Seasonal Stuff

As early Fall blends into late October on Quimby Pond, the wildlife begin to prepare for winter. I'm starting to see a few hooded mergansers rafting up on the pond. The loons remain and the chipmunks only occasionally show their faces. The hummingbirds are long gone. Are far as human inhabitants go, there are many of us within the Quimby Pond watershed, but it looks like we are down to our usual half dozen or so along the shoreline of the pond for the winter. I photographed a downy woodpecker today, who looked as if he was wondering where everybody went.

Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has been doing a fish study here and I have posted a picture of the study area. There are nets hanging from the floats. I have heard only hearsay about the results, but the hearsay is that we have good sized brook trout, and that smelt have returned to Quimby Pond.

The association

Today, I mailed the first of a few letters to start an association on Quimby Pond. If you saw the web address in the letter and you are seeing this blog for the first time, then welcome! I hope that you enjoy reading this. My plan is to post something about every 10 - 14 days. Regarding the mailing, it went out to property owners as listed on the Rangeley tax records. If I got your name wrong or of the letter was forwarded to you , please let me know (you can post a comment if you like).

What should we name the association?

Quimby Pond Association...Friends of Quimby Pond... or can you think of another name? Please let me know. I have a goal to start this association by the end of November and I need input from all of you. Several neighbors (and I) will have a meeting with the Maine Congress of Lake Associations on November 18th, then shortly after that we should become a real association.

If anyone would like to submit photos, I would love to post them. (Again, click on the comment section and just start typing).

Since Halloween is a couple of days away, I thought that I would post a photo submitted by Sandi Andrews. It looks spooky to me.

Happy Halloween.

~Sue

It's amazing how things change here on Quimby Pond. Years ago I thought that time had not changed Quimby Pond. One can sit on a porch and imagine times gone by. Thirty years ago, there were no motorboats on the pond. Today, there are still no motorboats. Thirty years ago, the loon's wail call echoed across the pond. Today, the loon wails and yodels continue. Thirty years ago the fishing was fantastic (so they tell me). Today, the fishing is still good.

Today, we're a little more worried about the ecology of the pond. A little algae showed up last summer and we're trying to figure out just what is possible to do about it. And to determine what's best for the pond. Don't get me wrong, this is still the most beautiful place on earth and I wouldn't trade this place for any other.

The photo to the left is the north shoreline last week.







The photo to the right is early morning today (October 13, 2009). Mother Nature had delivered a few inches of snow overnight.



And by this afternoon most of the snow had melted and a little fog rollled in.

No, I wouldn't trade this place for any other.