Happy November, friends.
If you’re reading this, you must have some semblance of electrical power following the humdinger of a windstorm that visited us on Monday morning. Either you are one of the approximately 200,000 folks whose power has been restored…or you are reading my post on a phone you charged off a generator as you mentally calculate how much longer you can go without doing laundry. Either way, thank you for using your energy on us (and an extra special thanks if you’re in the latter category — hang in there!).
In addition to all the challenges an event like this creates in our lives, it is a powerful reminder of the breathtaking strength of nature. I have found it also creates a good opportunity for mindfulness. In the absence of electricity this week, I found it easier to be mindful of the small changes happening in the world around my home — the dispersal of milkweed seeds, the emergence of winterberry (the bright red berries along roadsides beloved by sparrows and other birds), and the return of Buffleheads and other overwintering waterfowl to our shorelines.
Thanks to the storm, we had two quiet days at Gilsland Farm and Fields Pond this week, but we are quickly ramping up for a busy November and December, including:
- Our annual Bird Seed Sale and Member Double Discount Day, happening Saturday, November 11, in our Nature Store. This is a great chance to do your holiday shopping. You can pick up a copy of The Naturalist’s Notebook, grab our Maine’s Naturalist 2018 Wall Calendar (available online, too) — or combine them with other Maine-sourced items into the perfect Maine’s Naturalist gift pack!
- Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox is hosting several more of his acclaimed Birding Basics courses at Gilsland Farm. Reserve your spot before these fill up, too!
- Following a brilliant and sold-out Speaker Series event with Bernd Heinrich and Nat Wheelwright last week, we’re excited to welcome Judy Camuso, the state’s top wildlife biologist, to speak on December 7.
Lots of great energy at Maine Audubon! For those of you still in search of energy of your own right now, I hope it finds its way back to you soon.