over the country, with a range of factors contributing to the problem. As I write this blog post, our issue of Mainebiz arrived in the mail and the cover story is “Maine’s growing Housing Crunch”, with the subhead, “Cash buyers, short-term rentals and rising home prices are shutting Mainers out.” Almost every day the Bangor Daily News has several articles on housing issues from the region. So, Mount Desert is by no means the only community grappling with affordable housing issues, but that is little comfort if you’re one of those people being turned out of your rental home with no place to go and nothing available you can afford to buy or rent.

A big pile of firewood in our driveway gives me a feeling of security. Work lies ahead, but no matter what winter brings – power outages, ice storms, nor’easters, polar vortices – we’ll be warm several times over stacking, splitting, restacking, and burning that wood.

At the opening of the March 8, 2022 Town of Mt. Desert’s special town meeting, moderator Bill Ferm asked the 103 town residents in attendance to observe a moment of silence to remember the people of Ukraine. After the silence, he asked us to recognize their bravery with applause. The applause was sustained for several minutes. The purpose of the special town meeting was described in Article 6 of the Warrant: “Shall the voters of the Town of Mount Desert authorize the Board of Selectmen of the Town or its designee to negotiate and enter into an agreement providing for the acquisition of the assets, liabilities and operations of the Northeast Harbor Ambulance Service into the Town’s Fire Department.”

A front-page article in the current Working Waterfront announces that, in the wake of the work and lifestyle changes spurred by Covid, Maine is now the 8th fastest-growing state in the nation.

I confess to mixed emotions.