Ed Robinson

Pete was lunching along the shore of Cobscook Bay near Lubec, enjoying a fine view. Suddenly he felt a sharp sting, then another. Pete noticed tiny red ants crawling up his legs, clearly with painful intentions. He brushed them off, wondering what triggered the attack.

Summer is a time for traditional activities, including picnics, water sports, camping and stargazing. I fondly recall soft evenings when you could romp in the grass barefoot, playing a late game of tag and begging Mom for ice cream cones or s'mores.

If there is one point upon which we can all agree, it is this: Harpswell is endowed with great natural beauty. Drive around town and you will be rewarded with scenic views the equal of any along Maine's thousands of miles of coastline.

This season encourages walking in the early morning hours. The air is fresh and sweet, and often filled with a variety of birdsongs. This morning I heard one of the defining calls of the area, the high-pitched tones of an osprey overhead.

May is one of the best months of the year, a time when we climb out of the recliner, shake off the winter cobwebs and shift our patooties into high gear. Mud season is behind us, summer beckons and spring is bursting out all over.

Maine's ticks are considered a public health hazard, and not just because of Lyme disease. A woman recently died from Powassan encephalitis, a viral disease carried by deer ticks.

It was easy to close on my target because the road in Georgetown was lined with vehicles. I arrived before noon on Jan. 2 to find the lawn packed with at least 60 people bundled up against a cold mist.

When we landed in Harpswell, local friends told me about the fisher population. Surely they were pulling my leg; fishers would not be found here! In fact, fishers are quite common in our area, along with coyotes and the occasional bobcat.

While November may not be as eagerly anticipated as October’s foliage season, for many people it is a favorite time of year. As the days get shorter, our white-tailed deer population enters the breeding season known as the “rut.”

If there was a contest for the title of “cutest Maine bird,” the winner would probably be the Atlantic puffin. There are lots of other feathered contenders, but people seem to fall in love at first sight with the chubby, colorful little puffins.