Surprise! Long Cove News is back!
Thank you to Marilyn Hughes for the phone call on Saturday, July 22, which pushed me into action. Plus my sister-in-law, Tori, jotted down their Maine summer vacation highlights to go along with some of what’s been happening since my last writing of April 25, although if you caught it, I did in May, but it was actually Lori Crook’s column under my name/column.
Anyway, forward, I say, as summer is already waning and the garden processing is well underway. We must move on in order to get anywhere. So here we go!
First things first, and that would be the news I received from Marilyn a real life Long Cover. Congratulations to Marilyn and Harold Hughes on celebrating 66 years of marriage on July 22. She told me that she had been asked about their secret to such a long marriage and she replied “wives need love” and “husbands need respect” – it works for them. And good words to live by, but I would add that we all need love and respect. R-E-S-P-E-C-T – find out what it means to me, a little sing-song there.
Again, congratulations to you both. And thank you for the news — very much appreciated. Marilyn also stated that there was a good quantity of people hanging out in Long Cove swimming, boating, etc.
Onto my summer relative report via Tori Nichols. Tori, Tripp, and Lola arrived at their home in New Harbor on June 6 after stopping by High Hopes Farm on their way through.
They did a lot of fishing while here, fresh and salt. Got some really great fishing pictures! Isaac Rose was part of a few of those outings.
They attended the Rock the Harbor event held at The Contented Sole in Pemaquid, where they danced with Julia Rose and other locals. Fun time, she said.
Tori’s childhood friend, Kelley Lynch Austin, from Georgia, visited with her from June 27 through July 2. They did more of that fishing, walking, eating lobster, and enjoying ice cream cones, and paid a visit to Aunt Lindy in Camden. She turned 90 on June 11 – Aunt Lindy, that is, not Kelley. Kelley tried some new things and really enjoyed her stay in Maine.
On July 3, Jay, Jay Fred, Kasey, and Adrian arrived, along with more friends from Georgia, Terri and Butler Day.
Independence Day, July 4: this year, the annual Round Pond parade saw more Nichols participating. The girls from Georgia, Tori, Kasey, and Terri, helped to make up the Tacky Tourists.
And the crew of S.B. Nichols – Ross, the boss — came up with the game plan for it this year. Ross drove the dump truck and towed the lift. Steve and I loaded the RTV with small trees and, once again, we, with the help of Isaac Rose, handed them out to parade watchers. It’s always fun to do this and see the look of wonder as they receive a parade keepsake that they will remember for many years to come.
Later in the day, Tori and Jay hosted a lobster feed for 21 family members and friends. Great food and great family fun!
Kasey and Adrian worked at the farm with Meaghan and had a blast. (Ross would have been working.) They had a delicious dinner with both Meaghan and Ross that night. They headed home on July 9.
On July 10, Tori, Jay Fred, Tripp, and Lola walked the LaVerna Preserve Trail all the way to the water and back. Beautiful!
Tripp got to play sternman for Eben Lord and spent time with Isaac fishing and hanging out, like teenagers do.
The weather was great while they were here and it’s always hard to return home, but home they went and now it’s a little quieter in New Harbor. LOL! Thank you, Tori, for your write-up. I appreciate the help.
Now on to other things that have happened since my last update. We said goodbye to many, like Louis Doe and Dana Small, whom I came to know when first moved here as the postmaster at the Chamberlain post office. He always had a smile for you and made you feel a part of the neighborhood. There are numerous others, for which I send my sincere sympathy. It is kind of sad to know so many have left us, but I was always told that it gets to be like that the older you get. Still, we go on with life, for it does not stand still.
Other happier events included the graduation from high school of Alexis “Lexi” Black — Steve’s niece, Heather Pruitt, and Chris Black’s daughter — from Dublin Scioto High School in Ohio on May 28, and my niece Sarah Simmons — Scott and Julie’s daughter — from Lincoln Academy on June 1. Congratulations, girls!
Myles, my nephew Kory’s son, lost his first tooth on June 6, turned seven on June 10, and when school was out, he attended a day camp.
On June 15, Ross and Isaac, along with the Bristol Consolidated School’s eighth-grade class, headed off for a rafting trip. Ross — get this — went as a chaperone. And come to find out later at Isaac’s eighth-grade graduation/recognition ceremony on June 21, Ross was a much-welcome addition to the group, as he was a big help with the kids. Always a fun trip!
Father’s Day was hosted by Lowell and Jen this year. It made it much easier for Mom and Dad having to just walk across the road. Very nice gathering and my GF Donna Whitney attended at my request. It is always good to see her and I was able to give her the afghan I had made for her birthday on June 17. Do you like how I’m inserting my new notes? Playing catch-up is always hard, no matter how you got there!
Let’s move on to the garden, for much too soon it will be over. It has been kind of a difficult garden season. First it was too cool, then it was too warm, too dry, and all along the way the insects were too numerous to keep under control. We’ve also been experiencing deer, bunny, and porcupine trouble. But not to worry; if you plant enough of it, you will end up with something. A shower radio is now being used and it seems to help; my devastated canning beets just might have time to make a comeback. Fingers crossed!
We have been enjoying fresh lettuce, beets and greens, snow peas, carrots, Swiss chard, and green beans, which are just beginning. Oh, so delicious right out of the garden.
Soon I hope to be canning the bounty and making pickles and relishes, which I didn’t have the opportunity to do last year. A lack of time and/or resources or maybe both, I don’t remember from a year ago, but things are looking good for tomatoes, carrots, and the cucumbers to date.
A couple of weddings I need to note: childhood/lifetime friend Fred B. Hatch IV married Annette Merrill on July 1 and Steve’s niece Shannon Pruitt-Shoptaw married Billy Paul on July 22. Take note, Shannon, of aforementioned 66-year marriage on the same date – a good omen. Congratulations and best wishes go to both happy couples for many years to come!
Lots of birthdays will not make this year’s list of happy birthday wishes, but I did try to keep up with most of you, and you know who you are via Facebook. So here is another one of those blanket wishes for May, June, and July. Hope they were good ones!
Oh, and we experienced a state shutdown for three days! Those days were days they had off anyway, being the long Fourth of July holiday, but a shutdown nonetheless and then they got to work and passed the budget. I think it even made the Round Pond parade.
OK, it’s taken me two days to write this much, so I’ll end it here and sign off with my usual “have a good one!”
