Low Priced Lobsters, Now in Maine

One of the few items that are going down in price is lobsters, at least in Maine. In many places there the price is equal to deli sliced turkey. Unfortunately for us non- New Englanders the low cost will not be found else where. The summer lobster catch in Maine is mostly the soft- shelled so shipping the fragile critters is tough. The falling demand and good harvest has created the low prices according to the AP. I cannot help but wonder about the lobstermen I talked to recently when coasting up the coast. The price of fuel was fueling some great anxiety. There was a time in Maine when state prisons served lobster several times a week to the dismay of the prisoners. In many of the mansions the servants also suffered the same abuse. I can only hope that when I return to Cozy Cove Cottage in Oct. I can suffer as well, nothing sweeter than a cold water lobster caught that very day!

Portland, a Bang Up July 4th in 1866

First stop on the coast was the city of Portland, Maine. I wanted to see how it changed since I wrote a piece for GN. I had to call in to Around the World Travel Radio anyway. While structurally the same, a bit of umph seems missing. Could be the economy or perhaps it is just me. I did learn a little something new that pertains to July 4th also. Love the little facts. On July 4 1866, Portland had a great fire that burned 1500 buildings down. The fire was started when a little boy threw a firecracker on a pile of wood shavings. At the time poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said the remains of the city reminded him of the ruins of Pompeii. Hope a better fourth for everyone.