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After 324 days of straight rain (give or take) I thought this beautiful double rainbow would offer Washington County some hope. Photographer Alexa Keeley captured the image from Lubec in 2022. You can see more of her beautiful photography and order prints here.

Friends report the chickadees sing all winter long at their house, but here, birdsong returned only last week. It’s a welcome counterpoint to the torrential rains that have turned our lawn to quicksand. 

In years past, two ducks have taken up residence in one of our larger puddles. I expect them any moment.

Many of us are attuned to the birds this time of year, watching the skies for the osprey to return from South America. My friend Tommy, who lives on a riverside hill in East Machias, will let me know when they arrive along the Sunrise Trail. Those pairs typically arrive a week or so before the Machiasport pairs and when they do, I say spring has officially begun.

Another birdwatching friend wrote to me this week to ask if I knew what kinds of birds were on the pond at the University of Maine at Machias. I haven’t been on campus recently, but, I said, they’re typically Canada geese.

No, he said, they’re white. Could they be swans?

Excited, I began to research what kinds of swans might come through Maine. This article lists four possibilities: the Mute Swan, Tundra Swan, Trumpeter Swan and Whooper Swan. 

But I soon found out there are five. 

Yesterday during a Zoom meeting attended by several UMM staff, I posed the question, “Does UMM have swans on the pond?”

The meeting went silent, then someone said, “Who wants to tell her?”

They’re fake.

To discourage Canada geese from overrunning the pond, they’ve installed these fake swans as a deterrent. They’re keeping the geese away, but unintentionally attracting excited photographers, with very long lenses.

I’ll be sure to grab a photo soon, and you’ll be able to find it here, on our Facebook page.

More aspirational spring imagery — green grass! Not only is my front lawn not green, it may not even be a solid anymore! See below for a more believable Washington County Easter image.

Weekend Events

Things are hopping this weekend and that pun is 100% intended. AND it’s entirely possible that the sun will shine! But whether it does or does not, these events are indoors and worth a visit.

The Underground Railroad in Maine: Retracing the Tracks with Pamela Cummings. Free. Friday, March 29, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Milbridge Theater and Community Arts Center.

WA Players Present Murder at the Book Club: The Washington Academy drama club is excellent and on Friday, March 29, you can catch their final performance of Murder at the Book Club. All the details here.

Mr. Machias, A Family Friendly Pageant: At the University of Maine at Machias on Friday, March 29 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Kappa Alpha Kappa is putting on Mr. Machias, a family friendly pageant show! Twelve contestants will perform a dance number, followed by a swim suit, talent, and formal portion. Concessions will be for sale, half of all sales will go to winner’s charity of choice. $5 Admission, ages 10 and below are free.

Machias Festival of Baskets: The Festival of Baskets will be at the Lee Pellon Center in Machias on Friday, March 29 from 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, March 30 from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and on Sunday, March 31 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Refreshments sold by the Jonesboro Union Church Auxiliary. Sponsored by Machias Square and Compass. Photos with the Easter Bunny!

Skate Lubec: This Saturday, March 30, is the next-to-last Saturday night of roller skating at the Lubec High School. I think this is one of the coolest events to make use of a high school gym, and I’m ashamed to say I haven’t tried it yet! All the details in this group. It runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and after Saturday, April 6, it will be shut down until November.

Indoor Yard Sale at the Jonesboro Grange: This will run through the entire month of April as a co-project of the Roque Bluffs and Jonesboro Fire Department, and Jonesboro Grange #357. Donations will be split between the two important organizations. Opening Day, Saturday, March 30, will run from 8 to 5 p.m. Can’t miss the Grange, just drive through Jonesboro!

Maine Maple Weekend, The Sequel: Last weekend’s winter storm deterred visitors to Maine’s many sugar shacks. Locally, Chandler’s will open it’s shop again this Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They’re located at 5 Look Lane, Columbia Falls.

God Bless the ladies of the American Legion Post 9 Auxiliary in Machias. For years, come snow or high water, they stuffed and “hid” thousands of eggs for their famous Easter Egg hunts, like this one my children enjoyed in 2013. Eventually tiring of the snow hunts, they tried one on July 4th instead. Despite slightly melted chocolate, I think it was a great success. I hear they may be resuming their hunts in 2025.

3 Easter Egg Hunts

If you time it right, you can get some serious egg hunting practice in on Saturday, March 30. Think of it as training before the Easter Bunny’s more serious efforts on Easter Sunday. Best to take your kids with you, though. They frown on grown adults picking through for peanut butter cups, as it turns out.

Porter Memorial Library’s Annual Egg Hunt: Saturday, March 30, at the library, 92 Court Street, Machias. Children ages 0 to 6 will hunt at 11 a.m., and then kids 7 to 11 will hunt at 11:30 a.m. Then make your way to…

Easter at West Branch Farm: An outdoor egg hunt begins at noon. There will be 3 age groups: 0-4, 5-8 and 9-11. And after the hunt is done, enjoy story time at 12:30 p.m., and then photos with the Easter Bunny himself! Address and other details here.

Egg Hunt and Bunny Visit in Jonesport: After West Branch, head for Jonesport’s Peabody Memorial Library from 1 to 2 p.m. for a visit with the Easter Bunny and another egg hunt! All the details here.

Choose happiness by following Starboard Farm’s Facebook page, where they are currently sharing photos and, thank heaven, videos of their new spring lambs. Last month I had the pleasure of attending a donut-making workshop at Starboard Farm, and I’m still thinking about those donuts. Click the photo to visit their site.

Drooling over these cookies? Me, too. We’re surely too late to order for Easter, but I wanted to draw your attention to the work of local baker Wrighteous Designs Custom Cookies. I’ve seen some pretty impressive custom orders on their page.

Minor Rant

In my day job, I write a lot of book reviews. After squinting my way through a particularly bad book about gardening, I wrote a little rant about AI books. Click the photo to read.

Way Downeast on All the Apps

I’m getting ready to kick off my next season of Way Downeast, so stay tuned for the next episode! I’ll announce it here and on our Facebook page.

I’m delighted to report that the Way Downeast podcast is now available everywhere, including Apple podcasts, which will simplify things for iPhone users. But you don’t need a subscription or a smartphone to hear the podcast; just click the photo below to listen for free on our website. Catch up now!

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 oatmilk latte for our troubles, we wouldn’t say no. You can donate by check to our new PO Box, by Paypal, or by Sripe!

Thanks!