Maine is one of the five states I have never been to. Alas. Someday, I hope.

I was gifted on where and had a great family to be born into.

If you can actually choose.

In 2008 I realized divorce was in my immediate future, and looked at several parts of the country, because I knew I did not want to stay in Kansas. I wound up choosing Santa Fe, NM for my new life. Excellent choice. I tell people that Santa Fe is a wonderful place for an older woman (I was 60 at the time) to re-invent herself. I don't know what it's like for men, sorry. I do know that this city tends to roll up the sidewalks at 9pm, and I would not want to be a young person here. But for me it was perfect.

Most people wind up living where, or near where, they grew up. Or where they got a job. Or were transferred to. Very few people get to choose exactly where they might want to live. I've actually done that twice in my life. Once, early in my marriage, when my husband and I decided to move to Minnesota. And more recently, when I decided to move to Santa Fe.

I also recognize that most people decide to be happy with where they live, which is a very good choice. There is no point in spending a lot of time and energy disliking where you live. But honestly, so many people wind up where they are by default. Okay, so I understand things like wanting to be near your children or grandchildren.

Anyway, I still hope to get to Maine someday.

I'm a 69 YO guy that moved back to the place I built, after my ex passed away. It cost me the best relationship of my life. I did this for my kids and wanted to seriously develop the 50 acres I have...stay tuned. see what happens!

delightful weather. Presently in Fryeburg in the silver city. Pretty wild. You'll have to look it up. Heading back to the coast for 5.99/lb. steamers. Local knowledge goes a long way.

I have 2 sibs living there....a great place in NE to hang out!

A friend passed through N. Conway headed for Rangely. Lunch at Delaney's.
Back in Camp Ellis for a couple of days visit with old, old chums.
Golf at Shattuck in Jaffrey before wedding in Lenox.
New axle in our 1970 Safari in Plattsburg before return to NH coast and then Bailey Island for some sailing.
The good life.

Huot's and Wormwoods were go to places for my family when I was growing up.

Been going there for 50 years.
Know Huot's, but with the seafood here we generally cook in. He gets bluefin.

I would go back but an 8 hour drive is no longer the fun it used to be. I'm 80.

I miss Exchange Place, Portland before the chain stores took over the retail space.

Good memories, just thinking about it.

Come back, if you feel like it.

It reminds me.... friends had a farm near Acton. It was just the acres land that were farm accessed. The farm house burned down in the fire of -- was it 1949? That fire burned from the coast to New Hampshire.

Anyway, we would bring tents and sleep in the field. At night, the Milky Way would appear. We can't see ithe Milky Way in New Jersey. I saw it again in Bar Harbor.

Yes, I'll be back.

Bob's Clam Shack in Kittery, Ogonquit's Marginal Way, evening harbor cruise out of Portland.... too much to not see and do again.

Anita Shreve that centers on the coastal fires of I think 1947. Powerfully written. And a cautionary tale on a couple of fronts.

I feel very lucky that we are able to be in New England and love coastal Maine. Friendly peeps in addition to the ocean, lakes and mountains not that far away, etc.

Pretty devastating, but we've never had anything like that since.

covering the forest bed.


NJ has the Pine Barrens. Some part of the barrens catches fire every summer. The state D.E.P. has controlled burns but that doesn't entirely prevent the damage.

We average 2 tornadoes a year that are barely F1, the occasional hurricane has usually weakened. Our only curse is snow, and that we have learned to deal with quite well. Knock on wood!