not be standing today without Harrison’s efforts. Photo by Ryan Malagara, Drones Eye View Inc.

Welcome September

A quick word of hello from September’s doorstep. After another fast-moving monsoon last week — one neighbor’s weather station reports nine inches of rain in August! —  we’re enjoying a week of seasonal perfection. Sunshine, just a few clouds, nighttime temps low enough to chill the water on your bed stand but not so low that you need to light a fire. 

Yet.

This time of year, I’m grateful for my father, who taught us all how to heat with wood, and taught my husband how to cut and split it. And of course, I’m grateful for my husband’s strong back, which spent all of Saturday with a chainsaw. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Springtime predictions that Washington County might see a firewood shortage led me to snatch up the offer to buy a truckload of logs from the town of Machiasport, which had recently cleared some land. This is the kind of good thinking that pays dividends for my family, but debits quite a bit from my husband’s account, as he is the only one of us who can wield a chainsaw. He spent all day Saturday cutting, and I’m grateful because if you heat with wood you know — we are late to this party. 

Fortunately we have a carryover of a cord or so. If you, too, are late with your firewood, let me know by responding to this email, and I can suggest some local providers.

Under beautiful sunny skies and in a church overlooking the scenic Cutler Harbor, yesterday I joined dozens of family, friends, and admirers in saying goodbye to the devoted — and effective —  lighthouse advocate Timothy Harrison, who passed away Aug. 19. I’ll bring you more on Harrison’s extraordinary work in an upcoming podcast, and likely again and again, anytime I have a reason to speak about lighthouses because he was the premier U.S. expert. Read about his extraordinary achievements here.

Sallie Craighead Leighton, my cousin, capably working with the fresnel lens of Owl’s Head Light. Photo by Bob Trapani

As a side blessing of my research into Harrison’s work, I was gifted this photo of my beloved cousin, Sallie Leighton, who passed away early in 2020. She was an endlessly curious and intelligent woman who, in her later years, devoted herself to the care and admiration of the Owl’s Head Light, especially its Fresnel lens. Neither her children nor I knew this photo existed until Bob Trapani, head of the American Lighthouse Foundation said, “I knew Sallie!” and sent me this photo and many others.

I’m thinking about lighthouses because next Saturday, Sept. 9, is Open Lighthouse Day in Maine. Here in Washington County, you can visit the West Quoddy Lighthouse in Lubec and the Moose Peak Lighthouse in Jonesport. West Quoddy is accessible by land, of course, but Moose Peak sits on Mistake Island. The private owners are offering two boat trips to the island, or if you have your boat, you can visit between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. All the details at the link above.

Fun fact: Moose Peak Light was featured in the 2016 film, To Keep the Light, which filmed in other locations across Washington County including Lubec and Machiasport.

Don’t miss these photos on Facebook

I’m grateful to be friends with a wide network of amazing photographers. This week I was delighted to share their work from the frontlines of Washington County nature, and a series of beautiful moon photos, too. You can find all 60-plus images on our Facebook page by clicking the photo above. If you’re a Facebook user, be sure to Like and Follow us, too!

Coming up next weekend

In addition to Maine Open Lighthouse Day this coming Saturday, Sept. 9, make plans to join me at the wonderful Machias Fiber Festival now held in East Machias at the Elm Street Elementary School. I’m a nut for all textile arts, including all that involve yarn, so you know why I love it. But I think you might love it, too. The festival’s huge array of of wool-centric farmers, retailers, and creators draws visitors from all across Maine and northern New England. And it’s a wonderful day to shop for gifts. 

Later that day, you’re invited to Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Restorative Harvest Garden Party, which will celebrate the future location of a community garden project created through the collaboration of Healthy Acadia, the Washington County Jail, the department of corrections, other community partners, and my dear friend Regina Grabrovac. The garden will support increased access to healthier foods in the jail and Washington County food pantries, and the party will just be a great time, featuring two food trucks and the music of Acadian Fiddler Gus LaCasse and the popular local band, the Milk & Honey Rebellion. All the details here.

Personal reflections

I love September for many reasons, including the fact that I was born in it. Birthdays can turn our thoughts to our parents, even when they’re not with us anymore. This weekend’s afternoon light moved me to write this tribute to my late mother, Connie Linn Craighead. You can read it by clicking the photo above, and reading the caption of the photo on my personal Facebook page. Photo by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

I enjoy sharing my love of Washington County, Maine so much I’d honestly do it for free. In fact, most of the time I do. But if you wanted to buy me an oat milk macchiato for my troubles, I wouldn’t say no! If you don’t use PayPal, drop me a note on other ways to donate. Thanks!