“Where, Oh Where Has Our Maine Gone?”

Being from Maine and just like my parents before me, I have seen lots of “progress” while I have lived here.  In fact, I even moved north from the region I was born in, to get away from all that “progress.”  Whenever I go back to my mom’s house, I cannot wait to leave, I hardly know the place much less see many people I know! I am proud to be from Maine, proud of the way I talk and how I think.  It may not be the perfect place for everybody, but it is the perfect place for ME.

And as life gets more complicated,  I find that I long for traditions and things that are familiar to me. Because sometimes life isn’t so easy We have lots of humor and humorous people here.  My dad used to listen to Marshal Dodge of Bert and I albums and roared. My dad was also a friend of Judd Strunk – the folk singer that made the small towns of western Maine famous with a song called “Daisy a Day.” And like the true storyteller Judd Strunk was, this one is my favorite, “The Biggest Parakeets in Town”

Now with YouTube, podcasts, blogs and Facebook, we have all kinds of other ways to stay tuned to the old stories, accents and our old friends.

Here are a couple of some of the new kids on the block that I would like to share with you!  If you are a current Maine inhabitant or “Maine-iac”  (or a Mainer in Exile as I refer to my brother), there are some great resources that can link you to the minds of those doing great things to keep our heritage in tact!

Here is a quick funny tune for you…

Then there is Dickie Baker or Dickie Richards. He has a YouTube Channel.  He has a video cast he does called, “What’s f’Suppah?” My favorite one he does is showing us the recipe for Moxie Boomers.  Of course Moxie being a Maine beverage, he also has some other more random, fun videos, about Cutter Bug Dope and Port-A-Potties.  He is a gem, I don’t know him personally, a friend of mine posted one of his videos and tagged me on Facebook and instantly I was a Fan.

Then, the truly multi-media treasures I JUST learned about are Rose and Trout.  They have a website, blog and weekly podcasts that are just wonderful.  They tune up their downeast Maine accents and have a conversation similar the ones my brother and I used to listen to at Jack’s Trading Post in Farmington.  We used to hide in the back of the store and just love listening to the stories that were told.  Now we do the same at MC’s in Birch Harbor. My brother comes for a visit each year and every day he goes to “the beer store” and I get to do it nearly every weekend in the summer.  The locals  don’t think what they are talking about is funny, it is just their life and we love how they stitch the words and humor together!  It is the “realness” of it all that makes it extra special.  Check out Rose and Trout  – I promise you will not be sorry!

My friend Brett Slater of Slaters Garage just shot a commercial for Dick Stacey.  For all of you that know Dick Stacey’s Country Jamboree on Channel 7 out of Bangor about 20 odd years ago, this is just for you!  Here is a video Bret shot promoting the DVD for Dick Stacey’s Country Jamboree.  And of course, there is Jenny Shontelle with the “On the wings of a snow, white, dove…”  It is a bargain and you can order it now!  I know a few people that I will be stuffing their stockings with that gem of a gift!

Being proud of our heritage and having a sense of humor is something we are desperately trying to hang on to here in Maine, we have lots of folks “from away” that move here because they like it so much only to want to change it to be exactly like the places they left behind.  We like our dirt roads, our small towns without WalMarts, early frosts and our state flag with the motto of “DIRIGO” on it.  (Most of us even know what that Latin phrase means!)

So the next time someone teases you about your accent and asks if you are from Maine – just give them a jolly “YES-SAH” or a “WICKED” with a big smile and know you must be doing something right!

3 thoughts on ““Where, Oh Where Has Our Maine Gone?”

  1. Living in Maine for 20 years now I consider myself from away with all due respect to those who are born and reared here.. Not only did I love your blog, but being a good friend of yours I truly understand and enjoyed your take and insight to what we have here in Maine. I am privileged and proud to be living here. I even know personally a Maine humorist and actually worked with him before he became a known comedian. One thing that you touched on that I can’t stress enough is to allow humor into ones life and to express it. Statistically humor boosts immunity, decreases pain, relaxes muscles, relieves stress, among multiple other attributes. So lets continue to promote this great Maine sense of humor. And one more thing…..Humor helps unite people during difficult times. Thanks Kelly.

  2. You’re so right! I’m a Mainer in Exile, working in Korea ’cause I couldn’t find work in Maine. I came to your journal by way of Rose and Trout on Facebook. Bernard is familiar, as I lived on Swan’s Island for 4 years, and used the ferry to Bass Harbor regularly. Also used to hang out with Robert Skoglund when he was going to college, so I ain’t no spring chicken, lol! You got it right about Maine humor. I just hope that people keep on finding the smiles in everyday life and spreading them around with a little twist of spruce gum for flavor.

  3. Living in Korea? Jeez! We have a camp in Corea but that is a lot different! And speaking of different, I made some chicken soup with dumplings tonight – I am thinking it isnt the same dumplings you get over there! Maine Humor gets you thru life and so do good friends. You gave me a smile and I look forward to staying connected with you! What is the temp (in Farenheit) over there? It is 44 here right now? They say snow Monday night…

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