I�m a glass-half-full kind of person, so I see the end of Daylight Saving Time as a gift: Soon we�re about to get another hour of daylight in the morning. PSA: Remember to set your clocks back an hour on November 7 at 2 am (or when you go to bed Saturday evening).�
I will concede that leaving work when it�s dark out does make for a tough adjustment. It feels a bit like fall just started, what with all those warm days in October, so the setting back of the clocks really feels like we�re admitting that winter�s coming. And I�ll be honest, I�ve already started thinking about the holidays.�
In thinking about Thanksgiving, I feel thankful for so many things. For one thing, I�m thankful it�s not November 2020! But even though this election is nothing like last year�s tumultuous Presidential election, it�s still important to exercise your right to vote. Make sure you know your polling place and vote on Election Day. We�ve prepared an information sheet around the Clean Energy Connect issue on Referendum 1; read it here before you head to the polls.�
I�m thankful that at Maine Audubon we�ve been able to continue our important work to protect our state�s wildlife and habitat, increase our work on renewable energy and climate change, and help support the next generation of environmental stewards. Though COVID has taken its toll on us, we�ve been able to carry on most of our conservation and education work, thanks to your continued support.�
Looking ahead to the holiday season of gift-giving, there�s no greater gift than the gift of wildlife. If you keep Maine Audubon in mind as you prepare for the holidays, you�ll be supporting Common Loons, Monarch Butterflies, Bald Eagles, and Brook Trout. You�ll be supporting pollinators and insects and birds who rely on habitats we are working to restore and native plants we grow and sell, from asters to milkweeds to blueberry bushes. You�ll be supporting our educators who are working with students in grades pre-K to 12, across the state, in urban and rural areas, connecting them with wildlife, teaching them about water cycles, adaptations, migration, and much more.�
You can support our work by shopping in our Nature Stores where we�ve got locally-made and unique gifts, bird-friendly products, and engaging books for those quiet evenings in front of the fireplace. This year we�ll have gift cards available as well, if you can�t think of the perfect gift for that certain someone. You can also give a gift membership so that others can experience the benefits of a Maine Audubon membership.�
One of my favorite gifts is Peter Vickery�s Birds of Maine. This is the first comprehensive overview of Maine�s incredibly rich birdlife in more than seven decades. It not only provides a detailed account of all 464 species recorded in the Pine Tree State, but also provides a well researched portrait of a region undergoing rapid changes. This book makes a wonderful gift for anyone interested in Maine�s birds.��
In the quiet post-pumpkin pie evenings, I�m thankful for the gift that is life in Maine, and the Maine Audubon community that supports and participates in the efforts to conserve this beautiful state and all its inhabitants.��
