The Wrack

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Weatherization has always been held up as one of the easiest and first solutions to climate change; why not pick that low-hanging fruit?

Its morning in Antarctica. Its high summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and warmer ocean water and breezes have lifted the temperature on the Larsen C ice shelf to a balmy 32 degrees. Like a rifle shot, the ice occasionally gives off a pop that finds no place to echo across the flat, white,?featureless plain.

Because were a national estuarine research reserve, we study the life that exists between low tide and high, between fresh water and salt. Perhaps were used to swings between extremes, to the different worlds that are continually uncovered and recovered here. Elections and world events matter to us, sure, but our work goes on no matter what.

Kennebunk resident Paul Dest, for 16 years the director of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, was honored on December 12 with the 2016 Dr. Nancy Foster Habitat Conservation Award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Dest was presented with his award at the National Summit on Coastal and Estuarine Restoration and 25^th meeting of The Coastal Society in New Orleans.

I missed a meeting.

Let me explain.

So, there is this marsh, see. And there are these things called tides. They work together to distract people like me in the most marvelous way. People who grew up around predictable pond water. Dont get me wrong, I love my memories of growing up on Long Pond just outside of Rangeley, Maine. I cant imagine a better place to be a kid.

If the first casualty of war is the truth, then truth never stood a chance.

Its too early to tally the full damage from Hurricane Matthew, but I watched closely as four research reserves in our national system took the brunt of the storm.

The following was published in the Biddeford-Saco?Journal Tribune Sunday edition, 10/2/2016, and?Making It At Home's 10/5/2016 issue.

When my wife, sons, and I went away to our annual family reunion over Labor Day Weekend, we never expected to return home to find a party raging at our house. Wed left our cat, Greenberry, in charge of the homestead. When we got back from our trip, she was playing host to hundreds of obnoxious guests.

Fleas.

The enjoyment of simple things can be the most rewarding.