Pemaquid Point Dawn

    I woke at 3:32 AM - tried sleeping some more but to no avail.  I slipped out of bed at 4:19, pulled on jeans, made a cup of coffee and whispered for the dog to come.  There was to be a lunar eclipse as the full moon was setting in the hour before dawn, and I had decided to go watch it.

   As soon as I reached the end of the driveway, I knew this was a good idea.  The moon was huge and orange in the western sky with just a hint of a smudge at its upper rim, and it stayed within my sight while I drove down the peninsula from Newcastle. I was headed for Pemaquid Point.

   When I reached the shore of Johns Bay, it was still quite dark.  The sky was that deep midnight blue that I love, and from overhead and to the east was still filled with stars.  The brightness of the moon made them invisible in the west.  There was a bench by the rocks where I sat and watched and sipped warm coffee and nibbled icy cold raspberries that I bought and chilled the night before just for the occasion.

   There was a lot happening in that sky.  The eclipse began at the top and advanced faster than I expected.  If I looked up to see if the stars were still shining, or to the east to see if the dawn was breaking, I could see the difference when I looked back.  The stars and the dawn were competing, and even though I knew it was futile, I was rooting for the underdog - every time I looked up and could still discern a star or two, I cheered them on.

  Then as the moon went for cover and darkness was giving way to lightness, I saw a small shape move on the rocks about 25 feet away.  I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me and that it was a small piece of driftwood and then I saw that it was a small dark cat.  I was so happy about that little cat wanting to be with us while the dog and I watched the moon.

   Then, just as I was marveling at how wonderful this all was, it got more wonderful.  As the moon slipped from sight, the sounds emerged.  The water lapped quietly - the tide was low.  Then the birdsong began and the shore birds chimed in with saltwater cries.

   At about the time the moon was obscured, the sky suddenly filled with color.  I couldn't believe my eyes because it happened so rapidly.  One minute I was under a dome of blue and the next, everything was pink.  Pink clouds out of nowhere and all was light.  The downside of all that light was I didn't see the rim of red that happens sometimes when the moon is fully eclipsed.  By the time it happened, the dawn's early light prevailed.

   I've watched only a few dawns in my lifetime - never been much of a morning person.  And although I rarely miss the full moonrise, I've never even thought about the moon setting. Tuesday's dawn was awesome and illuminating.  I'm going to do this again.

Kathleen Shattuck

Winter Solstice at Pemaquid Point

   Yesterday marked the beginning of the winter solstice. Here in the Northeast the days will begin to grow longer and the nights shorter. At Pemaquid Point this is the time of year when the angle of the sun creates the most dramatic sunrises and sunsets.  This morning I walked over to Pemaquid Lighthouse to see if I could get a "sample" for you of the winter solstice sunrise.

   It seems only fitting that this colorful, dramatic sunrise takes place over Monhegan Island. In the summer Monhegan Island attracts people from all over who seek to capture the natural beauty of the island in a painting or photograph. Jamie Wyeth's studio was on the island for many years. At the peak of the summer season there are as many as 20 art studios open on the island. But, with the onset of the winter solstice, the island and the sun are best enjoyed from the mainland!

Lee Simard

Good News for Waterfront Real Estate

    OK, right here, right now I am officially putting an end to all talk about recessions and the economy being bad and the real estate market going to...heck.  I don't want to hear any more gloomy news from The Fed or CNBC or anyone else who thinks they know what the economy is going to do tomorrow.  If you follow the news at all, by now you have heard that Wall Street is handing out enormous bonuses.

   Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack set a new record with his bonus of $40 Million and was feeling pretty good about it until Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein got $53.4 million. If Mack handles this like some of our beloved sports figures he'll soon be on the news talking about how he's disrespected and needs to feed his family and then he'll say he's not coming back to work until Morgan Stanley shows him the love and gives him more than Blankfein.

   Now these are just the top guys, altogether Wall Street is giving out something like $36 billion in bonuses!  This is a staggering figure.  It usually takes Congress a couple hours to go through that much.

   But why, you ask, is this "good news for waterfront real estate" and why should anyone in Damariscotta and the Pemaquid Peninsula area of Maine care?  Well, because this is not excessive gluttony for a few obscenely wealthy individuals.  Oh, no.  There is going to be a trickle down effect.  These guys are going to spend this money.  And what are they going to spend it on?  We're told primarily cars, restaurants and real estate!  Specifically waterfront real estate.

   Well nobody represents more fine waterfront properties in mid coast Maine than Newcastle Square Realty.  I want Wall Street to know that we're standing by ready show property. How about a nice cottage by the water or maybe a private lot to build on or an entire island in Damariscotta Lake? Whatever your heart desires, we have it or can find it. So if you're a Wall Street bonus recipient or even if you're not, give us a call today and let us show you around one of the prettiest parts of the world. Just please, don't try to tell us how bad things are down there in the big city.

Jim Cosgrove

Moon Over Pemaquid

   We've owned our home at Pemaquid Point since 1978 and I can't count the number of fantastic sunsets and incredible moon rises we have enjoyed. Nearly 30 years later our awe at the beauty is as great as ever. Unfortunately, the photo above doesn't come close to capturing the moment. I tried to time this shot with the light on the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and you can just make it out underneath the moon.  You can click on this photo to make it bigger on your screen.

Lee Simard