Summer meals seem to be made for shrimp and prawns. Both are aquatic arthropods, part of the broad class of Crustacea that also contain lobsters and crabs. However, prawns are not just big shrimp. They differ in means of reproduction and number of claw-like legs. A prawn will have three pairs of legs, while even a very large shrimp will manage with only one pair. This may appear to be a trivia fact once they are served cooked in a dish, but may be used as a quick means for identification at a seafood market.

Over the past six months, through this column, I have been able to share many memories of summers on Biscay Pond and, now, life as a year-round resident. Some of my vague summer memories involve a boys’ camp located on the Fogler Road. I remember hiking down the Fogler Road as a child and seeing this camp on both sides of the road. I recall the “Camp Biscay” truck being parked in Damariscotta and I have memories of campers canoeing down the Pond.

With the Fourth of July just a few days away, it is time for the Historical Society to plan for the late summer. The COVID-19 virus made it impractical to open the museum last summer and we have no plans to open it for July.

Did you know that dogs and cats can have allergies just like people? Signs of an allergic reaction in dogs and cats differ from those in people. Commonly you will see pets scratching, biting, rubbing, and/or chewing themselves. Other symptoms include, but are not limited to, head-shaking, ear problems, recurrent skin infections, skin rashes, respiratory problems, and intestinal problems.

This story, as told to one mother by another, is a hard one to write. Who does not love a feel-good story, one that makes you stop and smile or become teary-eyed with utter happiness? Then there are the hard-to-hear stories, the ones that reach in and crush your soul, the ones that keep you up at night, the ones that need to be written and very much need to be read. The ones that teach us a lesson and we never forget.

Writing articles for The Lincoln County News is both a rewarding and a difficult task. You might think that crafting perfect sentences and constructing flowing prose can’t be all that difficult. Everyone knows how to talk, and writing is just “talking” presented in hard copy, right?