The river is already quieter now. More boatless moorings. Seasonal boaters have squeezed out the last of summer’s gaiety. Through the pines lining our river bank, we see the occasional white sail slipping silently by, heading to a safe haven for a winter “on the hard.” A few leaves are starting to turn. And the hummingbirds will soon disappear, commencing their long migration southward after taking their last long sips of nectar. Some of us retirees will keep our boats on the water as long as we dare, until the chill fall air makes inevitable the decision to haul them out. It has been a good season on the water.

“But why not, Mrs. Dunn?” Pickles asked.

September is National Service Dog month, and to help celebrate these highly trained “dogs with jobs,” it seems only fitting to discuss what a service dog is (and isn’t) and to elucidate the role of anyone who might find a service dog in their midst.

Farmers markets at this time of the year brim with mounds of bright red tomatoes with contrasting purple and variegated eggplants in their vegetable stands. And yet, in plant classification they are fruit and by botanical definition berries. Both are well known as edible, even though they belong to the nightshade family of plants, with some deadly relatives.

Cars zoom over Deer Meadow Brook on Route 215 and on the Sheepscot Road, but deep in the center of Newcastle there is no road or bridge, today, across Deer Meadow Brook, on the Old County Road. This is a part of Newcastle not often seen by the traveler. It is what makes Newcastle a two river town.

It’s funny how the beginning of summer brought such concerning drought and seems to be ending with so much water. To escape last week’s heat and humidity, I took a break at a favorite local spot, under the maple trees at Sheepscot General.

Earlier this year, I wrote what I believed was my last column for The Lincoln County News. After writing for nearly two years, I bade farewell to my readers and assumed that a door had firmly closed. However, after going three months without writing the column, I realized that I missed Backyard Wildlife. The door, as it turns out, was merely ajar. I’m pleased to say that I’m back and writing again. Like before, I welcome reader comments and feedback via the email account listed above.

Well, long time no see. I’ve been off on summer vacation enjoying our extended family and grand kiddos. My wife Paula and I are fortunate to have a place on Damariscotta Lake, and we made the most of it this past month.

Take a trip back to Maine’s past when you visit the Washington Schoolhouse in Round Pond. Throughout August, the museum at the 19th-century schoolhouse will be open on Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m. Visitors can imagine themselves learning as they sit in the lovingly restored classroom from bygone days.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Center estimates that the recent Northern-European floods will cost $9.25 billion in damages. By 2100, Europe’s flood costs could rise to $56.5 billion annually. Over the remainder of this century that totals $4.52 trillion.