Tag Archives: Greenville Maine

That’s Where I Come From

Today I am expressing my gratitude for Growing up in Greenville, Maine.  There have been few influences on my life greater than this.  The foundation of who I am today was built on the streets, in the school, in my home and with the people I shared the experience with.

S

Winter is a long season in Greenville, it makes you tough. and you really like spring! the Katahdin is a iconic boat that cruises Moosehead Lake, and of course an image of Mt. Kineo. All images of home.
Winter is a long season in Greenville, it makes you tough and you really like spring! the Katahdin is an iconic boat that cruises Moosehead Lake, and of course an image of Mt. Kineo. All images of my youth and this wonderful place.

Small Town To Say the Least, Greenville, Maine

Greenville was and is a very small town, but it was the only town I knew as home as a child. There are two sides of the coin when you

My brother and I actually playing outside. That is what it looks like.
My brother and I actually playing outside. That is what it looks like.

live in a small town.  On one side people are supportive of you in all that you do.  On the other side, it is difficult to live your life without having everyone know your business.

That is the fate of a small town, for me, those issues were never a factor because I loved living there and growing up with the people I grew up with.  A small town gave me the foundation to think, create and write.  In  many ways, I have never felt as much like myself as when I was there.

Friends Forever

It is an odd thing about friendship that it often flows in and out of your life like the tides in the sea.  The shared experience that you

The Indian Store, a non- PC name for a non-PC town. But a one of a kind shopping experience.
The Indian Store, a non- PC name for a non-PC town. But a one of a kind shopping experience.

build your friendship around often determines the length of the friendship.  Believe it or not, the people that I went to elementary school with in Greenville, Maine are still some of the dearest friends I have.

There was something about working our way through the growth of our youth that allowed us to bond.  With very few exceptions, today when I see someone from that era, we can talk and carry on in a fashion like no time has passed.   I believe this is true because we knew each other before life taught us hard lessons, and gave us difficult things to deal with.  At the core of each of us is that person we were when we were young.  I think I look at those friends with the eyes of understanding, that I know who they are, and they know me.  There is no judgment on choices we have made, or what we have become, it is what each of us was that I remember.

When I hear from one of these people on Facebook, or should I see them in person, I am transported back to a time in the 1970’s before cell phones, computers, and video games, when we actually played outside, every day.  These were my brothers and sisters and still are today.  That is an experience I am extremely grateful for.

The Town Itself

If I took you on a tour of 1970’s Greenville, we would walk the mile

It was not a rare occurance to see a moose, a bear or any other Maine wildlife. It was a small town in the middle of nowhere!
It was not a rare occurrence to see a moose, a bear or any other Maine wildlife. It was a small town in the middle of nowhere!

from the school to my house in the Junction, and on the way there, most every car that passed we would recognize.  It seemed like I knew everyone.  We would walk to Breton’s store which is still there today and buy the candy treat of our choice with the quarter I had squirreled away for just such an occasion.  My parents never worried that I would be harmed or abducted. They told me to never talk to strangers and in Greenville, it was easy not to do, I knew everyone even as a kid.

If we went into the downtown area, there were a number of old haunts which still exist today at least enough to let you meet the ghost of my memories. It doesn’t matter if I went to Jamison’s Store or to Harris Drug Store, I always seemed to get what I was looking for.   I was always with a friend or my brother and we were always on the go, heading to a pickup game of some sort.

Moving, The End of That Life

As I was finishing the 7th grade, I found out my family was moving. I didn’t tell anyone because I  think I felt if I just ignored it then the move would never take place.  I did not want to move.  I loved my friends and my life there.  After moving I picked up the pieces of my shattered reality and moved forward, but in my heart, I will always carry that place, the people, and our experiences there in Greenville, Maine.  I am grateful for them all!

The Boys are back in Water

Nostalgic Music Month Day 17

Water by Jon Hilton

A view of our favorite swimming spot through the trees on Dyer’s Pond

In all of my formative years, I was fortunate to be blessed, living within view of a lake or a pond in all places I lived.  My earliest memories are of these places. They are Moosehead Lake in Greenville, Maine and Dyers Long Pond in Jefferson, Maine. Each comes back to me in memories and it is clearly a part of my soul is in each. This is the story of how these two lakes contributed to my life and formed much of what I understand about the world today.  It is a fortunate thing to be raised in the woods of Maine, even though I often thought otherwise. There are lessons you learn about life and respect for nature many people seem to lack today.

  1. Water– Brad Paisley- To live in rural areas one of the first elements you need to master is water. Learning to swim in this scary, monstrous and mysterious lake is one of the first challenges we meet. I remember well
    This was camp, and that boat was my main source of travel, freedom, and entertainment.

    the day I learned to swim. I was standing on the dock at my grandfathers. Tentatively thinking about swimming but fear was in my way. What if I couldn’t do it? Suddenly I was picked up and was hurtling through the air and into that dark scary abyss.  After the initial fear and shock wore off, I realized that I was swimming, and there wasn’t anything to be afraid of at all. Life lesson learned. It is one I have to recall even today when something new comes along. Jump in, give it a go, you will never know if you don’t give it a try.  Yeah, when that summer sun starts to beatin’ down. And you don’t know what to do. Grab your swimming trunks. Ice up that old igloo. Drive until the map turns blue.

  2. Down to the Waterline– Dire Straits There was a path that ran from our camp on Dyers Pond through the woods, past four other camps with the final destination of my grandparents. I ran that path thousands of times in my youth, usually with no shoes on. I knew all of the camps and their inhabitants as well as family. The path was right next to the water. I was very fortunate to be set free almost all summer. I had to be polite when I was around people and was taught to be honest, kind and caring. But when it came to summer days, I was set free with my brothers to go and do whatever I could dream up that day. The woods and the waters were my playgrounds and my teachers.  Respect was the biggest lesson I learned running along the waterline. She can see him on the jetty where they used to go. She can feel him in the places where the sailors go. When she’s walking by the river and the railway line. She can still hear him whisper, “Let’s go down to the waterline.”
  3. All Summer Long– Kid Rock- Growing up and going to camp every summer of my life was a tough life. The lake was not only for fun but also for bathing. There was no shower at the camp. Why? Because you went swimming every day. Usually two or three times. We actually could go as many times as we wanted as long as we could find someone to watch us. Any adult would do.  Of course, we also had to wait 30 minutes after we ate before we could swim. It was based on the unfounded belief that if you swam before your food started to digest you would get cramps and drown. We followed this “science” without question.  Living at camp also meant, using an outhouse, and filling up jugs of drinking water and carrying them home. We definitely take a lot of simple things for granted today.  Splashing through the sandbar. Talking by the campfire. It’s the simple things in life, like when and where. We didn’t have no internet
    But man I never will forget.
    The way the moonlight shined upon her hair
  4. On the Border– Al Stewart- Wind was a constant companion on all lakes. In Greenville, the wind was a powerful and constant factor in life. It made a moderate day colder and a cold day frigid. It did develop a toughness, that if you can handle that cold wind, everything else is minor leagues. In Jefferson, the wind dictated what types of activities the day would bring. Wind out of the south meant warm happy days of sunshine. Wind out of the North meant colder days and maybe some indoor time.  In the village where I grew up. Nothing seems the same. Still you never see the change from day to day.No one notices the customs slip away.
  5. Sitting on the Dock of the Bay– Otis Redding- There are many subtle things about living on a lake you take for granted at the time, but remember as priceless memories. Seeing the movement of the water through the day, or the shadows as they move. Shouting to nobody so that you can hear the echo of emptiness roll off into the distance. Sometimes sitting, watching and thinking are the best adventures available. You just have to take the time to notice them. A lake is a living, breathing entity that provides a life for millions of creatures small and large. As a day drifted softly toward its conclusion, the shadows on the shore grew long and I knew it was time to find the warmth that was waiting at home.  So I’m just gonna sit on the dock of the bay. Watching the tide roll away. Ooo, I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay. Wastin’ time. 

Thin Lizzy by Mike Martin

If I want to feel invincible, all I need to do is listen to The Boys Are Back in Town from the Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy. The song was originally released in 1976, on their album sixth studio album, Jailbreak- a song that wasn’t even selected to be on the record until a couple of  Louisville, Kentucky DJs helped bring the song to prominence.

Guess who just got back today
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven’t changed that much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy

“It was 1976 and we were touring America,” recalled Scott Gorham (a California guitarist who contributed to the Thin Lzzy’s twin lead guitar signature style). “Jailbreak wasn’t shifting and we weren’t selling any tickets – but there we were, gigging around… The manager came in and told us, ‘Well guys, it looks like you have a hit record’… Our response was, ‘Wow! Which song are you talking about?’ When he replied, ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’, it was a case of “Really?” We’d demoed maybe 15 songs and ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ wasn’t among the ten that we chose for the album, which in some ways made it a double surprise. We owe it all to two DJs in Louisville, Kentucky. They fell in love with the (x) song and played it incessantly until other stations in the surrounding area picked up on it… Had that song not kickstarted the sales of the

Boy trying to get back in town

album, then the band was over.”
Thin Lizzy formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1969. Phil Lynott’s was the band’s de facto leader. He was the composer or co-composer of almost all of the band’s songs, and the first black Irishman to achieve commercial success. He died from a condition induces from Heroin dependency in 1986.

Stay safe folks and please have a terrific Tuesday!

Please, have a great day, and if you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

Kiss It on Over

Day 7 Nostalgic Music Month

Kiss- by Jon Hilton

When I think back on growing up in the 70’s and the music that I liked as a very young person, Kiss would be at the top of the list. Their music is and was like sugar to the brain. It hits a spot in your brain and makes you want to sing along. Even now, many years later I remember all the lyrics to songs.  The funny thing is that I had no idea what these songs were about.

So choosing the top 5 Kiss songs was difficult. I am ignoring their later

The best toy ever!!!!

1980’s stuff because by then I had moved on to music with more depth. The Kiss songs I am choosing are the ones I listened to while playing with my  Evel Knievel motorcycle action figure. There was a developing depth but it was years away. At that point, I was satisfied with Shout It Out Loud, and crashing things. Here are MY top five Kiss songs for Nostalgic Music Month.

  1. Love Gun- Understand that when I was listening to this music, I was very naive and didn’t really understand the message of most of the songs. I just liked singing the words Love Gun really loud. I think I was really loud at that age and wanted to know how someone pulled the trigger of my love gun.
Let’s eat cake every night and Ice cream every day!
  1. Shout it Out Loud– This was a natural for me because I like to shout things out loud all the time, so I was really happy there was a song encouraging me to do this. Getting the party started is a great remedy for what ails you and at that point, a party included cake and some sort of game playing so who wouldn’t want to do that?  I mean cake? Yes, Shout it out loud.
  2. Calling Dr. Love– When I was 11 or 12 I think I considered myself Dr. Love. Of course, I thought love was all about holding hands and stealing a kiss now and then. I knew nothing about sex at all. Other than girls were awesome, I fell in love daily and figured there are no bills, there are no

Me at that age. Clearly thinking about cake and shouting things out loud.

fees.  And I knew what the first step of the cure is.  They call me Dr. Love.

  1. Rock and Roll All Night– I have to point to my previous reference to cake when I heard this song.  I liked the cake and that happened at any party I had ever been to, so yes I did want to rock and roll all night and party every day. This song also satisfied my need to shout loudly simple phrases in rhythm.  So how could the 70’s me go wrong here?  He couldn’t.
  1. Detroit Rock City– Here is the Kiss song that has it all. The diner noises at the beginning remind me of breakfast (My favorite meal), then it involved driving which I would come to love. I also it was talking about some sort of elaborate musical chairs game.  Get up, everybody’s gonna move their feet, sit down everybody’s gonna leave their seat.  It also offered me the chance to shout, and understand the tragedy of a shortened life. One I would become more familiar with later in life.  But then, life was good and Kiss was part of it.

Honorable mention- Love Gun, Beth, Deuce, Strutter, Cold Gin, Shock Me, Hotter than Hell

George Thorogood and the Destroyers by Mike Martin

Yesterday-I missed a text from my lifelong buddy Rich Daigle. I have known Rich and his brother Dan forever.  (Dan is way too cool for Social Media Interactions-so I’m I tagging his oldest daughter–again-Sorry Danielle!!)

Rich was in town, but we failed to connect; hopefully, next time brother. FYI: I prefer the phone because I am much better talker than typer and I am not accustomed to checking text message especially on Friday. But, I try to get better every day–at least that is what My Spiritual Advisors (Jon Hilton) tells me I should do.

Yes- I always love to see my lifelong friends our connections run so deep that a small part of the Daigle Brothers is always with me.

Rich Daigle in his natural habitat

When you’re teenagers and live in a small remote and isolated town, you ride the same roads over and over again. This was one of the best forms of entertainment that we shared as young men.

We were lucky as children, Growing up in Greenville, Maine. As I have stated more than once, I feel I was raised with privilege. A huge reason I feel this way as much to do with the amazing automobiles that I got to share with the Daigle Brothers. There was the Toy, the Hornet, the Comet, and the Wildcat to name a few, and when our cars were broken or out of gas, my awesome father was always there to lend us his truck for the day or evening.

Of course, the loan of the truck came with conditions: 1. a strict curfew 2. a demand that the truck was returned with all its bumpers and without dent or scratches. We most often complied because if we didn’t, we would suffer a short banishment. This only happened on a few occasions, and luckily- I have very forgiving parents.

My dad had two cassettes in the first truck I got to drive after getting my

Welcome to Greenville

driver’s license.  Eddie Rabbitt – Greatest Hits Vol. II and Move It on Over the second album by George Thorogood & the Destroyers.

Needless to say, though we did listen to Eddie often, we spent a lot more time listening to George & The Destroyers- Hearing the songs of George Thorogood & the Destroyer second album always reminds me of the hours I spent riding the streets and back roads of Greenville, Maine with the Daigle Brothers.

So, without any more fanfare-My Day 7 #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth selection is George Thorogood & the Destroyers.

Who Do You Love  Written by American rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley in 1956.

Move It On Over  Written by American country music singer-songwriter legend Hank Williams in 1947.

My third George Thorogood & the Destroyer music chose was released in 1982 and a George Thorogood original.

Happy Halloween

It is Halloween seasons. Every October, this beautiful guy hangs in the window closest to our dining room table. He reminds me often that he is truly Bad to the Bone 

If you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville