I hope folks won't think me too weird for this week's adventure in paradise. My weird has been well documented over these past some 40 years of life here on the peninsula. I would call myself, moderately weird.
You can ask Merritt Grover at Grover's Hardware. But, then, on second thought, be careful what you ask Merritt — proceed with caution.
The weirdness about which I speak is as follows. I rather enjoy photographing in the rain, especially in late fall. When the leaves are wet and hanging down, and the tree bark gets black and the moisture is thick, there is a transformation that takes place. Some parts of where we live become other worldly. The marshes deepen and merge with their waters, the sky grumbles and becomes heavy, and seeing through the vapors softens everything. I like it.
The other day in the rain I was coming back from Damariscotta on River Road — it was positively enchanting. Like driving through a tunnel with the slick wet roads clearly guiding my eye over the next rise and into a following curve.
I swung left at Pension Ridge and headed for Back Narrows. As I was about to turn on to Back Narrows Road, Pleasant Cove Road glowed, and I followed. Wonderful warm golden oak leaves tumbled out of trees lining the road. I love late fall when the colors tone down. The brilliance of maples oranges, and reds are gone. There is an earthiness that sort of wraps around us pulling the light and flavor of nature back into the earth, and the rains soak it in.
It's a more even time, late fall. Things mellow a bit. You can smell the changes, even without the rain.