Monday, May 20, 2013

Despite our recent stretch of dry, cool weather, there still are blooms to be found if you know where to look! On the left is a domestic PJM Rhododendron which can be seen in many gardens around the island. On the right is the wild Flowering Shad (or wild pear) which blooms very briefly in the early spring woods.

Our rainfall shortage may be eased somewhat this week as showers are expected at least through Friday. The full moon will occur on Friday, so after that we should be OK to plant (assuming the black flies will let us)!

Friday, May 17, 2013

A golden carpet leads to the stone barn.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Spring has sprung at the Smith Family Farm on the Crooked Road.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Fog over Eagle Lake on Saturday as seen from Cadillac Mountain.

We finally received some much needed rain over the weekend, and that rain came with dense early morning and late afternoon fog. The Cadillac Mountain Road opened for the season on Saturday, providing some interesting views of the fog banks which were spilling over the mountains and blowing up the valleys far below. Surprisingly, the summit of Cadillac was fog-free, although there was still a considerable high cloud layer.

The remainder of the Park Loop Road will open this Friday, followed by the Hulls Cove Visitor Center which opens next Sunday. Sunshine should return today and be with us off and on during the remainder of the week along with
cooler temperatures!

Many local residents are anxious to start planting their gardens, but the time-tested rule of thumb is to wait until after the last full moon in May. This year that full moon will occur on May 25.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Fog over Sand Beach and Great Head on Wednesday.

This is a scene you won't encounter very often - a fog bank hanging over Sand Beach and around Great Head while Otter Cliffs and the rest of Ocean Drive bask in bright sunshine! Ya gotta love Mother Nature, and she is always
"strutting her stuff" here on Mount Desert Island!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Fog has started to creep in over the last two evenings, probably marking the end of our spectacular run of sunny weather. In the photo above, the fog actually moved in off the ocean Monday afternoon before sunset,
leading to this ethereal scene.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Holland-America Cruise Line's "Veendam" anchored in Bar Harbor yesterday on a sunny but cool day, marking the first cruise ship visit of our 2013 season! By the end of October, Bar Harbor will have hosted 135 such visits from approximately 23 different ships!

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Sunrise over Long Pond earlier this week.

Thursday,May 2, 2013

Echo Lake earlier this week.

Our sunny, warm days and cool nights just keep rolling along - but we deserve it after the cool, wet days of
March and most of April! The blocking high pressure system that is our friend right now
should hang in there until sometime next week!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Long Pond at sunrise today.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

A red maple tree in bloom this morning.

FINALLY!!! Spring seems to have arrived - kicking and screaming perhaps, but it arrived nonetheless!
And the weather forecast predicts at least a full week of bright sun, warm days, and cool nights!
Except for the Loop Road, Acadia National Park is open and waiting for you! Get out and enjoy it!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Believe it or not, there are a few little flowers trying desperately to bloom despite our cool, wet Spring this year!
Take heart - warmer weather will arrive before too much longer. Maybe next week!

Monday, April 22, 2013

This little guy was spotted Saturday trying to get warm on a woodland path near his fresh water marsh.
If you want to hear the sounds of that marsh, made by many of his closest friends, click on the video below.

Spring peepers are back! In case you haven't heard them yet this year, or if you have never heard the wonderful chorus produced by these tiny frogs in concert with the other inhabitants of our northern fresh water marshes - here they are!
For best results, turn your volume all the way up.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

BOSTON MARATHON
April 15,2013

Never give in! Never give up! Never forget!

Pray for the victims, their families, and all of the heroic first-responders.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Stormy, unsettled weather such as we have been experiencing lately can be a real drag for those of us waiting for spring to finally arrive! However, clouds often produce some interesting sunsets like this one from last night about 7 p.m. Always remember to look up when you are out and about!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

This morning!

So what's up with the snow? It's mid-April already! Fortunately, the forecast looks a bit better for next week.
Maybe we'll even reach the 60's by Friday!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

It may come as a surprise to most of our viewers, but if you have a good pair of binoculars and know where to look, you can see the wind turbines at First Wind's new Bull Hill Project in Eastbrook from Mount Desert Island!

Monday, April 8, 2013

Schooner Head Overlook yesterday morning with Egg Rock in the background.
The snow is gone, but spring is still struggling to arrive!

Friday, April 5, 2013

We are not the only ones waiting for spring! Good browse is hard for this doe to find right now.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Remember the old seafaring navigation rule: "Red Right Returning" - but that's not an absolute guarantee of safety!
It is assumed that the red buoy is actually in the water, which may or may not be the case!
You still have to watch out for shallow, hard places; and especially for dry land!   

Monday, April 1, 2013

Despite the rain this morning, summer-like weather has FINALLY arrived! The forecast for tomorrow and the rest of the week shows bright sunshine with temperatures in the upper 70's during the day and in the middle 50's overnight!
Get out and enjoy it - but don't be an April Fool!

Friday, March 29, 2013

In recognition of the upcoming Easter weekend, here is a photo of sunrise over Bar Island in Bar Harbor
a few days ago. If the current forecast holds true, you may see a nice sunrise again on Easter Sunday morning!
In any case, we at MountDesertIsland.Net wish you a very HAPPY EASTER!

Monday, March 25, 2013

Sunset last Thursday evening.

The weather may not be so hot (sadly, no pun intended), but our sunsets continue to be beautiful!

Speaking of sunsets - we have so many on file that we decided to create a new page with
some of our most interesting sunset photos over the years. Check them out here.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Acadia National Park officials have announced that, due to budget cuts mandated by the sequester, many visitor facilities will open a month later than usual this year. The Park Loop Road, Cadillac Mountain Road and the Hulls Cove Visitor Center are now scheduled to open on May 19 instead of the usual April 15 date. In addition, hours at the Visitor Center will be reduced, and there will be fewer ranger-led programs this summer. Carriage Roads, hiking trails, and the short section of the Loop Road to Thunder Hole will remain open as they are all year. Year-round visitor information will continue to be offered ar Park Headquarters on Route 233 at McFarland Hill.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Spring snow yesterday and today!

March 20 may mark the first day of Spring, but it certainly is not apparent from looking out our window!
With that in mind, we thought that you might like to see something blooming....so here you go:

Streptocarpus.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Waiting for spring....and another snowstorm!

Friday, March 15, 2013

In spite of our recent weather ups and downs, the days are clearly becoming much longer. We already have gained over 3 hours of daylight since December 21. The photo above shows a welcome view to the west on Wednesday at about 6:30 p.m. with the sun still above the horizon! By June the sun will not set until after 8:30 in the evening and daybreak will arrive around 4:30 in the morning!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Is this your driveway?

Ah-h-h, mud season! Don't ya just love it?
Now where did we put those pontoons?

Monday, March 11, 2013

Late winter / early spring sunset last weekend.

Finally, it appreas that our weather pattern is changing with warmer daily highs and milder overnight lows! That means spring may be on the way after all! But it also means "mud season", and if you live in Maine, you know more than you want to know about "mud season"!

Friday, March 8, 2013

Waiting for spring and "ice out".

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

An immature bald eagle keeps a close eye on some open water at the outlet of Seal Cove Pond yesterday.

Today marks one full week of "unsettled" weather, which has meant almost continuous rain and snow showers along with temperatures relatively steady in the low 30's and plenty of clouds! Yuk! The forecast indicates more of the same for the next two or three days followed by a most welcome return to some sunshine.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Another inch or two of "flurries" this morning.
This stalled weather system is beginning to get a bit "te'jus"!

Friday Evening, March 1, 2013

Tired of snow yet?
At least our steady barrage of "flurries" today did not produce flakes this big!

What is that old adage "In like a lion, out like a (dare we say it) lamb"?
Welcome to March.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The full "Snow" moon at 2 a.m. Tuesday morning.

With yet another winter storm heading up into the Gulf of Maine, the current "Snow" moon is particularly appropriate.
At least this time it appears that our precipitation will be mostly rain. But we've learned not to count our chickens too soon, because on a number of occasions in years past, we have received more than 10 inches of "flurries"!
This storm is a slow mover and will be with us into the beginning of the upcoming weekend!

Monday Evening, February 25, 2013

A single point of light on a black background?
Well - not exactly.
This is a photo of the International Space Station as it passed over Acadia National Park at 6:20 this evening.

The MDI High School boys team lost the Eastern Maine Championship game this afternoon to Medomak Valley by a score of 56 - 50. It was an exciting game with MDI ahead by 6 at the half. Despite the loss today, MDI had a great season! Congratlations to Medomak Valley on their first championship since the mid-1980's!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Bar Harbor Village Green in February.

BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT UPDATE

The MDI High School boys team won their semifinal game last night against Presque Isle 51 - 40. They will now face Medomak Valley on Saturday for the Eastern Maine Championship! Unfortunately, the MDI girls team lost to Presque Isle on Wednesday afternoon 62 - 48. Congratulations to both teams on a great season.

The Class B Boys Eastern Maine Championship game is scheduled for 3:45 Saturday afternoon at "The Mecca", and
it will be broadcast live on Maine Public Television.

GO TROJANS!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

An old barn in Seal Cove.

Our second weekend blizzard in as many weeks produced plenty of wind and temperatures in the teens, but not very much snow. We received perhaps 3 to 4 inches, but that's hard to measure with the high winds and extensive dirfting! Snowfall was a bit heavier away from the immediate coast.

In another "believe it or not" moment, our weather continues to offer surprises with temperatures in the 40's and a half inch of rain expected tonight! Go figure! Maybe spring is not too far away!

Saturday 4:00 p.m., February 16, 2013

CONGRATULATIONS
to the MDI High School girls and boys basketball teams who both won their quarterfinal games at the 2013 Tournament in Bangor! The girls now will play Presque Isle in the semifinals on Wednesday afternoon, and the boys will be in the semifinals against Presque Isle on Wednesday evening. As you may know, this is the last High School Basketball Tournament to be played at the "Mecca", since it is being replaced by a new auditorium/civic center complex currently under construction. Virtually all long-time residents of eastern Maine have very fond memories of great times in the double-decker bleachers during "Tournament Week" for the past 57 years! Even if you don't have children or grandchildren on the current MDI basketball teams, you might want to make a nostalgic last visit to the old "Mecca" this Wednesday to cheer them on and to experience a part of Maine history! The Presque Isle teams are tough competitors, so our kids will appreciate your support!

And in the "Can You Believe It" category - we are under another Blizzard Warning for tomorrow and tomorrow night! This time it should not be quite as bad as last weekend, but 4 - 8 inches of snow driven by 55 knot winds appears to be a likely scenario! So what is it with all these windstorms we have been experiencing over the past several months?
Anyway - stay in, stay warm, and stay safe!