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A SEASONAL TAKE ON MIDCOAST LIFE Spring/Summer 2023 FREE Finding good medicine in movement A new wave of Midcoast entrepreneurs Thomaston PD drives down the electric avenueNational Bank Maine is the place we all call home and we’re working for you to make sure your best days are ahead of you. With fast, local decision making in our eighteen branches from Wiscasset to Calais, and membership in one of the largest bank ATM networks in Maine, we make banking easy and convenient. Dream first, because you can. A Division of The First Bancorp • 800.564.3195 • TheFirst.com • Member FDIC Bangor • Bar Harbor • Belfast • Blue Hill • Boothbay Harbor • Brewer • Calais • Camden • Damariscotta Eastport • Ellsworth • Northeast Harbor • Rockland • Rockport • Southwest Harbor • Waldoboro • Wiscasset PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 3 Writers: Roe Chiacchio, Kate McMorrow, Kendall Merriam, Max Provencher, Sarah Ruef-Lindquist, Sarah Shepherd, Kay Stephens, Erica Thoms, Sarah Thompson, Chris Wolf Steve Edwards, Graphic Artist Cait Stewart, Graphic Artist Kathy Frizzell, Sales • Sarah Morley, Sales waveJanis Bunting Advertising Director Lynda Clancy Editorial Director PO Box 401, Camden, ME 04843 PenBayPilot.com/WAVE Shades of Joy: The Belfast Duck....................................5 Lighthouses and their allure..........................................6 Thomaston PD drives down electric avenue..................8 Grieving the loss of a beloved pet................................10 Saltwater, sunshine and sea glass.................................12 Maine real estate trend................................................15 How to regain muscular strength................................16 Growing into our most vibrant selves..........................20 Maine-grown shiitakes and immune system boost......21 Finding good medicine in movement...........................22 Rockland and Beauty....................................................24 Making sense of markets in ever-changing times.........26 Retirement planning for the spending years................28 Challenging 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons.......................29 Cleaning up Gulf of Maine marine debris....................30 Tick lab adds testing services.......................................31 New wave of Midcoast entrepreneurs..........................34 Spring-Summer Wave big events.................................36 Cooking the perfect hard-boiled egg............................38 Cover photo: Dance artist and fitness instructor Hannah Jean Hildreth leads a class at Midcoast Strong in Rockland. Photo by Lynda Clancy Lighthouses and their allure Page 6 Saltwater, sunshine and sea glass Page 12 How to regain muscular strength Page 16 Finding good medicine in movement Page 22 Spring–Summer Big Events, page 364 the WAVE • PenBayPilot.com SOLARLOGIX MIDCOAST MAINE'S PREMIER INSTALLER PH:207.218.1411| www.solarlogixmaine.com SOLAR&HEATPUMPS PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 5 (800) 439-4311 | AllenIF.com/Medicare Call Anna Moorman Licensed Medicare Sales Representative #PRR115378 Call Jo-Ann Neal Licensed Medicare Sales Representative #PRR225788 Offices in Rockland, Camden, Belfast, Southwest Harbor and Waterville. Ask Allen. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. I don’t know how we could have navigated Medicare decisions without such wise, professional guidance. Whenever the opportunity arises, we highly recommend Allen Insurance and Financial.” “ A client writes: Shades of Joy: The Belfast Duck Photos by Erica Thoms By Erica Thoms S ummer in Belfast brings warm sunshine, fresh ocean breezes, and endless opportunities for outdoor fun and relaxation, all as reliable as the tides. But what appears in the harbor is sometimes quite (or not quite) mysterious. For the past two years, a giant inflatable duck — 25 feet tall – has surprised and delighted locals and visitors. Dubbed the Joy Duck, its appearance is never scheduled. Nonetheless, there is already a little legacy. The duck initially appeared in Belfast Harbor August 14, 2021, with a simple message printed on its chest: Joy. Where the fantastic fowl flew in from, or where it went remains a secret. At one point, the duck was spotted moored in Crow Cove, off Islesboro, leading to much speculation. Joy Duck made a second appearance Oct. 21, 2022, though this time the message had grown to read: Greater Joy. The colossal creation was moored near the Footbridge; however, Joy Duck apparently had other plans one particularly windy day in late October. The plucky inflatable broke free, drifting away from the waterfront, even evading multiple capture attempts. The daring duck is reported to have drifted roughly 20 miles, ending up across Penobscot Bay, edging toward Blue Hill Bay. Joy so captured the hearts of the Midcoast that its image was recreated in an ice sculpture, albeit in a scale closer to to the size of an average duck. During Belfast’s 2023 Ice Festival, an artist carved its likeness and in the days that followed, social media was flooded with pictures of admirers posing with the icy creation. There is also a social media page dedicated to keeping tabs on the giant bird, sharing pictures and videos: #joytherubberduckie. The mystery of the massive bird's appearance is only dwarfed by deeper considerations. What is the duck thinking as it bobs in the harbor? Happy to be here, surrounded by friendly faces and salty breezes? Secretly plotting another escape and dreaming of adventures on the high seas? Or is it simply content to float along, soaking up the sun? The mystery has regaled Belfast with a sense of whimsy, as well as reminder to embrace the unexpected.6 the WAVE • PenBayPilot.com Three lighthouses. Three photos. Three gorgeous moments in time By Kay Stephens A uthor and photographer Bob Trapani’s latest coffee table lighthouse book, Gleams and Whispers: Maine’s Lighthouses and Their Allure, examines some of Maine’s 66 lighthouses from angles and perspectives rarely seen. Trapani sees lighthouses not merely as useful structures, but as watchers, sentinels, and keepers of human life. “It all starts with light,” he said. “They represent the finest of the human spirit in that they were built to save lives by preventing shipwrecks in the dark, stormy weather, and fog.” As the Executive Director of the American Lighthouse Foundation, he is able to access some lighthouses, getting into places the general public doesn’t usually have permission to see. In addition, he has cultivated long-time connections with members of the lighthouse community and for the last 25 years, has worked as a volunteer lighthouse technician for the Coast Guard Auxillary. For the book, Trapani climbed through rockweed-covered ledges, stood outside in sub-zero winter temperatures at dawn, trudged through waist-high snow, waded through the ocean, and laid down in brine pools to get his shots. “I view lighthouses from all different aspects, from a preservation side, an aid to navigation side, and from the general public’s view of them as well,” he said. “I have a deep appreciation of the history of each one, so I like to pull subtle components from all of these various angles into one photograph.” Here are three photographs in which Trapani explains what it took to get the shot. “I try to tell the story of each lighthouse through unique angles.” Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Bristol “I often spend time looking up down, and around, and not even look at the lighthouse because I’m looking for an aspect that people haven’t seen before,” he said. “I was down on the north end on the rocks and found a puddle. People probably thought I was crazy, lying down flat on the rocks with my camera inches above the tide pool. This image through the puddle is reflected through time. That lighthouse looks the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” Lubec Channel Lighthouse, Lubec “I’m standing on the gallery looking down at the water,” he said. “The sun was coming up over Campobello island and to me, I saw the lighthouse’s history in the shadow of the shot. There’s so much to a lighthouse that is a mystery and we’re never going to learn about all of it. You can visit these places over and over and you may not ever see this perspective of the lighthouse ever again.” Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. Photo courtesy Bob Trapani Lubec Channel Lighthouse. Photo courtesy Bob Trapani Map Your Wellness Journey We address the root cause of your concerns. We create a plan designed around YOU that maps out your path to wellness. We harness the healing power of nature and combine it with modern science to help you heal. Healthcare for you, not just your symptoms Featured Services: Natural Family Medicine | Functional Medicine Chronic Disease Treatment | Botanical Medicine Personalized Nutrition | Hydrotherapy Therapeutic Supplements | Specialty Lab Testing …and more 817 Commercial Street Rockport, ME 207.466.9079 www.atlasnaturopathic.com Dr. Alison R. Maloof Naturopathic Doctor Accepting New Patients Rockville Community Chapel Quilt Show 87 Old Rockland St. (Located behind the Green Thumb) Sat., Aug. 12 • 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Enjoy refreshments on the lawn. Browse at “Grandmas’” Attic and used book table Donations accepted at the door to support the continuing restoration of the chapel PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 7 Marshall Point Lighthouse. Photo courtesy Bob Trapani Home Nursing Services Camden • Rockport • Lincolnville • Hope COMMUNITY SERVICE • HOME CARE SERVICES • CLINICS Providing Nursing Care to Patients in Their Homes Regardless of Ability to Pay WE WELCOME: Adults of all income levels and ages. Those who have been denied services because they are not housebound and classified as having a need for skilled care. REFERRALS: Referrals may be made by physicians, health agencies, family, friends or the patients themselves. Please call 207-301-6272 if you feel we may be of service. FREE LOAN OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT A limited supply of walkers, wheelchairs, crutches and other medical equipment available for loan. Donations gratefully accepted. CADNA, PO Box 547, Camden, ME 04843 Marshall Point Lighthouse, Port Clyde “To me, this spoke to the idea of renewal—vitality was returning to the coast of Maine and beauty was blossoming. The Marshall Point lighthouse is just one of those places you have to see in person in the spring in the splendor of the flowers and the greenery. By the way, the one tulip that’s broken—I did not do that, but I did use it!” For more information about Gleams and Whispers: Maine’s Lighthouses and Their Allure, visit shop.momentsinmaine.com 8 the WAVE • PenBayPilot.com Did you hear that? No? Thomaston PD drives down electric avenue and into the future By Sarah Thompson “That little Mustang out there is an animal,” said Thomaston Police Chief Tim Hoppe. A year old, and ripened with 14,000 miles of maturity as of Jan. 30, Thomaston PD’s little electric car is great in the snow, according to Hoppe. Based on weight ration, it’s relatively heavy for the battery centers, and it’s an all-wheel drive vehicle. “I’m not saying it will climb a mountain,” he said, “but I would definitely put it up against some things that would normally get stuck.” Hinging on the Town of Thomaston’s commitment to greenness, the police department is slowly converting its small-town fleet to electric, starting with the little compact that’s sometimes seen re-juicing at an electrical outlet outside the station. Thomaston PD previously used Dodge Chargers, which are coming to the end of the line at the end of 2023. Twenty-five or 30 years ago, Crown Vics carried the town name. “So, the mass production – everything fit to the next generation,” said Hoppe. “Well, the Mustang — I’m not an engineer for Ford — but I would imagine that at some point that design’s going to change.” Therefore, the current Thomaston Mustang will be the one and only for the fleet of electric vehicles. Each cruiser is replaced every 10 years. Going forward, the headlights of conversion are aimed toward Ford Lightning pickup trucks, following the belief that, like all pickups, parts will be transferable, thus potentially saving the town in maintenance expenses. That said, the Mustang is already saving taxpayers money. Lots of money, according to Hoppe. Gas is not needed. Oil changes are nonexistent. Thomaston has solar panels, and, “if I understand it correctly – we’re not even paying an electric bill anymore,” said Hoppe. Thomaston PD previously used Dodge Chargers, which are coming to the end of the line at the end of 2023. Twenty-five or 30 years ago, Crown Vics carried the town name. Helpful Hands Caring Hearts Founded in 1997, PALS for Living is the premier non-medical personal care agency in mid-coast Maine. We are focused on providing the compassionate, intuitive support your loved one needs to remain safe, comfortable, and confi dent at home. Call 207-594-5805 or visit palsforliving.com For More Information please surgery • dentristry small animal medicine acupunture exotic animal medicine luxury cat and dog boarding Welcomes Dr. Kim McGill to the practice. 207-789-5700 www.blakevet.com PenBayPilot.com • the WAVE 9 And the car is quiet, which can come in handy, according to Hoppe. Though, sometimes it can be a little too quiet. The radio can be heard easily through the doors. “As a matter of fact, it’s so quiet, if you’re talking on your Bluetooth going down the road, people can actually hear speaking through the doors,” said Hoppe. The tallest Thomaston police officer, standing upright at 6 feet, four inches, fits comfortably inside the little car with room to spare. And, officers delight at the heated leather seats that were included with the basic package, allowing the department to spend its money instead on new LED lights. Thomaston is roughly 11 square miles in size. Hoppe estimates that on average, each shift, officers drive 90-100 miles. More miles are clocked during the night than during the day. The downfall for Thomaston PD, during the winter, comes with not having a garage. The Mustang is kept charged, yet mileage is lost on the charge. “You have to constantly reset the charge service,” said Hoppe. “Not the end of the world, but you probably lose – in reality, sitting outside in the cold while it’s being charged – you lose 25- 30 miles of distance.” But, when back on the road, the car regenerates when the foot lets off the pedal anywhere and hits the brake; it does a reboot, and warms up the batteries. “And then you come back in, you plug it in, and you’re basically back to it,” he said. Vibrant, Healthy Seniors LIVINGLIFETOTHEFULLEST EACHandEVERYDAY www.LINCOLN-HOME.org 207.563.3350 22RIVERROADNEWCASTLE,MAINE O n t h e B a n k a R i v e r LobsterBake Barbecue Beer&Wine BlueberryDesserts SandyRiverBluegrass-Dancing! AUG.12 4:00PM Tickets:$55LobsterorChicken;$65Both KidsUnder5:FreeHotDogMeal ASpecialFundraiserforResident’sFinancialAssistanceFund O n t h e B a o t t a R i v e r JOIN US! JULY 4 4:00-8:30PM Barbecue SadietheBarCar BouncyHouse TheBoneheads-Dancing! FireworksontheRiver $5Donation Nocoolersorpets equinoxguidingservice.com (Editor’s note: Thomaston has 30 Central Maine Power accounts that are tied to municipal buildings, pump stations and streetlights, etc.; 29 of them had no charge since the town’s new solar array was fully functioning last July. The town does pay for the meter that monitors the amount of energy that goes from the solar array to the grid. The town also budgets to cover about 10% of the annual electric cost just in case something goes wrong or there are a lot of cloudy days.) Small but tough, an electric Mustang is driving Thomaston Police Department's next generation of vehicles. Photo by Sarah ThompsonNext >