As I’m writing this, the temperature at Gilsland Farm is in the 90s. Yet I have two brilliant red sugar maple leaves adorning my desk. I plucked them off the ground under an ancient tree that has been a roadside sentinel at Gilsland Farm for many years, standing over the comings and goings, perhaps all the way back to when visitors arrived by horse.
As Nat Wheelwright’s decades of diligently-compiled nature journals can attest, we can see evidence of a warming Maine by shifts in the phenology of the state’s plants and animals. Regardless — and delightfully — Maine continues to have four distinct seasons. Despite today’s ice cream-craving temperatures, I’m quite in agreement with my friend the maple tree that autumn is on our doorstep.
While it is unlikely that September will put any ice on our puddles in southern Maine, my native Aroostook County and Maine’s western mountains will definitely see a shift in weather patterns in the next month. Splotches of early fall foliage will delight the eyes of any of us lucky enough to spend time in these beautiful places. Please join us in welcoming another vibrant and crisp fall to Maine! Even as the crowds dissipate and families transition from summer’s carefree days to the structured routines that mark the beginning of another school year, we still see many visitors. And why not? Autumn redecorates all of our favorite outdoor places in a completely new color palette, beckoning us to take a fresh look at familiar places.
At Maine Audubon, we make it easy for you to experience this transition. We have all your favorites, from our Bar Harbor Pelagic boat trip to our Apple Day Festival. Here are a few highlights you should be sure to check out:
- If you’re looking to mingle with a fun crowd, join us at Gilsland Farm on the evening of September 20 for “Autumn Equinox at the Audubon,” hosted by our friends at Portside Real Estate. With great live music, tasty food, and a silent auction, you can celebrate the equinox in grand style. All the proceeds from this event benefit Maine Audubon.
- We’re pulling all of the stops for our annual Bald Eagles of Merrymeeting Bay boat trip on September 22, which this year celebrates its 50th (!) Anniversary. Former Maine Audubon executive director Dick Anderson led the first of these trips in 1969, and he’ll lead this one alongside our staff naturalist Doug Hitchcox.
- On September 29, we’re bringing you a juried craft show, The Nature of Craft. Featuring 50 of Maine’s top nature-inspired artisans, this event reaches back into our history of linking art and nature, creating a fresh event that is sure to be loved by both old and new friends.
This is just a sampling. If you really want to get a sense of what’s going on, check out the websites of our statewide Chapters. Whether it’s the Downeast Chapter’s “Yardening for Birds” at Leslie Clapp’s stunning 10-acre property, a field trip to Morse Mountain with the Merrymeeting Chapter, a trip to Monhegan Island with the Midcoast Chapter, or a waterbird tour of Bangor’s Essex Woods with the Penobscot Valley Chapter, there are no shortage of opportunities around Maine.
We’ll have plenty of time to cozy up to our woodstoves later! Autumn is best spent in Maine’s great outdoors, in the company of friends and family. I hope you’ll join us in transforming a little autumn chill into some warm memories.
