Sun, 06/30/2024 - 10:30am

Ed O’Brien

The former site of McLaughlin’s Lobster Shack, being cleared to put in additional parking for the Ferry. (Photo by Greg Clayton)

Remember when summer used to seem to last forever? Those long weeks with no school and few responsibilities? What do you remember most from those long ago summers?

As summer shoots by at record speed, as it always seems to these days, I have been thinking about what this season meant to my younger self.

Summer always meant visitors. Having relatives who live in Maine in the summer is a great draw. It was especially fun when the old friends and relatives had kids. We could show them the cow and pigs and chickens, take them down to play in the stream out back, build forts in the hayloft with the newly put away hay bales. I have a clear memory of trying to convince a southern cousin, with limited success, that I guarantee there are no gators in Norton’s Pond. Like many Mainers, I assume, the only time we had lobster was when we had visitors from out of state.

Those hot, humid summer afternoons frequently meant that a trip to Ducktrap was in order. It was always a good 10-15 degrees cooler there, even though it is barely a mile away. Ducktrap in the early 1980s was still pretty much a locals only spot, with the crowds gathering on Lincolnville Beach. Without beaten up beach sneakers, your feet would be shredded by the mussel shells and barnacles, but once you got out to the sandbars at low tide, you could kick off your shoes and sprint across the soft, velvety sand.

If you’ve been down to Ducktrap this year, you have seen how changed the little peninsula is, largely eroded by this winter’s storms. A sad state of affairs.

Fourth of July is this week. The Fourth was always a good time. Fireworks were of course illegal in my childhood, but for some reason I have strong memories of amateur shows in backyards… must be my bad memory, because I know for a fact that fireworks were strictly forbidden. And giving a pack of tween boys access to firecrackers sounds down right irresponsible.

Then and now, fireworks are a controversial item. They play havoc on pets and livestock, and can trigger trauma for some people. I think rules of basic decency apply, and maybe be considerate and limit their use. And my dogs may not agree, but I really do like fireworks in moderation. My inner 12 year old, already a loud presence in my head, finds the combination of noise and explosions pretty darn cool.

Of course, there is a lot more to the Fourth than just fireworks, and a lot of fun can be had with a backyard fire, food, and friends and family.

The strongest memories of summer, however, are just the time spent not doing much of anything. Reading on a rainy afternoon, playing with trucks and toy soldiers in the sand pile, finding cool bugs under rocks, swimming and riding bikes. A childhood in a small place.

You know, having lived here for nearly 50 years, not a whole lot changes. Sure, there are some new houses, some new people, but it still feels a whole lot Ike the place I grew up in. Often, nostalgia can make us look negatively at the present, which seems problematic to me. Things change, and things stay the same, and this is okay. Kids still swim and ride bikes, dig in the sand and turn over rocks looking for cool bugs. And summer still lasts forever for them.

The Strawberry Festival Approaches

The Church Ladies of the Lincolnville United Christian Church are gearing up for the annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday morning, July 13. This event has been going on for decades. There is always some controversy about when, exactly, the first Strawberry Festival was, but is has been nearly 30 years. This year’s festival will kick off with a parade down Main Street to the church at 10 a.m., with kids on decorated bikes, trikes, and wagons joining the parade at the library. I will write more next week, but mark your calendars, and pray for sun.

Putting in a Parking Lot

True to their word, the State has started the process of turning the former site of McLaughlin’s Lobster Shack into a parking lot. McLaughlin’s is, of course, going strong across the road, but it was still a bit sad seeing that building go. I spent a lot of summers there, cooking lobsters and breading clams. And to be honest, that location is probably better served with a parking lot, given the reality of the storm surges of recent years. Hopefully this will help open up our town parking places for people who want to enjoy our shops and Beach. On a recent morning, nearly every one of out theoretically four-hour parking spaces were filled, and yet the Beach was empty. Assumedly, most of these vehicles owners were bound for Islesboro, proof that the current ferry lot is not sufficient.

School Budget

The school board is busy putting together a new budget to go before the voters. The board will meet again on Monday, July 1, at 6 p.m. at LCS, and will hopefully have the budget finalized. The Budget Committee will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the town office to make its recommendations, before the Select Board meets July 8 to approve a special town meeting warrant. As our Town Administrator has said, there will be school in September.

And that’s my town news for this week. Happy Fourth, Happy Summer. Try to find some time to tap into your own childhood memories of summer, enjoy this beautiful place we live in. Have fun and reach out at ceobrien246@gmail.com

CALENDAR

Monday, July 1

School Committee, 6 p.m. LCS

Tuesday, July 2

Library open 3-6 p.m. 208 Main Street

AA Meeting 12:15 p.m., Community Building, 18 Searsmont Road

Budget Committee Meeting, 6 p.m. Town Office

Wednesday, July 3

Library open 2-5 p.m.

Thursday, July 4

Independence Day, Town Office Closed

Friday July 5