A New Season

As the colors of autumn begin to flourish I am reminded how much I love the state of Maine and its seasons. Mainers will begin to see “leaf peepers” in areas that showcase the state’s beauty, while the residents of Maine will break open their safes in search of their favorite shotgun for bird hunting season. Many of us “backwoods” Mainers will have that shotgun mounted on a wall beside a mount of a turkey or whitetail deer. I myself have busted out the buffalo plaid and orange hunting hat in anticipation of “pahtridge” season. 

That iconic Maine accent is something I never acquired but it is something I have grown to love over the years. I always thought it made us look ignorant, but that isn’t the right way of looking at it – it makes us unique. I didn’t realize how many people I knew had the accent until I left for the service.  My father came down south to visit me in the service in Louisiana and asked for “haahhd liquahhh” (hard liquor) and they had no idea what he was asking for. Turns out people with a new england accent sometimes need a translator for the southern accent and vice versa. 

Louisiana is also in the northern hemisphere thus the seasons are the same but, the humidity in Louisiana will either make you really moist or really cold depending on the season. I remember getting harassed because I was from Maine, but I was still really cold down there in the winter months. Some people have a theory that it “thins out” your blood, but I’m not sure there is any evidence that backs this up.  You have to trust me when I tell you it’s not like the dry cold we have up here.