Down East Maine on Wisdom Road

Margie Patlak, in her book about Down East,  More Than Meets the Eye, writes:

“To be grateful for the opportunity to walk on this earth and be mesmerized by all its ephemeral wonders and mysteries: the thin ribbon of fog suspended in midair; the glittery dance of wind and light on the water; the intricate aerial choreography of a swooping shorebird; the pulsating wings of a gilded dragonfly; the throbbing of a persistent heart.

“There  always will be mystery and more to explore, because the more we know, the more questions we learn to ask, and the deeper we have to dig to find the answers.

“The meaning is there. I just have to find it.”

Deb Priest, the spry, 70+, so called Bug Lady of Acadia collects insect and foliage data for the National Climate Change Center:

“I enjoy watching the cycles of nature. If  I need to go some place for some peace, or perspective, I come here to the forest.  I feel more akin with what’s growing here, I feel a part of it. All the popular research suggests that trees communicate through their rhizomes. I always have sensed that. Since I played in their kingdom when I was small, I always felt a part of it. Everything is alive, not just me, and not just them growing their needles. I feel a life force. If I’m in the woods, and I see a fantastic tree I don’t hesitate to go over to the tree and touch it, because I know that there’s some life in there. Not like my life. But we’re both together on the same planet. It’s hard for me to quantify because I don’t really understand it.”

Gus and Warren Young, father and son Down East lobstermen:

“It’s hard to explain. There isn’t anything I’d rather do than this work. It just calls me to come out here. I’ve seen some of the prettiest sunsets and the most beautiful sunrises right here. There’s a smell to it.  A feeling about it.”  

“The ocean teaches you.  It’s unforgiving.  You never know what your catch is going to be. You never know if you’re gonna make money or lose money. And the ocean doesn’t care if you’re getting a good catch or not.  It can give you everything and take everything on the same day. It’s beautiful. It’s awesome. It’s aggravating. It’s sad. I am not afraid of the ocean, but if you are not a little scared, that is when you get in trouble.  That’s it: respect. If you don’t pay attention then it will punish you.”