I was on vacation between Christmas and the new year, and made time for a beach walk, one of my favorite winter things to do. I feel a bit traitorous writing about Popham in my Lincoln County News monthly column, but keep in mind, it was all Lincoln County once, and for a very long time, too.

implies either “a patron saint of England” or “relating to a farmer.” At least one of these is correct! My good wife’s name is “Myrtle,” which could be interpreted as “a clinging vine,” occasionally true.

As Irving Berlin said it, in his “White Christmas,” “May all your Christmases be white.” Are all Christmases white here in Lincoln County? I thought I would look it up and see. As many of you know, I have a National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Station here at my home. I have the information I have collected over the years which will tell how many of the last 60 Dec. 25s have had snow on the ground to make them a white Christmas.

For a few weeks we have been seeing a huge immature hawk around our house and property. The other day Jon Poland called to tell me that there was a big owl on the Brown Church and that I might like a picture for my column. I rushed down and got a somewhat decent picture but when I expanded it on my phone I could see that it was actually the hawk that we have been seeing. I guess that he must have enjoyed the view from the top of the church.