Working Waterfront

Tales from a Town Meeting moderator

Our annual Town Meeting is March 14 at the Islesford Neighborhood House. I’ve attended more than 40 of these and no two are alike. Some wrap by lunch. Others go on and on. Some are contentious, others drama-free as we handle the business of a small town spread over five… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Forever friendships

I like to imagine North Haven as a hub at the center of the world. A glowing dot on a map, it sends out pulses of energy, drawing people to it. Most answer the call, at one time or another. Maybe just a day sail through the Thorofare, or a… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

My best kitchen utensils

Periodically, some august publication sets forth a prescription for The Best Kitchen Utensils. Sometimes I even agree with them, though their emphasis is usually on new single gadgets while my list contains splendid vintage items and multitaskers. Here is my current list. Good knives: a large chef’s knife, two fine… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Scallops and me

I have a short and complicated history with scallops. Growing up in Maryland, my fondness for seafood mostly extended to the basics: canned tuna; flaky white fish; some crab, shrimp, and shellfish; occasional lobster and salmon. I don’t remember starting to eat scallops until a decade ago, and they quickly… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A path to electrifying Maine’s working waterfronts

Maine's coast is beautiful, with mountains to mudflats, pine trees to pebbles. It is more than a scenic backdrop; it is an economic hub for the marine economy. The working waterfronts of Maine are home to one of the most productive lobster fisheries in the world, a growing aquaculture industry,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The fear across the bay

It’s been an old-fashioned winter so far. Outside it’s all snow, cold. My phone is full of videos from Minneapolis that look like they could just as well be from Portland. Snowbanks line the roads, plumes of breath blend with clouds of tear gas. The zipper on my winter coat… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The power of a room of one’s own

When my parents purchased the home that I grew up in nearly 60 years ago, the $12,000 price tag was almost out of their reach. They managed to pull together a down payment, and that home has remained our family’s center of gravity for six decades. As homes go, ours was small. Two bedrooms, one bath, a tiny kitchen and living room, and an unfinished basement… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

All that is old is new again

Writing for the New York Times, Kim Severson annually digs deeply into food trend predictions and comes up with what we ought to expect to see in the coming year. For islanders, the good news seems to be that with a little tweaking, we can participate this year. Or, actually,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

My space to be creative

I look around as I sit at a freshly decluttered desk in my studio to write for the first time in 2026. This 8-foot by 10-foot room has been the work area for countless projects and creations for over 40 years. I used to design and make jewelry here until… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Winter is time for ‘vertical swimming’

My love of swimming is well documented. But while I don't turn my nose up at a cold dip, the salty miles I log in the Millstream and Pulpit Harbor every summer aren't possible from October to May on North Haven. As an alternative, when we get any amount of… SEE MORE